CamGrid: Experiences in constructing a university-wide, Condor-based grid at the University of Cambridge

Proceedings of the 2004 UK e-Science All Hands Meeting, 31st August - 3rd September, Nottingham UKIn this article we describe recent work done in building a university-wide grid at the University of Cambridge based on the Condor middleware [1]. Once the issues of stakeholder concerns (e.g. security policies) and technical problems (e.g. firewalls and private IP addresses) have been taken into account, a solution based on two separate Condor environments was decided on. The first of these is a single large pool administered centrally by the University Computing Service (UCS) and the second a federated service of flocked Condor pools belonging to various departments and run over a Virtual Private Network (VPN). We report on the current status of this ongoing work

The inheritance of resistance to bacterial leaf spot of lettuce caused by Xanthomonas campestris pv. vitians in three lettuce cultivars.

Lettuce yields can be reduced by the disease bacterial leaf spot (BLS) caused by the pathogen Xanthomonas campestris pv. vitians (Xcv) and host resistance is the most feasible method to reduce disease losses. The cultivars La Brillante, Pavane and Little Gem express an incompatible host-pathogen interaction as a hypersensitive response (HR) to California strains of Xcv resulting in resistance. Little was known about the inheritance of resistance; however, resistance to other lettuce pathogens is often determined by resistance gene candidates (RGCs) encoding nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat (NB-LRR) proteins. Therefore, we determined the inheritance of BLS resistance in the cultivars La Brillante, Little Gem and Pavane and mapped it relative to RGCs. The reaction to Xcv was analyzed in nine F1, F2 and recombinant inbred line populations of lettuce from HR×compatible or HR×HR crosses. The HR in La Brillante, Pavane and Little Gem is conditioned by single dominant genes, which are either allelic or closely linked genes. The resistance gene in La Brillante was designated Xanthomonas resistance 1 (Xar1) and mapped to lettuce linkage group 2. Xar1 is present in a genomic region that contains numerous NB-LRR encoding RGCs and functional pathogen resistance loci in the RGC2 family. The Xar1 gene confers a high level of BLS resistance in the greenhouse and field that can be introgressed into commercial lettuce cultivars to reduce BLS losses using molecular markers

Mapping ammonia risk on sensitive habitats in Ireland

© 2018 Elsevier B.V. The aim of this study was to provide a simple, cost-effective, risk-based map of terrestrial areas in Ireland where environmental quality may be at risk from atmospheric ammonia. This risk-based approach identifies Natura 2000 sites in Ireland at risk from agricultural atmospheric ammonia, collating best available data using Geographical Information Systems (GIS). In mapping ammonia risk on sensitive habitats (MARSH), the method identifies sources of ammonia, classifying them on a scale of risk from 0 to 5. These sources are subsequently summed based on a weighting determined by their contribution to national emissions divided by their potentially impacted area. A Pearson's correlation coefficient of 0.72 allows for concentrations from United Kingdom's FRAME modelling to be applied to the MARSH model, which are corrected based on recent monitoring. Applying Designation Weighted Indicators (DWI), the MARSH model predicts that 80.7, 34.3 and 5.9% of Natura 2000 sites in Ireland may exceed ambient concentrations of 1, 2, and 3 μg/m3, respectively. A Nitroindex map of Ireland based on available lichen records was also developed and is presented as part of this study. This Nitroindex was used to identify areas where impacts have already been recorded, thus informing the classification of sites “at-risk”. The combination of both the MARSH and Nitroindex models ascertains which Natura 2000 sites are most at risk, thereby providing valuable data to relevant authorities. The MARSH model acts as a first step towards screening and assessing Natura 2000 sites most at risk from atmospheric ammonia, providing a tool to demonstrate compliance with the National Emissions Ceilings Directive

A NON OVERLAPPING CAMERA NETWORK: CALIBRATION AND APPLICATION TOWARDS LANE DEPARTURE WARNING

ABSTRACT In this paper, we present a new multi camera approach to Lane Departure Warning (LDW). First, a perspective removal transformation is applied to the camera captured images to convert them into bird's-eye view images. Then, the position of the two cameras relative to a reference point is accurately determined using a new calibration technique. Lane detection is performed on the front and rear camera images who results are combined using data fusion. Finally, LDW is implemented by determining the distance between the vehicle and adjacent lane boundaries. The proposed system was tested on real world driving videos and shows good results when compared to ground truth

Self-immolative systems for the disclosure of reactive electrophilic alkylating agents

In this paper we report the design, synthesis and assessment of the first examples of self-immolative systems triggered by non-acidic electrophilic agents such as methyl, allyl or benzylic halides. These systems provide a visual colorimetric disclosure response upon exposure to these electrophilic reagents under mild, basic conditions without the need for the use of analytical instrumentation

Titan Science with the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST)

