Findings from the DUMA program: drink and drug driving among police detainees

This paper finds that detainees do perceive a risk related to drink and drug driving, in terms of impairment in driving ability and potential detection by police. These conditions are likely to result in deterrence from drink and drug driving for some detainees. Introduction In Australia, random breath testing (RBT) was introduced in the mid-1970s to detect drivers under the influence of alcohol. This resulted in a reduction in fatal crashes and alcohol-related traffic accidents across Australia. The success of RBT can be explained through the classic deterrence doctrine, which suggests that decision-making is influenced by the perception of whether the benefits of the crime outweigh the risks of being caught. The introduction of RBT arguably increased the perceived and real risk of being caught, which positively influenced individuals’ decisions to refrain from driving while intoxicated. Following the successful implementation of RBT, between 2004 (in Victoria) and 2011 (in the Australian Capital Territory), random roadside drug testing (RRDT) was introduced across Australia. The aim of RRDT was to deter drug driving, decreasing both the prevalence of drug driving and the associated harms. In 2013, data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) indicated that drug driving and drink driving had been engaged in by more than one in 10 Australians (16% and 12% respectively) surveyed during the previous 12 months. Rates of drug driving are even higher in populations where illicit drug use is common, such as among police detainees, where 65 percent of detainees surveyed reported driving while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs in the previous 12 months. Examining perceptions of risk of drug driving, in terms of both being caught and legitimacy (perceptions of impairment to driving ability), will identify whether the preconditions exist to support drug driving deterrence through RRDT

Investigating the impact of transcription on mutation rates

tRNA genes are highly transcribed and perform one of the most fundamental cellular functions. Although a universal pattern observed across all three domains of life is that highly transcribed genes tend to evolve slowly, tRNA genes have been shown previously to evolve rapidly. This rapid sequence evolution could result from relaxed selection, increased mutation rate, or a combination of both. Here, we use mutation-accumulation line sequencing data to show that tRNA genes accumulate more mutations than other gene types. Our results indicate that this elevated mutation rate is a consequence of both elevated transcription-associated mutagenesis and a lack of transcription-coupled repair in tRNA genes. We also identify the gene MSH2 as being involved in transcription-coupled repair

SUBLETHAL EFFECTS OF DIETARY SELENOMETHIONINE ON JUVENILE WHITE STURGEON (ACIPENSER TRANSMONTANUS)

Sturgeon are an ancient family of fish comprised of 26 known species, most of which are threatened or endangered. Populations of white sturgeon (WS; Acipenser transmontanus), which are endemic to western North America, have been declining since the 1800’s due to overharvesting, habitat alteration and increased contaminant loads from industrial and agricultural activities. The longevity, benthic lifestyle and late sexual maturation might make WS particularly susceptible to bioaccumulative toxicants, such as selenium (Se). Although Se is an essential micronutrient, it can be toxic to aquatic organisms at low concentrations and it is prevalent in surface waters due to various sources, including natural weathering of rocks and soil, agricultural runoff, discharge from mining and milling operations, and fossil fuel combustion. One organic form of Se, selenomethionine (SeMet), is a particular environmental concern due to its ability to persist and bioaccumulate through the food chain. Selenomethionine is known to persist in some WS habitats and it has been detected in their tissues and prey at concentrations above dietary and tissue toxicity thresholds. Selenomethionine can adversely affect a range of physiological processes in fish, including the physiological stress response; however, studies assessing the sensitivity of WS to SeMet are limited and the effects of SeMet on their physiological stress response are unknown. While oxidative stress has been hypothesized as one of the primary mechanisms of SeMet toxicity in teleosts, the mechanisms leading to adverse effects in WS are poorly understood. Therefore, the goal of this research was to expand the understanding of WS sensitivity to SeMet by assessing sublethal effects of dietary SeMet exposure, including effects on their ability to mount a stress response. As well as to provide insight into potential pathways of SeMet toxicity in WS, by linking molecular responses to adverse whole organism effects observed in a parallel study. Juvenile WS were fed either a control diet containing 1.4 μg Se/g dry mass (dm), or a spiked diet containing 5.6, 22.4 and 104.4 μg Se/g dm, for 72 d. Effects of SeMet on the cortisol stress response were evaluated by subjecting fish to a 2 min handling stressor on the final exposure day, followed by quantifying concentrations of cortisol, glucose and lactate in blood plasma, and glycogen levels in muscle and liver tissue. Furthermore, abundances of transcripts of genes along the hypothalamus-pituitary-interrenal (HPI) axis were analyzed using qPCR. RNA- seq analysis was conducted on liver samples from control and medium dosed fish, collected on day 10 of the exposure, to assess transcriptional responses and identify physiological processes that might be adversely impacted by SeMet. Exposure to dietary SeMet for 72 d did not impact the ability of WS to mount a cortisol response to an acute handling stressor; however, this response could only be assessed in the low and medium dose fish due to high mortalities in the high dose group. There was some indication that the medium dose of SeMet altered the ability of WS to utilize muscle glycogen for energy, following exposure to the acute handling stressor. Basal levels of plasma cortisol, glucose, lactate, and liver glycogen were significantly altered in the high dose fish. RNA-seq analysis identified 178 and 147 transcripts that were significantly down- and up- regulated, respectively. Biological pathways associated with the differentially expressed transcripts were analyzed through ClueGO, a Cytoscape plug-in. Selenomethionine altered several physiological processes, but the majority were involved with the regulation of energy, cholesterol/lipid and protein metabolism. Alterations in these pathways appeared to be associated with reduced hepatic energy stores and growth, as well as increased edema and mortality observed in WS by the end of the exposure. Overall, the results of this research indicate that WS are sensitive to dietary SeMet at concentrations greater than or equal to 22.4 μg/g dm based on the biochemical and molecular endpoints assessed in this research. Effects on energy, cholesterol/lipid and protein metabolism likely play an important role in the development of SeMet toxicity in WS and should be investigated in future studies. WS also appear to respond differently to SeMet from other fishes, as seen by the lack of effects on their stress response at lower concentrations, the lower magnitude cortisol response, and the development of edema at low concentrations. These differences highlight that cross-species extrapolations in regard to the toxicity of SeMet in fishes, cannot always be made, and this should be considered in future environmental risk assessments for Se

