Individual variation in reproductive success in the wandering Albatross

To conserve threatened species it is important to protect the productive individuals, and so I aimed to identify factors accounting for individual-level variation in long-term reproductive success. I examined current breeding characteristics that might explain past reproductive performance amongst experienced breeders

Phase I Cultural Resource Survey Of The Texstar Epic NGL Phase 2-Ramsey Terminal To Benedum Plant- Pipeline Project, Texas General Land Office Properties And Three Upland Sites, Reeves And Upton Counties, Texas

From January 8 through January 15, 2018, SEARCH completed a Phase I cultural resource survey of Texas General Land Office (GLO) properties in Reeves County, as part of the proposed Epic NGL Phase 2 Pipeline Project (Project). The Project is a joint venture between affiliates of TexStar Midstream Logistics, Ironwood Midstream Energy Partners, and Castleton Commodities International. Phase 2 of the Project consists of the installation of approximately 286.8 kilometers (178.2 miles) of 12-inch outside diameter (O.D.) pipeline that will be used to transport natural gas liquids from the Ramsey Terminal in Reeves County, Texas, to the Benedum Plant in Upton County, Texas. The work was conducted for Flatrock Engineering and Environmental, LLC (Flatrock), environmental contractor to TexStar, and this document reports the survey results of sections of the Project Area of Potential Effect (APE) traversing lands owned by the Texas GLO in Reeves County, Texas, to satisfy the requirements of the Antiquities Code of Texas under Texas Antiquities Permit #8268. As a matter of due diligence, three previously recorded upland archaeological sites (41RV30, 41RV40, and 41UT127) with an “undetermined” National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) eligibility also were surveyed within the APE in Reeves and Upton Counties. The proposed pipeline route crosses four Texas GLO properties (SEARCH Survey Areas STL001- STL004). Area STL001 is located in northwestern Reeves County near the start of the Phase 2 pipeline route, approximately 3.65 kilometers (2.27 miles) west of State Highway 285 and 0.52 kilometers (0.32 miles) south of the Ramsey Terminal, the Ford Geraldine Oil Field, and China Draw. The city of Orla, Texas, is roughly 13.85 kilometers (8.6 miles) to the south of Area STL001. Area STL002 is located 34.52 kilometers (21.45 miles) to the south of Area STL001 and 22.14 kilometers (13.76 miles) south of Orla. It is roughly 1.83 kilometers (1.14 miles) west of State Highway 232 and is situated between Narrow Bow and WT Draws. Areas STL003 and STL004 are adjacent to each other. STL003 is 1.59 kilometers (0.99 miles) south of STL002. WT and John D Draws cross portions of Areas STL003 and STL004, and State Highway 232 parallels much of the proposed pipeline route on Area STL004. The Project APE is 61.0 meters (200 feet) wide, and the pipeline trench is anticipated to be no more than 1.5 to 1.8 meters (5 to 6 feet) deep. On Texas GLO lands, the combined length of the APE in Areas STL001-STL004 is 2.98 kilometers (1.85 miles) in length and 23.4 hectares (57.7 acres) in size. The upland archaeological sites APE totals 5.1 hectares (12.6 acres) and measures 843.2 meters (2,766.4 feet) in length. Staging areas, pipe yards, access roads, and other ancillary facilities eventually will be sited along the Project corridor, but their locations have yet to be determined. SEARCH performed a Phase I survey to identify and evaluate cultural resources that may be adversely affected within the proposed Project APE, using intensive pedestrian survey and shovel test excavation, as outlined in the Texas Historical Commission’s (THC) Archaeological Survey Standards for Texas and Archeology and Historic Preservation and Rules of Practice and Procedure for the Antiquities Code of Texas. Pedestrian survey was conducted along four transects spaced 15 meters (49 feet) apart across the width of the APE where surface visibility was greater than 30 percent. Twenty-two shovel tests were excavated along the Project APE centerline on Texas GLO properties, and 28 shovel tests were excavated at the upland archaeological sites. Shovel test profiles varied only slightly across the Project areas and generally corresponded to data mapped by the US Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS) for Reeves and Upton Counties. Based on USDA Soil Survey data, topography, elevation, vegetation, and the results of shovel test excavation, much of the surveyed portion of Project APE on Texas GLO lands can be distinguished by welldrained, level, open mesquite-grass scrubland. Shovel testing in the Project APE generally revealed two strata; on average, shovel test excavation was terminated at 65 centimeters (26 inches) below surface. Caliche was encountered in all 50 shovel tests, and no cultural material was identified during shovel test excavation. Three newly identified archaeological sites, 41RV131, 41RV132, and 41RV133, characterized as low- to medium-density prehistoric lithic surface scatters, were recorded and surveyed within the Project APE on Texas GLO property. The length of the Project centerline across the newly recorded sites totals 901.4 meters (2,957.2 feet) or 4.99 hectares (12.35 acres). No temporally diagnostic artifacts were recovered from the three sites, and no artifacts were recovered during shovel test excavation at these three sites. Upland site 41RV30, a low-density, late nineteenth- to twentieth-century surface scatter associated with Old X Ranch, has been impacted by pipeline construction within the APE. Site 41RV40, a small, burned caliche feature, was not relocated, and this feature likely has been destroyed by pipeline construction and road maintenance. Site 41UT127 served as a practice bombing range during World War II, and while several practice targets are visible on recent aerial photographs, none of the targets are located within the Project APE. No artifacts were identified during pedestrian survey at sites 41RV40 and 41UT127, and no artifacts were recovered during shovel test excavation at the three upland sites. It is SEARCH’s opinion that the proposed Project will result in NO ADVERSE EFFECT to the portions of these six sites located within the Project APE, and these sites are not eligible for inclusion in the NRHP. No further work is recommended at these sites or within other portions of the Project APE located on Texas GLO lands

