Barriers and Contradictions in the Resettlement of Single Homeless People

Research in one local authority area suggests that a number of social policy difficulties and contradictions need to be resolved if single homeless people are to be resettled effectively. In particular, there are competing pressures on social housing providers, who are expected to meet the needs of socially excluded individuals while also creating sustainable communities and operating in a cost efficient manner. The government needs to clarify that meeting housing need is a priority for social landlords, and provide adequate funding for long-term support, if single homeless people are to find appropriate permanent accommodation

Variability in the reported management of pulmonary metastases in osteosarcoma.

Nearly 20% of patients with newly diagnosed osteosarcoma have detectable metastases at diagnosis; the majority of which occur in the lungs. There are no established recommendations for the timing and modality of metastasectomy. Members of the Connective Tissue Oncology Society (CTOS) were emailed an anonymous 10-min survey assessing their management practices for pulmonary findings at the time of an osteosarcoma diagnosis. The questionnaire presented three scenarios and discussed the choice to perform surgery, the timing of resection, and the choice of surgical procedure. Analyses were stratified by medical profession. One hundred and eighty-three physicians responded to our questionnaire. Respondents were comprised of orthopedic surgeons (37%), medical oncologists (31%), pediatric oncologists (22%), and other medical subspecialties (10%). There was variability among the respondents in the management of the pulmonary nodules. The majority of physicians chose to resect the pulmonary nodules following neoadjuvant chemotherapy (46-63%). Thoracotomy was the preferred technique for surgical resection. When only unilateral findings were present, the majority of physicians did not explore the contralateral lung. The majority of respondents did not recommend resection if the pulmonary nodule disappeared following chemotherapy. The survey demonstrated heterogeneity in the management of pulmonary metastases in osteosarcoma. Prospective trials need to evaluate whether these differences in management have implications for outcomes for patients with metastatic osteosarcoma

Controlling Rayleigh-Backscattering-Induced Distortion in Radio over Fiber Systems for Radioastronomic Applications

Radio over Fiber (RoF) Systems exploiting a direct modulation of the laser source are presently utilized within important Radioastronomic scenarios. Due to the particular operating conditions of some of these realizations, the phenomena which typically generate nonlinearities in RoF links for telecommunications applications can be here regarded as substantially harmless. However, these same operating conditions can make the RoF systems vulnerable to different kinds of nonlinear effects, related to the influence of the Rayleigh Backscattered signal on the transmitted one. A rigorous description of the phenomenon is performed, and an effective countermeasure to the problem is proposed and demonstrated, both theoretically and experimentally.Comment: Accepted for publication in IEEE/OSA Journal of Lightwave Technolog

Evaluation of viable dynamic treatment regimes in a sequentially randomized trial of advanced prostate cancer

We present new statistical analyses of data arising from a clinical trial designed to compare two-stage dynamic treatment regimes (DTRs) for advanced prostate cancer. The trial protocol mandated that patients be initially randomized among four chemotherapies, and that those who responded poorly be re-randomized to one of the remaining candidate therapies. The primary aim was to compare the DTRs' overall success rates, with success defined by the occurrence of successful responses in each of two consecutive courses of the patient's therapy. Of the 150 study participants, 47 did not complete their therapy as per the algorithm. However, 35 of them did so for reasons that precluded further chemotherapy, that is, toxicity and/or progressive disease. Consequently, rather than comparing the overall success rates of the DTRs in the unrealistic event that these patients had remained on their assigned chemotherapies, we conducted an analysis that compared viable switch rules defined by the per-protocol rules but with the additional provision that patients who developed toxicity or progressive disease switch to a non-prespecified therapeutic or palliative strategy. This modification involved consideration of bivariate per-course outcomes encoding both efficacy and toxicity.We used numerical scores elicited from the trial's principal investigator to quantify the clinical desirability of each bivariate per-course outcome, and defined one endpoint as their average over all courses of treatment. Two other simpler sets of scores as well as log survival time were also used as endpoints. Estimation of each DTR-specific mean score was conducted using inverse probability weighted methods that assumed that missingness in the 12 remaining dropouts was informative but explainable in that it only depended on past recorded data.We conducted additional worst-and best-case analyses to evaluate sensitivity of our findings to extreme departures from the explainable dropout assumption.Fil: Wang, Lu. University of Michigan; Estados UnidosFil: Rotnitzky, Andrea Gloria. Universidad Torcuato Di Tella. Departamento de Economía; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Lin, Xihong. Harvard University; Estados UnidosFil: Millikan, Randall. University of Texas; Estados UnidosFil: Thall, Peter. University of Texas; Estados Unido

