The Composition of Strike Activity in the Construction Industry

This study shows that strikes in construction have, by most measures, increased during the years since 1949, a period during which strike activity tended to decline in American industry as a whole. The authors demonstrate that this increase has resulted not from an increase in the number of wage disputes but from a growing number of jurisdictional strikes and the increasing severity of economic and union-organizing strikes. They also show that the number of strikes in construction does not vary significantly with the unemployment rate in that industry nor with the presence of wage controls, but both of those factors have a significant impact on the composition of strike activity in construction

ZBED4, a cone and Müller cell protein in human retina, has a different cellular expression in mouse.

PurposeZBED4, a protein in cones and Müller cells of human retina, may play important functions as a transcriptional activator of genes expressed in those cells or as a co-activator/repressor of their nuclear hormone receptors. To begin investigating these potential roles of ZBED4, we studied the developmental expression and localization of both the Zbed4 mRNA and protein of mouse retina.Methodsnorthern blots showed the presence of Zbed4 mRNA in retina and other mouse tissues, and western blots showed the nuclear and cytoplasmic expression of Zbed4 at different developmental times. Antibodies against Zbed4 and specific retinal cell markers were used for retinal immunohistochemistry.ResultsZbed4 mRNA was present at different levels in all the mouse tissues analyzed. The Zbed4 protein was barely detectable at embryonic day (E)14.5 but was clearly seen at E16 at both retinal outer and vitreal borders and throughout the retina by E18 and postnatal day 0 (P0). Thereafter, Zbed4 expression was more restricted to the inner retina. While ZBED4 is localized in cones and endfeet of Müller cells of human retina, in adult mouse retina Zbed4 is only detected in Müller cell endfeet and processes. The same localization of Zbed4 was observed in rat retina. In early development, Zbed4 is mainly present in the nuclear fraction of the mouse retina, and in adulthood it becomes more enriched in the cytoplasmic fraction.ConclusionsThe patterns of spatial and temporal expression of Zbed4 in the mouse retina suggest a possible involvement of this protein in retinal morphogenesis and Müller cell function

Transmitting values about education: A comparison of black teen mothers and their nonparent peers

Central to the debate about why some poor people remain poor is the enduring question of what role values play in behavior patterns as observed in chronically impoverished families and communities. Young black women who grow up in impoverished families in urban ghettos face some similar challenges to becoming competent adults who function independently in the wider society. Not all young women who fit this demographic category become young or single mothers who depend on AFDC; some who do also complete levels of education that lead to economic self-sufficiency. In order to explore the question about values and their significance among the urban poor, we examine the life histories of 50 young black women from inner-city Milwaukee, looking in particular at values and behaviors as they relate to educational competence. We analyze the perceived family values about education, the ways in which the young women's families acted on those stated values with the intention of influencing their daughters' educational outcomes, and how these values and transmission processes are related to the young women's educational attainment.

A constitutively active Gαi3 protein corrects the abnormal retinal pigment epithelium phenotype of Oa1-/- mice.

