Community Agriculture: Concepts, Models, and Impacts

Community agriculture initiatives are often run by organizations (1) relying on volunteer structures; (2) growing produce sustainably; and (3) aiming to improve health and access to food in their communities. To clarify “growing produce sustainably,” the Utah Conservation Corps Urban Community Farm (UCC UCF) (a volunteer and AmeriCorps-driven community agriculture model based in Logan, Utah) engages in regenerative agriculture practices, which are reviewed in this fact sheet. Community agriculture benefits and challenges are explored

Concrete deicing salts amelioration.

Sodium chloride is the main deicing chemical used in winter on highways and sidewalks to melt unwanted ice accumulations. In this study, various salts and salt combinations were studied as alternatives to sodium chloride. Included were: (1) Sodium chloride; (2) Calcium chloride; (3) Potassium acetate (and chloride mixtures); (4) Calcium magnesium acetate (and chloride mixtures); (5) Monosodium phosphate plus chlorides; (6) Monopotassium phosphate plus chlorides; (7) Monocalcium phosphate plus chlorides. Several solution concentrations were used but the base concentration for comparison of the salts and mixtures was 0.5 molality. The salt solutions were used in tests to measure the following properties: (1) Ice melting; (2) Mortar scaling; (3) Metal corrosion. These properties, as well as estimates of cost and possible environmental damage were considered in a criterion function analysis. It was found that monosodium and monopotassium phosphates, in combination with sodium chloride, were the best choice for use as a deicer. A phosphate and sodium chloride mixture in the ratio of 1:9 was found to be the best combination. This phosphate/chloride mixture should be investigated further as a possible alternative to the present day use of sodium chloride.Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Paper copy at Leddy Library: Theses & Major Papers - Basement, West Bldg. / Call Number: Thesis1993 .M288. Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 32-02, page: 0673. Advisers: C. MacInnis; P. P. Hudec. Thesis (M.A.Sc.)--University of Windsor (Canada), 1993

THE APPLICATION OF SIMULATION MODELLING IN NUCLEAR DECOMMISSIONING. (10405)

ABSTRACT Within several key decommissioning projects currently being carried out on the Sellafield site, simulation modelling is being successfully deployed to achieve a number of varied, but equally significant goals. Amongst these projects, the remediation of the "First Generation Magnox Storage Pond" (FGMSP) has presented the greatest challenge, with a huge variety of complex issues related to long term logistical planning, through to managing radiological uptake amongst a resource pool. After identifying that a requirement existed for a mechanism to pull the many strands of a multi discipline strategy together, the Sellafield Operational Research Group began the development cycle of a Discrete Event Simulation Model, to provide a unique insight into the overall timeline for project completion. The delivered model represents a major step forward in the functionality provided by simulation modelling, over that which has previously been deployed in decommissioning environments, and enables an holistic view of the project with regard to multi facetted operations, skill & resource availability and radiological uptake to plant operators. This paper discusses the build & development philosophy behind the model, the challenges met by the solution, and the wider benefits to nuclear decommissioning projects across the site

A new record of Culex restuans Theobald (Diptera: Culicidae) in British Columbia

species closely related to and resembling the cosmopolitan house mosquito Culex pipiens L. Typically, Cx. restuans lays its egg rafts on the surface of woodland pools, but it has adapted to lay its eggs in artificial containers. Immature stages can be found in water-filled containers from abandoned appliances to used tires that harbour algae. The immature stages of Cx. restuans can develop in water that ranges from clear to highly polluted. Like Cx. pipiens, the females obtain blood meals from birds, but can also feed on a broad range of mammal and reptile hosts (Hayes 1961). For that reason, the females have been identified every year since 2002 as a carrier and potential vector of West Nile virus (Ebel et al. 2005). Its life cycle is similar to our other Culex species. Those adults that eclose in the late summer and fall mate, but the females are in reproductive diapause and feed only on carbohydrates before overwintering. In rural hab i t a t s, t hey p robab ly sea rch ou t underground burrows and similar sites to hibernate, but in anthropic habitats, they are common in basements and outbuildings. Its known distribution in America ranges from the eastern half of Alberta south and east to Guatemala, and it is common in southeastern Canada and the eastern and central United States. There are fewer records in the west, although according to Darsie and Ward’s (2005) authoritative work, the insect’s range extends to the west coast through Wyoming, southern Idaho and Oregon. Well-substantiated records in southwestern California exist. We describe the first verifiable record of this species in British Columbia (B.C.) from a photograph taken by one of us (McCann) i

Mixtures obtained by reacting trans-(�)-1,2diaminocyclohexane with acetylacetone in the presence of simple cobalt(II) salts.

