Are neonicotinoid insecticides driving declines of widespread butterflies?

There has been widespread concern that neonicotinoid pesticides may be adversely impacting wild and managed bees for some years, but recently attention has shifted to examining broader effects they may be having on biodiversity. For example in the Netherlands, declines in insectivorous birds are positively associated with levels of neonicotinoid pollution in surface water. In England, the total abundance of widespread butterfly species declined by 58% on farmed land between 2000 and 2009 despite both a doubling in conservation spending in the UK, and predictions that climate change should benefit most species. Here we build models of the UK population indices from 1985 to 2012 for 17 widespread butterfly species that commonly occur at farmland sites. Of the factors we tested, three correlated significantly with butterfly populations. Summer temperature and the index for a species the previous year are both positively associated with butterfly indices. By contrast, the number of hectares of farmland where neonicotinoid pesticides are used is negatively associated with butterfly indices. Indices for 15 of the 17 species show negative associations with neonicotinoid usage. The declines in butterflies have largely occurred in England, where neonicotinoid usage is at its highest. In Scotland, where neonicotinoid usage is comparatively low, butterfly numbers are stable. Further research is needed urgently to show whether there is a causal link between neonicotinoid usage and the decline of widespread butterflies or whether it simply represents a proxy for other environmental factors associated with intensive agriculture

Improving End-Use Load Modeling Using Machine Learning and Smart Meter Data

An accurate representation of the voltage-dependent, time-varying energy consumption of end-use electric loads is essential for the operation of modern distribution automation (DA) schemes. Volt-var optimization (VVO), a DA scheme which can decrease energy consumption and peak demand, often leverages electric network models and power flow results to inform control decisions, making it sensitive to errors in load models. End-use load modeling can be improved with additional measurements from advanced metering infrastructure (AMI). This paper presents two novel machine learning algorithms for creating data-driven, time-varying load models for use with DA technologies such as VVO. The first algorithm uses AMI data, k-means clustering, and least-squares optimization to create predictive load models for individual electric customers. The second algorithm uses deep learning (via a convolution-based recurrent neural network) to incorporate additional data and increase model accuracy. The improved accuracy of the load models for both algorithms is validated through simulation

Altered Gene Expression in Blood and Sputum in COPD Frequent Exacerbators in the ECLIPSE Cohort

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who are defined as frequent exacerbators suffer with 2 or more exacerbations every year. The molecular mechanisms responsible for this phenotype are poorly understood. We investigated gene expression profile patterns associated with frequent exacerbations in sputum and blood cells in a well-characterised cohort. Samples from subjects from the ECLIPSE COPD cohort were used; sputum and blood samples from 138 subjects were used for microarray gene expression analysis, while blood samples from 438 subjects were used for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing. Using microarray, 150 genes were differentially expressed in blood (>±1.5 fold change, p≤0.01) between frequent compared to non-exacerbators. In sputum cells, only 6 genes were differentially expressed. The differentially regulated genes in blood included downregulation of those involved in lymphocyte signalling and upregulation of pro-apoptotic signalling genes. Multivariate analysis of the microarray data followed by confirmatory PCR analysis identified 3 genes that predicted frequent exacerbations; B3GNT, LAF4 and ARHGEF10. The sensitivity and specificity of these 3 genes to predict the frequent exacerbator phenotype was 88% and 33% respectively. There are alterations in systemic immune function associated with frequent exacerbations; down-regulation of lymphocyte function and a shift towards pro-apoptosis mechanisms are apparent in patients with frequent exacerbations

Portfolio Vol. III N 2

Timrud, David. Brain Fever. Prose. 3-5. X, Mister. Shadows. Poetry. 6. Fox, Thomas. Purgatory of The Gods. Prose. 7-8. Deeds, Ed. The Messiah. Prose. 9-10. Maxwell, Robert. Haunted. Poetry. 10. Maxwell, Bob. Fortune Teller. Prose. 11-12. Russell, Mark. Illustration. Picture. 6. Thomas, Roland. \u27Tween Classes. Picture. 2. Bailey, Bernard. Boy and Instructor. Prose. 15. Gratza, Margaret. Three Poets. Poetry. 16. Phillips, Alison. Nasturtiums. Poetry. 16. B.J.W. Restlessness. Poetry. 16. Russell, Mark. Still Life. Picture. 16. Martindale, Virginia. The Boat In The Bayou. Prose. 17-18. Deane, Dorothy. Review of New Books. 19. Deane, Dorothy. Review of New Recordings. 19. Koos, Betty. Still Life. Picture. 20. Bonnett, Elizabeth. Portrait of Betty Jeager. Picture. 20. Franke, Ruth. Still Life. Picture. 20. Pritchard, Dorothy. Portrait of Jean Ebaugh. Picture. 21. Martindale, Virginia. Study of Lilies. Picture. 21

