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In attempting to develop a coherent description of the irruptive dynamics of mountain pine beetle (MPB) in North America, we examined a range of cases where authors described the dependency of intrinsic population growth rates on population attack levels. In some cases, detailed population data were used, but in most cases, investigators relied on operational aerial detection survey data. We found that study conclusions varied significantly depending on the type of data analysed and the spatial and temporal dimensions of the monitoring program. The ability to detect an intrinsic Allee effect (i.e., positive density‐dependent growth for low and rising population densities) depended on the type and the intensity of the sampling effort and the extent of sampling in space and time. Consequently, not all studies were able to quantify the irruption threshold (i.e., the population density at which endemic populations may transition towards the epidemic state). Notably, in every study where an Allee effect was demonstrated, investigators also identified at least one extrinsic environmental factor (e.g., winter weather, summer drought, microclimatic effect) that was regulating its strength. Our results suggest that population surveys conducted from the ground are a necessary complement to aerial survey data if the goal is to make inferences about the irruptive potential for MPB populations and the role of environmental factors in shaping that irruptive potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although cannabis was legalized in Canada in 2018 and is one of the most used substances in Canada, few studies have examined how individuals with different patterns of cannabis use differ in their attempts to decrease or abstain from cannabis. The current study examined how groups of cannabis users, which were formed on the basis of demographic characteristics, substance use patterns, mental health symptoms, and self-reported quality of life differed on their experiences with cannabis cessation. A sample of 147 Canadian adult participants who had attempted to decrease or quit cannabis were recruited from the community (n = 84, 57.14%) and crowdsourcing (n = 63, 42.86%). Four profiles of cannabis users emerged using a Latent Profile Analysis: low-risk (n = 62, 42.18%), rapidly escalating high-risk (n = 40, 27.21%), long-term high severity (n = 35, 23.81%), and long-term lower severity (n = 10, 6.80%). Individuals in the rapidly escalating profile had attempted to decrease their cannabis use more times compared to other profiles. More participants in the long-term high severity group found their use stayed the same or got worse after their last cessation attempt, compared to the low-risk group where more individuals indicated their use stopped. The results of the current study indicate that cannabis users differ in their attempts at reducing or ceasing cannabis use and that they may benefit from different intensity of cannabis interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We prove that if B\subseteq A is an extension of finite dimensional algebras such that the projective dimension of A/B as a B-bimodule is finite, then the finitistic dimension of B is finite whenever the finitistic dimension of A is finite. We exhibit examples demonstrating that the algebra B appearing in such an extension can be more complicated than A. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supporting wellbeing within education settings is vital. The Well Schools whole school approach to supporting teacher and pupil wellbeing provides a framework that supports planning and engagement where each school has the space to advocate for a bespoke and tailored approach that meets the needs of their school community. We report on a secondary school, as a case study example, that adopted Well Schools in 2020 and set out how valuing a whole school culture, providing good leadership and embedding wellbeing support into the vision and ethos of the school can aid the successful implementation of Well Schools that fuel transformative change. This article offers reflections on approaches for achieving a whole school approach to wellbeing, provide examples of what works well and explores how a culture of wellbeing can provide a climate for staff, pupils and their communities to thrive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the profound impact of Cathleen Crudden, a Chemistry Professor, on both her students and the scientific community. Topics discussed include her dedication to mentorship, her commitment to building a supportive lab culture, and her active involvement in the Chemistry community, which includes leadership roles and promoting diversity and inclusion.

