Disarticulation and Dissolution of Crab Remains Across a Depth Gradient in the Bahamas: A Taphonomic Study

The fields of Paleontology and Paleoecology would not be complete without taphonomy, the study of the processes affecting organisms between death and fossilization. Taphonomy is important because it allows us to make more complete conjectures about prehistoric organisms and environments, and makes us aware of possible holes and biases in the fossil record due to highly destructive processes or the loss of delicate, non-resistant organisms. Studies on the processes affecting modern organisms have contributed greatly to the understanding of ancient processes; however, most of these studies are nearshore and short-term. What is lacking is information on the effects of these factors over long periods of time, and to depths below 50 meters. To gain more information about long-term effects, the Shelf and Slope Experimental Taphonomy Initiative (SSETI) has deployed sets of crabs, molluscs, urchins, and wood on a variety of substrates at depths from 15 to 300 meters in the Bahamas. Sample groups have been collected every few years for the last six years, and are compared to control sets. My research focuses specifically on the crabs, species Callinectes sapidus, from experimental sites in the Bahamas. The crab remains display a wide range of breakage, dissolution and disarticulation, varying by depth. To determine the effects of depth and environment on the crab remains, changes in size, mass, and surface condition of each of the specimens was documented and the results were analyzed for trends across a depth gradient. Scanning electron microscope analysis of carapace surface conditions was conducted to determine the degree of dissolution of each specimen. The crabs were reduced to disarticulated chelipeds, mandibles, and carapace fragments within one year in most environments, and the outer surfaces of the remains show near-complete loss of pigmentation, and microscopic pitting. Although the sample sizes in this experiment are fairly small, a trend of better preservation in the middle depths and worse preservation at shallow and deep sites was found. Since this taphonomic trend exists, the information gleaned from this study may prove to be useful in accurately identifying the depth ranges in which fossil assemblages were created

Disarticulation and Dissolution of Crab Remains Across a Depth Gradient in the Bahamas: A Taphonomic Study

The fields of Paleontology and Paleoecology would not be complete without taphonomy, the study of the processes affecting organisms between death and fossilization. Taphonomy is important because it allows us to make more complete conjectures about prehistoric organisms and environments, and makes us aware of possible holes and biases in the fossil record due to highly destructive processes or the loss of delicate, non-resistant organisms. Studies on the processes affecting modern organisms have contributed greatly to the understanding of ancient processes; however, most of these studies are nearshore and short-term. What is lacking is information on the effects of these factors over long periods of time, and to depths below 50 meters. To gain more information about long-term effects, the Shelf and Slope Experimental Taphonomy Initiative (SSETI) has deployed sets of crabs, molluscs, urchins, and wood on a variety of substrates at depths from 15 to 300 meters in the Bahamas. Sample groups have been collected every few years for the last six years, and are compared to control sets. My research focuses specifically on the crabs, species Callinectes sapidus, from experimental sites in the Bahamas. The crab remains display a wide range of breakage, dissolution and disarticulation, varying by depth. To determine the effects of depth and environment on the crab remains, changes in size, mass, and surface condition of each of the specimens was documented and the results were analyzed for trends across a depth gradient. Scanning electron microscope analysis of carapace surface conditions was conducted to determine the degree of dissolution of each specimen. The crabs were reduced to disarticulated chelipeds, mandibles, and carapace fragments within one year in most environments, and the outer surfaces of the remains show near-complete loss of pigmentation, and microscopic pitting. Although the sample sizes in this experiment are fairly small, a trend of better preservation in the middle depths and worse preservation at shallow and deep sites was found. Since this taphonomic trend exists, the information gleaned from this study may prove to be useful in accurately identifying the depth ranges in which fossil assemblages were created

A life in progress: motion and emotion in the autobiography of Robert M. La Follette

This article is a study of a La Follette’s Autobiography, the autobiography of the leading Wisconsin progressive Robert M. La Follette, which was published serially in 1911 and, in book form, in 1913. Rather than focusing, as have other historians, on which parts of La Follette’s account are accurate and can therefore be trusted, it explains instead why and how this major autobiography was conceived and written. The article shows that the autobiography was the product of a sustained, complex, and often fraught series of collaborations among La Follette’s family, friends, and political allies, and in the process illuminates the importance of affective ties as well as political ambition and commitment in bringing the project to fruition. In the world of progressive reform, it argues, personal and political experiences were inseparable

