Age, growth, and reproduction of dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus) caught off the coast of North Carolina

Age, growth, and reproductive data were obtained from dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus, size range: 89 to 1451 mm fork length [FL]) collected between May 2002 and May 2004 off North Carolina. Annual increments from scales (n=541) and daily increments from sagittal otoliths (n=107) were examined; estimated von Bertalanffy parameters were L∞ (asymptotic length)=1299 mm FL and k (growth coefficient)=1.08/yr. Daily growth increments reduced much of the residual error in length-at-age estimates for age-0 dolphinfish; the estimated average growth rate was 3.78 mm/day during the first six months. Size at 50% maturity was slightly smaller for female (460 mm FL) than male (475 mm FL) dolphinfish. Based on monthly length-adjusted gonad weights, peak spawning occurs from April through July off North Carolina; back-calculated hatching dates from age-0 dolphinfish and prior reproductive studies on the east coast of Florida indicate that dolphinfish spawning occurs year round off the U.S. east coast and highest levels range from January through June. No major changes in length-at-age or size-at-maturity have occurred since the early 1960s, even after substantial increases in fishery landings

On the Road to Bioremediation of “Dioxin”

Mohammadi and Sylvestre [1] report engineering of a dioxygenase to create an enzyme that attacks dibenzofuran in the lateral position. Subsequent oxidation and a second dioxygenation produced ring-open products. All metabolites were unambiguously identified by 1H-NMR. This new pathway targets degradation of chlorinated dibenzofurans

Effect of microwave irradiation on parametric resonance in intrinsic Josephson junctions

The effect of microwave irradiation on the phase dynamics of intrinsic Josephson junctions in high temperature superconductors is investigated. We demonstrate the influence of microwave's amplitude variation on the current-voltage characteristics and on the time dependence (temporal oscillations) of the electric charge in the superconducting layers. A remarkable changing of the longitudinal plasma wavelength at parametric resonance is shown. We demonstrate an effect of the microwave radiation on the width of the parametric resonance region.Comment: 6 pages, Manuscript for PLASMA-2012 conferenc

The Effect of an Educational Handout on Knowledge, Awareness and Attitudes of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Among Participants at a Needle and Syringe Exchange Site

Background: In 2018, the total number of HIV cases in the United States was 1.2 million. Almost 186,500 of these cases were attributed to intravenous drug use. With the adherence to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) there is approximately a 49% decrease in the rates of HIV among people who inject drugs and the most significant barrier to PrEP among this population is a lack of awareness and knowledge. Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine participants’ of a needle and syringe exchange site knowledge, awareness and attitudes of PrEP after reviewing an educational handout about PrEP. Methods: A quasi experimental one-group posttest-only design was used. Participants verbally consented after reading a cover letter and were provided an educational handout about PrEP. After reviewing, participants completed a post-survey. The sample included 33 participants who presented to the clinic on the two days of data collection. Results: Almost half of participants (45%) had never heard of PREP and 73% learned something new about PrEP from the educational handout. Although only 21% were interested in taking PrEP and only 18% were willing to be referred to a provider to start PrEP. Twenty four percent were not sure about their interest in taking PrEP and 30% were not sure about willing to be referred to a provider to start PrEP. Conclusions: This study showed an educational handout can be an effective way of disseminating information about PrEP among this population. Knowledge and awareness about PrEP in this population remains low, although this study showed an increase. Future research is needed to understand and address reasons for uncertainty about PrEP

Effect of Staff Training and Cost Support on Provision of Long-Acting Reversible Contraception in Community Health Centers

