Impacts of rehabilitating degraded lands on soil health, pastures, runoff, erosion, nutrient and sediment movement. Part III: Economic analysis of rehabilitation techniques in the Burdekin River catchment to improve water quality flowing from grazing lands onto the Great Barrier Reef.

Poor grazing land condition reduces the productivity of grazing enterprises and has been linked to increased sediment loads entering the Great Barrier Reef Lagoon. There are several methods for rehabilitating degraded lands with varying levels of investment. The subsequent environmental and economic outcomes have previously been largely unquantified. This document assesses the potential economic impact of the rehabilitation treatments in the Burdekin Catchment for the project RRRD.024 – ‘Quantifying the impacts of rehabilitating degraded lands on soil health, pastures, runoff, erosion, nutrient and sediment movement’. Three mechanical intervention treatments and a control (no treatment) were evaluated on loamy alluvial soils at Spyglass Research Facility. These were: deep ripping, chisel ploughing and crocodile seeding. All treatments were seeded. Treatments varied in cost on a per hectare basis with deep ripping requiring $260.85 ha-1, chisel ploughing$210.85 ha-1, and crocodile seeding was least cost requiring $150.85 ha-1. Treatments also varied in benefits, particularly pasture yield and subsequent potential carrying capacity. From highest to lowest the potential average carrying capacity was deep ripping, chisel ploughing and crocodile seeding, with 25.3 AE 100 ha-1, 20.5 AE 100 ha-1 and 13.4 AE 100 ha-1, respectively. The control averaged 7.9 AE 100 ha-1. Despite apparent differences in costs and subsequent benefits, each treatment returned very similar economic results, particularly as measured by the internal rate of return. The internal rate of return (IRR) of chisel ploughing was highest (4.55%), followed by crocodile seeding (4.37%) and lastly, deep ripping (4.36%). This suggests that while spending more money and performing higher intervention might increase productivity the most, it does not necessary return more on a dollar for dollar basis. Despite positive IRRs, none of the treatments returned a positive net present value at the default parameters, suggesting funds could be better used elsewhere. It is recommended that producers investigate their eligibility for funding programs (such as Catchment organisations or Land Care) which assists with upfront costs of rehabilitation of degraded lands. This will allow producers to reduce losses and provide public benefits in the form of reduced sediment and nutrient runoff

Impacts of rehabilitating degraded lands on soil health, pastures, runoff, erosion, nutrient and sediment movement. Part III: Economic analysis of rehabilitation techniques in the Burdekin River catchment to improve water quality flowing from grazing lands onto the Great Barrier Reef.

Poor grazing land condition reduces the productivity of grazing enterprises and has been linked to increased sediment loads entering the Great Barrier Reef Lagoon. There are several methods for rehabilitating degraded lands with varying levels of investment. The subsequent environmental and economic outcomes have previously been largely unquantified. This document assesses the potential economic impact of the rehabilitation treatments in the Burdekin Catchment for the project RRRD.024 – ‘Quantifying the impacts of rehabilitating degraded lands on soil health, pastures, runoff, erosion, nutrient and sediment movement’. Three mechanical intervention treatments and a control (no treatment) were evaluated on loamy alluvial soils at Spyglass Research Facility. These were: deep ripping, chisel ploughing and crocodile seeding. All treatments were seeded. Treatments varied in cost on a per hectare basis with deep ripping requiring $260.85 ha-1, chisel ploughing$210.85 ha-1, and crocodile seeding was least cost requiring $150.85 ha-1. Treatments also varied in benefits, particularly pasture yield and subsequent potential carrying capacity. From highest to lowest the potential average carrying capacity was deep ripping, chisel ploughing and crocodile seeding, with 25.3 AE 100 ha-1, 20.5 AE 100 ha-1 and 13.4 AE 100 ha-1, respectively. The control averaged 7.9 AE 100 ha-1. Despite apparent differences in costs and subsequent benefits, each treatment returned very similar economic results, particularly as measured by the internal rate of return. The internal rate of return (IRR) of chisel ploughing was highest (4.55%), followed by crocodile seeding (4.37%) and lastly, deep ripping (4.36%). This suggests that while spending more money and performing higher intervention might increase productivity the most, it does not necessary return more on a dollar for dollar basis. Despite positive IRRs, none of the treatments returned a positive net present value at the default parameters, suggesting funds could be better used elsewhere. It is recommended that producers investigate their eligibility for funding programs (such as Catchment organisations or Land Care) which assists with upfront costs of rehabilitation of degraded lands. This will allow producers to reduce losses and provide public benefits in the form of reduced sediment and nutrient runoff

