Does short-interval fire inhibit postfire recovery of chaparral across southern California?

Regrowth after fire is critical to the persistence of chaparral shrub communities in southern California, which has been subject to frequent fire events in recent decades. Fires that recur at short intervals of 10 years or less have been considered an inhibitor of recovery and the major cause of 'community type-conversion' in chaparral, primarily based on studies of small extents and limited time periods. However, recent sub-regional investigations based on remote sensing suggest that short-interval fire (SIF) does not have ubiquitous impact on postfire chaparral recovery. A region-wide analysis including a greater spatial extent and time period is needed to better understand SIF impact on chaparral. This study evaluates patterns of postfire recovery across southern California, based on temporal trajectories of Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) derived from June-solstice Landsat image series covering the period 1984-2018. High spatial resolution aerial images were used to calibrate Landsat NDVI trajectory-based estimates of change in fractional shrub cover (dFSC) for 294 stands. The objectives of this study were (1) to assess effects of time between fires and number of burns on recovery, using stand-aggregate samples (n = 294) and paired single- and multiple-burn sample plots (n = 528), and (2) to explain recovery variations among predominant single-burn locations based on shrub community type, climate, soils, and terrain. Stand-aggregate samples showed a significant but weak effect of SIF on recovery (p < 0.001; R2 = 0.003). Results from paired sample plots showed no significant effect of SIF on dFSC among twice-burned sites, although recovery was diminished due to SIF at sites that burned three times within 25 years. Multiple linear regression showed that annual precipitation and temperature, chaparral community type, and edaphic variables explain 28% of regional variation in recovery of once-burned sites. Many stands that exhibited poor recovery had burned only once and consist of xeric, desert-fringe chamise in soils of low clay content

Particulate Emissions from a Pre-Emissions Control Era Spark-Ignition Vehicle: A Historical Benchmark

This study examined the particulate emissions from a pre-emissions control era vehicle operated on both leaded and unleaded fuels for the purpose of establishing a historical benchmark. A pre-control vehicle was located that had been rebuilt with factory original parts to approximate an as-new vehicle prior to 1968. The vehicle had less than 20,000 miles on the rebuilt engine and exhaust. The vehicle underwent repeated FTP-75 tests to determine its regulated emissions, including particulate mass. Additionally, measurements of the particulate size distribution were made, as well as particulate lead concentration. These tests were conducted first with UTG96 certification fuel, followed by UTG96 doped with tetraethyl lead to approximate 1968 levels. Results of these tests, including transmission electron micrographs of individual particles from both the leaded and unleaded case are presented. The FTP composite PM emissions from this vehicle averaged 40.5 mg/mile using unleaded fuel. The results from the leaded fuel tests showed that the FTP composite PM emissions increased to an average of 139.5 mg/mile. Analysis of the particulate size distribution for both cases demonstrated that the mass-based size distribution of particles for this vehicle is heavily skewed towards the nano-particle range. The leaded-fuel tests showed a significant increase in mass concentration at the <0.1 micron size compared with the unleaded-fuel test case. The leaded-fuel tests produced lead emissions of nearly 0.04 g/mi, more than a 4-order-of-magnitude difference compared with unleaded-fuel results. Analysis of the size-fractionated PM samples showed that the lead PM emissions tended to be distributed in the 0.25 micron and smaller size range

A Protein Aggregation Inhibitor, Leuco-Methylthioninium Bis(Hydromethanesulfonate), Decreases α-Synuclein Inclusions in a Transgenic Mouse Model of Synucleinopathy

The authors acknowledge Heide Lueck for excellent technical assistance and for maintenance of animals. AMS Biotechnology generated monoclonal antibodies from recombinant α-Syn prepared by JR.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

The combined impact of diet, physical activity, sleep and screen time on academic achievement: a prospective study of elementary school students in Nova Scotia, Canada

