Empty pews take a financial toll on many US congregations

Most Christian churches were relying heavily on 'collection plates' to pay their bills before the pandemic struck. And less than half were doing any online fundraising as of 2018.Lilly Endowment Inc

Technology and Fuel Transition Scenarios to Low Greenhouse Gas Futures for Cars and Trucks in California

This study examines potential changes in car and truck powertrain technology and fuel mix that could enable a transition to low carbon futures, out to 2050, in California. We consider combinations of battery-electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, hydrogen fuel cells, and advanced biofuels, including ethanol, diesel biofuels, and renewable natural gas, for internal combustion engines that could lead to 80% GHG reductions compared to 1990. We consider two main low-carbon scenarios—a high ZEV adoption case (ZEV) and a mixed (ZEV and Biofuel) adoption case (ZEV+B)—both relative to a business-as-usual (BAU) case. We find that achieving an 80% reduction in CO2 from cars and trucks (separately and together) appears feasible at relatively low cumulative cost, and with eventual likely net savings (as fuel savings exceed vehicle cost, mostly after 2030). However, the required rates of increase in sales of ZEV cars and trucks, and production volumes of advanced, low-carbon biofuels, will be quite challenging. Regarding ZEVs, we expect the greatest challenge to be for long-haul trucks, and we reduce the rate of sales increase for these as a result. In the ZEV scenario, all vehicle types reach 100% ZEV sales shares by 2050 (except long-haul trucks, which reach 80%). In the ZEV+B scenario, these targets are lower, but a strong ramp-up in advanced biofuel use is needed to achieve the 80% target, with commercial scale cellulosic production of ethanol and renewable diesel dominant by 2050. The net costs or savings of the scenarios are relatively low—on the order of ±$10-50 billion over the next 30 years—in relation to$4 trillion total spending in the BAU scenario. However, the additional costs of vehicle purchase run as high as $110 billion in the ZEV scenario, which will likely require substantial purchase incentives to overcome. Future research should examine how costs translate into policy needs (including generalized cost factors such as driving range) and the potential role, sourcing, and cost of advanced biofuels

Closed-Loop Simulation Study of the Ares I Upper Stage Thrust Vector Control Subsystem for Nominal and Failure Scenarios

As a replacement to the current Shuttle, the Ares I rocket and Orion crew module are currently under development by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). This new launch vehicle is segmented into major elements, one of which is the Upper Stage (US). The US is further broken down into subsystems, one of which is the Thrust Vector Control (TVC) subsystem which gimbals the US rocket nozzle. Nominal and off-nominal simulations for the US TVC subsystem are needed in order to support the development of software used for control systems and diagnostics. In addition, a clear and complete understanding of the effect of off-nominal conditions on the vehicle flight dynamics is desired. To achieve these goals, a simulation of the US TVC subsystem combined with the Ares I vehicle as developed. This closed-loop dynamic model was created using Matlab s Simulink and a modified version of a vehicle simulation, MAVERIC, which is currently used in the Ares I project and was developed by the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). For this report, the effects on the flight trajectory of the Ares I vehicle are investigated after failures are injected into the US TVC subsystem. The comparisons of the off-nominal conditions observed in the US TVC subsystem with those of the Ares I vehicle flight dynamics are of particular interest

Protein Folding Database (PFD 2.0): an online environment for the International Foldeomics Consortium

The Protein Folding Database (PFD) is a publicly accessible repository of thermodynamic and kinetic protein folding data. Here we describe the first major revision of this work, featuring extensive restructuring that conforms to standards set out by the recently formed International Foldeomics Consortium. The database now adopts standards for data acquisition, analysis and reporting proposed by the consortium, which will facilitate the comparison of folding rates, energies and structure across diverse sets of proteins. Data can now be easily deposited using a rich set of deposition tools. Enhanced search tools allow sophisticated searching and graphical data analysis affords simple data analysis online. PFD can be accessed freely at

Identifying spatial conservation priorities using Traditional and Local Ecological Knowledge of iconic marine species and ecosystem threats

