1,313 research outputs found
Neighborhood Accountability Boards: The Strength of Weak Practices and Prospects for a “Community Building” Restorative Model
The Article focuses on neighborhood accountability boards (NABs) as restorative justice programs. Examples of NABs in communities include victim-offender mediation (VOM), peacemaking circles, and social support groups for offenders and victims. The authors discuss how NABs lessen the conditions that foster crime and provide community support for at-risk people
The Obscured Fraction of AGN in the XMM-COSMOS Survey: A Spectral Energy Distribution Perspective
The fraction of AGN luminosity obscured by dust and re-emitted in the mid-IR
is critical for understanding AGN evolution, unification, and parsec-scale AGN
physics. For unobscured (Type-1) AGN, where we have a direct view of the
accretion disk, the dust covering factor can be measured by computing the ratio
of re-processed mid-IR emission to intrinsic nuclear bolometric luminosity. We
use this technique to estimate the obscured AGN fraction as a function of
luminosity and redshift for 513 Type-1 AGN from the XMM-COSMOS survey. The
re-processed and intrinsic luminosities are computed by fitting the 18-band
COSMOS photometry with a custom SED-fitting code, which jointly models emission
from: hot-dust in the AGN torus, the accretion disk, and the host-galaxy. We
find a relatively shallow decrease of the luminosity ratio as a function of
Lbol, which we interpret as a corresponding decrease in the obscured fraction.
In the context of the receding torus model, where dust sublimation reduces the
covering factor of more luminous AGN, our measurements require a torus height
which increases with luminosity as h ~ Lbol^{0.3-0.4}. Our obscured
fraction-luminosity relation agrees with determinations from SDSS censuses of
Type-1 and Type-2 quasars, and favors a torus optically thin to mid-IR
radiation. We find a much weaker dependence of obscured fraction on 2-10 keV
luminosity than previous determinations from X-ray surveys, and argue that
X-ray surveys miss a significant population of highly obscured Compton-thick
AGN. Our analysis shows no clear evidence for evolution of obscured fraction
with redshift.Comment: 33 pages, 24 figures, ApJ accepte
Bay of Bengal : 2013 northeast monsoon upper-ocean circulation
Author Posting. © The Oceanography Society, 2016. This article is posted here by permission of The Oceanography Society for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Oceanography 29, no. 2 (2016): 82–91, doi:10.5670/oceanog.2016.41.The upper 200 m of the two northern Indian Ocean embayments, the Bay of Bengal (BoB) and the Arabian Sea (AS), differ sharply in their salinity stratification, as the Asian monsoon injects massive amounts of freshwater into the BoB while removing freshwater via evaporation from the AS. The ocean circulation transfers salt from the AS to the BoB and exports freshwater from the BoB to mitigate the salinity difference and reach a quasi-steady state, albeit with strong seasonality. An energetic field of mesoscale features and an intrathermocline eddy was observed within the BoB during the R/V Revelle November and December 2013 Air-Sea Interactions Regional Initiative cruises, marking the early northeast monsoon phase. Mesoscale features, which display a surprisingly large thermohaline range within their confines, obscure the regional surface water and thermohaline stratification patterns, as observed by satellite and Argo profilers. Ocean processes blend the fresh and salty features along and across density surfaces, influencing sea surface temperature and air-sea flux. Comparing the Revelle observations to the Argo data reveals a general westward migration of mesoscale features across the BoB.Support for Bay of Bengal
research is provided by the Office of Naval Research.
