Population connectivity among Dry Tortugas, Florida, and Caribbean populations of mutton snapper (Lutjanus analis), inferred from multiple microsatellite loci

Determining patterns of population connectivity is critical to the evaluation of marine reserves as recruitment sources for harvested populations. Mutton snapper (Lutjanus analis) is a good test case because the last known major spawning aggregation in U.S. waters was granted no-take status in the Tortugas South Ecological Reserve (TSER) in 2001. To evaluate the TSER population as a recruitment source, we genotyped mutton snapper from the Dry Tortugas, southeast Florida, and from three locations across the Caribbean at eight microsatellite loci. Both Fstatistics and individual-based Bayesian analyses indicated that genetic substructure was absent across the five populations. Genetic homogeneity of mutton snapper populations is consistent with its pelagic larval duration of 27 to 37 days and adult behavior of annual migrations to large spawning aggregations. Statistical power of future genetic assessments of mutton snapper population connectivity may benefit from more comprehensive geographic sampling, and perhaps from the development of less polymorphic DNA microsatellite loci. Research where alternative methods are used, such as the transgenerational marking of embryonic otoliths with barium stable isotopes, is also needed on this and other species with diverse life history characteristics to further evaluate the TSER as a recruitment source and to define corridors of population connectivity across the Caribbean and Florida

The subtropical recirculation of Mode Waters

A Mode Water is a particular type of water mass characterized by its vertical homogeneity. There are two general varieties in the world ocean: Subtropical Mode Waters and Subpolar Mode Waters. The vertical homogeneity of a Mode Water is acquired by the process of deep vertical convection in winter. The low vertical density gradient imparted to the water column by convection persists laterally as the general circulation carries the Mode Water away from the formation zone...

Fluorescent molecular hydrogen in the reflection nebula NGC 2023

Photodissociation regions (PDRs) are described in the context of the interstellar medium and star-forming regions. Observations of PDRs and molecular hydrogen are reviewed and the reflection nebula NGC 2023 is discussed in detail. NGC 2023 is a bright and well-studied reflection nebula at a distance of 450 parsecs in the Orion region. Illuminated primarily by a B-type star, it offers an ideal opportunity to study UV-excited molecular hydrogen.The theory of the hydrogen molecule is described: the energy states and their relationship with the quantum numbers which represent the vibrational and rotational states of the molecule, the radiative processes which determine the optical and infrared emission spectrum of H2, the effect collisions have on the excited states of the molecule and the processes which govern the formation and destruction of H2. Particular attention is given to the process of formation on the surface of dust grains and the resulting energy states of the ejected H2 molecule.nfrared and optical far-red observations of fluorescent H2 line emission from NGC 2023 are presented. The resulting datasets contain flux measurements of over ninety lines. These are combined with published data to produce column densities for 81 energy states of the H2 molecule, the most extensive dataset yet compiled for a PDR. The processes of observing in the infrared and optical wavelength regimes are outlined. The emission lines of H2 are intrinsically very faint and thus measurements require careful data reduction to minimise sources of noise wherever possible. The data reduction steps which were applied to the observations are described in detail. An optical extinction of Av = 5.7 ± 1.0 to the H2 emission region and ortho/para abundance ratio of 2.0 ± 0.2 are derived from flux ratios of emission lines and by minimising the scatter on a diagram which plots the logarithm of the column density against the energy level of each state.The theory of photodissociation regions is summarised and the effect of the incident ultraviolet radiation field and hydrogen nucleus number density on the H2 emission spectrum is discussed. Steady-state and time-dependent PDR models are reviewed and their predictions are compared to the observational data. Deviations from the pure fluorescent case are apparent; the v = 1 vibrational level displays a column density distribution indicative of collisional processes. There is also strong evidence for a trend within each vibrational level, for v > 1, whereby excess populations increase with rotational level, J, with a possible ‘turnover’ and peak excess at high J. The overall intensity of the H2 emission lines is an order of magnitude greater than that predicted by face- on, steady-state PDR models. The emission can be explained by intense ultraviolet radiation (Go _ 5 x 103) incident on dense gas (n ~ 105cm~3) at a high temperature (T ~ 1000K). The ortho/para abundance ratio is discussed and it is proposed that the observed PDR in NGC 2023 has not yet reached equilibrium and the photodissociation front, which is advancing into the molecular cloud, is more accurately described by time-dependent PDR models

An example of long-term variability for subsurface current and hydrographic patterns in the western North Atlantic

An example of long-term variability along 55W, perhaps interannual, for current and temperature distributions during mid-1975-1977 is presented. The existence of significant energy in the 55W data set at time scales longer than mesoscale (50-150 days) has been clear for , some time, but this is a first description of the latitudinal and vertical configuration of this low-frequency variability...