BACKGROUND: Few studies have investigated the independent associations of lifestyle behaviors (diet, physical activity, sleep, and screen time) and body weight status with academic achievement. Even fewer have investigated the combined effect of these behaviors on academic achievement. We hypothesize that the combined effect of these behaviors will have a higher impact on academic achievement than any behavior alone, or that of body weight status. METHODS: In 2011, 4253 grade 5 (10–11 years old) students and their parents were surveyed about the child’s diet, physical activity, screen time and sleep. Students’ heights and weights were measured by research assistants. Academic achievement was measured using provincial standardized exams in mathematics, reading and writing, and was expressed as ‘meeting’ or ‘not meeting’ expectations as per standardized criterion. Exams were written 1 year following the measurement of lifestyle behaviors. Lifestyle behaviors were measured with self- and parental proxy reports and expressed as meeting recommendations (yes/no) for each behavior. Mixed effects logistic regression models adjusting for demographic confounders and caloric intake were used to determine the independent and combined associations. RESULTS: Meeting dietary recommendations was associated with increased likelihood of meeting academic expectations for each of math, reading and writing. Meeting recommendations for screen time and sleep was associated with meeting expectations for writing. For all three subjects, meeting additional lifestyle behavior recommendations was associated with higher likelihood of meeting expectations. Children who met 7–9 lifestyle behavior recommendations had greater than three-times the odds of meeting expectations for reading compared to those who met 0–3 recommendations (OR: 3.07, 95% CI: 2.09, 4.51), and 1.47 and 2.77 times the odds of meeting expectations in mathematics and writing, respectively. Body weight status was not associated with academic achievement. CONCLUSIONS: We found that lifestyle behaviors, not body weight status, are strongly associated with student academic performance. Promoting compliance with established healthy lifestyle recommendations could improve both the health and educational outcomes of school-aged children. School-based health promotion initiatives that target multiple lifestyle behaviors may have a greater effect on academic achievement than those that focus on a single behavior. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12966-017-0476-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

The Influence of Victim Vulnerability and Gender on Police Officers’ Assessment of Intimate Partner Violence Risk

This study investigated the influence of victim vulnerability factors and gender on risk assessment for intimate partner violence (IPV). 867 cases of male and female perpetrated IPV investigated by Swedish police officers using the Brief Spousal Assault Form for the Evaluation of Risk (BSAFER) were examined. For male-to-female IPV, victim vulnerability factors were associated with summary risk judgments and risk management recommendations. For femaleto-male IPV, vulnerability factors were more often omitted, and consistent associations were not found between vulnerability factors, summary risk judgments, and risk management. Results indicate that B-SAFER victim vulnerability factors can assist in assessing male-to-female IPV risk. Further research is necessary to examine the use of B-SAFER victim vulnerability factors for female-to-male IPV, as results showed victim vulnerability factors to be less relevant to officers’ decision making, particularly their management recommendations. However, several variables external to the B-SAFER, such as the availability of management strategies may account for these findings

Scaling of Star Polymers with one to 80 Arms

We present large statistics simulations of 3-dimensional star polymers with up to $f=80$ arms, and with up to 4000 monomers per arm for small values of $f$. They were done for the Domb-Joyce model on the simple cubic lattice. This is a model with soft core exclusion which allows multiple occupancy of sites but punishes each same-site pair of monomers with a Boltzmann factor $v<1$. We use this to allow all arms to be attached at the central site, and we use the `magic' value $v=0.6$ to minimize corrections to scaling. The simulations are made with a very efficient chain growth algorithm with resampling, PERM, modified to allow simultaneous growth of all arms. This allows us to measure not only the swelling (as observed from the center-to-end distances), but also the partition sum. The latter gives very precise estimates of the critical exponents $\gamma_f$. For completeness we made also extensive simulations of linear (unbranched) polymers which give the best estimates for the exponent $\gamma$.Comment: 7 pages, 7 figure

A graph-based motif detection algorithm models complex nucleotide dependencies in transcription factor binding sites

