Oxidation state of a peatland

The oxidative ratio [ORterra] is the amount of O2 released relative to the CO2 sequestered by the terrestrial biosphere and can be used to assess the magnitude of the terrestrial carbon [C] sink. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [IPCC] use a value of 1.10±0.05 for the ORterra; this value is from one study [Severinghaus 1995]. The value of the ORterra is hence imperative in the calculation of carbon flux to land; an overestimation of OR would result in an underestimation of C flux to land. Peatlands represent the most important terrestrial C store and are predicted to be amongst the ecosystems worst affected by climate change; predicted impacts include lowering of water tables and wildfires. Recent research has found the accepted value of the ORterra to be higher than the value measured in several ecosystems [e.g., Worrall et al. 2013]. The accuracy of the use of 1.10±0.05 for peatland ecosystems and the effects of wildfire on peat soils is assessed here. An outline of the current understanding of the ORterra and the C sink nature of peatland ecosystems is given in Chapter 1. Gaseous flux analysis of the OR of a field peatland ecosystem is performed in Chapter 2. Contributions towards overcoming difficulties in measurement of OR by gaseous flux analysis identified in Chapter 2 are made by measuring OR of an artificial peatland regularly by the same method and by elemental analysis in Chapter 3. Variation in OR with depth and location of Austrian peatlands is analysed in Chapter 4. The effects of wildfire on oxidation state and composition of peat soils from Swineshaw moorland, UK is assessed in Chapter 5. This study finds a significant difference in OR measured by gaseous flux analysis and elemental analysis. The method of gaseous flux measurement of OR was limited by the detection limit of the apparatus and this approach would require long measurement times. Measurement of gas fluxes under dark conditions prior to light conditions increases the rate of photosynthesis. OR measurement by gaseous flux analysis would be best focused on times and locations with high photosynthesis. The accepted value of ORterra is found to be at the maximum extent of values measured by this study and is not representative of the range of values measured in peatland ecosystems. Use of the IPCC’s value for ORterra may be resulting in an underestimation of the global terrestrial C sink. Change in OR with depth and location of peatland ecosystems, and burnt status is found to show significant and complex variation in the samples analysed. Increase in the degree of unsaturation [Ω] and decrease in H/C with depth in peat soils is a result of condensation reactions which occur with burial. Changes to these compositional indicators, and others e.g., C/N in peat soils affected by wildfire, are suggested to be more appropriate for assessing the C-sink nature of peatland ecosystems than the oxidation state or OR

Undergraduate psychology students' experiences with creative drama: A qualitative multi-case study

This qualitative multi-case study explored undergraduate psychology students' experiences participating in creative drama activities the instructor/researcher developed to teach psychological concepts. The study was conducted in three introductory and developmental courses in a mid-western community college setting. Participants (cases) included 13 students. Data sources included student-generated documents, researcher field notes and journal entries, and transcripts from individual interviews. Iterative inductive analysis informed by symbolic interactionism revealed a succession of complex, layered, interrelated themes pointing to salient interconnections among students' thoughts, emotions, physical selves, interactions with others, family and educational histories, and their experiences of the activities. The cases were first analyzed individually and then compared across cases, classes, and data sources. Cross case findings included a series of interconnected touchstones students used in making meaning from the activities; their bodies and thoughts, described sense of self, their experiences with family and education, their interactions with classmates, and their emotions. Students perceived the activities as agents for changing their class experiences, climate and learning. Students' prior family and learning experiences, particularly traumatic and highly stressful ones, seemed especially salient meaning-making touchstones. An alternative framing of student disengagement as struggles within the academy emerged. Findings suggested that certain pedagogical supports are necessary to implement the activities sensitively which related to the embodiment and relational teaching literature, Schon's (1983) model of reflective practice, and Huitt's (2003) Transactional Model of the Teaching Learning Process. These connections emphasized the need for a sense of safety, relational teaching, and reflection which changed aspects of implementing creative drama pedagogy. The document concludes with implications regarding instructor orientation to teaching, curriculum, supporting student learning, and undergraduate psychology education. The appendices include the activities used in the study and suggestions for pedagogical framing

The relationship of second-grade children's attitude toward reading and achievement.

Thesis (Ed.M.)--Boston Universit

The Iowa Homemaker vol.15, no.7

Iowa State is Wearing, page 2 Dinner at Eight, page 3 Short Cuts to Clothes Care, page 4 But I got the Blanket, page 4 “Something Warm, Please!”, page 5 Does Your Hair Look Like You?, page 6 When Seniors Have Day-dreams, page 7 Food Fashions, page 8 Jobs Filled by Recent Grads, page 10 Have a New Year’s Resolution, page 11 Four Tons of Popcorn, page 12 In Rhodesia It’s Monkey-nuts, page 13 Action in the Three “R’s”, page 15 No More Noise, page 1

Geometric parameterisation of pelvic bone and cartilage in contact analysis of the natural hip: an initial study

