State of Tennessee v. Kevin E. Trent

Student comments on the Tennessee Supreme Court decision “State of Tennessee v. Kevin E. Trent”. The central holding vacating the sentence in this case did not establish a new doctrine of law but merely reiterated the holding in Travis that the essential elements of the offense alone cannot justify denial of probation in a probation-eligible offense. The Trent decision should be viewed by trial judges and practitioners primarily as a reminder of that principal. On the other hand, the court broke some new ground in appellate review. Prior decisions established that appellate courts can only uphold a sentence if the record is sufficient record to allow “meaningful appellate review.” Trent took that rule a step further by requiring a sufficient record for an appellate court to affirmatively impose a sentence

Optimizing Ground-based Observations of O2 in Earth Analogs

We present the result of calculations to optimize the search for molecular oxygen (O2) in Earth analogs transiting around nearby, low-mass stars using ground-based, high-resolution, Doppler shift techniques. We investigate a series of parameters, namely spectral resolution, wavelength coverage of the observations, and sky coordinates and systemic velocity of the exoplanetary systems, to find the values that optimize detectability of O2. We find that increasing the spectral resolution of observations to R = 300,000 - 400,000 from the typical R ~ 100,000, more than doubles the average depth of O2 lines in planets with atmospheres similar to Earth's. Resolutions higher than about 500,000 do not produce significant gains in the depths of the O2 lines. We confirm that observations in the O2 A-band are the most efficient except for M9V host stars, for which observations in the O2 NIR-band are more efficient. Combining observations in the O2 A, B, and NIR -bands can reduce the number of transits needed to produce a detection of O2 by about 1/3 in the case of white noise limited observations. However, that advantage disappears in the presence of typical levels of red noise. Therefore, combining observations in more than one band produces no significant gains versus observing only in the A-band, unless red-noise can be significantly reduced. Blending between the exoplanet's O2 lines and telluric O2 lines is a known problem. We find that problem can be alleviated by increasing the resolution of the observations, and by giving preference to targets near the ecliptic.Comment: 15 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication in The Astronomical Journa

Investigação de alterações no nível e na ativação de proteínas cinases no neocórtex e no hipocampo de camundongos submetidos ao modelo de kindling por pentilenotetrazol

Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Neurociências, Florianópolis, 2014.A epileptogênese é um processo que envolve a sinalização celular e a neuroplasticidade. As proteínas cinases ativadas por mitógenos, MAPKs (subfamílias ERK1/2, JNK1/2 e p38MAPK), a fosfatidil-inositol 3-cinase (PI3K)/Akt (PKB ou Akt) e a glicogênio sintase cinase-3? (GSK-3?) regulam uma variedade de eventos intracelulares envolvidos na diferenciação, sobrevivência e morte celular e na plasticidade sináptica. Nós quantificamos através de western blotting, os níveis de MAPKs (ERK1/2, JNK1/2 e p38MAPK), Akt e GSK-3? totais e fosforiladas no neocórtex e no hipocampo de camundongos Swiss machos, 48 h após a última injeção do modelo de kindling por pentilenotetrazol (PTZ, 35 mg/kg, i.p., em dias alternados, total de 8 injeções). Os níveis totais das proteínas cinases nas estruturas estudadas não foram afetados pelo kindling por PTZ. Os níveis de MAPKs fosforiladas permaneceram inalterados nos animais que não apresentaram crises convulsivas. Os níveis de JNK2 fosforilada, mas não de JNK1 fosforilada, aumentaram no hipocampo dos animais que apresentaram poucos dias com crise convulsiva (1 a 3 dias), e permaneceram semelhantes aos controles nos animais que apresentaram mais de três dias com crise convulsiva. Os níveis de ERK1/2 fosforiladas diminuíram no neocórtex e aumentaram no hipocampo de animais com 1 a 4 dias com crise convulsiva, e permaneceram inalterados nos animais que tiveram mais de 4 dias com crise convulsiva. Já a GSK-3? teve os seus níveis de fosforilação aumentados no neocórtex, mas não no hipocampo, nos animais que tiveram de 0 a 3 dias com crise convulsiva, caindo drasticamente para níveis inferiores ao controle nos animais que apresentaram 4 ou mais dias com crise convulsiva. Uma regressão linear múltipla mostrou que 85% da variação na progressão do kindling por PTZ foi explicada pela latência para a ocorrência da crise no primeiro e no último dia de estimulação e pelos níveis de GSK-3? fosforilada no neocórtex. A análise também mostrou que 87% da variação na latência para a ocorrência da última crise convulsiva é explicada pela latência para a ocorrência da primeira crise convulsiva, progressão do kindling, níveis de GSK-3? fosforilada no neocórtex e de Akt fosforilada no hipocampo. Utilizando apenas os animais que evoluíram para o kindling evidenciou-se que os níveis de ERK1 fosforilada, JNK2 fosforilada, JNK1 total e JNK1 fosforilada no hipocampo estiveram independentemente associados negativa ou positivamente ao número de dias com crise convulsiva. No mesmo grupo de animais, apenas o nível de p38MAPK fosforilada no neocórtex esteve associado, positivamente, à latência para a ocorrência da crise convulsiva na última estimulação com PTZ. Os resultados do presente estudo sugerem uma dissociação entre os níveis cerebrais regionais de MAPKs, GSK-3? e Akt associados à epileptogênese (progressão do kindling) e ao limiar (latência) para a ocorrência da crise convulsiva em animais sensibilizados pelo PTZ. Esta dissociação pode contribuir para o entendimento da ausência de efeito anti-epileptogênico clinicamente relevante dos fármacos utilizados para o controle das crises epilépticas.Abstract : Epileptogenesis is a process that involves neuroplasticity and cellular signaling. The mitogen-activated protein kinases, MAPKs (subfamilies ERK1/2, JNK1/2, and p38MAPK), phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt (PKB or Akt) and glycogen synthase kinase-3? (GSK-3?) regulate a variety of intracellular events involved in the cell differentiation, survival and death and synaptic plasticity. Herein we quantified by Western blotting the phosphorylation and total levels of MAPKs (ERK1/2, JNK1/2, and p38MAPK), Akt and GSK-3? in the neocortex and hippocampus from male Swiss mice, 48 hours after the last injection of the kindling pentylenetetrazol procedure (PTZ, 35 mg/kg, i.p., on alternate days, in a total of 8 injections). The total levels of such protein kinases in the investigated structures were not altered by PTZ kindling. The total levels of MAPKs were unchanged in animals that did not develop convulsive seizures. The levels of JNK2 phosphorylation, but not JNK1 phosphorylation, increased in the hippocampus of animals with fewer days with convulsive seizures (1-3 days), and remained similar to controls in animals that had more than three days with convulsive seizures. The levels of ERK1/2 phosphorylation decreased in the neocortex and increased in the hippocampus of animals with 1 to 4 days with convulsive seizures and remained unchanged in animals that had more than 4 days with convulsive seizures. The phosphorylation levels of GSK-3? was increased in the neocortex, but not in the hippocampus, in animals with 0-3 days with convulsive seizures, and reduced drastically in animals with 4 or more days with convulsive seizures. A multiple linear regression analysis showed that 85% of the kindling progression variance is explained by the latencies for the first and the last days with convulsive seizures and the neocortical levels of GSK-3? phosphorylation. This analysis also showed that 87% of the variance in the latency for the last day with convulsive seizure is explained by the latency for the first days with convulsive seizure, kindling progression, neocortical GSK-3? phosphorylation and hippocampal Akt phosphorylation. Analyzing only the animals that developed kindling, we showed that the levels of total ERK1, total JNK1, ERK1 phosphorylation and JNK1 phosphorylation in the hippocampus were independently associated with the number of days with convulsive seizures. In the same group of animals, only the level of p38MAPK phosphorylation in the neocortex was positvely or negatively associated with the latency to the occurrence of convulsive seizure in the last stimulation day with PTZ. These findings suggest dissociation between the MAPKs, GSK-3? and Akt regional brain levels and the seizure threshold and kindling progression in mice. These results may contribute to explain the absence of clinically relevant anti-epileptogenic effects of drugs currently used to treat seizures

Rhyolite generation prior to a Yellowstone supereruption: insights from the Island Park-Mount Jackson rhyolite series

The Yellowstone volcanic field is one of the largest and best-studied centres of rhyolitic volcanism on Earth, yet it still contains little-studied periods of activity. Such an example is the Island Park–Mount Jackson series, which erupted between the Mesa Falls and Lava Creek caldera-forming events as a series of rhyolitic domes and lavas. Here we present the first detailed characterisation of these lavas and use our findings to provide a framework for rhyolite generation in Yellowstone between 1·3 and 0·6 Ma, as well as to assess whether magmatic evolution hints at a forthcoming super-eruption. These porphyritic (15–40% crystals) lavas contain mostly sanidine and quartz with lesser amounts of plagioclase (consistent with equilibrium magmatic modelling via rhyolite-MELTS) and a complex assemblage of mafic minerals. Mineral compositions vary significantly between crystals in each unit, with larger ranges than expected from a single homogeneous population in equilibrium with its host melt. Oxygen isotopes in quartz and sanidine indicate slight depletions (δ18Omagma of 5·0–6·1‰), suggesting some contribution by localised remelting of hydrothermally altered material in the area of the previous Mesa Falls Tuff-related caldera collapse. The preservation of variable O isotopic compositions in quartz requires crystal entrainment less than a few thousand years prior to eruption. Late entrainment of rhyolitic material is supported by the occurrence of subtly older sanidines dated by single-grain 40Ar/39Ar geochronology. The eruption ages of the lavas show discrete clusters illustrating that extended quiescence (>100 kyr) in magmatic activity may be a recurring feature in Yellowstone volcanism. Ubiquitous crystal aggregates, dominated by plagioclase, pyroxene and Fe–Ti oxides, are interpreted as cumulates co-erupted with their extracted liquid. Identical crystal aggregates are found in both normal-δ18O and low-δ18O rocks from Yellowstone, indicating that common petrogenetic processes characterise both volcanic suites, including the late-stage extraction of melt from an incrementally built upper crustal mush zone