Diverse Impacts of HIV Latency-Reversing Agents on CD8+ T-Cell Function: Implications for HIV Cure

Antiretroviral therapy regimens durably suppress HIV replication, but do not cure infection. This is partially attributable to the persistence of long-lived pools of resting CD4+ T-cells harboring latent replication-competent virus. Substantial clinical and pre-clinical research is currently being directed at purging this viral reservoir by combining pharmacological latency reversal with immune effectors, such as HIV-specific CD8+ T-cells, capable of eliminating reactivated targets—the so-called “shock-and-kill” approach. However, several studies indicate that the latency-reversing agents (LRAs) may affect CD8+ T-cell function. The current review aims to frame recent advances, and ongoing challenges, in implementing “shock-and-kill” strategies from the perspective of effectively harnessing CD8+ T-cells. We review and contextualize findings indicating that LRAs often have unintended impacts on CD8+ T-cell function, both detrimental and beneficial. We identify and attempt to bridge the gap between viral reactivation, as measured by the detection of RNA or protein, and bona fide presentation of viral antigens to CD8+ T-cells. Finally, we highlight factors on the effector (CD8+) and target (CD4+) cell sides that contribute to whether or not infected-cell recognition results in killing/elimination. These perspectives may contribute to an integrated view of “shock-and-kill,” with implications for therapeutic development

Chicago Recovery Partnership Evaluation of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

From 2009-2011, the City of Chicago and Cook County received a total of $2.35 billion in funding provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act [ARRA]. The stimulus money was allocated to seven areas: education, basic needs, transportation and infrastructure, housing and energy, public safety, broadband and workforce development. The Chicago Recovery Partnership Evaluation of ARRA analyzes the impact of the stimulus spending using a costbenefit analysis framework. This report evaluated$1.09 billion of total spending in Chicago and Cook County, resulting in net benefits ranging from -$173.9 to$2,740.2 million. The wide range in net benefits is attributed largely to education, which received over half of ARRA funding

Star Clusters in M 31. IV. A Comparative Analysis of Absorption Line Indices in Old M 31 and Milky Way Clusters

We present absorption line indices measured in the integrated spectra of globular clusters both from the Galaxy and from M 31. Our samples include 41 Galactic globular clusters, and more than 300 clusters in M 31. The conversion of instrumental equivalent widths into the Lick system is described, and zero-point uncertainties are provided. Comparison of line indices of old M 31 clusters and Galactic globular clusters suggests an absence of important differences in chemical composition between the two cluster systems. In particular, CN indices in the spectra of M 31 and Galactic clusters are essentially consistent with each other, in disagreement with several previous works. We reanalyze some of the previous data, and conclude that reported CN differences between M 31 and Galactic clusters were mostly due to data calibration uncertainties. Our data support the conclusion that the chemical compositions of Milky Way and M 31 globular clusters are not substantially different, and that there is no need to resort to enhanced nitrogen abundances to account for the optical spectra of M 31 globular clusters.Comment: 72 pages, including 15 figures and 14 tables. Published by the Astronomical Journa

The Web of Legal Protections for Participants in Genomic Research

The identification and arrest of the Golden State Killer using DNA uploaded to an ancestry database occurred shortly before recruitment for the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) All of Us Study commenced, with a goal of enrolling and collecting DNA, health, and lifestyle information from one million Americans. It also highlighted the need to ensure prospective research participants that their confidentiality will be protected and their materials used appropriately. But there are questions about how well current law protects against these privacy risks. This article is the first to consider comprehensively and simultaneously all the federal and state laws offering protections to participants in genomic research. The literature typically focuses on the federal laws in isolation, questioning the strengths of federal legal protections for genomic research participants provided in the Common Rule, the HIPAA Privacy Rule, or the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act. Nevertheless, we found significant numbers and surprising variety among state laws that provide greater protections than federal laws, often filling in federal gaps by broadening the applicability of privacy or nondiscrimination standards or by providing important remedies for individuals harmed by breaches. Identifying and explaining the protections these laws provide is significant both to allow prospective participants to accurately weigh the risks of enrolling in these studies and as models for how federal legal protections could be expanded to fill known gaps

PiFM and XPS Studies of Porous TiO2 Films for the Photocatalytic Decomposition of Polystyrene

