The Blackleaf Wildlife Management Area: 30 Years of Vegetation Monitoring

Changes in native plant community cover and composition are generally gradual and affected by multiple environmental factors. Detection of vegetative trend can be difficult without long-term data collection efforts. Management of the Blackleaf Wildlife Management Area includes emphasizing the occurrence of highly productive, diverse plant communities that provide the best possible forage and cover for native wildlife species. To help accomplish this management goal, a range condition and trend survey was initiated shortly after purchase of the property to establish baseline vegetative condition. Fourteen permanently marked transects were established and species’ cover values monitored every four years from 1979 - 2009. The area was rested from livestock grazing from 1979 - 1989; a non-traditional rotational grazing system was initiated in 1990. Rough fescue (Festuca scabrella), Hood’s phlox (Phlox hoodii) horizontal juniper (Juniperus horizontalis) and shrubby cinquefoil (Potentilla fruiticosa) were selected as indicator species that reflect overall plant community trend. Response of grasses, forbs and shrubs over the 30 year period are discussed, as well as individual species’ trends. In general, while total plant cover remains static, grasses are increasing, forbs are declining. Vegetative response to a long-term rest livestock grazing system is presented as well

The Impact of Increased Ethanol Production on Corn Basis in South Dakota

A basis model is used to empirically estimate the impact of ethanol production on the South Dakota corn basis on the district and State levels. Monthly data is used to estimate basis as a function of futures price, supply, demand, storage, and transportation costs. The independent variables used are corn futures prices, corn production, corn usage for ethanol production, corn usage by cattle, Midwest No. 2 Diesel retail sales prices, storage availability, and unit train transportation The regression results show the impact on corn basis varies by district from $0.04 to$0.27 per bushel, with a State impact of $0.24 in 2005. The impact from an additional 40 million gallon per year (MGY) ethanol plant ranges from$0.06 to $0.16 per bushel, with a State impact of$0.03. The impact from an additional 100 MGY ethanol plant ranges from $0.16 to$0.40 per bushel, with a State impact of $0.08.Crop Production/Industries,

Simulation of How Jack Pine Budworm (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) Affects Economic Returns From Jack Pine Timber Production in Michigan

The impact of jack pine budworm on economic returns from jack pine timber production in Lower Michigan and management actions that might be taken to reduce this impact were evaluated with a simulation model. Results indicate that current jack pine rotation ages arc excessive and should be reduced. Insecticide application is not a viable strategy for reducing jack pine budworm impact

Commercialization is Required for Sustainable Space Exploration and Development

The U.S. Space Exploration policy outlines an exciting new direction in space for human and robotic exploration and development beyond low Earth orbit. Pressed by this new visionary guidance, human civilization will be able to methodically build capabilities to move off Earth and into the solar system in a step-by-step manner, gradually increasing the capability for humans to stay longer in space and move further away from Earth. The new plans call for an implementation that would create an affordable and sustainable program in order to span over generations of explorers, each new generation pushing back the boundaries and building on the foundations laid by the earlier. To create a sustainable program it is important to enable and encourage the development of a selfsupporting commercial space industry leveraging both traditional and non-traditional segments of the industrial base. Governments will not be able to open the space frontier on their own because their goals change over relatively short timescales and because the large costs associated with human spaceflight cannot be sustained. A strong space development industrial sector is needed that can one day support the needs of commercial space enterprises as well as provide capabilities that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and other national space agencies can buy to achieve their exploration goals. This new industrial space sector will someday provide fundamental capabilities like communications, power, logistics, and even cargo and human space transportation, just as commercial companies are able to provide these services on Earth today. To help develop and bolster this new space industrial sector, NASA and other national space agencies can enable and facilitate it in many ways, including reducing risk by developing important technologies necessary for commercialization of space, and as a paying customer, partner, or anchor tenant. This transition from all or mostly government developed and operated facilities and services to commercial supplied facilities and services should be considered from the very earliest stages of planning. This paper will first discuss the importance of space commercialization to fulfilling national goals and the associated policy and strategic objectives that will enable space exploration and development. Then the paper will offer insights into how government can provide leadership to promote the nascent commercial space industry. In addition, the paper describes programs and policies already in place at NASA and offers five important principles government can use to strengthen space industry

On Simulating Concurrent Flame Spread in Reduced Gravity by Reducing Ambient Pressure

The flammability of combustible materials in spacecraft environments is of importance for fire safety applications because the environmental conditions can greatly differ from those on earth, and a fire in a spacecraft could be catastrophic. Moreover, experimental testing in spacecraft environments can be difficult and expensive, so using ground-based tests to inform microgravity tests is vital. Reducing buoyancy effects by decreasing ambient pressure is a possible approach to simulate a spacecraft environment on earth. The objective of this work is to study the effect of pressure on material flammability, and by comparison with microgravity data, determine the extent to which reducing pressure can be used to simulate reduced gravity. Specifically, this work studies the effect of pressure and microgravity on upward/concurrent flame spread rates and flame appearance of a burning thin composite fabric made of 75% cotton and 25% fiberglass (Sibal). Experiments in normal gravity were conducted using pressures ranging between 100 and 30 kPa and a forced flow velocity of 20 cm/s. Microgravity experiments were conducted during NASAs Spacecraft Fire Experiment (Saffire), on board of the Orbital Corporation Cygnus spacecraft at 100 kPa and an air flow velocity of 20 cm/s. Results show that reductions of ambient pressure slow the flame spread over the fabric. As pressure is reduced, flame intensity is also reduced. Comparison with the concurrent flame spread rates in microgravity show that similar flame spread rates are obtained at around 30 kPa. The normal gravity and microgravity data is correlated in terms of a mixed convection non-dimensional parameter that describes the heat transferred from the flame to the solid surface. The correlation provides information about the similitudes of the flame spread process in variable pressure and reduced gravity environments, providing guidance for potential on-earth testing for fire safety design in spacecraft and space habitats

