Trends in Maternal and Child Health Indicators in Making Connections Sites

Reviews the rates of teen births, low birth-weight babies, and first-trimester prenatal care received, as a share of total births, in Casey's Making Connections initiative neighborhoods. Compares the neighborhood data to overall trends in the county

Jobs, natural resources, and community resilience: A survey of southeast Alaskans about social and environmental change

As part of the Community and Environment in Rural America (CERA) project, researchers at the Carsey Institute surveyed 1,541 residents of the ten boroughs and unincorporated census areas in Southeast Alaska to better understand social and environmental change in the region and their implications for Alaskan community and families. The authors of this brief report that social problems in the extremely isolated region of Southeast Alaska such as crime and drug use are closely related to economic distress, particularly in small outlying communities

In the Wake of the Spill: Environmental Views Along the Gulf Coast

Abstract Objectives We analyze patterns in environmental views of Gulf Coast residents, in the wake of the 2010 oil spill. To what extent do spill-related and other environmental views vary with individual characteristics, personal experience with the spill, or characteristics of place? Methods About 2,000 residents of selected coastal regions in Louisiana and Florida were interviewed by telephone in late summer 2010. Results One-quarter of the respondents said that their environmental views had changed as a result of the spill. Despite reporting more change, more spill effects, and greater threats from climate-induced sea-level rise, Louisiana respondents were less likely to support a deepwater moratorium, alternative energy, or resource conservation. Conclusions Results are consistent with real effects from the spill. Differences between Louisiana and Florida respondents are not explained by spill effects or individual characteristics, however. The patterns reflect biophysical differences of the coastlines that shaped their socioeconomic development

Linking Conformation Change to Hemoglobin Activation Via Chain-Selective Time-resolved Resonance Raman Spectroscopy on Protoheme/Mesoheme Hybrids

Time-resolved Resonance Raman spectra are reported for Hb tetramers, in which the αand β chains are selectively substituted with mesoheme. The Soret absorption band shift in meso- relative to protoheme permits chain-selective excitation of heme RR spectra. The evolution of these spectra following HbCO photolysis show that geminate recombination rates and yields are the same for the two chains, consistent with recent results on 15N-heme isotopomer hybrids. The spectra also reveal systematic shifts in the deoxy-heme ν4 and νFe-His) RR bands, which are anti-correlated. These shifts are resolved for the successive intermediates in the protein structure, which have previously been determined from time-resolved UVRR spectra. Both chains show Fe-His bond compression in the immediate photoproduct, which relaxes during the formation of the first intermediate, Rdeoxy (0.07 μs), in which the proximal F-helix is proposed to move away from the heme. Subsequently, the Fe-His bond weakens, more so for the α than the β chains. The weakening is gradual for the β chains, but abrupt for the α chains, coinciding with completion of the R-T quaternary transition, at 20μs. Since the transition from fast- to slow-rebinding Hb also occurs at 20μs, the drop in the α chain νFe-His supports the localization of ligation restraint to tension in the Fe-His bond, at least in the α-chains. The mechanism is more complex in the β chains

2006 Housing in the Nation's Capital

Explores the interdependent relationship between public school systems and housing markets, and examines the ability of coordinated investment in affordable housing and quality education to revitalize Washington, D.C., metropolitan area neighborhoods

Parity at a Price: The Emerging Professional Liability of Mental Health Providers

This Article considers the issues associated with emerging professional liability claims against mental health care providers. Part II supplies background information regarding this liability, including the elements of these claims. Part III details the decreasing stigma associated with obtaining mental health services and its impact on professional liability, while Part IV summarizes advancements in mental health treatment that have enhanced the functional capacities of potential litigants. The remaining Parts explore changes in the delivery of mental health care where litigation may be focused, including the increasing use of psychotropic medications (Part V), the expanding role of primary care physicians and other health care providers with limited training and experience pertaining to the treatment of mental illness (Part VI), the surge in pediatric psychotropic prescriptions (Part VII), the emergence of the informed consent doctrine and psychiatric advance directives (Part VIII), and the continuing development of Tarasoff-related liability (Part IX)

The effect of mechanical pre-processing and different drying methodologies on bioethanol production using the brown macroalgae Laminaria digitata ((Hudson) JV Lamouroux)

