Reimagining large river management using the Resist–Accept–Direct (RAD) framework in the Upper Mississippi River

Background: Large-river decision-makers are charged with maintaining diverse ecosystem services through unprecedented social-ecological transformations as climate change and other global stressors intensify. The interconnected, dendritic habitats of rivers, which often demarcate jurisdictional boundaries, generate complex management challenges. Here, we explore how the Resist–Accept–Direct (RAD) framework may enhance large-river management by promoting coordinated and deliberate responses to social-ecological trajectories of change. The RAD framework identifies the full decision space of potential management approaches, wherein managers may resist change to maintain historical conditions, accept change toward different conditions, or direct change to a specified future with novel conditions. In the Upper Mississippi River System, managers are facing social-ecological transformations from more frequent and extreme high-water events. We illustrate how RAD-informed basin-, reach-, and site-scale decisions could: (1) provide cross-spatial scale framing; (2) open the entire decision space of potential management approaches; and (3) enhance coordinated inter-jurisdictional management in response to the trajectory of the Upper Mississippi River hydrograph. Results: The RAD framework helps identify plausible long-term trajectories in different reaches (or subbasins) of the river and how the associated social-ecological transformations could be managed by altering site-scale conditions. Strategic reach-scale objectives may reprioritize how, where, and when site conditions could be altered to contribute to the basin goal, given the basin’s plausible trajectories of change (e.g., by coordinating action across sites to alter habitat connectivity, diversity, and redundancy in the river mosaic). Conclusions: When faced with long-term systemic transformations (e.g., \u3e 50 years), the RAD framework helps explicitly consider whether or when the basin vision or goals may no longer be achievable, and direct options may open yet unconsidered potential for the basin. Embedding the RAD framework in hierarchical decision-making clarifies that the selection of actions in space and time should be derived from basin-wide goals and reach-scale objectives to ensure that site-scale actions contribute effectively to the larger river habitat mosaic. Embedding the RAD framework in large-river decisions can provide the necessary conduit to link flexibility and innovation at the site scale with stability at larger scales for adaptive governance of changing social-ecological systems

Envisioning the future of aquatic animal tracking: Technology, science, and application

Electronic tags are significantly improving our understanding of aquatic animal behavior and are emerging as key sources of information for conservation and management practices. Future aquatic integrative biology and ecology studies will increasingly rely on data from electronic tagging. Continued advances in tracking hardware and software are needed to provide the knowledge required by managers and policymakers to address the challenges posed by the world's changing aquatic ecosystems. We foresee multiplatform tracking systems for simultaneously monitoring the position, activity, and physiology of animals and the environment through which they are moving. Improved data collection will be accompanied by greater data accessibility and analytical tools for processing data, enabled by new infrastructure and cyberinfrastructure. To operationalize advances and facilitate integration into policy, there must be parallel developments in the accessibility of education and training, as well as solutions to key governance and legal issues

Basin-scale phenology and effects of climate variability on global timing of initial seaward migration of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)

Migrations between different habitats are key events in the lives of many organisms. Such movements involve annually recurring travel over long distances usually triggered by seasonal changes in the environment. Often, the migration is associated with travel to or from reproduction areas to regions of growth. Young anadromous Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) emigrate from freshwater nursery areas during spring and early summer to feed and grow in the North Atlantic Ocean. The transition from the freshwater (parr') stage to the migratory stage where they descend streams and enter salt water (smolt') is characterized by morphological, physiological and behavioural changes where the timing of this parr-smolt transition is cued by photoperiod and water temperature. Environmental conditions in the freshwater habitat control the downstream migration and contribute to within- and among-river variation in migratory timing. Moreover, the timing of the freshwater emigration has likely evolved to meet environmental conditions in the ocean as these affect growth and survival of the post-smolts. Using generalized additive mixed-effects modelling, we analysed spatio-temporal variations in the dates of downstream smolt migration in 67 rivers throughout the North Atlantic during the last five decades and found that migrations were earlier in populations in the east than the west. After accounting for this spatial effect, the initiation of the downstream migration among rivers was positively associated with freshwater temperatures, up to about 10 degrees C and levelling off at higher values, and with sea-surface temperatures. Earlier migration occurred when river discharge levels were low but increasing. On average, the initiation of the smolt seaward migration has occurred 2.5days earlier per decade throughout the basin of the North Atlantic. This shift in phenology matches changes in air, river, and ocean temperatures, suggesting that Atlantic salmon emigration is responding to the current global climate changes

