Unit Pricing and Open Dating.

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Quantifying the impact and relevance of scientific research

Qualitative and quantitative methods are being developed to measure the impacts of research on society, but they suffer from serious drawbacks associated with linking a piece of research to its subsequent impacts. We have developed a method to derive impact scores for individual research publications according to their contribution to answering questions of quantified importance to end users of research. To demonstrate the approach, here we evaluate the impacts of research into means of conserving wild bee populations in the UK. For published papers, there is a weak positive correlation between our impact score and the impact factor of the journal. The process identifies publications that provide high quality evidence relating to issues of strong concern. It can also be used to set future research agendas

Just preservation, trusteeship and multispecies justice

We are grateful to all the commentators who engaged with our target article. Some commentators have offered important insights into our proposed design and methods for legally intervening on behalf of futurity. Others have focused on theoretical considerations central to our proposal for multispecies justice and trusteeship. All have inspired modifications and further elaboration of our initial proposal. In this Response, we engage with the commentaries, integrating their suggestions, striving for convergence and complementarity, but also discussing points of divergence with our proposed framework where necessary. There is substantial overlap in the points of view of the three co-authors, but there are also differences. Section 1 is more reflective of the views of AT and Section 2 is more reflective of the views of FJS-A and WL

Identity Distress and Adjustment Problems in At-Risk Adolescents

This study assessed the usefulness of the Identity Distress Scale (IDS), a measure modeled after the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (3rd ed., rev. [DSM–III–R]; American Psychiatric Association, 1987) defined Identity Disorder, by investigating links between identity distress and poor psychological adjustment in at-risk middle adolescents. A significant proportion (16%) met DSM–III–R criteria for Identity Disorder, and 34% met the more liberal criteria for Identity Problems as defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.; American Psychiatric Association, 1994). Significant associations were found between identity distress and both internalizing and externalizing symptoms. The IDS appears to be useful for identifying youth experiencing significant difficulties in developing an identity and for exploring links between Identity Problems and other areas of psychological functioning

Prosecutors\u27 Peremptory Challenges - A Response and Reply

Three federal trial attorneys disagree with Professor Richard Friedman\u27s proposal to eliminate the prosecution\u27s peremptories, while Friedman defends his view

Organising evidence for environmental management decisions: a '4S' hierarchy.

Making decisions informed by the best-available science is an objective for many organisations managing the environment or natural resources. Yet, available science is still not widely used in environmental policy and practice. We describe a '4S' hierarchy for organising relevant science to inform decisions. This hierarchy has already revolutionised clinical practice. It is beginning to emerge for environmental management, although all four levels need substantial development before environmental decision-makers can reliably and efficiently find the evidence they need. We expose common bypass routes that currently lead to poor or biased representation of scientific knowledge. We argue that the least developed level of the hierarchy is that closest to decision-makers, placing synthesised scientific knowledge into environmental decision support systems.L.V.D. is funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (Grant code NE/K015419/1). J.C.W. is funded by the UK Commonwealth Scholarship Commission and the Cambridge Commonwealth, European and International Trust. W.J.S. is funded by Arcadia.This is the final version of the article. It first appeared from Cell Press/Elsevier via http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2014.09.00

Ethylene Oxide: Acute Four-Hour and One-Hour Inhalation Toxicity Testing in Rats

Ethylene oxide was tested on groups of rats for either 4-hour or 1-hour inhalation exposure, followed by 14 days of observation. Groups of five Sprague-Dawley rats/sex were exposed, and clinical signs and mortality were recorded. Clinical signs noted included irregular breathing, absence of certain reflexes, and tremors. Rats that died had moderate to severe pulmonary congestion. The calculated LC50 values, reported as ppm by volume (with 95% confidence limits), were as follows. 4-hour LC50 values were 1972 (1887 to 2061) ppm for males; 1537 (1391 to 1698) ppm for females; 1741 (1655 to 1831) ppm for the combined sexes. The 1-hour LC50 values were 5748 (5276 to 6262) ppm for males; 4439 (4034 to 4884) ppm for females; 5029 (4634 to 5459) ppm for the combined sexes

Oilfield Development and Glaucous Gull (Larus hyperboreus) Distribution and Abundance in Central Alaskan Beaufort Sea Lagoons, 1970–2001