Objective To compare the proportion of women receiving same-day long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) between two different models of contraceptive provision adapted from the Contraceptive CHOICE Project. Study Design We used a controlled time-trend study design to compare 502 women receiving structured contraceptive counseling in addition to usual care (“Enhanced Care”) to 506 women receiving counseling plus healthcare provider education and cost support for LARC (“Complete CHOICE”) at three federally qualified health centers. We provided funds to health centers to ensure an “on-the-shelf” supply and no-cost LARC for uninsured women. We recorded the contraceptive method chosen after contraceptive counseling and the healthcare provider appointment as well as the contraceptive method received that day. Among women choosing LARC, we calculated proportions and performed Poisson regression with robust error variance to estimate relative risks for same-day insertion. Results Participant demographics reflected the health center populations; 69% were black, 66% had a high school diploma or less, 57% were publicly insured, and 75% reported household income less than 101% federal poverty line. There were 153 (30.5%) women in “Enhanced Care” and 273 (54.0%) in “Complete CHOICE” who chose LARC (p<0.01). Among women who chose LARC (n=426), those in “Complete CHOICE” were more likely to receive a same-day insertion, 53.8% vs. 13.7% (RRadj 4.73; 95%CI 3.20-6.98) compared to “Enhanced Care.” Conclusions A contraceptive care model that included healthcare provider education and cost support for LARC in addition to structured contraceptive counseling resulted in higher rates of same-day LARC insertion compared to contraceptive counseling and usual care alone

Childhood Home

Senior Project submitted to The Division of Arts of Bard College

Zum Mechanismus der 2-Hydroxyglutaryl-CoA Dehydratase aus Clostridium symbiosum

Das 2-Hydroxyglutaryl-CoA-Dehydratase-System ist das Schlüsselenzym in der Fermentation von Glutamat zu Acetat, Butyrat, CO2 und H2 durch Clostridium symbiosum und Acidaminococcus fermentans. Die Dehydratase katalysiert die syn-Dehydratisierung von (R)-2-Hydroxyglutaryl-CoA zu (E)-Glutaconyl-CoA. Diese Dehydratisierung ist seit Jahren von großem mechanistischem Interesse, da ein nicht azides Proton (pKs = 40) am C-3 des (R)-2-Hydroxyglutaryl-CoA abstrahiert werden muss. In der vorliegenden Arbeit wurden biochemische und spektroskopische Untersuchungen dieses Enzymsystems bzw. Katalysemechanismuses durchgeführt, um weitere Einblicke in Reaktion und Elektronenfluss zu erhalten. Die Reinigungsmethoden für Komponente D aus Clostridium symbiosum wurden weiter verbessert und erneute Charakterisierungen der Kofaktoren durchgeführt. Trotz Hinweise auf eine Beteiligung eines d1-Metalls am Katalysemachanismus konnten nur Spuren (10 %) von Molybdän in Komponente D als auch ein nicht weiter identifizierter „Molybdänkofaktor“ nachgewiesen werden. Durch die Einführung einer neuen Aktivitätsbestimmung der Komponente D konnte durch nicht-äquimolare Mischungen aus Komponente A und Komponente D der Beweis erbracht werden, dass nur substöchiometrische Mengen an Komponente A zur maximalen Aktivität gebraucht werden. Somit konnte gezeigt werden, dass es sich bei dem postulierten Mechanismus tatsächlich um einen katalytischen Mechanismus handelt. Durch die Bildung eines AlF4--induzierten Komplexes der Komponenten A und D in Anwesenheit von ATP konnte die Interaktion und den durch ATP-Hydrolyse getriebenen Elektronentransfer von Komponente A nach Komponente D gezeigt werden. Die bisher in der Komponente D gefundenen Kofaktoren ([4Fe-4S]2+Cluster und FMNH2) zeigen keine Änderungen ihrer Redoxzustände in Anwesenheit von Komponente A und ATP. Durch die erfolgreiche Kristallisation sowohl von Komponente D als auch von AlF4--induziertem Komplex der Komponenten A und D könnten nähere Informationen über Lage und Koordination der Kofaktoren zum aktiven Zentrum geben. Durch die Lösung der 3D-Struktur der b-Untereinheit der Komponente D konnte ein ungewöhnlicher [4Fe-4S]Cluster erkannt werden, der durch 3 Cysteine (Cys 74, 101 und 332) und 1 Tyrosin (Tyr 37) koordiniert ist. An dieser Koordination sind die drei strikt konservierten Cys-Reste der hgdB-Sequenz beteiligt. Der Tyr-Rest ist hingegen nicht konserviert und wird als „Parkplatz“ des – am postulierten Katalysemechanismus beteiligten – Ketylradikals diskutiert

Predicting The Disclosure of Personal Information on Social Networks: An Empirical Investigation

