First Record of the Ragged-tooth Shark, Odontaspis ferox, off the U.S. Atlantic Coast

On 11 September 1994, a large shark was captured and later identified as the ragged-tooth shark, Odontaspis ferox (Risso). The shark was captured during routine bottom trawl survey operations onboard the NOAA R/V Albatross IV, approximately 25 n.mi. south-southeast of Cape Hatteras, N.C. (lat. 34° 51' N, long. 75° 26' W) with a “36 Yankee” bottom trawl towed at 3.5 knots. Average water depth at the time of capture was 173 m, bottom temperature was 17.8°C, and salinity was 36.41‰. Total length (cm), fork length (cm), weight (kg), and sex were recorded, the specimen was tagged, photographed, and returned live to

Design of a Double-Dose Epinephrine Auto-injector Using 3D-Printing

This project involved the design and prototyping of an epinephrine auto-injector capable of administering two separate doses. Epinephrine auto-injectors are used in the treatment of patients undergoing anaphylaxis, an allergic reaction causing the restriction of airways and a drop in blood pressure. The timely administration of epinephrine counteracts these symptoms and can be lifesaving. Currently the only devices available to consumers administer one unit dose of epinephrine and are then no longer usable. In 30% of cases where patients undergo these symptoms a second dose of epinephrine is required. My design was based partially off the concept behind currently available auto-injectors featuring a compressed spring being released as a propulsion mechanism. The most challenging design concepts for me were to release and contain the springs, and to cover the needle after the first and second doses. The design process, as well as descriptions of the final design, are included in this report

An Iron Age ceramic sequence from the Bayt Bin Ati, al-Ain, UAE

© 2019 John Wiley & Sons Ltd Rescue excavations associated with the adaptive reuse of a historic building in the Qattara Oasis revealed a 5 m stratigraphic sequence spanning the past 3000 years. The main period of occupation—roughly half the sequence—belongs to the Iron Age II and III periods (c.1100–300 BC). Evidence of agriculture and industry was found which complements our understanding of the well-known Iron Age settlements of al-Ain. The present paper sets out the stratigraphic sequence and presents the phased ceramic assemblage, before considering the broader implications for the archaeology of Iron Age south-east Arabia

An Integrated Resource Plan for Tucson Electric Power Company, 2020-2050

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the United States electric power industry is responsible for 25% of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions. As a result, many utilities face state mandates which force electric utilities to reduce their emissions by decreasing reliance on fossil fuels. An Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) is the primary method by which electric utilities plan all aspects of future electricity supply and demand, presenting how the company will deliver reliable and affordable energy while meeting statutory requirements. We propose three IRP scenarios through 2050 for Tucson Electric Power (TEP), an electric utility in southern Arizona. The first scenario is the base case, which achieves the state’s 15% RPS but relies on natural gas thermal generation for system operability. In 2050, the base case is the lowest cost at $2.05B but emits the highest amount of CO2 – 4.07 MMT. The second scenario deploys a high percentage of renewable generation paired with battery storage. This scenario costs$2.34B while offering the lowest CO2 emissions – 0.96 MMT. Finally, the third scenario utilizes fuel cell technology as the primary dispatchable source for reliability. The $2.90B scenario is the most expensive but also offers lowered emissions - 1.01 MMT. This IRP analysis investigated whether fuel cells are a viable solution to deliver cost-effective, reduced-emissions electricity. We conclude that, due to costs, a large-scale deployment of fuel cell systems is impractical and not recommended. Instead, we advise a smaller strategic deployment to leverage the technology’s advantages while avoiding excessive capital expenditure

F-18-FDG and C-11-choline positron emission tomography in human esophago-gastric cancer : prediction of response to therapy

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

A dam passage performance standard model for American shad

Objectives for recovery of alosines commonly involve improving fish passage at dams during migration. However, a quantitative basis for dam passage performance standards is largely absent. We describe development of a stochastic life-history-based simulation model for American shad, Alosa sapidissima, to estimate effects of dam passage and migratory delay on abundance, spatial distribution of spawning adults, and demographic structuring in space and time. We used the Penobscot River, Maine, USA, as a case study to examine sensitivity of modeled population metrics and probability of achieving specific management goals to inputs. Spawner abundance and percentage of repeat spawners were most sensitive to survival and migration delay at dams, marine survival, and temperature cues for migratory events. Recovery objectives related to abundance and spatial distribution of spawners were achievable under multiple scenarios, but high rates of upstream and downstream passage were necessary. The simulation indicated trade-offs between upstream and downstream passage efficacy whereby increased downstream passage was required to maintain or increase population abundance in conjunction with increased upstream passage. This model provides a quantitative support tool for managers to inform ecologically based decisions about a suite of management scenarios to facilitate recovery and sustainability of diadromous fish populations

Establishment of Enabling Technology for Manufacture of Selected Types of Continental and Speciality Cheeses

End of Project ReportThe objectives in the project were the development of the science and technology for speciality cheese manufacture, identification and overcoming of the technical constraints to the manufacture of soft speciality cheeses in Ireland and the development of Moorepark Technology Limited (MTL) pilot plant as an integrated, flexible pre-commercial manufacturing platform with which to evaluate the market for speciality cheese.Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marin

A Climate of Risk: Modeled Vegetation, Carbon, Fire, and Biomass Loss Risk in Western Oregon and Washington under Climate Change

