Global change of land use systems : IMAGE: a new land allocation module

The Integrated Model to Assess the Global Environment (IMAGE) aims at assessing the state of the environment taking into account the effects of human activities. Although human population often makes use of a land area to satisfy various needs, most of the current global land use datasets and models use a classification based on dominant land use/cover types disregarding the diversity and intensity of human activities. In this working document we investigate if the simulation of land use change and the IMAGE outcomes can be improved by using a classification based on land use systems. An expert based cluster analysis was used to identify and map land use systems. The analysis accounted for population density, accessibility, land use / cover types and livestock and provided a new insight on human interactions with the environment. Then, a conceptual framework was developed and implemented to simulate land use systems changes based on local conditions and demand for agricultural products and accounting for land management changes

Maine EPSCoR End-to-End Connectivity for Sustainability Science Collaboration

This NSF EPSCoR C2 project allowed Maine EPSCoR to continue the state’s momentum to enhance the connectivity of the state’s research, higher education, and K-12 institutions through Maine’s Research and Education Network (MaineREN). Over the last few years, multi-million dollar investments have built networking and computing power at the state level, including: 1) the installation of 1,100 miles of middle-mile fiber optic cable; 2) investments in shared computing resources for high performance computing and cloud computing; 3) the Maine School and Library Network; 4) the Maine Learning Technology Initiative (grade 6-12 laptops); and 5) investments in high-performance visualization and videoconferencing. This C2 project allowed Maine EPSCoR to address the cyberinfrastructure gaps at the seven campuses of the University of Maine System that had still been preventing the delivery of true end-to-end connectivity between Maine’s researchers and the new advanced networking services provided over MaineREN. The research and education focus that was enabled by this C2 project is the Maine EPSCoR Sustainability Science Initiative (SSI) Rll Track 1, with the goal of providing SSI researchers and students at the seven campuses of the University of Maine System true end-to-end connectivity. Cyberinfrastructure is an important key to helping SSI to advance their sustainability science objectives to: 1) examine interactions between social and ecological systems (SES) as landscapes change in response to urbanization, forest management, and climate variability; 2) investigate how such SES knowledge affects, and is influenced by, the actions and decisions of diverse stakeholders, with a goal of strengthening connections between knowledge and action; 3) evaluate the factors that facilitate and impede interdisciplinary collaboration, with a goal of identifying and implementing individual and institutional best practices that are needed to support successful interdisciplinary research programs in sustainability science. In particular, the C2 connectivity improvements that are now in place will support the Track 1 SSI research agenda by addressing various data management, visualization, and virtual proximity challenges that were present. Except for a small amount of support towards the AAAS review, all of the C2 budget was allocated for the capital cyberinfrastructure improvements, with the goal of enabling the effectiveness of the research and education activities of the SSI Track 1 project. This then means that there is a high degree of leveraging and synergy between the two projects, and that the personnel participation, research, diversity, and workforce development activities were supported from a variety of other sources including SSI Track 1, state funds, university funds, and UMaine System funds (and therefore are not a direct part of this award). While somewhat confusing for reporting purposes, this high degree of leveraging resulted in a tightly integrated and effective manner of furthering Maine’s research and education capacity in Sustainability Science. The implementation and administration of all three NSF EPSCoR projects (Track 1, 2, C2) has been through the Maine EPSCoR office at the University of Maine, which allowed for effective coordination and leveraging of resources and investments for the maximum benefit to Maine researchers

