Restoration of peatlands and greenhouse gas balances

In this chapter the impact of peatland restoration on greenhouse gas fluxes is discussed based on a literature review. Casestudies are presented covering different peatland types, different regions and different starting conditions

Локальные элиминационные алгоритмы обработки запросов в базах данных

Рассмотрено использование локальных элиминационных алгоритмов (ЛЭА) для обработки запросов в реляционных базах данных. Обсуждаются особенности реализации локального алгоритма, использующего лишь прямую часть.Розглянуто використання локальних елімінаційних алгоритмів (ЛЕА) для обробки запитів в реляційних базах даних. Обговорюються особливості реалізації локального алгоритму, що використовує лише пряму частину.The applying local elimination algorithms (LEA) for processing queries in relational databases is considered. The special features of realization of local algorithm using only a forward part are discussed

Титульні сторінки та зміст

The pharmaceutical industry is increasingly focusing on the development of biological therapeutics. These molecules generally cause no off-target toxicity and are highly species specific. Therefore, non-human primates (NHPs) are often the only relevant species in which to conduct regulatory safety testing to support clinical trials. However, species specificity and immunogenicity may negatively impact the predictive value of these ethically contentious animals and thus limits their value as a test species for drug development. To study what the value has been of 30 years of NHP testing in drug development, we investigated the drug registration files of all therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) which were approved in the European Union to date. We analysed 30 mAbs of which 5 were diagnostic agents. As the industry moved towards the development of more human proteins, we observed that the average use of NHPs also increased. 16 registration files described studies in which anti-drug-antibodies caused increased clearance of the therapeutic and potentially confounded the study. Post mortem analysis in repeated-dose toxicity studies rarely revealed new or unexpected findings nor did embryofetal and peri-postnatal developmental toxicity studies. These issues limited the value of NHPs in the safety assessment of new monoclonal antibodies. To reduce the use of less relevant NHP studies in the development of new biological drugs, regulatory demands might be decreased, and manufacturers should be given incentives for successfully evaluating the safety of biological therapeutics using alternative technologies

On the handling performance of a vehicle with different front-to-rear wheel torque distributions

The handling characteristic is a classical topic of vehicle dynamics. Usually, vehicle handling is studied through the analysis of the understeer coe�cient in quasi-steady-state maneuvers. In this paper, experimental tests are performed on an electric vehicle with four independent mo- tors, which is able to reproduce front-wheel-drive, rear-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive (FWD, RWD and AWD, respectively) architectures. The handling characteristics of each architecture are inferred through classical and new concepts. More speci�cally, the study presents a pro- cedure to compute the longitudinal and lateral tire forces, which is based on a �rst estimate and a subsequent correction of the tire forces that guarantee the equilibrium. A yaw moment analysis is then performed to identify the contributions of the longitudinal and lateral forces. The results show a good agreement between the classical and new formulations of the un- dersteer coe�cient, and allow to infer a relationship between the understeer coe�cient and the yaw moment analysis. The handling characteristics for the considered maneuvers vary with the vehicle speed and front-to-rear wheel torque distribution. In particular, an apparently surprising result arises at low speed, where the RWD architecture is the most understeering con�guration. This outcome is discussed through the yaw moment analysis, highlighting the yaw moment caused by the longitudinal forces of the front tires, which is signi�cant for high values of lateral acceleration and steering angle

Toekomstbeeld broeikasgasbalans van het Nederlandse landschap

De mondiale emissies van CO2 zijn de afgelopen jaren substantieel gestegen. Een afbuiging van deze trend lijkt noodzakelijk, wil de concentratie in de atmosfeer niet te hoog oplopen. De internationale gemeenschap probeert die te realiseren door stevige reductiedoelstellingen vast te stellen voor de komende tien tot dertig jaar. De inspanningen zijn gericht op terugdringen van emissies, compensatie van de uitstoot door afvang en opslag van CO2 en de omschakeling naar een duurzame energievoorziening

Considering the role of cognitive control in expert performance

© 2014, Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht. Dreyfus and Dreyfus’ (1986) influential phenomenological analysis of skill acquisition proposes that expert performance is guided by non-cognitive responses which are fast, effortless and apparently intuitive in nature. Although this model has been criticised (e.g., by Breivik Journal of Philosophy of Sport, 34, 116–134 2007, Journal of the Philosophy of Sport, 40, 85–106 2013; Eriksen 2010; Montero Inquiry:An interdisciplinary Journal of Philosophy, 53, 105–122 2010; Montero and Evans 2011) for over-emphasising the role that intuition plays in facilitating skilled performance, it does recognise that on occasions (e.g., when performance goes awry for some reason) a form of ‘detached deliberative rationality’ may be used by experts to improve their performance. However, Dreyfus and Dreyfus (1986) see no role for calculative problem solving or deliberation (i.e., drawing on rules or mental representations) when performance is going well. In the current paper, we draw on empirical evidence, insights from athletes, and phenomenological description to argue that ‘continuous improvement’ (i.e., the phenomenon whereby certain skilled performers appear to be capable of increasing their proficiency even though they are already experts; Toner and Moran 2014) among experts is mediated by cognitive (or executive) control in three distinct sporting situations (i.e., in training, during pre-performance routines, and while engaged in on-line skill execution). We conclude by arguing that Sutton et al. Journal of the British Society for Phenomenology, 42, 78–103 (2011) ‘applying intelligence to the reflexes’ (AIR) approach may help to elucidate the process by which expert performers achieve continuous improvement through analytical/mindful behaviour during training and competition

Thermal adaptation of net ecosystem exchange

Thermal adaptation of gross primary production and ecosystem respiration has been well documented over broad thermal gradients. However, no study has examined their interaction as a function of temperature, i.e. the thermal responses of net ecosystem exchange of carbon (NEE). In this study, we constructed temperature response curves of NEE against temperature using 380 site-years of eddy covariance data at 72 forest, grassland and shrubland ecosystems located at latitudes ranging from ~29° N to 64° N. The response curves were used to define two critical temperatures: transition temperature (<i>T</i><sub>b</sub>) at which ecosystem transfer from carbon source to sink and optimal temperature (<i>T</i><sub>o</sub>) at which carbon uptake is maximized. <i>T</i><sub>b</sub> was strongly correlated with annual mean air temperature. <i>T</i><sub>o</sub> was strongly correlated with mean temperature during the net carbon uptake period across the study ecosystems. Our results imply that the net ecosystem exchange of carbon adapts to the temperature across the geographical range due to intrinsic connections between vegetation primary production and ecosystem respiration

Curved Tails in Polymerization-Based Bacterial Motility

The curved actin ``comet-tail'' of the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes is a visually striking signature of actin polymerization-based motility. Similar actin tails are associated with Shigella flexneri, spotted-fever Rickettsiae, the Vaccinia virus, and vesicles and microspheres in related in vitro systems. We show that the torque required to produce the curvature in the tail can arise from randomly placed actin filaments pushing the bacterium or particle. We find that the curvature magnitude determines the number of actively pushing filaments, independent of viscosity and of the molecular details of force generation. The variation of the curvature with time can be used to infer the dynamics of actin filaments at the bacterial surface.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figures, Latex2