Reproductive health program managers seek information about existing and potential clients' motivations, behaviors, and barriers to services. Using sequence and cluster analysis of contraceptive calendar data from the 2016–17 Burundi Demographic and Health Survey, we identified discrete clusters characterizing patterns in women's contraceptive and pregnancy behaviors over the previous 5 years. This study pairs these clusters with data on factors typically targeted in social behavior change interventions: knowledge, attitudes, and women's interactions with media and health services, to create composite profiles of women in these clusters. Of six clusters, three are characterized by contraceptive use and three are characterized by its absence. Media exposure and attitudes regarding sex preference, wife beating, and self-efficacy largely do not explain cluster membership. Contraceptive knowledge is positively associated with two clusters (Family Builder 1 and Traditional Mother) and negatively associated with a third (Quiet Calendar). Clusters also differ in their members' fertility desires, contraceptive intentions, and interactions with health services. Two "Family Builder" clusters are both characterized by the presence (but not timing) of multiple pregnancies in their calendar histories, but differ in that women with high contraceptive knowledge, intentions to use contraception, and well-articulated family size ideals are characteristic of one cluster (Family Builder 1), and low contraceptive knowledge, no use of contraception, and vague family size preferences are characteristic of the other (Family Builder 2). These results can guide reproductive health programs as they target social and behavioral change and other interventions to the unique subpopulations they seek to serve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Canada and the United States have recently evaluated the decriminalization of drugs as multiple provinces and states put motions forward to consider drug decriminalization legislation. The influence of factors such as demographics, substance use, perceived substance use risk, and personality have not been widely studied in predicting attitudes toward drug decriminalization. A total of 504 participants were drawn from university (n = 269, 53.37%) and community samples (n = 235, 46.63%) through online social media groups and posts (i.e., Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, etc). Analyses indicated that male gender, single or non-married relationship status, living outside of Atlantic Canada, higher problematic alcohol use scores, lower Extraversion, higher Open-mindedness, and lower perceived risk of using substances emerged as significant predictors of support for drug decriminalization. These findings have important implications as public attitudes toward a substance influence drug policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bangladesh is one of the major labour-exporting countries in the world, with large-scale labour migration flows occurring both internationally and domestically. Spousal separation due to migration has the potential to disrupt women's ability to use contraception in line with their reproductive goals. This qualitative study complements the 2014 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS) data; we conducted in-depth interviews with a sub-sample of 23 BDHS respondents whose husbands stayed elsewhere but returned at least once a year to Barisal Division, Bangladesh. The study explores how husbands' migration patterns influence couples' fertility intentions, contraceptive decision-making and behaviour, and unintended pregnancies. Results showed that contraceptive use was high among the study participants, with nearly all couples using some method to avoid pregnancy – usually pills and condoms. However, the use was episodic and inconsistent, reducing effectiveness. Experiences of side effects were commonplace, which contributed to this pattern of inconsistent use: women used pills only during the duration of their husband's visits. Half of the informants experienced unintended pregnancies either due to the inconsistent use of pills or other method failures. The study findings indicate that women with migrant husbands need family planning education related to their particular circumstances and access to a wider range of family planning choices. Quality counselling should respect women's experiences with side effects and include thorough discussion of viable alternatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the association of decision-making with contraceptive use along with other measures of women's empowerment and the gender context. We use data on currently married women from the Demographic and Health Survey conducted in Pakistan in 2017–2018. We contrast patterns in modern contraception with traditional contraception and examine specific modern methods. Husband's characteristics do not factor strongly in women's modern contraceptive use. Contraceptive decision-making is more pertinent to women's modern contraceptive use than household decision-making and is inhibited when husbands are the primary decision-makers of contraceptive decisions. In contrast, joint decision-making facilitates overall modern contraceptive use and the use of condoms in particular. Contraceptive use is reduced when the decision is made by someone other than the woman or her husband. Economic empowerment resources are weakly and inconsistently associated with modern contraceptive use. Furthermore, modern contraceptive use (particularly condoms and female sterilisation) is reduced when women live in an extended household. Region, education, and wealth remain important correlates of modern contraceptive use, even after controlling for other factors, as does the number of living children and, for female sterilisation and IUDs only, women's working status. This study finds support for expanding the range of available methods and combining service improvements with promoting women's empowerment, gender equity, and social behaviour change initiatives targeted to men and other family members. