‘It’s better than daytime television’: questioning the socio-spatial impacts of massage parlours on residential communities

It has been shown that street sex work is problematic for some communities, but there is less evidence of the effects of brothels. Emerging research also suggests that impact discourses outlined by residential communities and in regulatory policies should be critiqued, because they are often based on minority community voices, and limited tangible evidence is used to masquerade wider moral viewpoints about the place of sex work. Using a study of residents living in close proximity to brothels in Blackpool, this paper argues that impact is socially and spatially fluid. Impact needs to be evaluated in a more nuanced manner, which is considerate of the heterogeneity of (even one type of) sex work, and the community in question. Brothels in Blackpool had a variety of roles in the everyday socio-spatial fabric; thus also questioning the common assumption that sex work only impacts negatively on residential communities

Acaciapollenites acaciae sp. nov., una nueva políade de mimosoidea del neógeno, en la Cuenca del Colorado, Argentina

Fossil mimosoid polyads have been recently recovered from Neogene deposits in the Colorado Basin, Argentina, and the new species Acaciapollenites acaciae sp. nov. is described, which is closely similar to polyads of species included in Acacia Miller subgenus Acacia Vassal. It is characterized by colporate apertures on the distal face of the pollen grains, a typical polyad of the subgenus Acacia species. The new polyad species is very similar to those of the extant Acacia curvifructa Burkart. Comparing the habitat of subgenus Acacia extant species, the Acaciapollenites acaciae occurrence suggests drier and warmer paleoclimatic conditions than today for the Late Miocene-Early Pliocene in the Colorado Basin. Paleogeographic data of Acacia pollen diversity are discussed. A similar early diversification and distribution of Acacia genus is recognized for the new and old worldPolíades afines a Mimoisoideas fueron recuperadas de depósitos del Neógeno de la cuenca del Colorado, Argentina. Por sus detalles morfológicos es reconocida una nueva especie con afinidad botánica a las especies actuales del género Acacia, subgénero Acacia. Acaciapollenites acaciae sp. nov. se distingue por presentar aperturas colporadas sobre la superficie distal de sus granos de polen, políade típica de las especies del subgénero Acacia. La nueva especie de políade se compara con las de la especie actual Acacia curvifructa. Comparando el hábitat de las actuales especies del subgénero Acacia, la presencia de Acaciapollenites acaciae en el Neógeno de la cuenca del Colorado, sugiere condiciones paleoclimáticas mas áridas y cálidas que las de hoy día. Se discuten los datos paleogeográficos de la diversidad de Acacia. Es reconocida tanto para el nuevo como para el viejo mundo, una temprana diversificación y dispersión del género.Fil: Caccavari, Marta Alicia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales “Bernardino Rivadavia”; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Geología; ArgentinaFil: Guler, Maria Veronica. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Geología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

A latest Cretaceous to earliest Paleogene dinoflagellate cyst zonation of Antarctica, and implications for phytoprovincialism in the high southern latitudes

The thickest uppermost Cretaceous to lowermost Paleogene (Maastrichtian to Danian) sedimentary succession in the world is exposed on southern Seymour Island (65° South) in the James Ross Basin, Antarctic Peninsula. This fossiliferous shallow marine sequence, which spans the Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary, has allowed a high-resolution analysis of well-preserved marine palynomorphs. Previous correlation of Cretaceous–Paleogene marine palynomorph assemblages in the south polar region relied on dinoflagellate cyst biozonations from New Zealand and southern Australia. The age model of the southern Seymour Island succession is refined and placed within the stratigraphical context of the mid to high southern palaeolatitudes. Quantitative palynological analysis of a new 1102 m continuous stratigraphical section comprising the uppermost Snow Hill Island Formation and the López de Bertodano Formation (Marambio Group) across southern Seymour Island was undertaken. We propose the first formal late Maastrichtian to early Danian dinoflagellate cyst zonation scheme for the Antarctic based on this exceptional succession. Two new late Maastrichtian zones, including three subzones, and one new early Danian zone are defined. The oldest beds correlate well with the late Maastrichtian of New Zealand. In a wider context, a new South Polar Province based on Maastrichtian to Danian dinoflagellate cysts is proposed, which excludes most southern South American marine palynofloras. This interpretation is supported by models of ocean currents around Antarctica and implies an unrestricted oceanic connection across Antarctica between southern South America and the Tasman Sea

First palynologic record of the Cretaceous La Yesera Formation (Salta Group), northwestern Argentina