PurposeOcular Albinism type 1 (OA1) is a disease caused by mutations in the OA1 gene and characterized by the presence of macromelanosomes in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) as well as abnormal crossing of the optic axons at the optic chiasm. We showed in our previous studies in mice that Oa1 activates specifically Gαi3 in its signaling pathway and thus, hypothesized that a constitutively active Gαi3 in the RPE of Oa1-/- mice might keep on the Oa1 signaling cascade and prevent the formation of macromelanosomes. To test this hypothesis, we have generated transgenic mice that carry the constitutively active Gαi3 (Q204L) protein in the RPE of Oa1-/- mice and are now reporting the effects that the transgene produced on the Oa1-/- RPE phenotype.MethodsTransgenic mice carrying RPE-specific expression of the constitutively active Gαi3 (Q204L) were generated by injecting fertilized eggs of Oa1-/- females with a lentivirus containing the Gαi3 (Q204L) cDNA. PCR, Southern blots, Western blots and confocal microscopy were used to confirm the presence of the transgene in the RPE of positive transgenic mice. Morphometrical analyses were performed using electron microscopy to compare the size and number of melanosomes per RPE area in putative Oa1-/-, Gαi3 (Q204L) transgenic mice with those of wild-type NCrl and Oa1-/- mice.ResultsWe found a correlation between the presence of the constitutively active Gαi3 (Q204L) transgene and the rescue of the normal phenotype of RPE melanosomes in Oa1-/-, Gαi3 (Q204L) mice. These mice have higher density of melanosomes per RPE area and a larger number of small melanosomes than Oa1-/- mice, and their RPE phenotype is similar to that of wild-type mice.ConclusionsOur results show that a constitutively active Gαi3 protein can by-pass the lack of Oa1 protein in Oa1-/- mice and consequently rescue the RPE melanosomal phenotype

An Epidemiological Model with Simultaneous Recoveries

Epidemiological models are an essential tool in understanding how infection spreads throughout a population. Exploring the effects of varying parameters provides insight into the driving forces of an outbreak. In this thesis, an SIS (susceptible-infectious-susceptible) model is built partnering simulation methods, differential equations, and transition matrices with the intent to describe how simultaneous recoveries influence the spread of a disease in a well-mixed population. Individuals in the model transition between only two states; an individual is either susceptible — able to be infected, or infectious — able to infect others. Events in this model (infections and recoveries) occur by way of a Poisson process. In a well-mixed population, individuals in either state interact at a constant rate where interactions have the potential to infect a susceptible individual (infection event). Recovery events, during which infectives transition from infectious to susceptible, occur at a constant rate for each infected individual. SIS models mimic the behavior of diseases that do not confer immunity to those previously infected. Examples of such diseases are the common cold, head lice, and many STIs [2]. This model describes the effects the scale of recovery events have on an outbreak. Thus, for each recovery event, k number of infectives recover. The rate at which recoveries occur is inversely proportionate to k in order to maintain the average per-capita rate of recovery. A system of ordinary differential equations (ODEs) is derived and supported by simulated data to describe the first and second moments (used to describe mean and variance) of the probability density function defining the number of infectious individuals in the population. Additionally, a Markov chain describes the process via transition matrices, which provide insight on extinctions caused by large-scale recoveries and their effect on the mean. The research shows as the values of k increase, there is a statistically significant decline in the average infection level and an increase in the standard deviation. The most extreme changes in the average infection level are observed under conditions that increase the probability of extinction. Even in small populations where the decreased infection level is not biologically significant, the results are beneficial. Because large-scale recovery events have no negative impact on average infection levels, treatment methods that may reduce costs and increase accessibility could be adopted. Healthcare professionals utilize epidemiological models to understand the severity of an outbreak and the effectiveness of treatment methods. A key feature of mathematically modeling real-world processes is the level of abstraction it offers, thus making the models applicable to many fields of study. For instance, those interested in agricultural development use these models to treat crops efficiently and optimize yield, cybersecurity experts use them to investigate computer viruses and worms, and ecologists implement them when studying seed dispersal

A Parent’s Apparent Authority: Why Intergenerational Coresidence Requires a Reassessment of Parental Consent to Search Adult Children’s Bedrooms

The proliferation of multigenerational U.S. households provides a new perspective on the social customs and practices concerning coresidence in the United States. Rather than relying outdated presumptions of parental control, this Article argues that police should be compelled to conduct a more thorough inquiry before searching areas occupied exclusively by the adult child. Police should differentiate between common and private areas, and inquire into any agreements - formal or informal - that the parent and child may have regarding access and control over such areas. By fully recognizing the changing nature of the American household and rejecting a bare reliance on the presumption of parental control, parents and adult children alike will be afforded the Fourth Amendment protection they deserve