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examining women's reproductive experiences over time reveals a more dynamic view of women's behaviors and needs than current status measures alone. This study uses sequence and cluster analyses, which are designed for identifying patterns and subgroups in longitudinal data. We apply these methods to contraceptive calendar data in Burundi to identify discrete clusters of women based on contraceptive and pregnancy behaviors over the past 5 years. We identify six unique clusters; three characterized by no use of contraception (85 percent of women) and three by use (16 percent). The Quiet Calendar cluster (42 percent) comprise women who neither experience pregnancy nor use contraception. Family Builder 1 (25 percent) and 2 (18 percent) both include women who experience two pregnancies, but differ in unmet need and lifetime experience with contraception. Modern Mother (8 percent), Consistently Covered Mother (6 percent), and Traditional Mother (2 percent) clusters differ by type of contraception used following pregnancy. Factors associated with cluster membership are need for family planning, lifetime experience with contraception, marital status, pregnancy intention, and age. This clustering approach provides a new, more holistic way to measure the diverse needs across unique subpopulations and can inform the development of multifaceted, adaptable strategies to meet women's dynamic fertility needs over the reproductive life course. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magmatic and tectonic processes can transport large volumes of magma generated in the deep crust as discrete pulses to shallower crustal depths, resulting in the incremental construction of large, composite batholiths over thousands to tens of millions of years. The Silurian to Early Devonian Donegal composite batholith in Ireland is a classic example of which regional geological syntheses and lithogeochemical data show that emplacement was syn- and post-kinematic with respect to the terminal phases (ca. 437-415 Ma) of the Caledonian orogeny. We used U-Pb dating of zircon and titanite to investigate the construction of the batholith over time. Imaging of these minerals reveals complex, zoned grains with distinct autocrystic (growth during pluton emplacement) and antecrystic (growth during lower crustal incubation) domains as well as xenocrysts (incorporated from wall rocks). To determine the ages of emplacement and of inherited domains, discrete growth zones were targeted for dating using laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). Taken together, the zircon and titanite U-Pb isotopic data indicate that magmatism occurred over at least 30 m.y., between ca. 430 Ma and 400 Ma. Batholith emplacement is bracketed by the ca. 427-423 Ma Ardara pluton and the latest phases in the Main Donegal and Trawenagh Bay plutons (ca. 400 Ma). Although apparently volumetrically minor, U-Pb data from spatially associated mafic rocks (appinite suite, lamprophyre dikes, and mafic enclaves in granitoid plutons) yield ages ranging from ca. 431-416 Ma, which indicates ongoing mafic magmatism during emplacement of much of the Donegal composite batholith. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We define the path coalgebra and Gabriel quiver constructions as functors between the category of k-quivers and the category of pointed k-coalgebras, for k a field. We define a congruence relation on the coalgebra side, show that the functors above respect this relation, and prove that the induced Gabriel k-quiver functor is left adjoint to the corresponding path coalgebra functor. We dualize, obtaining adjoint pairs of functors (contravariant and covariant) for pseudocompact algebras. Using these tools we describe precisely to what extent presentations of coalgebras and pseudocompact algebras in terms of path objects are unique, giving an application to homogeneous algebras. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome or ME/CFS) is a debilitating, complex, multisystem illness. Developing a comprehensive understanding of the multiple and interconnected barriers to optimal care will help advance strategies and care models to improve quality of life for people living with ME in Canada. Objectives: To: (1) identify and systematically map the available evidence; (2) investigate the design and conduct of research; (3) identify and categorize key characteristics; and (4) identify and analyse knowledge gaps related to healthcare system barriers for people living with ME in Canada. Methods: The protocol was preregistered in July 2022. Peer‐reviewed and grey literature was searched, and patient partners retrieved additional records. Eligible records were Canadian, included people with ME/CFS and included data or synthesis relevant to healthcare system barriers. Results: In total, 1821 records were identified, 406 were reviewed in full, and 21 were included. Healthcare system barriers arose from an underlying lack of consensus and research on ME and ME care; the impact of long‐standing stigma, disbelief, and sexism; inadequate or inconsistent healthcare provider education and training on ME; and the heterogeneity of care coordinated by family physicians. Conclusions: People living with ME in Canada face significant barriers to care, though this has received relatively limited attention. This