235 research outputs found

    The Federalist and Human Nature

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    Aquatic Invasive Species Change Ecosystem Services from the World\u27s Largest Wild Sockeye Salmon Fisheries in Alaska

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    This study combines a multi-method approach to structured expert judgment with market valuation to forecast fisheries damages from introduced invasive species. The method is applied to a case study of Alaska’s first submersed aquatic invasive plant, Elodea spp., threatening Alaska’s salmon fisheries. Assuming that Elodea spp. remains unmanaged, estimated mean damages to commercial sockeye fisheries aggregated across Alaska amount to a potential 159millionannuallywitha5159 million annually with a 5% chance of exceeding 577 million annually (2015USD).Theassociatedmeanlossofnaturalcapitalamountsto2015 USD). The associated mean loss of natural capital amounts to 5.1 billion cumulatively over the next 100 years reaching $400 million after 10 years. Results from the expert elicitation indicate that there is a 35% chance of positive net benefits associated with the believed positive effects of Elodea spp. on sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka). Despite the potential for positive net gains, the magnitude of the most probable damage estimate may justify substantial investment in keeping productive freshwater systems free of aquatic invasive species. The damage estimate for Alaska is significantly larger than similar estimates in the Great Lakes where ecosystems are already impaired by multiple aquatic invasive species, underscoring the value of keeping functioning ecosystems with global market value productive. This study is the first to estimate ecosystem service loss associated with introduction of an aquatic invasive species to freshwater habitat that supports the world’s most valuable wild sockeye salmon fisheries. Important policy implications related to natural resource management and efficient allocation of scarce resources are discusse

    The production of phantom partials due to nonlinearities in the structural components of the piano

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    Phantom partials are anomalous overtones in the spectrum of the piano sound that occur at sum and difference frequencies of the natural overtones of the string. Although they are commonly assumed to be produced by forced longitudinal waves in the string, analysis of the sound of a piano produced by mechanically vibrating the soundboard while all the strings are damped indicates that phantom partials can occur in the absence of string motion. The magnitude of the effect leads to the conclusion that nonlinearity in the non-string components may be responsible for some of the power in the phantom partials

    Established non-union of an operatively managed trans-scaphoid perilunate fracture dislocation progressing to spontaneous union

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    Perilunate dislocations and fracture dislocations represent uncommon and unusual injuries that are often missed at initial presentation and diagnosed late in up to 25% of cases. Prompt open reduction, carpal stabilisation and ligamentous repair is required to reduce the risk of complications. We report a case of an established scaphoid non-union in an operatively managed perilunate fracture dislocation that spontaneously united almost 2 years after the initial injury, just before a planned revision scaphoid fixation with bone grafting. This case highlights the importance of initial clinical assessment together with appropriate radiographs and follow-up of these injuries post-operatively, especially when complications such as non-union arise

    Can Discord Domain-Containing Receptor 2 Mutation Act as a Disease Modifier for PRKAR1A Associated Melanotic Schwannoma?

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    Melanotic Schwannomas are rare neural sheath tumors with distinctive findings of both Schwann cells and melanocytic cells. Recognition of this entity has prompted the importance of distinction from similar tumor types such as melanomas. Early diagnosis facilitates removal of the mass with less risk of local invasion and metastasis. Although previously known as mostly benign lesions, malignant conversion and recurrence are recognized. This paper presents a patient with melanotic schwannoma, describes the distinctive features that will separate it from melanoma, and addresses the possibility of further guided therapy through next-generation sequencing

    Early marine growth in relation to marine-stage survival rates for Alaska sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka)

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    We tested the hypothesis that larger juvenile sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) in Bristol Bay, Alaska, have higher marine-stage survival rates than smaller juvenile salmon. We used scales from returning adults (33 years of data) and trawl samples of juveniles (n= 3572) collected along the eastern Bering Sea shelf during August through September 2000−02. The size of juvenile sockeye salmon mirrored indices of their marine-stage survival rate (e.g., smaller fish had lower indices of marine-stage survival rate). However, there was no relationship between the size of sockeye salmon after their first year at sea, as estimated from archived scales, and brood-year survival size was relatively uniform over the time series, possibly indicating size-selective mortality on smaller individuals during their marine residence. Variation in size, relative abundance, and marine-stage survival rate of juvenile sockeye salmon is likely related to ocean conditions affecting their early marine migratory pathways along the eastern Bering Sea shelf

    The course of the superficial peroneal nerve in relation to the ankle position: anatomical study with ankle arthroscopic implications

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    Despite the fact that the superficial peroneal nerve is the only nerve in the human body that can be made visible; iatrogenic damage to this nerve is the most frequently reported complication in anterior ankle arthroscopy. One of the methods to visualize the nerve is combined ankle plantar flexion and inversion. In the majority of cases, the superficial peroneal nerve can be made visible. The portals for anterior ankle arthroscopy are however created with the ankle in the neutral or slightly dorsiflexed position and not in combined plantar flexion and inversion. The purpose of this study was to undertake an anatomical study to the course of the superficial peroneal nerve in different positions of the foot and ankle. We hypothesize that the anatomical localization of the superficial peroneal nerve changes with different foot and ankle positions. In ten fresh frozen ankle specimens, a window, only affecting the skin, was made at the level of the anterolateral portal for anterior ankle arthroscopy in order to directly visualize the superficial peroneal nerve, or if divided, its terminal branches. Nerve movement was assessed from combined 10° plantar flexion and inversion to 5° dorsiflexion, standardized by the Telos stress device. Also for the 4th toe flexion, flexion of all the toes and for skin tensioning possible nerve movement was determined. The mean superficial peroneal nerve movement was 2.4 mm to the lateral side when the ankle was moved from 10° plantar flexion and inversion to the neutral ankle position and 3.6 mm to the lateral side from 10° plantar flexion and inversion to 5° dorsiflexion. Both displacements were significant (P < 0.01). The nerve consistently moves lateral when the ankle is manoeuvred from combined plantar flexion and inversion to the neutral or dorsiflexed position. If visible, it is therefore advised to create the anterolateral portal medial from the preoperative marking, in order to prevent iatrogenic damage to the superficial peroneal nerve

    Tailor-made inflammation: how neutrophil serine proteases modulate the inflammatory response

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    Neutrophil granulocytes are important mediators of innate immunity, but also participate in the pathogenesis of (auto)inflammatory diseases. Neutrophils express a specific set of proteolytic enzymes, the neutrophil serine proteases (NSPs), which are stored in cytoplasmic granules and can be secreted into the extra- and pericellular space upon cellular activation. These NSPs, namely cathepsin G (CG), neutrophil elastase (NE), and proteinase 3 (PR3), have early been implicated in bacterial defense. However, NSPs also regulate the inflammatory response by specifically altering the function of cytokines and chemokines. For instance, PR3 and NE both inactivate the anti-inflammatory mediator progranulin, which may play a role in chronic inflammation. Here, we provide a concise update on NSPs as modulators of inflammation and discuss the biological and pathological significance of this novel function of NSPs. Mounting evidence support an important proinflammatory function for PR3, which may have been underestimated in the past
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