Managing wildlands to protect species and ecosystem services in response to climate change is challenging. To develop effective long-term strategies, natural resource managers need to account for the projected effects of climate change as well as the uncertainty inherent in those projections. Vegetation models are one important source of projected climate impacts. Interpreting those model results can be difficult due to both uncertainty in results and model limitations. Factors contributing to uncertainty include embedded assumptions about atmospheric CO2 levels, uncertain climate projections driving models, and model algorithm selection. Limitations include processes excluded by models, such as mortality from maladaptation and succession, as well as algorithmic simplifications such as assumptions about wildfire ignitions. To understand the potential impacts of climate change on vegetation and wildfire in 21st century, I used the MC2 dynamic global vegetation model (DGVM) to simulate vegetation for the Northwest conterminous United States using results from 20 different Climate Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) models downscaled using the MACA algorithm. Results were generated for representative concentration pathways (RCP) 4.5 and 8.5 under vegetation modeling scenarios with and without fire suppression for a total of 80 model runs for future projections. For analysis, results were aggregated by three subregions: the western Northwest (WNW), from the crest of the Cascade Mountains west; Northwest plains and plateau (NWPP), the non-mountainous areas east of the Cascade Mountains; and eastern Northwest mountains (ENWM), the mountainous areas east of the Cascade Mountains. To understand MC2 sensitivity to model assumptions, I further explored results and associated uncertainties from the MC2 Dynamic Global Vegetation Model for the WNW subregion. I compared model results for vegetation cover and carbon dynamics over the period 1895-2100 assuming: 1) unlimited wildfire ignitions versus stochastic ignitions, 2) no fire, and 3) a moderate CO2 fertilization effect versus no CO2 fertilization effect. Finally, I implemented an Environmental Evaluation Modeling System (EEMS) decision support model using MC2 DGVM results to characterize biomass loss risk for the WNW subregion. Risk was based on biomass present, fire occurrence and severity, and mortality of climate-maladapted vegetation as indicated by modeled vegetation type change. I characterized the uncertainty due to RCP, fire suppression, and climate projection choice, and I evaluated whether fire or climate maladaptation mortality was the dominant driver of risk. In the 21st century, in the WNW, mean fire interval (MFI) averaged over all climate projections decreases by up to 48%. By the end of the 21st century, potential vegetation shifts from conifer to mixed forest under RCP 4.5 and 8.5 with and without fire suppression. In the NWPP, MFI averaged over all climate projections decreases by up to 82% without fire suppression and increases by up to 14% with fire suppression resulting in woodier vegetation cover. In the ENWM, MFI averaged across all climate projections decreases by up to 81%, subalpine communities are lost, but conifer forests continue to dominate the subregion in the future. In evaluating the effects of ignition and CO2 fertilization assumptions, the greatest carbon stock loss in the WNW, approximately 23% of historical levels, occurs with unlimited ignitions and no CO2 fertilization effect. With stochastic ignitions and a CO2 fertilization effect, carbon stocks are more stable than with unlimited ignitions. For all scenarios, the dominant vegetation type shifts from pure conifer to mixed forest, indicating that vegetation cover change is driven solely by climate and that significant mortality due climate-maladapted vegetation as indicated by modeled vegetation shifts are likely through the 21st century regardless of fire regime changes. The risk of biomass loss in the WNW generally increases in current high biomass areas within the study region through time. The pattern of increased risk is generally south to north and upslope into the Coast and Cascade mountain ranges and along the coast. Uncertainty from climate future choice is greater than that attributable to RCP or +/- fire suppression. Fire dominates as the driving factor for biomass loss risk in more model runs than mortality due to climate maladaptation. This method of interpreting DGVM results and the associated uncertainty provides managers with data in a form directly applicable to their concerns and could prove helpful in adaptive management planning at regional to local scales

Monitoring the Penobscot River Restoration Project: Baseline Data to Inform Ecosystem Response

Dam removal is increasingly being used as a tool to restore aquatic habitats and recover imperiled species. However, many presumed effects of dam removal (i.e. fish community changes, water quality improvements) are largely un-documented. Given significant investments being made in dam removal, rigorous monitoring is needed to elucidate ecological impacts and allow for informed decision making when allocating restoration resources. The Penobscot River Restoration Project in Maine, USA, is an innovative restoration project aimed at restoring self-sustaining populations of diadromous fish through increased connectivity via dam removals and fish passage improvements, while maintaining hydropower output. Beginning prior to dam removal in 2009, independent researchers began documenting baseline conditions via a multi-disciplinary, coordinated monitoring framework. The framework has continued through project implementation, following a before-after study design. Monitoring focuses on geomorphology, water quality, fish community, fish passage, habitat use, shoreline revegetation and marine-freshwater nutrient transfers. As before-after comparative analyses continue to unfold, this presentation aims to provide the most current results of this monitoring effort, highlighting several patterns which have emerged to-date: 1) all native diadromous species of fish are present in the river, many successfully reproducing on their own; 2) diadromous species persist despite access to only a small percentage of their historic habitat, many now beginning to increase in number; 3) the former lowermost dam, represented a near complete barrier to migration for most species and is now traversed by many similarly to free-flowing sections; 4) large changes to flow, sediment regime, and habitat (except in the immediate vicinity of the former dam sites) were unexpected and did not occur; and 5) water quality did not appear to be limiting for most species. This effort provides an objective, credible basis for evaluating ecosystem response to dam removal and a knowledge base to support restoration approaches in other systems

Quantifying the Effects of Dams on Atlantic Salmon in the Penobscot River Watershed, with a Focus on Weldon Dam

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