The Limits of Being Transgendered

Society’s construction of what is acceptable and what is the norm excludes those struggling with the issue of gender identity. Stigmatization of the trans-community has led to a number of issues that have ostracized this group of individuals and created a divide within society. Judgments, misconduct, and assumptions about transgendered and transsexual individuals come as a result of a lack of awareness and knowledge regarding this misrepresented group of people. The unfortunate truth of the matter is that there is no quick fix to the issue at hand. Educating society, changes in policy and the practicing of social acceptance is a slow, yet necessary beginning in the process towards equality and justice for all

Use of Academic Resources Among Different Socioeconomic Classes

Access to academic resources is influenced by socioeconomic status. Based on Bourdieu’s concept of economic and cultural capital and Lareau’s theory of social inequality, it is hypothesized that students from high socioeconomic status would access academic resources at a significantly higher rate. This hypothesis was evaluated in a survey of 120 college students. Basic hypothesis testing showed no significant differences. Advanced hypothesis testing, however, found a significant difference for males and undergraduate seniors. The results suggest a trend that students from lower socioeconomic families access academic resources at a higher rate than students from higher socioeconomic families. A more diverse and sufficient sample would be needed to further test the hypothesis. Further studies should focus on students with the same GPA in different socioeconomic classes and take into consideration other factors contributing to the rate at which students access academic resources

Use of Academic Resources Among Different Socioeconomic Classes

Accessing academic resources is a significant factor in educational success at the college level. Based on Bourdieu’s concept of economic and cultural capital and Lareau’s theory of social inequality it is hypothesized that students from high socioeconomic status will access academic resources at a significantly higher rate than students of lower socioeconomic status. In a survey of 120 college students, the hypothesis was tested. Basic hypothesis testing showed no significant difference between students at different income levels in accessing academic resources. Advanced hypothesis testing did display a significant difference in males and undergraduate seniors from higher socioeconomic families. A more diverse and sufficient sample would be needed to further test this hypothesis. Further studies should focus on students with same the GPA in different socioeconomic classes, and take into consideration other factors contributing to the rate at which students access academic resources

The cellular impact of diminished DNA origin licensing capacity and its potential therapeutic exploitation

Genomic instability underlies various diseases including cancer. The maintenance of genomic stability requires accurate replication of the genome, proper segregation of duplicated DNA to progeny cells, and the capacity to respond effectively to DNA damage. Early sections of this thesis focus on the response to DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) within compact regions of chromatin (heterochromatin). Here, methodology was optimised for monitoring the repair of site-specific DSBs within regions likely to be enriched for heterochromatin. This system was exploited to examine the function of the Artemis endonuclease in heterochromatic DSB repair. Later sections focus on factors involved in DNA replication and the response to replication stress. Among the various mechanisms involved in the DNA damage response (DDR) to replication stress, the licensing of excess origins of replication has been proposed to safeguard against replication failure. Here, the impact of diminished origin licensing capacity on the response to replication stress was compared in tumour and non-tumour cell lines. I present findings demonstrating that depletion of origin licensing factors causes hypersensitisation of tumour-derived but not non-tumour cell lines to replication stress-inducing agents. Further, combining diminished origin licensing capacity with depletion of the tumour suppressor, p53, or overexpression of the c-Myc oncogene impairs viability under conditions of replication stress in non-tumour fibroblasts. These findings suggest that tumour cells have a greater reliance on origin licensing capacity, raising the possibility that licensing factors might represent suitable targets for drugbased cancer therapy. Factors involved in replication origin licensing have also been implicated in the establishment of heterochromatin. Here, I examined higher-order chromatin structure and the ionizing radiation (IR)-induced DDR in cells from patients harbouring mutations in origin licensing factors. Findings from these studies provide evidence for the first time that origin licensing complex (ORC)-deficient Meier-Gorlin Syndrome (MGS) may be classified as a disordered chromatin syndrome