Status of the European Green Crab in Oregon and Washington Estuaries in 2007

Prepared for the Aquatic Nuisance Species Project, Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission.A strong cohort of young European green crabs (Carcinus maenas) appeared in North American embayments from Oregon to the west coast of Vancouver Island following the strong El Niño of 1997/1998. Unusually strong north-moving coastal currents transported crab larvae from established source populations in California to the Pacific Northwest. Both coastal transport and recruitment of young green crabs have been weaker since. Although it was predicted that green crabs would become extinct in the Pacific Northwest once the original colonists died of senescence at about age six, this has not happened. Age-class analysis and the appearance of young crabs evidence the existence of local recruitment in the Pacific Northwest. Good recruitment in 2003, 2005 and 2006 is linked to warm winters and shore-ward transport in late winter and early spring when larvae are believed to be settling out from the plankton. Recruitment in 2007 was poor but the strong 2005 and 2006 cohorts will assure a larval source until 2012 when the last of these crabs will die of old age. An extensive survey by Fisheries and Oceans Canada found green crabs in all the major inlets on the west coast of Vancouver Island, but not in the inland sea between Vancouver Island and the mainland. Therefore, outreach efforts should continue to help prevent the establishment of this invader in the latter waters via ballast water or shellfish transport. Even though green crab abundance in the Pacific Northwest is still low when compared to Europe, eastern North America, Tasmania and California, it is imperative to continue monitoring efforts for two reasons: 1) to elucidate the process of range expansion and population persistence of this model non-indigenous marine species with planktonic larvae and 2) to understand the role of ocean conditions on recruitment strength in order to predict the next strong recruitment event of green crabs

Status of the European Green Crab in Oregon and Washington Estuaries in 2005

Prepared for the Aquatic Nuisance Species Project, Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission.The recent invasion of Pacific Northwest estuaries by the European green crab, Carcinus maenas, caused much initial alarm. Following the last El Niño of 1997-98, a strong cohort of young green crabs appeared in estuaries along the coasts of Oregon, Washington, and as far north as Port Eliza on the west coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Unusually strong northward-moving coastal currents (up to 50 km/day from September 1997 to April 1998) must have transported green crab larvae from more established source populations in California to the Northwest. Coastal transport events and recruitment of young green crabs have been much weaker in recent years. It was hoped that green crabs would go extinct in the Pacific Northwest estuaries once the original colonists reached the end of their life span of 4-6 years and no new larvae arrived from California. This has not happened. Local recruitment has occurred most years since 1998. Recruitment strength is linked to winter temperatures: cold winters (2002) result in poor recruitment while warm winters (2003 and 2005), in good recruitment. As the 1998 year class dropped out of the population, it was replaced by the 2003 year class as the most dominant one. It was found it in the Coquille, Coos, Yaquina, Netarts Tillamook and Willapa Bay estuaries as well as on the northwest coast of Vancouver Island. Even though the 2003 year class was an order of magnitude less abundant than the 1998 one, it produced sufficient recruits in 2005 to maintain the Oregon and Washington satellite population. There can be a substantial time lag between the discovery of an exotic species and its impact on the native community. For example, green crabs were documented to exist in New England in 1817, but it was not until the 1950’s when this species expanded its range and increased in abundance sufficiently to impact the soft-shelled clam populations in Massachusetts, Maine and Nova Scotia. Even though green crab abundance in the Pacific Northwest is low when compared to Europe, eastern North America, Tasmania and California, it is imperative to continue monitoring efforts for two reasons: 1) to elucidate the process of range expansion and population persistence of this model non-indigenous marine species with planktonic larvae and 2) to understand the role of ocean conditions on recruitment in order to predict the next strong recruitment event of green crabs. Efforts to educate the general public, including boaters and shellfish growers, not to transport non-native Aquatic Nuisance Species from one area to another should continue to prevent the establishment of the green crab in the inland sea between Vancouver Island and the mainland, including Puget Sound and Hood Canal

