2,263 research outputs found
A party that backed deal with Europe could win support from both Leavers and Remainers
Richard P Bentall, Paul Willner and Todd K. Hartman present findings from a recent survey measuring Leave and Remain identities, which also tested for how acceptable participants found specific policies aimed at Britain’s future relationship with Europe. They write that the policy of remaining outside the EU but seeking closer alignment with it is not toxic for people who had identified as either Leavers or Remainers
New research shows freedom of movement is not toxic to Leavers, who are almost as positive about it as Remainers
There is a widespread assumption that freedom of movement with the EU is highly unpopular among people who identify as Leavers. Paul Willner, Todd Hartman, and Richard Bentall present data from a large (>2K) sample showing that this assumption is mistaken: freedom of movement is almost as acceptable to Leavers as it is to Remainers. This finding has implications for the positioning of political parties on freedom of movement and membership of the EU Single Market
Pulp and Papermaking Properties of A Hybrid Poplar Clone Grown Under Four Management Strategies and Two Soil Sites
A study was undertaken to evaluate the pulp and papermaking properties of short rotation intensive culture (SRIC), three-year-old, Populus hybrid grown under four management strategies (control, irrigation, fertilization, and fertilization/irrigation) on two sites with either favorable or unfavorable inherent conditions for high biomass yields. No large differences in total pulp yields were observed with management strategy, although the fertilization/irrigation growth strategy produced debarked chips that gave slightly higher total pulp yields with lower permanganate numbers than did debarked chips obtained from the other three growth strategies. In addition, no significant differences (P ≤ 0.05) in total kraft pulp yields were observed between sites. As expected, the wood/bark chip mixture for each management strategy and site produced significantly lower pulp yields with higher permanganate numbers compared to the debarked chips.Handsheet strength evaluation studies were conducted using these pulps, and no statistical differences in handsheet breaking length, tear, burst, and M.I.T. fold were measured among management strategies or sites. However, longer fibers were measured from wood obtained from trees grown on the Basher (favorable) site. No statistical differences in handsheet properties were measured between debarked and total tree pulps. Results of this study indicated that neither the growth management strategy nor the soil site influenced handsheet strength properties for three-year-old Populus hybrid. These observations imply that the silviculturalist should grow SRIC Populus trees that produce the highest biomass yield at lowest possible cost
Transcriptomic analysis of the entomopathogenic nematode Heterorhabditis bacteriophora TTO1
Background:
The entomopathogenic nematode Heterorhabditis bacteriophora and its symbiotic bacterium, Photorhabdus luminescens, are important biological control agents of insect pests. This nematode-bacterium-insect association represents an emerging tripartite model for research on mutualistic and parasitic symbioses. Elucidation of mechanisms underlying these biological processes may serve as a foundation for improving the biological control potential of the nematode-bacterium complex. This large-scale expressed sequence tag (EST) analysis effort enables gene discovery and development of microsatellite markers. These ESTs will also aid in the annotation of the upcoming complete genome sequence of H. bacteriophora.
Results:
A total of 31,485 high quality ESTs were generated from cDNA libraries of the adult H. bacteriophora TTO1 strain. Cluster analysis revealed the presence of 3,051 contigs and 7,835 singletons, representing 10,886 distinct EST sequences. About 72% of the distinct EST sequences had significant matches (E value < 1e-5) to proteins in GenBank's non-redundant (nr) and Wormpep190 databases. We have identified 12 ESTs corresponding to 8 genes potentially involved in RNA interference, 22 ESTs corresponding to 14 genes potentially involved in dauer-related processes, and 51 ESTs corresponding to 27 genes potentially involved in defense and stress responses. Comparison to ESTs and proteins of free-living nematodes led to the identification of 554 parasitic nematode-specific ESTs in H. bacteriophora, among which are those encoding F-box-like/WD-repeat protein theromacin, Bax inhibitor-1-like protein, and PAZ domain containing protein. Gene Ontology terms were assigned to 6,685 of the 10,886 ESTs. A total of 168 microsatellite loci were identified with primers designable for 141 loci.
