The weevil-watermilfoil interaction at different spatial scales: what we know and what we need to know

The North American weevil ( Euhrychiopsis lecontei (Dietz)) is being considered as a biological control agent for Eurasian watermilfoil ( Myriophyllum spicatum L.). This native insect damages watermilfoil plants and is frequently associated with declining watermilfoil populations

What Do We Know about Long Laminar Plasma Jets?

Silent and stable long laminar plasma jets can be generated in a rather wide range of working parameters. The laminar flow state can be maintained even if considerable parameter fluctuations exist in the laminar plasma jet or if there is an impact of laterally injected particulate matter and its carrier gas. The attractive special features of laminar plasma jets include extremely low noise level, less entrainment of ambient air, much longer and adjustable high-temperature region length, and smaller axial gradient of plasma parameters. Modeling results show that the laminar plasma jet length increases with increasing jet inlet velocity or temperature and the effect of natural convection on laminar plasma jet characteristics can be ignored, consistent with experimental observations. The large difference between laminar and turbulent plasma jet characteristics is revealed to be due to their different laws of surrounding gas entrainment. Besides the promising applications of the laminar plasma jet to remelting and cladding strengthening of the metallic surface and to thermal barrier coating preparation, it is expected that the laminar plasma jet can become a rather ideal object for the basic studies of thermal plasma science owing to the nonexistence of the complexity caused by turbulence.

You said, we're doing

Conclusions from the stakeholder forum 27 January 2015

2015 stakeholder forum: you said, we're doing

Summary of what you told us you wanted – and a few of the steps we’re taking in response.

You said, we're doing

Progress report on issues highlighted at the stakeholder forum held on 27 January 2015.

Yes, we can!

Duración (en horas): Más de 50 horas. Destinatario: Estudiante y Docente

Gestión de montes en la reserva de la biosfera de Urdaibai: una oportunidad perdida

[ES] En este trabajo se realiza una valoración de la gestión forestal planteada en la Reserva de la Biosfera de Urdaibai. Tras contextualizar el caso en la problemática ambiental generada por las plantaciones de pino radiata en el País Vasco y el marco normativo en que se desarrolla su explotación, se estudia la evolución sufrida por el Plan Rector de Uso y Gestión de Urdaibai como consecuencia de la presión ejercida por el sector forestalista.

Why are we fat? Discussions on the socioeconomic dimensions and responses to obesity

This paper draws together contributions to a scientific table discussion on obesity at the European Science Open Forum 2008 which took place in Barcelona, Spain. Socioeconomic dimensions of global obesity, including those factors promoting it, those surrounding the social perceptions of obesity and those related to integral public health solutions, are discussed. It argues that although scientific accounts of obesity point to large-scale changes in dietary and physical environments, media representations of obesity, which context public policy, pre-eminently follow individualistic models of explanation. While the debate at the forum brought together a diversity of views, all the contributors agreed that this was a global issue requiring an equally global response. Furthermore, an integrated ecological model of obesity proposes that to be effective, policy will need to address not only human health but also planetary health, and that therefore, public health and environmental policies coincide.

How do we raise the profile of ponds?

This article arises from the 1998 Ponds Conference organised by Pond Action. A workshop entitled "How do we raise the profile of ponds?" was held on the first evening of the conference, taking the form of three syndicate groups each tackling one of the following three issues: How to get volunteers and the community involved with ponds; raising the profile of ponds within the government sector; and raising the profile of ponds with scientists. It is clear that, as scientists, our understanding of ponds is not great. However, some progress has been made in understanding the rare species that are likely to occur in them. A great deal more scientific research is required to understand the nature, diversity, distribution, formative processes and wise management options for ponds. However, perhaps of equal or even greater importance is the need for scientists and pond managers to understand the broader values that people across society hold about ponds.

