Lost: The Crisis Of Jobless and Out Of School Teens and Young Adults In Chicago, Illinois and the U.S.

This report contains compilations and calculations of various employment data for males and females 16 to 24 years old by race/ethnicity from 2005 to 2014, comparing Chicago, Illinois, the U.S. and in some instances, adding Los Angeles and New York. Besides an array of figures and tables, the report contains GIS generated maps that illustrate the relationship between employment data and population distribution by race/ethnicity. A significant contribution of this report is its demonstration that low rates of employment are spatially concentrated in neighborhoods that are also racially segregated. This report clearly highlights that youth employment rates are tied to conditions in neighborhoods and cannot be seen as distinct from what is happening in the neighborhoods themselves. The devastation of unemployment in turn, wreaks havoc on the neighborhood

Impact of alternative footwear on human energy expenditure

Purpose: Use of alternative footwear options such as flip-flop style sandals and minimalist athletic shoes are becoming increasingly popular footwear choices. The purpose of the investigation was to analyze the energy expenditure and oxygen consumption requirements of walking at preferred pace while wearing flip-flops, slip-on style shoes, and minimalist athletic shoes. Methods: Eighteen healthy male adults participated in this study. In addition to an initial familiarization session, participants were tested in three different footwear conditions [thong-style flip-flops (FF), Croc® slip on shoes (CROC), and Vibram Fivefingers® minimalist shoes (MIN)]. Then after a brief warm-up, participants walked a one-mile distance at their preferred pace. Immediately following completion of the one-mile walk, participants stood quietly on the treadmill for an additional period to assess excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC). Results: A repeated-measures ANOVA that the following variables did not show evidence of a significant differently value between conditions: preferred pace (p = 0.392), average oxygen consumption (p = 0.804), energy expenditure per mile (p = 0.306), or EPOC (p = 0.088). There was shown to be a significantly higher RER during exercise in CROC compared to MIN (p = 0.031) with no significant differences observed when comparing CROC to FF (p = 0.106) or FF to MIN (p = 0.827). Conclusion: Based on the results of the current study, it appears that the alternative footwear selected for evaluation do not lead to a substantial alteration of walking pace or overall EE. However, the significant difference in RER suggesting a slightly elevated exercise intensity while wearing the CROC could perhaps be related to the softer sole, influencing overall mechanical efficiency.The study was funded by a grant awarded by the Graduate Student Council at the author’s University

End-of-life experiences of mothers with advanced cancer: perspectives of widowed fathers

Despite the importance of parenting-related responsibilities for adult patients with terminal illnesses who have dependent children, little is known about the psychological concerns of dying parents and their families at the end of life (EOL). The aim of this study was to elicit widowed fathers’ perspectives on how parental status may have influenced the EOL experiences of mothers with advanced cancer

Evidence For A Precessing Accretion Disk in the Nucleus of NGC 1097

We present new spectroscopic observations of the LINER (and now Seyfert 1) nucleus of NGC 1097, and discuss the evolution of its broad, double-peaked Balmer lines. When originally discovered in 1991, the red peak of the double-peaked H-alpha line was stronger than the blue, while by 1994 the H-alpha profile had become almost symmetric and the integrated line flux had decreased to half its original value. Our new spectrum, taken in 1996, shows that the broad, double-peaked lines have returned to almost their original strengths, the profiles of H-beta and H-alpha are identical to within errors, and the broad-line emitting region is unreddened. However, the profile of the Balmer lines is now such that the blue peak is stronger than the red, opposite to the asymmetry observed in 1991. Various models are considered for the observed behavior, all assuming that the emission lines originate in an accretion disk. We present a refined version of the precessing, planar, elliptical accretion ring model proposed by Storchi-Bergmann et al. and Eracleous et al. This model provides an acceptable fit to the line profiles. We also consider the possibility that the line profile evolution results from a precessing warp in the disk, induced by irradiation from the center, and show that the range of radii and precession time scales expected in this model are consistent with the observations. The sudden appearance of the "disk-like" broad line profiles in NGC 1097 could have resulted from the formation of a new accretion disk due to, for example, the tidal disruption of a star, or the illumination of a pre-existing disk by a transient ionizing source at the center of the disk.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal. TeX file with 5 postscript figures embeded using psfig.tex, 13 page

Assessment of peritoneal microbial features and tumor marker levels as potential diagnostic tools for ovarian cancer