ALG award number N00014-14-10065. AM and MF award number N00014-13-10451 and for
MF a WHOI summer student fellowship. ES award
number N00014-14-10236
Imprint of trace dissolved oxygen on prokaryoplankton community structure in an oxygen minimum zone
© The Author(s), 2020. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. The definitive version was published in Faull, L. M., Mara, P., Taylor, G. T., & Edgcomb, V. P. Imprint of trace dissolved oxygen on prokaryoplankton community structure in an oxygen minimum zone. Frontiers in Marine Science, 7, (2020): 360, doi:10.3389/fmars.2020.00360.The Eastern Tropical North Pacific (ETNP) is a large, persistent, and intensifying oxygen minimum zone (OMZ) that accounts for almost half of the total area of global OMZs. Within the OMZ core (∼350–700 m depth), dissolved oxygen is typically near or below the analytical detection limit of modern sensors (∼10 nM). Steep oxygen gradients above and below the OMZ core lead to vertical structuring of microbial communities that also vary between particle-associated (PA) and free-living (FL) size fractions. Here, we use 16S amplicon sequencing (iTags) to analyze the diversity and distribution of prokaryotic populations between FL and PA size fractions and among the range of ambient redox conditions. The hydrographic conditions at our study area were distinct from those previously reported in the ETNP and other OMZs, such as the ETSP. Trace oxygen concentrations (∼0.35 μM) were present throughout the OMZ core at our sampling location. Consequently, nitrite accumulations typically reported for OMZ cores were absent as were sequences for anammox bacteria (Brocadiales genus Candidatus Scalindua), which are commonly found across oxic-anoxic boundaries in other systems. However, ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and archaea (AOA) distributions and maximal autotrophic carbon assimilation rates (1.4 μM C d–1) coincided with a pronounced ammonium concentration maximum near the top of the OMZ core. In addition, members of the genus Nitrospina, a dominant nitrite-oxidizing bacterial (NOB) clade were present suggesting that both ammonia and nitrite oxidation occur at trace oxygen concentrations. Analysis of similarity test (ANOSIM) and Non-metric Dimensional Scaling (nMDS) revealed that bacterial and archaeal phylogenetic representations were significantly different between size fractions. Based on ANOSIM and iTag profiles, composition of PA assemblages was less influenced by the prevailing depth-dependent biogeochemical regime than the FL fraction. Based on the presence of AOA, NOB and trace oxygen in the OMZ core we suggest that nitrification is an active process in the nitrogen cycle of this region of the ETNP OMZ.This project resulted from a cruise of opportunity and was not expressly funded by any particular project. Projects which contributed to travel and sequencing costs had no funds allocated to publication costs and expired over a year ago. As I am a very active member of the Frontiers in Marine Science Editorial Board. I was granted one free submission and now request a waiver of the Article Processing Charges for this article
Diverse secondary metabolites are expressed in particle-associated and free-living microorganisms of the permanently anoxic Cariaco Basin
Secondary metabolites play essential roles in ecological interactions and nutrient acquisition, and are of interest for their potential uses in medicine and biotechnology. Genome mining for biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) can be used for the discovery of new compounds. Here, we use metagenomics and metatranscriptomics to analyze BGCs in free-living and particle-associated microbial communities through the stratified water column of the Cariaco Basin, Venezuela. We recovered 565 bacterial and archaeal metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) and identified 1154 diverse BGCs. We show that differences in water redox potential and microbial lifestyle (particle-associated vs. free-living) are associated with variations in the predicted composition and production of secondary metabolites. Our results indicate that microbes, including understudied clades such as Planctomycetota, potentially produce a wide range of secondary metabolites in these anoxic/euxinic waters
AGN Populations in Large Volume X-ray Surveys: Photometric Redshifts and Population Types found in the Stripe 82X Survey
Multi-wavelength surveys covering large sky volumes are necessary to obtain
an accurate census of rare objects such as high luminosity and/or high redshift
active galactic nuclei (AGN). Stripe 82X is a 31.3 deg X-ray survey with
and -Newton observations overlapping the legacy Sloan Digital
Sky Survey (SDSS) Stripe 82 field, which has a rich investment of
multi-wavelength coverage from the ultraviolet to the radio. The wide-area
nature of this survey presents new challenges for photometric redshifts for AGN
compared to previous work on narrow-deep fields because it probes different
populations of objects that need to be identified and represented in the
library of templates. Here we present an updated X-ray plus multi-wavelength
matched catalog, including counterparts, and estimated photometric
redshifts for 5961 (96% of a total of 6181) X-ray sources, which have a
normalized median absolute deviation, = 0.06 and an outlier
fraction, = 13.7%. The populations found in this survey, and the
template libraries used for photometric redshifts, provide important guiding
principles for upcoming large-area surveys such as and 3 (in
X-ray) and the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST; optical).Comment: Accepted for publication by The Astrophysical Journal (33 pages, 20
figures, 13 tables). Final catalog of counterparts and photo-z supplementing
the paper available here:
http://stripe82x.com/docs/stripe82x-photometric-redshifts-and-multiwavelength-data-catalog
Predicting the 10-year risk of death from other causes in men with localized prostate cancer using patient-reported factors: Development of a tool
OBJECTIVE: To develop a tool for estimating the 10-year risk of death from other causes in men with localized prostate cancer.
SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We identified 2,425 patients from the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results-Medicare Health Outcomes Survey database, age \u3c 80, newly diagnosed with clinical stage T1-T3a prostate cancer from 1/1/1998-12/31/2009, with follow-up through 2/28/2013. We developed a Fine and Gray competing-risks model for 10-year other cause mortality considering age, patient-reported comorbid medical conditions, component scores and items of the SF-36 Health Survey, activities of daily living, and sociodemographic characteristics. Model discrimination and calibration were compared to predictions from Social Security life table mortality risk estimates.
RESULTS: Over a median follow-up of 7.7 years, 76 men died of prostate-specific causes and 465 died of other causes. The strongest predictors of 10-year other cause mortality risk included increasing age at diagnosis, higher approximated Charlson Comorbidity Index score, worse patient-reported general health (fair or poor vs. excellent-good), smoking at diagnosis, and marital status (all other vs. married) (all p \u3c 0.05). Model discrimination improved over Social Security life tables (c-index of 0.70 vs. 0.59, respectively). Predictions were more accurate than predictions from the Social Security life tables, which overestimated risk in our population.
CONCLUSIONS: We provide a tool for estimating the 10-year risk of dying from other causes when making decisions about treating prostate cancer using pre-treatment patient-reported characteristics
Viral elements and their potential influence on microbial processes along the permanently stratified Cariaco Basin redoxcline
© The Author(s), 2020. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. The definitive version was published in Mara, P., Vik, D., Pachiadaki, M. G., Suter, E. A., Poulos, B., Taylor, G. T., Sullivan, M. B., & Edgcomb, V. P. Viral elements and their potential influence on microbial processes along the permanently stratified Cariaco Basin redoxcline. ISME Journal, (2020), doi:10.1038/s41396-020-00739-3.Little is known about viruses in oxygen-deficient water columns (ODWCs). In surface ocean waters, viruses are known to act as gene vectors among susceptible hosts. Some of these genes may have metabolic functions and are thus termed auxiliary metabolic genes (AMGs). AMGs introduced to new hosts by viruses can enhance viral replication and/or potentially affect biogeochemical cycles by modulating key microbial pathways. Here we identify 748 viral populations that cluster into 94 genera along a vertical geochemical gradient in the Cariaco Basin, a permanently stratified and euxinic ocean basin. The viral communities in this ODWC appear to be relatively novel as 80 of these viral genera contained no reference viral sequences, likely due to the isolation and unique features of this system. We identify viral elements that encode AMGs implicated in distinctive processes, such as sulfur cycling, acetate fermentation, signal transduction, [Fe–S] formation, and N-glycosylation. These AMG-encoding viruses include two putative Mu-like viruses, and viral-like regions that may constitute degraded prophages that have been modified by transposable elements. Our results provide an insight into the ecological and biogeochemical impact of viruses oxygen-depleted and euxinic habitats.This work was supported by the National Science Foundation grant OCE-1336082 to VPE, OCE-1335436 to GTT, OCE-1536989, a Moore Foundation Award (#3790) to MBS, and WHOI subaward A101259 to MP. The sequencing conducted by the U.S. Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute is supported by the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy under contract no. DE-AC02-05CH11231
The 31 Deg Release of the Stripe 82 X-ray Survey: The Point Source Catalog
We release the next installment of the Stripe 82 X-ray survey point-source
catalog, which currently covers 31.3 deg of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey
