Procedures for estimation of modelling uncertainty in air quality assessment

The main objectives of this work focus, firstly, on a review of the current existent methodologies to estimate air quality modelling uncertainty, and, secondly, in the preparation of guidelines for modelling uncertainty estimation, which can be used by local and regional authorities responsible for air quality management. From the application exercise, it was concluded that it is possible to define a subset of statistical parameters able to reproduce the general uncertainties estimation. Concerning the quality indicators defined by EU directives, the results show that the legislated uncertainty estimation measures are ambiguous and inadequate in several aspects, mainly in what concerns the error measures for hourly and daily indicators based on the highest observed concentration. A relative error at the percentile correspondent to the allowed number of exceedances of the limit value was suggested and tested, showing that is a more robust and appropriate parameter for model performance evaluation.     

Rapid matching in Drosophila place learning

The level of conditioned behavior in animals is proportional to the intensity, amount, frequency, or probability of reinforcement. Interestingly, this matching can be dynamic, with performance levels following, for example, a switch in the probability of reinforcement with a short delay. We previously found that conditioned performance levels in Drosophila match reinforcement intensity in a place conditioning paradigm. Whether Drosophila can match conditioned behavior to a change in reinforcement intensity was an open question. In this study, we found that both conditioned behavior and memory levels match reinforcement intensity after a switch, and this rapid matching occurs within 2 min. Thus, fruit flies can dynamically match conditioned behavior and memory levels to a change in reinforcement intensity.     

Encapsulation of Nerol Oil in Polycaprolactone Polymer and Stability Evaluation

Journal of Polymers and the Environment - The objective of this study was to obtain and characterize Nerol essential oil encapsulated in PCL. The miniemulsion and solvent evaporation method was...     

Age and growth rates of Hawaiian hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) using skeletochronology

The Hawaiian hawksbill population has fewer than 20 females nesting per year; hence, there is a need to monitor this population closely and basic biological information on individual growth and age to maturity is critical. We present a skeletochronology analysis of Hawaiian hawksbills using humeri recovered from 30 dead stranded hawksbills, plus 10 dead hatchlings. Growth mark morphology shows readily distinguishable marks similar in appearance to other species, though some animals displayed more diffuse marks. Growth rates remained high (average 2.24–4.77 cm year^?1) from 20 to 80 cm straight carapace length (SCL). Hawksbills larger than 80 cm SCL had average growth rates of 0.3 cm year^?1. There were few adult turtles in the sample; however, results indicate hawksbills have faster growth rates than loggerhead or green turtles, with probable average age to maturity (at size 78.6 cm SCL) occurring between 17 and 22 years.     

Interactions between scientific uncertainty and flood management decisions: Two case studies in Colorado

Flood management policies in the United States rely on scientific information about the frequency and intensity of extreme precipitation and runoff. Yet, the available information is inherently uncertain because of the complexity of meteorological and hydrological processes. In mountainous areas, flood risk can vary greatly even within short distances depending on local climate, topography, soil characteristics, and land use. This paper describes two Colorado cases in which policy makers were presented with conflicting scientific estimates: revision of the Fort Collins floodplain map and modification of the Cherry Creek Dam. The case studies demonstrate that uncertainty can have substantial impacts on regulatory processes, public safety, and costs. The analysis considers the differing perspectives of various participants in the flood management processes, illustrating the interplay between uncertainties attributable to scientific issues and values issues. It suggests that attempts to provide a single “best” estimate do not necessarily meet the decision needs of all stakeholders. Conclusions indicate a need to improve communication about uncertainty when scientific estimates areprovided to decision makers. Furthermore, in highly controversial decisions, it may be necessary to reframe the discussion to consider the values issues raised by scientific uncertainty.     

Evidence for covalently bonded chlorine–fullerene formed by ozonation and chlorination at room temperature

