Feasibility Assessment on Use of Proximal Geophysical Sensors to Support Precision Management

Soil property maps provide information for field management activities such as irrigation, fertilization, and seeding. Many on-the-go proximal geophysical sensors have been developed in recent decades that can help map agricultural fields without dense soil sampling. To utilize these technologies most profitably in precision management, scientists and precision agriculture dealers must better understand sensors’ performances in given field conditions and the economic value of different proximal soil sensing methods. Chapter two reports the study that was conducted at three sites in North Dakota, United States to strengthen understanding of the usefulness of different proximal geophysical data types in agricultural contexts of varying pedology. This study hypothesizes that electro-magnetic induction (EMI), gamma-ray sensor (GRS), cosmic-ray neutron sensor (CRNS), and elevation data layers are all useful in multiple linear regression (MLR) predictions of soil properties that meet expert criteria at three agricultural sites. In addition to geophysical data collection with vehicle-mounted sensors, 15 soil samples were collected at each site and analyzed for nine soil properties of interest. A set of model training data was compiled by pairing the sampled soil property measurements with the nearest geophysical data. Eleven models passed expert-defined uncertainty criteria at site 1, 16 passed at site 2, and 14 passed at site 3. Electrical conductivity, organic matter, available water holding capacity, silt, and clay were predicted at site 1 with an Rpred2 \u3e .50 and acceptable RMSEP. Bulk density, organic matter, available water capacity, silt, and clay were predicted with Rpred2 \u3e .50 and acceptable RMSEP at site 2. At site 3, no soil properties were predicted with acceptable RMSEP and an Rpred2 \u3e .50. These results confirm feasibility of our method, and the authors recommend the prioritization of EMI data collection if geophysical data collection is limited to a single mapping effort and calibration soil samples are few. Strategies for addressing the remaining needs for better prediction of sensor performance and evaluation of sensing methods’ economic value are discussed in chapter three. Several potential methods for future research from the literature are summarized that can advance understanding of sensors’ best use, sophisticated cost-benefit analysis, and soil sampling optimization. Advisor: Trenton Fran

Performance and Resilience: Performance, Storytelling, and Resilience Building in Post-Katrina New Orleans

Performance and Resilience: Performance, Storytelling, and Resilience Building in Post-Katrina New Orleans uses a mixed method approach to investigate the role of digital storytelling and contemporary performing arts in building community and environmental resilience. Through semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and scholarship from the fields of performance studies and environmental studies, this piece focuses on post-disaster landscapes, particularly post-Katrina New Orleans, to investigate the impact of storytelling platforms and performance spaces in retaining social and cultural memory

Is it up to them? Individual leverages for sufficiency

Sufficiency is one important strategy for sustainable development. At an individual level, we need a better understanding of the relationship between sufficiency attitude and CO2 footprint. In this paper, we analyze sufficiency as a psychological determinant of low-carbon lifestyles and introduce an empirical measurement scale for individual sufficiency attitudes. Sufficiency aims at a total reduction of resource consumption, which is urgently needed to achieve our climate and sustainable development goals. This paper explores individual attitude towards a sufficiency-oriented lifestyle as a driver of a low carbon footprint. Survey data of 310 participants was analyzed to test whether individual sufficiency attitude manifests in people’s carbon footprint. The results provide evidence for this relationship but its strength varies between behavioral domains ‐ that is, heating, electricity, food consumption, everyday mobility, air travel. Potential structural and individual barriers to reducing CO2 emissions are discussed as possible factors that could explain differences between the behavioral domains. We argue that intrapersonal factors matter for sustainable lifestyles but that policy-making and structural change should complement and facilitate voluntary endeavors to achieve low-carbon lifestyles