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), scheduled for launch in 2018, is the successor to the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) but with a significantly larger aperture (6.5 m) and advanced instrumentation focusing on infrared science (0.6-28.0 $\mu$m ). In this paper we examine the potential for scientific investigation of Titan using JWST, primarily with three of the four instruments: NIRSpec, NIRCam and MIRI, noting that science with NIRISS will be complementary. Five core scientific themes are identified: (i) surface (ii) tropospheric clouds (iii) tropospheric gases (iv) stratospheric composition and (v) stratospheric hazes. We discuss each theme in depth, including the scientific purpose, capabilities and limitations of the instrument suite, and suggested observing schemes. We pay particular attention to saturation, which is a problem for all three instruments, but may be alleviated for NIRCam through use of selecting small sub-arrays of the detectors - sufficient to encompass Titan, but with significantly faster read-out times. We find that JWST has very significant potential for advancing Titan science, with a spectral resolution exceeding the Cassini instrument suite at near-infrared wavelengths, and a spatial resolution exceeding HST at the same wavelengths. In particular, JWST will be valuable for time-domain monitoring of Titan, given a five to ten year expected lifetime for the observatory, for example monitoring the seasonal appearance of clouds. JWST observations in the post-Cassini period will complement those of other large facilities such as HST, ALMA, SOFIA and next-generation ground-based telescopes (TMT, GMT, EELT).Comment: 50 pages, including 22 figures and 2 table

Predicting atmospheric ammonia dispersion and potential ecological effects using monitored emission rates from an intensive laying hen facility in Ireland

Agriculture is responsible for 98% of atmospheric ammonia (NH3) in Ireland, of which pigs and poultry produce 7%; with laying hens specifically contributing 0.6%. Though a small proportion of the national NH3 total emissions, the ecological impacts on sensitive sites attributed to laying hen farms can be substantial. NH3 emission monitoring was conducted in Spring (February to March) and Summer (July to August) 2016 to account for seasonal variation. The total average emission and ventilation rate was 0.25 g bird−1 day−1 and 931 cm3 s−1 bird−1. This is lower than the previously used emission factor for the Irish national inventory of 0.5 g bird−1 day−1, but broadly similar to factors reported in the United Kingdom (UK) and the European Union (EU). Dispersion modelling using monitored data indicated potentially acute effects within 84 m, critical level exceedance within 312 m and exceedance of 0.3 kg N ha−1 year−1 deposition within 2.9–5.2 km. The sensitivity of the model was tested using SCAIL-Agriculture emission and ventilation rates which showed P-values for one tailed critical level below 0.01 for all models, indicating that when normalised the maximum extents modelled by AERMOD were significantly different. This analysis showed emission rate having more influence than ventilation rate. Both parameters combined had the greatest increase in dispersion extent, on average 55.8% greater than the use of monitored rates. A deposition rate of 0.3 kg N ha−1 year−1 was modelled to occur within 5.1–7.7 km when using SCAIL-Agriculture rates. Indicating that the use of SCAIL-Agriculture recommended emission and ventilation rates would have been sufficiently precautionary to assess negative ecological effects on a Natura 2000 site under the Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC). In relation to Appropriate Assessment (AA) screening, the use of any contribution from a source within a set distance may be an appropriate full AA trigger

A Demonstration of using Partnerships and Private Lands Conservation to Evaluate Livestock Grazing as a Management Tool for Greater Sage Grouse in Central Montana

Partnerships across agencies and land ownerships established to maintain wildlife-compatible “working landscapes” are critical for conserving and managing wildlife in the West.  Preliminary results from the first three years of a 10-yr study in central Montana demonstrate this management approach.  We are evaluating prescribed grazing systems implemented by NRCS’s Sage Grouse Initiative (SGI) that are designed to improve hiding cover and food availability for Greater sage grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) during critical life stages via voluntary, incentive-based modifications of livestock grazing management.  Extensive vegetation sampling across 8 SGI-enrolled ranches and 20 non-enrolled ranches in 2013 revealed significant increases in residual grass height, live grass height, and herbaceous vegetation cover on SGI-enrolled lands. In 2011-2013, we monitored adult female sage-grouse and chicks with radiotelemetry to measure vital rates and habitat use. Annual hen survival ranged from 57-74 percent, nest success ranged from 12-61 percent, and chick survival ranged from 9-23 percent.  Using an information theoretic approach in program MARK, the top-ranked nest success model showed that grass height was positively correlated with nest success.   During late nesting to early brood rearing periods of 2012 and 2013 we used pitfall traps to collected ground-dwelling arthropods from cattle grazed and rest-rotation phase pastures enrolled in the SGI program. Collected arthropods were identified and appropriate specimens were classified as sage grouse chick food items. During both years of study, food item catches were greatest (P < 0.03) in rested versus grazed pastures indicating that strategic pasture rest may increase the availability of sage grouse chick food resources