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Macroalgae form important coastal ecosystems and are considered to be highly productive, yet individual macrophyte carbon uptake rates are poorly documented and methodologies for in situ assessments of productivity are not well developed. In this study, we employ a 13 C enrichment method in benthic chambers to calculate carbon uptake rates and assess δ 13 C signatures of a large stock of nearshore benthic macroalgae varying in taxa and morphology in Southern California. Our objectives are to 1) identify the variability of carbon uptake and inorganic carbon use among individuals of the same species or morphology, and 2) establish accurate and accessible carbon uptake procedures for coastal benthic primary producers. We found no significant relationship between the observed ranges of environmental factors such as nutrient concentrations, PAR, temperature, conductivity, and productivity rates, suggesting that unique physiological complexions underpin the high variability of carbon uptake and δ 13 C in studied macrophyte samples. We consider three reasons our experimental carbon uptake rates are 3–4 orders of magnitude lower than existing literature, which reports carbon uptake in the same units despite using different methods: 1) underrepresentation of P max , 2) incomplete carbon fractionation corrections, and 3) reduced hydrodynamics within the benthic chambers.

Submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) in high volcanic islands can be an important source of freshwater and nutrients to coral reefs. High inorganic nutrient content is generally thought to augment primary production in coastal systems but when this is delivered via a freshwater vector as is the case with SGD in this study, the effects on productivity are unclear. In the current literature, there is limited evidence for a direct association between SGD and primary productivity of reefs. To elucidate the response of primary productivity to SGD, we conducted spatially and temporally explicit in situ benthic chamber experiments on a reef flat along a gradient of SGD. We found significant quadratic relationships between C-uptake and SGD for both phytoplankton and the most abundant macroalga, Gracilaria salicornia , with uptake maxima at SGD-derived salinities of ~21−22 (24.5−26.6 μmol NO 3 -L −1 ). These results suggest a physiological tradeoff between salinity tolerance and nutrient availability for reef primary producers. Spatially explicit modeling of reefs with SGD and without SGD indicate reef-scale G. salicornia and phytoplankton C-uptake decreased by 82% and 36% in the absence of SGD, respectively. Thus, nutrient-rich and low salinity SGD has significant effects on algal C-uptake in reef systems.

We show that a citizen science, self-selected cohort shipping samples through the mail at room temperature recaptures many known microbiome results from clinically collected cohorts and reveals new ones. Of particular interest is integrating n = 1 study data with the population data, showing that the extent of microbiome change after events such as surgery can exceed differences between distinct environmental biomes, and the effect of diverse plants in the diet, which we confirm with untargeted metabolomics on hundreds of samples. Although much work has linked the human microbiome to specific phenotypes and lifestyle variables, data from different projects have been challenging to integrate and the extent of microbial and molecular diversity in human stool remains unknown. Using standardized protocols from the Earth Microbiome Project and sample contributions from over 10,000 citizen-scientists, together with an open research network, we compare human microbiome specimens primarily from the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia to one another and to environmental samples. Our results show an unexpected range of beta-diversity in human stool microbiomes compared to environmental samples; demonstrate the utility of procedures for removing the effects of overgrowth during room-temperature shipping for revealing phenotype correlations; uncover new molecules and kinds of molecular communities in the human stool metabolome; and examine emergent associations among the microbiome, metabolome, and the diversity of plants that are consumed (rather than relying on reductive categorical variables such as veganism, which have little or no explanatory power). We also demonstrate the utility of the living data resource and cross-cohort comparison to confirm existing associations between the microbiome and psychiatric illness and to reveal the extent of microbiome change within one individual during surgery, providing a paradigm for open microbiome research and education. IMPORTANCE We show that a citizen science, self-selected cohort shipping samples through the mail at room temperature recaptures many known microbiome results from clinically collected cohorts and reveals new ones. Of particular interest is integrating n = 1 study data with the population data, showing that the extent of microbiome change after events such as surgery can exceed differences between distinct environmental biomes, and the effect of diverse plants in the diet, which we confirm with untargeted metabolomics on hundreds of samples.

The feminization of alcohol use disorder (AUD) puts forward unique circumstances under which women's lived-experience with problem drinking unfolds. Seeing that alcohol use disorder is rising globally, in many instances female drinkers are responsible for this growth, this paper aims to give insight into an in-depth narrative account of the gender scripts which governed the drinking behaviour of 10 women. Due to gender biases and fixed gender roles within their lived-environment, this paper aims to answer the research questions: \"how does South African society view women who drink\" and \"how do women in Cape Town drink differently to men\"? This project used a qualitative research framework within a human scientific paradigm. Data was analyzed utilizing discourse analysis. Coherent with the feminist social constructionist approach, results indicate that women's problem drinking is mostly secretive because of society's harsh rebuke with regards to the feminization of alcohol use disorder, which embodies a significant barrier to women seeking treatment. A review of current alcohol policies within the Western Cape local government is presented to provide information on policy implications for women in South Africa. This paper recommends that further qualitative enquiry should explore women's drinking and how society depicts women who drink heavily. This paper strongly recommends that the National Department of Health and Social Development team up with the National Department of Women in order to create public mental health campaigns that caution against subliminal advertisement of women's drinking; alerting against the harmful effects of sweet, pretty and pink drinks.