Given a set of known binding sites for a specific transcription factor, it is possible to build a model of the transcription factor binding site, usually called a motif model, and use this model to search for other sites that bind the same transcription factor. Typically, this search is performed using a position-specific scoring matrix (PSSM), also known as a position weight matrix. In this paper we analyze a set of eukaryotic transcription factor binding sites and show that there is extensive clustering of similar k-mers in eukaryotic motifs, owing to both functional and evolutionary constraints. The apparent limitations of probabilistic models in representing complex nucleotide dependencies lead us to a graph-based representation of motifs. When deciding whether a candidate k-mer is part of a motif or not, we base our decision not on how well the k-mer conforms to a model of the motif as a whole, but how similar it is to specific, known k-mers in the motif. We elucidate the reasons why we expect graph-based methods to perform well on motif data. Our MotifScan algorithm shows greatly improved performance over the prevalent PSSM-based method for the detection of eukaryotic motifs

Lean NOx Trap Catalysis for Lean Natural Gas Engine Applications

Distributed energy is an approach for meeting energy needs that has several advantages. Distributed energy improves energy security during natural disasters or terrorist actions, improves transmission grid reliability by reducing grid load, and enhances power quality through voltage support and reactive power. In addition, distributed energy can be efficient since transmission losses are minimized. One prime mover for distributed energy is the natural gas reciprocating engine generator set. Natural gas reciprocating engines are flexible and scalable solutions for many distributed energy needs. The engines can be run continuously or occasionally as peak demand requires, and their operation and maintenance is straightforward. Furthermore, system efficiencies can be maximized when natural gas reciprocating engines are combined with thermal energy recovery for cooling, heating, and power applications. Expansion of natural gas reciprocating engines for distributed energy is dependent on several factors, but two prominent factors are efficiency and emissions. Efficiencies must be high enough to enable low operating costs, and emissions must be low enough to permit significant operation hours, especially in non-attainment areas where emissions are stringently regulated. To address these issues the U.S. Department of Energy and the California Energy Commission launched research and development programs called Advanced Reciprocating Engine Systems (ARES) and Advanced Reciprocating Internal Combustion Engines (ARICE), respectively. Fuel efficiency and low emissions are two primary goals of these programs. The work presented here was funded by the ARES program and, thus, addresses the ARES 2010 goals of 50% thermal efficiency (fuel efficiency) and &lt;0.1 g/bhp-hr emissions of oxides of nitrogen (NOx). A summary of the goals for the ARES program is given in Table 1-1. ARICE 2007 goals are 45% thermal efficiency and &lt;0.015 g/bhp-hr NOx. Several approaches for improving the efficiency and emissions of natural gas reciprocating engines are being pursued. Approaches include: stoichiometric engine operation with exhaust gas recirculation and three-way catalysis, advanced combustion modes such as homogeneous charge compression ignition, and extension of the lean combustion limit with advanced ignition concepts and/or hydrogen mixing. The research presented here addresses the technical approach of combining efficient lean spark-ignited natural gas combustion with low emissions obtained from a lean NOx trap catalyst aftertreatment system. This approach can be applied to current lean engine technology or advanced lean engines that may result from related efforts in lean limit extension. Furthermore, the lean NOx trap technology has synergy with hydrogen-assisted lean limit extension since hydrogen is produced from natural gas during the lean NOx trap catalyst system process. The approach is also applicable to other lean engines such as diesel engines, natural gas turbines, and lean gasoline engines; other research activities have focused on those applications. Some commercialization of the technology has occurred for automotive applications (both diesel and lean gasoline engine vehicles) and natural gas turbines for stationary power. The research here specifically addresses barriers to commercialization of the technology for large lean natural gas reciprocating engines for stationary power. The report presented here is a comprehensive collection of research conducted by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) on lean NOx trap catalysis for lean natural gas reciprocating engines. The research was performed in the Department of Energy's ARES program from 2003 to 2007 and covers several aspects of the technology. All studies were conducted at ORNL on a Cummins C8.3G+ natural gas engine chosen based on industry input to simulate large lean natural gas engines. Specific technical areas addressed by the research include: NOx reduction efficiency, partial oxidation and reforming chemistry, and the effects of sulfur poisons on the partial oxidation, reformer, and lean NOx trap catalysts. The initial work on NOx reduction efficiency demonstrated that NOx emissions &lt;0.1 g/bhp-hr (the ARES goal) can be achieved with the lean NOx trap catalyst technology. Subsequent work focused on cost and size optimization and durability issues which addressed two specific ARES areas of interest to industry ('Cost of Power' and 'Availability, Reliability, and Maintainability', respectively). Thus, the research addressed the approach of the lean NOx trap catalyst technology toward the ARES goals as shown in Table 1-1