(SDSS) Stripe 82 Legacy field. In total, 6181 unique X-ray sources are
significantly detected with {\it XMM-Newton} () and {\it Chandra}
(). This catalog release includes data from {\it XMM-Newton} cycle
AO 13, which approximately doubled the Stripe 82X survey area. The flux limits
of the Stripe 82X survey are erg s cm,
erg s cm, and erg
s cm in the soft (0.5-2 keV), hard (2-10 keV), and full bands
(0.5-10 keV), respectively, with approximate half-area survey flux limits of
erg s cm, erg s
cm, and erg s cm. We matched the X-ray
source lists to available multi-wavelength catalogs, including updated matches
to the previous release of the Stripe 82X survey; 88\% of the sample is matched
to a multi-wavelength counterpart. Due to the wide area of Stripe 82X and rich
ancillary multi-wavelength data, including coadded SDSS photometry,
mid-infrared {\it WISE} coverage, near-infrared coverage from UKIDSS and VHS,
ultraviolet coverage from {\it GALEX}, radio coverage from FIRST, and
far-infrared coverage from {\it Herschel}, as well as existing 30\%
optical spectroscopic completeness, we are beginning to uncover rare objects,
such as obscured high-luminosity AGN at high-redshift. The Stripe 82X point
source catalog is a valuable dataset for constraining how this population grows
and evolves, as well as for studying how they interact with the galaxies in
which they live.Comment: accepted for publication in ApJ; 23 pages (emulateapj
Pine Pitch Canker and Insects: Regional Risks, Environmental Regulation, and Practical Management Options
Producción CientíficaPine pitch canker (PPC), caused by the pathogenic fungus Fusarium circinatum (Nirenberg
and O’ Donnell), is a serious threat to pine forests globally. The recent introduction of the pathogen to Southern Europe and its spread in Mediterranean region is alarming considering the immense
ecological and economic importance of pines in the region. Pines in forests and nurseries can be
infected, resulting in severe growth losses and mortality. The pathogen is known to spread in plants
for planting and in seeds, and results from recent studies have indicated that F. circinatum may also
spread through phoretic associations with certain insects. With this review, we aim to expand the
current understanding of the risk of insect-mediated spread of PPC in different parts of Europe.
Through the joint action of a multinational researcher team, we collate the existing information about
the insect species spectrum in different biogeographic conditions and scrutinize the potential of
these insects to transmit F. circinatum spores in forests and nurseries. We also discuss the impact of
environmental factors and forest management in this context. We present evidence for the existence of
a high diversity of insects with potential to weaken pines and disseminate PPC in Europe, including
several common beetle species. In many parts of Europe, temperatures are projected to rise, which
may promote the activity of several insect species, supporting multivoltinism and thus, further
amplifying the risk of insect-mediated dissemination of PPC. Integrated pest management (IPM)
solutions that comply with forest management practices need to be developed to reduce this risk.
We recommend careful monitoring of insect populations as the basis for successful IPM. Improved
understanding of environmental control of the interaction between insects, the pathogen, and host
trees is needed in order to support development of bio-rational strategies to safeguard European pine
trees and forests against F. circinatum in future.European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST Action FP1406 PINESTRENGTH)Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad - Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (project AGL2015-69370-R)Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (contract IF/00471/2013/CP1203/CT0001)Russian Foundation for Basic Research (grant 17-04-01486)Saint Petersburg State Polytechnical University (project 2019-0420
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