Societal norms and values take on moral panic and tend to label mothers who drink heavily as 'bad' mothers. This manuscript presents a human scientific approach to access life stories about South African mothers' who had a heavy drinking problem and their barriers to accessing treatment. The data were analysed using the discourse analytic approach while the social constructionist theory was used to frame the research. Findings indicate that besides feeling like bad mothers and being rejected by society because they drink, women internalized a negative gender script that embodied experiences of shame, stigma, guilt and secrecy that contributed to barriers to seeking treatment. Policy suggestions are made to the South African National Department of Health to encourage primary healthcare providers to conduct brief interventions with mothers who have alcohol use disorder to reduce incidence of child maltreatment and fetal alcohol syndrome with the expectation of improving maternal health.

Social anxiety, characterized by a heightened fear of judgment in social situations, has been linked to academic disengagement and lower academic self-concept. While previous research has explored the academic challenges faced by Black students, limited attention has been given to how social anxiety influences their motivation, school belonging, and academic performance. Given the disproportionate rates of unmet mental health needs among Black youth, understanding how social anxiety interacts with key academic and emotional factors is critical for informing interventions that support student success. This study examines the relationships between social anxiety, motivation (academic self-concept and engagement), school belonging, and GPA among Black students using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health). Grounded in Situated Expectancy-Value Theory (SEVT) and Need to Belong Theory, this study investigates (1) the impact of social anxiety on motivation, (2) the role of school belonging in the relationship between social anxiety and motivation, and (3) the predictive relationship between social anxiety, school belonging, motivation, and GPA. Regression and mediation analyses are used to evaluate and identify significant pathways influencing Black students’ academic experiences.Findings indicate that higher social anxiety levels are associated with lower motivation, and social anxiety significantly predicts GPA. Additionally, both motivation and school belonging significantly predict GPA, underscoring their importance in academic success. However, contrary to expectations, school belonging does not mediate the relationship between social anxiety and motivation, suggesting that while belonging remains important, it does not buffer against the negative effects of social anxiety in this context.

This paper evaluates whether the U.S. Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) supported American worker resilience to technological automation. Analyzing over 23 million WIOA participation records (2017-2023), we introduce the \"Retrainability Index,\" which measures program outcomes through post-intervention wage recovery and shifts in Routine Task Intensity (RTI). We show WIOA rarely shifts workers into less automation-exposed work, with a significant portion of participants simply returning to their prior field. Successful outcomes driven mostly by wage gains, possibly due to \"catch-up\" mean reversion, rather than changes in occupation. Outcomes are moderated by a person's prior occupational skill set and area of work, as well as their local economy. We find evidence that employer led programs--notably apprenticeships--are associated with the highest incidence of success. This suggests the United States' existing public active labor market programming can support baseline wage recovery for vulnerable populations, but is not well-equipped to support the large-scale, cross-industry labor transitions.

A recent Treasury report took aim at this phenomenon, highlighting the impact of winner-take-all dynamics and market concentration on reducing wage growth. [...]the result is market domination by a small number of technology companies as well as a geographic concentration of economic growth in primarily coastal urban hubs. Given the current crisis of price growth, many economists have sought comfort in the notion that Americans hold a glut of savings, and that the labor market is robust enough to be able to endure rate hikes without sending the economy into recession. [...]optimists believe the U.S. will be more insulated from the stagflation of the 1970s. Given the clear need for economic tightening, the U.S. should use this moment to crack down on corporate taxes, ensuring that companies are paying their fair share while simultaneously providing improved transfers and aid to vulnerable individuals. [...]it should use this moment to provide a rationale for greater geographic inclusion in its future plans for digital innovation.

Yet research on automation has so far centered almost entirely on the presence of digitalization, automation-potential estimates, the relationship between technological change and macroeconomic conditions, and tech’s impact on inequality and wage divergence. Since technological change often is quite disruptive and spurs economic and political shocks, it is vital for researchers to study the attitudes of the individuals most vulnerable to new technological shifts. [...]when productivity tends to rise faster than wages, inequality increases almost by definition since new GDP gains accrue primarily amongst capital owners, rather than workers. [...]highly automation-susceptible individuals are more likely to have a cynical view of human nature (e.g., believing people are fundamentally dishonest) and to express authoritarian tendencies—valuing obedience, for instance, over individuality and expression.