Maine EPSCoR End-to-End Connectivity for Sustainability Science Collaboration

Project DescriptionThis RII C2 proposal from Maine (ME) EPSCoR is focused on addressing last-mile bottlenecks at seven campuses of the University of Maine System. Maine\u27s Research and Education Network, MaineREN, delivers high performance inter-campus fiber connectivity to public and private institutions across the state, but the intra-campus networking has lacked the same investment by the state.The proposed improvements include:- Rewiring eight buildings at the University of Maine Orono Campus (UMaine) with Cat-6 cable, increasing end-to-end performance to 10 Gbps.- Upgrading the fiber backbone between the two University of Southern Maine (USM) campuses, one in Portland and one in Gorham, 12 miles apart. In addition, upgrades will be done for the buildings housing the ME RII Track-1 researchers, including the Law Building, Library, Bailey Hall, and the buildings that make up the fiber core for the Portland campus. - Upgrades to edge routers to connect to the MaineREN backbone for UMaine Augusta (UMA), UMaine Farmington (UMF), UMaine Fort Kent (UMFK), UMaine Machias (UMM), and UMaine Presque Isle (UMPI). Intellectual MeritThe proposed upgrades in network connections will greatly improve the networking capacity available to the University of Maine system and enable researchers to take advantage of state-wide upgrades with improved end-to-end performance. The proposed RII C2 connectivity improvements will support the Maine RII Track-1 Sustainability Science Initiative (SSI) by increasing bandwidth availability for the SSI data management and visualization approaches. SSI is advancing the emerging field of sustainability science in three integrative ways: 1) examining interactions between social and ecological systems (SES) as landscapes change in response to urbanization, forest management, and climate variability; 2) investigating how much SES knowledge affects, and is influenced by, the actions and decision of stakeholders, with a goal of strengthening connections between knowledge and actions; 3) evaluating the factors that facilitate and impede interdisciplinary collaboration, with a goal of identifying and implementing individual and institutional best practices that are needed to support successful interdisciplinary research programs in sustainability science.Broader ImpactsBy filling in relatively small gaps in the infrastructure, Maine will be able to make very large gains in the effectiveness of the state\u27s cyberinfrastructure (CI) that will allow researchers to fully utilize investments to improve research effectiveness, promote collaboration, improve K-12 interaction, and develop the future workforce of the state. The networking upgrades will support the 300 researchers, students, and stakeholders that are part of the SSI collaboration over 17 different disciplinary fields. The SSI activities have the potential to increase Maine\u27s research capacity and competitiveness and grow Maine\u27s green innovation economy. The proposed project will leverage the RII Track-1 programs for broader impacts

Changes in inferred identification and mother-daughter interaction as a function of adolescent development

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Boston UniversityThe purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between inferred identification and mother-daughter interaction, between inferred identification and stages of adolescent development, and between stages of adolescent development and mother-daughter interaction

Cocoa Butter Saturated with Supercritical Carbon Dioxide: Measurements and Modelling of Solubility, Volumetric Expansion, Density and Viscosity

International audienceThe use of supercritical carbon dioxide technology for lipid processing has recently developed at the expense of traditional processes. For designing new processes the knowledge of thermophysical properties is a prerequisite. This work is focused on the characterization of physical and thermodynamic properties of CO2-cocoa butter (CB) saturated mixture. Measurements of density, volumetric expansion, viscosity and CO2 solubility were carried out on CB-rich phase at 313 and 353 K and pressures up to 40 MPa. The experimental techniques have previously been compared and validated. Density measurements of CB and CB saturated with CO2, were performed using the vibrating tube technology at pressures ranging from 0.1 to 25 MPa. Experimental values correlated well with the modified Tait equation. CO2 solubility measurements were coupled to those of density in the same pressures ranges. At 25 MPa, the solubility of CO2 is 31.4 % and 28.7 % at 313 and 353 K. Phase behaviour was investigated using a view cell in order to follow the expansion of the CB-rich phase with the rise in pressure. Volumetric expansion up to 47 % was measured and correlated to the CO2 solubility. Phase inversion was observed at 313 K and 40 MPa. Lastly, we developed an innovative falling ball viscometer for high pressure measurements. Viscosity measurements were carried out up to 25 MPa showing a viscosity reduction up to 90 % upon CO2 dissolution. These results were correlated with two empirical models. A new model here presented, was favourably compared with the Grunberg and Nissan model. All the experimental results are consistent with the available literature data for the CB-CO2 mixture and other fat systems. This work is a new contribution to the characterization of physical and thermodynamic behaviour of fats in contact with CO2 which is necessary to design supercritical fluid processes for fats processing

Site index and height growth curves for Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) (Mirb.) Franco in the Patagonian Andean Region of Rio Negro and Chubut, Argentina