Caracterização físico-química e avaliação dos níveis de elementos-traço em sedimentos de manguezais das baías da Ilha Grande e de Sepetiba, RJ, por metodologias de digestão ácida assistidas por micro-ondas

O presente trabalho teve como objetivo principal comparar dois métodos de extração de elementos-traço em sedimentos que são assistidos por radiação micro-ondas. Foram coletadas amostras de sedimentos superficiais em um manguezal localizado na baía da Ilha Grande e em três manguezais localizados na baía de Sepetiba, RJ. As amostras de sedimentos coletadas foram secas, destorroadas e peneiradas. Sub-amostras foram submetidas a análises de caracterização física e química. Os métodos de extração de elementos-traço comparados foram o EPA-3051A e o método água régia assistido por micro-ondas. Os elementos-traço analisados foram: Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb e Zn. As concentrações dos elementos-traço nos extratos produzidos foram determinadas por FAAS (Espectrometria de absorção atômica com chama). Foram encontradas nos sedimentos dos manguezais estudados concentrações acima dos níveis estabelecidos pela Resolução CONAMA 344/2004 para os elementos-traço: Cd, Ni, Pb e Zn. Os resultados mostraram que as capacidades de extração de elementos-traço dos métodos EPA-3051A e água régia assistido por micro-ondas variam em função das características físico-químicas dos sedimentos. A análise estatística pela técnica de regressão linear simples mostrou que as duas metodologias são estatisticamente similares apenas para o Cr e os valores dos coeficientes de determinação (R2) obtidos obedeceram à seqüência: Cu > Pb > Zn > Ni > Cr > Cd. Na análise pela técnica estatística de regressão linear múltipla ocorreram melhorias estatisticamente significativas nos coeficientes de determinação quando foram incluídas as seguintes variáveis independentes: potencial redox e fósforo total para o Cd, argila para o Cr, areia para o Ni e fósforo total para o Pb e para o Zn

O osso e o sopro: uma introdução à teoria da pintura chinesa do período das Seis Dinastias

A presente pesquisa trata da formação da teoria da pintura durante o período das Seis Dinastias, que ocupa o período que vai do ano 229 ao ano 589 da era presente. São discutidos quatro teóricos principais: Gu Kaizhi, Zong Bing, Wang Wei e Xie He. Além disto, apresentamos uma tradução diretamente do chinês para os textos de cada um dos autores analisados. No decorrer de nossa análise tentaremos demonstrar os elos de continuidade existentes entre os diversos teóricos, baseando-nos nas evidências textuais. Além disto, enfatizaremos o fato de ser este o período em que se forma a teoria da pintura chinesa. O período inicial da história dessa teoria é o tema desta pesquisa

We can work it out: an enactive look at cooperation

The past years have seen an increasing debate on cooperation and its unique human character. Philosophers and psychologists have proposed that cooperative activities are characterized by shared goals to which participants are committed through the ability to understand each other’s intentions. Despite its popularity, some serious issues arise with this approach to cooperation. First, one may challenge the assumption that high-level mental processes are necessary for engaging in acting cooperatively. If they are, then how do agents that do not possess such ability (preverbal children, or children with autism who are often claimed to be mind-blind) engage in cooperative exchanges, as the evidence suggests? Secondly, to define cooperation as the result of two de-contextualized minds reading each other’s intentions may fail to fully acknowledge the complexity of situated, interactional dynamics and the interplay of variables such as the participants’ relational and personal history and experience. In this paper we challenge such accounts of cooperation, calling for an embodied approach that sees cooperation not only as an individual attitude toward the other, but also as a property of interaction processes. Taking an enactive perspective, we argue that cooperation is an intrinsic part of any interaction, and that there can be cooperative interaction before complex communicative abilities are achieved. The issue then is not whether one is able or not to read the other’s intentions, but what it takes to participate in joint action. From this basic account, it should be possible to build up more complex forms of cooperation as needed. Addressing the study of cooperation in these terms may enhance our understanding of human social development, and foster our knowledge of different ways of engaging with others, as in the case of autism.