Experimentally Investigating Water Aerosol Formation Via Alpha Radiation in a Humid Nitrogen Atmosphere

This project aims to verify the formation of water aerosols induced by an ionizing radiation source in a Nitrogen atmosphere with various levels of humidity. This work is part of an effort to characterize the overall signature of ionizing radiation in Earth’s typical atmosphere. By signature, it is meant all the chemical reactions and physical processes that take place between Earth’s atmosphere and the ionizing radiation. This signature can potentially be used to identify a radiation source out in the field. The identification of a radiation source could potentially be used in a variety of defense applications. To characterize this signature, Cavity Ring Down Spectroscopy is used. This is a method in spectroscopy which can be used to quantify the optical absorption or scattering caused by various species present in a larger gas sample. This is done by measuring the time it takes for different samples to absorb or scatter a light beam with a known wavelength. By identifying the formation of water aerosols via an ionizing source in an environment that resembles our own, the concentration and formation rate of these water aerosols can be later determined. This information will then be added to the overall working model for the signature of ionizing radiation left in the Earth’s atmosphere

Review: Marcia Resnick: As It Is or Could Be

Book review by Marcia Resnick: As It Is or Could Be by Frank H. Goodyear III et al. Yale University Press, March 2022. 208 p. ill. ISBN 978-0-300-25465-5 (h/c), $50.00. Reviewed May 2022 by Claire Payne, Web Services and Data Librarian, Stony Brook University, [email protected]

Collaborating for Success: A Case Study on Mentoring, Partnering, and Teaching

Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) graduates seeking employment in academic libraries are often expected to possess user instruction and public service skills. However, it is difficult for students to achieve this experience through coursework alone. To address this disconnect, librarians at the University of Maryland (UMD) College Park Libraries created a Research and Teaching Fellowship to allow MLIS students at UMD to gain practical instruction experience. The authors present the experience of one MLIS student in collaboration with a subject librarian and a faculty member to plan, implement, and assess an information literacy instruction session for an undergraduate course in public health. The article discusses the benefits of mentoring for the MLIS student and subject liaison librarian, and the impact on the undergraduate student learning. This article addresses a gap in the literature on opportunities for MLIS students to gain instruction, collaboration, and assessment experience by presenting a successful model in place at UMD

Skeletal muscle mitochondrial dysfunction in contemporary antiretroviral therapy: a single cell analysis

OBJECTIVE: To quantify mitochondrial function in skeletal muscle of people treated with contemporary antiretroviral therapy. DESIGN: Cross-sectional observational study. METHODS: Quantitative multiplex immunofluorescence was performed to determine mitochondrial mass and respiratory chain complex abundance in individual myofibres from tibialis anterior biopsies. Individual myofibres were captured by laser microdissection and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) content and large-scale deletions were measured by real-time PCR. RESULTS: Forty five antiretroviral therapy (ART) treated people with HIV (PWH, mean age 58 years, mean duration of ART 125 months) were compared with 15 HIV negative age-matched controls. Mitochondrial complex I (CI) deficiency was observed at higher proportional levels in PWH than negative controls (P = 0.008). Myofibre mitochondrial mass did not differ by HIV status.No ART class was significantly associated with mitochondrial deficiency, including prior exposure to historical NRTIs (nucleoside analogue reverse transcriptase inhibitors) associated with systemic mitochondrial toxicity.To exclude an effect of untreated HIV, we also studied skeletal muscle from 13 ART-naïve PWH (mean age 37). These showed negligible CI defects, as well as comparable myofibre mitochondrial mass to ART-treated PWH.Most CI-deficient myofibres contained mtDNA deletions. No mtDNA depletion was detected. CONCLUSION: Here, we show that PWH treated with contemporary ART have mitochondrial dysfunction in skeletal muscle, exceeding that expected due to age alone. Surprisingly, this was not mediated by prior exposure to mitochondrially toxic NRTIs, suggesting novel mechanisms of mitochondrial dysfunction in contemporary ART-treated PWH. These findings are relevant for better understanding successful ageing in PWH

The Role of Life Experiences on Perceptions of Leisure During Adulthood: A Longitudinal Analysis

19 pagesThis study examined the life experiences of adults and their effect on perceptions of leisure. Data for this study came from A Study of Leisure during Adulthood (ASOLDA), a 10-year study of the values, attitudes, and perceived freedom in leisure of 84 adults. Individual growth curve modeling was used to explore patterns and change within leisure domains for the sample. Life structure predicted adults’ perceived freedom in leisure while life events were predictive of adults’ leisure attitudes. Data from interviews were used to supplement the survey data to provide a better understanding of the predictors of leisure perceptions in this study

Restoration Plan for Sharp-Tailed Grouse Recovery in Western Montana

Sharp-tailed grouse are abundant east of the continental divide in Montana, however western populations were extirpated during the last century.  Previous translocations of sharp-tailed grouse to prevent the collapse of western populations were unsuccessful.  Interest in restoring sharp-tailed grouse to western Montana has persisted and spurred preliminary habitat evaluations of potential restoration sites. However, information is needed to inform recovery goals and develop a restoration program for the species in western Montana.  At the request of Montana FWP, we developed a restoration plan that 1) evaluates the potential of identified restoration sites to support a reintroduced population of sharp-tailed grouse, and 2) describe actions needed to establish and manage a successful reintroduction of populations in western Montana. Our analyses of ecological and demographic requirements, suitability of available and potential habitat conditions, and population viability of sharptailed grouse indicated that a viable population of sharp-tailed grouse is likely not possible at identified recovery sites under current habitat conditions.  However, population restoration in western Montana is possible with a concerted and sustained effort by multiple entities, and that the most suitable site for initial recovery efforts is within the Blackfoot Valley.  We identified habitat limitations that should be addressed prior to reintroductions and developed prescriptions for population translocations and recovery, including protocols that minimize translocation-related mortalities, reduce movements away from the initial release sites, facilitate the quick establishments of leks, and assure sufficient genetic variation of founders to prevent genetic bottlenecks and inbreeding

Significance testing testate amoeba water table reconstructions

Transfer functions are valuable tools in palaeoecology, but their output may not always be meaningful. A recently-developed statistical test ('randomTF') offers the potential to distinguish among reconstructions which are more likely to be useful, and those less so. We applied this test to a large number of reconstructions of peatland water table depth based on testate amoebae. Contrary to our expectations, a substantial majority (25 of 30) of these reconstructions gave non-significant results (P > 0.05). The underlying reasons for this outcome are unclear. We found no significant correlation between randomTF P-value and transfer function performance, the properties of the training set and reconstruction, or measures of transfer function fit. These results give cause for concern but we believe it would be extremely premature to discount the results of non-significant reconstructions. We stress the need for more critical assessment of transfer function output, replication of results and ecologically-informed interpretation of palaeoecological data