synthesis, which points to several areas for future research, can be used as a starting point for researchers, healthcare providers and decision‐makers who are new to the area or encountering ME more frequently due to the COVID‐19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hahn's difference operator D q ; w f (x) = (f (q x + w) − f (x)) / ((q − 1) x + w) , q ∈ (0 , 1) , w > 0 , x ≠ w / (1 − q) is used to unify the recently established difference and q-asymptotic iteration methods (DAIM, qAIM). The technique is applied to solve the second-order linear Hahn difference equations. The necessary and sufficient conditions for polynomial solutions are derived and examined for the (q ; w) -hypergeometric equation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The introduction of assessment orientated policy in 2016 marks a significant change in Scottish education as it will establish standardised national testing. Teachers in Gaelic medium education are well placed to offer insights as they have had considerable autonomy regarding assessment and this paper is the first to consider the impact of this specific reform in Scotland. Three linked themes emerged from thematic analysis based on focus group data. Participants were keen to discuss the climate regarding Gaelic medium education linking concerns with the ongoing reform of assessment policy. Policy and practice implications are discussed as well as the anticipated impact the assessments may have on pupils and teaching staff. This paper contributes to the understanding regarding the role of standardised tests in education and feeds into an understanding of policy development through the lens of immersion education highlighting uncertainties held by teachers when reform is underway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We utilized a strengths-based community capacity framework to consult with nursing home residents with dementia about the development of a co-located intergenerational visitation program. Twelve residents participated in face-to-face interviews. Eleven of the residents spoke about their positive reaction to the childcare center opening, including how it would benefit both the residents and the children. In addition, seven of the participants indicated some concerns with the opening of the childcare center. These concerns related to role ambiguity for the residents, the behavior of the children, the level of commitment required by the residents, and child safety concerns. Recommendations include processes to work with residents as innovative programs are being developed for nursing homes for people with dementia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies have demonstrated that semiochemical-baited intercept traps differ in their performance for sampling insects, but we have an incomplete understanding of how and why intercept trap design effects vary among insects. This can significantly delay both the development of new and optimization of existing survey and detection tools. The development of a mechanistic understanding of why trap performance varies within and among species would mitigate this delay. The primary objective of this study was to develop methods to characterize and compare the odor plumes associated with intercept traps that differ in their performance for forest Coleoptera. We released CO2 and measured fluctuations of this tracer gas from 175-point locations arranged in a 2-by-3-by-2-m grid cuboid downwind of a standard multiple-funnel, a modified multiple-funnel, a panel, a canopy malaise trap, and a blank control (i.e., no trap) in a greenhouse. Significant differences in trapping efficacy between these different trap designs were observed for Monochamus scutellatus (Say) and Monochamus notatus (Drury) in a field trial. Significant differences were also observed in how CO2 accumulated in time at different positions downwind among these different trap designs. Turbulent dispersion is the dominant force structuring odor plumes and creates intermittency in the odor plume that is important for sustained upwind flight in insects. Methodological and instrumental limitations resulted in the inability to determine instantaneous plume structures and vortex shedding frequencies for different intercept trap designs. Although we observed differences in the odor plumes emanating downwind of the different intercept trap designs, we were unable to reconcile these differences with capture rates of the different trap designs for M. scutellatus and M. notatus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The commercialization of RNA‐based agricultural products requires robust ecological risk assessments. Ecological risk is operationally defined as a function of exposure and adverse effects. Information on the environmental fate of RNA‐based plant‐incorporated protectants is essential to define routes and duration of exposure to potentially sensitive nontarget organisms. Providing these details in problem formulation helps focus the ecological risk assessment on the relevant species of concern. Postharvest plant residue is often considered to be the most significant route of exposure for genetically modified crops to adjacent aquatic environments. Previous studies have shown that DvSnf7 RNA from SmartStax PRO maize dissipates rapidly in both terrestrial and aquatic environments. Although these studies suggest that direct exposure to DvSnf7 RNA is