Using the Homes Energy Efficiency Database as a research resource for residential insulation improvements

In devising viable energy efficiency policies that can reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of existing dwellings (e.g. UK׳s Green Deal), data are required on current insulation levels and its influences. One such data source is the seldom used UK Energy Saving Trust׳s Homes Energy Efficiency Database (HEED), which this paper investigates using Norfolk UK local authorities as a case study. The HEED׳s reactive and longitudinal data collection strategies contribute to underlying biases, which is the likely reasoning for its differences with the English Housing Survey and UK 2001 Census. These differences had a cascading effect in that they manifested themselves in the indicative financial and carbon assessments undertaken. Similarly, sampling concerns also implicated correlations surrounding influences of current dwelling insulation levels. Providing one is transparent about potential biases and data concerns, the HEED can play a substantial role in guiding policy decisions and understanding dwelling stock characteristics (e.g. what makes dwellings ‘Hard to Treat׳). In particular, its vast (national) geographic coverage yet high resolution enables local context to be explored: a factor that this study shows to significantly shape insulation levels

Studies into cytauxzoon and helminth infections of bobcats (Lynx rufus) of Northwest Arkansas

The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of Cytauxzoon felis and gastrointestinal helminth infections in bobcats (Lynx rufus) of Northwest Arkansas, an area known to have numerous cases of cytaux in domestic cats. Sixty bobcat carcasses were collected from trappers located in Mulberry and Decatur, Arkansas. Blood samples from the hearts were used to isolate Cytauxzoon DNA. Next, a polymerase chain reaction ( PCR) procedure coupled with gel-electrophoresis assay for the 18s region of extracted DNA were used to determine the presence of the protozoan in the bobcats at the time of harvest. Out of the 60 bobcats, 54 (90%) were positive for the protozoan’s infection. These findings indicate a large reservoir of Cytauxzoon for possible infection of domestic cats. Along with the detection of Cytauxzoon felis, intestinal helminths of the bobcats were collected and identified. The isolated helminths included Alaria marcianae, Ancylostoma sp., Molineus barbatus, Taenia sp., Spirometra mansonoides, Mesocestoides lineatus, Aonchotheca putorii, Physaloptera praeputialis and Toxocara cati. All helminths found were previously shown to be common in omnivorous and carnivorous sylvatic as well as domestic mammals of the region. It is amazing that bobcats are able to withstand both parasitic infections concurrently, as they roam the forests of Northwest Arkansas

Perceived Risk Reduction In E-commerce Environments

During the past three decades, the growth of e-commerce has presented marketers with many new arenas for research and application. Certainly e-commerce has become a significant portion of the world economy and in particular the consumer sector. As previous literature has consistently considered perceived risk as a major factor consumer purchase decisions, this research identifies several major components of consumer perceived risk (PR) and their normative implications in the e-commerce environmen

Digesting the Message about Contaminants and Country Foods in the Canadian North: A Review and Recommendations for Future Research and Action

Communicating the risks of environmental contaminants in the food chain to northern Aboriginal peoples poses significant challenges for communities at risk and environment and health professionals alike. Reported results of poor risk communication practice on this issue include increased fear and confusion in northern communities, changes in the dietary behaviour and traditional lifestyles of their residents, and associated impacts on their society, economy, and health. A review of past communication research and activities on this issue in the Canadian North reveals a general ad hoc “learning by doing” approach to primarily one-way communication events. The lack of focused communication research on an issue that has garnered great focus and effort elsewhere in the country and continent has forced health professionals and communicators to rely on assumptions about the reception and level of comprehension of important health messages previously disseminated. The importance of this information is increasing as research begins to detect subtle health effects from exposure to these substances among newborns in some northern regions. Thus planning and evaluation are needed for risk communication, and possibly changes to the scale at which communication work is done in northern communities.Le fait d’informer les peuples autochtones du Nord des risques associés à la présence de contaminants de l’environnement dans la chaîne alimentaire pose un défi de taille pour les collectivités exposées à ces risques, tout comme pour les professionnels de l’environnement et de la santé. Les résultats déjà rapportés d’une piètre pratique de divulgation des risques sur cette question mentionnent une augmentation de la peur et de la confusion dans les collectivités nordiques, des changements dans le comportement alimentaire et le style de vie traditionnel des résidents, et les impacts qui en résultent sur leur société, leur économie et leur santé. Un examen de la recherche en communications et des activités de divulgation antérieures sur cette question dans le Nord révèle que la communication est principalement unilatérale et se fait de façon improvisée sur le tas. Le manque d’une recherche en communications bien ciblée, sur une question ayant pris beaucoup d’ampleur et donné lieu à une importante mobilisation ailleurs à l’échelle du pays et du continent, ce manque donc a obligé les professionnels de la santé et les spécialistes en communications dans le domaine à se fier à des hypothèses quant à la réception et au niveau de compréhension d’importants messages relatifs à la santé diffusés antérieurement. Cette information acquiert de plus en plus d’importance à mesure que la recherche commence à détecter des effets ténus sur la santé dus à une exposition à ces contaminants chez les nouveau-nés dans certaines régions du Nord. Il faut donc procéder à une planification et à une évaluation de la divulgation des risques, voire à des changements dans l’échelle à laquelle s’effectue la communication dans les collectivités du Nord

