Technological trends affecting the manufacturing sector of New York City

The author concludes that manufacturing is still a vital part of New York City's economy, despite substantial job losses in this sector over the past two decades. An influx of skilled immigrants, the use of advanced technologies in production processes, and the ability to respond rapidly to global markets give New York City a strong future in manufacturing high-value goods.New York (N.Y.) ; Technology ; Federal Reserve District, 2nd

Stage-Specific Timing of the microRNA Regulation of \u3cem\u3elin-28\u3c/em\u3e by the Heterochronic Gene \u3cem\u3elin-14\u3c/em\u3e in \u3cem\u3eCaenorhabditis elegans\u3c/em\u3e

In normal development, the order and synchrony of diverse developmental events must be explicitly controlled. In the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, the timing of larval events is regulated by hierarchy of proteins and microRNAs (miRNAs) known as the heterochronic pathway. These regulators are organized in feedforward and feedback interactions to form a robust mechanism for specifying the timing and execution of cell fates at successive stages. One member of this pathway is the RNA binding protein LIN-28, which promotes pluripotency and cell fate decisions in successive stages. Two genetic circuits control LIN-28 abundance: it is negatively regulated by the miRNA lin-4, and positively regulated by the transcription factor LIN-14 through a mechanism that was previously unknown. In this report, we used animals that lack lin-4 to elucidate LIN-14’s activity in this circuit. We demonstrate that three let-7 family miRNAs—miR-48, miR-84, and miR-241—inhibit lin-28 expression. Furthermore, we show genetically that these miRNAs act between lin-14 and lin-28, and that they comprise the pathway by which lin-14 positively regulates lin-28. We also show that the lin-4 family member mir-237, also regulates early cell fates. Finally, we show that the expression of these miRNAs is directly inhibited by lin-14 activity, making them the first known targets of lin-14 that act in the heterochronic pathway

Patient ratings in exercise therapy for the management of tendinopathy: a systematic review with meta-analysis.

The objective of this study was to synthesise exercise therapy intervention data investigating patient rating outcomes for the management of tendinopathy. A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials investigating exercise therapy interventions and reporting patient rating outcomes were undertaken. Eligible settings were considered to be any setting in any country listed as very high on the human development index. Eligible participants were considered to be people with a diagnosis of any tendinopathy of any severity or duration. Exercise therapy for the management of tendinopathy was considered for inclusion based on alignment with five different therapy classes: 1) resistance; 2) plyometric; 3) vibration; 4) flexibility; and 5) movement pattern retraining modalities. The main outcomes sought were those that measured patient rating of condition, including patient satisfaction and Global Rating of Change (GROC). From a total of 124 exercise therapy studies, 34 (Achilles: 41%; rotator cuff: 32%; patellar: 15%; elbow: 9%; and gluteal: 3%) provided sufficient information to be meta-analysed. The data were obtained across 48 treatment arms and 1246 participants. The pooled estimate for proportion of satisfaction was 0.63 [95% CrI: 0.53 to 0.73], and the pooled estimate for percentage of maximum GROC was 53 [95% CrI: 38 to 69%]. The proportion of patients reporting positive satisfaction and perception of change increased with longer follow-up periods from treatment onset. Patient satisfaction and GROC appear similar and are ranked moderately high demonstrating that patients generally perceive exercise therapies positively. Further research including greater consistency in measurement tools is required to explore and where possible, identify patient- and exercise-related moderating factors that can be used to improve person-centred care

Placental glucocorticoid receptor isoforms in a sheep model of maternal allergic asthma

Maternal asthma increases the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes and may affect fetal growth and placental function by differential effects on the expression of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) isoforms, leading to altered glucocorticoid signalling. Our aim was to examine the effect of maternal asthma on placental GR profiles using a pregnant sheep model of asthma. Nine known GR isoforms were detected. There was a significant increase in the expression of placental GR isoforms that are known to have low trans-activational activity in other species including GR A, GR P and GRγ which may result in a pro-inflammatory environment in the presence of allergic asthma

Frontiers in microphotonics: tunability and all-optical control

The miniaturization of optical devices and their integration for creating adaptive and reconfigurable photonic integrated circuits requires effective platforms and methods to control light over very short distances. We present here several techniques an

Improving pregnancy outcomes in humans through studies in sheep

Experimental studies that are relevant to human pregnancy rely on the selection of appropriate animal models as an important element in experimental design. Consideration of the strengths and weaknesses of any animal model of human disease is fundamental to effective and meaningful translation of preclinical research. Studies in sheep have made significant contributions to our understanding of the normal and abnormal development of the fetus. As a model of human pregnancy, studies in sheep have enabled scientists and clinicians to answer questions about the etiology and treatment of poor maternal, placental, and fetal health and to provide an evidence base for translation of interventions to the clinic. The aim of this review is to highlight the advances in perinatal human medicine that have been achieved following translation of research using the pregnant sheep and fetus

Stratospheric gravity waves over the mountainous island of South Georgia: testing a high-resolution dynamical model with 3-D satellite observations and radiosondes

