Integrated, quantitative expressions of anthropogenic stress over large geographic regions can be valuable tools in environmental research and management. Despite the fundamental appeal of a regional ...approach, development of regional stress measures remains one of the most important current challenges in environmental science. Using publicly available, pre-existing spatial datasets, we developed a geographic information system database of 86 variables related to five classes of anthropogenic stress in the U.S. Great Lakes basin: agriculture, atmospheric deposition, human population, land cover, and point source pollution. The original variables were quantified by a variety of data types over a broad range of spatial and classification resolutions. We summarized the original data for 762 watershed-based units that comprise the U.S. portion of the basin and then used principal components analysis to develop overall stress measures within each stress category. We developed a cumulative stress index by combining the first principal component from each of the five stress categories. Maps of the stress measures illustrate strong spatial patterns across the basin, with the greatest amount of stress occurring on the western shore of Lake Michigan, southwest Lake Erie, and southeastern Lake Ontario. We found strong relationships between the stress measures and characteristics of bird communities, fish communities, and water chemistry measurements from the coastal region. The stress measures are taken to represent the major threats to coastal ecosystems in the U.S. Great Lakes. Such regional-scale efforts are critical for understanding relationships between human disturbance and ecosystem response, and can be used to guide environmental decision-making at both regional and local scales.
Theory Can Be More than It Used to Be Dominic Boyer, James D. Faubion, George E. Marcus / Dominic Boyer, James D. Faubion, George E. Marcus
01/2016
eBook
Within anthropology, as elsewhere in the human sciences, there is a tendency to divide knowledge making into two separate poles: conceptual (theory) vs. empirical (ethnography). InTheory Can Be More ...than It Used to Be, Dominic Boyer, James D. Faubion, and George E. Marcus argue that we need to take a step back from the assumption that we know what theory is to investigate how theory-a matter of concepts, of analytic practice, of medium of value, of professional ideology-operates in anthropology and related fields today. They have assembled a distinguished group of scholars to diagnose the state of the theory-ethnography divide in anthropology today and to explore alternative modes of analytical and pedagogical practice.
Continuing the methodological insights provided inFieldwork Is Not What It Used to Be, the contributors to this volume find that now is an optimal time to reflect on the status of theory in relation to ethnographic research in anthropology and kindred disciplines. Together they engage with questions such as, What passes for theory in anthropology and the human sciences today and why? What is theory's relation to ethnography? How are students trained to identify and respect anthropological theorization and how do they practice theoretical work in their later career stages? What theoretical experiments, languages, and institutions are available to the human sciences? Throughout, the editors and authors consider theory in practical terms, rather than as an amorphous set of ideas, an esoteric discourse of power, a norm of intellectual life, or an infinitely contestable canon of texts. A short editorial afterword explores alternative ethics and institutions of pedagogy and training in theory.