Modulation of working memory duration by synaptic and astrocytic mechanisms

Short-term synaptic plasticity and modulations of the presynaptic vesicle release rate are key components of many working memory models. At the same time, an increasing number of studies suggests a potential role of astrocytes in modulating higher cognitive function such as WM through their influence on synaptic transmission. Which influence astrocytic signaling could have on the stability and duration of WM representations, however, is still unclear. Here, we introduce a slow, activity-dependent astrocytic regulation of the presynaptic release probability in a synaptic attractor model of WM. We compare and analyze simulations of a simple WM protocol in firing rate and spiking networks with and without astrocytic regulation, and underpin our observations with analyses of the phase space dynamics in the rate network. We find that the duration and stability of working memory representations are altered by astrocytic signaling and by noise. We show that astrocytic signaling modulates the mean duration of WM representations. Moreover, if the astrocytic regulation is strong, a slow presynaptic timescale introduces a ‘window of vulnerability’, during which WM representations are easily disruptable by noise before being stabilized. We identify two mechanisms through which noise from different sources in the network can either stabilize or destabilize WM representations. Our findings suggest that (i) astrocytic regulation can act as a crucial determinant for the duration of WM representations in synaptic attractor models of WM, and (ii) that astrocytic signaling could facilitate different mechanisms for volitional top-down control of WM representations and their duration

Deterrence and Defense in Times of COVID-19: Europe’s Political Choices

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Europe is headed for a recession that will dwarf the economic downturn after the 2008 financial crisis. The impact on national defense sectors could be devastating. But as crisis and responses are still in the early stage, governments can still take measures to mitigate the effect on defense. To safeguard political and defense priorities, EU and NATO States need to act jointly and decisively

Brexit: Negotiation phase and scenarios of a drama in three acts

Brussels and London are gearing up for the Brexit negotiations. Prime Minister Theresa May delivered her Brexit speech and the Supreme Court ruled that the UK Parliament has to give its assent. The British government is still planning to declare that the UK intends to leave the EU by the end of March 2017. But how will the Brexit negotiations unfold? Valentin Kreilinger, Sophia Becker and Laura Maria Wolfstädter systematize the next steps in the process and examine the individual procedural requirements in order to analyse the legal and institutional context of Article 50 TEU

Tunnelblick vermeiden! Was für Deutschland und Europa bei der US-Wahl auf dem Spiel steht

Der Ausgang der US-Präsidentschaftswahl wird enorme Auswirkungen auf das Agieren der USA in der Welt haben. Für Multilateralismus, Abrüstung, Klimaschutz und Menschenrechte steht viel auf dem Spiel. Doch die deutsche Diskussion zeigt sich selbstzentriert und kurzsichtig. In Wahrheit müssen Deutschland und Europa dringend auf einen Wahlsieg Joe Bidens hoffen, um künftig gemeinsam mit den USA Verantwortung in der Welt zu übernehmen

Field Testing of Gamma-Spectroscopy Method for Soil Water Content Estimation in an Agricultural Field

Gamma-ray spectroscopy (GRS) enables continuous estimation of soil water content (SWC) at the subfield scale with a noninvasive sensor. Hydrological applications, including hyper-resolution land surface models and precision agricultural decision making, could benefit greatly from such SWC information, but a gap exists between established theory and accurate estimation of SWC from GRS in the field. In response, we conducted a robust three-year field validation study at a wellinstrumented agricultural site in Nebraska, United States. The study involved 27 gravimetric water content sampling campaigns in maize and soybean and 40K specific activity (Bq kg−1) measurements from a stationary GRS sensor. Our analysis showed that the current method for biomass water content correction is appropriate for our maize and soybean field but that the ratio of soil mass attenuation to water mass attenuation used in the theoretical equation must be adjusted to satisfactorily describe the field data. We propose a calibration equation with two free parameters: the theoretical 40K intensity in dry soil and a, which creates an “effective” mass attenuation ratio. Based on statistical analyses of our data set, we recommend calibrating the GRS sensor for SWC estimation using 10 profiles within the footprint and 5 calibration sampling campaigns to achieve a cross-validation root mean square error below 0.035 g g−1

Detection of Bordetella trematum in a diabetic patient with a skin and soft tissue infection

A 38-year-old obese male with spastic diplegia and diabetes was hospitalized due to progressive ulcers of both lower extremities (Figure 1A). Computed tomography showed subcutaneous inflammation with suspected fascial involvement. The patient underwent surgical debridement, after which clindamycin was started empirically. Cultures from tissue samples grew gram-negative rods, identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) as Bordetella trematum (Figure 1B) and, in minor quantity, Myroides odoratimimus. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing of B. trematum was performed to obtain minimal inhibitory concentrations (in μg/mL; ampicillin ≤2; piperacillin ≤4; cefuroxime ≥64; ceftazidime 4; meropenem ≤0.25; moxifloxacin 2). Following the debridement, the patient’s condition improved substantially (Figure 1C), and he was discharged soon thereafter