Wrack Lines Volume 22, Number 2, Fall-Winter 2022-2023

With the theme, Looking Ahead: People and Projects Shaping the Future, the Fall-Winter 2022-2023 leads with the first in what will be a series of articles about offshore wind development impacting Connecticut. That is followed by the inspiring story of how a dying forest was replanted for climate resilience. Next, a profile of longtime marine educator Tim Visel tells about his lasting impact on Connecticut schools and students. Lastly, the complex challenge of dealing with Contaminants of Emerging Concern is examined, with descriptions of how Sea Grant is involved and the particularly troublesome group of substances called PFAS

Effect of Neem (Azadirachta indica L.) on lipid oxidation in raw chilled beef patties

The aim of this study was to determine the total polyphenol content, radical scavenging and antimicrobial activities of Azadirachta indica (A. indica) and to evaluate their effect on shelf-life stability of raw beef patties during refrigerated storage at 4 ± 1 °C. During 11 days of storage, the antioxidant effect of A. indica on ground beef meat was investigated by the determination of lipid oxidation, pH, anti-radical activity, color, hexanal content, and microbial growth. The results obtained showed that fresh A. indica leaves and synthetic conservative behaved in the same way and retarded the lipid oxidation of chilled beef patties while increasing their pH (5.40 and 5.45, respectively). It can also be said that A. indica limited the loss of color, reduced the metmyoglobin formation (36.70%) and had a significant effect on bacterial growth and hexanal content. In addition, the results obtained through anti-radical and antimicrobial properties showed proportional values of total polyphenol content and radical scavenging activity of leaf extracts as they showed their antimicrobial effect against some bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus and Micrococcus luteus, among others. These results support the involvement of A. indica in the food industry as a natural antioxidant that could replace synthetic onesPeer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Galvanizing Local Anti-Trafficking Partnership Work Using Intelligence: Profiling the Problem and Building Resilience

Prior research has evidenced the importance of collaboration and multi-agency partnership work in responding to human trafficking in both the UK and US. Three previous key studies are synthe-sized in this paper. We situate multi-agency anti-trafficking collaborative work within conceptu-alizations of “resilience” and mechanisms by which to achieve it, and draw comparisons be-tween the structure, organization, and activities of anti-trafficking partnerships in the UK and US. We present results, reflections, and discussion regarding the utility of local-problem diagnosis and multi-agency, using collaborative intelligence analysis as a mechanism to galvanize and or-ganize local partnership action, resulting from action research conducted in one police force area. We posit the replication of this “problem profile” exercise as a mechanism for anti-trafficking collaborators to galvanize their aims and day-to-day efforts to make their communities resilient to human trafficking. We close by arguing for resilience as a framing for this mechanism and for local collaborative efforts

The Use of Mid-Pregnancy Cervical Length to Predict Preterm Birth in Brazilian Asymptomatic Twin Gestations

Funding Information: This work was supported by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation [OPP1107597], the Brazilian Ministry of Health, and the Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) [401615/20138]. The funders had no role in the design, development of the study, analysis, interpretation of data, writing the manuscript and in the decision to submit the article for publication. Publisher Copyright: © 2022 Georg Thieme Verlag. All rights reserved.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Is self-report sleepiness associated with cognitive performance in temporal lobe epilepsy?

Vascouto HD, Rodrigues de Oliveira Thais ME, Osorio CM, et al. Is self-report sleepiness associated with cognitive performance in temporal lobe epilepsy? ARQUIVOS DE NEURO-PSIQUIATRIA. 2018;76(9):575-581.Sleepiness and cognitive impairment are common symptoms observed in patients with epilepsy. We investigate whether self-reported sleepiness is associated with cognitive performance in patients with refractory mesial temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis (MTLE-HS). Seventy-one consecutive patients with MTLE-HS were evaluated with the Stanford Sleepiness Scale (SSS) before neuropsychological evaluation. Their mean SSS scores were compared with controls. Each cognitive test was compared between patients with (SSS >= 3) or without sleepiness (SSS < 3). Imbalances were controlled by regression analysis. Patients reported a significantly higher degree of sleepiness than controls (p < 0.0001). After multiple linear regression analysis, only one test (RAVLT total) remained associated with self-reported sleepiness. Conclusion: Self-reported sleepiness was significantly higher in MTLE-HS patients than controls, but did not affect their cognitive performance. If confirmed in other populations, our results may have implications for decision making about sleepiness screening in neuropsychological settings