The potential release of phosphorus in floodplains

In the Illinois River Watershed, there has been growing concern over elevated phosphorus concentrations in the water column. This study evaluated how much phosphorus is contributed from floodplain soils into surface waters, examining the relationship between the flux of phosphorus released and the amount of phosphorus stored in the soil. This was investigated by artificially inundating soil cores from four sites and determining the soluble reactive phosphorus concentrations of the overlying water and the levels of Water and Mehlich-3 extractable phosphorus in the soil. The flux of phosphorus to the overlying water ranged from 0.43 to 6.61 mg m-2 hr-1 within the short-term (16.5-hr incubation) and 0.06 to 1.26 mg m-2 hr-1 over the long term (282.5-hr incubation). Phosphorus flux to the overlying water was significantly correlated with the amount of phosphorus stored in the soil. This study showed that riparian soils with elevated phosphorus content have the potential to release phosphorus when flooded

Leptophilic Dark Matter with Z′Z' interactions

We consider a scenario where dark matter (DM) interacts exclusively with Standard Model (SM) leptons at tree level. Due to the absence of tree-level couplings to quarks, the constraints on leptophilic dark matter arising from direct detection and hadron collider experiments are weaker than those for a generic WIMP. We study a simple model in which interactions of DM with SM leptons are mediated by a leptophilic $Z'$ boson, and determine constraints on this scenario arising from relic density, direct detection, and other experiments. We then determine current LHC limits and project the future discovery reach. We show that, despite the absence of direct interactions with quarks, this scenario can be strongly constrained.Comment: 12 pages, 15 figure

Bayesian analysis of 210Pb dating

In many studies of environmental change of the past few centuries, 210Pb dating is used to obtain chronologies for sedimentary sequences. One of the most commonly used approaches to estimate the ages of depths in a sequence is to assume a constant rate of supply (CRS) or influx of `unsupported' 210Pb from the atmosphere, together with a constant or varying amount of `supported' 210Pb. Current 210Pb dating models do not use a proper statistical framework and thus provide poor estimates of errors. Here we develop a new model for 210Pb dating, where both ages and values of supported and unsupported 210Pb form part of the parameters. We apply our model to a case study from Canada as well as to some simulated examples. Our model can extend beyond the current CRS approach, deal with asymmetric errors and mix 210Pb with other types of dating, thus obtaining more robust, realistic and statistically better defined estimates.Comment: 22 Pages, 4 Figure

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for schizophrenia - outcomes for functioning, distress and quality of life : A meta-analysis

Background: The effect of cognitive behavioural therapy for psychosis (CBTp) on the core symptoms of schizophrenia has proven contentious, with current meta-analyses finding at most only small effects. However, it has been suggested that the effects of CBTp in areas other than psychotic symptoms are at least as important and potentially benefit from the intervention. Method: We meta-analysed RCTs investigating the effectiveness of CBTp for functioning, distress and quality of life in individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia and related disorders. Data from 36 randomised controlled trials (RCTs) met our inclusion criteria- 27 assessing functioning (1579 participants); 8 for distress (465 participants); and 10 for quality of life (592 participants). Results: The pooled effect size for functioning was small but significant for the end-of-trial (0.25: 95% CI: 0.14 to 0.33); however, this became non-significant at follow-up (0.10 [95%CI -0.07 to 0.26]). Although a small benefit of CBT was evident for reducing distress (0.37: 95%CI 0.05 to 0.69), this became nonsignificant when adjusted for possible publication bias (0.18: 95%CI -0.12 to 0.48). Finally, CBTp showed no benefit for improving quality of life (0.04: 95% CI: -0.12 to 0.19). Conclusions: CBTp has a small therapeutic effect on functioning at end-of-trial, although this benefit is not evident at follow-up. Although CBTp produced a small benefit on distress, this was subject to possible publication bias and became nonsignificant when adjusted. We found no evidence that CBTp increases quality of life post-intervention.Peer reviewedFinal Published versio

Mind the Gap: Towards the Integration of Critical Gerontology in Public Library Praxis

Aging populations challenge public libraries to adapt their materials, services and programming to maximize the wellbeing and functional capacity of older adults and enhance their social participation and security. For older adult patrons using public library spaces and services, the capacity to which the public library has been able to deliver on these qualities remains unclear. In the past, libraries and library staff have been critiqued for narrowly interpreting the needs of older adults, concentrating on aging as a loss or deficit. To understand the current state of Canadian urban public library services for older adults, publically accessible texts, documents and reports made available on five public library systems’ websites were analyzed. This analysis uncovered certain gaps in adherence to key guidelines in the Canadian Library Association’s Canadian Guidelines on Library and Information Services for Older Adults and revealed a lack of integration of older adults’ own ideas and feedback for their programs and events. The incorporation of a critical gerontology approach throughout the analysis begins to elucidate this study’s findings and calls for the questioning of current conceptualizations of older adults and the library services created for them. Public libraries are uniquely poised to engage with older adults and the addition of a critical gerontology lens in library practice and research will aid in the refocusing of resources and policies to more responsively support older adults’ evolving needs

Nietzsche and the Analytics: A Reexamination of His Critique of Truth

The paper examines how two analytic scholars, Maudemarie Clark and Robert Lanier Anderson, overcame the major self-referential inconsistency in Nietzsche\u27s epistemology, which analytic scholars have long avoided. The author outlines four key interpretive issues for analytics in Nietzsche scholarship, which stem from Nietzsche\u27s writing style and from his critique of the practice of philosophy in general. The author illustrates how it is possible to overcome these particular interpretive issues by taking his concerns into consideration, and by highlighting how his concerns are compatible with analytic practices and values