Status of the European Green Crab in Oregon and Washington Estuaries in 2008

Prepared for the Aquatic Nuisance Species Project, Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission.A strong cohort of young European green crabs (Carcinus maenas) appeared in North American embayments from Oregon to the west coast of Vancouver Island following the strong El Niño of 1997/1998. Unusually strong north-moving coastal currents transported crab larvae from established source populations in California to the Pacific Northwest. Both coastal transport and recruitment of young green crabs have been weaker since. Although it was predicted that green crabs would become extinct in the Pacific Northwest once the original colonists died of senescence at about age six, this has not happened. Age-class analysis and the appearance of young crabs evidence the existence of local recruitment in the Pacific Northwest. Good recruitment in 2003, 2005 and 2006 is linked to warm winters and shore-ward transport in late winter and early spring when larvae are believed to be settling out from the plankton. Recruitment in 2007 and 2008 was poor in Oregon and Washington, but the strong 2005 and 2006 cohorts assure a larval source until 2012 when the last of these crabs will die of old age. An extensive survey by Fisheries and Oceans Canada found green crabs in all the major inlets on the west coast of Vancouver Island, but none in the inland sea between Vancouver Island and the mainland nor north of Vancouver Island. Therefore, outreach efforts should continue to help prevent the establishment of this invader in the inland waters via ballast water or shellfish transport. Even though green crab abundance in the Pacific Northwest is still low when compared to Europe, eastern North America, Tasmania and California, it is imperative to continue monitoring efforts for two reasons: 1) to elucidate the process of range expansion and population persistence of this model non-indigenous marine species with planktonic larvae and 2) to understand the role of ocean conditions on recruitment strength in order to predict the next strong recruitment event of green crabs

Status of the European Green Crab in Oregon and Washington Estuaries in 2010

Prepared for the Aquatic Nuisance Species Project, Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission.Once a non-native species arrives and survives in an area, its long-term persistence depends on its recruitment success. If conditions are not favorable for recruitment it will ultimately disappear. The European green crab (Carcinus maenas) has a six-year life span and has persisted at low densities in Oregon and Washington coastal estuaries for the past 13 years. After the arrival of the strong founding year class of 1998, significant self-recruitment to the Oregon and Washington populations occurred only in 2003, 2005 and 2006. Warm winter water temperatures, high Pacific Decadal Oscillation and Multivariate ENSO (El Niño Southern Oscillation) Indices for March, late spring transitions and weak southward shelf currents in March and April are all correlated with the these strong year classes (Behrens Yamada and Kosro 2010). Cold winter water temperatures, low Pacific Decadal Oscillation Indices, early spring transitions and strong southward (and offshore) currents in March and April are linked to year class failure. Right now, green crabs are still too rare to exert a measurable effect on the native benthic community and on shellfish culture in Oregon and Washington. However, this could change if ocean conditions were to switch to a high PDO and strong El Niño patterns. For example, green crabs were first documented in New England in 1817, but it took over 100 years for their numbers to build up to a level to decimate the soft-shelled clam industry during the 1950’s when warm ocean conditions prevailed. Extensive surveys by Fisheries and Oceans Canada found green crabs in all the major inlets on the west coast of Vancouver Island, but so far none have been discovered in the inland sea between Vancouver Island and the mainland nor north of Vancouver Island. Therefore, outreach efforts should continue to help prevent the establishment of this invader in the inland waters via ballast water, shellfish transport or other human-mediated vectors. Even though green crab abundance in the Pacific Northwest is still low when compared to Europe, eastern North America, Tasmania and California, it is imperative to continue monitoring efforts for two reasons: 1) to elucidate the process of range expansion and population persistence of this model non-indigenous marine species with planktonic larvae and 2) to predict the arrival of strong year classes from ocean conditions and alert managers and shellfish growers of possible increases in predation pressure from this invader

