Biogeochemical Changes During Bio-cementation Mediated by Stimulated and Augmented Ureolytic Microorganisms.

Microbially Induced Calcite Precipitation (MICP) is a bio-mediated cementation process that can improve the engineering properties of granular soils through the precipitation of calcite. The process is made possible by soil microorganisms containing urease enzymes, which hydrolyze urea and enable carbonate ions to become available for precipitation. While most researchers have injected non-native ureolytic bacteria to complete bio-cementation, enrichment of native ureolytic microorganisms may enable reductions in process treatment costs and environmental impacts. In this study, a large-scale bio-cementation experiment involving two 1.7-meter diameter tanks and a complementary soil column experiment were performed to investigate biogeochemical differences between bio-cementation mediated by either native or augmented (Sporosarcina pasteurii) ureolytic microorganisms. Although post-treatment distributions of calcite and engineering properties were similar between approaches, the results of this study suggest that significant differences in ureolysis rates and related precipitation rates between native and augmented microbial communities may influence the temporal progression and spatial distribution of bio-cementation, solution biogeochemical changes, and precipitate microstructure. The role of urea hydrolysis in enabling calcite precipitation through sustained super-saturation following treatment injections is explored

A Risk Analysis of Carbon Sequestration in Claypan Soil with Conservation Tillage Systems and Nitrogen Fertilizers for Grain Sorghum and Soybean

Replaced with revised version of paper 02/15/06.carbon sequestration, carbon credits, nitrogen, risk, tillage, Crop Production/Industries, Risk and Uncertainty, Q12,

AN ECONOMIC AND RISK ANALYSIS OF THE EFFECTS OF TILLAGE AND NITROGEN SOURCE ON SOIL CARBON SEQUESTRATION IN CORN PRODUCTION

The economic potential of no-tillage versus conventional tillage to sequester soil carbon using either commercial nitrogen or manure for continuous corn production is evaluated. Results indicate which system provides the highest net returns, which system is preferred by risk averse decision makers, and the price of carbon credits under alternative risk aversion preferences.Risk and Uncertainty,

An Economic Analysis of Carbon Sequestration for Wheat and Grain Sorghum Production in Kansas

This study examined the economic potential with and without carbon credit payments of two crop and tillage systems in South Central Kansas that could reduce carbon dioxide emissions and sequester carbon in the soil. Experiment station cropping practices, yield data, and soil carbon data for continuously cropped wheat and grain sorghum produced with conventional tillage and no-tillage from1986 to 1995 were used to determine soil carbon changes and to develop enterprise budgets to determine expected net returns for a typical dryland farm in South Central Kansas. No-till had lower net returns because of lower yields and higher overall costs. Both crops produced under no-till had higher annual soil C gains than under conventional tillage. Carbon credit payments may be critical to induce farm managers to use cropping practices, such as no-till, that sequester soil carbon. The carbon credit payments needed will be highly dependent on cropping system production costs, especially herbicide costs, which substitute for tillage as a means of weed control. The C values estimated in this study that would provide an incentive to adopt no-tillage range from $0 to$95.991ton/year, depending upon the assumption about herbicide costs. In addition, if producers were compensated for other environmental benefits associated with no-till, carbon credits could be reduced.carbon credit value, carbon sequestration, grain sorghum, no-tillage, wheat, Crop Production/Industries,

Derived Carbon Credit Values for Carbon Sequestration: Do CO2 Emissions From Production Inputs Matter?

Environmental Economics and Policy,

DERIVED CARBON CREDIT VALUES FOR CARBON SEQUESTRATION: DO CO2 EMISSIONS FROM PRODUCTION INPUTS MATTER ?