Atmospheric gravity waves (GWs) play an important role in atmospheric dynamics but accurately representing them in general circulation models (GCMs) is challenging. This is especially true for orographic GWs generated by wind flow over small mountainous islands in the Southern Ocean. Currently, these islands lie in the “grey zone” of global model resolution, where they are neither fully resolved nor fully parameterised. It is expected that as GCMs approach the spatial resolution of current high-resolution local-area models, small-island GW sources may be resolved without the need for parameterisations. But how realistic are the resolved GWs in these high-resolution simulations compared to observations? Here, we test a high-resolution (1.5 km horizontal grid, 118 vertical levels) local-area configuration of the Met Office Unified Model over the mountainous island of South Georgia (54∘ S, 36∘ W), running without GW parameterisations. The island's orography is well resolved in the model, and real-time boundary conditions are used for two time periods during July 2013 and June–July 2015. We compare simulated GWs in the model to coincident 3-D satellite observations from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) on board Aqua. By carefully sampling the model using the AIRS resolution and measurement footprints (denoted as model sampled as AIRS hereafter), we present the first like-for-like comparison of simulated and observed 3-D GW amplitudes, wavelengths and directional GW momentum flux (GWMF) over the island using a 3-D S-transform method. We find that the timing, magnitude and direction of simulated GWMF over South Georgia are in good general agreement with observations, once the AIRS sampling and resolution are applied to the model. Area-averaged zonal GWMF during these 2 months is westward at around 5.3 and 5.6 mPa in AIRS and model sampled as AIRS datasets respectively, but values directly over the island can exceed 50 mPa. However, up to 35 % of the total GWMF in AIRS is actually found upwind of the island compared to only 17 % in the model sampled as AIRS, suggesting that non-orographic GWs observed by AIRS may be underestimated in our model configuration. Meridional GWMF results show a small northward bias (∼20 %) in the model sampled as AIRS that may correspond to a southward wind bias compared to coincident radiosonde measurements. Finally, we present one example of large-amplitude (T′≈15–20 K at 45 km altitude) GWs at short horizontal wavelengths (λH≈30–40 km) directly over the island in AIRS measurements that show excellent agreement with the model sampled as AIRS. This suggests that orographic GWs in the full-resolution model with T′≈45 K and λH≈30–40 km can occur in reality. Our study demonstrates that not only can high-resolution local-area models simulate realistic stratospheric GWs over small mountainous islands but the application of satellite sampling and resolution to these models can also be a highly effective method for their validation

Walk well:a randomised controlled trial of a walking intervention for adults with intellectual disabilities: study protocol

Background - Walking interventions have been shown to have a positive impact on physical activity (PA) levels, health and wellbeing for adult and older adult populations. There has been very little work carried out to explore the effectiveness of walking interventions for adults with intellectual disabilities. This paper will provide details of the Walk Well intervention, designed for adults with intellectual disabilities, and a randomised controlled trial (RCT) to test its effectiveness. Methods/design - This study will adopt a RCT design, with participants allocated to the walking intervention group or a waiting list control group. The intervention consists of three PA consultations (baseline, six weeks and 12 weeks) and an individualised 12 week walking programme. A range of measures will be completed by participants at baseline, post intervention (three months from baseline) and at follow up (three months post intervention and six months from baseline). All outcome measures will be collected by a researcher who will be blinded to the study groups. The primary outcome will be steps walked per day, measured using accelerometers. Secondary outcome measures will include time spent in PA per day (across various intensity levels), time spent in sedentary behaviour per day, quality of life, self-efficacy and anthropometric measures to monitor weight change. Discussion - Since there are currently no published RCTs of walking interventions for adults with intellectual disabilities, this RCT will examine if a walking intervention can successfully increase PA, health and wellbeing of adults with intellectual disabilities

Centrality dependence of pi^[+/-], K^[+/-], p and p-bar production from sqrt(s_NN)=130 GeV Au + Au collisions at RHIC

Identified pi^[+/-] K^[+/-], p and p-bar transverse momentum spectra at mid-rapidity in sqrt(s_NN)=130 GeV Au-Au collisions were measured by the PHENIX experiment at RHIC as a function of collision centrality. Average transverse momenta increase with the number of participating nucleons in a similar way for all particle species. The multiplicity densities scale faster than the number of participating nucleons. Kaon and nucleon yields per participant increase faster than the pion yields. In central collisions at high transverse momenta (p_T greater than 2 GeV/c), anti-proton and proton yields are comparable to the pion yields.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, 1 table, 307 authors, accepted by Phys. Rev. Lett. on 9 April 2002. This version has minor changes made in response to referee Comments. Plain text data tables for the points plotted in figures for this and previous PHENIX publications are publicly available at http://www.phenix.bnl.gov/phenix/WWW/run/phenix/papers.htm

Net Charge Fluctuations in Au + Au Interactions at sqrt(s_NN) = 130 GeV

Data from Au + Au interactions at sqrt(s_NN) = 130 GeV, obtained with the PHENIX detector at RHIC, are used to investigate local net charge fluctuations among particles produced near mid-rapidity. According to recent suggestions, such fluctuations may carry information from the Quark Gluon Plasma. This analysis shows that the fluctuations are dominated by a stochastic distribution of particles, but are also sensitive to other effects, like global charge conservation and resonance decays.Comment: 6 pages, RevTeX 3, 3 figures, 307 authors, submitted to Phys. Rev. Lett. on 21 March, 2002. Plain text data tables for the points plotted in figures for this and previous PHENIX publications are (will be made) publicly available at http://www.phenix.bnl.gov/phenix/WWW/run/phenix/papers.htm