Within anthropology, as elsewhere in the human sciences, there is a tendency to divide knowledge making into two separate poles: conceptual (theory) vs. empirical (ethnography). InTheory Can Be More than It Used to Be, Dominic Boyer, James D. Faubion, and George E. Marcus argue that we need to take a step back from the assumption that we knowwhattheory is to investigatehowtheory-a matter of concepts, of analytic practice, of medium of value, of professional ideology-operates in anthropology and related fields today. They have assembled a distinguished group of scholars to diagnose the state of the theory-ethnography divide in anthropology today and to explore alternative modes of analytical and pedagogical practice.Continuing the methodological insights provided inFieldwork Is Not What It Used to Be, the contributors to this volume find that now is an optimal time to reflect on the status of theory in relation to ethnographic research in anthropology and kindred disciplines. Together they engage with questions such as, What passes for theory in anthropology and the human sciences today and why? What is theory's relation to ethnography? How are students trained to identify and respect anthropological theorization and how do they practice theoretical work in their later career stages? What theoretical experiments, languages, and institutions are available to the human sciences? Throughout, the editors and authors consider theory in practical terms, rather than as an amorphous set of ideas, an esoteric discourse of power, a norm of intellectual life, or an infinitely contestable canon of texts. A short editorial afterword explores alternative ethics and institutions of pedagogy and training in theory.Contributors:Andrea Ballestero, Rice University; Dominic Boyer, Rice University; Lisa Breglia, George Mason University; Jessica Marie Falcone, Kansas State University; James D. Faubion, Rice University; Kim Fortun, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; Andreas Glaeser, University of Chicago; Cymene Howe, Rice University; Jamer Hunt, Parsons The New School for Design and the Institute of Design in Umea, Sweden; George E. Marcus, University of California, Irvine; Townsend Middleton, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Deepa S. Reddy, University of Houston-Clear Lake; Kaushik Sunder Rajan, University of Chicago
Antifungal agents are essential for the maintenance of healthy stocks of fish and their eggs in intensive aquaculture operations. In the USA, formalin is the only fungicide approved for use in fish ...culture. However, hydrogen peroxide and sodium chloride have been granted low regulatory priority drug status by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and their use is allowed. We evaluated the efficacy of these fungicides for controlling fungal infections on rainbow trout eggs. A pilot study was conducted to determine the minimum water flow rate required to administer test chemicals accurately in Heath incubators. A minimum water flow rate of 7.6 1 min
−1 was necessary to maintain treatment concentrations during flow-through chemical exposures. The antifungal activity of formalin, hydrogen peroxide, and sodium chloride was evaluated by treating uninfected and 10% fungal-infected (
Saprolegnia parasitica) rainbow trout eggs (
Oncorhynchus mykiss) for 15 min every other day until hatch. There were no significant differences among treatments in percent hatch or final infection for uninfected eggs receiving prophylactic chemical treatments. Eggs of the negative control group (uninfected and untreated) had a mean hatch exceeding 86%. All chemical treatments conducted on the infected egg groups controlled the spread of fungus and improved hatching success compared with the positive control groups (infected and untreated). Formalin treatments of 1000 and 1500 μl l
−1 and hydrogen peroxide treatments of 500 and 1000 μl l
−1 were the most effective. Sodium chloride treatments of 30 000 mg l
−1 improved fry hatch, but the compound was less effective at inhibiting fungal growths compared with hydrogen peroxide and formalin treatments.
Frailty represents an increased vulnerability to adverse health outcomes. The frailty phenotype conceptual model (three or more patient attributes of wasting, exhaustion, low activity, slowness, and ...weakness) is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in geriatric populations.
Our objective was to describe the risks associated with frailty in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Data from the National Emphysema Treatment Trial (NETT) were retrospectively analyzed. The frailty phenotype conceptual model was operationalized as three or more frailty parameters (a body mass index decrease of ≥5% over 12 months, self-reported exhaustion, low 6-minute walk distance, or physical activity or respiratory muscle strength in the lowest quartile). Frail participants were compared with participants with two or fewer frailty parameters. Participants were followed starting 12 months after NETT randomization (to minimize surgical effect) for 24 months. Univariate, multivariate, Kaplan-Meier, and Cox proportional hazard analyses were performed, adjusting for treatment arm, age, modified Medical Research Council dyspnea scale, sex, and baseline forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV
). Multiple imputation was used for missing values.
The participants (N = 902) were predominantly white (94.5%) males (59.5%), with a median age of 67 years (interquartile range, 63-70 yr) and a median FEV
% predicted of 26 (interquartile range, 20-33). Six percent of the participants (95% confidence interval CI, 4.5 to 7.6) were frail. The incidence rate of frailty was 6.4 per 100 person-years. Frail participants reported significantly worse disease-specific and overall quality of life by St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire total score (mean difference of 11.6; 95% CI, 7.6 to 15.6; P < 0.001), mental composite on Medical Outcomes Survey Short Form-36 (mean difference -6.8; 95% CI, -10.0 to -3.6; P < 0.001), and physical composite scores on Medical Outcomes Survey Short Form-36 (mean difference -16.7; 95% CI, -21.3 to -12.1; P = 0.001). Frail participants had an increased rate of hospitalization (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.1 to 2.5; P = 0.02) and an adjusted increase in hospital use of 8.0 days (95% CI, 4.4 to 11.6; P < 0.001) compared with nonfrail participants. Frail participants had a higher mortality rate (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.4; 95% CI, 0.97 to 2.0; P = 0.07).
