Catch-per-unit-effort and biological parameters from the Massachusetts coastal lobster (Homarus americanus) resource: Description and trends

Acomprehensive description of the Massachusetts coastal lobster (Homarus americanus) resou,rce was obtained by sampling commercial catches coastwide at sea and at dealerships between 1981 and 1986. Acommercial lobster sea-sampling program, wherein six coastal regions were sampled monthly, with an areal and temporal data weighting design, was the primary source of data. An improved index of catch per trap haul/set-over-day was generated by modeling the relationship between catch and immersion time and standardizing effort. This 6-year time-series of mean annual catch rates tracked closely the landings trend for territorial waters. During the study period there was a gradual increase in indices of exploitation and total annual mortality which corresponded to a gradual decline in mean carapace length of marketable lobster. The frequency of culls escalated from 10.0% in 1981 to 20.9% in 1986, while the percentage of lobster found dead in traps was consistently less than 1%. The sex ratio (%F:%M) was significantly different from 50:50 and approximated a 60:40 relationship during the study period. Male and female weight-length relationships were significantly different. Females weighed more than males at smaller sizes and less than males at larger sizes. A north-south clinal trend was evident wherein lobster north of Cape Cod weighed less at length than those from regions south of Cape Cod. Functional size-maturity relationships were developed for female lobster by staging cement gland development. Proportions mature at size represent more realistic values than those obtained by analyses of percent of females ovigerous. Regional variation occurred in most of the parameters studied. Three lobster groups, differing in major population descriptors, are defined by our data.(PDF file contains 28 pages.

False Speech and the First Amendment: The Problem with Free Speech in a Fake News Crisis

Social media platforms are used daily by millions of Americans to connect with friends and family, shop from home, and stay attuned to current events. But the increasing ease and speed of accessing information on social media leaves its users exposed to misinformation, disinformation, and fake news that is designed to deceive. Because natural cognitive biases make individualized truth-filtering mechanisms unreliable, it is often difficult for the public to distinguish between fact and fiction. Widespread belief in viral fake news stories have caused serious and dangerous consequences to public health, safety, and democracy. However, because false speech remains categorically protected under the First Amendment, courts rely on the counter-speech doctrine as the remedy to harmful fake news rather than content regulation. Nevertheless, in the social media era where fundamentally false information often prevails over factual truths on the information marketplace, it becomes difficult to reconcile theory with reality. There is growing belief among scholars and legislators that a Section 230 amendment imposing civil liability on social media platforms would incentivize platforms to enforce stricter content moderation policies. This note suggests that such legislative action does not go far enough to meaningfully mitigate the foreseeable harm caused by viral fake news. Instead, this note directly challenges the current First Amendment doctrine that categorically protects false speech from regulation. While this note posits a judicial solution to the fake news problem; given the limitations that hinder swift judicial action, this note further posits that private businesses are well-positioned to take immediate preemptive action to fight fake news

Conspiracy theories, credibility and trust in information

The rapid spread of social media on the Internet has resulted in strong changes in the information and communication landscape. Their inadequate use has given rise to new discussions on truth and post-truth, what is trustworthy and what is questionable, the credibility of messages and their sources. Through this article we aim to examine what citizens believe about the information they receive and if they feel whether or not there is withholding of information. This will be achieved through data obtained from a survey of a statistically representative sample of the Andalusian population over the age of 18 (1,103 respondents, with a maximum margin of error of +/- 3%). One of the main results of this research is the serious lack of credibility of the information received, as many Andalusians (68.1%) believe that information is withheld from them. We have also observed several factors explaining a greater likelihood of finding a high belief in the conspiracy theory on the withholding of information. Finally, the article reflects on the consequences of mistrust in information and we propose an inter- and transdisciplinary approach in order to counteract this mistrust.La rápida extensión del uso de redes sociales en internet ha provocado intensos cambios en el panorama informativo y de la comunicación. Un uso inadecuado de las mismas ha originado nuevos debates sobre la verdad y posverdad, lo confiable y lo dudoso, la credibilidad de los mensajes y de sus fuentes. A través de este artículo, basado en la realización de una encuesta realizada a una muestra estadísticamente representativa a la población andaluza mayor de 18 años (1.103 entrevistados, con un margen de error máximo de +/- 3 %), queremos examinar qué piensan los ciudadanos respecto a la información que reciben y si aprecian que hay ocultación de información o no. Uno de los principales resultados de esta investigación es la elevada falta de credibilidad de la información recibida, al constatarse la alta creencia de los andaluces en que se les oculta información (68,1 %). También hemos observado diversos factores que explican una mayor probabilidad de encontrar una alta creencia en la teoría de la conspiración sobre la ocultación de información. Termina el artículo reflexionando sobre las consecuencias de la falta de confianza en la información y se propone un enfoque inter y transdisciplinar para contrarrestarla