Impacts of rehabilitating degraded lands on soil health, pastures, runoff, erosion, nutrient and sediment movement. Part IV: The Kimberley rehabilitation programs and lessons for the Great Barrier Reef catchments

There were extensive areas of bare, eroded and scalded soils and clay pans, all D-condition land, on the properties of Ord, Turner, Fox Rivers and parts of Flora Valley, Elvire, and Ruby Stations in the Ord River catchment covering some 46,700 km2. Some of these properties were eventually resumed and amalgamated by the Government as the Ord River Regeneration Reserve (ORRR). The aim was to reduce sedimentation of Lake Argyle on the Ord River, which was built for irrigation of down-stream flood plain areas from Kununurra. Government ownership allowed full control for new fencing, artificial water points and cattle management, so all grazing was prevented, with the removal of cattle, donkeys, and camels. On-ground mechanical disturbance and seeding with predominantly Cenchrus spp. and Aerva javanica, began in the early 1960s to revegetate these eroded plains. Artificial water sources were closed to reduce potential grazing influences, although there are water holes present in major rivers, most of the area has no grazing to the present. Marsupials are confined to a limited distance from natural water holes in creeks and rivers. The ORRR is now rehabilitated by Cenchrus species pastures, with C. setiger being a dominant grass, and it is managed by the WA Department of Parks and Wildlife. The original native pasture species have not become dominant at this time. Any feral animal grazing and cattle incursions from neighbours are managed and animals may be shot. The undulating to flat, D-condition country was successfully rehabilitated over some four decades by aggressive mechanical disturbance, sowing well adapted tropical exotic pasture grass and forb species, total grazing control, and a run of consecutive above average rainfall seasons. There are similar issues and many lessons from this rehabilitation program that are relevant for rehabilitating degraded landscapes in the grazing lands of reef catchments in Queensland

Assessment of Hard-to-Detect Radionuclide Levels in Decommissioning Waste From the Bohunice NPP-A1, Slovakia, for Clearance and Disposal Purposes

For assessments of hard-to-detect radionuclides (HD-RN) contents in various type of radwastes at the NPP-A1, available empirical data referenced to 137Cs (actinides, 90Sr, 99Tc, 63Ni, 14C) and the theoretical assessment for the remaining HD-RN using calculated RN inventory and a simple model with effective relative (137Cs) spent fuel release fractions was applied. The analytical data of extended radiochemical analysis for the existing available operational radwaste forms have been reviewed for this purpose. 137Cs, 90Sr and 241Am were set up as release markers for partial spent fuel release groups of HD-RNs within which the total fractions of HD-RN released to the operational radwastes were assumed to be constant. It was shown by the assessment carried out that 137Cs and HD-RNs 129I, 99Tc, and partly 79Se and 14C are the main contributors to the disposal dose limit for the radioactive concentrate at NPP A-1. In the case of the radioactive sludge from the operational radwaste system the role of predominant dose contributors belongs to actinides 239,240Pu and 241Am. In the case of clearance of radioactive material from the NPP-A1 site, only the reference radionuclide, 137Cs was predicted to be the most dominant dose contributor. In all of these cases the estimated contributions of other hard-to-detect radionuclides to respective disposal or release dose limit are lower by 2 and more orders of magnitude. As a lesson learned, the most attention is proposed to focus on the control and measurement of the critical HD-RNs indicated by the assessment. For the control of less important HD-RNs, the developed release coefficient method is sufficient to be applied

Gewisse morphologische, physiognomische und antropologische Merkmale bei einwohnern eines jugoslawischen Küstengebiets