likely to be low, little is known regarding the fate of DvSnf7 RNA produced in plants after entering an aquatic environment. This exposure scenario is relevant to detritivorous aquatic invertebrates that process conditioned maize tissues that enter aquatic environments. To assess potential exposure to shredders, dissipation of DvSnf7 RNA expressed maize tissue was evaluated following immersion in microcosms containing sediment and water. Concentrations of DvSnf7 RNA in the tissue were measured over a duration of 21 d. The DvSnf7 RNA dissipated rapidly from immersed maize tissue and was undetectable in the tissues after 3 d. Concentrations of DvSnf7 RNA found in tissue as well as calculated water column concentrations were below levels known to elicit effects in a highly sensitive surrogate species, supporting the conclusion of minimal risk to aquatic nontarget organisms. Environ Toxicol Chem 2020;39:1032–1040. © 2020 SETAC [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Paramedics are among the most frequently injured health professionals in Australia. A lack of physical capacity may contribute to injury risk in this occupational population. Aims This study sought to describe and compare the physical fitness of male and female paramedics across age groups to ascertain differences in physical capacity. Methods A group of regional Australian paramedics (n = 140; 78 males; mean ± SD 37.4 ± 9.9 years; body mass index 28.1 ± 4.9 kg/m2) underwent a fitness assessment. Measures included upper, lower and core-body muscular strength and flexibility. Outcomes were compared between genders and across age groups using two-way between-groups analysis of variance. Results Male paramedics had greater upper body strength (P < 0.05; push-ups) mean (95% CI): 22.6 (19.4–25.9) versus 18.7 (15.2–22.3); similar lower body strength (single-leg wall squat): 39.0 (32.6–45.3) s versus 36.7 (27.1–46.3) s; greater core strength (P < 0.05; prone plank hold): 87.9 (77.6–98.3) s versus 73.8 (63.7–83.8) s; similar upper body flexibility (back scratch): −4.0 (−6.7 to −1.3) cm versus −0.3 (−2.2 to 1.7) cm; and similar lower body flexibility (sit and reach): 20.4 (18.2–22.6) cm versus 26.1 (23.5–28.7) cm to female paramedics. Core, upper and lower body strength all decreased with age (P < 0.05). Conclusions Core, upper and lower body strength and upper body flexibility were poorer for older compared to younger regional paramedics in New South Wales, Australia. Future research should investigate whether these outcomes are associated with occupational injury risk. This information would assist in the design of injury prevention interventions for paramedics such as tailored workplace exercise programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our longitudinal, qualitative study with 29 pregnant adolescents who smoke used a Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach to understand experiences and the function of tobacco through pregnancy to 6 months postpartum. The young women described complex lives of overlapping oppressions interspersed with expressions of resistance; these were lived experiences on the threshold of both adulthood and an anticipated better life. Our research implicated tobacco use as a value laden action at the border of oppression and resistance. Thinking about tobacco as a component of and a flag for oppression, we combined a gender based focus with the social ecological model to create a rich understanding of the opportunities for designing equitable interventions that address a range of interconnected influences on an adolescent mother's health. Opportunities for interventions open briefly in the space between the early idealism displayed by adolescent mothers and the impinging potential reality of oppressive life trajectories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We use simulation models of the winter biology of two forest insects — emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire, 1888) and mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins, 1902) — to illustrate the anticipated effect of the polar vortex of the winter of 2019 on overwintering survival. Cold spells in late January and early and mid-February were cool enough that relatively high levels of mortality of both species may be expected in many parts of northern Canada. However, the high mortality response is not ubiquitous, and neither is it particularly severe compared with winter weather patterns from earlier decades. Forest insect pest managers will be required to carry on their usual work of population assessment and response. As Earth's climate continues to warm, overwintering survival should, on average, increase in both species. However, the common occurrence of a split polar vortex associated with increasingly meridional jet stream flows should bring the odd winter of heavy mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concerns over possible impacts from the rapid expansion of unconventional oil and natural gas (ONG) resource development prompted a regional domestic well sampling program focusing on the Carboniferous Maritimes Basin bedrock in southeastern New Brunswick, Canada. This work applies recent developments in robust multivariate statistical methods to overcome issues with highly non-Gaussian data and support the development of a conceptual model for the regional groundwater chemistry and the occurrence of methane. Principal component