Descartes on the errors of the senses

Descartes first invokes the errors of the senses in the Meditations to generate doubt; he suggests that because the senses sometimes deceive, we have reason not to trust them. This use of sensory error to fuel a sceptical argument fits a traditional interpretation of the Meditations as a work concerned with finding a form of certainty that is proof against any sceptical doubt. If we focus instead on Descartes’s aim of using the Meditations to lay foundations for his new science, his appeals to sensory error take on a different aspect. Descartes’s new science is based on ideas innate in the intellect, ideas that are validated by the benevolence of our creator. Appeals to sensory error are useful to him in undermining our naïve faith in the senses and guiding us to an appreciation of the innate ideas. However, the errors of the senses pose problems in the context of Descartes’s appeals to God’s goodness to validate innate ideas and natural propensities to belief. A natural tendency to sensory error is hard to reconcile with the benevolence of our creator. This paper explores Descartes’s responses to the problems of theodicy posed by various forms of sensory error. It argues that natural judgements involved in our visual perception of distance, size and shape pose a problem of error that resists his usual solutions

Impact of a Culturally Appropriate Nutrition Intervention on Latinos in Central Ohio

Human Ecology Undergraduate Honors Research ScholarshipThis study evaluates the effectiveness of a community based nutrition intervention for low-income Latinos in central Ohio. The Healthy Latino Families Program (HLFP) included healthy cooking and nutrition classes, and aerobic workouts for 20 weeks. In order to measure dietary intake improvements, a 22-item Spanish version food behavior checklist was administered to 53 Latino families before and after participation. Bi-variate analyses indicated a significant improvement for most items. Consumption of fruit per day increased for adults (p<0.001) and both adults and children reported eating more varieties of fruits (p<0.01). Three times as many adults began using food labels to select foods (p=0.0001) and the number of adults and children choosing low-fat food increased (p<0.01). The number of adults and children consuming soft drinks was cut in half (p<0.01). Our findings show that the intervention improved self reported food behavior in adults and children of this population. Future research should evaluate similar intervention programs for effectiveness, and incorporate more incentives to attend weekly classes. Funded by: the Ohio Commission on Minorities Health, the Department of Human Nutrition, and Centro Esperanza Latina.Ohio Commission on Minorities HealthOSU Department of Human NutritionCentro Esperanza LatinaNo embarg

North Carolina\u27s 1981 Waste Management Act and Its Impact on Local Governments: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

This comment will analyze the provisions of the Act which affect local governments by restricting local acts and local ordinances. Further, this comment will examine the constitutionality of the Act as well as the remaining powers for local governments. Other states have chosen to preempt or accomodate local legislation. This comment will examine such provisions in four other states, California, Michigan, New Jersey, and New York