Towards the digital university: a brief introduction to E-Texts and open access

The notion of "E-texts" or "electronic texts" made its way onto the agenda of the Academic Support Committee in April 2009. This interest in E-Text was prompted by an inquiry to the Committee Chair by several faculty members who had questions about academic publisher presentations that were occurring on campus. Following from the Committee discussions, a Subcommittee was struck to examine the trends, tools and potential of e-text as it relates to academic resources. The Subcommittee held its first meeting on May xx, 2009 and established the intial Terms of Reference for the working group. The following document reports our findings and reflects the nature of these conversations. The report conveys how E-Texts are currently dealt with by publishers, by the University Bookstore, and by Library collections. As well, it describes the concept of Open Access as it applies to the individuals' ability to electronically publish academic materials, as a way of making academic information available to students and faculty alike

Prospectus, May 8, 1985

https://spark.parkland.edu/prospectus_1985/1013/thumbnail.jp

The Grizzly, January 30, 2014

Sexual Misconduct Numbers in Security Report Explained • Live Feed From Ritter Stirs Debate • Colleges Soon to Consider the Impact of MOOCs • Non-Traditional Careers for Psychology Majors • School Spirit on the Rise • First Salinger Read-a-Thon Brings Holden Back to Ursinus Campus • Culture Shock: Returning to UC • Opinion: Drug Policy\u27s Punishments are Too Harsh; Netflix Streaming is Hogging our Resources • As Olympics Near, Controversy Grows • Super Bowl: Fierce Competition, Big Personalities • Winter Recap: Wrestling, Women\u27s Swimming Shinehttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1895/thumbnail.jp

Amici Curiae Brief of the International Municipal Lawyers Association and Legal Scholars in Support of Defendants-Appellees in Portland Pipe Line Corporation, et al. v. City of South Portland, et al.

This brief to the Maine Supreme Judicial Court was filed in support of the City of South Portland by the Amici Curiae, including the International Municipal Lawyers Association and legal scholars, to provide the Court with a background on the role of local governments in land use planning, and to explain why the City of South Portland’s Clear Skies Ordinance falls easily within the City’s authority and was not preempted by state legislation.After studying the potential for bulk loading of crude oil within its boundaries, the City of South Portland concluded that the infrastructure requirements and environmental impacts of the activity posed a threat to public health and welfare and were incompatible with the community’s vision of itself for the future. The City therefore decided to enact the Clear Skies Ordinance, which prohibits the storing and handling of petroleum or petroleum products for the bulk loading of crude oil onto any marine tank vessel in specified zoning districts. Litigation followed, with plaintiffs arguing that the City lacked authority to enact the Ordinance and that, even if it had such authority in the first instance, that authority had been preempted by other state law. Defendants prevailed on summary judgment in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maine, and during the course of an appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, the Circuit certified several questions to the Maine Supreme Judicial Court. This brief was filed in support of the City with regard to those certified questions.The brief begins by discussing how central the role of local governments is in making land use decisions, emphasizing the highly localized impacts of land use decisions for public health and welfare. It then describes the zoning mechanisms by which local governments exercise their land use power, and discusses why the zoning power is so important for protecting public health and environmental quality, and responding to the changing needs of communities.Next, the brief explains the legal underpinnings of the City of South Portland’s home rule authority. The Constitution of the State of Maine contains a broad grant of home rule authority that is further strengthened by a statutorily imposed rebuttable presumption of validity for exercises of that authority. Local exercises of zoning authority are consistent within this home rule grant, and the brief discusses why the Clear Skies Ordinance falls squarely within the local zoning power. Finally, the brief explains why the Ordinance has not been expressly or impliedly preempted by state law. For all of those reasons, the brief concludes that the City’s enactment of the Ordinance was valid in the first instance and should not be overturned