"Preferred reading" of Legal Texts

In the 1970s, British cultural theorist Stuart Hall introduced a concept known as preferred reading. It combines the ideological influence of mass media and dominant ways of understanding any text. This article focuses on mass media as a source of ideological background or context of legal interpretation and of any reading of legal texts. Law operates in culture and culture represents limitations in the law, according to the needs of dominant ideology. Culture introduces structures of domination which manipulate law. An important role is also given to popular culture and mass culture. These parts of the culture industry create borders in which the recipients (audience) think of law. Through mass media – rather than through other channels – dominant ideology infiltrates law. Legal consciousness is formed by dominant cultural frames formed by dominant ideology. Through this formation of mass media, law becomes a commodity. It shares the same values or contents as that of cultural industry and is the place where the theory of preferred reading can be introduced. According to the aforementioned theory, there are methods of interpretation that are more accurate than others are. This is simply because they lead to a result that is more preferred by ‘common opinion’ disseminated by mass culture.V roce 1970, britský kulturní teoretik Stuart Hall představil koncept známý jako preferovaného čtení. Ten v sobě spojuje ideologický vliv masových médií a dominantní způsoby chápání jakéhokoli textu. Tento článek se zaměřuje masová média jako zdroj ideologického pozadí nebo kontextu právního výkladu. Právo působí v kultuře a kultura představuje omezení právo dle potřeb dominantní ideologie. Kultura vytváří struktury dominace, které manipulují právem. Důležitou roli také sehrává populární a masová kultura. Tyto části kulturního průmyslu vytváří hranice, ve kterých příjemci (publikum) uvažují o právu. Prostřednictvím masových médií - spíše než prostřednictvím jiných kanálů - dominantní ideologie infiltruje právo. Právní vědomí je tvořeno dominantními kulturními rámci vytvořenými dominantní ideologií. Prostřednictvím této formace vytvářené masovými médii se právo stává komoditou. Sdílí proto stejné hodnoty, nebo obsah jaké definuje kulturní průmysl. Proto lze i v právním kontextu uvažovat o tzv. preferovaném čtení. Proto lze identifikovat paradigmata výkladu, které jsou mnohem "použeitelnější" než jiné, protože vedou k očekávaným výsledkům. K výsledkům, které odpovídají očekávání masového publika.In the 1970s, British cultural theorist Stuart Hall introduced a concept known as preferred reading. It combines the ideological influence of mass media and dominant ways of understanding any text. This article focuses on mass media as a source of ideological background or context of legal interpretation and of any reading of legal texts. Law operates in culture and culture represents limitations in the law, according to the needs of dominant ideology. Culture introduces structures of domination which manipulate law. An important role is also given to popular culture and mass culture. These parts of the culture industry create borders in which the recipients (audience) think of law. Through mass media – rather than through other channels – dominant ideology infiltrates law. Legal consciousness is formed by dominant cultural frames formed by dominant ideology. Through this formation of mass media, law becomes a commodity. It shares the same values or contents as that of cultural industry and is the place where the theory of preferred reading can be introduced. According to the aforementioned theory, there are methods of interpretation that are more accurate than others are. This is simply because they lead to a result that is more preferred by ‘common opinion’ disseminated by mass culture

Leadership development through action learning sets: An evaluation study

This article examines the use of action learning sets in a leadership module delivered by a university in south east England. An evaluation research study was undertaking using survey method to evaluate student engagement with action learning sets, and their value, impact and sustainability. Data were collected through a questionnaire with a mix of Likert-style and open-ended questions and qualitative and quantitative data analysis was undertaken. Findings show that engagement in the action learning sets was very high. Action learning sets also had a positive impact on the development of leadership knowledge and skills and are highly valued by participants. It is likely that they would be sustainable as the majority would recommend action learning to colleagues and would consider taking another module that used action learning sets. When compared to existing literature on action learning, this study offers new insights as there is little empirical literature on student engagement with action learning sets and even less on value and sustainability