Independent Orbiter Assessment (IOA): Analysis of the DPS subsystem

The results of the Independent Orbiter Assessment (IOA) of the Failure Modes and Effects Analysis/Critical Items List (FMEA/CIL) is presented. The IOA approach features a top-down analysis of the hardware to independently determine failure modes, criticality, and potential critical items. The independent analysis results corresponding to the Orbiter Data Processing System (DPS) hardware are documented. The DPS hardware is required for performing critical functions of data acquisition, data manipulation, data display, and data transfer throughout the Orbiter. Specifically, the DPS hardware consists of the following components: Multiplexer/Demultiplexer (MDM); General Purpose Computer (GPC); Multifunction CRT Display System (MCDS); Data Buses and Data Bus Couplers (DBC); Data Bus Isolation Amplifiers (DBIA); Mass Memory Unit (MMU); and Engine Interface Unit (EIU). The IOA analysis process utilized available DPS hardware drawings and schematics for defining hardware assemblies, components, and hardware items. Each level of hardware was evaluated and analyzed for possible failure modes and effects. Criticality was assigned based upon the severity of the effect for each failure mode. Due to the extensive redundancy built into the DPS the number of critical items are few. Those identified resulted from premature operation and erroneous output of the GPCs

Ecological Assessment of Sagebrush Grasslands in Eastern Wyoming

An understanding of existing ecosystem conditions is necessary for planning efforts that include formulation of landscape conservation goals and implementation strategies. In support of a landscape planning effort for a 946,000-ac mixed-ownership area in eastern Wyoming, we used remote sensing and field sampling to assess existing ecosystem conditions of terrestrial ecological sites. We used SPOT 5, 33-ft (10-m) multi-spectral satellite imagery combined with NRCS ecological sites to create a geographic information system layer of vegetation cover by ecological site. We then integrated the remote sensing information with field data (571 plots) collected from a stratified random design from 2003 through 2005. The integration of the field data with the satellite mapping provided specific information about each terrestrial ecological site including species composition, productivity, structure, and shrub cover. Western wheatgrass was the most dominant species across all of the terrestrial ecological sites followed by big sagebrush, needle and thread, blue grama, annual brome species and to a lesser extent threadleaf sedge, and six weeks fescue. We found species that typically decrease with grazing (for example green needlegrass, bluebunch wheatgrass, Indian ricegrass) to be lacking or entirely absent from plant communities. Introduced species, especially the annual bromes, were prevalent across all ecological sites. Over 55 percent of the terrestrial ecosystems we sampled had greater than five percent relative cover of introduced plant species. Current ecosystem conditions for many wildlife of the area, as identified by our assessment, had generally lower habitat quality than desired and treatments to improve these conditions are planned

Incorporating Historical Ecosystem Diversity into Conservation Planning Efforts in Grass and Shrub Ecosystems

Understanding historical ecosystem diversity and wildlife habitat quality can provide a useful reference for managing and restoring rangeland ecosystems. We characterized historical ecosystem diversity using available empirical data, expert opinion, and the spatially explicit vegetation dynamics model SIMPPLLE (SIMulating Vegetative Patterns and Processes at Landscape ScaLEs) for a landscape of approximately 946,000 ac in eastern Wyoming. We used SIMPPLLE to simulate plant community dynamics as a result of historical disturbance events (for example, fire, bison grazing, and prairie dog activity), climate, and landscape elements (for example, ecological site, proximity to water, and elevation) and their interactions to derive estimates of the historical range of variability for each grass/shrub ecosystem. For each NRCS designated ecological site we defined the historical states that occurred in the presence of grazing by native herbivores and fire, and identified the processes for movements among states within each site. For each historically occurring state within the delineated landscape we determined the mean ac it occupied and the range of variability (in other words, minimum and maximum ac a state occupied). Comparisons of historical grass/shrub ecosystem diversity of the area with existing conditions indicate that there have been significant changes, most notably the lack of representation of ecosystems dominated by grass species that typically decrease with grazing, the widespread presence of introduced species especially annual brome, and alterations to fire regimes. Through comparisons of historical ecosystem diversity with existing conditions, we identified specific plant communities that are underrepresented and in need of restoration to maintain ecosystem diversity and wildlife habitat