Macroalgae are capable of generating more organic carbon per hectare than terrestrial plants without requiring land, fertiliser or fresh water to grow. In addition, they avoid the food versus fuel argument as they are not a major food source in Europe. In spite of these benefits, macroalgae are not yet fully exploited as a biomass source for bioenergy or platform chemical production in Europe, with one issue being the high harvesting and processing costs. This paper considers the impact of mechanical pre-processing of Laminaria digitata combined with different drying techniques and the effect of these on downstream processing to bioethanol. Results show that mechanically screw pressing macroalgae does enhance conversion to ethanol, but only when the material contains low levels of storage carbohydrates. This occurs in freeze-dried and air-dried samples. The addition of a press aid in the mechanical pre-processing step increases ethanol yields per gramme macroalgae, but due to the presence of the unutilised press aid in the fermentation, ethanol yields were lower overall. The two main findings from this work were (1) simple mechanical processing of L. digitata provides homogenisation and pumpability of macroalgae without negatively affecting subsequent microbial conversion to ethanol. (2) At higher carbohydrate concentrations, screw pressing confers no advantage in ethanol yields over strips of unprocessed kelp, making strips the more viable conversion option for low-input, large-scale processingpublishersversionPeer reviewe

Impact of Exercise Partner Attractiveness on Mood, Enjoyment, and Exertion

Social comparison theory was used to examine if males exercising with a female research confederate posing as either attractive or unattractive would alter their exercise mood, exertion, and enjoyment. A total of 101 college students (51 males and 51 females) were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: biking alone, biking with an attractive female confederate, or biking with the same female confederate appearing unattractive. All participants were instructed to complete 20 minutes of exercise at 60%-70% of their maximum target heart rate. Standard exercise mood measures (e.g., Activation-Deactivation Adjective Check List) were administered immediately prior to and immediately following exercise. Pulse rate and exercise work load (i.e., bike speed and RPMs) were assessed throughout the exercise experience and exercise enjoyment was measured following exercise. In the attractive condition, the confederate dressed fashionably in form fitting and stylish work-out clothes and wore make-up and jewelry while the same confederate in the unattractive condition wore baggie casual sweat clothes and no make-up or jewelry. Results indicated that female participants were more relaxed while males were less relaxed when they were in the unattractive confederate condition (p \u3c .05). However, no exertion differences emerged between experimental conditions (p’s \u3e .05). Participants reported the most enjoyment while in the control condition exercising alone and the least enjoyment in the attractive confederate condition (p \u3c .05). Social comparison theory predicts exercise outcome such that participants report less enjoyment yet more relaxation for females but less for males when exercising with an attractive female confederate thus altering their exercise experience based on those around them

The TRPC2 channel forms protein-protein interactions with Homer and RTP in the rat vomeronasal organ

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The signal transduction cascade operational in the vomeronasal organ (VNO) of the olfactory system detects odorants important for prey localization, mating, and social recognition. While the protein machinery transducing these external cues has been individually well characterized, little attention has been paid to the role of protein-protein interactions among these molecules. Development of an <it>in vitro </it>expression system for the transient receptor potential 2 channel (TRPC2), which establishes the first electrical signal in the pheromone transduction pathway, led to the discovery of two protein partners that couple with the channel in the native VNO.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Homer family proteins were expressed in both male and female adult VNO, particularly Homer 1b/c and Homer 3. In addition to this family of scaffolding proteins, the chaperones receptor transporting protein 1 (RTP1) and receptor expression enhancing protein 1 (REEP1) were also expressed. RTP1 was localized broadly across the VNO sensory epithelium, goblet cells, and the soft palate. Both Homer and RTP1 formed protein-protein interactions with TRPC2 in native reciprocal pull-down assays and RTP1 increased surface expression of TRPC2 in <it>in vitro </it>assays. The RTP1-dependent TRPC2 surface expression was paralleled with an increase in ATP-stimulated whole-cell current in an <it>in vitro </it>patch-clamp electrophysiological assay.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>TRPC2 expression and channel activity is regulated by chaperone- and scaffolding-associated proteins, which could modulate the transduction of chemosignals. The developed <it>in vitro </it>expression system, as described here, will be advantageous for detailed investigations into TRPC2 channel activity and cell signalling, for a channel protein that was traditionally difficult to physiologically assess.</p