Forest carbon stocks and fluxes in physiographic zones of India

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Reducing carbon Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD+) is of central importance to combat climate change. Foremost among the challenges is quantifying nation's carbon emissions from deforestation and degradation, which requires information on forest carbon storage. Here we estimated carbon storage in India's forest biomass for the years 2003, 2005 and 2007 and the net flux caused by deforestation and degradation, between two assessment periods i.e., Assessment Period first (ASP I), 2003-2005 and Assessment Period second (ASP II), 2005-2007.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The total estimated carbon stock in India's forest biomass varied from 3325 to 3161 Mt during the years 2003 to 2007 respectively. There was a net flux of 372 Mt of CO₂in ASP I and 288 Mt of CO₂in ASP II, with an annual emission of 186 and 114 Mt of CO₂respectively. The carbon stock in India's forest biomass decreased continuously from 2003 onwards, despite slight increase in forest cover. The rate of carbon loss from the forest biomass in ASP II has dropped by 38.27% compared to ASP I.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>With the Copenhagen Accord, India along with other BASIC countries China, Brazil and South Africa is voluntarily going to cut emissions. India will voluntary reduce the emission intensity of its GDP by 20-25% by 2020 in comparison to 2005 level, activities like REDD+ can provide a relatively cost-effective way of offsetting emissions, either by increasing the removals of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere by afforestation programmes, managing forests, or by reducing emissions through deforestation and degradation.</p

P3HT-Based Solar Cells: Structural Properties and Photovoltaic Performance

Each year we are bombarded with B.Sc. and Ph.D. applications from students that want to improve the world. They have learned that their future depends on changing the type of fuel we use and that solar energy is our future. The hope and energy of these young people will transform future energy technologies, but it will not happen quickly. Organic photovoltaic devices are easy to sketch, but the materials, processing steps, and ways of measuring the properties of the materials are very complicated. It is not trivial to make a systematic measurement that will change the way other research groups think or practice. In approaching this chapter, we thought about what a new researcher would need to know about organic photovoltaic devices and materials in order to have a good start in the subject. Then, we simplified that to focus on what a new researcher would need to know about poly-3-hexylthiophene:phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester blends (P3HT: PCBM) to make research progress with these materials. This chapter is by no means authoritative or a compendium of all things on P3HT:PCBM. We have selected to explain how the sample fabrication techniques lead to control of morphology and structural features and how these morphological features have specific optical and electronic consequences for organic photovoltaic device applications

Video performance-debriefings and ventilation-refreshers improve quality of neonatal resuscitation

Aim: Providers caring for newly born infants require skills and knowledge to initiate prompt and effective positive pressure ventilation (PPV) if the newborn does not breathe spontaneously after birth. We hypothesized implementation of high frequency/short duration deliberate practice training and post event video-based debriefings would improve process of care and decreases time to effective spontaneous respiration. Methods: Pre- and post-interventional quality study performed at two Norwegian university hospitals. All newborns receiving PPV were prospectively video-recorded, and initial performance data guided the development of educational interventions. A priori primary outcome was changed from process of care using the Neonatal Resuscitation Performance Evaluation (NRPE) score to time to effective spontaneous respiration as the NRPE score could only be obtained from one site due to lack of staff resources. Results: Over 12 months, 297 PPV-Refreshers and 52 performance debriefings were completed with 227 unique providers attending a PPV-Refresher and 93 unique providers completed a debriefing. We compared 102 PPV-events pre- to 160 PPV-events post-bundle implementation. The time to effective spontaneous respiration decreased from median (95% confidence interval) 196 (140–237) to 144 (120–163) s, p = 0.010. The NRPE-score increased significantly from median 77% (75–81) pre- to 89% (86–92) post-implementation, p 100 beats/min or number of newborns transferred to intensive care. Conclusion: High frequency/short duration deliberate practice PPV psychomotor training combined with performance-focused team debriefings using video recordings of actual resuscitations may improve time to effective spontaneous breathing and adherence to guidelines during real neonatal resuscitations

Implementation and effectiveness of a video-based debriefing programme for neonatal resuscitation

Background: Approximately 5%–10% of newly born babies need intervention to assist transition from intra‐ to extrauterine life. All providers in the delivery ward are trained in neonatal resuscitation, but without clinical experience or exposure, training competency is transient with a decline in skills within a few months. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether neonatal resuscitations skills and team performance would improve after implementation of video‐assisted, performance‐focused debriefings. Methods: We installed motion‐activated video cameras in every resuscitation bay capturing consecutive compromised neonates. The videos were used in debriefings led by two experienced facilitators, focusing on guideline adherence and non‐technical skills. A modification of Neonatal Resuscitation Performance Evaluation (NRPE) was used to score team performance and procedural skills during a 7 month study period (2.5, 2.5 and 2 months pre‐, peri‐ and post‐implementation) (median score with 95% confidence interval). Results: We compared 74 resuscitation events pre‐implementation to 45 events post‐implementation. NRPE‐score improved from 77% (75, 81) to 89% (86, 93), P 100 bpm at 2 min improved from 71% pre‐ vs. 82% (P = 0.22) post‐implementation. Conclusion: Implementation of video‐assisted, performance‐focused debriefings improved adherence to best practice guidelines for neonatal resuscitation skill and team performance

Effect of a positive pressure ventilation-refresher program on ventilation skill performance during simulated newborn resuscitation

Aim Clinical staff highly proficient in neonatal resuscitation are essential to ensure prompt, effective positive pressure ventilation (PPV) for infants that do not breathe spontaneously after birth. However, it is well-documented that resuscitation competency is transient after standard training. We hypothesized that brief, repeated PPV psychomotor skill refresher training would improve PPV performance for newborn care nurses. Methods Subjects completed a blinded baseline and post PPV-skills assessment. Data on volume and rate for each ventilation was recorded. After baseline assessment, subjects completed PPV-Refreshers over 3 months consisting of psychomotor skill training using a newborn manikin with visual feedback. Subjects provided PPV until they could deliver ≥30 s of PPV meeting targets for volume (10−21 mL) and rate (40–60 ventilations per minute [vpm]). Baseline and post assessments were compared for total number PPV delivered, number target PPV delivered (volume 10−21 mL), mean volume and mean rate (Wilcoxon signed-rank test, median[IQR]). Results Twenty-six subjects were enrolled and completed a baseline assessment; 24 (92%) completed a post-assessment; 2 (8%) were lost to follow-up. Over 3 months, a mean 3.2 (range 1–6) PPV-Refreshers/subject were completed. Compared to baseline, subjects demonstrated significant improvement for total (57 [36–74] vs. 33 [26–46]; p = 0.0007) and target PPV (23 [13–23] vs. 11 [5–21]; p = 0.024), and a significant change in mean volume (mL) (11.5 [10.2–13] vs. 13.4 [11–16]; p = 0.02) and mean rate (vpm) (54 [45–61] vs. 40 [28–49]; p = 0.019). Conclusions A PPV-Refresher program with brief, repeated psychomotor skill practice significantly improved PPV performance with the greatest improvement in total PPV and target PPV. Additional investigation is warranted to determine optimal PPV-Refresher frequency. Registered at ClinicalTrials.gov #NCT0234724

Baselines for land-use change in the tropics: application to avoided deforestation projects

Avoided deforestation, Carbon sequestration, Land-use change, Forestry, GEOMOD, LULUCF, Tropics,