A note on the growth of Betti numbers and ranks of 3-manifold groups

Let N be an irreducible, compact 3-manifold with empty or toroidal boundary which is not a closed graph manifold. Using recent work of Agol, Kahn-Markovic and Przytycki-Wise we will show that pi_1(N) admits a cofinal filtration with `fast' growth of Betti numbers as well as a cofinal filtration of pi_1(N) with `slow' growth of ranks.Comment: 10 pages, updated reference

The stability paradox : why expansion of education for women has not delayed age at first union or childbearing in Latin America

Despite substantial improvements in women's education, the age atwhich Latin American women marry (cohabit) or become mothers for the first time has barely decreased over the past four decades. We refer to this as the "stability paradox." We examine the relationship between years of schooling and transitions to first union or child, analyzing retrospective information from 50 cohorts of women born between 1940 and 1989 in 12 Latin American countries. Absolute and relative measures of schooling are compared. Data is drawn from 38 Demographic Health Surveys (DHS) conducted between 1986 and 2012 in these countries. Results show that expected postponement in family transitions due to educational expansion was offset by a rise in union formation and childbearing within strata of absolute education, but stayed approximately constant within strata of relative education. The relative measure of education retains the stratifying power of education but neutralizes any effect attached to a specific number of years of schooling and the learning skills associated with them. This is consistent with the idea that access to education in Latin America reproduces existing patterns of socioeconomic advantage, rather than creating a more equitable distribution of learning opportunities and outcomes

Evidence for Transgenerational Transmission of Epigenetic Tumor Susceptibility in Drosophila

Transgenerational epigenetic inheritance results from incomplete erasure of parental epigenetic marks during epigenetic reprogramming at fertilization. The significance of this phenomenon, and the mechanism by which it occurs, remains obscure. Here, we show that genetic mutations in Drosophila may cause epigenetic alterations that, when inherited, influence tumor susceptibility of the offspring. We found that many of the mutations that affected tumorigenesis induced by a hyperactive JAK kinase, HopTum-l, also modified the tumor phenotype epigenetically, such that the modification persisted even in the offspring that did not inherit the modifier mutation. We analyzed mutations of the transcription repressor Krüppel (Kr), which is one of the hopTum-l enhancers known to affect ftz transcription. We demonstrate that the Kr mutation causes increased DNA methylation in the ftz promoter region, and that the aberrant ftz transcription and promoter methylation are both transgenerationally heritable if HopTum-l is present in the oocyte. These results suggest that genetic mutations may alter epigenetic markings in the form of DNA methylation, which are normally erased early in the next generation, and that JAK overactivation disrupts epigenetic reprogramming and allows inheritance of epimutations that influence tumorigenesis in future generations

The Influence of Physiological Status on age Prediction of Anopheles Arabiensis Using Near Infra-red spectroscopy

Determining the age of malaria vectors is essential for evaluating the impact of interventions that reduce the survival of wild mosquito populations and for estimating changes in vectorial capacity. Near infra-red spectroscopy (NIRS) is a simple and non-destructive method that has been used to determine the age and species of Anopheles gambiae s.l. by analyzing differences in absorption spectra. The spectra are affected by biochemical changes that occur during the life of a mosquito and could be influenced by senescence and also the life history of the mosquito, i.e., mating, blood feeding and egg-laying events. To better understand these changes, we evaluated the influence of mosquito physiological status on NIR energy absorption spectra. Mosquitoes were kept in individual cups to permit record keeping of each individual insect’s life history. Mosquitoes of the same chronological age, but at different physiological stages, were scanned and compared using cross-validations. We observed a slight trend within some physiological stages that suggest older insects tend to be predicted as being physiologically more mature. It was advantageous to include mosquitoes of different chronological ages and physiological stages in calibrations, as it increases the robustness of the model resulting in better age predictions. Progression through different physiological statuses of An. arabiensis influences the chronological age prediction by the NIRS. Entomologists that wish to use NIR technology to predict the age of field-caught An. gambiae s.l from their study area should use a calibration developed from their field strain using mosquitoes of diverse chronological ages and physiological stages to increase the robustness and accuracy of the predictions.\u

Growth and mass wasting of volcanic centers in the northern South Sandwich arc, South Atlantic, revealed by new multibeam mapping

New multibeam (swath) bathymetric sonar data acquired using an EM120 system on the RRS James Clark Ross, supplemented by sub-bottom profiling, reveals the underwater morphology of a not, vert, similar 12,000 km2 area in the northern part of the mainly submarine South Sandwich volcanic arc. The new data extend between 55° 45′S and 57° 20′S and include Protector Shoal and the areas around Zavodovski, Visokoi and the Candlemas islands groups. Each of these areas is a discrete volcanic center. The entirely submarine Protector Shoal area, close to the northern limit of the arc, forms a 55 km long east–west-trending seamount chain that is at least partly of silicic composition. The seamounts are comparable to small subaerial stratovolcanoes in size, with volumes up to 83 km3, indicating that they are the product of multiple eruptions over extended periods. Zavodovski, Visokoi and the Candlemas island group are the summits of three 3–3.5 km high volcanic edifices. The bathymetric data show evidence for relationships between constructional volcanic features, including migrating volcanic centers, structurally controlled constructional ridges, satellite lava flows and domes, and mass wasting of the edifices. Mass wasting takes place mainly by strong erosion at sea level, and dispersal of this material along chutes, probably as turbidity currents and other mass flows that deposit in extensive sediment wave fields. Large scale mass wasting structures include movement of unconsolidated debris in slides, slumps and debris avalanches. Volcanism is migrating westward relative to the underlying plate and major volcanoes are asymmetrical, being steep with abundant recent volcanism on their western flanks, and gently sloping with extinct, eroded volcanic sequences to their east. This is consistent with the calculated rate of subduction erosion of the fore-arc

