Exclusive Look at the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology’s new Social Science Section

The Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST) is Parliament’s in-house source of independent, balanced and accessible analysis of public policy issues related to science and technology. In partnership with the ESRC and with the support of UCL, POST is establishing a dedicated Social Science Section to provide parliamentarians with more access to social science research evidence. Ahead of its launch this week, we’ve asked for reflections from Adam Afriyie MP (Chair of POST), Jason Blackstock (UCL), Paul Boyle (ESRC) and Chris Tyler (POST) on the making of the Social Science Section and how it will seek to improve the impact of social science in policy-making

Thorium isotopes tracing the iron cycle at the Hawaii Ocean Time-series Station ALOHA

The role of iron as a limiting micronutrient motivates an effort to understand the supply and removal of lithogenic trace metals in the ocean. The long-lived thorium isotopes (²³²Th and ²³⁰Th) in seawater can be used to quantify the input of lithogenic metals attributable to the partial dissolution of aerosol dust. Thus, Th can help in disentangling the Fe cycle by providing an estimate of its ultimate supply and turnover rate. Here we present time-series (1994–2014) data on thorium isotopes and iron concentrations in seawater from the Hawaii Ocean Time-series Station ALOHA. By comparing Th-based dissolved Fe fluxes with measured dissolved Fe inventories, we derive Fe residence times of 6–12 months for the surface ocean. Therefore, Fe inventories in the surface ocean are sensitive to seasonal changes in dust input. Ultrafiltration results further reveal that Th has a much lower colloidal content than Fe does, despite a common source. On this basis, we suggest Fe colloids may be predominantly organic in composition, at least at Station ALOHA. In the deep ocean (>2 km), Fe approaches a solubility limit while Th, surprisingly, is continually leached from lithogenic particles. This distinction has implications for the relevance of Fe ligand availability in the deep ocean, but also suggests Th is not a good tracer for Fe in deep waters. While uncovering divergent behavior of these elements in the water column, this study finds that dissolved Th flux is a suitable proxy for the supply of Fe from dust in the remote surface ocean.National Science Foundation (U.S.) (Grant NS-OIA E-0424599

Synthesis and Characterization of a Family of Air-Stable Ferrocene- and Ruthenocene-Containing Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Phosphines

The synthesis and characterization of a family of air-stable primary, secondary, and tertiary phosphines containing all possible combinations of ethylferrocene and ethylruthenocene substituents are reported. Each phosphine was characterized by 1H, 13C, and 31P NMR spectroscopy, IR and UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and elemental analysis. With the exception of primary ethylruthenocene phosphine 8a, all of the title compounds have been studied by single crystal X-ray crystallography. Ferrocene-containing phosphines showed maximum absorption at wavelengths of ca. 440 nm and qualitatively reversible oxidation waves in their cyclic voltammograms with intensities scaling to the number of ferrocene units present. The average metal-cyclopentadienyl centroid distances observed for ferrocene-containing phosphines were shorter than those of ruthenocene-containing phosphines, which also had maximum absorption wavelengths of ca. 320 nm and underwent irreversible electrochemical oxidation. Phosphines containing both ethylferrocene and ethylruthenocene substituents displayed properties consistent with the presence of both metallocene types

Exile Vol. XLIII No. 2

41st Year Title Page i Epigraphy by Ezra Pound ii Table of Contents iii / Contributors\u27 Notes 70-71 Editorial Board 72-73 ART Untitled by Kari Hernquist \u2799 4 Talking Out my Window by Heather Trabert \u2797 13 Renamed I by Ben Blake \u2797 18 photo paint by alex e. blazer \u2797 23 Butterfly by Mary Donnelley \u2797 32 unabridged by alex e. blazer \u2797 37 Holding Me In by Heather Trabert \u2797 43 Untitled by Kari Hernquist \u2797 55 Untitled by Camille Gammon-Hittelman \u2799 61 Stars by Mary Donnelley \u2797 69 POETRY Victrola by erin c. malone \u2799 1 All by Kellam Ayres \u2797 2-3 curtailed sun in the net by alex e. blazer \u2797 5 the weaker sex by Bekah Taylor \u2700 6 A poem concerning a silent manifesto by Colin Bossen \u2798 14 Father by Alison Stine \u2700 15 Vacant by Sean Boyle \u2700 16 Ecstasy by Amy spears \u2798 17 Seven Haikus by Jen Suster \u2797 21 Pages from a Diary by Trish Klei \u2797 22 Watching an Ageless Woman and an Ancient Trade by Heather Trabert \u2797 24-25 Still Waters by Jay Brandeis \u2799 26 just shy of freedom by Sean Boyle \u2700 36 [Touch the mothers you never knew] by Heather Trabert \u2797 38 Fishing for Meaning by Bekah Taylor \u2700 39 the novel by Sara Brown \u2799 40-41 annihilation by erin c. malone \u2799 42 Upon Enlistment by Trish Klei \u2797 44 the expatriate by erin c. malone \u2799 47 Rockettes by Trish Klei \u2797 48-49 Abstraction by Colin Bossen \u2798 54 always kinesis by alex e. blazer \u2797 56-57 Lily by Alison Stine \u2700 58-59 Falling In by Bekah Taylor \u2700 60 this bird has flown by paul durica \u2700 62-63 exfoliating some sun by alex e. blazer \u2797 64 Liberation: May 8, 1945 by Jen suster \u2797 65 PROSE Journal: 12 December 1996 through 15 January 1997 by Lynn Tramonte \u2798 7-12 Ash by paul durica \u2700 19-20 Birdhouse by Tyler Smith \u2797 27-35 Party in December by paul durica \u2700 45-46 Smoke Circles by Alison Stine \u2700 50-53 Seal by Lynn Tramonte \u2798 66-68 All submissions are reviewed on an anonymous basis, and all editorial decisions are shared equally among the members of the Editorial Board. -72 Cover art Toy Child by Ben Blake \u2797 -7