Among adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, our measure of frailty (modified from the Fried frailty phenotype) was associated with incident and longer-duration hospitalization, and with poor quality of life.
Semiconductive composites have been examined using advanced scanning electron microscopy (SEM). For the first time, voltage contrast and energy contrast between the conductive filler and the polymer ...matrix have been revealed using a secondary electron detector placed inside the lens system and an energy selective backscattering detector respectively. Critical parameters, including loading level, distribution, dimension and shape of conductive fillers, correlating to the electrical conductivities of the composites, have been investigated and quantitatively determined. These parameters are essential for performance predictions, product quality control and new product development. The volume fractions of the conductive fillers in the two investigated composites were determined as 20.9% and 14.2% respectively. Higher frequency of distribution distance between the conductive filler aggregates within the ranges of 20–100 nm was revealed for the composite with volume fraction of 20.9%. The aggregates of conductive fillers showed mainly branched shapes. The information obtained provides further insight into the conductivity mechanism of conductive filler loaded polymer composite.
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We determined the acute toxicity of field-grade formulations of atrazine, alachlor, and a 50:50 mixture of the chemicals to early and late larval stages of northern leopard frogs (Rana pipiens) and ...American toads (Bufo americanus). We conducted identical tests with rainbow trout (Onchorhynchus mykiss) and channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) to compare their sensitivity as bioindicators. The acute toxicity (96-h median lethal concentrations LC50s) of herbicides to amphibian larvae ranged from 47.6 mg/L for early-stage R. pipiens exposed to atrazine to 3.3 mg/L for late-stage B. americanus exposed to alachlor. The toxicity of a 50:50 mixture of atrazine and alachlor after a 96-h exposure was greater than additive (chemical synergy present) for most species and life stages tested, with 96-h LC50s as low as 1.5 mg/L for late-stage B. americanus larvae. Older amphibian larvae appeared to be more sensitive than younger larvae for both species and chemicals tested. Overall, rainbow trout and channel catfish appeared to be less sensitive than amphibian larvae. The 96-h LC50s ranged from 23.8 mg/L for channel catfish exposed to atrazine to 9.1 mg/L for rainbow trout exposed to alachlor. A noteworthy sublethal effect observed in amphibian larvae exposed to atrazine was edema, probably caused by renal disfunction. Chronic predicted no-observed-effect concentrations (PNOECs) for lethality after a 30-d exposure were estimated from mortality data at 3, 6, 24, 48, 72, and 96 h and found to be approximately 10- to 20-fold lower than 96-h LC50s. The calculated PNOECs are close enough to concentrations actually found in the environment to warrant concern and further tests. Additional research on environmental concentrations, chronic effects, and the effects of chemical synergy is needed before definitive conclusions can be drawn. Chemical synergy and life-stage sensitivity should be addressed to properly assess the toxicity of herbicides to nontarget organisms
Abstract
We present the first measurements of asteroids in millimeter wavelength data from the South Pole Telescope (SPT), which is used primarily to study the cosmic microwave background (CMB). We ...analyze maps of two ∼270 deg
2
sky regions near the ecliptic plane, each observed with the SPTpol camera ∼100 times over 1 month. We subtract the mean of all maps of a given field, removing static sky signal, and then average the mean-subtracted maps at known asteroid locations. We detect three asteroids—(324) Bamberga, (13) Egeria, and (22) Kalliope—with signal-to-noise ratios (S/N) of 11.2, 10.4, and 6.1, respectively, at 2.0 mm (150 GHz); we also detect (324) Bamberga with an S/N of 4.1 at 3.2 mm (95 GHz). We place constraints on these asteroids’ effective emissivities, brightness temperatures, and light-curve modulation amplitude. Our flux density measurements of (324) Bamberga and (13) Egeria roughly agree with predictions, while our measurements of (22) Kalliope suggest lower flux, corresponding to effective emissivities of 0.64 ± 0.11 at 2.0 and < 0.47 at 3.2 mm. We predict the asteroids detectable in other SPT data sets and find good agreement with detections of (772) Tanete and (1093) Freda in recent data from the SPT-3G camera, which has ∼10× the mapping speed of SPTpol. This work is the first focused analysis of asteroids in data from CMB surveys, and it demonstrates we can repurpose historic and future data sets for asteroid studies. Future SPT measurements can help constrain the distribution of surface properties over a larger asteroid population.
