Assessment of the Contribution of Traffic Emissions to the Mobile Vehicle Measured PM2.5 Concentration by Means of WRF-CMAQ Simulations

INE/AUTC 12.0

Numerical investigations on the contribution of point source emissions to the PM2.5 concentrations in Fairbanks, Alaska

AbstractSimulations with and without consideration of emissions from point sources were performed with the Weather Research and Forecasting model with online chemistry (WRF/Chem) to examine the contribution of point source emissions to the PM2.5 concentrations at breathing level in Fairbanks, Alaska during winter. On days and at locations where PM2.5 concentrations exceed the National Ambient Air Quality Standard of 35μg m −3, emissions from point sources account for 4% of the 24h–average PM2.5 concentration on average. The locations of highest concentrations were the same in both simulations. Point source emissions induced only five additional exceedance days in the nonattainment area. The magnitude of the PM2.5 concentrations depended on meteorological conditions (temperature, wind speed, mixing height) and emissions. The radius of impact of point source emissions on the PM2.5 concentration at breathing level of about 10–12km downwind results as a combination of low emission heights, low wind speeds and the presence of inversions

Academic Impacts of Later School Start Times

Literature Review Research in progress for PSYC 2301: Honors General Psychology Faculty Mentor: Jennifer L. O’Loughlin-Brooks The following paper represents research produced by students in an Honors General Psychology course. The class assignment introduces students to scientific research and writing through a team-based approach. Each individual student team, composed of two or three members, conducts a comprehensive literature review on a specific psychology topic of their choosing. They summarize and evaluate at least seven pieces of scholarly work, discuss future areas of investigation for the field, and explain how this research might add qualitatively to the existing knowledge of the discipline. In addition, student teams interview at least one expert in their research area and include that interview as a primary source of information. Nicole Swain, Tuyet Tran, and Daphne Carrier researched sleep in teens and posited that many adolescents lack the necessary amount of sleep for their physical health and cognitive functioning (Dunietz et al., 2017). The students proposed that a significant contributing factor to lack of sleep among adolescents is early start times for middle and high school, with later school start times correlating with reduced health problems, behavioral issues, and motor vehicle accidents among adolescents (Morgenthaler et al., 2016). Schools with later start times also frequently observe improvements in attendance, grades, and standardized test scores (Marx et al., 2017). To better understand the relationship between school start times and academic achievement, the review incorporates personal interviews with sleep research experts

Ryanair Holdings

The crass Irish CEO of Ryanair presides over a modern miracle. Ryanair, with its ridiculously low prices and poor reputation for service, has become one of Europe’s largest and most successful airlines. Employees pay for their own training, flights are cancelled if they won’t be full enough to be profitable, and the concept of “no frills” is heartily embraced. However, some new competitors have come on the scene, and Ryanair may be forced to improve its service and reputation to keep up

Wood-Burning Device Changeout: Modeling the Impact on PM 2.5

The effects of exchanging noncertified with certified wood-burning devices on the 24h-average PM2.5 concentrations in the nonattainment area of Fairbanks, Alaska, in a cold season (October to March) were investigated using the Weather Research and Forecasting model inline coupled with a chemistry package. Even changing out only 2930 uncertified woodstoves and 90 outdoor wood boilers reduced the 24 h-average PM2.5 concentrations on average by 0.6 μg.m−3 (6%) and avoided seven out of 55 simulated exceedance days during this half-a-year. The highest reductions on any exceedance day ranged between 1.7 and 2.8 μg.m−3. The relative response factors obtained were consistently relatively low (~0.95) for all PM2.5 species and all months. Sensitivity studies suggest that the assessment of the benefits of a wood-burning device changeout program in avoiding exceedances heavily relies on the accuracy of the estimates on how many wood-burning devices exist that can be exchanged

Rbf Regulates Drosophila Spermatogenesis via Control of Somatic Stem and Progenitor Cell Fate in the Larval Testis

The Drosophila testis has been fundamental to understanding how stem cells interact with their endogenous microenvironment, or niche, to control organ growth in vivo. Here, we report the identification of two independent alleles for the highly conserved tumor suppressor gene, Retinoblastoma-family protein (Rbf), in a screen for testis phenotypes in X chromosome third-instar lethal alleles. Rbf mutant alleles exhibit overproliferation of spermatogonial cells, which is phenocopied by the molecularly characterized Rbf11 null allele. We demonstrate that Rbf promotes cell-cycle exit and differentiation of the somatic and germline stem cells of the testes. Intriguingly, depletion of Rbf specifically in the germline does not disrupt stem cell differentiation, rather Rbf loss of function in the somatic lineage drives overproliferation and differentiation defects in both lineages. Together our observations suggest that Rbf in the somatic lineage controls germline stem cell renewal and differentiation non-autonomously via essential roles in the microenvironment of the germline lineage

Documenting the Impact of a Food Pantry Program in Promoting Stability and Independence Among New Haven Residents

An estimated 22% of New Haven residents live with food insecurity. This means more than 1 in 5 residents of New Haven do not have enough food or enough money to buy food. Notably, issues of food insecurity disproportionately affect people of color and those of lower socioeconomic status, therefore exacerbating disparities in health issues related to food insecurity.2 Christian Community Action (CCA) is a local social service organization that provides housing, financial assistance, food, and other support services for low-income New Haven residents. Their food pantry program, which operates on an appointment-only basis, has regularly provided food to over 80 individuals and families in the New Haven area. CCA is interested in identifying areas for improvement to strengthen their service provision and are also collecting data to bolster their advocacy efforts. The objectives of this project are as follows: 1. Assess satisfaction amongst users of a food pantry program in New Haven. 2. Develop a sustainable method for obtaining and incorporating feedback for quality improvement processes. 3. Strengthen understanding of how usage of CCA’s food pantry promotes stability and independence among food pantry users.https://elischolar.library.yale.edu/ysph_pbchrr/1030/thumbnail.jp