Design exploration addressing the intrinsic relationship between individuals and the living environment

Thesis (M. Arch)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Architecture, 1984.MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND ROTCH.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 138-142).The architecture of public housing is generally lacking. It reflects a deteriorated national image of low-income housing and holds far-reaching consequences for the poor who have their own image of public housing. This thesis is an architectural investigation, and because it deals with images -- what people see and feel -- the sociological influences are strong as well. The concern of this thesis is creating positive images of public housing from both the residents' and the public's perspectives. To do so, it points out specific architectural devices which promote an improved image and better quality homes. The relationship between the individual and the living environment is critical to the process which yields the final design. An examination of the meaning of the house defines the parameters of this relationship as it initiates a user-oriented design theme. The result demonstrates that a process deeply rooted this way and based on step-by-step design decisions, ultimately satisfies user needs without soliciting the usual stigma public housing carries.by Joann Stephanie Staton.M.Arc

A thin layer angiogenesis assay: a modified basement matrix assay for assessment of endothelial cell differentiation

BACKGROUND: Basement matrices such as Matrigel™ and Geltrex™ are used in a variety of cell culture assays of anchorage-dependent differentiation including endothelial cell tube formation assays. The volumes of matrix recommended for these assays (approximately 150 μl/cm(2)) are costly, limit working distances for microscopy, and require cell detachment for subsequent molecular analysis. Here we describe the development and validation of a thin-layer angiogenesis (TLA) assay for assessing the angiogenic potential of endothelial cells that overcomes these limitations. RESULTS: Geltrex™ basement matrix at 5 μl/cm(2) in 24-well (10 μl) or 96-well (2 μl) plates supports endothelial cell differentiation into tube-like structures in a comparable manner to the standard larger volumes of matrix. Since working distances are reduced, high-resolution single cell microscopy, including DIC and confocal imaging, can be used readily. Using MitoTracker dye we now demonstrate, for the first time, live mitochondrial dynamics and visualise the 3-dimensional network of mitochondria present in differentiated endothelial cells. Using a standard commercial total RNA extraction kit (Qiagen) we also show direct RNA extraction and RT-qPCR from differentiated endothelial cells without the need to initially detach cells from their supporting matrix. CONCLUSIONS: We present here a new thin-layer assay (TLA) for measuring the anchorage-dependent differentiation of endothelial cells into tube-like structures which retains all the characteristics of the traditional approach but with the added benefit of a greatly lowered cost and better compatibility with other techniques, including RT-qPCR and high-resolution microscopy. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12860-014-0041-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

Propulsion Study for Small Transport Aircraft Technology (STAT)

Propulsion requirements were determined for 0.5 and 0.7 Mach aircraft. Sensitivity studies were conducted on both these aircraft to determine parametrically the influence of propulsion characteristics on aircraft size and direct operating cost (DOC). Candidate technology elements and design features were identified and parametric studies conducted to select the STAT advanced engine cycle. Trade off studies were conducted to determine those advanced technologies and design features that would offer a reduction in DOC for operation of the STAT engines. These features were incorporated in the two STAT engines. A benefit assessment was conducted comparing the STAT engines to current technology engines of the same power and to 1985 derivatives of the current technology engines. Research and development programs were recommended as part of an overall technology development plan to ensure that full commercial development of the STAT engines could be initiated in 1988

A target enrichment method for gathering phylogenetic information from hundreds of loci: An example from the Compositae.

UnlabelledPremise of the studyThe Compositae (Asteraceae) are a large and diverse family of plants, and the most comprehensive phylogeny to date is a meta-tree based on 10 chloroplast loci that has several major unresolved nodes. We describe the development of an approach that enables the rapid sequencing of large numbers of orthologous nuclear loci to facilitate efficient phylogenomic analyses. •Methods and resultsWe designed a set of sequence capture probes that target conserved orthologous sequences in the Compositae. We also developed a bioinformatic and phylogenetic workflow for processing and analyzing the resulting data. Application of our approach to 15 species from across the Compositae resulted in the production of phylogenetically informative sequence data from 763 loci and the successful reconstruction of known phylogenetic relationships across the family. •ConclusionsThese methods should be of great use to members of the broader Compositae community, and the general approach should also be of use to researchers studying other families

