Genetic Dissection of a QTL Affecting Bone Geometry.

Parameters of bone geometry such as width, length, and cross-sectional area are major determinants of bone strength. Although these traits are highly heritable, few genes influencing bone geometry have been identified. Here, we dissect a major quantitative trait locus (QTL) influencing femur size. This QTL was originally identified in an F2 cross between the C57BL/6J-hg/hg (HG) and CAST/EiJ strains and was referred to as femur length in high growth mice 2 (Feml2). Feml2 was located on chromosome (Chr.) 9 at ∼20 cM. Here, we show that the HG.CAST-(D9Mit249-D9Mit133)/Ucd congenic strain captures Feml2 In an F2 congenic cross, we fine-mapped the location of Feml2 to an ∼6 Mbp region extending from 57.3 to 63.3 Mbp on Chr. 9. We have identified candidates by mining the complete genome sequence of CAST/EiJ and through allele-specific expression (ASE) analysis of growth plates in C57BL/6J × CAST/EiJ F1 hybrids. Interestingly, we also find that the refined location of Feml2 overlaps a cluster of six independent genome-wide associations for human height. This work provides the foundation for the identification of novel genes affecting bone geometry

Teachers\u27 Cultural Competence and Students\u27 Perception of the Social Classroom Climate in Culturally Different Middle School Classrooms

Problem Teachers and students often come from different cultural backgrounds, so classrooms are increasingly becoming the venue where interactions, if not appropriately managed, will produce a social climate not conducive to learning. The present study seeks to determine to what extent teacher cultural competence impacts student perception of the classroom social environment. Method The Teacher Multicultural Attitudes Survey was used to quantify teachers’ cultural competence and a Social Classroom Climate Measure was used to gather scores on the four key factors of the social climate. Hierarchical Linear Modelling was used to assess the influence of teacher cultural competence and several demographic variables on student perception of the classroom social environment. Results Several demographic variables were shown to impact students’ perception of the classroom social climate. The teacher’s reported level of cultural competence, however, was not shown to be a predictor of students’ perception of classroom social climate. Conclusions The results of this study highlight the possibility of two major issues. First, students’ perceptions of the classroom social climate are affected by particular student characteristics, in this case, grade-level and ethnicity. This outcome lends support to the push to place students at the center of learning and pedagogical decisions. Second, it is difficult to differentiate between the effects of cultural competence and good teaching. Hence, it is important for teachers to rigorously engage in high-quality pedagogical strategies in an effort to produce instruction that addresses the ways in which all students learn best. This concept is at the heart of cultural competency, which requires teachers to have the knowledge and skills to successfully teach all students

Abortion Decisions as Humanizing Acts: The Application of Ambivalent Sexism and Objectification to Women-Centered Anti-Abortion Rhetoric

Women-centered anti-abortion rhetoric, grounded in ostensibly positive beliefs that pregnant people are precious objects who must be protected from having abortions, has proliferated anti-abortion activism and legislation. However, abortion stigma, marked by negative perceptions of people who terminate pregnancies, is the most widely used theoretical tool for understanding the social and psychological implications of abortion. In this article, we first integrate these two seemingly contradictory perspectives on abortion through the lens of ambivalent sexism theory. We then argue that ambivalent sexism paves the way for objectifying perceptions and treatment of pregnant people; specifically, our typology of reproductive objectification provides a tool for exploring how the abortion decision-making of pregnant people is undermined. Through this lens, abortion decisions can represent a subversion of these portrayals and treatment by affirming people who seek and have abortions as whole human beings. Throughout, we aim to counter White supremacy and cisheteropatriarchy, which have marked public discourse and psychological research on abortion. Finally, using this reproductive objectification framework, recommendations for clinicians and researchers are provided

Pengaruh Kepribadian, Orientasi Kerja dan Penempatan Pegawai terhadap Kinerja Pegawai pada Dinas Kebudayaan dan Pariwsata Provinsi Sulawesi Utara

Manajemen sumber daya manusia berfokus untuk menjalankan tugas dan tanggung jawab dengan baik, dan memberikan serangkaian aktifitas sumber daya manusia yang komprehensif dan berkesinambungan. Faktor penting dari manajemen sumber daya manusia diantaranya, kepribadian, orientasi kerja dan penempatan pegawai akan diuji pengaruhnya terhadap kinerja pegawai. Tujuan penelitian ini untuk mengetahui pengaruh kepribadian, orientasi kerja, dan penempatan pegawai terhadap kinerja pegawai pada Disbudpar Prov. Sulut. Sampel digunakan berjumlah 87 orang Pegawai. Pengambilan data melalui kuisioner. Metode Penelitian yang digunakaan adalah Kuantitatif dengan menggunakan Analisis Regresi Berganda. Hasil penelitian menunjukan secara simultan kepribadian, orientasi kerja dan penempatan pegawai berpengaruh signifikan terhadap kinerja pegawai. Secara parsial kepribadian berpengaruh negatif dan signifikan dan penempatan pegawai berpengaruh positif dan signifikan, sedangkan orientasi kerja tidak berpengaruh terhadap kinerja pegawai pada Disbudpar. Prov. Sulut. Pimpinan Disbudpar. Prov. Sulut sebaiknya memperbaiki orientasi pegawai dan meningkatkan kualitas kepribadian sehingga Kinerja Pegawai dapat ditingkatkan. Kata kunci: kepribadian, orientasi kerja, penempatan pegawai, kinerja pegawa

