Toward Describing the Effects of Ozone Depletion on Marine Primary Productivity and Carbon Cycling

This project was aimed at improved predictions of the effects of UVB and ozone depletion on marine primary productivity and carbon flux. A principal objective was to incorporate a new analytical description of photosynthesis as a function of UV and photosynthetically available radiation (Cullen et. al., Science 258:646) into a general oceanographic model. We made significant progress: new insights into the kinetics of photoinhibition were used in the analysis of experiments on Antarctic phytoplankton to generate a general model of UV-induced photoinhibition under the influence of ozone depletion and vertical mixing. The way has been paved for general models on a global scale

Impact Of Undocumented Immigration On US Wages

The movement of undocumented people across the southern border of the United States creates an environment which destroys the free market of United States labor by increasing the supply of labor and decreasing the price of labor.  The undocumented females follow up with birth on United States soil, and create an economic dilemma for local municipalities that must provide public education for those babies.  The babies become the basis within the United States for claims of citizenship activities and legalization of the original undocumented persons.  In this scenario, the Law of Supply operates to decrease the earnings of unskilled labor.  The Law of Supply also operates to decrease the possible unionization of unskilled workers, while decreasing governmental funds needed for municipal services.  The cost to municipal governments to provide education for the anchor baby generation appears to be an unending cost increase due to the unending supply of Third World undocumented individuals crossing the United States southern borders

Keck NIRSPEC Radial Velocity Observations of Late-M dwarfs

We present the results of an infrared spectroscopic survey of 23 late-M dwarfs with the NIRSPEC echelle spectrometer on the Keck II telescope. Using telluric lines for wavelength calibration, we are able to achieve measurement precisions of down to 45 m/s for our late-M dwarfs over a one to four year-long baseline. Our sample contains two stars with RV variations of >1000 m/s. While we require more measurements to determine whether these RV variations are due to unseen planetary or stellar companions or are the result of starspots known to plague the surface of M dwarfs, we can place upper limits of <40 MJsini on the masses of any companions around those two M dwarfs with RV variations of <160 m/s at orbital periods of 10-100 days. We have also measured the rotational velocities for all the stars in our late-M dwarf sample and offer our multi-order, high-resolution spectra over 2.0 to 2.4 micron to the atmospheric modeling community to better understand the atmospheres of late-M dwarfs.Comment: Accepted to Ap

The Management of Extrahepatic Portal Vein Aneurysms: Observe or Treat?

A case of a 70 year old man who was found to have an extrahepatic portal vein aneurysm during an evaluation for hematuria is reported. Extrahepatic portal vein aneurysms are rare with only twenty cases reported in the literature. Typically, patients present with hemorrhage requiring surgical exploration or the aneurysm is discovered during evaluation of another abdominal process. Management includes careful follow-up in the asymptomatic patient without underlying liver disease or portal hypertension

Cessation of mass drug administration for lymphatic filariasis in Zanzibar in 2006: was transmission interrupted?

BACKGROUND: Lymphatic filariasis (LF) is targeted for elimination through annual mass drug administration (MDA) for 4-6 years. In 2006, Zanzibar stopped MDA against LF after five rounds of MDA revealed no microfilaraemic individuals during surveys at selected sentinel sites. We asked the question if LF transmission was truly interrupted in 2006 when MDA was stopped. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In line with ongoing efforts to shrink the LF map, we performed the WHO recommended transmission assessment surveys (TAS) in January 2012 to verify the absence of LF transmission on the main Zanzibar islands of Unguja and Pemba. Altogether, 3275 children were tested on both islands and 89 were found to be CFA positive; 70 in Pemba and 19 in Unguja. The distribution of schools with positive children was heterogeneous with pronounced spatial variation on both islands. Based on the calculated TAS cut-offs of 18 and 20 CFA positive children for Pemba and Unguja respectively, we demonstrated that transmission was still ongoing in Pemba where the cut-off was exceeded. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicated ongoing transmission of LF on Pemba in 2012. Moreover, we presented evidence from previous studies that LF transmission was also active on Unguja shortly after stopping MDA in 2006. Based on these observations the government of Zanzibar decided to resume MDA against LF on both islands in 2013

