The effect of climate variation on agro-pastoral production in Africa

Using national crop and livestock production records from 1961–2003 and satellite-derived data on pasture greenness from 1982–2003 we show that the productivity of crops, livestock, and pastures in Africa is predictably associated with the El Niño Southern Oscillation and the North Atlantic Oscillation. The causal relations of these results are partly understandable through the associations between the atmospheric fluctuations and African rainfall. The range of the explained among-year variation in crop production in Africa as a whole corresponds to the nutritional requirements for ≈20 million people. Results suggest reduced African food production if the global climate changes toward more El Niño-like conditions, as most climate models predict. Maize production in southern Africa is most strongly affected by El Niño events. Management measures include annual changes in crop selection and storage strategies in response to El Niño Southern Oscillation-based and North Atlantic Oscillation-based predictions for the next growing season.Keywords: nonlinear statistical modelling, food production, North Atlantic Oscillation, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, El Nino Southern Oscillatio

Here and now: perceptions of Indian Ocean islanders on the climate change and migration nexus

Empirical studies exploring the links between climate change and migration are increasing. Often, perceptions are not fully explored from the people most affected by the climate change and migration nexus. This article contributes to filling this gap by eliciting and analyzing perceptions regarding climate change and migration from an understudied population labelled as being amongst those most immediately and directly affected by climate change: Indian Ocean islanders. Open-ended, semi-structured interviews were conducted in two case study communities in Maldives (Kaafu Guraidhoo with 17 interviews and Raa Dhuvafaaru with 18 interviews) and two case study communities in Lakshadweep, India (Kavaratti with 35 interviews and Minicoy with 26 interviews). The results present the interviewees’ perceptions of climatic variability and change that they experience; how they perceive the causes of these changes; and links to migration decisions. The interviews demonstrate that perceptions of climate change, of migration, and of the links or lack thereof between the two are centred on the interviewees’ own experiences, their own locations, and the immediate timeframe. External information and direction has limited influence. Their perceptions are framed as being the ‘here and now’ through topophilia (here) and tempophilia (now). The islanders’ views do not avoid, but rather encompass, long-term livelihoods and the future. Such a future might be in another location, but the anchor is expressing future hopes and aspirations through the here and now. It is not linked to the wide-scale, long-term issue of climate change

TAOK2 Kinase Mediates PSD95 Stability and Dendritic Spine Maturation through Septin7 Phosphorylation

Abnormalities in dendritic spines are manifestations of several neurodevelopmental and psychiatric diseases. TAOK2 is one of the genes in the 16p11.2 locus, copy number variations of which are associated with autism and schizophrenia. Here, we show that the kinase activity of the serine/threonine kinase encoded by TAOK2 is required for spine maturation. TAOK2 depletion results in unstable dendritic protrusions, mislocalized shaft-synapses, and loss of compartmentalization of NMDA receptor-mediated calcium influx. Using chemical-genetics and mass spectrometry, we identified several TAOK2 phosphorylation targets. We show that TAOK2 directly phosphorylates the cytoskeletal GTPase Septin7, at an evolutionary conserved residue. This phosphorylation induces translocation of Septin7 to the spine, where it associates with and stabilizes the scaffolding protein PSD95, promoting dendritic spine maturation. This study provides a mechanistic basis for postsynaptic stability and compartmentalization via TAOK2-Sept7 signaling, with implications toward understanding the potential role of TAOK2 in neurological deficits associated with the 16p11.2 region

Control and follow-up of contracts - part 2, condition development,measurement errors and risks : Road surface measurement

Trafikverket har som mål att öka antalet totalentreprenader. För att få en fungerande kontrollapparat kring entreprenaderna krävs metoder för att verifiera att ställda krav uppfylls under vägens garantitid. I denna undersökning riktar vi in oss på funktionella krav som ställs vid totalentreprenader och som kan kontrolleras med vägytemätning. Rapporten belyser mätfel vid objektmätning (kontrollmätning). Mätfelet delas upp i olika komponenter: slumpmässiga, systematiska och variation mellan olika leverantörer. Även riskbedömning berörs där beräkningar av risken för felbedömning av en sträcka presenteras. Slutligen presenteras hur jämnheten vid anläggningen av en entreprenad påverkar vägens framtida tillståndsutveckling och vilka initialvärden vi kan förvänta oss på en totalentreprenad och underhållsbeläggning. Vi ser att en väg med god jämnhet längs och tvärs färdriktningen ger lägre utvecklingstakt under beläggningens livslängd.The Swedish Transport Administration aims to increase the number of design build contracts. To get a functioning control device around the contracts, well defined requirements must be set for the warranty period of the road. In this survey we focus on functional requirements that are set for design build contracts and which can be checked by means of a road surface testing. In the report, measurement errors are highlighted in object measurement (control measurement). The measurement error is divided into different components: random, systematic and variation between different suppliers. Risk assessment is also discussed where calculations of the risk of error assessment of a section are presented. Finally, it is presented how the results of the condition (evenness) affect the future development of the road and what initial values we can expect from a design build contract and maintenance work. We see that a road of good evenness, longitudinally and transversally, gives a lower development rate during the life of the road

