Spatial relations, histories from below and the makings of agency: Reflections on The Making of the English Working Class at 50

In this paper we propose a conversation between work in labour history and labour geography, in part centring on the formative contribution of E.P. Thompson. We contend that the commitment to multiple and political forms of agency and working-class experience and the positioning of class as process, which are lasting contributions of The Making of the English Working Class, offer resources for re-invigorating debates on agency within labour geography and beyond. The paper scrutinizes the spatial politics at work in Thompson’s account of agency and experience through drawing on critiques of Thompson by feminist and post-colonial scholars. The paper explores the significance of Thompson’s work for asserting a spatial politics of labour and argues for attention to the diverse agentic spatial practices shaped through labour organizing and struggles. The paper concludes by setting out some key aspects of the terms of a conversation between labour geographies and labour histories

Searching for Fast Optical Transients using VERITAS Cherenkov Telescopes

Astronomical transients are intrinsically interesting things to study. Fast optical transients (microsecond timescale) are a largely unexplored field of optical astronomy mainly due to the fact that large optical telescopes are oversubscribed. Furthermore, most optical observations use instruments with integration times on the order of seconds and are thus unable to resolve fast transients. Current-generation atmospheric Cherenkov gamma-ray telescopes, however, have huge collecting areas (e.g., VERITAS, which consists of four 12-m telescopes), larger than any existing optical telescopes, and time is typically available for such studies without interfering with gamma-ray observations. The following outlines the benefits of using a Cherenkov telescope to detect optical transients and the implementation of the VERITAS Transient Detector (TRenDy), a dedicated multi-channel photometer based on field-programmable gate arrays. Data are presented demonstrating the ability of TRenDy to detect transient events such as a star passing through its field of view and the optical light curve of a pulsar

Domain interactions within Fzo1 oligomers are essential for mitochondrial fusion

Mitofusins are conserved GTPases essential for the fusion of mitochondria. These mitochondrial outer membrane proteins contain a GTPase domain and two or three regions with hydrophobic heptad repeats, but little is known about how these domains interact to mediate mitochondrial fusion. To address this issue, we have analyzed the yeast mitofusin Fzo1p and find that mutation of any of the three heptad repeat regions (HRN, HR1, and HR2) leads to a null allele. Specific pairs of null alleles show robust complementation, indicating that functional domains need not exist on the same molecule. Biochemical analysis indicates that this complementation is due to Fzo1p oligomerization mediated by multiple domain interactions. Moreover, we find that two non-overlapping protein fragments, one consisting of HRN/GTPase and the other consisting of HR1/HR2, can form a complex that reconstitutes Fzo1p fusion activity. Each of the null alleles disrupts the interaction of these two fragments, suggesting that we have identified a key interaction involving the GTPase domain and heptad repeats essential for fusion

Public Perceptions of the Midwest\u27s Pavements: Explaining the Relationship Between Pavement Quality and Driver Satisfaction

A three-phase study involving focus groups and sample surveys was conducted in three Midwestern states to assess the amount of satisfaction that motorists who drive on rural, two-lane state highways have with the pavement characteristics of those highways and to explain the relationship between the actual physical condition of the pavements and motorists\u27 satisfaction. Consistently in each state, the direct relationship between pavement quality and driver satisfaction was mediated by cognitive structure—a set of five specific beliefs motorists have about the pavement. The part of the study that (a) applies a powerful psychological model to the task of understanding motorists\u27 satisfaction with pavements; (b) offers reliable measures of driver satisfaction with pavement quality and of belief-based cognitive structure related to pavements; (c) has accomplished the important task of identifying the most salient pavement features considered by members of the public when they evaluate pavement quality; and (d) illustrates very clearly the importance of considering motorists\u27 beliefs about the pavement, issues of trust, and aspects of the Fishbein\u27s attitude model and Ajzen\u27s theory of planned behavior when trying to predict or understand driver satisfaction are covered. Although the pavement management indices used by the state departments of transportation will continue to be used to establish thresholds for improvement triggers, these indices alone do not explain such broad concepts as satisfaction with a particular pavement

The WD40 protein Caf4p is a component of the mitochondrial fission machinery and recruits Dnm1p to mitochondria

The mitochondrial division machinery regulates mitochondrial dynamics and consists of Fis1p, Mdv1p, and Dnm1p. Mitochondrial division relies on the recruitment of the dynamin-related protein Dnm1p to mitochondria. Dnm1p recruitment depends on the mitochondrial outer membrane protein Fis1p. Mdv1p interacts with Fis1p and Dnm1p, but is thought to act at a late step during fission because Mdv1p is dispensable for Dnm1p localization. We identify the WD40 repeat protein Caf4p as a Fis1p-associated protein that localizes to mitochondria in a Fis1p-dependent manner. Caf4p interacts with each component of the fission apparatus: with Fis1p and Mdv1p through its NH2-terminal half and with Dnm1p through its COOH-terminal WD40 domain. We demonstrate that mdv1{Delta} yeast contain residual mitochondrial fission due to the redundant activity of Caf4p. Moreover, recruitment of Dnm1p to mitochondria is disrupted in mdv1{Delta} caf4{Delta} yeast, demonstrating that Mdv1p and Caf4p are molecular adaptors that recruit Dnm1p to mitochondrial fission sites. Our studies support a revised model for assembly of the mitochondrial fission apparatus

TCMS operations and maintenance philosophy

The purpose is to describe the basic philosophies of operating and maintaining the Test, Control, and Monitor System (TCMS) equipment. TCMS is a complex and sophisticated checkout system. Operations and maintenance processes developed to support it will be based upon current experience, but will be focused on the specific needs of TCMS in support of Space Station Freedom Program (SSFP) and related activities. An overview of the operations and maintenance goals and philosophies are presented. The assumptions, roles and responsibilities, concepts and interfaces for operation, on-line maintenance, off-line support, and Operations and Maintenance (O&M) personnel training on all TCMS equipment located at KSC are described

(WP 2005-05) Assessing the Determinants of Willingness to Pay for Urban Flood Control: The Role of Locational, Demographic and Attitudinal Factors

The urbanization of urban watersheds can influence flooding risks. Traditional Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) flood risk maps identify 100 year floodplains. These maps are updated infrequently. However, as a community urbanizes, flood risks can change, especially for downstream residents. Thus, one would expect that the willingness to pay (WTP) to prevent the worsening of flooding risk would depend in part on the location of the household in the community and their associated flooding risk. Economists and regional scientists have evaluated the role played by traditional demographic factors. However, attitudinal factors measuring community norms, political philosophy, and other psychological factors that may be unique to the individual have not received the same level of scrutiny. Milwaukee, WI has experienced major flooding events, classified as floods with an expected frequency of once every 100 years or less, in 1986 and most recently in 1997 and 1998. In this study, 1000 residents of the Menomonee watershed in Milwaukee were interviewed in a two-wave panel survey (i.e., telephone interviews took place in 2000 and 2001) to determine their willingness to pay for a referendum which would prevent flood risks from worsening. The interviews queried respondents about their attitudes concerning flooding and ecological risks, political beliefs, information seeking behavior, and other psychological factors unique to the respondent. Information was also gathered on demographic characteristics of the respondent, and also that individuals address. The address was geocoded and hydrologic modeling was used to determine the unique flood risk associated with the residence. A willingness to pay function was estimated using Tobit analysis. Preliminary findings indicated that all three categories of factors influence willingness to pay, with psychological factors and flood risk factors having a relatively strong impact on willingness to pay