Locating the festival, positioning the feast: natural and calendar festivals in medieval Slovenia

The astronomical cycles and occurrences of the Sun, Moon, planets and certain star constellations were well known to prehistoric, Roman and medieval communities. Archaeoastronomy studies how ancient societies incorporated this knowledge into various aspects of past cultures. The discipline draws on modern astronomy, geodesy, physics, statistics, anthropology, ethnology and archaeology to study and interpret a wide range of source materials, from structural alignments to art, artefacts and inscriptions. This paper presents archaeoastronomical research on the orientation of Romanesque churches across the territory of modern-day Slovenia, focusing on an array of medieval festivals associated with the solstices and equinoxes. It demonstrates a profound connection between these festivals and the alignment of churches

Aqueous worm gels can be reconstituted from freeze-dried diblock copolymer powder.

Worm-like diblock copolymer nanoparticles comprising poly(glycerol monomethacrylate) (PGMA) as a stabilizer block and poly(2-hydroxypropyl methacrylate) (PHPMA) as a core-forming block were readily synthesized at 10% w/w solids via aqueous dispersion polymerization at 70 °C using Reversible Addition-Fragmentation chain Transfer (RAFT) chemistry. On cooling to 20 °C, soft transparent free-standing gels are formed due to multiple inter-worm interactions. These aqueous PGMA-PHPMA diblock copolymer worms were freeze-dried, then redispersed in water with cooling to 3-5 °C before warming up to 20 °C; this protocol ensures molecular dissolution of the copolymer chains, which aids formation of a transparent aqueous gel. Rheology, SAXS and TEM studies confirm that such reconstituted gels comprise formed PGMA-PHPMA copolymer worms and they possess essentially the same physical properties determined for the original worm gels prior to freeze-drying. Such worm gel reconstitution is expected to be highly beneficial in the context of various biomedical applications, since it enables worm gels to be readily prepared using a wide range of cell growth media as the continuous aqueous phase

Ocena poprawy wskaźnika OEE i jego składowych w procesie mieszania emalii poliwinylowej

W rozdziale dokonano symulacji korzyści wynikających z poprawy wskaźnika OEE i jego wskaźników składowych w odniesieniu do maszyny wykorzystywanej w procesu mieszania emalii poliwinylowej. Dokonano prezentacji podmiotu badań – firmy produkującej farby i emalie przemysłowe oraz przedmiotu badań – mieszadła służącego do mieszania farb i emalii. Przedstawiono wynik obliczenia wskaźnika OEE i jego składowych dla badanej maszyny w okresie jednego miesiąca. Dokonano analizy i oceny poziomu i rozkładu wartości wskaźników OEE. Uzyskane w toku badań wyniki odniesiono do standardów Word Class OEE. Dokonano analizy wpływu wyeliminowania strat czasu, poprawy wydajności osiąganej przez urządzenie, poprawy wskaźnika jakości, oraz jednoczesnego wyeliminowania strat czasu, poprawy wydajności osiąganej przez urządzenie i poprawy wskaźnika jakości na wartość OEE. W ramach poodsuwania przedstawiono wytyczne w zakresie poprawy efektywności pracy badanej maszyny