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) can be an effective spatial approach to conservation, especially when they involve genuine consultation that considers the diversity of stakeholders. Participatory mapping and semistructured interviews were conducted with 52 stakeholders and 22 managers and scientists to identify ecological priorities and concerns across a large temperate MPA in Port Stephens-Great Lakes Marine Park, Australia. There were 19 iconic species of fish, dolphins, whales, and sea turtles that were the focus of ecological priorities and stakeholder interactions with the marine environment. Effectiveness of the current MPA management plan for addressing stakeholder priority and concerns, was assessed using GIS spatial modelling that created fuzzy-set species distribution models (SDMs) based on Traditional and Local Ecological Knowledge as well as scientific and citizen-science survey data. These spatial models for the iconic species across the MPA were then overlaid with ecological concerns of the stakeholders to create a spatial understanding of local threats, and priority areas for targeted management. Poor water quality from terrestrial primary sources was the main concern of stakeholders, more so than in-water threats such as poor fishing practices or impacts to iconic species. While local managers and scientists were relatively reluctant to answer interview questions, there was a general misalignment in approaches to iconic species management, especially for mobile and migratory species, and misunderstanding of stakeholder perceptions of threats. Participatory mapping of social-ecological values provides a method for stakeholders and decision-makers to better understand, discuss, and adapt marine spatial management approaches that support a diversity of conservation and management priorities.Thank you to the Lesslie Research Scholarship in Landscape Conservation and Ecology grant, the Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University, and the Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship for funding this research project

Ecological Release from Aquatic Predation Is Associated with the Emergence of Marine Blenny Fishes onto Land

An ecological release from competition or predation is a frequent adaptive explanation for the colonization of novel environments, but empirical data are limited. On the island of Rarotonga, several blenny fish species appear to be in the process of colonizing land. Anecdotal observations have implied that aquatic predation is an important factor in prompting such amphibious fish behavior. We provide evidence supporting this hypothesis by demonstrating that amphibious blennies shift their abundance up and down the shoreline to remain above predatory fishes that periodically move into intertidal areas during high tide. A predation experiment using blenny mimics confirmed a high risk of aquatic predation for blennies, significantly higher than predation experienced on land. These data suggest that predation has played an active role in promoting terrestrial activity in amphibious blennies and provide a rare example of how ecological release from predation could drive the colonization of a novel environmentThis study was funded by a Discovery Project grant from the Australian Research Council to T.J.O. (DP120100356) and by funding from the Research School of Biology, Australian National University, to C.J.F

Real-Time Hardware-in-the-Loop Simulation of Ares I Launch Vehicle

The Ares Real-Time Environment for Modeling, Integration, and Simulation (ARTEMIS) has been developed for use by the Ares I launch vehicle System Integration Laboratory at the Marshall Space Flight Center. The primary purpose of the Ares System Integration Laboratory is to test the vehicle avionics hardware and software in a hardware - in-the-loop environment to certify that the integrated system is prepared for flight. ARTEMIS has been designed to be the real-time simulation backbone to stimulate all required Ares components for verification testing. ARTE_VIIS provides high -fidelity dynamics, actuator, and sensor models to simulate an accurate flight trajectory in order to ensure realistic test conditions. ARTEMIS has been designed to take advantage of the advances in underlying computational power now available to support hardware-in-the-loop testing to achieve real-time simulation with unprecedented model fidelity. A modular realtime design relying on a fully distributed computing architecture has been implemented

Picosecond Pulsed Laser Ablation for the Surface Preparation of Epoxy Composites

As part of a technical challenge under the Advanced Composites Program, methods for improving pre-bond process control for aerospace composite surface treatments and inspections, in conjunction with Federal Aviation Administration guidelines, are under investigation. The overall goal is to demonstrate high fidelity, rapid and reproducible surface treatment and surface characterization methods to reduce uncertainty associated with the bonding process. The desired outcomes are reliable bonded airframe structure, and reduced timeline to certification. In this work, laser ablation was conducted using a q-switched Nd:YVO4 laser capable of nominal pulse durations of 8 picoseconds (ps). Aerospace structural carbon fiber reinforced composites with an epoxy resin matrix were laser treated, characterized, processed into bonded assemblies and mechanically tested. The characterization of ablated surfaces were conducted using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), water contact angle (WCA) goniometry, micro laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (uLIBS), and electron spin resonance (ESR). The bond performance was assessed using a double cantilever beam (DCB) test with an epoxy adhesive. The surface characteristics and bond performance obtained from picosecond ablated carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRPs) are presented herein