analysis reveals that the redox-sensitive species, DO, NO 3 , Fe, Mn, methane, As and U are the most important parameters that differentiate the samples. Permutation-based MANOVA and ANOVA testing revealed that geology was more important than geographic location and topography in influencing groundwater composition. The statistical inferences are supported by chemistry trends observed in relation to road de-icing salt and other saline sources. However, source differentiation between Carboniferous brines, entrapped post-glacial marine water and modern seawater cannot be made. Furthermore, Cl:Br ratios lower than those of seawater or regional brines suggest an origin related to the diagenesis of organic-rich sediment and that the groundwater may be influenced by local low permeability units. Combined spatial, statistical and chemical analysis shows that, while trace or low levels of methane, <1 mg/L, are found ubiquitously throughout the Maritimes Basin, elevated concentrations, >1 mg/L, are associated with the Horton Group, consistent with it being the host and inferred source of ONG resources in the province. The highest methane concentrations (14–29 mg/L) were detected in the region with a complex history of cycles of uplift and erosion which, in some locations, resulted in the juxtaposition at the surface of the Horton Group with several other groups of the Maritimes Basin. It is thought that proximity to the Horton Group can lead to naturally high methane concentrations in non-ONG-bearing units. Unlabelled Image • Robust and permutational statistics reveal trends in regional hydrogeochemistry. • Geology is more important than geographic setting or topography. • Low levels of methane are ubiquitous in groundwater from Maritimes Basin bedrock. • Naturally elevated concentrations of methane are associated with the Horton Group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nature kindergartens present opportunities to foster a love of natural environments through formative early childhood experiences. Three early childhood education settings – one in Denmark, one in Finland and one in Scotland – provided insight into nature kindergarten provision that has historically attracted a high proportion of male staff. At the three cases, this qualitative study recorded observation and interview data during 53 sessions across 16 months, with each setting being visited once in each season. Work by Foucault [1976. "Truth and Power." In Essential Works of Foucault, edited by P. Rabinow, 111–133. New York: The New Press; Foucault. 1978. The History of Sexuality. Volume I. New York: Vintage] and Connell [2005. Masculinities. Cambridge: Policy Press] permit a deeper understanding of the ways in which different environments may afford specific kinds of social interaction that privilege certain 'ways of being'. This paper provides a nuanced consideration of how masculinities and femininities, shaped through governing socio-cultural discourses, are evident in nature kindergarten practice. The findings feature descriptions of simple, quotidian practices that have local relevance to each setting and were recognised to support nature-based learning. Such practices are influenced by practitioner-held, gendered dispositions and orientations towards nature that collectively underpin career choice and sustain contributions to the early childhood education workforce. This research adds to the developing literature regarding nature kindergartens, nature-based learning and early-childhood education and offers suggested directions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Perched water table conditions were observed during the late fall and spring. • Lateral flow occurred over the compact till during perched water table conditions. • A surface-applied Br tracer plume migrated vertically past the soil-till interface. • Nitrate leached from the root zone is expected to eventually reach deep groundwater. • Time-lapse electrical resistivity imaging confirmed flow was dominantly vertical. Intensive potato production is an important contributor to groundwater and surface water nitrate contamination in the province of Prince Edward Island (PEI), Canada. In PEI, the presence of a permeability contrast between soil and the underlying compact basal till at approximately 1 m depth is known to cause temporary perched water table conditions, but the implications for agricultural nitrate transport are not well understood. This study is the first detailed field investigation to examine the impact of the soil – compact basal till interface on vertical and lateral subsurface flow of water and solutes on a moderate hillslope in PEI. A surface-applied tracer test was conducted and a shallow drain-tile pipe system, with a tipping bucket gauge, was installed down-gradient of the tracer application to monitor lateral subsurface flow. In addition, three-dimensional electrical resistivity imaging (ERI) was employed to monitor the evolution of the applied tracer plume over a period of 1 year. A small scale, transient flow and transport model was used to simulate the tracer test and to investigate the sensitivity of tracer transport to selected parameters (primarily, the hydraulic conductivities of the soils and underlying compact basal till). Monitoring, conducted from October 2013 to June 2015, and numerical modeling showed a strong tendency for vertical flow of water and tracer through