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Gentrification and Nonprofit Activities for Neighborhood Development in Baltimore, Maryland and Houston, Texas
Full text linkThis study examines the role of community-based nonprofit organizations in neighborhood revitalization/community development and their impact on the level of housing services. The neighborhoods in the study represent certain universalities of gentrification in older communities, and therefore selected for the study. By going beyond the profitability of gentrification, this study examines the social costs associated with gentrification through the lens of nonprofit organizations using quantitative data from Baltimore, Maryland and Houston, Texas. Taking into account nonprofit organizations as important actors in the gentrification field, this study contributes to the understanding of the social cost of gentrification and how community-based nonprofit organizations can be key to mitigating displacement of neighborhood residents and the erosion of social capital
Biosorption of Lithium using Microbes
Full text linkLithium (Li) is a very valuable metal that is used across several industries including ceramics, glass, batteries, pharmaceuticals, and polymers. However, in recent years, the global demand for Li and its market price have increased considerably, due to its application as a critical component in the production of rechargeable Li-ion batteries and energy storage systems that are used in electric vehicles and a variety of electronic devices. Although Li occurs as a mineral in hard rocks and salt brines, substantial amounts are found in our environment as part of industrial wastes and oil-field wastewaters. Despite its importance, Li is also harmful and poses a risk to the environment. Besides, the conventional (chemical and physical) methods that are used today for its removal, such as solvent extraction and acid leaching, require high energy consumption and produce toxic by-products, posing additional environmental and economic challenges. Alternatively, the use of bacteria for Li extraction has been proposed as a viable, non-toxic, and cost- effective alternative. In this study, the potential of using Gram-negative Escherichia coli, and Gram-positive Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus cereus as biosorbents for Li was explored. Results indicate that all three bacterial species tested were capable of absorbing Li to varying degrees from aqueous solutions. However, E. coli had the highest and most consistent absorption capacity and was selected for further investigation. Amounts of total dissolved solids (TDS) and Li, analyzed by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES), methods were obtained in this study. In a kinetic study of Li biosorption, most Li-binding occurred within the first 24 h and slowed down until maximum biosorption was attained following 72 h, our experimental endpoint. The biosorption capacity for E. coli ranged from 60% to 43% depending on initial Li concentrations in solution. Also, the optimal pH for E. coli biosorption was found to be between pH 6-6.5. Recovered/eluted absorbed Li was measured following a 12 h mild-acid solution (distilled H2O adjusted to pH 4 with HNO3) wash of the Li-bound biomass membranes
The Future Of State Police In Nigeria : A Focus On The Southeast
Full text linkUsing the Routine Activity Theory (RAT), in combination with the Copenhagen School\u27s Regional Security Complex Theory (RSCT), it is underscored that the prevailing security challenges in Nigeria, particularly in the southeastern states, demand an immediate overhaul of the Nigerian Police Force. It is crucial to establish a state police system that empowers each region to address security concerns in collaboration with neighboring regions. This article highlights the benefits of police devolution and stresses the vital role of community engagement in ensuring public safety. By integrating community policing into local police forces and drawing inspiration from successful policing practices in other federal systems, Nigeria can significantly enhance its security framework. Stakeholders must recognize the urgency and potential for positive change in this endeavor
Policy Entrepreneurs and the Advocacy for Vaccination During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Full text linkThe article draws on Kingdon\u27s Multiple Streams Framework to examine the policy entrepreneurs that emerged, the windows of opportunity they identified, and the strategies they used to advocate for mass vaccination during the COVID-19 pandemic. The article indicates that politicians, public figures, and governmental and non-governmental organizations played the role of policy entrepreneurs. The article asserts that the problems of high morbidity, mortality, and economic challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic have social equity implications. Although COVID-19 vaccines are available, there is low political support for vaccination. The article draws attention to the problems, politics, and challenges of asserting COVID-19 vaccination policies. It reports on windows of opportunity policy entrepreneurs identified, and what strategies they used to advocate COVID-19 vaccination, and offers policy implications for addressing social equity concerns and other challenges facing the U.S. economy