Autori su obavili analizu nalaza 498 ispitanika obaju spolova djece starosjedilaca (najmanje jedna generacija) u Solinu i Kaštelima. Ispitivanja su provedena kod djece stare 10—14 godina, s namjerom da se pridonese prikupljanju podataka nacionalnih obilježja. Ispitivanja su po karakteru sondažna. Problematika se je sastojala u tome da se utvrdi postoje li signifikantni nalazi i njihove međusobne korelacije. Ispitivanja su obavljena u području identične geografske širine, u kojoj je obavljao ispitivanja i Francuz Pont30, s namjerom da se ustanovi da li utvrđeni indeks odgovara onom spomenutog autora. Mjerenja, su izvedena standardnim instrumentarijem, a vršila ih je ekipa od triju članova, koautora ovog rada, koja je prethodno prošla blind test, konstruiran za ispitivanja te vrsti. Unošenje i obrada podataka učinjeno je na obrascima za ortodontske sistematske preglede (rubno bušene kartice br. 1226/038). Rezultati su komparirani s nalazima stranih autora. Utvrđeno je između ostalog da je SI i parametar Zy-Zy veći kod muških ispitanika. PŠ i SŠ su u cijelosti veće kod ispitanika bez anomalija. Usporedbene vrijednosti dobivenog indeksa za PŠ i SŠ vrlo su blizu mjerama po Pontu30, što potvrđuje pretpostavku, da se je radilo o ispitanicima sa širokim čeljustima. Statistička obrada vlastitih podataka prikazana je na tab. 1., dok ostale tablice prikazuju rezultate stranih autora. Tab. 2 i 4 sadrže i vlastite rezultate zbog preglednije komparacije. Autori se kritički osvrću na pomanjkanje standardne metodike u ispitivanjima te vrsti u nacionalnoj stomatološkoj literaturi Njemačke i Jugoslavije.The authors published an analysis of the findings in 498 test subjects of both sexes, children of the indigenes (at least one generation) of Solin and Kaštela. The testing was carried out in children aged between 10 to 14 for the purpose of contributing to the collection of data on national characteristics. The tests had a probing character and were meant to investigate the problem whether there existed any significant findings and to establish their mutual correlation. Testings were carried out in a region of identical geographical latitude to that in which the Frenchman Pont made his investigations (30). The aim was to establish whether the index obtained corresponded to that of the mentioned author. Measuring was carried out by means of standard instruments and a team consisting of three members, coauthors of this paper, was engaged in the task. The team had previously undergone the blind test for investigations of that kind. The elaboration and entry of data was made on forms for ortodontic systematic examinations (punch cards no. 1226/038). The results were compared1 to^ the findings of the foreign authors. It was ascertained that the width of the upper incisors and the distance Zy-Zy were higher in boys. Anterior and posterior widths of the upper dental arch were higher in subjects without malocclusions. The obtained values for both widths of the dental arch were very close to those of Pont, thus confirming the hypothesis that the test subjects had wide jaws. The statistical elaboration of our own data is shown in Table 1, while the other tables show the results of foreign authors. Table 2 and 4 contain also our own results for easier comparison. The authors point out at the lack of standard methods in investigations of that kind in the national German and Yugoslav dental literature.Die Autoren haben eine Befunderhebung bei 498 Kindern beiderlei Geschlechts von Alteingesessenen in Solin und Kaštela auf gewisse Merkmale, durchgeführt. Die Untersuchungen wurden an Kindern im Alter von 10 bis 14 Jahren gemacht, mit der Absicht Beiträge für nationale Merkmale zu sammeln. Es sollte festgestellt werden ob deutliche Befunde erhoben werden können, und ihre gegen seitigen Zusammenhänge geprüft werden. Die Untersuchungen wurden in Gebieten der gleichen geographischen Breite durchgeführt, in welchen auch der Franzose Pont seine Untersuchungen anstellte, mit der Absicht festzustellen ob der erhaltene Index dem Pontschen-Index gleich ist. Die Messungen wurden von den drei Koautoren dieser Arbeit mit standardisierten Methoden ausgeführt. Die Resultate wurden mit Befunden anderer Autoren verglichen. Unter Anderem wurde festgestellt, dass die Sl und der Parameter Zy-Zy bei männlichen Probanaen grösser ist. Die vordere und die hintere obere Zahn bogen breite ist im Ganzen grösser bei Untersuchten die keine Anomalien aufwiesen. Der Vergleichswert der erhaltenen Indexe für die angeführten Breiten sind den Pont - Werten sehr nahe, was die Vorraussetzung bestätigt, dass es sich um Probanden mit breiten Kiefern handelt. Die statistische Bearbeitung der eigenen Befunde ist auf Tabelle 1 dargestellt, während die übrigen Tabellen Resultate anderer Autoren zeigen. Die Tabellen 2 und 4 behalten auch eigene Resultate, wegen besserer Übersicht bei der Vergleichung. Die Autoren beanständen das Fehlen einer Standard- -Methode für Untersuchungen dieser Art in der nationalen stomatologischen Literatur Deutschlands und Jugoslawiens

Arctic marine secondary organic aerosol contributes significantly to summertime particle size distributions in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago

Summertime Arctic aerosol size distributions are strongly controlled by natural regional emissions. Within this context, we use a chemical transport model with sizeresolved aerosol microphysics (GEOS-Chem-TOMAS) to interpret measurements of aerosol size distributions from the Canadian Arctic Archipelago during the summer of 2016, as part of the "NETwork on Climate and Aerosols: Addressing key uncertainties in Remote Canadian Environments" (NETCARE) project. Our simulations suggest that condensation of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) from precursor vapors emitted in the Arctic and near Arctic marine (ice-free seawater) regions plays a key role in particle growth events that shape the aerosol size distributions observed at Alert (82.5° N, 62.3° W), Eureka (80.1° N, 86.4° W), and along a NETCARE ship track within the Archipelago. We refer to this SOA as Arctic marine SOA (AMSOA) to reflect the Arctic marine-based and likely biogenic sources for the precursors of the condensing organic vapors. AMSOA from a simulated flux (500 μgm-2 day-1, north of 50° N) of precursor vapors (with an assumed yield of unity) reduces the summertime particle size distribution model-observation mean fractional error 2- to 4-fold, relative to a simulation without this AMSOA. Particle growth due to the condensable organic vapor flux contributes strongly (30 %-50 %) to the simulated summertime-mean number of particles with diameters larger than 20 nm in the study region. This growth couples with ternary particle nucleation (sulfuric acid, ammonia, and water vapor) and biogenic sulfate condensation to account for more than 90% of this simulated particle number, which represents a strong biogenic influence. The simulated fit to summertime size-distribution observations is further improved at Eureka and for the ship track by scaling up the nucleation rate by a factor of 100 to account for other particle precursors such as gas-phase iodine and/or amines and/or fragmenting primary particles that could be missing from our simulations. Additionally, the fits to the observed size distributions and total aerosol number concentrations for particles larger than 4 nm improve with the assumption that the AMSOA contains semivolatile species: the model-observation mean fractional error is reduced 2- to 3-fold for the Alert and ship track size distributions. AMSOA accounts for about half of the simulated particle surface area and volume distributions in the summertime Canadian Arctic Archipelago, with climaterelevant simulated summertime pan-Arctic-mean top-of-theatmosphere aerosol direct (-0:04Wm-2) and cloud-albedo indirect (-0:4Wm-2) radiative effects, which due to uncertainties are viewed as an order of magnitude estimate. Future work should focus on further understanding summertime Arctic sources of AMSOA

Proceedings of the Working Group Session on Fertility Preservation for Individuals with Gender and Sex Diversity

Children and adolescents with gender and sex diversity include (1) gender-nonconforming and transgender individuals for whom gender identity or expression are incongruent with birth-assigned sex (heretofore, transgender) and (2) individuals who have differences in sex development (DSD). Although these are largely disparate groups, there is overlap in the medical expertise necessary to care for individuals with both gender and sex diversity. In addition, both groups face potential infertility or sterility as a result of desired medical and surgical therapies. The Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago (Lurie Children's) gender and sex development program (GSDP) provides specialized multidisciplinary care for both transgender and DSD patients. In response to patient concerns that recommended medical treatments have the potential to affect fertility, the Lurie Children's GSDP team partnered with experts from the Oncofertility Consortium at Northwestern University to expand fertility preservation options to gender and sex diverse youth. This article summarizes the results of a meeting of experts across this field at the annual Oncofertility Consortium conference with thoughts on next steps toward a unified protocol for this patient group.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/140296/1/trgh.2016.0008.pd

Structure of the NheA Component of the Nhe Toxin from Bacillus cereus: Implications for Function

The structure of NheA, a component of the Bacillus cereus Nhe tripartite toxin, has been solved at 2.05 Å resolution using selenomethionine multiple-wavelength anomalous dispersion (MAD). The structure shows it to have a fold that is similar to the Bacillus cereus Hbl-B and E. coli ClyA toxins, and it is therefore a member of the ClyA superfamily of α-helical pore forming toxins (α-PFTs), although its head domain is significantly enlarged compared with those of ClyA or Hbl-B. The hydrophobic β-hairpin structure that is a characteristic of these toxins is replaced by an amphipathic β-hairpin connected to the main structure via a β-latch that is reminiscent of a similar structure in the β-PFT Staphylococcus aureus α-hemolysin. Taken together these results suggest that, although it is a member of an archetypal α-PFT family of toxins, NheA may be capable of forming a β rather than an α pore