De las neuronas espejo a la neuropolítica moral

Este artículo presenta el descubrimiento del sistema de neuronas espejo, que muestran que los mecanismo neuronales revelan que los humanos estamos «cableados” para la empatía, con lo que la moralidad tendría así sus raíces en la biología. Se argumenta que esta base científica tenderá a influir la opinión pública contribuyendo a disolver nuestras creencias actuales que nos llevan a la destrucción recíproca. La pregunta pendiente, se señala,  es por qué no actúa la empatía a nivel social, formulándose propuestas de respuesta desde la influencia cultural sobre lo biológico.Cet article présente la découverte du système de neurones miroirs, qui montrent que les mécanismes neuronaux révèlent que les humains sont « câblés » pour l’empathie, ce qui expliquerait que la moralité trouverait son origine dans la biologie. Ce fondement scientifique influera à l’avenir l’opinion publique, contribuant ainsi à dissoudre nos croyances actuelles qui nous amènent à la destruction réciproque. La question qui demeure néanmoins, pourquoi l’empathie n’agit-elle pas sur la dimension sociale ?, formulant en guise de réponses des propositions tournées vers l’influence du culturel sur le biologique.This article presents the discovery of the mirror neurons system, which shows that neuronal mechanisms reveal that humans are “wired” for empathy, with what morality would have its roots in biology.  It is argued that this scientific base will tend to influence public opinion, contributing to dissolve our current beliefs that carry us to reciprocal destruction.  The pending question, is indicated, is why doesn’t empathy act in the social level, with answering proposals being formulated in the line of cultural influence over biological reality.

De las neuronas espejo a la neuropolítica moral

Este artículo presenta el descubrimiento del sistema de neuronas espejo, que muestran que los mecanismo neuronales revelan que los humanos estamos «cableados” para la empatía, con lo que la moralidad tendría así sus raíces en la biología. Se argumenta que esta base científica tenderá a influir la opinión pública contribuyendo a disolver nuestras creencias actuales que nos llevan a la destrucción recíproca. La pregunta pendiente, se señala,  es por qué no actúa la empatía a nivel social, formulándose propuestas de respuesta desde la influencia cultural sobre lo biológico.Cet article présente la découverte du système de neurones miroirs, qui montrent que les mécanismes neuronaux révèlent que les humains sont « câblés » pour l’empathie, ce qui expliquerait que la moralité trouverait son origine dans la biologie. Ce fondement scientifique influera à l’avenir l’opinion publique, contribuant ainsi à dissoudre nos croyances actuelles qui nous amènent à la destruction réciproque. La question qui demeure néanmoins, pourquoi l’empathie n’agit-elle pas sur la dimension sociale ?, formulant en guise de réponses des propositions tournées vers l’influence du culturel sur le biologique.This article presents the discovery of the mirror neurons system, which shows that neuronal mechanisms reveal that humans are “wired” for empathy, with what morality would have its roots in biology.  It is argued that this scientific base will tend to influence public opinion, contributing to dissolve our current beliefs that carry us to reciprocal destruction.  The pending question, is indicated, is why doesn’t empathy act in the social level, with answering proposals being formulated in the line of cultural influence over biological reality.

Absence of Age-Income Correlation in Ten Rural South Dakota Counties: Real Capital Outflow or Self-selection Bias?

Previous research establishes a positive correlation between age and income during the working years of 18 to 65. Survey data from the first 10 communities in a development project in South Dakota do not exhibit this correlation. Census data is examined for the 10 counties involved to determine whether the correlation is absent countywide or if self-selection bias may have produced this result. With income distributions matching their respective counties and working age distributions that do not, factors that might skew self-selection in the observed manner are examined from a life-course perspective

Living in Recovery:Perceptions of Health Care and Comorbidities in Rural New England

Introduction: Alcohol and Drug Abuse: In the USA, abuse of tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drugs is costly, exacting more than $700 billion annually in costs related to crime, lost work productivity, and health care. 9% of Vermont residents and 8% of US residents report alcohol or illicit drug abuse, and 10% of US adults consider themselves to be in recovery from drugs or alcohol. Health Care and Recovery: Persons with drug addictions are approximately twice as likely to suffer from mood and anxiety disorders compared to the general population. Aside from mental health disorders, other common comorbidities include dental problems, insomnia, and migraines. The majority of people in recovery report having a primary care physician, but they receive fewer preventative health care interventions compared to the general population. The Turning Point Center of Chittenden County: The Turning Point Center is a non-profit organization that provides a safe, substance-free environment and peer-to-peer recovery activities to assist in recovery from addiction.https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/comphp_gallery/1231/thumbnail.jp

Language and mental development : Pierre Oleron. Hillsdale, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 1977. xii + 182 pp. $16.50

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/22709/1/0000264.pd