Control and follow-up of contracts - part 2, condition development,measurement errors and risks : Road surface measurement

Trafikverket har som mål att öka antalet totalentreprenader. För att få en fungerande kontrollapparat kring entreprenaderna krävs metoder för att verifiera att ställda krav uppfylls under vägens garantitid. I denna undersökning riktar vi in oss på funktionella krav som ställs vid totalentreprenader och som kan kontrolleras med vägytemätning. Rapporten belyser mätfel vid objektmätning (kontrollmätning). Mätfelet delas upp i olika komponenter: slumpmässiga, systematiska och variation mellan olika leverantörer. Även riskbedömning berörs där beräkningar av risken för felbedömning av en sträcka presenteras. Slutligen presenteras hur jämnheten vid anläggningen av en entreprenad påverkar vägens framtida tillståndsutveckling och vilka initialvärden vi kan förvänta oss på en totalentreprenad och underhållsbeläggning. Vi ser att en väg med god jämnhet längs och tvärs färdriktningen ger lägre utvecklingstakt under beläggningens livslängd.The Swedish Transport Administration aims to increase the number of design build contracts. To get a functioning control device around the contracts, well defined requirements must be set for the warranty period of the road. In this survey we focus on functional requirements that are set for design build contracts and which can be checked by means of a road surface testing. In the report, measurement errors are highlighted in object measurement (control measurement). The measurement error is divided into different components: random, systematic and variation between different suppliers. Risk assessment is also discussed where calculations of the risk of error assessment of a section are presented. Finally, it is presented how the results of the condition (evenness) affect the future development of the road and what initial values we can expect from a design build contract and maintenance work. We see that a road of good evenness, longitudinally and transversally, gives a lower development rate during the life of the road.Objektiv kontroll vid funktionsåtaganden, tillståndsvärdering av vägyta

Control and follow-up of contracts - Part 1, current requirements and methods : Road surface measurement

Trafikverket har som mål att öka antalet totalentreprenader. För att få en fungerande kontrollapparat kring entreprenaderna krävs metoder för att verifiera att ställda krav uppfylls under vägens garantitid. I denna undersökning riktar vi in oss på funktionella krav som ställs vid totalentreprenader och som kan kontrolleras med vägytemätning. Rapporten belyser vilka krav som finns och hur de kontrolleras men den tar även upp subjektivt bedömda krav som borde ersättas med en objektiv metod. Vidare beskrivs viktiga aspekter vid genomförandet av en entreprenad, bl.a. är kontakten mellan mätleverantören och entreprenören ytterst viktig för att avgöra när, hur och var kontrollerna ska göras. En totalentreprenad innehåller ofta flera vägar, ramper och dylikt som kräver sin speciella planering och kontroll. En genomgång görs av defekter som kan uppträda på totalentreprenader och i vilket skede de uppträder (byggskede/bruksskede). För många av de defekter som identifieras finns ingen etablerad objektiv mätmetod och därför sammanfattas möjliga metoder som kan användas men som bör utvecklas och verifieras. Ytterligare en viktig aspekt vid totalentreprenader är hur kraven ställs och följs upp. Tydliga riktlinjer för kravställningen bör arbetas fram där det framgår vilken hänsyn som ska tas till exempelvis trafikmängd, dubbdäcksandel, hastighet och klimat.The Swedish Transport Administration aims to increase the number of design build contracts. To get a functioning control device around the contracts, well defined requirements must be set for the warranty period of the road. In this survey we focus on functional requirements that are set for design build contracts and which can be checked by means of a road surface testing. The report highlights what requirements are used and how they are checked, but it also takes up subjectively assessed requirements that should be replaced by an objective method. Furthermore, important aspects of the implementation of a contract are described. The contact between the measuring supplier and the contractor is extremely important for determining when, how and where the controls are to be performed. A total contract often contains several roads, ramps and so forth, which requires its special planning and control routines. A review is made of defects that can occur on design build contracts and at what stage they occur (construction stage/use stage). For many of the defects identified there is no established objective measurement method. Therefore, usable methods need to be further developed and verified. Another important aspect of design build contract is how the requirements are set and followed up. Clear guidelines for the requirement setting should be worked out where it is decided which consideration should be taken, for example, for traffic volume, studded tires, signed speed and climate.Objektiv kontroll vid funktionsåtaganden, tillståndsvärdering av vägyta

