Effectiveness of Stand-Scale Forest Restoration, Siskiyou Mountains, Oregon

Lininger, Jay Charles, Fall 2006 Environmental Studies Chair: Dr. Len Broberg This case study documents the effectiveness of stand-scale forest restoration activities undertaken in the “Penny Stew” project on federal land in the central Siskiyou Mountains of southwest Oregon. Its dual purpose is to 1) define reference conditions and build a site-specific case for restoration through multi-scale analysis of historical ecology (Chapter III), and 2) demonstrate streamlined monitoring protocols that practitioners can use to adapt restoration practices over time (Chapter IV). Discussion of methodological efficacy in Chapter IV offers implications for FEAT-FIREMON Integration (FFI), a fire effects monitoring and data analysis software package currently under development for use by wildland fire managers. Finally, this analysis synthesizes findings from reference condition analysis and monitoring results to assess the degree to which the Penny Stew project meets restoration objectives, and it recommends further action including application of management-ignited prescribed fire and sustained monitoring in light of that synthesis (Chapter V)

Modeling the Mesoscale Transport of Lithium-Magnetite Electrodes Using Insight from Discharge and Voltage Recovery Experiments

A multi-scale mathematical model, which accounts for mass transport on the crystal and agglomerate length-scales, is used to investigate the electrochemical performance of lithium-magnetite electrochemical cells. Experimental discharge and voltage recovery data are compared to three sets of simulations, which incorporate crystal-only, agglomerate-only, or multi-scale transport effects. Mass transport diffusion coefficients are determined by fitting the simulated voltage recovery times to experimental data. In addition, a further extension of the multi-scale model is proposed which accounts for the impact of agglomerate size distributions on electrochemical performance. The results of the study indicate that, depending on the crystal size, the low utilization of the active material is caused by transport limitations on the agglomerate and/or crystal length-scales. For electrodes composed of small crystals (6 and 8 nm diameters), it is concluded that the transport limitations in the agglomerate are primarily responsible for the long voltage recovery times and low utilization of the active mass. In the electrodes composed of large crystals (32 nm diameter), the slow voltage recovery is attributed to transport limitations on both the agglomerate and crystal length-scales

S100A7 (psoriasin) expression is associated with aggressive features and alteration of Jab1 in ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast

INTRODUCTION: The S100A7 (psoriasin) gene is highly expressed in ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) of the breast and can be downregulated in invasive carcinoma. Persistent S100A7 expression in invasive carcinoma is associated with a worse prognosis, and this effect may be mediated in part through interaction with the multifunctional cell signaling protein Jab1. METHODS: In order to investigate the relationship between S100A7 and progression from DCIS to invasive carcinoma, we studied S100A7 expression in 136 patients with DCIS (including 46 patients with associated invasive carcinoma) by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: S100A7 expression was present in 63 out of 136 (46%) of DCIS lesions and was associated with estrogen receptor negative status (P = 0.0002), higher nuclear grade (P < 0.0001), necrosis (P < 0.0001) and inflammation (P < 0.0001). S100A7 status was no different between DCIS with and DCIS without an invasive component, but higher levels of S100A7 were present in DCIS associated with invasive carcinoma (P < 0.004). Analysis of a subset of cases showed that S100A7 expression was also associated with an increase in nuclear Jab1 (n = 43; P = 0.0019) and reduced p27(kip1 )(n = 47; P = 0.0168). In cases of DCIS associated with invasive carcinoma, there was also a significant reduction in S100A7 between in situ and invasive components (n = 46; P < 0.0001). In pure DCIS cases treated by local excision, there was no difference in frequency of S100A7 expression between patients with recurrence of DCIS (n = 9) and those without (n = 36). CONCLUSION: The findings reported here suggest that, although S100A7 may not be a marker for recurrence of DCIS, it is associated with poor prognostic markers in DCIS and may influence progression of breast carcinoma through its interaction with and influence on Jab1

Multiple carbon accounting to support just and effective climate policies

Negotiating reductions in greenhouse gas emission involves the allocation of emissions and of emission reductions to specific agents, and notably, within the current UN framework, to associated countries. As production takes place in supply chains,increasingly extending over several countries, there are various options available in which emissions originating from one and the same activity may be attributed to different agents along the supply chain and thus to different countries. In this way, several distinct types of national carbon accounts can be constructed. We argue that these accounts will typically differ in the information they provide to individual countries on the effects their actions have on global emissions; and they may also, to varying degrees, prove useful in supporting the pursuit of an effective and just climate policy. None of the accounting systems, however, prove 'best' in achieving these aims under real-world circumstances; we thus suggest compiling reliable data to aid in the consistent calculation of multiple carbon accounts on a global level

