Enhancing financial stability: the case of financial market utilities

The sweeping overhaul of the nation’s financial regulatory system that was signed into law on July 21, 2010, will touch virtually every aspect of financial markets. This Chicago Fed Letter focuses on provisions in the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act that affect “financial market utilities,” critical behind-the-scenes institutions and arrangements that ensure the smooth functioning of financial markets.Financial crises ; Financial markets

DeKalb farmers' market : assessing factors that impact participation and developing nutrition information materials based on market's produce

Includes bibliographical references.I worked with Re:New DeKalb, the organization that coordinates the DeKalb Farmers’ Market. The purpose of the project was to provide Re:New DeKalb with information and fliers that they could use to improve and promote the market. My project had two parts. The first part of the project was a survey that I created for community members to complete. After receiving Institutional Review Board approval, the survey was posted online and an e-mail was sent out through Re:New DeKalb. The survey asked questions to determine demographics of market patrons and non- patrons and their opinions and suggestions for the market. The responses to that survey were then analyzed. For the second part of the project, I created twenty produce fact sheets featuring items sold at the Farmers’ Market. These contain information about selection, storage, peak seasons, uses, recipes, fun facts and nutrition information for the featured produce item.B.S. (Bachelor of Science

Enriching or Extending the Classroom Environment by Educational Travel

The environment of the modern classroom is moving rapidly from a relatively new culture of the classroom to a curriculum which involves cooperative relationships with home and community. It is difficult to determine, operate and maintain a curriculum in a relatively stable era, but the problems are multiplied in a time when changes are so rapid that even the teachers are confused. It is the job of the school, along with other educative agencies, to prepare the children of today to adjust themselves to the changing conditions. Teachers and curriculum makers have a definite responsibility for attacking problems, both economic and social, of vital personal concern in such a manner that pupils with differing maturities and backgrounds can gam insight into and effect solutions to continuous problems concerning family and community life. Children should know about the powerful organizations of modes of travel; the air; land and sea. They should know more about the motion picture industry, the radio and automotive industry, and the vocational opportunity which these and many other organizations afford

Tyro3-mediated phosphorylation of ACTN4 at tyrosines is FAK-dependent and decreases susceptibility to cleavage by m-Calpain

Tyro3, a member of TAM receptor tyrosine kinase family, has been implicated in the regulation of melanoma progression and survival. In this study, we sought the molecular mechanism of Tyro3 effects avoiding endogenous background by overexpression of Tyro3 in fibroblasts that have negligible levels of Tyro3. This introduction triggers the tyrosyl-phosphorylation of ACTN4, a member of actin binding protein family involved in motility, a behavior critical for invasive progression, as shown by siRNA to Tyro3 limiting melanoma cell migration and invasion. Tyro3-mediated phosphorylation of ACTN4 required FAK activation at tyrosine 397 and the EGF receptor cascade, but not EGFR ligand binding. Using PCR-based mutagenesis, the sites of Tyro3-mediated ACTN4 phosphorylation were mapped to ACTN4 tyrosine 11 and 13, and this occurs in conjunction with EGF-mediated phosphorylation on Y4 and Y31. Interestingly, Tyro3-mediated phosphorylation only slightly decreases the actin binding activity of ACTN4. However, this rendered the phosphorylated ACTN4 resistant to the m-calpain cleavage between Y13 and G14, a limited proteolysis that prevents growth factor regulation of ACTN4 interaction with F-actin. Overexpression of both WT ACTN4 and ACTN4Y11/13E, a mimic of ACTN4 phosphorylated at tyrosine 11 and 13, in melanoma WM983b cells resulted in a likely mesenchymal to amoeboidal transition. ACTN4Y11/13E-expressing cells were more amoeboidal, less migratory on collagen I gel coated surface but more invasive through collagen networks. In parallel, expression of ACTN4Y11/13E, in ACTN4 knockdown melanoma WM1158 cells resulted in an increase of invasion compared to WT ACTN4. These findings suggest that Tyro3-mediated phosphorylation of ACTN4 is involved in invasion of melanoma cells. Keywords: Actinin-4; Tyro3; Phosphorylation; Migratio

Role of indicators in supporting environmental efforts in the Boston metropolitan region

Thesis (M.C.P.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning, 2006.Includes bibliographical references (p. 61-63).Community indicators projects are an increasingly popular way to measure, track, and, advocates claim, make progress. The commonly held belief is that indicators provide residents, governments, private entities, and community groups with the information they need to make "wise choices." Many studies have documented the benefits that can arise from indicators projects as a function of community members coming together to choose indicators and discuss ideas of "sustainability" or "quality of life." However, it is unclear whether the information contained in the indicators influences decisions, actions, or policy in ways that improve performance on the indicator. This thesis examines the environmental sector of the Boston Indicators Project, in Boston, Massachusetts. First, I examine previous studies of indicators project outcomes, two competing theories of information use in behavior change and decision-making, and emerging strategies for fostering pro-environmental behavior.(cont.) Then, through interviews with participants in and coordinators of the Boston Indicators Project as well as decision/policy-makers in local organizations who could be influenced by the project, I investigate whether and how the information contained in the indicators has prompted them to change their perceptions, behavior or policy. I argue that people are not necessarily learning from or becoming informed by the indicators, but rather use the indicators to tell stories to bolster their existing claims or desired policy interventions.by Anna K. Wells.M.C.P

The importance and usage of keyboard skills in public school music teaching according to public school music teachers and college or university music teachers

The purpose of this study was to investigate which keyboard skills are rated as most important and which are most often used in public school music (PSM) teaching. (PSM as used in this study refers to K-6 music teaching.) Two groups that are able to evaluate the importance and utilization of keyboard skills in PSM teaching are PSM teachers and college or university music faculty members involved in teacher preparation. Piano proficiency examinations from the 29 North Carolina colleges or universities offering degrees in music education were collected and a rating list of skills was compiled. This list, in addition to a questionnaire was mailed to 115 North Carolina college or university music faculty and 116 North Carolina PSM teachers. With regard to PSM teaching, subjects evaluated the importance of Skills and subsequently evaluated the usefulness of skills by appropriately placing numbers 1 through 13. Out of the 231 surveys sent, usable responses were received from 182 (79%) persons, 89 (77%) of whom were PSM teachers and 93 (81%) of whom were college or university faculty members. Spearman’s Rank Order Correlation Coefficients and t tests were used to determine whether significant correlations existed between ratings of groups