Long-term impact of sewage sludge application on soil microbial biomass: An evaluation using meta-analysis

The Long-Term Sludge Experiments (LTSE) began in 1994 as part of continuing research into the effects of sludge-borne heavy metals on soil fertility. The long-term effects of Zn, Cu, and Cd on soil microbial biomass carbon (Cmic) were monitored for 8 years (1997-2005) in sludge amended soils at nine UK field sites. To assess the statutory limits set by the UK Sludge (Use in Agriculture) Regulations the experimental data has been reviewed using the statistical methods of meta-analysis. Previous LTSE studies have focused predominantly on statistical significance rather than effect size, whereas meta-analysis focuses on the magnitude and direction of an effect, i.e. the practical significance, rather than its statistical significance. The results presented here show that significant decreases in Cmic have occurred in soils where the total concentrations of Zn and Cu fall below the current UK statutory limits. For soils receiving sewage sludge predominantly contaminated with Zn, decreases of approximately 7–11% were observed at concentrations below the UK statutory limit. The effect of Zn appeared to increase over time, with increasingly greater decreases in Cmic observed over a period of 8 years. This may be due to an interactive effect between Zn and confounding Cu contamination which has augmented the bioavailability of these metals over time. Similar decreases (7–12%) in Cmic were observed in soils receiving sewage sludge predominantly contaminated with Cu; however, Cmic appeared to show of recovery after a period of 6 years. Application of sewage sludge predominantly contaminated with Cd appeared to have no effect on Cmic at concentrations below the current UK statutory limit

The Ultraviolet and Infrared Star Formation Rates of Compact Group Galaxies: An Expanded Sample

Compact groups of galaxies provide insight into the role of low-mass, dense environments in galaxy evolution because the low velocity dispersions and close proximity of galaxy members result in frequent interactions that take place over extended timescales. We expand the census of star formation in compact group galaxies by \citet{tzanavaris10} and collaborators with Swift UVOT, Spitzer IRAC and MIPS 24 \micron\ photometry of a sample of 183 galaxies in 46 compact groups. After correcting luminosities for the contribution from old stellar populations, we estimate the dust-unobscured star formation rate (SFR$_{\mathrm{UV}}$) using the UVOT uvw2photometry. Similarly, we use the MIPS 24 \micron\ photometry to estimate the component of the SFR that is obscured by dust (SFR$_{\mathrm{IR}}$). We find that galaxies which are MIR-active (MIR-"red"), also have bluer UV colours, higher specific star formation rates, and tend to lie in H~{\sc i}-rich groups, while galaxies that are MIR-inactive (MIR-"blue") have redder UV colours, lower specific star formation rates, and tend to lie in H~{\sc i}-poor groups. We find the SFRs to be continuously distributed with a peak at about 1 M$_{\odot}$ yr$^{-1}$, indicating this might be the most common value in compact groups. In contrast, the specific star formation rate distribution is bimodal, and there is a clear distinction between star-forming and quiescent galaxies. Overall, our results suggest that the specific star formation rate is the best tracer of gas depletion and galaxy evolution in compact groups.Comment: 19 pages, 17 figure

Ghost Chimneys

URL to paper listed on conference site: http://www.cs.umanitoba.ca/~cccg2010/accepted.htmlA planar point set S is an (i, t) set of ghost chimneys if there exist lines H[subscript 0],H[subscript 1],...,H[subscript t-1] such that the orthogonal projection of S onto H[subscript j] consists of exactly i + j distinct points. We give upper and lower bounds on the maximum value of t in an (i, t) set of ghost chimneys, showing that it is linear in i

From Sacred to Scientific: Epic Religion, Spectacular Science, and Charlton Heston’s Science Fiction Cinema

This paper analyses how long-1960s cinema responded to and framed public discourses surrounding religion and science. This approach allows for a discussion that extends beyond a critical study of the scholarly debates that surround the place of religion in science during a transitional period. Charlton Heston was an epic actor who went from literally playing God in The Ten Commandments (1956) to playing “god” as a messianic scientist in The Omega Man (1971). Best known for playing Moses, Heston became an unlikely science-based cinema star during the early 1970s. He was re-imagined as a scientist, but the religiosity of his established persona was inescapable. Heston and the science-based films he starred in capitalized upon the utopian promises of real science, and also the fears of the vocal activist counterculture. Planet of the Apes (1968), Omega Man (1971), Soylent Green (1973), and other science-based films made between 1968-1977 were bleak countercultural warnings about excessive consumerism, uncontrolled science, nuclear armament, irreversible environmental damage, and eventual human extinction. In this paper I argue that Heston’s transition from biblical epic star to science-fiction anti-hero represents the way in which the role and interpretation of science changed in post-classical cinema. Despite the shift from religious epic to science-based spectacle, religion remained a faithful component of Hollywood output indicating the ongoing connection between science and religion in US culture. I will consider the transition from sacred to science-based narratives and how religion was utilised across the production process of films that commented upon scientific advances

BHPR research: qualitative1. Complex reasoning determines patients' perception of outcome following foot surgery in rheumatoid arhtritis

Background: Foot surgery is common in patients with RA but research into surgical outcomes is limited and conceptually flawed as current outcome measures lack face validity: to date no one has asked patients what is important to them. This study aimed to determine which factors are important to patients when evaluating the success of foot surgery in RA Methods: Semi structured interviews of RA patients who had undergone foot surgery were conducted and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis of interviews was conducted to explore issues that were important to patients. Results: 11 RA patients (9 ♂, mean age 59, dis dur = 22yrs, mean of 3 yrs post op) with mixed experiences of foot surgery were interviewed. Patients interpreted outcome in respect to a multitude of factors, frequently positive change in one aspect contrasted with negative opinions about another. Overall, four major themes emerged. Function: Functional ability & participation in valued activities were very important to patients. Walking ability was a key concern but patients interpreted levels of activity in light of other aspects of their disease, reflecting on change in functional ability more than overall level. Positive feelings of improved mobility were often moderated by negative self perception ("I mean, I still walk like a waddling duck”). Appearance: Appearance was important to almost all patients but perhaps the most complex theme of all. Physical appearance, foot shape, and footwear were closely interlinked, yet patients saw these as distinct separate concepts. Patients need to legitimize these feelings was clear and they frequently entered into a defensive repertoire ("it's not cosmetic surgery; it's something that's more important than that, you know?”). Clinician opinion: Surgeons' post operative evaluation of the procedure was very influential. The impact of this appraisal continued to affect patients' lasting impression irrespective of how the outcome compared to their initial goals ("when he'd done it ... he said that hasn't worked as good as he'd wanted to ... but the pain has gone”). Pain: Whilst pain was important to almost all patients, it appeared to be less important than the other themes. Pain was predominately raised when it influenced other themes, such as function; many still felt the need to legitimize their foot pain in order for health professionals to take it seriously ("in the end I went to my GP because it had happened a few times and I went to an orthopaedic surgeon who was quite dismissive of it, it was like what are you complaining about”). Conclusions: Patients interpret the outcome of foot surgery using a multitude of interrelated factors, particularly functional ability, appearance and surgeons' appraisal of the procedure. While pain was often noted, this appeared less important than other factors in the overall outcome of the surgery. Future research into foot surgery should incorporate the complexity of how patients determine their outcome Disclosure statement: All authors have declared no conflicts of interes