Thirty-four taxa were documented from six palynologically productive samples of the La Yesera Formation (Brealito and Don Bartolo Members) in the Pucará locality (Salta Province, northwestern Argentina). In the Brealito Member, aquatic species (mainly freshwater algae) dominate the palynofl ora, while terrestrial species are represented by trilete spores (mainly Anemiaceae) and gymnosperm pollen grains. In the Don Bartolo Member, Classopollis spp. dominate most of the assemblages, trilete Anemiaceae spores constitute half of the total counts in one of the assemblages and a unique angiosperm species (Tricolpites variabilis) was found in two assemblages. Ephedra-type pollen grains (three genera and six species) appear in both members, although in low abundance. The results support previous sedimentology studies that indicate a perennial lake environment at the time of deposition of the Brealito Member, with evidence for dry seasonality in the Don Bartolo Member. The inferred regional paleoclimate is subtropical with arid conditions. Considering the stratigraphic ranges of selected species and the sedimentology data, an Albian/Cenomanian age is suggested for the unit.Trinta e quatro táxons foram registrados a partir de seis amostras palinológicas provenientes da Formação La Yesera (membros Brealito e Don Bartolo), na localidade Pucará, Província de Salta, noroeste da Argentina. No Membro Brealito, predominam as espécies aquáticas, principalmente de algas de água doce; as espécies terrestres estão representadas por esporos triletes, principalmente de Anemiaceae e por grãos de pólen de gimnospermas. No Membro Don Bartolo, os grãos de pólen Classopollis spp. dominam a maioria das assembleias, embora numa das amostras, metade das contagens totais é constituída por esporos triletes de Anemiaceae e, uma única espécie de angiospermas (Tricolpites variabilis) foi encontrada em duas assembleias. Grãos de pólen do tipo Ephedra, com três gêneros e seis espécies, aparecem em baixa abundância em ambos os membros. Estes resultados corroboram estudos sedimentológicos anteriores e indicam ambiente lacustre perene, no momento da deposição do Membro Brealito, com evidência de sazonalidade seca para a Membro Don Bartolo. O paleoclima regional inferido é subtropical árido. Considerando os intervalos estratigráfi cos de espécies selecionadas e os dados sedimentológicos, é sugerida idade Albiano/Cenomaniano para a unidade estudada.Fil: Narvaez, Paula Liliana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales; ArgentinaFil: Pramparo, Mercedes Beatriz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales; ArgentinaFil: Sabino García, Ignacio Federico. Tecpetrol S. A.; Argentin

Triazolinediones as highly enabling synthetic tools

Triazolinediones (TADs) are unique reagents in organic synthesis that have also found wide applications in different research disciplines, in spite of their somewhat "exotic" reputation. In this review, we offer two case studies that demonstrate the possibilities of these versatile and reliable synthetic tools, namely, in the field of polymer science as well as in more recently emerging applications in the field of click chemistry. As the general use of triazolinediones has always been hampered by the limited commercial and synthetic availability of such reagents, we also offer a review of the available TAD reagents, together with a detailed discussion of their synthesis and reactivity. This review thus aims to serve as a practical guide for researchers that are interested in exploiting and further developing the exceptional click -like reactivity of triazolinediones in various applications

Do the incentive payments in the new NHS contract for primary care reflect likely population health gains?

The new contract for primary care in the UK offers fee-for-service payments for a wide range of activities in a quality outcomes framework, with payments designed to reflect likely workload. This study aims to explore the link between these financial incentives and the likely population health gains. The study examines a subset of eight preventive interventions covering 38 of the 81 clinical indicators in the quality framework. The maximum payment for each service was calculated and compared with the likely population health gain in terms of lives saved per 100,000 population based on evidence from McColl et al. (1998). Maximum payments for the eight interventions examined make up 57% of the sum total maximum payment for all clinical interventions in the quality outcomes framework. There appears to be no relationship between pay and health gain across these eight interventions. Two of the eight interventions (warfarin in atrial fibrillation and statins in primary prevention) receive no incentive. Payments in the new contract do not reflect likely population health gain. There is a danger that clinical activity may be skewed towards high-workload activities that are only marginally effective, to the detriment of more cost effective activities. If improving population health is the primary goal of the NHS, then fee-for-service incentives should be designed to reflect likely health gain rather than likely workload.health policy, incentive payments, primary care, quality, UK

Effect of elevated inorganic carbon on the cytosolic homeostasis of NO3- in the marine angiosperm Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile

The marine angiosperm Posidonia oceanica is a mediterranean endemism of great ecological significance. As other marine plants, P. oceanica has adapted secondarily to the marine environment and develop anew different mechanisms to colonize it. Among others, this plant has developed a plasma membrane system for the direct uptake of bicarbonate. In this work we have developed both NO3- and Cl- selective microelectrodes for the continuous monitoring of the intracellular (cytosolic) NO3- and Cl-. In the light, leaf mesophyll cells show a cytosolic NO3- concentration of 5.7±0.2 mM (n=10), while in the dark cytosolic NO3- raises up to 8.7±1.1 mM; these values are in the range of concentrations quoted for Arabidopsis thaliana (Cookson et al., 2005). The enrichment of natural seawater (NSW) with 3 mM NaHCO3 caused a decrease of the cytosolic NO3- concentration of 1 mM and a decrease of the cytosolic concentration of Cl- of 3.5 mM. The saturation of NSW with 1000 µL CO2 L-1 produced a lower diminution of the cytosolic NO3- (0.3 mM). In the presence of 0.1 mM of the plasma membrane permeable inhibitor of the carbonic anhydrase (EZ) the diminution of cytosolic NO3- caused by the same concentration of CO2 was much lower, 0.1 mM. The addition of inorganic carbon, either HCO3- or CO2, has an effect on the cytosolic mechanisms for anionic homeostasis, one of which is the opening of the slow anion channels. These channels are permeable to NO3- and Cl- and could elicit the efflux of these ions. In P. oceanica, the response in the presence of EZ points out that the inorganic carbon species that cause the NO3-/Cl- efflux is HCO3-. This effect could contribute to plant biomass N dilution observed in elevated CO2. References: Cookson et al. 2005. Plant Physiology 138, 1097–1105.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tec