Control and follow-up of contracts - Part 1, current requirements and methods : Road surface measurement

Trafikverket har som mål att öka antalet totalentreprenader. För att få en fungerande kontrollapparat kring entreprenaderna krävs metoder för att verifiera att ställda krav uppfylls under vägens garantitid. I denna undersökning riktar vi in oss på funktionella krav som ställs vid totalentreprenader och som kan kontrolleras med vägytemätning. Rapporten belyser vilka krav som finns och hur de kontrolleras men den tar även upp subjektivt bedömda krav som borde ersättas med en objektiv metod. Vidare beskrivs viktiga aspekter vid genomförandet av en entreprenad, bl.a. är kontakten mellan mätleverantören och entreprenören ytterst viktig för att avgöra när, hur och var kontrollerna ska göras. En totalentreprenad innehåller ofta flera vägar, ramper och dylikt som kräver sin speciella planering och kontroll. En genomgång görs av defekter som kan uppträda på totalentreprenader och i vilket skede de uppträder (byggskede/bruksskede). För många av de defekter som identifieras finns ingen etablerad objektiv mätmetod och därför sammanfattas möjliga metoder som kan användas men som bör utvecklas och verifieras. Ytterligare en viktig aspekt vid totalentreprenader är hur kraven ställs och följs upp. Tydliga riktlinjer för kravställningen bör arbetas fram där det framgår vilken hänsyn som ska tas till exempelvis trafikmängd, dubbdäcksandel, hastighet och klimat.The Swedish Transport Administration aims to increase the number of design build contracts. To get a functioning control device around the contracts, well defined requirements must be set for the warranty period of the road. In this survey we focus on functional requirements that are set for design build contracts and which can be checked by means of a road surface testing. The report highlights what requirements are used and how they are checked, but it also takes up subjectively assessed requirements that should be replaced by an objective method. Furthermore, important aspects of the implementation of a contract are described. The contact between the measuring supplier and the contractor is extremely important for determining when, how and where the controls are to be performed. A total contract often contains several roads, ramps and so forth, which requires its special planning and control routines. A review is made of defects that can occur on design build contracts and at what stage they occur (construction stage/use stage). For many of the defects identified there is no established objective measurement method. Therefore, usable methods need to be further developed and verified. Another important aspect of design build contract is how the requirements are set and followed up. Clear guidelines for the requirement setting should be worked out where it is decided which consideration should be taken, for example, for traffic volume, studded tires, signed speed and climate

Objective measurement of surface defects and cracks in the road surface : road surface condition measurement with scanning laser technique

Den tillståndsmätning av de statliga vägarna som görs i Sverige idag ger inte en tillräckligt allsidig beskrivning av skadeläget för att kunna välja sträckor som är i behov av underhåll. Den information som vi saknar rör vägytans skick. Det kan vara sprickor eller andra ytskador som t.ex. stensläpp. I denna studie har 27 dubbelriktade sträckor valts ut. Sträckorna har i olika grad ett skadeläge i ytskiktet som identifierats som ”i behov av underhåll” av Trafikverkets beläggningsingenjörer. Sträckorna är mätta med ett mätsystem som är heltäckande (HTL, heltäckande lasermätning) över körfältet och som jämförelsegrund har också en okulär inventering gjorts av skadeläget. Vi ser att den objektiva HTL-mätningen har god upprepbarhet avseende sprickor och stensläpp. Vid jämförelse med den subjektiva bedömningen finns det sträckor där identifieringen av ytskadorna stämmer väl överens men även motsatsen. För att en HTL-mätning ska ge användbar information om sprickor och ytskador krävs erfarenhet och arbete med att trimma in parametrar i analysprogramvaran.As condition measurements carried out on the Swedish national road network currently do not provide a sufficiently comprehensive description of all types of distress, it is difficult to select the sections most in need of maintenance. This lack of information concerns mainly pavement surface condition parameters such as cracking and ravelling. In this study, twenty-seven two-way road sections with varying degrees of pavement surface distress were selected. All sections were identified as "in need of maintenance" by engineers from the Swedish Transport Administration. The sections were objectively measured using a system that covered the full lane width. For comparison purposes, a subjective condition inventory was also done. We found that the objective lane-wide measurements had good repeatability with respect to cracking and ravelling. When comparing the objective and subjective inventories, some sections correlated well whereas some hardly correlated at all. In order for a lane-wide measurement to provide useful information on cracking and other forms of surface distress, our conclusion is that more experience and a better understanding of how to adjust the parameters in the analysis software is needed