Responding to Public Health Emergencies on Tribal Lands: Jurisdictional Challenges and Practical Solutions

Response to public health emergencies on tribal lands poses a unique challenge for state and tribal public health officials. The complexity and intensely situation-specific nature of federal Indian jurisprudence leaves considerable question as to which government entity, state or tribal, has jurisdiction on tribal lands to undertake basic emergency measures such as closure of public spaces, quarantine, compulsory medical examination, and investigation

Total and Nonresidual Concentrations of Selected Elements in Two Soil Series on the Island of Hawaii

Thirty Aridisol soil samples of the Kawaihae soil series on the dry, leeward, northwestern side of the island of Hawaii and 13 Histosol samples of the Papai series on the wet, windward, eastern side of the island were subjected to (1) complete dissolution by a mixture ofHN03, HCl, and HF to determine total concentrations of Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, and Zn and (2) extraction of these metals by shaking 10 g soil: 100 mL 0.5M HCl solutions for 16hr to determine nonresidual concentrations. Analyses were performed mainly by flame and electrothermal atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Loss on ignition (LOI) and soil pH were also determined. Total metal concentrations, quantity extracted, LOI, and soil pH were analyzed statistically. Compared to the Histosol, the Aridisol samples typically contain more Co, Cr, Fe, and Mn, less Cu, similar concentrations of Ni and Zn, and have less LOI and higher pH. The Aridisol exhibits a high degree of correlation between total Cr and Ni, while a strong negative correlation occurs between Cu, Mn, Co, and Fe individually with LOI in the Histosol. The mean concentrations of these metals in both soils are significantly greater than those which occur in soils of the conterminous United States. The effectiveness of extraction by the acid solution, as measured by the percentage of metal extracted, is approximately Mn > Co > Cu > Cr > Fe > Zn - Ni for the Aridisol and Cu - Zn > Co - Mn > Fe - Ni > Cr for the Histosol; the difference is attributed to weathering under different climatic conditions. The latter soils exhibit a higher degree of correlation for percentages of metals extracted among the various metals and with LOI

A psychological study of the effect of microfinance on the self-esteem and self-efficacy of the poor in South Africa

The impact of microfinance on the lives of the poor is controversial and there is limited empirical understanding of its psychological effects. Our study endeavoured to explore the effect of microfinance on the self-esteem and self-efficacy of the poor in South Africa. The study was conducted using a non-experimental research strategy (within-subjects design) and quasiexperimental strategy (pre-post-test non-equivalent control group). Systematic and convenience sampling methods were used to select participants. Data were collected on 264 pre-test and 159 post-test participants using the Rosenberg self-esteem scale and General self-efficacy scale. The Pearson productmoment correlation coefficient, the ANOVA and the MANCOVA were used to investigate the effect of microfinance provision on self-esteem and self-efficacy. Our findings not only showed that the provision of microfinance is positively related to self-esteem, but they also showed that microfinance provision leads to an increase in the self-esteem of recipients. The results further revealed a decline in self-esteem for those who were denied microfinance. We argue that providers need to critically assess the psychological effect of their programmes especially on declined microfinance applicants.Keywords: Microfinance; Poverty; Self-esteem; Self-efficacy; South Afric

Oxidation Behavior of a Pd_(43)Cu_(27)Ni_(10)P_(20) Bulk Metallic Glass and Foam in Dry Air

The oxidation behavior of both Pd_(43)Cu_(27)Ni_(10)P_(20) bulk metallic glass (Pd4-BMG) and its amorphous foam containing 45 pct porosity (Pd4-AF) was investigated over the temperature range of 343 K (70 °C) to 623 K (350 °C) in dry air. The results showed that virtually no oxidation occurred in the Pd4-BMG at T < 523 K (250 °C), revealing the alloy’s favorable oxidation resistance in this temperature range. In addition, the oxidation kinetics at T ≥ 523 K (250 °C) followed a parabolic-rate law, and the parabolic-rate constants (k_p values) generally increased with temperature. It was found that the oxidation k_p values of the Pd4-AF are slightly lower than those of the Pd4-BMG, indicating that the porous structure contributes to improving the overall oxidation resistance. The scale formed on the alloys was composed exclusively of CuO at T ≥ 548 K (275 °C), whose thickness gradually increased with increasing temperature. In addition, the amorphous structure remained unchanged at T ≤ 548 K (275 °C), while a triplex-phase structure developed after the oxidation at higher temperatures, consisting of Pd_2Ni_2P, Cu_3P, and Pd_3P