Small Scale Turbopump Manufacturing Technology and Material Processes

As part of an internal research and development project, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) has been developing a high specific impulse 9,000-lbf LOX/LH2 pump-fed engine testbed with the capability to throttle 10:1. A Fuel Turbopump (FTP) with the ability to operate across a speed range of 30,000-rpm to 100,000-rpm was developed and analyzed. This small size and flight-like Fuel Turbopump has completed the design and analysis phase and is currently in the manufacturing phase. This paper highlights the manufacturing and processes efforts to fabricate an approximately 20-lb turbopump with small flow passages, intricately bladed components and approximately 3-in diameter impellers. As a result of the small scale and tight tolerances of the hardware on this turbopump, several unique manufacturing and material challenges were encountered. Some of the technologies highlighted in this paper include the use of powder metallurgy technology to manufacture small impellers, electron beam welding of a turbine blisk shroud, and casting challenges. The use of risk reduction efforts such as non-destructive testing (NDT) and evaluation (NDE), fractography, material testing, and component spin testing are also discussed in this paper

Fast versus slow tenaculum placement during office transcervical procedures

To evaluate if slow tenaculum placement at the time of office transcervical procedures was less painful for patients than fast tenaculum placement

Why Don't They Just Give Us Money? Project Cost Estimating and Cost Reporting

Successful projects require an integrated approach to managing cost, schedule, and risk. This is especially true for complex, multi-year projects involving multiple organizations. To explore solutions and leverage valuable lessons learned, NASA's Virtual Project Management Challenge will kick off a three-part series examining some of the challenges faced by project and program managers when it comes to managing these important elements. In this first session of the series, we will look at cost management, with an emphasis on the critical roles of cost estimating and cost reporting. By taking a proactive approach to both of these activities, project managers can better control life cycle costs, maintain stakeholder confidence, and protect other current and future projects in the organization's portfolio. Speakers will be Doug Comstock, Director of NASA's Cost Analysis Division, Kristin Van Wychen, Senior Analyst in the GAO Acquisition and Sourcing Management Team, and Mary Beth Zimmerman, Branch Chief for NASA's Portfolio Analysis Branch, Strategic Investments Division. Moderator Ramien Pierre is from NASA's Academy for Program/Project and Engineering Leadership (APPEL)

Does location matter? Characterisation of the anatomic locations, molecular profiles, and clinical features of gliomas

Background. Neuroanatomic locations of gliomas may influence clinical presentations, molecular profiles, and patients’ prognoses. Methods. We investigated our institutional cancer registry to include patients with glioma over a 10-year period. Statistical tests were used to compare demographic, genetic, and clinical characteristics among patients with gliomas in different locations. Survival analysis methods were then used to assess associations between location and overall survival in the full cohort, as well as in relevant subgroups. Results. 182 gliomas were identified. Of the tumours confined to a single lobe, there were 51 frontal (28.0%), 50 temporal (27.5%), 22 parietal (12.1%), and seven occipital tumours (3.8%) identified. Tumours affecting the temporal lobe were associated with reduced overall survival when compared to all other tumours (11 months vs. 13 months, log-rank p = 0.0068). In subgroup analyses, this result was significant for males [HR (95%CI) 2.05 (1.30, 3.24), p = 0.002], but not for females [HR (95%CI) 1.12 (0.65, 1.93), p = 0.691]. Out of 82 cases tested for IDH-1, 10 were mutated (5.5%). IDH-1 mutation was present in six frontal, two temporal, one thalamic, and one multifocal tumour. Out of 21 cases tested for 1p19q deletions, 12 were co-deleted, nine of which were frontal lobe tumours. MGMT methylation was assessed in 45 cases; 7/14 frontal tumours and 6/13 temporal tumours were methylated. Conclusion. Our results support the hypothesis that the anatomical locations of gliomas influence patients’ clinical courses. Temporal lobe tumours were associated with poorer survival, though this association appeared to be driven by these patients’ more aggressive tumour profiles and higher risk baseline demographics. Independently, female patients who had temporal lobe tumours fared better than males. Molecular analysis was limited by the low prevalence of genetic testing in the study sample, highlighting the importance of capturing this information for all gliomas. Importance of this study. The specific neuroanatomic location of tumours in the brain is thought to be predictive of treatment options and overall prognosis. Despite evidence for the clinical significance of this information, there is relatively little information available regarding the incidence and prevalence of tumours in the different anatomical regions of the brain. This study has more fully characterised tumour prevalence in different regions of the brain. Additionally, we have analysed how this information may affect tumours’ molecular characteristics, treatment options offered to patients, and patients’ overall survival. This information will be informative both in the clinical setting and in directing future research