Crabs, Clams, and the Corps: Regional Realities and the Federal Framework

Since the invasive European green crab was first detected in the Gulf of Maine over one hundred years ago, its population has dramatically increased, resulting in devastating consequences. This predatory species is remarkably resilient and voracious, feeding on hard- and soft-shell clams, blue mussels, and other bivalve shellfish. There are even reports that the green crab poses a threat to Maine’s most lucrative fishery – the lobster. As the green crab makes its nests in the intertidal zone and subtidal habitats, it destroys native resources such as eelgrass beds and mudflats. Maine’s economy relies heavily on its well-known fishing industry – not only as a draw for tourists, but also for Mainers who make their living off the sea. The direst predictions estimate that the clamming industry, Maine’s third most profitable fishery, will be completely decimated within two years. Dr. Brian Beal, a marine ecologist from the University of Maine, posed it simply: “How do you have a clambake without any clams?” Unfortunately, it is impossible to eradicate green crabs. Clam fishermen have begun evolving from a hunter and gatherer mindset to a farming mindset. The methods of fencing, netting, trapping, or a combination thereof have proven successful at mitigating the effects of green crab predation on soft-shell clams. Although it is not possible to net or fence the thousands of miles of Maine’s coastline, clammers can net or fence small plots to save their industry. However, one obstacle stands in their way: the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ permitting process. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (the Corps) is the federal agency responsible for regulating the nation’s navigable waters. Any structure that is deemed an obstruction to navigation is unlawful without a permit. Clammers claim that the Corps is inflexible in its issuance of fencing permits, and dispute claims that netting is an obstruction to navigation. If the clamming industry turns to a farming model, then these differences in opinion regarding permitting requirements will come to a head. Part I of this paper explains the origin and effects of the European Green Crab on the soft-shell clam industry. Part II discusses the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer’s regulatory framework. Finally, Part III attempts to reconcile the concerns of clammers and the authority of the Corps

Crabs, Clams, and the Corps: Regional Realities and the Federal Framework

Since the invasive European green crab was first detected in the Gulf of Maine over one hundred years ago, its population has dramatically increased, resulting in devastating consequences. This predatory species is remarkably resilient and voracious, feeding on hard- and soft-shell clams, blue mussels, and other bivalve shellfish. There are even reports that the green crab poses a threat to Maine’s most lucrative fishery – the lobster. As the green crab makes its nests in the intertidal zone and subtidal habitats, it destroys native resources such as eelgrass beds and mudflats. Maine’s economy relies heavily on its well-known fishing industry – not only as a draw for tourists, but also for Mainers who make their living off the sea. The direst predictions estimate that the clamming industry, Maine’s third most profitable fishery, will be completely decimated within two years. Dr. Brian Beal, a marine ecologist from the University of Maine, posed it simply: “How do you have a clambake without any clams?” Unfortunately, it is impossible to eradicate green crabs. Clam fishermen have begun evolving from a hunter and gatherer mindset to a farming mindset. The methods of fencing, netting, trapping, or a combination thereof have proven successful at mitigating the effects of green crab predation on soft-shell clams. Although it is not possible to net or fence the thousands of miles of Maine’s coastline, clammers can net or fence small plots to save their industry. However, one obstacle stands in their way: the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ permitting process. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (the Corps) is the federal agency responsible for regulating the nation’s navigable waters. Any structure that is deemed an obstruction to navigation is unlawful without a permit. Clammers claim that the Corps is inflexible in its issuance of fencing permits, and dispute claims that netting is an obstruction to navigation. If the clamming industry turns to a farming model, then these differences in opinion regarding permitting requirements will come to a head. Part I of this paper explains the origin and effects of the European Green Crab on the soft-shell clam industry. Part II discusses the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer’s regulatory framework. Finally, Part III attempts to reconcile the concerns of clammers and the authority of the Corps

Electrochemical and spectroscopic investigation of redox processes for labile metal dithiocarbamate complexes

Although metal dithiocarbamate complexes have been studied extensively, there is in sate cases a distinct lack of data concerning redox properties and the products thereof. This is particularly true for complexes of the late transition and main group metals which are important in agriculture, industry, and chemical analysis. Hence, using electrochemical techniques, the redox behaviour of dithiocarbamate complexes of zinc, cadmium, mercury, lead, and tellurium has been examined. The products of oxidation and reduction have also been characterized by spectroscopic techniques (NMR, EPR, UV, and IR), mass spectrometry, conductivity, and Where possible, crystallographic study of an isolated compound. The species studied were without exception labile with the result that electrochemistry at mercury electrodes was influenced by the great stability of the mercury dithiocarbamate (Hg(RR’dtc) 2) complexes. Investigation of the latter showed that oxidative processes in the presence of mercury led to a new class of expounds: polymeric mercury dithiocarbamato cations. Oily one of these could be isolated as a solid, with the formula [Hg5(RR’dtc) 8](C104)2 For R=R’=ethyl the crystal structure was determined. For other metal dithiocarbamates the electrochemical behaviour at mercury electrodes in many ways paralleled that of the mercury analogues. Thus oxidative processes involved oxidation of electrode mercury to form mixed metal cationic species. Polarographic reduction led to the metal amalgam, usually via formation of mercury dithiocarbamate. Electrochemical studies at inert electrode materials such as platinum yielded distinctly different responses, with both oxidation and reduction being more difficult. Oxidation products at platinum electrodes gave identical polarographic responses to those firm mercury electrodes due to rapid interaction of the former with electrode mercury. The results are in sharp contrast to much of the previous work on transition metal dithiocarbamates for which electrochemical redox processes are often metal based arid not explicated by interaction with the electrode material