Temperature dependence of the triplet diffusion and quenching rates in films of an Ir(ppy)(3)-cored dendrimer

We study photoluminescence and triplet-triplet exciton annihilation in a neat film of a fac-tris(2-phenylpyridyl)iridium(III) [Ir(ppy)(3)]-cored dendrimer and in its blend with a 4,4(')-bis(N-carbazolyl)biphenyl host for the temperature range of 77-300 K. The nearest neighbor hopping rate of triplet excitons is found to increase by a factor of 2 with temperature between 150 and 300 K and is temperature independent at lower temperature. The intermolecular quenching rate follows the Arrhenius law with an activation energy of 7 meV, which can be explained by stronger dipole-dipole interactions with the donor molecule in the higher triplet substate. The results indicate that energy disorder has no significant effect on triplet transport and quenching in these materials

Angiogenesis in pre-malignant conditions

Evidence from human studies suggests that angiogenesis commences during the pre-malignant stages of cancer. Inhibiting angiogenesis may, therefore, be of potential value in preventing progression to invasive cancer. Understanding the mechanisms inducing angiogenesis in these lesions and identification of those important in human tumourigenesis are necessary to develop translational strategies that will help realise the goal of angioprevention

Hilbert-Post completeness for the state and the exception effects

In this paper, we present a novel framework for studying the syntactic completeness of computational effects and we apply it to the exception effect. When applied to the states effect, our framework can be seen as a generalization of Pretnar's work on this subject. We first introduce a relative notion of Hilbert-Post completeness, well-suited to the composition of effects. Then we prove that the exception effect is relatively Hilbert-Post complete, as well as the "core" language which may be used for implementing it; these proofs have been formalized and checked with the proof assistant Coq.Comment: Siegfried Rump (Hamburg University of Technology), Chee Yap (Courant Institute, NYU). Sixth International Conference on Mathematical Aspects of Computer and Information Sciences , Nov 2015, Berlin, Germany. 2015, LNC

Using mHealth to Increase Treatment Utilization Among Recently Incarcerated Homeless Adults (Link2Care): Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: There is a significant revolving door of incarceration among homeless adults. Homeless adults who receive professional coordination of individualized care (ie, case management) during the period following their release from jail experience fewer mental health and substance use problems, are more likely to obtain stable housing, and are less likely to be reincarcerated. This is because case managers work to meet the various needs of their clients by helping them to overcome barriers to needed services (eg, food, clothing, housing, job training, substance abuse and mental health treatment, medical care, medication, social support, proof of identification, and legal aid). Many barriers (eg, limited transportation, inability to schedule appointments, and limited knowledge of available services) prevent homeless adults who were recently released from incarceration from obtaining available case management, crisis management, substance abuse, and mental health services. Objective: The aim of the Link2Care study is to assess the effectiveness of a smartphone app for increasing case management and treatment service utilization, and in turn reduce homelessness and rearrest. The goals of this research are to (1) assess the impact of an innovative smartphone app that will prompt and directly link recently incarcerated homeless adults to community-based case management services and resources and (2) utilize in-person and smartphone-based assessments to identify key variables (eg, alcohol or drug use, social support, psychological distress, and quality of life) that predict continued homelessness and rearrest. Methods: Homeless adults (N=432) who enroll in a shelter-based Homeless Recovery Program after release from the Dallas County Jail will be randomly assigned to one of the three treatment groups: (1) usual case management, (2) usual case management plus smartphone, and (3) usual case management with a study-provided smartphone that is preloaded with an innovative case management app (smartphone-based case management). Those assigned to smartphone-based case management will receive smartphones that prompt (twice weekly) connections to shelter-based case managers. The app will also offer direct links to case managers (available during normal business hours) and crisis interventionists (available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week) with the touch of a button. Results: Recruitment began in the spring of 2018, and data collection will conclude in 2021. Conclusions: This research represents an important step toward integrated service connection and health care service provision for one of the most underserved, high need, and understudied populations in the United States. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03399500; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03399500 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6zSJwdgUS) Registered Report Identifier: RR1-10.2196/986

Developing expressed sequence tag libraries and the discovery of simple sequence repeat markers for two species of raspberry (\u3cem\u3eRubus\u3c/em\u3e L.)

