Research on synthetic rope and its future in timber harvesting

Steel wire rope is used for many logging applications. It has served the industry well in terms of strength, durability, and longevity. However, steel wire rope is difficult to use because it is stiff, heavy, and unyielding. These characteristics can lead to fatigue and exhaustion, and may contribute to worker injuries. Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene synthetic rope has the potential to replace steel wire rope for selected logging applications. Research shows ergonomic gains and other operational effectiveness with its use. This paper presents research results, potentials, and issues in improving economic and ergonomic performance of ground-based and cable logging. Potential social and environmental benefits are also discussed. Further training, research and promotion are necessary to put this new technology into the hands of users and assure adoption in the forestry sector

Physiological effects of post-harvest commercial practices on the lobster, Homarus americanus

The lobster, Homarus americanus (Milne Edwards) is a commercially-important species harvested in Canada and exported live to international markets. Landed condition and post-harvest handling practices play a significant role in the ability of an exporter of live lobster to provide customers with a premium product. A set of standardized quality handling, storage and shipping parameters does not exist, an absence that can lead to quality degradation or premature mortality that impacts both the reputation of the H. americanus stakeholders as well as being a potential waste of a limited natural resource. Studies on physiological risk factors for storage, emersion tolerance and cardioventilatory responses to immersion temperature change were conducted to assess their impact on the maintenance of quality in the supply chains of live H. americanus.Based on survival analysis during long term storage, it was found that storage risk factor predictive success was season-dependent, with haemolymph lactate positively correlated with long-term storage mortality in spring-caught lobsters, but not with winter-caught ones. Haemolymph total protein, haemocyanin and refractive index were positivelycorrelated with long term storage mortality in winter-caught lobsters but not spring-caught ones.The immediate pre-harvest acclimation temperature affected the lobsters’ response to emersion. Haemolymph pH and lactate levels during emersion revealed that the standard 3 °C environmental air temperature, used for commercial live shipments, causes a delay in the onset of anaerobic metabolism in 7.5 °C, but not 2.5 °C pre-acclimated lobsters.Although H. americanus is reportedly sensitive to changes in environmental temperatures less than 0.5 °C, it was found that acute changes in immersed water temperature of 5 °C did not elicit an overall change in cardioventilatory activity. Complete haemolymph temperature change occurred within 30 minutes of immersed, acute environmental temperature change, notably faster than was observed in the absence of cardioventilatory activity, indicating the effectiveness of the cardioventilatory activities in H. americanus as a heat exchange system.The current findings, along with existing relevant research findings in the literature, were used to create a template for model commercial post-harvest practices for H. americanus. The template consists of a food quality and safety control program based on the globally-accepted HACCP principles of inductive reasoning that stress proactive versus reactive processes. The current research findings provide critical control points that can be applied throughout the post-harvest distribution chain from first landing to delivery to the end consumer. These critical control points are identified with suggested parameters to use as guidelines for the H. americanus live trade in an effort to improve the consistency of quality and reduce the risks that can lead to product and / or quality loss as a result of incorrect practices

Removing the college involvement "research asterisk": Identifying and rethinking predictors of American Indian college student involvement

The purpose of this study was to identify campus environmental predictors of American Indian college student involvement. The American Indian research asterisk, or not including American Indian data, has prevailed over student development research for decades. As a result, student affairs professionals have been limited in their ability to develop evidence-based student development interventions for American Indian student involvement. This study addressed the research asterisk related to American Indian college student involvement through a quantitative multi-institutional study of 99 campuses with a total of 1,931 American Indian respondents. This study confirms many prior research study findings with American Indian college students that were limited in scope and context and where findings lacked transferability. Several key findings emerged from this research study including the importance of pre-college involvement in high school academic clubs and holding leadership positions as significant predictors of college student involvement. Mentor relationships with faculty and student affairs staff were also significant predictors of American Indian student involvement indicating the importance of these types of interactions for this population. Most importantly, a sense of belonging for American Indian students was quantitatively confirmed as a significant predictor of American Indian student involvement. The concept of involvement, however, should not be limited by its historical on-campus context and should be viewed as a dynamic process whereby American Indian students are provided an opportunity to shape an involvement experience that helps to maintain their sense of self and identity while promoting a sense of belonging and collegiate success

Synthetic Rope End Connections For Use In Timber Harvesting

This paper describes a pilot study of end connections for ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene 12-strand braided rope (synthetic rope) for use in timber harvesting applications. Fourteen different end connections for 14mm and 16mm diameter synthetic rope were developed and break tested to determine suitability. Three types of end connections were evaluated: spliced, adhesives, and dry hardware. Spliced end connections provided consistent performance in breaking strengths. End connections with adhesive had variable strength performance and are therefore not recommended. Within the dry hardware group, the pinned nubbin and knuckle link provided the highest breaking strengths. Suitable end connections for forest operations were: buried eye splice, Whoopie Sling, long splice, rope clamps, knuckle link, pinned nubbin, and in limited applications, rope clamps. Further research and development is needed on these six concepts with larger sample sizes and under testing and operating varied conditions

Improving Asset Price Prediction When All Models are False

This study considers three alternative sources of information about volatility potentially useful in predicting daily asset returns: daily returns, intraday returns, and option prices. For each source of information the study begins with several alternative models, and then works from the premise that all of these models are false to construct a single improved predictive distribution for daily S&P 500 index returns. The prediction probabilities of the optimal pool exceed those of the conventional models by as much as 5.29%. The optimal pools place substantial weight on models using each of the three sources of information about volatility

Reviews

Mark Kerr, How to Promote your Web Site Effectively, London: Aslib/IMI, ISBN: 0–85142–424–4. Paperback, 87 pages, £13.99