Towards a sustainable and equitable blue economy

The global rush to develop the \u2018blue economy\u2019 risks harming both the marine environment and human wellbeing. Bold policies and actions are urgently needed. We identify five priorities to chart a course towards an environmentally sustainable and socially equitable blue economy

The age of undeformed dacite intrusions within the Kolaka Fault zone, SE Sulawesi, Indonesia

We present petrologic, geochemical and U-Pb sensitive high resolution ion microprobe (SHRIMP) data from previously undocumented dacite intrusions from the SE Arm of Sulawesi. The dacites occur in a strand of a major fault (the Kolaka Fault) that crosses the SE Arm of Sulawesi and northern Bone Bay. U-Pb SHRIMP dating shows the Kolaka Dacite yields zircon grains and overgrowths that range between ca. 4 and 7. Ma, indicating active magmatism in SE Sulawesi at this time. The youngest age population (4.4. ±. 0.2. Ma) from this range is interpreted to be the maximum crystallization age for the dacite. The Kolaka Dacite is undeformed, and so potentially intruded during or after movement within a strand of the Kolaka Fault. The dacites may have otherwise been emplaced passively along existing foliation planes in the country rock schist. Additional U-Pb data were collected from inherited zircons, yielding ages between 8. Ma and 1854. Ma. We consider that these inherited zircons are xenocrysts, derived from either (1) a partially melted protolith and/or (2) xenocrysts assimilated during ascent of the magma. In either case, the inherited zircons record the age of the basement rocks beneath this part of SE Sulawesi. These inherited zircon cores show that the SE arm of Sulawesi is underlain by Proterozoic or younger material, validating earlier ideas that the crust here was derived from Gondwana

Critical Temperature of Ferromagnetic Transition in Three-Dimensional Double-Exchange Models

Ferromagnetic transition in three-dimensional double-exchange models is studied by the Monte Carlo method. Critical temperature $T_{\rm c}$ is precisely determined by finite-size scaling analysis. Strong spin fluctuations in this itinerant system significantly reduce $T_{\rm c}$ from mean-field estimates. By choosing appropriate parameters, obtained values of $T_{\rm c}$ quantitatively agree with experiments for the ferromagnetic metal regime of (La,Sr)MnO$_{3}$, which is a typical perovskite manganite showing colossal magnetoresistance. This indicates that the double-exchange mechanism alone is sufficient to explain $T_{\rm c}$ in this material. Critical exponents are also discussed.Comment: 4 pages including 1 table and 4 figures, to be published in J. Phys. Soc. Jp

Individual and Public-Program Adaptation: Coping with Heat Waves in Five Cities in Canada

Heat Alert and Response Systems (HARS) are currently undergoing testing and implementation in Canada. These programs seek to reduce the adverse health effects of heat waves on human health by issuing weather forecasts and warnings, informing individuals about possible protections from excessive heat, and providing such protections to vulnerable subpopulations and individuals at risk. For these programs to be designed effectively, it is important to know how individuals perceive the heat, what their experience with heat-related illness is, how they protect themselves from excessive heat, and how they acquire information about such protections. In September 2010, we conducted a survey of households in 5 cities in Canada to study these issues. At the time of the survey, these cities had not implemented heat outreach and response systems. The study results indicate that individuals’ recollections of recent heat wave events were generally accurate. About 21% of the sample reported feeling unwell during the most recent heat spell, but these illnesses were generally minor. Only in 25 cases out of 243, these illnesses were confirmed or diagnosed by a health care professional. The rate at which our respondents reported heat-related illnesses was higher among those with cardiovascular and respiratory illnesses, was higher among younger respondents and bore no relationship with the availability of air conditioning at home. Most of the respondents indicated that they would not dismiss themselves as “not at risk” and that they would cope with excessive heat by staying in air conditioned environments and keeping well hydrated. Despite the absence of heat outreach and education programs in their city, our respondents at least a rough idea of how to take care of themselves. The presence of air conditioning and knowledge of cooling centers is location-specific, which provides opportunities for targeting HARS interventions

American college of radiology appropriateness criteria ® treatment of stage I T1 glottic cancer

Background Controversy surrounds the appropriate therapy for T1 glottic cancer. Both transoral endolaryngeal resection and radiation offer excellent local control and voice quality; some lesions are best addressed with resection and others with radiation. Methods The American College of Radiology (ACR) Appropriateness Criteria are evidence‐based guidelines for specific clinical conditions that are reviewed by a multidisciplinary expert panel. The guideline development includes an analysis of current literature from peer reviewed journals and the well‐established “modified Delphi” consensus methodology to rate the appropriateness of treatment. Where evidence is not definitive, expert opinion informed recommendations. Results The ACR Expert Panel on Radiation Oncology – Head and Neck Cancer developed consensus recommendations for treatment of T1 glottic cancer. Treatment planning is complex and decisions nuanced. Conclusion Best treatment for a particular cancer cannot be defined without consideration of the lesion's location, extent, depth of invasion, and quality of surgical exposure during direct laryngoscopy. © 2013 American College of Radiology. Head & Neck © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 36 : 3–8, 2014Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/102052/1/hed23381.pd