The use of hydrogen peroxide in aquaculture is growing and there is a need to develop fundamental guidelines to effectively treat diseased fish. The safety (toxicity) of hydrogen peroxide treatments ...was determined on eggs of representative warm- and coolwater fish species. Eggs of northern pike (
Esox lucius), walleye (
Stizostedion vitreum), yellow perch (
Perca flavescens), white sucker (
Catostomus commersoni), lake sturgeon (
Acipenser fulvescens), paddlefish (
Polyodon spathula), common carp (
Cyprinus carpio), and channel catfish (
Ictalurus punctatus) were cultured in egg jars or aquaria. Treatments were initiated with non-eyed eggs and continued until all viable eggs had hatched. Eggs were treated daily for 15 min Monday through Friday with either 0, 500, 1000, 3000, or 6000
μl
l
−1 of hydrogen peroxide. For all species, the mean percent hatch was greater in eggs treated with 1000
μl
l
−1 hydrogen peroxide for 15 min than in the untreated controls. Common carp, lake sturgeon, and paddlefish were the least sensitive to hydrogen peroxide with percent hatch ranging from 40 to 48% in the 6000
μl
l
−1 hydrogen peroxide treatment. Fungal infections reduced or eliminated the hatch in most controls whereas nearly all treated eggs remained free of infection; hydrogen peroxide inhibited fungal infections on fish eggs.
Biological indicators can be used both to estimate ecological condition and to suggest plausible causes of ecosystem degradation across the U.S. Great Lakes coastal region. Here we use data on ...breeding bird, diatom, fish, invertebrate, and wetland plant communities to develop robust indicators of ecological condition of the U.S. Lake Superior coastal zone. Sites were selected as part of a larger, stratified random design for the entire U.S. Great Lakes coastal region, covering gradients of anthropogenic stress defined by over 200 stressor variables (e.g. agriculture, altered land cover, human populations, and point source pollution). A total of 89 locations in Lake Superior were sampled between 2001 and 2004 including 31 sites for stable isotope analysis of benthic macroinvertebrates, 62 sites for birds, 35 for diatoms, 32 for fish and macroinvertebrates, and 26 for wetland vegetation. A relationship between watershed disturbance metrics and ¹⁵N levels in coastal macroinvertebrates confirmed that watershed-based stressor gradients are expressed across Lake Superior's coastal ecosystems, increasing confidence in ascribing causes of biological responses to some landscape activities. Several landscape metrics in particular—agriculture, urbanization, human population density, and road density—strongly influenced the responses of indicator species assemblages. Conditions were generally good in Lake Superior, but in some areas watershed stressors produced degraded conditions that were similar to those in the southern and eastern U.S. Great Lakes. The following indicators were developed based on biotic responses to stress in Lake Superior in the context of all the Great Lakes: (1) an index of ecological condition for breeding bird communities, (2) diatom-based nutrient and solids indicators, (3) fish and macroinvertebrate indicators for coastal wetlands, and (4) a non-metric multidimensional scaling for wetland plants corresponding to a cumulative stress index. These biotic measures serve as useful indicators of the ecological condition of the Lake Superior coast; collectively, they provide a baseline assessment of selected biological conditions for the U.S. Lake Superior coastal region and prescribe a means to detect change over time.
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