TELLUS: A combined surface temperature, soil moisture and evaporation mapping approach

There are no author-identified significant results in this report

Adoption and diffusion of technical capacity-building innovations by small-scale artisanal fishers in Fiji

Adoption of innovations by farmers and fishers can depend on factors specific to both individuals and their social contexts. Research on the adoption and diffusion of innovations promoted through capacity-building training can provide lessons to support the design and implementation of future development programs. We assess the adoption, diffusion, and outcomes of a livelihoods training program focused on improving postharvest handling and processing of sea cucumbers in 29 coastal villages in Fiji. One year after delivery of the training program, we conducted interviews with sea cucumber fishers (n = 278) and commercial processors (n = 12), as well as focus group discussions (n = 27) with women to examine: (1) which modes of training (training video, manual, and workshops) were most useful; (2) individual- and community-scale characteristics related to adoption and knowledge sharing; (3) whether training produced long-term changes in processing methods used by fishers; and (4) perceived barriers to adoption. Among fishers who were exposed to two or more modes of training (n = 97), most (65%) reported the workshop and manual to be equally useful. Knowledge about the improved methods was shared by 71% of trained fishers and occurred more frequently among women (80%) than men (64%). Trained fishers used shorter, less variable first cooking durations than untrained fishers, and differences were significant for two of six sea cucumber species groups. Adoption and knowledge sharing was not significantly related to the multiscale characteristics examined (age, gender, education, resource dependence, village population size, market access). Some fishers could not access salt for processing, and others were constrained by patron-client relationships. Our study shows that technical capacity-building can benefit from complementary training modes, however other constraints on adoption (e.g., access to materials, patron-client relationships) may need to be addressed to achieve the full benefits of training programs

Microwave photovoltage and photoresistance effects in ferromagnetic microstrips

We investigate the dc electric response induced by ferromagnetic resonance in ferromagnetic Permalloy (Ni80Fe20) microstrips. The resulting magnetization precession alters the angle of the magnetization with respect to both dc and rf current. Consequently the time averaged anisotropic magnetoresistance (AMR) changes (photoresistance). At the same time the time-dependent AMR oscillation rectifies a part of the rf current and induces a dc voltage (photovoltage). A phenomenological approach to magnetoresistance is used to describe the distinct characteristics of the photoresistance and photovoltage with a consistent formalism, which is found in excellent agreement with experiments performed on in-plane magnetized ferromagnetic microstrips. Application of the microwave photovoltage effect for rf magnetic field sensing is discussed.Comment: 16 pages, 15 figure

Thermodynamic behaviour and structural properties of an aqueous sodium chloride solution upon supercooling

We present the results of a molecular dynamics simulation study of thermodynamic and structural properties upon supercooling of a low concentration sodium chloride solution in TIP4P water and the comparison with the corresponding bulk quantities. We study the isotherms and the isochores for both the aqueous solution and bulk water. The comparison of the phase diagrams shows that thermodynamic properties of the solution are not merely shifted with respect to the bulk. Moreover, from the analysis of the thermodynamic curves, both the spinodal line and the temperatures of maximum density curve can be calculated. The spinodal line appears not to be influenced by the presence of ions at the chosen concentration, while the temperatures of maximum density curve displays both a mild shift in temperature and a shape modification with respect to bulk. Signatures of the presence of a liquid-liquid critical point are found in the aqueous solution. By analysing the water-ion radial distribution functions of the aqueous solution we observe that upon changing density, structural modifications appear close to the spinodal. For low temperatures additional modifications appear also for densities close to that corresponding to a low density configurational energy minimum.Comment: 10 pages, 13 figures, 2 tables. To be published in J. Chem. Phy

Waist circumference percentile thresholds for identifying adolescents with insulin resistance in clinical practice

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/72493/1/j.1399-5448.2008.00474.x.pd

Shortwave spectral radiative signatures and their physical controls

The spectrum of reflected solar radiation emerging at the top of the atmosphere is rich with Earth system information. To identify spectral signatures in the reflected solar radiation and directly relate them to the underlying physical properties controlling their structure, over 90,000 solar reflectance spectra are computed over West Africa in 2010 using a fast radiation code employing the spectral characteristics of the SCanning Imaging Absorption spectroMeter for Atmospheric CHartographY (SCIAMACHY). Cluster analysis applied to the computed spectra reveals spectral signatures related to distinct surface properties, and cloud regimes distinguished by their spectral short-wave cloud radiative effect (SWCRE). The cloud regimes exhibit a diverse variety of mean broadband SWCREs, and offer an alternative approach to define cloud type for SWCRE applications that does not require any prior assumptions. The direct link between spectral signatures and distinct physical properties extracted from clustering remains robust between spatial scales of 1, 20 and 240 km, and presents an excellent opportunity to understand the underlying properties controlling real spectral reflectance observations. Observed SCIAMACHY spectra are assigned to the calculated spectral clusters, showing that cloud regimes are most frequent during the active West African monsoon season of June–October in 2010, and all cloud regimes have a higher frequency of occurrence during the active monsoon season of 2003 compared with the inactive monsoon season of 2004. Overall, the distinct underlying physical properties controlling spectral signatures show great promise for monitoring evolution of the Earth system directly from solar spectral reflectance observations

A phase II trial of paclitaxel and epirubicin in advanced breast cancer

Initial trials of paclitaxel and doxorubicin in advanced breast cancer yielded high response rates but significant cardiac toxicity was observed. In this phase II trial we investigated the efficacy and safety of paclitaxel combined with epirubicin. Patients with advanced breast cancer, performance status 0–2, measurable disease, and a normal left ventricular ejection fraction, who may have received adjuvant chemotherapy were treated with epirubicin 75 mg m–2followed by a 3-h infusion of paclitaxel 175 mg m–2repeated every 3 weeks. Forty-three eligible patients were treated at six centres. 67% patients received the maximum of six cycles. The response rate was 54% (95% CI 38–69%), 12% CR and 42% PR. Estimated median progression-free survival was 6.9 months (95% CI 5.4–10.0) and estimated median overall survival was 17.9 months (95% CI 14.2–25.7). Four patients had a decrease in the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of ≥20% of baseline value, and in two patients the LVEF decreased to below the lower limit of normal, but no patient developed clinical evidence of cardiac failure. Grade 4 neutropenia occurred in 56% cycles, but only 4% of cycles were complicated by febrile neutropenia. Grade 3 or 4 non-haematologic toxicity was uncommon. In conclusion, paclitaxel 175 mg m–2and epirubicin 75 mg m–2is a well tolerated, promising regimen for the treatment of advanced breast cancer. © 2000 Cancer Research Campaig

Chaos induced coherence in two independent food chains

Coherence evolution of two food web models can be obtained under the stirring effect of chaotic advection. Each food web model sustains a three--level trophic system composed of interacting predators, consumers and vegetation. These populations compete for a common limiting resource in open flows with chaotic advection dynamics. Here we show that two species (the top--predators) of different colonies chaotically advected by a jet--like flow can synchronize their evolution even without migration interaction. The evolution is charaterized as a phase synchronization. The phase differences (determined through the Hilbert transform) of the variables representing those species show a coherent evolution.Comment: 5 pages, 5 eps figures. Accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.