Measuring of the fluid flow velocity map with micro-PIV method

W artykule przedstawiono metodę oraz wyniki pomiarów pól prędkości cieczy płynącej wewnątrz mikrokanału. W tym celu zastosowano metodę mikro-PIV (micro Particle Image Velocimetry). Metoda ta umożliwia pomiar prędkości pola przepływu cieczy na podstawie analizy toru ruchu cząstek posiewu płynących wraz z cieczą. Jako posiew zastosowano kulki żywicy melaminowej (o średnicy 10 μm) domieszkowane rodamina B. Badana objętość mikrokanału umieszczona została pod mikroskopem optycznym i oświetlona, dwoma krótkimi impulsami światła laserowego o długości fali 532 nm. Pod wpływem promieniowania laserowego rodamina B obecna w kulkach posiewu emitowała promieniowanie fluorescencyjne o długości fali 595 nm, które rejestrowano za pomocą zamontowanej do mikroskopu kamery CCD z zestawem filtrów optycznych. Analizując zmianę położenia kulek posiewu na dwóch kolejnych zdjęciach, odpowiadających dwóm kolejnym impulsom laserowym, wyznaczono przesuniecie cząstek powiewu w danym czasie. Na tej podstawie wnioskować mona o rozkładzie pola prędkości cieczy płynącej w mikrokanale.In this paper a micro-PIV method for measuring a velocity map of the fluid flow in microchannels is presented. The micro- PIV method is based on the traditional Particle Image Velocimery (PIV) method and is applied for microscale measurements. In the micro-PIV method, velocity maps are obtained with the algorithm of displacement tracking of seed particles which are introduced into the fluid flow. Plastic balls filled with fluorescent rhodamine B of the diameter of 10 μm are used as seed particles. The experimental test stand consisted of an optical microscope with a CCD camera equipped with a set of optical filters, a twin Nd:YAG laser (wavelength = 532 nm), a Dantec timerbox unit and a computer with the software for data analysis. Seed particles are activated with laser radiation and emit the fluorescent light of = 592 nm which is captured with the CCD camera. The trace of the seed particles is calculated using computer algorithms. Fluid velocity maps are calculated on the base of the calculated trace of the seed particles

Review of methods used for identification of biothreat agents in environmental protection and human health aspects

Modern threats of bioterrorism force the need to develop methods for rapid and accurate dentification of dangerous biological agents. Currently, there are many types of methods used in this field of studies that are based on immunological or genetic techniques, or constitute a combination of both methods (immuno-genetic). There are also methods that have been developed on the basis of physical and chemical properties of the analytes. Each group of these analytical assays can be further divided into conventional methods (e.g. simple antigen-antibody reactions, classical PCR, eal-time PCR), and modern technologies (e.g. microarray technology, aptamers, phosphors, etc.). Nanodiagnostics constitute another group of methods that utilize the objects at a nanoscale (below 100 nm). There are also integrated and automated diagnostic systems, which combine different ethods and allow simultaneous sampling, extraction of genetic material and detection and identification of the analyte using genetic, as well as immunological techniques

Bacillus anthracis infections – new possibilities of treatment

Introduction and objective Bacillus anthracis is one of biological agents which may be used in bioterrorism attacks. The aim of this study a review of the new treatment possibilities of anthrax, with particular emphasis on the treatment of pulmonary anthrax. Abbreviated description of the state of knowledge Pulmonary anthrax, as the most dangerous clinical form of the disease, is also extremely difficult to treat. Recently, considerable progress in finding new drugs and suitable therapy for anthrax has been achieved, for example, new antibiotics worth to mentioning, levofloxacin, daptomycin, gatifloxacin and dalbavancin. However, alternative therapeutic options should also be considered, among them the antimicrobial peptides, characterized by lack of inducible mechanisms of pathogen resistance. Very promising research considers bacteriophages lytic enzymes against selected bacteria species, including antibiotic-resistant strains. Results Interesting results were obtained using monoclonal antibodies: raxibacumab, cAb29 or cocktails of antibodies. The application of CpG oligodeoxynucleotides to boost the immune response elicited by Anthrax Vaccine Adsorbed and CMG2 protein complexes, also produced satisfying therapy results. Furthermore, the IFN-α and IFN-β, PA-dominant negative mutant, human inter-alpha inhibitor proteins and LF inhibitors in combination with ciprofloxacin, also showed very promising results. Conclusions Recently, progress has been achieved in inhalation anthrax treatment. The most promising new possibilities include: new antibiotics, peptides and bacteriophages enzymes, monoclonal antibodies, antigen PA mutants, and inter alpha inhibitors applications. In the case of the possibility of bioterrorist attacks, the examination of inhalation anthrax treatment should be intensively continued