The rate of photocatalytic oxidation of polystyrene over 0.1 wt% copper-doped TiO2 catalyst spin coated onto a flat substrate is investigated as a function of the catalyst deposition spin speed and, hence, film thickness. Photoinduced force microscopy and photoelectron spectroscopy show no evidence of any products of the photocatalytic oxidation remaining on the surface after reaction. The oxidation reaction shows no discernible dependence on spin speed; it is close to zero order in polystyrene concentration and exhibits a ½ life almost 50 times greater than the equivalent photocatalytic oxidation of stearic acid on the same catalysts. No difference between the rate of decay of the aliphatic and aromatic hydrogens of the polymer was observed, suggesting that once a polymer chain begins oxidising, subsequent steps are relatively rapid. This is consistent with the rate-determining step being dependent on the extent of coordination to the surface, which is much more favourable with stearic acid because of its carboxylic group

Phonics training for English-speaking poor readers (Review)

Background The reading skills of 16% of children fall below the mean range for their age, and 5% of children have significant and severe reading problems. Phonics training is one of the most common reading treatments used with poor readers, particularly children. Objectives To measure the effect of phonics training and explore the impact of various factors, such as training duration and training group size, that might moderate the effect of phonics training on literacy‐related skills in English‐speaking poor readers. Search methods We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, 12 other databases, and three trials registers up to May 2018. We also searched reference lists of included studies and contacted experts in the field to identify additional studies. Selection criteria We included studies that used randomisation, quasi‐randomisation, or minimisation to allocate participants to a phonics intervention group (phonics training only or phonics training plus one other literacy‐related skill) or a control group (no training or non‐literacy training). Participants were English‐speaking poor readers with word reading one standard deviation below the appropriate level for their age (children, adolescents, and adults) or one grade or year below the appropriate level (children only), for no known reason. Participants had no known comorbid developmental disorder, or physical, neurological, or emotional problem. Data collection and analysis We used standard methodological procedures expected by Cochrane. Main results We included 14 studies with 923 participants in this review. Studies took place in Australia, Canada, the UK, and the USA. Six of the 14 included studies were funded by government agencies and one was funded by a university grant. The rest were funded by charitable foundations or trusts. Each study compared phonics training alone, or in conjunction with one other reading‐related skill, to either no training (i.e. treatment as usual) or alterative training (e.g. maths). Participants were English‐speaking children or adolescents, of low and middle socioeconomic status, whose reading was one year, one grade, or one standard deviation below the level expected for their age or grade for no known reason. Phonics training varied between studies in intensity (up to four hours per week), duration (up to seven months), training group size (individual and small groups), and delivery (human and computer). We measured the effect of phonics training on seven primary outcomes (mixed/regular word reading accuracy, non‐word reading accuracy, irregular word reading accuracy, mixed/regular word reading fluency, non‐word reading fluency, reading comprehension, and spelling). We judged all studies to be at low risk of bias for most risk criteria, and used the GRADE approach to assess the quality of the evidence. There was low‐quality evidence that phonics training may have improved poor readers' accuracy for reading real and novel words that follow the letter‐sound rules (standardised mean difference (SMD) 0.51, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.13 to 0.90; 11 studies, 701 participants), and their accuracy for reading words that did not follow these rules (SMD 0.67, 95% CI 0.26 to 1.07; 10 studies, 682 participants). There was moderate‐quality evidence that phonics training probably improved English‐speaking poor readers' fluency for reading words that followed the letter‐sounds rules (SMD 0.45, 95% CI 0.19 to 0.72; 4 studies, 224 participants), and non‐word reading fluency (SMD 0.39, 95% CI 0.10 to 0.68; 3 studies, 188 participants), as well as their accuracy for reading words that did not follow these rules (SMD 0.84, 95% CI 0.30 to 1.39; 4 studies, 294 participants). In addition, there was low‐quality evidence that phonics training may have improved poor readers' spelling (SMD 0.47, 95% CI –0.07 to 1.01; 3 studies, 158 participants), but only slightly improve their reading comprehension (SMD 0.28, 95% CI –0.07 to 0.62; 5 studies, 343 participants). Authors' conclusions Phonics training appears to be effective for improving literacy‐related skills, particularly reading fluency of words and non‐words, and accuracy of reading irregular words. More studies are needed to improve the precision of outcomes, including word and non‐word reading accuracy, reading comprehension, spelling, letter‐sound knowledge, and phonological output. More data are also needed to determine if phonics training in English‐speaking poor readers is moderated by factors such as training type, intensity, duration, group size, or administrator

The Values Fostered by Health Technology

As part of our research team’s knowledge transfer and exchange (KTE) initiatives, we developed a six-minute video-clip to enable productive deliberations among technology developers, clinicians and patient representatives. This video-clip summarises in plain language the valuable goals and features that are embedded in health technology and raises questions regarding the direction that should be taken by health care innovations. The use of such video-clips creates unique opportunities for face-to-face deliberations by enabling participants to interact and debate policy issues that are pivotal to the sustainability of health care systems. In our experience, we found that audiovisual-elicitation-based KTE initiatives can fill an important communication gap among key stakeholders: pondering, from a health care system perspective, why and how certain kinds of medical technologies bring a more valuable response to health care needs when compared to others