Assessing the spatial impact of policy interventions on real-estate values: an exemplar of the use of the hybrid hedonic/repeat-sales method

This paper sets out to make a contribution to the extensive literature that seeks to develop methods that allow rigorous and robust analysis of the spatial and temporal impacts of public policy interventions on property (real-estate) values. It argues that the hybrid repeat-sales/hedonic method developed in real-estate studies over the last 30 years has considerable, but as yet under-developed, potential as a policy analysis tool. Using data from Glasgow, UK, the empirical analysis illustrates how the technique can be used to understand the spatial spillovers and the dynamic temporal effects of a historic £100 million state-led, area-based, urban-renewal programme, New Life for Urban Scotland. The paper concludes by arguing that, with the rise in the availability of rich geocoded, micro-datasets, this framework is sufficiently flexible to be used to evaluate the real-estate market impacts of a wide range of public policy interventions. Significantly, as the case study demonstrates, the framework overcomes some of the sustained criticisms of the more commonly used hedonic modelling approach. There is, however, still much to do to enhance the technical qualities of the models through further application

'On Your Feet to Earn Your Seat', a habit-based intervention to reduce sedentary behaviour in older adults: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Many older adults are both highly sedentary (that is, spend considerable amounts of time sitting) and physically inactive (that is, do little physical activity). This protocol describes an exploratory trial of a theory-based behaviour change intervention in the form of a booklet outlining simple activities ('tips') designed both to reduce sedentary behaviour and to increase physical activity in older adults. The intervention is based on the 'habit formation' model, which proposes that consistent repetition leads to behaviour becoming automatic, sustaining activity gains over time. METHODS: The intervention is being developed iteratively, in line with Medical Research Council complex intervention guidelines. Selection of activity tips was informed by semi-structured interviews and focus groups with older adults, and input from a multidisciplinary expert panel. An ongoing preliminary field test of acceptability among 25 older adults will inform further refinement. An exploratory randomized controlled trial will be conducted within a primary care setting, comparing the tips booklet with a control fact sheet. Retired, inactive and sedentary adults (n = 120) aged 60 to 74 years, with no physical impairments precluding light physical activity, will be recruited from general practices in north London, UK. The primary outcomes are recruitment and attrition rates. Secondary outcomes are changes in behaviour, habit, health and wellbeing over 12 weeks. DISCUSSION: Data will be used to inform study procedures for a future, larger-scale definitive randomized controlled trial. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN47901994

Heavy-light, absent-present: rethinking the 'weight' of imprisonment.

Since King and McDermott (1995), following Downes (1988), defined the psychological oppressiveness of incarceration in terms of 'weight', little has been written about the 'weight of imprisonment'. None the less, it is generally assumed that prisons that are 'light' are preferable to those that are 'heavy' - in part because of an assumption among many penologists that power, and its application, is dangerous and antagonistic. This article does not dispute that 'heavy' prisons are undesirable. Its argument is that there can also be dangers if prisons are excessively light. Many of these dangers are linked to the under-use of power. The tone and quality of prison life depends on the combined effects of institutional weight with the 'absence' or 'presence' of staff power. Drawing on prisoners' descriptions of their experiences in public and private sector prisons, and their assessments of important aspects of their quality of life, the article outlines what these concepts mean in practice. The authors develop a four-quadrant framework for conceptualizeng penal legitimacy and the experience of penal authority.The empirical research on which this article draws was funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (RES-062-23-0212).This is the accepted version of the following article: Crewe B, Liebling A, Hulley S, The British Journal of Sociology 2014, 65: 387–410, which has been published in final form at http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1468-4446.1208

Androgen Receptor Inhibition Suppresses Anti-Tumor Neutrophil Response Against Bone Metastatic Prostate Cancer via Regulation of TβRI Expression

Bone metastatic disease of prostate cancer (PCa) is incurable and progression in bone is largely dictated by tumor-stromal interactions in the bone microenvironment. We showed previously that bone neutrophils initially inhibit bone metastatic PCa growth yet metastatic PCa becomes resistant to neutrophil response. Further, neutrophils isolated from tumor-bone lost their ability to suppress tumor growth through unknown mechanisms. With this study, our goal was to define the impact of metastatic PCa on neutrophil function throughout tumor progression and to determine the potential of neutrophils as predictive biomarkers of metastatic disease. Using patient peripheral blood polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs), we identified that PCa progression dictates PMN cell surface markers and gene expression, but not cytotoxicity against PCa. Importantly, we also identified a novel phenomenon in which second generation androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) suppresses PMN cytotoxicity via increased transforming growth factor beta receptor I (TβRI). High dose testosterone and genetic or pharmacologic TβRI inhibition rescued androgen receptor-mediated neutrophil suppression and restored neutrophil anti-tumor immune response. These studies highlight the ability to leverage standard-care ADT to generate neutrophil anti-tumor responses against bone metastatic PCa