Background Due to a relatively high level of codominant inheritance and transferability within and among taxonomic groups, simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers are important elements in comparative mapping and delineation of genomic regions associated with traits of economic importance. Expressed sequence tags (ESTs) are a source of SSRs that can be used to develop markers to facilitate plant breeding and for more basic research across genera and higher plant orders. Methods Leaf and meristem tissue from ‘Heritage’ red raspberry (Rubus idaeus) and ‘Bristol’ black raspberry (R. occidentalis) were utilized for RNA extraction. After conversion to cDNA and library construction, ESTs were sequenced, quality verified, assembled and scanned for SSRs. Primers flanking the SSRs were designed and a subset tested for amplification, polymorphism and transferability across species. ESTs containing SSRs were functionally annotated using the GenBank non-redundant (nr) database and further classified using the gene ontology database. Results To accelerate development of EST-SSRs in the genus Rubus (Rosaceae), 1149 and 2358 cDNA sequences were generated from red raspberry and black raspberry, respectively. The cDNA sequences were screened using rigorous filtering criteria which resulted in the identification of 121 and 257 SSR loci for red and black raspberry, respectively. Primers were designed from the surrounding sequences resulting in 131 and 288 primer pairs, respectively, as some sequences contained more than one SSR locus. Sequence analysis revealed that the SSR-containing genes span a diversity of functions and share more sequence identity with strawberry genes than with other Rosaceous species. Conclusion This resource of Rubus-specific, gene-derived markers will facilitate the construction of linkage maps composed of transferable markers for studying and manipulating important traits in this economically important genus

Soil indigenous microbiome and plant genotypes cooperatively modify soybean rhizosphere microbiome assembly

Background Plants have evolved intimate interactions with soil microbes for a range of beneficial functions including nutrient acquisition, pathogen resistance and stress tolerance. Further understanding of this system is a promising way to advance sustainable agriculture by exploiting the versatile benefits offered by the plant microbiome. The rhizosphere is the interface between plant and soil, and functions as the first step of plant defense and root microbiome recruitment. It features a specialized microbial community, intensive microbe-plant and microbe-microbe interactions, and complex signal communication. To decipher the rhizosphere microbiome assembly of soybean (Glycine max), we comprehensively characterized the soybean rhizosphere microbial community using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and evaluated the structuring influence from both host genotype and soil source. Results Comparison of the soybean rhizosphere to bulk soil revealed significantly different microbiome composition, microbe-microbe interactions and metabolic capacity. Soil type and soybean genotype cooperatively modulated microbiome assembly with soil type predominantly shaping rhizosphere microbiome assembly while host genotype slightly tuned this recruitment process. The undomesticated progenitor species, Glycine soja, had higher rhizosphere diversity in both soil types tested in comparison to the domesticated soybean genotypes. Rhizobium, Novosphingobium, Phenylobacterium, Streptomyces, Nocardioides,etc. were robustly enriched in soybean rhizosphere irrespective of the soil tested. Co-occurrence network analysis revealed dominant soil type effects and genotype specific preferences for key microbe-microbe interactions. Functional prediction results demonstrated converged metabolic capacity in the soybean rhizosphere between soil types and among genotypes, with pathways related to xenobiotic degradation, plant-microbe interactions and nutrient transport being greatly enriched in the rhizosphere. Conclusion This comprehensive comparison of the soybean microbiome between soil types and genotypes expands our understanding of rhizosphere microbe assembly in general and provides foundational information for soybean as a legume crop for this assembly process. The cooperative modulating role of the soil type and host genotype emphasizes the importance of integrated consideration of soil condition and plant genetic variability for future development and application of synthetic microbiomes. Additionally, the detection of the tuning role by soybean genotype in rhizosphere microbiome assembly provides a promising way for future breeding programs to integrate host traits participating in beneficial microbiota assembly