Improving ecosystem health in highly altered river basins: a generalized framework and its application to the Mississippi-Atchafalaya River Basin

Continued large-scale public investment in declining ecosystems depends on demonstrations of “success”. While the public conception of “success” often focuses on restoration to a pre-disturbance condition, the scientific community is more likely to measure success in terms of improved ecosystem health. Using a combination of literature review, workshops and expert solicitation we propose a generalized framework to improve ecosystem health in highly altered river basins by reducing ecosystem stressors, enhancing ecosystem processes and increasing ecosystem resilience. We illustrate the use of this framework in the Mississippi-Atchafalaya River Basin (MARB) of the central United States (U.S.), by (i) identifying key stressors related to human activities, and (ii) creating a conceptual ecosystem model relating those stressors to effects on ecosystem structure and processes. As a result of our analysis, we identify a set of landscape-level indicators of ecosystem health, emphasizing leading indicators of stressor removal (e.g., reduced anthropogenic nutrient inputs), increased ecosystem function (e.g., increased water storage in the landscape) and increased resilience (e.g., changes in the percentage of perennial vegetative cover). We suggest that by including these indicators, along with lagging indicators such as direct measurements of water quality, stakeholders will be better able to assess the effectiveness of management actions. For example, if both leading and lagging indicators show improvement over time, then management actions are on track to attain desired ecosystem condition. If, however, leading indicators are not improving or even declining, then fundamental challenges to ecosystem health remain to be addressed and failure to address these will ultimately lead to declines in lagging indicators such as water quality. Although our model and indicators are specific to the MARB, we believe that the generalized framework and the process of model and indicator development will be valuable in an array of altered river basins

Perceived Challenges and Coping Mechanism in Transitional Learning on Students’ Performance in TLE

This study aimed to determine the perceived challenges and coping mechanisms in transitional learning on students’ performance in TLE based on the achievement test. This employed the descriptive-correlational with the comparative design of quantitative method as participated by 150 Grade Nine (9) respondents in the researcher’s locale, who were chosen using the random sampling procedures. The data were gathered using an evaluation questionnaire and achievement test which are validated with the help of the experts. Data communications were established before data gathering procedures and were analyzed using percentage, mean, weighted mean, standard deviation, Pearson r, and t-test. The respondents were at the level of approaching mastery in TLE 9 competencies. The study’s findings revealed that there was a significant difference in perceived challenges and coping mechanisms in transitional learning and the sex profile of the respondents. However, there is no significant relationship between the perceived challenges and coping mechanisms in transitional learning and TLE performance. The study recommends the enhancement of teaching

Magnetically Aligned Nanorods in Alginate Capsules (MANiACs): Soft Matter Tumbling Robots for Manipulation and Drug Delivery

Soft, untethered microrobots composed of biocompatible materials for completing micromanipulation and drug delivery tasks in lab-on-a-chip and medical scenarios are currently being developed. Alginate holds significant potential in medical microrobotics due to its biocompatibility, biodegradability, and drug encapsulation capabilities. Here, we describe the synthesis of MANiACs—Magnetically Aligned Nanorods in Alginate Capsules—for use as untethered microrobotic surface tumblers, demonstrating magnetically guided lateral tumbling via rotating magnetic fields. MANiAC translation is demonstrated on tissue surfaces as well as inclined slopes. These alginate microrobots are capable of manipulating objects over millimeter-scale distances. Finally, we demonstrate payload release capabilities of MANiACs during translational tumbling motion

The Magpie Trial: A randomised trial comparing magnesium sulphate with placebo for pre-eclampsia. Outcome for children at 18 months

Objective: To assess the long-term effects of in utero exposure to magnesium sulphate for children whose mothers had pre-eclampsia. Design: Assessment at 18 months of age for children whose mothers were recruited to the Magpie Trial (recruitment 1998-2001 ISRCTN 86938761), which compared magnesium sulphate with placebo. Setting: Follow-up of children born at 125 centres in 19 countries across five continents. Population: A total of 6922 children were born to women randomised before delivery at follow-up centres. Of these, 2271 were not included for logistic reasons and 168 were excluded (101 at a centre where <20% were contacted, 40 whose death or disability was due to a problem at conception or embryogenesis and 27 whose parent/s opted out). Therefore, 4483 children were included in follow-up, of whom 3283 (73%) were contacted. Methods: Assessment by questionnaire, with interview and neurodevelopmental testing of selected children. Main outcome measures: Death or neurosensory disability at age of 18 months. Results: Of those allocated magnesium sulphate, 245/1635 (15.0%) were dead or had neurosensory disability at 18 months compared with 233/1648 (14.1%) allocated placebo (relative risk [RR] 1.06, 95% CI 0.90-1.25), and of survivors, 19/1409 (1.3%) had neurosensory disability at 18 months compared with 27/1442 (1.9%) (RR 0.72, 95% CI 0.40-1.29). There were no substantial differences in causes of death or in the risk of individual impairments or disabilities. Conclusions: The lower risk of eclampsia following prophylaxis with magnesium sulphate was not associated with a clear difference in the risk of death or disability for children at 18 months. © RCOG 2006 BJOG An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.Articl

The Magpie Trial: A randomised trial comparing magnesium sulphate with placebo for pre-eclampsia. Outcome for women at 2 years

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess long-term effects for women following the use of magnesium sulphate for pre-eclampsia. Design: Assessment at 2-3 years after delivery for women recruited to the Magpie Trial (recruitment in 1998-2001, ISRCTN 86938761), which compared magnesium sulphate with placebo for pre-eclampsia. Setting: Follow up after discharge from hospital at 125 centres in 19 countries across five continents. Population: A total of 7927 women were randomised at the follow-up centres. Of these women, 2544 were not included for logistic reasons and 601 excluded (109 at a centre where <20% of women were contacted, 466 discharged without a surviving child and 26 opted out). Therefore, 4782 women were selected for follow-up, of whom 3375 (71%) were traced. Methods: Questionnaire assessment was administered largely by post or in a dedicated clinic. Interview assessment of selected women was performed. Main outcome measures: Death or serious morbidity potentially related to pre-eclampsia at follow up, other morbidity and use of health service resources. Results: Median time from delivery to follow up was 26 months (interquartile range 19-36). Fifty-eight of 1650 (3.5%) women allocated magnesium sulphate died or had serious morbidity potentially related to pre-eclampsia compared with 72 of 1725 (4.2%) women allocated placebo (relative risk 0.84, 95% CI 0.60-1.18). Conclusions: The reduction in the risk of eclampsia following prophylaxis with magnesium sulphate was not associated with an excess of death or disability for the women after 2 years. © RCOG 2006 BJOG An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.Articl