Discovery of disc precession in the M31 dipping X-ray binary Bo 158

We present results from three XMM-Newton observations of the M31 low mass X-ray binary XMMU J004314.4+410726.3 (Bo 158), spaced over 3 days in 2004, July. Bo 158 was the first dipping LMXB to be discovered in M31. Periodic intensity dips were previously seen to occur on a 2.78-hr period, due to absorption in material that is raised out of the plane of the accretion disc. The report of these observations stated that the dip depth was anti-correlated with source intensity. However, our new observations do not favour a strict intensity dependance, but rather suggest that the dip variation is due to precession of the accretion disc. This is to be expected in LMXBs with a mass ratio <~ 0.3 (period <~ 4 hr), as the disc reaches the 3:1 resonance with the binary companion, causing elongation and precession of the disc. A smoothed particle hydrodynamics simulation of the disc in this system shows retrograde rotation of a disc warp on a period of ~11 P_orb, and prograde disc precession on a period of ~29 P_orb. This is consistent with the observed variation in the depth of the dips. We find that the dipping behaviour is most likely to be modified by the disc precession, hence we predict that the dipping behaviour repeats on a 81+/-3 hr cycle.Comment: 9 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication by MNRAS, changed conten

ATG proteins mediate efferocytosis and suppress inflammation in mammary involution.

Involution is the process of post-lactational mammary gland regression to quiescence and it involves secretory epithelial cell death, stroma remodeling and gland repopulation by adipocytes. Though reportedly accompanying apoptosis, the role of autophagy in involution has not yet been determined. We now report that autophagy-related (ATG) proteins mediate dead cell clearance and suppress inflammation during mammary involution. In vivo, Becn1(+/-) and Atg7-deficient mammary epithelial cells (MECs) produced 'competent' apoptotic bodies, but were defective phagocytes in association with reduced expression of the MERTK and ITGB5 receptors, thus pointing to defective apoptotic body engulfment. Atg-deficient tissues exhibited higher levels of involution-associated inflammation, which could be indicative of a tumor-modulating microenvironment, and developed ductal ectasia, a manifestation of deregulated post-involution gland remodeling. In vitro, ATG (BECN1 or ATG7) knockdown compromised MEC-mediated apoptotic body clearance in association with decreased RAC1 activation, thus confirming that, in addition to the defective phagocytic processing reported by other studies, ATG protein defects also impair dead cell engulfment. Using two different mouse models with mammary gland-associated Atg deficiencies, our studies shed light on the essential role of ATG proteins in MEC-mediated efferocytosis during mammary involution and provide novel insights into this important developmental process. This work also raises the possibility that a regulatory feedback loop exists, by which the efficacy of phagocytic cargo processing in turn regulates the rate of engulfment and ultimately determines the kinetics of phagocytosis and dead cell clearance

Submerged in the mainstream? A case study of an immigrant learner in a New Zealand primary classroom

Immigrant children from diverse language backgrounds face not only linguistic challenges when enrolled in mainstream English-medium classrooms, but also difficulties adjusting to an unfamiliar learning community. The culture of primary school classrooms in New Zealand typically reflects conventions across three dimensions: interactional, instructional task performance and cognitive-academic development. All three dimensions are underpinned by the culturally specific discourse conventions involved in language socialisation. New learners may be helped by classmates or their teacher to understand and successfully use these conventions, but left on their own they may sink rather than swim. This is a case study of one Taiwanese 11-year old boy, 'John', who entered a New Zealand primary classroom midway through the school year. John's basic conversational ability was sound, but he did not possess the interactive classroom skills needed to operate in the new culture of learning. Selected from a wider study of the classroom, transcript data from audio-recorded excerpts of John's interactions over several months with his teacher and classmates are interpreted from perspectives derived from sociocultural and language socialisation theories. The article concludes with a brief consideration of the extent to which John constructed, or was constrained from constructing meaningful learning experiences, and suggestions for further research and reflection

Clinical utility of fixed combinations of sitagliptin–metformin in treatment of type 2 diabetes

Adequate glycemic control in type 2 diabetes remains a difficult but achievable goal. The development of new classes of glucose-lowering medications, including in particular the incretin-based therapies, provides an opportunity to utilize combinations of medications which target multiple physiologic abnormalities in type 2 diabetes. Complementary combination therapy with sitagliptin–metformin lowers glucose via enhancement of insulin secretion, suppression of glucagon secretion, and insulin sensitization. Use of this combination in diabetes management will provide a greater degree of glycosylated hemoglobin-lowering than that seen with the use of either drug as monotherapy, is unlikely to cause significant hypoglycemia, and is generally associated with weight loss. The effectiveness, tolerability, and potential cost savings associated with the use of sitagliptin–metformin combination therapy make this an attractive option in diabetes management. The possible beneficial effects of this therapy on beta cell function, as well as its cardiovascular impact, remain inadequately explored but are of significant interest