The Stellar Content of Obscured Galactic Giant H II Regions

Near infrared images of the Galactic giant HII region W43 reveal a dense stellar cluster at its center. Broad band JHK photometry of the young cluster and K-band spectra of three of its bright stars are presented. The 2 micron spectrum of the brightest star in the cluster is very well matched to the spectra of Wolf-Rayet stars of sub-type WN7. Two other stars are identified as O type giants or supergiants by their NIII and CIV emission. The close spatial clustering of O and the hydrogen WN type stars is analogous to the intense star burst clusters R136 in the Large Magellanic Cloud and NGC3603 in the Galaxy.Comment: 22 pages (LaTex), including 7 figures (eps

Experimental investigation of retrofitting techniques for steel bridge girders subject to fatigue failure

Fatigue failure is major concern for infrastructure due to the increasing number of steel structures reaching the end of their design life each year. Increased loadings, deterioration due to weathering, climate change and human error also negatively impact the design life. Rehabilitating steel bridge girders rather than replacing the existing structure can provide an option for an economical and sustainable future. This paper presents the results of an experimental study which implements a simple retrofitting technique to combat fatigue failure. The retrofitting technique is applied to girders which have incurred fatigue cracking within the bottom flange. Experimental tests are performed on a riveted tapered 120-year-old girder and a new prefabricated hot rolled girder. The results from the experimental tests showed that fatigue cracking within the bottom flange of girders can be easily rehabilitated to increase the girder’s capacity to that of their original design. By utilising this simple designed retrofitting technique, existing structures do not need to be replaced. The technique shown herein is a viable method for increasing the service life of steel girders providing for a sustainable future

Kinerja Beton High Volume Pofa

The use of Palm Oil Fuel Ash (POFA) as a pozzolanic component in concrete continues in the future due to increase amount of POFA as by-product from industries annually. POFA is used as partial cement replacement in concrete and has significant impact on concrete's performance. In this research, high volume POFA concrete with POFA replacement of 45%, 55% and 65% by cement mass were studied. POFA was obtained from local quarry in Riau Province. OPC concrete was used as control mix. Some properties namely workability, setting time, compressive strength, shrinkage and porosity were investigated. Results show that workability and compressive strength decreases as the POFA replacement increases in concrete. Porosity, shrinkage and setting time increases with an increase of POFA in concrete. It can be concluded high volume POFA using local material cannot improve the concrete performance significantly

The Stellar Content of Obscured Galactic Giant H II Regions III.: W31

We present near infrared (J, H, and K) photometry and moderate resolution (lambda/Deltalambda = 3000) K-band spectroscopy of the embedded stellar cluster in the giant H II region W31. Four of the brightest five cluster members are early O--type stars based on their spectra. We derive a spectro--photometric distance for W31 of 3.4 +/- 0.3 kpc using these new spectral types and infrared photometry. The brightest cluster source at K is a red object which lies in the region of the J - H vs. H - K color--color plot inhabited by stars with excess emission in the K-band. This point source has an H plus K-band spectrum which shows no photospheric features, which we interpret as being the result of veiling by local dust emission. Strong Brackett series emission and permitted FeII emission are detected in this source; the latter feature is suggestive of a dense inflow or outflow. The near infrared position of this red source is consistent with the position of a 5 GHz thermal radio source seen in previous high angular resolution VLA images. We also identify several other K-band sources containing excess emission with compact radio sources. These objects may represent stars in the W31 cluster still embedded in their birth cocoons.Comment: LaTeX2e/aastex, 29 pages including 9 figures, 3 table

Prosthetics in the Return to Trade Work

Importance: There is a lack of research on how different prosthetics impact return to work for individuals experiencing an upper extremity amputation. Objective: This review aims to assess myoelectric and body-powered prosthetics\u27 impact on return to physically demanding work and understand which is better suited for trade work demands and productivity. Data sources: Journal articles were last searched for using the databases, EBSCO, PubMed, Sage Journals and ScienceDirect, on October 13th, 2023. Study selection and data collection: Articles meeting inclusion criteria had to be peer-reviewed journal articles written in English, published in the last seven years, participants 18 years of age or older with an upper extremity amputation using a body-powered or external powered prosthetics, while hybrid prosthetics were not included for review. Findings: The systematic review includes four Level III articles and four Level IV articles, with four good, three fair, and one poor risk of bias ratings. Articles containing body-powered prosthetics reported less complaints and greater function in physically demanding work, while myoelectric prosthetics demonstrated greater dexterity and precise quick movements that impacted return to work. Conclusion and relevance: Myoelectric prosthetics are better suited for fine motor and mentally demanding work; however, body-powered prosthetics are better for gross motor and physically demanding work