El objetivo de este trabajo fue establecer curvas de indice de sitio y crecimiento en altura para Pino Oregón, de aplicación en la región andino patagónica. Mediante el análisis fustal de 69 árboles dominantes, seleccionados de 28 rodales, distribuidos en el área comprendida por Bariloche como límite norte (41° S, provincia de Río Negro) y El Corcovado al sur (43°30´ S, provincia de Chubut) y las isohietas de 500 a 1500 mm de precipitación media anual, como límites este-oeste, se formó una base de 1481 observaciones altura - edad al pecho. Para la construcción de la familia de curvas de crecimiento en altura se procedió según la metodología de Curva Guía y su posterior armonización, aplicando técnicas de regresión no lineal al modelo de Schumacher. Las curvas de indice de sitio, basadas en altura y edad se dedujeron de la función armonizada de crecimiento en altura, tomándose como edad de referencia 20 años a la altura del pecho. Para la función de indice de sitio se realizó una validación contra sus propios datos y se contrastó la función de crecimiento en altura con curvas de aplicación en el área de origen de la especie. El modelo de indice de sitio presentó, en la distribución de los errores de predicción, patrones similares a los citados en la literatura, con errores inferiores a 0,10 m a la edad de 20 años y en el contraste de las curvas de crecimiento en altura se observaron patrones similares a las curvas desarrolladas por Bruce para su área de origen dentro del rango de edades de la muestra (<40 años), siendo la diferencia inferior al 2 % a la edad de 65 años.The aim of this paper was to establish Site Index and heitgh curves for Douglas-fir for the aplication in the Patagonian Andean region. There is no antecedence in the region. From stem analysis to 69 dominat trees, selected form 28 plots, into de area between Bariloche in the north (41°30' S, Río Negro Province) and El Corcovado in the South (43° 30"S, Chubut Province), and between 500 to 1500 mm mean annual precipitation isohyet, as east and west limits, we prepared a data base with 1481 heigth-age register. For the construction of the growth heigth curve family we proceeded according with the methodology of the guide curve method and its later armonization, applying no linnear method to the Schumacher Model. The site index curve were deduced from the heigth growth curve, the reference age is 20 years at breast heigth. The autovalidation was made and the function was constrasted with Bruce’s heigth growth curve applied in the origen region. The distribution of the error prediction was very similar to those found in literature, and when we make the Bruce heigth growth curves constrats we find the same pattern in the range of age of the sample (<40 years), and 2% difference at the age of 65 years (out of the sample age).Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP) - Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales (FCAF

Estimate of the impact of background particles on the X-Ray Microcalorimeter Spectrometer on IXO

We present the results of a study on the impact of particles of galactic (GCR) and solar origin for the X-ray Microcalorimeter Spectrometer (XMS) aboard an astronomical satellite flying in an orbit at the second Lagrangian point (L2). The detailed configuration presented in this paper is the one adopted for the International X-Ray Observatory (IXO) study, however the derived estimates can be considered a conservative limit for ATHENA, that is the IXO redefined mission proposed to ESA. This work is aimed at the estimate of the residual background level expected on the focal plane detector during the mission lifetime, a crucial information in the development of any instrumental configuration that optimizes the XMS scientific performances. We used the Geant4 toolkit, a Monte Carlo based simulator, to investigate the rejection efficiency of the anticoincidence system and assess the residual background on the detector.Comment: 18 pages, 9 figure

Dual JAK1 and STAT3 mutations in a breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma.

SCOPUS: ar.jDecretOANoAutActifinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Tendencias en el desarrollo temporal del mal del ciprés en parcelas permanentes de una reserva forestal nacional de Austrocedrus chilensis (Patagonia, Argentina)

Longevity is a characteristic of forest trees that influences their responses to challenges by biotic and abiotic stresses and the temporal development of symptoms. Monitoring programs have been extensively used to detect the impact of climatic change, air pollution and outbreaks of pathogens on forest health, growth and dynamics. In Argentina, forests of Patagonian cypress are affected since mid twenty century by a mortality process called «mal del ciprés» (cypress mortality), but information about their temporal progression is scarce. In the present work we used a database from a program of dasometric permanent plots to analyse the temporal development of cypress mortality on plot and tree level, and determine qualitatively the spatial distribution of affected trees. Particular pulses of appearance of affected trees shared by all plots, rapid or slow progress of mortality at tree level and a homogeneous distribution of affected trees without a clear pattern of expansion from a central point were determined. The results indicate that the episodic appearance of affected trees can be related with warm and dry climatic periods and suggest that the individuals affected by cypress mortality share some special characteristics such as genetic background, developmental conditions or physiological mechanisms for drought responses.La longevidad de las especies arbóreas afecta la respuesta a estreses bióticos o abióticos y, en gran medida, determina el desarrollo temporal de los síntomas. Por tal motivo, los programas de monitoreo se han empleado para detectar el impacto del cambio climático, la polución ambiental o estallidos de patógenos en la sanidad y dinámica de los bosques. En Argentina, los bosques de Austrocedrus chilensis sufren desde 1945 una mortalidad masiva conocida como «mal del ciprés»; sin embargo, hay escasa información sobre su progresión temporal. En el presente trabajo una base de datos de un programa de parcelas permanentes se empleó para analizar el desarrollo temporal de la mortalidad a nivel de parcela e individuo y la distribución espacial de los árboles afectados. Se determinó que la aparición de síntomas sigue un patrón de pulsos compartido por todas las parcelas, con mortalidad rápida o lenta a nivel de individuo y una distribución homogénea de la mortalidad sin un patrón de expansión desde un punto central. Los resultados indican que los episodios de afectación pueden ser relacionados con períodos climáticos cálidos y secos, sugiriendo que los individuos afectados comparten características tales como background genético, condiciones de sitio o respuesta a la sequía.Facultad de Ciencias ExactasInstituto de Biotecnologia y Biologia Molecula