Analysis and Conservation of Native Forests at Kessler Mountain Fayetteville, Arkansas

Kessler Mountain in Fayetteville Arkansas has long been recognized for its beauty and natural resources. Parts of Kessler Mountain have been homesteaded and developed in the past, but most of the mountain has remained relatively undisturbed. The planned development of over 4,000 housing units to cover Kessler Mountain stimulated controversy and consideration of other management alternatives. A twist of fate involving an economic recession, a dedicated group of outdoor recreation enthusiasts, and environmental conservationists led to the permanent protection of 384 acres in the Kessler Mountain Regional Park. To help evaluate the natural resources at Kessler Mountain, forest composition, structure, and tree age were measured at two old growth forest parcels on Kessler Mountain. Forest understory and overstory were surveyed and increment cores were collected from select overstory trees. The overstory of the post oak (Quercus stellata) site (Site A) was dominated by post oak and northern red oak (Quercus rubra). The understory was dominated by northern red oak and black locust (Robnia pseudoacacia). The oldest post oak trees at the post oak site were in the 250 to 300-year-old age class based on dendrochronological analysis of core samples. The overstory of the chinkapin oak (Quercus muehlenbergii) site (Site B) was dominated by sugar maple (Acer saccharum var. saccharum) and chinkapin oak. The understory was dominated by eastern red cedar (Juniperous virginiana) and northern red oak. The oldest chinkapin oak trees at Site B were in the 200 to 250-year-old age class. The data suggest that chinkapin oak and post oak are currently not regenerating at rates necessary to maintain long term dominance in the canopy at these particular study sites on Kessler Mountain. As more land is conserved in the region significant planning and funding need to be dedicated to proper management of these lands to maintain biodiversity and healthy forests

How a Washington Lobbyist Gives Lawmakers Free Trips Despite the Ban on Lobbyist-Funded Travel

A group of Washington lobbyists led by Richard Kessler under the umbrella of the Ripon Educational Fund and the Ripon Society has spent millions of dollars taking lawmakers to European capitals and U.S. resorts, thereby skirting congressional ethics rules that forbid registered lobbyists from paying for congressional travel.Kessler, head of Kessler Business Services, has kept a lower profile than many better-known Washington lobbyists, such as admitted felon Jack Abramoff. Few have questioned the more than $1 million in free travel that lawmakers have reported receiving from groups and companies Kessler appears to control or influence. All told, Kessler-influenced groups and companies are responsible for providing 6 percent of the$17.6 million lawmakers have reported receiving in free travel from private companies and organizations from 2000 to mid-2005, Public Citizen estimates.By funneling travel money through the Ripon Educational Fund and the Ripon Society, his parent company, Century Business Services, and his lobbying clients, Kessler has apparently made it possible for lawmakers to accept free trips to European capitals and U.S. resorts without violating ethics rules. It is legal for lawmakers to take trips paid for by private companies and organizations

Christian Metz : a bibliography

Contents: Books Reviews Articles Prefaces Radio and TV Interviews Dissertations and Theses Supervised by Metz On Metz: Special Issues On Metz: Selected Articles and Books Special thanks to Frank Kessler, Guido Kirsten and Margrit Tröhler for their hints, corrections, and advice

Taxonomical and distributional notes on Polylepis (Rosaceae)

AbstractPolylepis pacensis M. Kessler & Schmidt-Leb. spec. nov. is described; P. flavipila (Bitter) M. Kessler & Schmidt-Leb., P. incarum (Bitter) M. Kessler & Schmidt-Leb., P. lanata (Kuntze) M. Kessler & Schmidt-Leb., and P. subtusalbida (Bitter) M. Kessler & Schmidt-Leb. are elevated from subspecies or varietal to species rank; P. triacontandra Bitter is reinstated as a species. The accompanying Electronic Supplement provides an updated key to species in Polylepis, and reports extensions to the known distribution ranges of three additional species of the genus.See also Electronic Supplement at: http://www.senckenberg.de/odes/06-01.ht

A Biomechanical Analysis of the Interlock Suture and a Modified Kessler-Loop Lock Flexor Tendon Suture

OBJECTIVE: In this work, we attempted to develop a modified single-knot Kessler-loop lock suture technique and compare the biomechanical properties associated with this single-knot suture technique with those associated with the conventional modified Kessler and interlock suture techniques. METHODS: In this experiment, a total of 18 porcine flexor digitorum profundus tendons were harvested and randomly divided into three groups. The tendons were transected and then repaired using three different techniques, including modified Kessler suture with peritendinous suture, interlock suture with peritendinous suture, and modified Kessler-loop lock suture with peritendinous suture. Times required for suturing were recorded and compared among groups. The groups were also compared with respect to 2-mm gap load, ultimate failure load, and gap at failure. RESULTS: For tendon repair, compared with the conventional modified Kessler suture technique, the interlock and modified Kessler-loop lock suture techniques resulted in significantly improved biomechanical properties. However, there were no significant differences between the interlock and modified Kessler-loop lock techniques with respect to biomechanical properties, gap at failure, and time required. CONCLUSIONS: The interlock and modified Kessler-loop lock techniques for flexor tendon sutures produce similar mechanical characteristics in vitro

Health and wellbeing outcomes for defendants entering the Alcohol-MERIT program

Aim: To assess whether the NSW Alcohol-MERIT program improves the health and wellbeing of defendants. Method: Before their participation in the Alcohol-MERIT program, the health and wellbeing of 123 defendants was measured using the SF-36, Kessler-10 psychological distress scale and the SADQ for alcohol dependence level. These defendants were then followed-up two and six months after this baseline interview. Changes in the SF-36, Kessler-10 and SADQ responses were examined between: (1) baseline and the two-month interview and; (2) baseline and the six-month interview. Results: Two months after commencing the Alcohol-MERIT program, there were significant improvements in the SF-36 scores for defendants across four of the eight dimensions, significantly lower levels of psychological distress (Kessler-10) and lower levels of dependence on alcohol (SADQ). Six months after commencing the Alcohol-MERIT program, there were significant improvements in the SF-36 scores for defendants across six of the eight dimensions, significantly less psychological distress and dependence on alcohol. Conclusion: Defendants reported significant improvements in their health and wellbeing after participating in the Alcohol-MERIT program. However, attributing these improvements to the Alcohol-MERIT program alone is not possible given the absence of a relevant comparison group

Coexistence in an inhomogeneous environment

We examine the two-dimensional extension of the model of Kessler and Sander of competition between two species identical except for dispersion rates. In this class of models, the spatial inhomogeneity of reproduction rates gives rise to an implicit cost of dispersal, due to the tendency to leave favorable locations. Then, as in the Hamilton-May model with its explicit dispersal cost, the tradeoff between dispersal case and the beneficial role of dispersal in limiting fluctuations, leads to an advantage of one dispersal rate over another, and the eventual extinction of the disadvantaged species. In two dimensions we find that while the competition leads to the elimination of one species at high and low population density, at intermediate densities the two species can coexist essentially indefinitely. This is a new phenomenon not present in either the one-dimensional form of the Kessler-Sander model nor in the totally connected Hamilton-May model, and points to the importance of geometry in the question of dispersal