Assessing the cost of global biodiversity and conservation knowledge

Knowledge products comprise assessments of authoritative information supported by stan-dards, governance, quality control, data, tools, and capacity building mechanisms. Considerable resources are dedicated to developing and maintaining knowledge productsfor biodiversity conservation, and they are widely used to inform policy and advise decisionmakers and practitioners. However, the financial cost of delivering this information is largelyundocumented. We evaluated the costs and funding sources for developing and maintain-ing four global biodiversity and conservation knowledge products: The IUCN Red List ofThreatened Species, the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems, Protected Planet, and the WorldDatabase of Key Biodiversity Areas. These are secondary data sets, built on primary datacollected by extensive networks of expert contributors worldwide. We estimate that US$160million (range: US$116–204 million), plus 293 person-years of volunteer time (range: 278–308 person-years) valued at US$14 million (range US$12–16 million), were invested inthese four knowledge products between 1979 and 2013. More than half of this financingwas provided through philanthropy, and nearly three-quarters was spent on personnelcosts. The estimated annual cost of maintaining data and platforms for three of these knowl-edge products (excluding the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems for which annual costs were notpossible to estimate for 2013) is US$6.5 million in total (range: US$6.2–6.7 million). We esti-mated that an additional US$114 million will be needed to reach pre-defined baselines ofdata coverage for all the four knowledge products, and that once achieved, annual mainte-nance costs will be approximately US$12 million. These costs are much lower than those tomaintain many other, similarly important, global knowledge products. Ensuring that biodi-versity and conservation knowledge products are sufficiently up to date, comprehensiveand accurate is fundamental to inform decision-making for biodiversity conservation andsustainable development. Thus, the development and implementation of plans for sustain-able long-term financing for them is critical

Applied public health research - falling through the cracks?

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>There is a degree of dissonance between the types of evaluative research required by organisations providing or commissioning health care, those recommended by organisations developing evidence-based guidance, and those which research funding bodies are prepared to support.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We present a case study of efforts to establish a pragmatic but robust evaluation of local exercise referral schemes. We considered the epidemiological, ethical and practical advantages and disadvantages of a number of study designs and applied for research funding based on an uncontrolled design, outlining the difficulties of carrying out a randomised controlled trial to evaluate an existing service.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Our proposal was praised for its relevance and clear patient outcomes, but the application was twice rejected because both funders and reviewers insisted on a randomised controlled trial design, which we had found to be impractical, unacceptable to service users and potentially unethical.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The case study highlights continuing challenges for applied public health research in the current funding climate.</p

Evaluation of a Heat Vulnerability Index on Abnormally Hot Days: An Environmental Public Health Tracking Study

Background: Extreme hot weather conditions have been associated with increased morbidity and mortality, but risks are not evenly distributed throughout the population. Previously, a heat vulnerability index (HVI) was created to geographically locate populations with increased vulnerability to heat in metropolitan areas throughout the United States

Understanding service users’ and therapists’ experiences of pharmacological treatment for sexual preoccupation and/or hypersexuality in incarcerated sex offenders

This research comprises two qualitative studies understanding the experiences of 1) convicted sex offenders voluntarily receiving pharmacological treatment to reduce sexual preoccupation and 2) therapists working with these offenders. The studies form part of a research programme evaluating the use of pharmacological treatment with sexual offenders. In study one, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 sexual offenders receiving selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). In study two, interviews were conducted with eight intervention staff with varying levels of experience of working with offenders taking anti-libidinals. Thematic analysis was used and in study one, two main themes emerged: (i) the impact of the pharmacological treatment on prisoners’ daily functioning; (ii) barriers to compliance/engagement. In study two, three main themes emerged: (i) offenders’ reluctance to engage with pharmacological treatment; (ii) challenges for therapists; (iii) pharmacology: ‘just another piece of the puzzle’. Findings are discussed in relation to practice and future research