Luminance Detection Thresholds in Picasso Triggerfish (Rhinecanthus aculeatus)

Animals use vision for many important ecological processes including foraging, avoiding predation, finding a mate, and navigation. Mathematical models are often used to predict contrast detection for a given animal visual system to investigate color and color vision in nature. One commonly used model is the receptor noise limited (RNL) model that assumes noise in the photoreceptors is the limiting factor for discrimination between objects. This model was developed for color vision, but has since been adapted to predict achromatic discrimination thresholds. However, the validity of using the RNL model for achromatic contrast discrimination has never been thoroughly investigated. Furthermore, despite significant advances in the understanding of color vision of reef fish, very little is known about their luminance vision. The aim of this study was to determine luminance detection threshold in Picasso triggerfish (Rhinecanthus aculeatus) in order to assess the legitimacy of using this model to predict luminance vision and to better understand how this species, as well as other similar species, perceives its environment. This was investigated by conditioning R. aculeatus to peck at achromatic spots on an achromatic background of varying contrast values. The success of the fish to find the spots was recorded and analyzed. The thresholds found ranged from 4.84 to 10.64 Michelson contrast depending on the scenario of contrast. The thresholds found appeared to be extremely context dependent, which may be the result of common scenarios found in their environment. Although the results are not directly applicable to the RNL model, the use of this model to predict luminance discrimination thresholds appears to be applicable to the detectability of a large-size stimulus against a uniform background. By understanding this threshold, a better understanding of visual ecology can be obtained, that may contribute to a more accurate interpretation of animal behavior.</p

Equitable Access in Education: Access to Joy, Choice Options, and Strong Neighborhood Schools

The purpose of this co-authored dissertation was to understand equitable access of quality educational opportunities in St. Louis, Missouri. Through the following research, we present a better understanding of equity and access in education from a classroom level, on a school level, and finally, on a regional level. This collection of research is the effort of a group of committed and concerned educators seeking to understand the ways of making quality education accessible for all families, specifically in the areas of school choice, quality neighborhood schools, and play in the classroom. By equitable access, we mean all families being able to participate in and take advantage of appropriate learning opportunities that they need or that are desired. Hollenkamp’s mixed methods research asked the question of how an increase in play and experiential education would impact early childhood learners both academically and social-emotionally and found that students who had opportunities to play at school grew at the same academic rate as peers who did not get to play while also showing higher levels of character development than their non-playing peers. Sanders’ mixed methods research examined enrollment trends in a neighborhood school and the effect of marketing and promoting strategies that work to make the school the desired choice for families in the neighborhood and found definitive ways to attract and retain families in a neighborhood school among other choice options. Schuessler’s mixed methods research examined how school enrollment processes impact equitable access to school choice options for traditionally underserved populations and found a range in the complexity of enrollment practices across schools that resulted in certain choice options being more accessible to underserved families and other options being less accessible. The collective impact of this research has the potential to improve educational outcomes for students on a variety of levels

Development of acute kidney injury with concomitant use of Vancomycin and Piperacillin-Tasobactam : A review of recent literature

This article explores the potential association between co-administration of vancomycin and piperacillin-tazobactam with the development of acute kidney injury (AKI) when compared with vancomycin and other beta lactam antibiotics or vancomycin monotherapy. Based upon available evidence, the combination of vancomycin and piperacillin-tazobactam at therapeutic dosages correlates with increased incidence of AKI when compared to vancomycin and cefepime, vancomycin and meropenem, and vancomycin monotherapy. The majority of these trials are retrospective and most do not evaluate patient outcomes. There remains a need for large, prospective, randomized, controlled trials to determine a causative relationship and assess clinical ramifications with the concomitant use of vancomycin and piperacillin-tazobactam and development of AKI. Keywords: Acute kidney injury, cefepime, piperacillin-tazobactam, vancomycin.Includes bibliographical reference

Cedar‐Riverside Parks and the Mississippi River

Conducted on behalf of The West Bank Community Coalition (WBCC). Supported by Neighborhood Partnerships for Community Research (NPCR), a program of the Center for Urban and Regional Affairs (CURA) at the University of Minnesota

Effect of Titanium Substitution on the Compatiblity of Electrodeswith Pyrrolidinium-Based Ionic Liquid Electrolytes

The quest for the development of rechargeable lithium-metal batteries has attracted vigorous worldwide research efforts because this system offers the highest theoretical specific energy [1]. For this to be achieved, the repetitive deposition and stripping of lithium must be close to fully reversible. Thus, alternative electrolytes have been investigated, such as the room-temperature ionic liquid (RTILs). Lithium can be cycled with a high degree of reversibility with efficiencies exceeding 99% using systems based on N-methyl N-alkyl pyrrolidinium (P{sub 1X}{sup +}) combined with the TFSI anion [2]. More recent efforts have been directed towards systems based on P{sub 1X}{sup +} cations with the FSI anion and appear to be even more promising [3,4]. In this work, we discuss to what extent RTILs based on P{sub 1X}{sup +} cations with TFSI or FSI anions can be used as electrolytes for rechargeable Li batteries. In particular, their physical and chemical properties are thoroughly discussed so as to explain the difference observed in their electrochemical behavior. Although these two systems seem to be stable against lithium, their compatibilities with cathode materials require full assessment as well. Thus, various manganese oxide cathodes are investigated in this study. Strategies to minimize cathode dissolution are also debated, such as the substitution of part of the manganese for titanium