Conclusion:
A total of 10,886 distinct EST sequences were identified from adult H. bacteriophora cDNA libraries. BLAST searches revealed ESTs potentially involved in parasitism, RNA interference, defense responses, stress responses, and dauer-related processes. The putative microsatellite markers identified in H. bacteriophora ESTs will enable genetic mapping and population genetic studies. These genomic resources provide the material base necessary for genome annotation, microarray development, and in-depth gene functional analysis
Laser Light Sheet Flow Visualization of the Space Launch System Booster Separation Test
Planar flow visualizations were obtained in a wind tunnel test in the NASA Langley Research Centers Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel using the laser-light-sheet method. This method uses a laser to illuminate fine particles generated in the wind tunnel to visualize flow structures. The test article was designed to simulate the separation of the two solid rocket boosters (SRBs) from the core stage of the NASA Space Launch System (SLS) at Mach 4 using a scale model. The test was run on of the SLS Block 1B Cargo (27005) configuration and the SLS Block 1B Crew (28005) configuration. Planar flow visualization was obtained only on the crew configuration. Air at pressures up to 1500 psi was used to simulate plumes from the booster separation motors (BSMs) located at the nose, and aft skirt of the two boosters. The facility free stream was seeded with water vapor, which condensed and froze into small ice crystals in the tunnel nozzle expansion. A continuous wave green (532 nm) laser sheet was used to illuminate the ice crystals, and the resulting Mie-scattered light was collected with a camera. The resulting images clearly identify shock waves and other flow features including BSM plume shapes. Measurements were acquired for different BSM pressures and booster separation locations
Space Launch System Booster Separation Supersonic Powered Testing with Surface and Off-Body Measurements
A wind tunnel test was run in the NASA Langley Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel simulating the separation of the two solid rocket boosters (SRB) from the core stage of the NASA Space Launch System (SLS). The test was run on a 0.9% scale model of the SLS Block 1B Cargo (27005) configuration and the SLS Block 1B Crew (28005) configuration at a Mach of 4.0. High pressure air was used to simulate plumes from the booster separation motors located at the nose and aft skirt of the two boosters. Force and moment data were taken on both SRBs and on the core stage. Schlieren still photos and video were recorded throughout testing. A set of points were acquired using Cross-correlation Doppler Global Velocimetry (CCDGV) readings to get 3 component velocity measurements between the core and the left-hand SRB. The CCDGV laser was utilized to record flow visualization in the same location, between the core and the left-hand SRB. Pressure Sensitive Paint data were taken on a separate set of runs. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) runs were computed on a subset of the wind tunnel data points for comparison. A combination of the force/moment, CCDGV and Pressure Sensitive Paint (PSP) data (as well as schlieren images) at the CFD-specified test conditions will be used te the CFD simulations that will be used to build an SLS booster separation database flight conditions
Comparison of Selected Fuel and Chemical Content Values for Seven Populus Hybrid Clones
Fuel and chemical content values were determined for seven Populus clones by component (wood, bark, and wood/bark specimens) and tissue age (1 to 8 years old). The fuel and chemical content values obtained included: gross heat of combustion, extractives, holocellulose, alpha-cellulose, lignin, and ash. In general, analysis of the data for the wood, bark, and wood/bark specimens indicated that: 1) wood was higher in holocellulose and alpha-cellulose content than bark; 2) bark was higher in gross heat of combustion, lignin, extractive, and ash content values than wood; and 3) combined wood/bark fuel and chemical content values were usually between the individual values for the wood and bark.Statistical analyses indicated that significant differences existed within and among clones. Within the wood, bark, and wood/bark specimens, tissue age influenced the chemical content values more than the parentage. Potential chemical yields derived from the seven Populus hybrid clones investigated will depend on component and age with limited parentage effects
The Sanitary Improvement District as a Mechanism for Urban Development
The history of the Sanitary Improvement District (SID) in Nebraska is closely tied to the history of urban development in the Omaha Metropolitan Area. The end of World War II freed the pent-up demand for new dwelling units in Nebraska as well as in the rest of the nation. Omaha\u27s stock of platted lots was rapidly used up in the late 40\u27s and pressures were great for opening up new areas. To meet the demand, new dwellings began to spring up on the fringes of the City, but altogether too many of these were served only by wells and septic tanks. As the housing boom developed it became clear that such utilities could not satisfactorily accommodate large concentrations of suburban populations. Yet the City found it difficult to extend water, sewer and other utilities to the new areas, partly because many existing areas of the City were not provided with such services and political necessity demanded that these needs be met first. Consequently, neither the developers nor the City had the organizational capacities or the financial resources to urbanize these fringe areas properly
Herbicide-resistant weeds : from research and knowledge to future needs
Synthetic herbicides have been used globally to control weeds in major field crops. This has imposed a strong selection for any trait that enables plant populations to survive and reproduce in the presence of the herbicide. Herbicide resistance in weeds must be minimized because it is a major limiting factor to food security in global agriculture. This represents a huge challenge that will require great research efforts to develop control strategies as alternatives to the dominant and almost exclusive practice of weed control by herbicides. Weed scientists, plant ecologists and evolutionary biologists should join forces and work towards an improved and more integrated understanding of resistance across all scales. This approach will likely facilitate the design of innovative solutions to the global herbicide resistance challenge
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