In the absence of a metal ion, racemic trans-1,2-diaminocyclohexane (trans-(�)DCH) reacts with acetylacetone (acacH) (1:2.5 mole ratio) to form the bisoxoenamine condensation product, boe (1). CoCl2·6H2O and Co(ClO4)2·6H2O each react with trans-(�)DCH in air to give complexes containing the oxidised Co(III) ion, [Co((�)DCH)3]3+, which does not subsequently react with added acacH to give a Schiff base complex. Mixtures of complexes are obtained from one-pot reactions involving trans-(�)DCH, a simple Co(II) salt and acacH (1:1:2.5 mole ratio). When CoCl2·6H2O is used, the mixed-ligand Co(II) complex [Co((�)DCH)Cl2] (4) precipitates first and, after a period of weeks, the Co(II) complex (diazH)2[CoCl4] (5) (diazH+ is a diazepinium cation), the Co(II) complex [Co(boe)Cl2]n (6) and the Co(III) complex [Co(acac)3] (7), co-crystallise from the mother liquor. Using Co(ClO4)2·6H2O in the reaction with trans-(�)DCH and acacH also gives a mixture of products. Complexes 7, the Co(II) complex [Co2(acac)4(H2O)2][Co(acac)(H2O)4]ClO4·EtOH (8) and the Co(III) complex [Co(acac)2(�)DCH]ClO4 (9) co-crystallise. Complexes 1, 5, 7, 8 and 9 were characterised using X-ray crystallography. The major difference between using CoCl2·6H2O and Co(ClO4)2·6H2O in reactions involving (�)DCH and acacH is that no DCH/acacH condensation products are identified in the product mixtures when the perchlorate salt is employed

Fluorescence of Naphthol AS-MX is Readily Detectable in Dioxane Mixtures

Numerous enzymes have been demonstrated to be active in non-aqueous solutions, yet the utility of phosphatases under such conditions has been difficult to determine. Here, we demonstrate the ability to fluorescently detect naphthol AS‑MX in high percentages 1,4-dioxane with a fluorescence differential compared with naphthol AS‑MX phosphate. While intensities and maximum fluorescence wavelengths changed depending on solvent conditions, these results demonstrate this system’s potential for testing phosphatase activity in high amounts of dioxane

Measurement of the 25Al(d,n)26Si\mathrm{^{25}Al(d,n)^{26}Si} reaction and impact on the 25Al(p,γ)26Si\mathrm{^{25}Al(p,\gamma)^{26}Si} reaction rate

The $\mathrm{^{25}Al(p,\gamma)^{26}Si}$ reaction is part of a reaction network with impact on the observed galactic $^{26}$Al abundance. A new determination of the proton strength of the lowest $\ell=0$ proton-resonance in $^{26}$Si is required to more precisely calculate the thermal reaction rate. To this end, the $\mathrm{^{25}Al(d,n)^{26}Si}$ proton-transfer reaction is measured in inverse kinematics using an in-flight radioactive beam at the RESOLUT facility. Excitation energies of the lowest $^{26}$Si proton resonances are measured and cross sections are determined for the lowest $\ell=0$ resonance associated with the $3^{+}_{3}$ state at 5.92(2) MeV. Coupled reaction channels (CRC) calculations using FRESCO are performed to extract the $\ell=0$ spectroscopic factor for the $3^{+}_{3}$ state. The proton width for the $3^{+}_{3}$ state in $^{26}$Si is determined to be $\Gamma_{p}$=2.19(45) eV and the $(p,\gamma)$ resonance strength for the $3^{+}_{3}$ state is extracted as 26(10) meV. This resonance dominates the $\mathrm{^{25}Al(p,\gamma)^{26}Si}$ reaction rate above 0.2 GK.Comment: 8 pages, 7 figure

The use of Lean Six Sigma methodology in the reduction of patient length of stay following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction surgery

From MDPI via Jisc Publications RouterBackground: The purpose of this study was to reduce the length of stay of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction patients within a private hospital in Ireland, reducing any non-value-added activity in the patient pathway, with the goal of increasing patient flow, bed capacity, and revenue generation within the hospital system, while maintaining patient satisfaction. Methods: We used a pre-/post-intervention design and Lean Six Sigma methods and tools to assess and improve the current process. Results: A reduction in inpatient length of stay by 57%, and a reduction in identified non-value-added activity by 88%, resulted in a new day-case surgery pathway for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction patients. The pathway evidenced no re-admissions and demonstrated patient satisfaction. Conclusion: Six months post-project commencement, we had successfully achieved our goals of reducing our anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction patient’s length of stay. This study contributes to the growing body of published evidence which shows that adopting a Lean Six Sigma approach can be successfully employed to optimise care and surgical pathways in healthcare.19pubpub

Water-soluble bis(1,10-phenanthroline) Octanedioate Cu2+ and Mn2+ Complexes with Unprecedented Nano and Picomolar in Vitro Cytotoxicity: Promising Leads for Chemotherapeutic Drug Development

Dinuclear CuII and MnII bis-phenanthroline octanedioate complexes exhibit rapid, unprecedented nano and picomolar in vitro cytotoxicity against colorectal cancer lines and are less toxic than cisplatin when examined in vivo. The complexes are potent generators of cellular reactive oxygen species, avid DNA binders and induce O2 dependent cleavage of DNA. The Cu(II) complex was found to have self-cleaving nuclease activity

MAGIQ at the W. M. Keck Observatory: initial deployment of a new acquisition, guiding, and image quality monitoring system

The W. M. Keck Observatory has completed the development and initial deployment of MAGIQ, the Multi-function Acquisition, Guiding and Image Quality monitoring system. MAGIQ is an integrated system for acquisition, guiding and image quality measurement for the Keck telescopes. This system replaces the acquisition and guiding hardware and software for existing instruments at the Observatory and is now the standard for visible wavelength band acquisition cameras for future instrumentation. In this paper we report on the final design and implementation of this new system, which includes three major components: a visible wavelength band acquisition camera, image quality measurement capability, and software for acquisition, guiding and image quality monitoring. The overall performance is described, as well as the details of our approach to integrating low order wavefront sensing capability in order to provide closed loop control of telescope focus