This article reports for the first time that fullerene (nC₆₀) can form chlorinated disinfection by-products in aqueous systems at ambient temperature. The ability of nC₆₀ to form colloidal suspensions in aqueous media increases the chance that these particles will migrate in the environment and then in drinking water supply systems. Since nC₆₀ is not completely removed by conventional water treatment, any residual nC₆₀ is likely to be oxidized during disinfection process. While the ozonation of nC₆₀ has been studied, little is known about the reaction between nC₆₀ and chlorine. To address this issue, we subjected aqueous nC₆₀ suspensions to chlorination and sequential ozonation/chlorination at ozone dosages of 4.5, 10, 15 and 24 mg O₃/mg nC₆₀. The morphology and physicochemical properties of oxidized nC₆₀ aggregates were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, UV–visible absorption spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). We found that while the particles in the as-prepared nC₆₀ were predominantly spheres, the ozonation of nC₆₀ resulted in the formation of irregularly shaped aggregates. The concentration of atomic carbon found by XPS in the nC₆₀ samples decreased from 92 % for the as-prepared nC₆₀ to 50 % for the aggregates ozonated at 24 mg O₃/mg nC₆₀ and then chlorinated at 68 mg Cl₂/L and allowed to react for 100 min. The presence of Cl atoms covalently bonded to C atoms was confirmed by XPS peaks corresponding to a binding energy (E _b) of 200.1–202.4 eV. This demonstrates the need to better assess and monitor the formation of potentially toxic chlorinated disinfection by-products from carbon nanomaterials during water treatment.     

Motivating ergonomic computer workstation setup: sometimes training is not enough

Musculoskeletal disorders lead to pain and suffering and result in high costs to industry. There is evidence to suggest that whereas conventional ergonomics training programs result in knowledge gains, they may not necessarily translate to changes in behavior. There were 11 participants in an ergonomics training program, and a subsample of participants received a motivational intervention in the form of incentives for correct workstation setup. Training did not yield any changes in ergonomics measures for any participant. Incentives resulted in marked and durable changes in targeted workstation measures. The data suggest that improving worker knowledge about ergonomically correct workstation setup does not necessarily lead to correct workstation setup, and that motivational interventions may be needed to achieve lasting behavior change.     

Multiple sexual pigments,assortative social pairing,and genetic paternity in the yellow warbler (Setophaga petechia)

In socially monogamous species, extra-pair paternity may increase the reproductive success of highly ornamented males, mediating the evolution of sexual ornaments. However, ornaments may also attract social mates, and a tradeoff between extra-pair paternity (EPP) and within-pair paternity (WPP) may complicate mating strategies. Further, in many socially monogamous species, females are also ornamented, and the relationship between female ornamentation and patterns of EPP has been neglected. We investigated the patterns of genetic paternity with respect to carotenoid- and melanin-based pigmentation in yellow warblers (Setophaga petechia) of both sexes. We asked whether males face tradeoffs between EPP and WPP, how paternity patterns relate to carotenoid- versus melanin-based pigmentation, and whether less EPP occurs in broods when males and females are assortatively paired. Males faced a tradeoff between EPP and WPP. Moreover, non-additive relationships existed between paternity patterns and the two pigment types in both sexes. Males with high melanin coverage but dull carotenoid pigmentation achieved EPP but lost WPP, whereas males with high levels of both pigment types had high WPP but gained little EPP. A parallel pattern occurred in females. Warblers paired assortatively by pigmentation and EPP was less common in broods when the sexes were assortatively paired by carotenoid pigmentation. Results suggest that the most colorful birds obtain high quality social mates and advance reproductive success through WPP, show that correlations can arise between female ornamentation and patterns of EPP, and also uniquely suggest that social pairing patterns may influence extra-pair mating strategies.     

Addressing behavior in pollinator conservation policies to combat the implementation gap

Solutions for conserving biodiversity lie in changing people's behavior. Ambitious international and national conservation policies frequently fail to effectively mitigate biodiversity loss because they rarely apply behavior-change theories. We conducted a gap analysis of conservation behavior-change interventions advocated in national conservation strategies with the Behavior Change Wheel (BCW), a comprehensive framework for systematically characterizing and designing behavior-change interventions. Using pollinator conservation as a case study, we classified the conservation actions listed in national pollinator initiatives in relation to intervention functions and policy categories of the BCW. We included all national-level policy documents from the European Union available in March 2019 that focused on conservation of pollinators (n = 8). A total of 610 pollinator conservation actions were coded using in-depth directed content analysis, resulting in the identification of 787 intervention function and 766 policy category codes. Overall, these initiatives did not employ the entire breadth of behavioral interventions. Intervention functions most frequently identified were education (23%) and environmental restructuring (19%). Least frequently identified intervention functions were incentivization (3%), and restriction (2%) and coercion were completely absent (0%). Importantly, 41% of all pollinator conservation actions failed to identify whose behavior was to be changed. Building on these analyses, we suggest that reasons for the serious implementation gap in national and international conservation policies is founded in insufficient understanding of which behavioral interventions to employ for most beneficial impacts on biodiversity and how to clearly specify the intervention targets. We recommend that policy advisors engage with behavior-change theory to design effective behavior-change interventions that underpin successful conservation policies.