Relationship between childhood socioeconomic position and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs): a systematic review

BACKGROUND: 'Adverse childhood experiences' (ACEs) are associated with increased risk of negative outcomes in later life: ACEs have consequently become a policy priority in many countries. Despite ACEs being highly socially patterned, there has been very little discussion in the political discourse regarding the role of childhood socioeconomic position (SEP) in understanding and addressing them. The aim here was to undertake a systematic review of the literature on the relationship between childhood SEP and ACEs. METHODS: MEDLINE, PsycINFO, ProQuest and Cochrane Library databases were searched. Inclusion criteria were: (1) measurement of SEP in childhood; (2) measurement of multiple ACEs; (3) ACEs were the outcome; and (4) statistical quantification of the relationship between childhood SEP and ACEs. Search terms included ACEs, SEP and synonyms; a second search additionally included 'maltreatment'. Overall study quality/risk of bias was calculated using a modified version of the Hamilton Tool. RESULTS: In the ACEs-based search, only 6 out of 2825 screened papers were eligible for qualitative synthesis. The second search (including maltreatment) increased numbers to: 4562 papers screened and 35 included for synthesis. Eighteen papers were deemed 'high' quality, five 'medium' and the rest 'low'. Meaningful statistical associations were observed between childhood SEP and ACEs/maltreatment in the vast majority of studies, including all except one of those deemed to be high quality. CONCLUSION: Lower childhood SEP is associated with a greater risk of ACEs/maltreatment. With UK child poverty levels predicted to increase markedly, any policy approach that ignores the socioeconomic context to ACEs is therefore flawed

Cancer incidence in Ireland—the possible role of diet, nutrition and lifestyle

Aim This observational ecological study aims to compare Ireland’s age-specific cancer incidence rates (ASRs) with equivalent European and global data and to highlight possible dietary, nutritional and lifestyle contributors to cancer in Ireland. Subjects and methods Using the International Agency for Research on Cancer’s (IARC) GLOBOCAN database, Irish ASRs for all-site cancer and for lifestyle-related cancers such as those of the colo-rectum, oesophagus, breast, lung and prostate were compared with European and global incidence data. Irish dietary and nutrient intake data were reviewed and evaluated in the context of these cancer incidence data and in relation to the established dietary, nutritional, lifestyle and anthropometric predictors of increased cancer risk previously articulated in the literature. Results Incidence rates of colorectal, oesophageal, breast, lung, prostate and all-site cancer are higher in Ireland than in most other countries. National nutrition surveys in Ireland indicate that dietary, nutritional, lifestyle and anthropometric risk factors for cancer occur with high frequency in the Irish population. For example, low fruit and vegetable consumption, high red and processed meat intake, low fish intake, low dairy consumption, high saturated fat intake, low folate and vitamin D intakes, and excessive alcohol consumption are all common amongst Irish adults. Conclusions Our data suggest that unfavourable diet and nutrient intakes prevail in Ireland and that these may contribute to Ireland’s excess cancer burden. These risk factors should be targeted by interventions seeking to sustainably redress Ireland’s high cancer incidence. Such initiatives may provide a template for intervention in other high-risk countries

Direct observations of the Antarctic Slope Current transport at 113°E

Author Posting. © American Geophysical Union, 2016. This article is posted here by permission of American Geophysical Union for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans 121 (2016): 7390–7407, doi:10.1002/2015JC011594.The Antarctic Slope Current (ASC), defined here as the region of westward flow along the continental slope off Antarctica, forms the southern limb of the subpolar gyres. It regulates the exchange of water across the shelf break and provides a path for interbasin westward transport. Despite its significance, the ASC remains largely unobserved around most of the Antarctic continent. Here we present direct velocity observations from a 17 month current meter moored array deployed across the continental slope between the 1000 and the 4200 m isobaths, in the southeastern Indian Ocean near 113°E. The observed time-mean flow consists of a surface-intensified jet associated with the Antarctic Slope Front (ASF) and a broader bottom-intensified westward flow that extends out to approximately the 4000 m isobath and is strongest along the upper slope. The time-mean transport of the ASC is −29.2 Sv. Fluctuations in the transport are large, typically exceeding the mean by a factor of 2. They are mainly due to changes in the northward extent of the current over the lower slope. However, seasonal changes in the wind also drive variations in the transport of the ASF and the flow in the upper slope. Both mean and variability are largely barotropic, thus invisible to traditional geostrophic methodsM.S.M. and the current meter array were supported by the National Science Foundation grant 0727045 ‘‘Measuring Westward Recirculation in the Subpolar Gyre of the Southeastern Indian Ocean.’’ B.P.M. and S.R.R. were supported by the Cooperative Research Centre program of the Australian Government, through the Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre. S.R.R. was also supported by the Australian Government Department of the Environment, the Bureau of Meteorology and CSIRO through the Australian Climate Change Science Program.2017-04-1

An Empirical Chart Analysis of the Suitability of Telemedicine for Hospice Visits

This is the publisher's version, also available electronically from http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/tmj.2005.11.90.Telehospice® (TH) utilizes telemedicine technology to provide care at the end of life. A bistate project was launched in 1998 to study the use of home-based telemedicine for routine hospice care. Videophones were deployed for telenursing visits and evaluations by social workers. In order to determine what proportion of home hospice visits could be performed using currently available telemedicine technology, we reviewed clinical records retrospectively for hospice nurse home visits. Clinical notes documenting home nursing visits were obtained from two large hospices, one based in Kansas, and the other in Michigan. Records were randomly selected for patients who received hospice nurse visits during the month of January 2000. The charts were reviewed for patient demographic information, patient assessments, teaching activities, and interventions. Five hundred ninety-seven nursing notes were analyzed using an 85-item coding instrument. After careful review of the records, the coders also made a subjective observation regarding the suitability of each visit for telemedicine. As part of this analysis, we found that 64.5% of home hospice nursing visits could be performed by telemedicine. Using TH, it is possible to reduce the number of in-person visits, thereby significantly decreasing the cost of providing hospice care