We evaluated aerial survey data for glaucous gulls (Larus hyperboreus) in central Alaskan Beaufort Sea lagoons near the Prudhoe Bay oilfields during June to September 1978– 2001 for trends in numbers of glaucous gulls, associations with human activity, and confounding relationships with environmental variables. Most glaucous gulls were in barrier island and mainland shoreline habitats, and the total number of gulls per survey ranged from 50 to 1600. Seasonal variation in abundance was apparent, with the largest numbers of gulls consistently recorded during September surveys. Ice cover and wave height had a significant negative correlation with the linear density of glaucous gulls (gulls/km). There was no clear trend in abundance of gulls in the lagoons at Prudhoe Bay or obvious interaction with human activity (such as air traffic, boat traffic, or humans on land or water) in the survey area during the period of oilfield development (1978–2001). We compiled glaucous gull nest counts from 1970 to 2001 across barrier islands to evaluate trends in the number of nests and associations with other colonial nesting species. The mean number of active glaucous gull nests increased from 1970–74 (77.6 nests per year) to 1975–85 (154.4 nests per year), but there was no evidence of a difference from 1970–74 to 1987– 2001 (153.0 nests per year). However, the change in 1976 from aerial to ground-based nest surveys confounds comparison of the survey periods before this date (1970– 74) with those after it (1975–85 and 1987– 2001). A strong positive relationship between the number of glaucous gull nests and both common eider and snow goose nests suggests that common environmental variables may be regulating nesting for these species.On a évalué les données de relevés aériens pour les goélands bourgmestres (Larus hyperboreus) des lagunes de la mer de Beaufort dans le centre de l’Alaska, près des champs pétrolifères de la baie Prudhoe des mois de juin à septembre des années 1978 à 2001 afin de déterminer les tendances caractérisant le nombre de goélands bourgmestres, leurs associations avec l’activité humaine et les relations confondues avec les variables environnementales. La plupart des goélands bourgmestres évoluaient dans des habitats faisant partie de cordons d’îles et de rivages continentaux. Le nombre total de goélands faisant l’objet de chaque relevé variait de 50 à 1600. Du point de vue de l’abondance, les variations saisonnières étaient évidentes, le nombre le plus élevé de goélands étant constamment enregistré en septembre. La couverture de glace et la hauteur des vagues avaient une importante corrélation négative sur la densité linéaire des goélands bourgmestres (goélands/km). Il n’y avait pas de tendance claire en ce qui a trait à l’abondance des goélands sur les lagunes de la baie Prudhoe ou d’interaction évidente avec l’activité humaine (comme la circulation aérienne, la circulation maritime ou les êtres humains évoluant sur la terre ou sur l’eau) dans la zone visée par les relevés pendant la période de mise en valeur des champs pétrolifères (soit de 1978 à 2001). On a compilé le nombre de nids de goélands bourgmestres de 1970 à 2001 à l’échelle du cordon d’îles pour évaluer les tendances caractérisant le nombre de nids et d’associations avec d’autres espèces à nidification qui vivent en colonies. Le nombre moyen de nids de goélands bourgmestres actifs a augmenté de 1970–74 (77.6 nids par année) à 1975–85 (154,4 nids par année). Cependant, il ne semblait pas y avoir de différence entre 1975–85 et 1987–2001 (153,0 nids par année). Cela dit, l’écart enregistré en 1976 entre les relevés aériens et les relevés terrestres à l’égard des nids confond la comparaison des périodes de relevés avant cette date (1970– 74) avec celles qui suivent (1975– 85 et 1987–2001). Une forte relation positive entre le nombre de nids de goélands bourgmestres et le nombre de nids d’eiders à duvet et d’oies blanches suggère que des variables environnementales communes peuvent régulariser la nidification de ces espèces

Just preservation

We are failing to protect the biosphere. Novel views of conservation, preservation, and sustainability are surfacing in the wake of consensus about our failures to prevent extinction or slow climate change. We argue that the interests and well-being of non-humans, youth, and future generations of both human and non-human beings (futurity) have too long been ignored in consensus-based, anthropocentric conservation. Consensus-based stakeholder-driven processes disadvantage those absent or without a voice and allow current adult humans and narrow, exploitative interests to dominate decisions about the use of nature over its preservation for futurity of all life. We propose that authentically non-anthropocentric worldviews that incorporate multispecies justice are needed for a legitimate, deliberative, and truly democratic process of adjudication between competing interests in balancing the preservation and use of nature. Legitimate arenas for such adjudication would be courts that can defend intergenerational equity, which is envisioned by many nations\u27 constitutions, and can consider current and future generations of non-human life. We urge practitioners and scholars to disavow implicit anthropocentric value judgments in their work – or make these transparent and explicit – and embrace a more comprehensive worldview that grants future life on earth fair representation in humanity\u27s decisions and actions today