Effectiveness of Community Forest Management at reducing deforestation in Madagascar

AbstractCommunity Forest Management (CFM) is a widespread conservation approach in the tropics. It is also promoted as a means by which payment for ecosystem services schemes can be implemented. However, evidence on its performance is weak. We investigated the effectiveness of CFM at reducing deforestation from 2000 to 2010 in Madagascar. To control for factors confounding impact estimates, we used statistical matching. We also contrasted the effects of CFM by whether commercial use of forest resources is allowed or not. We cannot detect an effect, on average, of CFM compared to no CFM, even when we restricted the sample to only where information suggests effective CFM implementation on the ground. Likewise, we cannot detect an effect of CFM where commercial use of natural resources is allowed. However, we can detect a reduction in deforestation in CFM that does not permit commercial uses, compared to no CFM or CFM allowing commercial uses. Our findings suggest that CFM and commercial use of forest resources are not guarantees of forest conservation and that differentiating among types of CFM is important

Extragenic suppressor mutations in ΔripA disrupt stability and function of LpxA

Background: Francisella tularensis is a Gram-negative bacterium that infects hundreds of species including humans, and has evolved to grow efficiently within a plethora of cell types. RipA is a conserved membrane protein of F. tularensis, which is required for growth inside host cells. As a means to determine RipA function we isolated and mapped independent extragenic suppressor mutants in ΔripA that restored growth in host cells. Each suppressor mutation mapped to one of two essential genes, lpxA or glmU, which are involved in lipid A synthesis. We repaired the suppressor mutation in lpxA (S102, LpxA T36N) and the mutation in glmU (S103, GlmU E57D), and demonstrated that each mutation was responsible for the suppressor phenotype in their respective strains. We hypothesize that the mutation in S102 altered the stability of LpxA, which can provide a clue to RipA function. LpxA is an UDP-N-acetylglucosamine acyltransferase that catalyzes the transfer of an acyl chain from acyl carrier protein (ACP) to UDP-N-acetylglucosamine (UDP-GlcNAc) to begin lipid A synthesis. Results: LpxA was more abundant in the presence of RipA. Induced expression of lpxA in the ΔripA strain stopped bacterial division. The LpxA T36N S102 protein was less stable and therefore less abundant than wild type LpxA protein. Conclusion: These data suggest RipA functions to modulate lipid A synthesis in F. tularensis as a way to adapt to the host cell environment by interacting with LpxA

Half-metallicity and Slater-Pauling behavior in the ferromagnetic Heusler alloys

Introductory chapter for the book "Halfmetallic Alloys - Fundamentals and Applications" to be published in the series Springer Lecture Notes on Physics, P. H. Dederichs and I. Galanakis (eds). It contains a review of the theoretical work on the half-metallic Heusler alloys.Comment: Introductory chapter for the book "Halfmetallic Alloys - Fundamentals and Applications" to be published in the series Springer Lecture Notes on Physics, P. H. Dederichs and I. Galanakis (eds

Origin and Properties of the Gap in the Half-Ferromagnetic Heusler Alloys

We study the origin of the gap and the role of chemical composition in the half-ferromagnetic Heusler alloys using the full-potential screened KKR method. In the paramagnetic phase the C1_b compounds, like NiMnSb, present a gap. Systems with 18 valence electrons, Z_t, per unit cell, like CoTiSb, are semiconductors, but when Z_t > 18 antibonding states are also populated, thus the paramagnetic phase becomes unstable and the half-ferromagnetic one is stabilized. The minority occupied bands accommodate a total of nine electrons and the total magnetic moment per unit cell in mu_B is just the difference between Z_t and $2 \times 9$. While the substitution of the transition metal atoms may preserve the half-ferromagnetic character, substituting the $sp$ atom results in a practically rigid shift of the bands and the loss of half-metallicity. Finally we show that expanding or contracting the lattice parameter by 2% preserves the minority-spin gap.Comment: 11 pages, 7 figures New figures, revised tex

Refining and regaining skills in fixation/diversification stage performers: The Five-A Model

Technical change is one of many factors underpinning success in elite, fixation/diversification stage performers. Surprisingly, however, there is a dearth of research pertaining to this process or the most efficacious methods used to bring about such a change. In this paper we highlight the emergent processes, yet also the lack in mechanistic comprehension surrounding technical change, addressing issues within the motor control, sport psychology, coaching and choking literature. More importantly, we seek an understanding of how these changes can be made more secure to competitive pressure, and how this can be embedded within the process of technical change. Following this review, we propose The Five-A Model based on successful coaching techniques, psychosocial concomitants, the avoidance of choking and principles of effective behaviour change. Specific mechanisms for each stage are discussed, with a focus on the use of holistic rhythm-based cues as a possible way of internalising changes. Finally, we suggest the need for further research to examine these five stages, to aid a more comprehensive construction of the content and delivery of such a programme within the applied setting

High-spin states in 179Au: Spectroscopy of shape-driving orbitals beyond the neutron midshell

Multiple band structures in 179Au are established from γ-ray spectroscopic measurements with Gammasphere at the Argonne Fragment Mass Analyzer. The yrast band, based on the 13/2+ proton, confirms the predicted drop in excitation energy of the prolate deformed band head as compared to the heavier isotopes. The implications for the prolate energy minimum in odd-mass Au nuclei beyond the neutron i13/2 midshell (N<102) are discussed

Search for a 2-quasiparticle high-K isomer in Rf256

The energies of 2-quasiparticle (2-qp) states in heavy shell-stabilized nuclei provide information on the single-particle states that are responsible for the stability of superheavy nuclei. We have calculated the energies of 2-qp states in Rf256, which suggest that a long-lived, low-energy 8- isomer should exist. A search was conducted for this isomer through a calorimetric conversion electron signal, sandwiched in time between implantation of a Rf256 nucleus and its fission decay, all within the same pixel of a double-sided Si strip detector. A 17(5)-μs isomer was identified. However, its low population, ~5(2)% that of the ground state instead of the expected ~30%, suggests that it is more likely a 4-qp isomer. Possible reasons for the absence of an electromagnetic signature of a 2-qp isomer decay are discussed. These include the favored possibility that the isomer decays by fission, with a half-life indistinguishably close to that of the ground state. Another possibility, that there is no 2-qp isomer at all, would imply an abrupt termination of axially symmetric deformed shapes at Z=104, which describes nuclei with Z=92-103 very well

Community and the creation of provincial identities: a re-interpretation of the aisled building at North Warnborough

The aisled hall at North Warnborough has attracted attention as one of a handful of examples frequently included in surveys and analyses of this common architectural type as well as for arguments related to the gendered use of space. This article presents a new architectural analysis of this building and attempts to set it within its immediate and wider archaeological and geological landscape context. A theoretically informed interpretation of the social significance of this site is offered, which has broader implications for the studies of Romano-British architecture, rural settlement, and landscape