Razones de no asistencia a un programa de cribado mamográfico

Objetivo. El objetivo general de este trabajo es el estudio de los factores psicosociales asociados con la asistencia a un programa de cribado mamográfico. Método. Con un diseño retrospectivo se analizan las razones de no asistencia dadas por una muestra de mujeres que rechazaron participar en un programa de cribado (N=384). Además, se compararon algunas creencias específicas de salud mantenidas por estas mujeres con las de un grupo de mujeres que sí acudieron a dicho programa (N=715). Resultado. Las razones de no asistencia aducidas por las mujeres que no acudieron al programa tenían que ver con la invitación al mismo (no haber recibido la carta, pérdida u olvido), limitaciones personales (obligaciones familiares, enfermedad, trabajo), considerar que la mamografía es innecesaria en ausencia de síntomas y miedo a los resultados de la misma. El análisis de diferencias a nivel de creencias de salud entre asistentes y no asistentes confirmaron estos resultados y permitieron identificar diversas actitudes específicas asociadas con la participación en el programa. Cabe destacar la creencia en que es importante llevar a cabo actividades que mejoren la salud, que la mamografía permitiría empezar pronto un tratamiento si se tuviera algo malo, que este procedimiento no supone un pérdida de tiempo, y, sobre todo, que las personas significativas del entorno consideran importante para la propia mujer realizarse mamografías. Conclusiones. Los resultados clarifican algunos de los factores sobre los que hay que incidir a la hora de incrementar la participación de las mujeres en un programa de cribado mamográficoObjective. The present study analyses the psychosocial factors associated with participation in a mammography screening program. Methods. A retrospective design was used to analyze the reasons for non-attendance given by a sample of women who declined to participate in a mammography screening program (N=384). Some specific health beliefs held by the non-attendees were also compared with those of a group of women who accepted participating in the screening program (N=715). Results. Some important reasons stated by non-attendees referred to the invitation to the program (not receiving the letter, losing or forgetting it), personal restrictions (family obligations, illness, work), considering screening to be unnecessary in the absence of symptoms, and fear of the results of mammography. Analysis of the differences in health beliefs between participants and non participants confirmed these results, and identified a number of specific attitudes associated with participation in the mammography screening program. These include the belief that it is important to perform actions to improve health, that mammography screening would lead to early treatment if there was anything wrong, that this procedure is not a waste of time, and especially that salient others consider it important that women undergo breast screening. Conclusions. The results of our study clarify some beliefs and attitudes that should be stressed in order to increase participation in a mammography screening program

High-quality genome-scale metabolic modelling of \u3ci\u3ePseudomonas putida\u3c/i\u3e highlights its broad metabolic capabilities

Genome-scale reconstructions of metabolism are computational species-specific knowledge bases able to compute systemic metabolic properties. We present a comprehensive and validated reconstruction of the biotechnologically relevant bacterium Pseudomonas putida KT2440 that greatly expands computable predictions of its metabolic states. The reconstruction represents a significant reactome expansion over available reconstructed bacterial metabolic networks. Specifically, iJN1462 (i) incorporates several hundred additional genes and associated reactions resulting in new predictive capabilities, including new nutrients supporting growth; (ii) was validated by in vivo growth screens that included previously untested carbon (48) and nitrogen (41) sources; (iii) yielded gene essentiality predictions showing large accuracy when compared with a knock-out library and Bar-seq data; and (iv) allowed mapping of its network to 82 P. putida sequenced strains revealing functional core that reflect the large metabolic versatility of this species, including aromatic compounds derived from lignin. Thus, this study provides a thoroughly updated metabolic reconstruction and new computable phenotypes for P. putida, which can be leveraged as a first step toward understanding the pan metabolic capabilities of Pseudomonas

From Design to Production Control Through the Integration of Engineering Data Management and Workflow Management Systems

At a time when many companies are under pressure to reduce "times-to-market" the management of product information from the early stages of design through assembly to manufacture and production has become increasingly important. Similarly in the construction of high energy physics devices the collection of (often evolving) engineering data is central to the subsequent physics analysis. Traditionally in industry design engineers have employed Engineering Data Management Systems (also called Product Data Management Systems) to coordinate and control access to documented versions of product designs. However, these systems provide control only at the collaborative design level and are seldom used beyond design. Workflow management systems, on the other hand, are employed in industry to coordinate and support the more complex and repeatable work processes of the production environment. Commercial workflow products cannot support the highly dynamic activities found both in the design stages of product development and in rapidly evolving workflow definitions. The integration of Product Data Management with Workflow Management can provide support for product development from initial CAD/CAM collaborative design through to the support and optimisation of production workflow activities. This paper investigates this integration and proposes a philosophy for the support of product data throughout the full development and production lifecycle and demonstrates its usefulness in the construction of CMS detectors.Comment: 18 pages, 13 figure

Methanol Assimilation in Methylobacterium extorquens AM1: Demonstration of All Enzymes and Their Regulation

) as sole carbon and energy source. The organism has gained interest as future biotechnological production platform based on methanol as feedstock. carrying coenzyme as tetrahydropteroyl-tetraglutamate rather than tetrahydrofolate.This study provides the first complete picture of the enzymes required for methanol assimilation, the regulation of their activity levels in response to the growth substrate, and the identification of potential growth limiting steps

How do Fermi liquids get heavy and die?

We discuss non-Fermi liquid and quantum critical behavior in heavy fermion materials, focussing on the mechanism by which the electron mass appears to diverge at the quantum critical point. We ask whether the basic mechanism for the transformation involves electron diffraction off a quantum critical spin density wave, or whether a break-down in the composite nature of the heavy electron takes place at the quantum critical point. We show that the Hall constant changes continously in the first scenario, but may ``jump'' discontinuously at a quantum critical point where the composite character of the electron quasiparticles changes.Comment: Revised version with many new references added. To appear as a topical review in Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter Physics. Two column version http://www.physics.rutgers.edu/~coleman/online/questions.ps.g