Epithelial ovarian cancer (OC) is the most deadly cancer of the female reproductive system. To date, there is no effective screening method for early detection of OC and current diagnostic armamentarium may include sonographic grading of the tumor and analyzing serum levels of tumor markers, Cancer Antigen 125 (CA-125) and Human epididymis protein 4 (HE4). Microorganisms (bacterial, archaeal, and fungal cells) residing in mucosal tissues including the gastrointestinal and urogenital tracts can be altered by different disease states, and these shifts in microbial dynamics may help to diagnose disease states. We hypothesized that the peritoneal microbial environment was altered in patients with OC and that inclusion of selected peritoneal microbial features with current clinical features into prediction analyses will improve detection accuracy of patients with OC. Blood and peritoneal fluid were collected from consented patients that had sonography confirmed adnexal masses and were being seen at SIU School of Medicine Simmons Cancer Institute. Blood was processed and serum HE4 and CA-125 were measured. Peritoneal fluid was collected at the time of surgery and processed for Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) using 16S V4 exon bacterial primers and bioinformatics analyses. We found that patients with OC had a unique peritoneal microbial profile compared to patients with a benign mass. Using ensemble modeling and machine learning pathways, we identified 18 microbial features that were highly specific to OC pathology. Prediction analyses confirmed that inclusion of microbial features with serum tumor marker levels and control features (patient age and BMI) improved diagnostic accuracy compared to currently used models. We conclude that OC pathogenesis alters the peritoneal microbial environment and that these unique microbial features are important for accurate diagnosis of OC. Our study warrants further analyses of the importance of microbial features in regards to oncological diagnostics and possible prognostic and interventional medicine.Ope

The HADES mission concept - astrobiological survey of Jupiter's icy moon Europa

The HADES Europa mission concept aims to provide a framework for an astrobiological in-depth investigation of the Jupiter moon Europa, relying on existing technologies and feasibility. This mission study proposes a system consisting of an orbiter, lander and cryobot as a platform for detailed exploration of Europa. While the orbiter will investigate the presence of a liquid ocean and characterize Europa's internal structure, the lander will survey local dynamics of the ice layer and the surface environment. The lander releases a cryobot, that melts into the ice, will sample the pristine subsurface and is expected to provide data on organic and gaseous content and putative bio-signatures. In summary, we present the scientific objectives for an astrobiological investigation of Europa, resulting in a mission concept with a detailed evaluation of scientific instrumentation, mission sequences, basic design of the spacecraft, technology needs and cost estimation

The HADES mission concept – Astrobiological survey of Jupiter's icy moon Europa

The HADES Europa mission concept aims to provide a framework for an astrobiological in-depth investigation of the Jupiter moon Europa, relying on existing technologies and feasibility. This mission study proposes a system consisting of an orbiter, lander and cryobot as a platform for detailed exploration of Europa. While the orbiter will investigate the presence of a liquid ocean and characterize Europa's internal structure, the lander will survey local dynamics of the ice layer and the surface environment. The lander releases a cryobot, that melts into the ice, will sample the pristine subsurface and is expected to provide data on organic and gaseous content and putative bio-signatures. In summary, we present the scientific objectives for an astrobiological investigation of Europa, resulting in a mission concept with a detailed evaluation of scientific instrumentation, mission sequences, basic design of the spacecraft, technology needs and cost estimations

Developing a digital intervention for cancer survivors: an evidence-, theory- and person-based approach

This paper illustrates a rigorous approach to developing digital interventions using an evidence-, theory- and person-based approach. Intervention planning included a rapid scoping review which identified cancer survivors’ needs, including barriers and facilitators to intervention success. Review evidence (N=49 papers) informed the intervention’s Guiding Principles, theory-based behavioural analysis and logic model. The intervention was optimised based on feedback on a prototype intervention through interviews (N=96) with cancer survivors and focus groups with NHS staff and cancer charity workers (N=31). Interviews with cancer survivors highlighted barriers to engagement, such as concerns about physical activity worsening fatigue. Focus groups highlighted concerns about support appointment length and how to support distressed participants. Feedback informed intervention modifications, to maximise acceptability, feasibility and likelihood of behaviour change. Our systematic method for understanding user views enabled us to anticipate and address important barriers to engagement. This methodology may be useful to others developing digital interventions