Status of the European Green Crab in Oregon and Washington Estuaries in 2015

The European green crab (Carcinus maenas) has a six-year life span and has persisted at low densities in Oregon and Washington coastal estuaries since the late 1990’s. After the arrival of a strong year class in 1998, significant recruitment to the Oregon and Washington populations occurred only in 2003, 2005, 2006, 2010 and 2015. Warm winter water temperatures, high Pacific Decadal Oscillation and Multivariate ENSO (El Niño Southern Oscillation) Indices, weak southward shelf currents in March and April and a high abundance of southern copepods are all correlated with strong year classes and vice versa (Behrens Yamada Peterson and Kosro 2015). Right now, green crabs are still too rare to exert measurable effects on the native benthic community and on shellfish culture in Oregon and Washington. However, this could change if a high PDO and strong El Niño patterns were to persist. For example, green crabs were first documented in New England in 1817, but it took warm ocean conditions during the 1950’s for their numbers to build to a level at which they decimated the soft-shelled clam industry in Maine. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Canada found green crabs in all the major inlets on the west coast of Vancouver Island and around Bella Bella on the Central Coast, but so far none have been discovered in the inland sea between Vancouver Island and the mainland. Therefore, outreach efforts should continue to prevent the establishment of this invader in these inland waters via ballast water, shellfish transport or other human-mediated vectors. Even though green crab abundance in Oregon and Washington is still low when compared to Europe, eastern North America, Tasmania, California and the west coast of Vancouver Island, it is imperative to continue monitoring efforts for two reasons: 1) to elucidate the process of range expansion and population persistence of this model nonindigenous marine species with planktonic larvae, and 2) to predict the arrival of strong year classes from ocean conditions and alert managers and shellfish growers of possible increases in predation pressure from this invader

Status of the European Green Crab in Oregon and Washington Estuaries Final Report November 2006

Prepared for Aquatic Nuisance Species Project, Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission.Following the last El Niño of 1997-98, a strong cohort of young green crabs appeared in estuaries along the coasts of Oregon, Washington, and on the west coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Unusually strong northward-moving coastal currents (up to 50 km/day from September 1997 to April 1998) must have transported green crab larvae from more established source populations in California to the Northwest. Coastal transport events have been much weaker in recent years. It was hoped that green crabs would go extinct in the Pacific Northwest once the original colonists reached the end of their life span of 6 years and no new larvae arrived from California. From 2002 to 2004 green crab catches in Oregon and Washington were only around 7 crabs per 100 traps. However, this population size appears to be large enough to keep the population from going extinct. Local recruitment has occurred in Oregon and Washington estuaries and inlets on the west coast of Vancouver Island. Good recruitment in 2003, 2005 and 2006 is linked to warm winters and shore-ward transport in late winter/early spring when larvae are believed to be settling out from the plankton. The 2005 and 2006 year-classes are now the dominant cohorts in the Pacific Northwest, thus assuring a larval source until 2012 when the last of these crabs will die of old age. Even though green crab abundance in the Pacific Northwest is still low when compared to Europe, eastern North America, Tasmania and California, it is imperative to continue monitoring efforts for two reasons: 1) to elucidate the process of range expansion and population persistence of this model non-indigenous marine species with planktonic larvae and 2) to understand the role of ocean conditions on recruitment strength in order to predict the next strong recruitment event of green crabs. Outreach efforts to educate the general public, including boaters and shellfish growers, not to transport non-native Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) from one area to another should continue. Such efforts could delay the spread and establishment of the green crab in the inland sea between Vancouver Island and the mainland, including Puget Sound and Hood Canal