What explains the uneven take-up of ISO 14001 at the global level?: a panel-data analysis

Since its release in the mid-1990s, close to 37 000 facilities have been certified to ISO 14001, the international voluntary standard for environmental management systems. Yet, despite claims that the standard can be readily adapted to very different corporate and geographic settings, its take-up has been highly geographically variable. This paper contributes to a growing body of work concerned with explaining the uneven diffusion of ISO 14001 at the global level. Drawing from the existing theoretical and empirical literature we develop a series of hypotheses about how various economic, market, and regulatory factors influence the national count of ISO 14001 certifications. These hypotheses are then tested using econometric estimation techniques with data for a panel of 142 developed and developing countries. We find that per capita ISO 14001 counts are positively correlated with income per capita, stock of foreign direct investment, exports of goods and services to Europe and Japan, and pressure from civil society. Conversely, productivity and levels of state intervention are negatively correlated. The paper finishes by offering a number of recommendations to policymakers concerned with accelerating the diffusion of voluntary environmental standards

Attracting Attentive Academics: Paper, Person or Place?

ISSN:1439-230

Mapping opportunities and challenges for rewilding in Europe

Farmland abandonment takes place across the world due to socio-economic and ecological drivers. In Europe agricultural and environmental policies aim to prevent abandonment and halt ecological succession. Ecological rewilding has been recently proposed as an alternative strategy. We developed a framework to assess opportunities for rewilding across different dimensions of wilderness in Europe. We mapped artificial light, human accessibility based on transport infrastructure, proportion of harvested primary productivity (i.e., ecosystem productivity appropriated by humans through agriculture or forestry), and deviation from potential natural vegetation in areas projected to be abandoned by 2040. At the continental level, the levels of artificial light were low and the deviation from potential natural vegetation was high in areas of abandonment. The relative importance of wilderness metrics differed regionally and was strongly connected to local environmental and socio-economic contexts. Large areas of projected abandonment were often located in or around Natura 2000 sites. Based on these results, we argue that management should be tailored to restore the aspects of wilderness that are lacking in each region. There are many remaining challenges regarding biodiversity in Europe, but megafauna species are already recovering. To further potentiate large-scale rewilding, Natura 2000 management would need to incorporate rewilding approaches. Our framework can be applied to assessing rewilding opportunities and challenges in other world regions, and our results could guide redirection of subsidies to manage social-ecological systems

Associations between neck musculoskeletal complaints and work related factors among public service computer workers in Kaunas

Objectives:Information technologies have been developing very rapidly, also in the case of occupational activities. Epidemiological studies have shown that employees, who work with computers, are more likely to complain of musculoskeletal disorders (MSD). The aim of this study was to evaluate associations between neck MSD and individual and work related factors. Materials and Methods: The investigation which consisted of two parts - a questionnaire study (using Nordic Musculoskeletal questionnaire and Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire) and a direct observation (to evaluate ergonomic work environment using RULA method) was carried out in three randomly selected public sector companies of Kaunas. The study population consisted of 513 public service office workers. Results: The survey showed that neck MSDs were very common in the investigated population. The prevalence rate amounted to 65.7%. According to our survey neck MSDs were significantly associated with older age, bigger work experience, high quantitative and cognitive job demands, working for longer than 2 h without taking a break as well as with higher ergonomic risk score. The fully adjusted model working for longer than 2 h without taking a break had the strongest associations with neck complaints. Conclusion: It was confirmed, that neck MSDs were significantly associated with individual factors as well as conditions of work, therefore, preventive acions against neck complaints should be oriented at psychosocial and ergonomic work environment as well as at individual factors