Preparation of a Polymeric Foam: An Activity Designed to Increase Teachers’ Awareness of the Utility of Condensation Polymerisation

The new Scottish ‘Curriculum for Excellence’ places a greater emphasis on the societal implications of Chemistry concepts, including polymer chemistry. This has led to many Scottish secondary school teachers having little experience and background knowledge with which to satisfactorily explore the topic of polymers as they deliver the curriculum. Here we detail our development of a practical demonstration of polymer 15 foams and its inclusion in a continuous professional development module for Scottish secondary school teachers. This demonstration has now been incorporated into chemistry classrooms across Scotland as a means of exemplifying the topic of polymers

From genes to ecosystems: the ocean\u27s new frontier

The application of new molecular and genomic techniques to the ocean is driving a scientific revolution in marine microbiology. Discoveries range from previously unknown groups of organisms and novel metabolic pathways to a deeper appreciation of the fundamental genetic and functional diversity of oceanic microbes. The “oceanic genotype” represents only the potential biological capacity and sets an upper constraint on possible pathways and ecosystem rates. The realized structure and functioning of marine ecosystems, the “oceanic phenotype”, reflects the complex interactions of individuals and populations with their physical and chemical environment and with each other. A comprehensive exploitation of the wealth of new genomic data therefore requires a close synergy with interdisciplinary ocean research. Incorporating the information from environmental genomics, targeted process studies, and ocean observing systems into numerical models will improve predictions of the ocean\u27s response to environmental perturbations. Integrating information from genes, populations, and ecosystems is the next great challenge for oceanography

Distributions of Pigments and Primary Production in a Gulf-Stream Meander

An investigation was made of physical effects of Gulf Stream meandering on the vertical and horizontal distributions of photosynthetic pigments and primary production. Cruises were conducted in the vicinity of a meander east of 73-degrees-W and north of 37-degrees-N from September 21 to October 5 (leg 1) and October 12-21, 1988 (leg 2), on the R/V Cape Hatteras. Relationships of photosynthesis (normalized to chlorophyll) to irradiance (P-1) did not show large horizontal variation, and water column composite P-I curves from leg 1 and leg 2 were similar. Therefore a single P-I curve derived from pooled data was used to model distributions of primary production. Distributions of photosynthetic pigments were characterized on the basis of in vivo fluorescence profiles and empirical relationships with extracted pigment concentrations. Subsurface irradiance was described using a spectral irradiance model. Cross sections of the Gulf Stream revealed consistently higher pigment concentrations and primary production on the slope water side. Along-stream variations in pigment distributions and primary production were apparently related to density structure influenced by meander circulation. Such variations were less pronounced during leg 2. which came after a transition from a well-defined meander interacting with a warm-core ring (leg 1) to a more linear stream (leg 2). Higher water-column-integrated primary production during leg 2 was attributed to mixing-induced nutrient injection and redistribution of chlorophyll in the photic zone

Is the recent emergence of mephedrone injecting in the United Kingdom associated with elevated risk behaviours and blood borne virus infection?

The recent, and rapid, emergence of injection of the short-acting stimulant mephedrone (4-methylmethcathione) has resulted in concerns about increased infection risks among people who inject drugs (PWID). Data from the bio-behavioural surveillance of PWID in the United Kingdom were analysed to examine the impact of mephedrone injection on infections among PWID. During the year preceding the survey, 8.0% of PWID (163/2,047) had injected mephedrone. In multivariable analyses, those injecting mephedrone were younger, less likely to have injected opiates, and more likely to have injected cocaine or amphetamines, used needle/syringe programmes or sexual health clinics, been recruited in Wales and Northern Ireland or shared needles/syringes. There were no differences in sexual risks. Those injecting mephedrone more often had hepatitis C antibodies (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 1.51; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.08-2.12), human immunodeficiency virus (AOR = 5.43; 95% CI: 1.90-15.5) and overdosed (AOR = 1.70; 95% CI: 1.12-2.57). There were no differences in the frequency of injecting site infections or prevalence of hepatitis B. The elevated levels of risk and infections are a concern considering its recent emergence. Mephedrone injection may currently be focused among higher-risk or more vulnerable groups. Targeted responses are needed to prevent an increase in harm