Preparation of iron-enriched baker's yeast and its efficiency in recovery of rats from dietary iron deficiency

OBJECTIVES Iron is an important mineral, essential for the health and function of mammalian cells. Despite its key role, iron deficiency in humans is common worldwide, often leading to significant health issues within the population. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of using iron-enriched baker's yeast as a source of iron, especially for the protection and recovery from conditions related to anemia. METHODS Iron-enriched yeast was prepared by cultivating cells on basal medium comprising different iron concentrations. The effects of iron supplementation on animal health were assessed by feeding anemic rats with a variety of diets containing either inorganic iron or iron-enriched yeast. Body weight, iron bioavailability, blood parameters, and the activity of iron-containing enzymes (catalase) were studied. RESULTS Iron accumulation in yeast cells increased with iron concentration, reaching a maximum of 15 mg/g when 32 mM iron was applied. Rat groups fed iron-enriched yeast had the highest feed efficiency, iron bioavailability, and hemoglobin concentration. The source of iron supplementation influenced catalase activity in kidney tissues, increasing from 70 U/g tissue in anemic rats to 90 U/g tissue (inorganic iron salt), 110 U/g tissue (inorganic iron salt and non-enriched dry yeast), 145 U/g tissue (iron-enriched yeast 15 mg/g iron) and 115 U/g tissue (iron-enriched yeast 30 mg/g iron). The histologic study of tissues from liver, kidney, heart, and spleen of rats from different groups showed that the damage observed in tissues of anemic rats, was not observed after feeding with iron-enriched yeasts. CONCLUSION The results demonstrated that ingestion of iron-enriched yeast is more efficient than inorganic treatment in recovery from iron deficiency, including tissue recovery in rats

The Relationship Between Wort Sugar Concentration and Yeast Carbon Partitioning during Brewing Fermentations

High gravity (HG) and very high gravity (VHG) fermentations are increasingly attractive within the brewing industry as a means of optimizing process efficiency and energy-saving. However, the use of highly concentrated worts is concomitant with a number of biological stress factors that can impact on yeast quality and fermentation performance. In order to eliminate or reduce potentially detrimental effects, brewing yeast respond to their environment by shunting carbon into different metabolic end products, which assist in the protection of cells, but also impact on final ethanol yield. The purpose of this research was to investigate the impact of substrate sugar concentration on carbon partitioning in brewing fermentations. This was conducted using a series of laboratory-scale fermentations with worts of 13°P, 18°P and 24°P, pitched using lager and ale yeast strains. Fermentation performance was assessed with respect to the uptake of wort sugars and the production of key carbon-based metabolites, leading to a calculation of yeast central carbon flux. Analysis of carbon assimilation and dissimilation revealed that changes in intracellular trehalose, glycogen, higher alcohols and esters were observed, however the production of yeast biomass acted as the major trade-off with ethanol production. The data presented here shows for the first time the requirements of yeast populations during HG and VHG conditions and the factors that have a major impact on key performance indicators. This data has major significance for fermentation-based industries globally and is especially important for those sectors seeking to maximize yield from existing resources through high gravity fermentations

Chris Powell: Animalia Booklet

Booklet showing the cart exhibit Animalia, April 20 - May 23, 2001.https://digitalcommons.udallas.edu/powell_animalia/1000/thumbnail.jp

A Locally Adaptive Bayesian Cubature Method

Bayesian cubature (BC) is a popular inferential perspective on the cubature of expensive integrands, wherein the integrand is emulated using a stochastic process model. Several approaches have been put forward to encode sequential adaptation (i.e. dependence on previous integrand evaluations) into this framework. However, these proposals have been limited to either estimating the parameters of a stationary covariance model or focusing computational resources on regions where large values are taken by the integrand. In contrast, many classical adaptive cubature methods focus computational resources on spatial regions in which local error estimates are largest. The contributions of this work are three-fold: First, we present a theoretical result that suggests there does not exist a direct Bayesian analogue of the classical adaptive trapezoidal method. Then we put forward a novel BC method that has empirically similar behaviour to the adaptive trapezoidal method. Finally we present evidence that the novel method provides improved cubature performance, relative to standard BC, in a detailed empirical assessment

Circulation, Vol. 11, No. 1

Spring 2004 issue of CCPO Circulation featuring article Technical Requirements for a Real-Time Oceanographic Mooring at LEO-15 by Chris Powellhttps://digitalcommons.odu.edu/ccpo_circulation/1020/thumbnail.jp