The present study considers factors that motivate users of social networks to publish different types of privacy-related information to friends or even the public. In contrast to prior research, we do not limit our research scope to an individual\u27s decision-making process (i.e., the formation of behavioral intentions) but also include actual behavior as observed among a group of real Facebook users. Our objective is to test to what extent existing theory is not only capable of explaining self-disclosure decisions but also to predict subsequent behavior. We test our model using a combination of structural equation modeling and logistic regression with questionnaire data and data collected from the Facebook platform. Our results indicate that the way self-disclosure was operationalized in prior research shows low predictive power, especially when compared to predictions based on simple questions regarding an individual\u27s sensitivity to the disclosure of personal information

The Performance and Reliability of a RFID Cycle-Count – A Quantitative Approach from Fashion Retail

In recent years, several retailers gained experience with the implementation and use of radio-frequency identification (RFID). Although extensive benefits through the use of RFID have been discussed in academia and practice for many years, strategic approaches to reach the promised targets still are largely unexplored. To support practitioners with using RFID in retailing, the reliability of data generated by RFID in-store processes has to be investigated. As a starting point, we compare in the present study the quality of a RFID cycle-count to a physically conducted count. We collected data from a real-world implementation and completed parallel counts in 9 RFID pilot stores at a global fashion retailer. Our results based on an item-level error investigation show, that the error rate of a RFID cycle-count nearly is as low as the error rate of a physical conducted count. As a consequence for further research, more reliable data collected in a cycle-count lead to a better stock accuracy, more effective in-store replenishment processes and less stock-out situations

Gramsci reconsidered : hegemony in global law

"Entre direitos iguais, a força decide", proferiu karl marx ao descrever a antinomia do direito em situações antagônicas das relações de produção capitalistas, em que "o direito [oferece resistência] ao direito" nesse ponto, marx aborda uma questão que se situa no centro de todas as teorias jurídicas críticas: que tipo de violência é velada por meio do mecanismo de ocultação denominado "direito"? Para responder a esta questão, tentar-se-á, a seguir, tornar a teoria da hegemonia de antonio gramsci e seu modelo de direito hegemônico produtivos para o campo da teoria do direito. Tal tarefa tem de lidar com a dupla dificuldade de que, por um lado, gramsci não foi um teórico do direito no sentido mais estrito, razão pela qual o potencial de sua teoria para uma análise do direito raramente foi utilizada. Por outro lado, sua abordagem só pode ser empregada por meio de uma crítica às restrições relacionadas a seu tempo. isso se aplica especialmente à sua concepção de economia como a base e a núcleo essencialista oculto (laclau; mouffe, 2001:69), assim como à sua ideia de 'classismo' sob a forma de um enfoque unilateral das classes, em que há preferencialmente mais de um "pluralismo de poder" e inúmeras lutas (litowitz, 2000: 536). Recuperar-se-á, consequentemente, argumentos-chave, ampliando-os pela utilização das recentes descobertas feitas pelas abordagens feminista e neomaterialista da teoria jurídica, bem como as análises de foucault acerca das tecnologias de poder. por fim, uma interpretação da teoria sistêmica das autonomizações comunicativas."Between equal rights, force decides," said karl marx, describing the antinomy of law in antagonistic situations of capitalist production relations, in which "law [stands] against law". he here addresses a question that lies at the centre of all critical legal theories: what violence is blurred in the medium of the concealment mechanism called 'law'? To answer this question, we shall attempt below to make antonio gramsci's hegemony theory and his model of a hegemonic law fertile for the theory of law. This task has to cope with the twofold difficulty that on the one hand gramsci was no theoretician of law in the narrower sense, which is why the potential of his theory for an analysis of law has only seldom been made use of. On the other, his approach can only be taken up through a critique of restrictions associated with his times. This applies particularly to his conception of the economy as the basis and as the concealed essentialist core (laclau/mouffe 2001: 69), as well as to his 'classism' in the form of a one-sided focusing on classes, where there is instead more of a "pluralism of power" and a multiplicity of struggles (litowitz 2000: 536). We shall accordingly regain key arguments by extending them using current findings of feminist and neo-materialist approaches to legal theory, as well as foucault's analyses of power technologies and finally a systems-theory interpretation of communicative autonomizations