Investigating the Role of MYBL1 Gene Variants in Triple Negative Breast Cancer Cells
Full text linkSeveral years ago our laboratory identified the MYBL1 gene as over-expressed in a subset of triple negative breast cancer cells. Since then we have applied a number of different approaches in an attempt to better define the presence of the gene in these cancers. There is clear and convincing evidence both by other investigators and from experimental observations in our laboratory that alternate splice sequences of a gene can code for variants with different biological roles. We are considering such a duality for the MYBL1 gene in breast samples. The first step towards these studies requires careful analyses of the sequences related to the MYBL1 transcript variants. Data deposited at the National Center for Biotechnology Information show that there are 17 Reference Sequence transcript variants corresponding to the MYBL1 gene. Several of the variants are sequenced as duplicates resulting in 10 unique variants. The goal of our laboratory is to better understand the MYBL1 gene. The current project involves (a) comparative analyses of the sequences assigned to the MYBL1 transcript variants so that (b) primer sets could be designed that would allow for gene expression analyses of the variants in triple negative breast cell line preparations. Both curated and predicted Reference sequences were examined in this study. As expected, the variants demonstrate considerable sequence similarity with the most significant differences observed between the curated transcript variant 1 (NM_001080416.4) which is the longest, and the predicted transcript variant 7 (XM_017013459.2) which is the shortest Reference sequence. Individual exon sequences were also compared between the different transcript variants. The longest variant 1, NM_001080416.4 (along with 3 of the predicted variants) contain an extra exon 15 missing in the other variants. The exon 15 region corresponds to a regulatory region in the protein. We designed 4 sets of PCR primers that allowed for differential analyses between the 10 transcript variants. The primer sets were used to examine the differential MYBL1 transcript levels in a non-tumor triple negative sample, compared to triple negative breast cancer levels. The most significant differential expression between non-tumor and tumor was observed for primer sets that did not detect XM_017013459.2 transcript variant 7. These data suggest that XM_017013459.2 does not contribute to detection of MYBL1 transcripts in tumor cells
Inhibition Of Foxo Induces Oxidative Stress In Osteosarcoma
Full text linkRedox homeostasis is a balance between reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and neutralization by antioxidants. Oxidative stress (OS) results when the generation of ROS exceeds the neutralizing capacity of endogenous antioxidants. Reactive oxygen species are generated during cellular processes such as mitochondrial activity or metabolism of drugs. Expression of endogenous antioxidants is driven by redox-sensitive transcription factors; therefore, redox-sensitive transcription factors are essential for the maintenance of cellular redox homeostasis. There are several redox-sensitive transcription factors that contribute to the expression of endogenous antioxidants. These redox-sensitive transcription factors include nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factors (Nrf-2), hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF), activator protein-1 (AP-1), nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and forkhead transcription factor class O (FOXO). The objective of this research project is to determine the contribution of FOXO to redox homeostasis in osteosarcoma. Osteosarcoma is the most common bone cancer with most osteosarcoma cases occurring in people under 30 years old. In this study, FOXO1 and FOXO3 were inhibited followed by assessment of oxidative stress. Basal levels of select endogenous antioxidants were also investigated. The results of this study indicate that chemical inhibition of FOXO1 or FOXO3 increases oxidative stress in osteosarcoma. The results also indicate that different osteosarcoma cell lines express different levels of endogenous antioxidants. Collectively, the results of this study suggest that FOXO1 and FOXO3 contribute to redox homeostasis in osteosarcoma
Sea Turtle Conservation at Tortuguero: A Case on How to turn an Ecological Challenge into a Collaborative Opportunity for Research, Education Outreach, and Business Development
Full text linkThis paper provides an overview of sea turtle research and conservation at Tortuguero. The conservation work began in 1950 and is still active. How did this effort to conserve sea turtles get started and how did this process help turn an ecological challenge into a global collaborative initiative? This case is not just about sea turtle conservation, but more importantly it is about approaching a complex problem from multiple perspectives and finding innovative ways to mitigate the problem. Though the focus is on sea turtles, the process, approach, and experience learned from this case can be adapted for guidance in other contexts, where complex challenges arise and concerted actions are needed