A novel diagnostic method targeting genomic instability in intracystic tumors of the breast

Background: Even after needle biopsy, the preoperative differential diagnoses of intracystic tumors of the breast are challenging because of their nonspecific radiological characteristics and subtle cytological and histological appearance. The aim of this study is to investigate a novel diagnostic method, targeting genomic instability (GIN) in intracystic tumors of the breast, using tumor DNA from samples obtained by fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB). Methods: Thirteen consecutive intracystic tumors of the breast, including five cancers and eight benign tumors, were studied. Three FNAB passages per tumor were used for array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) analysis to quantify GIN in each tumor. Tumor DNA from the main tumor, taken from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) blocks corresponding to FNAB samples, was also analyzed to compare cytogenetic profiles between these sample types. Results: After three FNAB passages, an average of 7.09 μg (0.24?25.0 μg) of DNA was obtained. The quality of the DNA and the aCGH data was excellent, as judged by the mean derivative log ratio spread (DLRSpread) of 0.22 (0.15?0.29). The cytogenetic profiles of paired FNAB and main tumor FFPE samples were highly similar, with an average concordance rate of 97.7 % (81.2?100 %). aCGH analysis from FNAB samples showed significantly more GIN in cancers than in benign tumors, with mean frequencies of aberrant chromosomal regions of 17.5 and 0.34 %, respectively (Wilcoxon’s rank sum test, P = 0.0016). Conclusions: Our novel diagnostic method, which targets GIN, can clearly distinguish cancers from benign tumors of breast intracystic lesions with minimal invasion, thereby avoiding the need for surgical excisional biopsy

Equilibria and Rate Phenomena from Atomistic to Mesoscale: Simulation Studies of Magnetite.

Batteries are dynamic devices composed of multiple components that operate far from equilibrium and may operate under extreme stress and varying loads. Studies of isolated battery components are valuable to the fundamental understanding of the physical processes occurring within each constituent element. When the components are integrated into a full device and operated under realistic conditions, it can be difficult to decouple the physical processes that occur across multiple interfaces and multiple length scales. Thus, the physical processes studied in isolated components may change in a full battery setup or may be irrelevant to performance. Simulation studies on many length scales play a key role in the analysis of experiments and in the elucidation of the relevant physical processes impacting performance. In this Account, we aim to highlight the use of modeling on multiple length scales to identify rate limiting phenomena in lithium-ion batteries. To illustrate the utility of modeling, we examine lithium-ion batteries with nanostructured magnetite, Fe3O4, as the positive electrode active material against a solid Li0 negative electrode. Due to continuous operation away from equilibrium, batteries exhibit highly nonideal behavior, and a model that aims to reproduce behavior under realistic operating conditions must be able to capture the physics occurring on the length scales relevant to the performance of the system. It is our experience that limiting behavior in lithium-ion batteries can be observed on the atomic scale and up through the electrode scale and thus, predictive models must be capable of integrating and communicating physics across multiple length scales. Magnetite is studied as an electrode material for lithium-ion batteries, but it is found to suffer from slow solid-state transport of lithium, slow reaction kinetics, and poor cycling. Magnetite (Fe3O4) is a material capable of undergoing multiple electron transfers (MET), and can accept up to eight lithium per formula unit (Li8Fe3O4). Magnetite, (Fe8a3+)[Fe3+Fe2+]16dO4,32e2-, has a close-packed inverse spinel structure and undergoes intercalation, structural rearrangement, and conversion reactions upon full lithiation. (1) To overcome solid-state transport resistances, magnetite can be nanostructured to decrease Li+ diffusion lengths, and this has been shown to increase capacity. Additionally, unique architectures incorporating both carbon and Fe3O4 have shown to alleviate transport and cycling issues in the material. (2) Here, we solely address traditional composite electrodes, in which Fe3O4 is synthesized as nanoparticles and combined with additives to fabricate the electrode. In the case of nanoparticulate magnetite, it has been found that the electrode fabrication process results in the formation of micrometer-sized agglomerates of the Fe3O4 nanoparticles, introducing a secondary structural motif. The agglomerates may form in one or more fabrication processes, and their elimination may not be straightforward or warranted. Here, we highlight the impact of these secondary formations on the performance of the Fe3O4 lithium-ion battery. We illustrate how simulations can be used to design experiments, prioritize research efforts, and predict performance