Screening for type 2 diabetes and population mortality over 10 years (ADDITION-Cambridge): a cluster-randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The increasing prevalence of type 2 diabetes poses a major public health challenge. Population-based screening and early treatment for type 2 diabetes could reduce this growing burden. However, uncertainty persists around the benefits of screening for type 2 diabetes. We assessed the effect of a population-based stepwise screening programme on mortality. METHODS: In a pragmatic parallel group, cluster-randomised trial, 33 general practices in eastern England were randomly assigned by the method of minimisation in an unbalanced design to: screening followed by intensive multifactorial treatment for people diagnosed with diabetes (n=15); screening plus routine care of diabetes according to national guidelines (n=13); and a no-screening control group (n=5). The study population consisted of 20,184 individuals aged 40-69 years (mean 58 years), at high risk of prevalent undiagnosed diabetes, on the basis of a previously validated risk score. In screening practices, individuals were invited to a stepwise programme including random capillary blood glucose and glycated haemoglobin (HbA(1c)) tests, a fasting capillary blood glucose test, and a confirmatory oral glucose tolerance test. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality. All participants were flagged for mortality surveillance by the England and Wales Office of National Statistics. Analysis was by intention-to-screen and compared all-cause mortality rates between screening and control groups. This study is registered, number ISRCTN86769081. FINDINGS: Of 16,047 high-risk individuals in screening practices, 15,089 (94%) were invited for screening during 2001-06, 11,737 (73%) attended, and 466 (3%) were diagnosed with diabetes. 4137 control individuals were followed up. During 184,057 person-years of follow up (median duration 9·6 years [IQR 8·9-9·9]), there were 1532 deaths in the screening practices and 377 in control practices (mortality hazard ratio [HR] 1·06, 95% CI 0·90-1·25). We noted no significant reduction in cardiovascular (HR 1·02, 95% CI 0·75-1·38), cancer (1·08, 0·90-1·30), or diabetes-related mortality (1·26, 0·75-2·10) associated with invitation to screening. INTERPRETATION: In this large UK sample, screening for type 2 diabetes in patients at increased risk was not associated with a reduction in all-cause, cardiovascular, or diabetes-related mortality within 10 years. The benefits of screening might be smaller than expected and restricted to individuals with detectable disease. FUNDING: Wellcome Trust; UK Medical Research Council; National Health Service research and development support; UK National Institute for Health Research; University of Aarhus, Denmark; Bio-Rad

Fish Consumption and Mercury Exposure among Louisiana Recreational Anglers

Ba c k g r o u n d: Methylmercury (MeHg) exposure assessments among average fish consumers in the United States may underestimate exposures among U.S. subpopulations with high intakes of region-ally specific fish. obj e c t i v e s: We examined relationships among fish consumption, estimated mercury (Hg) intake, and measured Hg exposure within one such potentially highlyexposed group, recreational anglers in the state of Louisiana, USA. Me t h o d s: We surveyed 534 anglers in 2006 using interviews at boat launches and fishing tourna-ments combined with an Internet-based survey method. Hair samples from 402 of these anglers were collected and analyzed for total Hg. Questionnaires provided information on species-specific fish consumption during the 3 months before the survey. re s u l t s: Anglers’ median hairHg concentration was 0.81 μg/g (n = 398; range, 0.02–10.7 μg/g);40% of participants had levels >1 μg/g, which approximately corresponds to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s reference dose. Fish consumption and Hg intake were significantly positively associated with hairHg. Participants reported consuming nearly 80 different fish types, many of which are specific to the region. Unlike the general U.S. population, which acquires most of its Hg from commercial seafood sources, approximately 64% of participants’ fish meals and 74% of their estimated Hg intake came from recreationally caught seafood. co n c l u s i o n s: Study participants had relatively elevated hairHg concentrations and reported con-sumption of a wide variety of fish, particularly locally caught fish. This group represents a highlyexposed subpopulation with an exposure profile that differs from fish consumers in other regions of the United States, suggesting a need for more regionallyspecific exposure estimates and public health advisories.ISSN:1552-9924ISSN:0091-676