An economic analysis was conducted involving wheat and grain sorghum production systems that affect carbon dioxide emissions and sequester soil carbon. Parameters examined were expected net returns, changes in net carbon sequestered and the value of carbon credits necessary to equate net returns from systems that sequester more carbon to those that sequester less with and without adjustments for CO2 emissions from production inputs. Evaluations were based on experiment station cropping practices, yield, and soil carbon data for continuously cropped and rotated wheat and grain sorghum produced with conventional and no-tillage. No-till had lower net returns because of lower yields and higher overall costs. Both crops produced under no-till had higher annual soil C gains than under conventional tillage. However, no-till systems had higher total atmospheric emissions of C from production inputs. The differences were relatively small. The C values estimated in this study that would equate net returns of no-tillage to conventional tillage range from $7.82 to$58.69/ton/yr when C emissions from production inputs were subtracted from soil carbon sequestered and $7.79 to$54.99/ton/yr when atmospheric emissions were not considered.Environmental Economics and Policy,

Three Numerical Puzzles and the Top Quark's Chiral Weak-Moment

Versus the standard model's t --> W b decay helicity amplitudes, three numerical puzzles occur at the 0.1 % level when one considers the amplitudes in the case of an additional (f_M + f_E) coupling of relative strength 53 GeV. The puzzles are theoretical ones which involve the t --> W b decay helicity amplitudes in the two cases, the relative strength of this additional coupling, and the observed masses of these three particles. A deeper analytic realization is obtained for two of them. Equivalent realizations are given for the remaining one. An empirical consequence of these analytic realizations is that it is important to search for effects of a large chiral weak-moment of the top-quark, the effective mass-scale is about 53 GeV. A full theoretical resolution would include relating the origin of such a chiral weak-moment and the mass generation of the top-quark, the W-boson, and probably the b-quark.Comment: 18 pages, 1 postscript table (revised to better explain notation, model #1, add a little material...

Importance of Tests for the Complete Lorentz Structure of the t --> W+ b vertex at Hadron Colliders

The most general Lorentz-invariant decay-density-matrix for $t\to W^{+}b\to (l^{+}\nu)b$, or for $t\to W^{+}b\to (j_{\bar d}j_u)b$, is expressed in terms of eight helicity parameters. The parameters are physically defined in terms of partial-width-intensities for polarized-final-states in $t\to W^{+}b$ decay. The parameters are the partial width, the $b$ quark's chirality parameter $\xi$, the $W^+$ polarimetry parameter $\sigma$, a "pre-SSB" test parameter $\zeta$, and four $W_{L}$-$W_{T}$ interference parameters $\eta$, $\eta^{'}$, $\omega$, $\omega^{'}$ which test for $\tilde T_{FS}$ violation. They can be used to test for non-CKM-type CP violation, anomalous $\Gamma_{L,T}$'s, top weak magnetism, weak electricity, and second-class currents. By stage-two spin-correlation techniques, percent level statistical uncertainites are typical for measurements at the Tevatron, and several mill level uncertainites are typical at the LHC.Comment: Minor clarifications. Expression for r_{+-} corrected. 19 pages LaTex + Tables + 1 Figur

Pediatric intestinal obstruction in Malawi: characteristics and outcomes

Abstract Background Intestinal obstruction (IO) is a common pediatric surgical emergency in sub-Saharan Africa with high morbidity and mortality, but little is known about its etiopathogenesis in Malawi. Methods Retrospective analysis of patients seen from February 2012 to June 2014 at Kamuzu Central Hospital in Lilongwe, Malawi (n = 3,407). Pediatric patients with IO were analyzed (n = 130). Results Overall, 57% of patients were male with a mean age of 3.5 ± 4.1 years. A total of 52% of patients underwent operative intervention. The overall mortality rate was 3%. Leading causes of IO were Hirschprung's 29%, anorectal malformation 18%, and intussusception 4%. Neonates and patients with congenital causes of IO underwent surgery less frequently than infants and/or children and patients with acquired causes, respectively. These groups also demonstrated increased number of days from admission to surgery. Conclusions Increasing pediatric-specific surgical education and/or training and expanding access to resources may improve mortality after IO in poor medical communities within sub-Saharan Africa

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