Institutional Innovation for Environmental Justice

This is the text of a paper presented at the International Conference on Environment and Disaster Management in Delhi, India, hosted by the Indian Supreme Court, in July 2011

Validity and practical utility of accelerometry for the measurement of in-hand physical activity in horses

Background: Accelerometers are valid, practical and reliable tools for the measurement of habitual physical activity (PA). Quantification of PA in horses is desirable for use in research and clinical settings. The objective of this study was to evaluate a triaxial accelerometer for objective measurement of PA in the horse by assessment of their practical utility and validity. Horses were recruited to establish both the optimal site of accelerometer attachment and questionnaire designed to explore owner acceptance. Validity and cut-off values were obtained by assessing PA at various gaits. Validation study- 20 horses wore the accelerometer while being filmed for 10 min each of rest, walking and trotting and 5 mins of canter work. Practical utility study- five horses wore accelerometers on polls and withers for 18 h; compliance and relative data losses were quantified. Results: Accelerometry output differed significantly between the four PA levels (P <0•001) for both wither and poll placement. For withers placement, ROC analyses found optimal sensitivity and specificity at a cut-off of <47 counts per minute (cpm) for rest (sensitivity 99.5 %, specificity 100 %), 967–2424 cpm for trotting (sensitivity 96.7 %, specificity 100 %) and ≥2425 cpm for cantering (sensitivity 96.0 %, specificity 97.0 %). Attachment at the poll resulted in optimal sensitivity and specificity at a cut-off of <707 counts per minute (cpm) for rest (sensitivity 97.5 %, specificity 99.6 %), 1546–2609 cpm for trotting (sensitivity 90.33 %, specificity 79.25 %) and ≥2610 cpm for cantering (sensitivity 100 %, specificity 100 %) In terms of practical utility, accelerometry was well tolerated and owner acceptance high. Conclusion: Accelerometry data correlated well with varying levels of in-hand equine activity. The use of accelerometers is a valid method for objective measurement of controlled PA in the horse

Ariel - Volume 5 Number 6

Editors J.D. Kanofsky Mark Dembert Entertainment Robert Breckenridge Joe Conti Gary Kaskey Photographer Scot Kastner Overseas Editor Mike Sinason Circulation Jay Amsterdam Humorist Jim McCann Staff Ken Jaffe Bob Sklaroff Janet Welsh Dave Jacoby Phil Nimoityn Frank Chervane

Effects of Biotic Interactions on Climate-Growth Relationships of Douglas-Fir and Ponderosa Pine

Plant processes depend on the interplay between intrinsic characteristics (e.g., photosynthetic capacity) and external variables, such as light, temperature and water availability. However, these factors are often tightly interconnected and vary significantly among species with different life history strategies and within a species across environmental gradients. Moreover, plant-plant interactions may directly affect both intrinsic variables and local environment through direct effects on resource availability and habitat structure. Yet, despite general scientific agreement that the relative effects of abiotic stress and competition are directly linked, relatively little is known about the effects of competitive interactions on climate-growth relationships of trees. This is largely because previous research addressing the issue has relied almost exclusively on short-term studies using short-lived, herbaceous species. However, unlike most short-lived plants, trees can substantially modify their ability to tolerate stress or acquire resources as a consequence of plastic responses to external environmental conditions experienced in their lifetimes, resulting in individualistic responses to environmental change. A clearer understanding of the relationship between competition and climate-growth relationships of mature trees is critically needed in order to accurately predict forest ecosystem responses to climate change and understand how local management actions could be used to influence these responses -- arguably the most important research and management challenges of our time. To address these issues, I quantify the relative influence of competition and environmental conditions on the climate-growth relationships of two dominant conifer species, Pinus ponderosa and Psuedotsuga menziesii, across their full range of growing conditions within the Colville National Forest of eastern Washington. Specifically, I analyze tree ring records using time series analysis and mixed effects models to, (1) investigate the effect of competition on climate-growth relationships; (2) assess how these relationships change between species and across environmental gradients; and, (3) explore linkages between environmental factors and drought responses across multiple spatial scales. Findings will help improve predictions about vegetation responses to climate change, address conflicting hypotheses about the dynamic role of competition along environmental gradients and help managers better understand how manipulating stand density and structure will modify tree responses to climate change

Lessons from 10 Years in Cultural Real Estate

The Community Arts Stabilization Trust (CAST) was founded in 2013 as a solution to create stable spaces for arts and cultural organizations in the San Francisco Bay Area. Through real estate expertise and access to innovative financial tools, CAST prevents the displacement of community-based arts and cultural organizations from rapidly increasing rents in the San Francisco Bay Area and ensures their long-term stability. With the success of the CAST model, which was proof-tested during COVID, and on the occasion of their 10-year anniversary, the Kenneth Rainin Foundation commissioned WolfBrown to interview CAST's senior staff members about the evolution of their work over the past decade. This report outlines five key takeaways to benefit the wider arts and cultural field

Are mice good models for human neuromuscular disease? Comparing muscle excursions in walking between mice and humans

The mouse is one of the most widely used animal models to study neuromuscular diseases and test new therapeutic strategies. However, findings from successful pre-clinical studies using mouse models frequently fail to translate to humans due to various factors. Differences in muscle function between the two species could be crucial but often have been overlooked. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare muscle excursions in walking between mice and humans

Junkie love : romance and addiction on the big screen

This article investigates the filmic construction of two disparate but intertwining cultural practices: those engaging in the life-affirming rituals of romantic love and those performing the potentially self-destructive rituals of hard drug consumption. Discussing a number of key feature films from the (mini) genre “junkie love”, it aims to show what happens when elements of mainstream romantic drama merge with the horror conventions of the heroin addiction film. Drawing amongst others on Murray Smith’s theory of “levels of [spectator] engagement” and Greg Smith’s concept of the “emotion system”, the article concludes that junkie love films, using tropes of the romantic tragedy in the tradition of Romeo and Juliet, present a more complex and nuanced approach to drug addicts than the predominantly condemnatory media coverage—one that arguably invites the spectator’s understanding and compassion