Parameterised finite element models of the human hip have the potential to allow controlled analysis of the effect of individual geometric features on the contact mechanics of the joint. However, the challenge lies in defining a set of parameters which sufficiently capture the joint geometry in order to distinguish between individuals. In this study, a simple set of parameters to describe the geometries of acetabulum and cartilage in the hip were extracted from two segmentation-based models, which were then used to generate the parameterised finite element models for the two subjects. The contact pressure and contact area at the articular surface predicted from the parameterised finite element models were compared with the results from the segmentation-based models. The differences in the predicted results between the parameterised models and segmentation-based models were found to be within 11% across seven activities simulated. In addition, the parameterised models were able to replicate features of the contact pressure/area fluctuations over the loading cycle that differed between the two subjects. These results provide confidence that the parameterised approach could be used to generate representative finite element models of the human hip for contact analysis. Such a method has the potential to be used to systematically evaluate geometric features that can be captured from simple clinical measurements and provide a cost- and time-effective approach for stratification of the acetabular geometries in the patient population

Self-Reported Barriers of Middle-Aged and Older Adults Entering a Home-Based Physical Activity Program

The purpose of this study was to assess barriers experienced by mid-older adults upon entering a homebased, telephone-delivered physical activity (PA) program and examine differences in barriers for subgroups. Methods: Three hundred eighty four participants recruited from Tennessee, California, and Illinois for the Active Choices program, which was part of Active for Life®, completed one face-to-face counseling session and received follow-up telephone counseling. Barriers were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively for subgroups of mid-older adults. Results: Personal, social, and environmental themes emerged as barriers. Lack of motivation was most salient for men while health barriers were more prominent for women; however, no significant differences were found between men and women. Both whites and African Americans reported lack of motivation as the most frequent barrier to PA. Health and weather barriers were more prominent for the oldest group of older adults. Few differences were reported by PA or weight status. Conclusions: In a large sample of mid-older adults varying in age, race, gender, and health status, multiple barriers to PA were reported. Differences across subgroups may have implications for future PA interventions

The Iowa Homemaker vol.32, no.1

See Europe on Your Own Two Wheels, Mary Odegard, page 5 Let’s Face It, Ruth Frantz, page 6 Textile Originals from a Barn, Virginia Wilcox, page 7 Rats Diet Too, Robin Coon, page 8 In Africa, Kathryn Bain, page 9 Betsy Harris of the Hot Shoppes, Marcia Holt, page 10 Your Hair’s in the Headlines, Salli Hearst, page 11 What’s New, Evelyn Toulouse and Dorothy Will, page 12 Information Please, Susan Brown and Mary Doherty, page 15 Double Dip Bargain, Patricia Stiff, page 16 Trends, Ruth Anderson, page 1

Dynamic virtual simulation of the occurrence and severity of edge loading in hip replacements associated with variation in the rotational and translational surgical position

Variation in the surgical positioning of total hip replacement can result in edge loading of the femoral head on the rim of the acetabular cup. Previous work has reported the effect of edge loading on the wear of hip replacement bearings with a fixed level of dynamic biomechanical hip separation. Variations in both rotational and translational surgical positioning of the hip joint replacement combine to influence both the biomechanics and the tribology including the severity of edge loading, the amount of dynamic separation, the force acting on the rim of the cup and the resultant wear and torque acting on the cup. In this study, a virtual model of a hip joint simulator has been developed to predict the effect of variations in some surgical positioning (inclination and medial-lateral offset) on the level of dynamic separation and the contact force of the head acting on the rim as a measure of severity of edge loading. The level of dynamic separation and force acting on the rim increased with increased translational mismatch between the centres of the femoral head and the acetabular cup from 0 to 4 mm and with increased cup inclination angle from 45° to 65°. The virtual model closely replicated the dynamics of the experimental hip simulator previously reported, which showed similar dynamic biomechanical trends, with the highest level of separation being found with a mismatch of 4 mm between the centres of the femoral head and acetabular cup and 65° cup inclination angle

Effect of feeding system on enteric methane emissions from individual dairy cows on commercial farms

This study investigated the effects of feeding system on diurnal enteric methane (CH4) emissions from individual cows on commercial farms. Data were obtained from 830 cows across 12 farms, and data collated included production records, CH4 measurements (in the breath of cows using CH4 analysers at robotic milking stations for at least seven days) and diet composition. Cows received either a partial mixed ration (PMR) or a PMR with grazing. A linear mixed model was used to describe variation in CH4 emissions per individual cow and assess the effect of feeding system. Methane emissions followed a consistent diurnal pattern across both feeding systems, with emissions lowest between 05:00 and 08:59, and with a peak concentration between 17:00 and 20:59. No overall difference in emissions was found between feeding systems studied; however, differences were found in the diurnal pattern of CH4 emissions between feeding systems. The response in emissions to increasing dry matter intake was higher for cows fed PMR with grazing. This study showed that repeated spot measurements of CH4 emissions whilst cows are milked can be used to assess the effects of feeding system and potentially benchmark farms on level of emissions