the soil – compact basal till interface as opposed to lateral down-slope subsurface flow. Water balance calculations estimated a total vertical flow of 94.5% of the infiltration for the October 2014 to January 2015 period. The preference for vertical over lateral flow and transport was consistent with electrical resistivity images for the same time period. These findings indicate that the fate of infiltrating water and dissolved nitrate is the deeper bedrock aquifer water table, and that intermittent perched water table conditions do not result in significant lateral flow toward nearby surface waters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The philosophy of comprehensive education embedded in Scottish policy has long been recognised as an exemplary feature. The commitment to language learning is evident in recent policy supporting primary pupils who will learn two languages as well as the language of their school. For most children, this will involve English and two other languages, one of which could involve Gaelic. For children enrolled in Gaelic medium education, Gaelic is identified as the first language, coupled with English and a further modern language. Although this policy can be applauded, it may further complicate Gaelic medium education provision where the outcome is to provide pupils with an equal footing in Gaelic and English languages. The paucity of research focused on assessing and diagnosing language difficulties in Gaelic is particularly concerning. This paper approaches this need by reviewing available research and literature around this topic. A summary of policy, research and related fields is provided, including suggestions for potential future activity. This paper identifies compelling evidence that the development of support resources for children becoming bilingual through Gaelic medium education should take place as a matter of urgency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The invasive emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis) causes damage to street trees which is estimated to reach US$ 900 million over the next 30 years. Although millions of dollars are spent annually to control this species, spatiotemporal management plans are often based on rules of thumb that ignore future pest dispersal. Here, we reveal an optimal management strategy to protect urban trees in North America from A. planipennis. To achieve this, we embedded a pest dispersal model within a mixed integer programming framework. We discovered that optimized strategies consistently outperformed those based on rules of thumb, potentially resulting in the protection of an additional nearly 1 million street trees and savings of $ 629 million. Critically, the best management strategies always relied on quarantines and biological control (constituting 98–99% and 1–2% of the project budget, respectively), in contrast with current practices, where federal spending has been diverted to biological control. Our findings serve to inform future pest control efforts and can help protect many more trees from this invasive species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper tackles the important question of practitioner engagement and is the first to present an overview of relevant Gaelic medium education (GME) research. Following the formal inception in 1985, GME is now more widely available across Scotland. An overview of GME is presented and situates provision within the other Celtic minority languages of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. While considerable achievements have been achieved in the provision of GME, it does mean that researchers have had a finite number of teachers to work with. Given the well-known difficulties of conducting research in applied settings, the noteworthy engagement and participation suggests Gaelic medium teachers are particularly eager to contribute and should be recognised when Gaelic is viewed internationally. The article ends with an outline of potential directions for future work and the scope of research needed to strengthen the developing body of research regarding GME. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT: Development of renewable bio‐based unsaturated polyesters is undergoing a renaissance, typified by the use of itaconate and fumarate monomers. The electron‐deficient CC bond found on the corresponding polyesters allows convenient post‐polymerisation modification to give a wide range of polymer properties; this is notably effective for the addition of nucleophilic pendants. However, preservation of unsaturated functionality is blighted by two undesirable side‐reactions, branching/crosslinking and CC isomerisation. Herein, a tentative kinetic study of diethylamine addition to model itaconate and fumarate diesters highlights the significance of undesirable CC isomerisation. In particular, it shows that reversible isomerisation from itaconate to mesaconate (a poor Michael acceptor) is in direct competition with aza‐Michael addition, where the amine Michael donor acts as an isomerisation catalyst. We postulate that undesired formation of mesaconate is responsible for the long reaction times previously reported for itaconate polyester post‐polymerisation modification. This study illustrates the pressing need to overcome this issue of CC isomerisation to enhance post‐polymerisation modification of bio‐based unsaturated polyesters. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2018, 56, 1935–1945 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, there have been a number of studies assessing water chemistry in private water supply wells in areas of unconventional oil and gas development. Many of the wells in these studies were only sampled once and a question remains as to how representative the results from a single sample are given the potential for temporal variability. To evaluate this issue, the temporal variability of water chemistry from fourteen private water wells in two study areas of southeastern New Brunswick was monitored on a monthly basis over the course of a year. The study areas had been the focus of unconventional natural gas development (the Sussex study area) or exploration (the Kent study area). Temporal data for dissolved methane, ethane and propane concentrations, the stable isotopes of carbon and hydrogen in methane, and inorganic chemistry were collected. In the Kent study area, there was little variation in water chemistry from the six wells studied, with the relative standard deviations (RSD) for methane ranging from 0 to 20%. This indicates that the water from these wells was not affected by seasonal factors such as changing temperature or hydrogeological conditions and that it is possible to acquire reproducible dissolved methane concentrations and water chemistry data from private water supply wells. The drillers’ logs for the Kent wells indicate that the casings were installed to depths that likely isolated the water-producing intervals from near-surface hydrogeochemical variations and that the majority of water drawn from the wells enters from a single, relatively high-yield, water-bearing zone. The temporal variability was higher in the eight wells located in the Sussex study area, with the RSDs for methane ranging from 18 to 141%. There were concurrent variations in inorganic parameters, suggesting that the changes in methane concentrations reflected hydrogeochemical fluctuations in the aquifers as opposed to sampling artifacts. The wells with the most variable water chemistry over time had multiple, often relatively low-yield, water-bearing zones. In those wells, methane was associated with Na-HCO 3 water from relatively deep water-bearing zones, while dissolved oxygen (DO) and NO 3 were associated with shallower, Ca-HCO 3 , groundwater. The presence of the redox-controlled species Mn, Fe, SO 4 and H 2 S, did not appear to affect the temporal variability of methane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A review is presented of SEPHYDRO, a web based tool which uses algorithms to separate and analyze streamflow hydrographs from collaborative research effort between Environment and Climate Change Canada, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the Canadian Rivers Institute.

Abstract: Emerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), is the most significant invasive forest pest in North America. Laboratory research on this species requires sources of adult and larval insects that are of the same fitness as those present in the wild. Production of adult EAB relies on flushing adults from logs which are subject to cold storage for some period prior to use. The effect of this storage on the number of insects emerging or the fitness of those that emerge has not been investigated. We subjected logs of EAB‐infested white ash, Fraxinus americana L. (Oleaceae), to 7–14 months of cold storage and quantified the number of insects that emerged, the time to emergence, and the body condition of adults as a measure of fitness. Body condition was evaluated using Soxhlet fat extraction and water weight. No published methods for Soxhlet fat extraction were available for this species so we developed extraction protocols. The number of insects emerging decreased with time, but fitness (i.e., fat and water content) did not decrease. Time to emergence did increase but only in the longest storage treatment, whereas a comparison of male vs. female emergence provides evidence for protandry in EAB. Rearing programs for EAB using wood from cold storage should adjust the amount used to produce a given number of insects but the quality of those individuals emerging will not be affected. We suggest that those insects that perished during storage were of lower quality when entering diapause and thus would serve as poor‐quality host in rearing programs for natural enemies of EAB. These data also provide evidence for one pathway of introduction for EAB, suggesting that refrigeration in transit was required for EAB to remain viable and establish its beachhead in North America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the relationship between having a child with a disability or developmental delay and early impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on family environments that influenced early childhood development and health in the Maritime provinces of Canada. This was a mixed method cross-sectional survey involving 256 primary caregivers of children with disabilities or developmental delays and 1720 primary caregivers of typically developing children aged 0–8 years. A Family access to resources and social support, parenting Abilities and self-care, and home Routines and Environments change scale (FARE Change Scale) was produced from the survey to assess the early impacts of the pandemic on family environments that influenced early childhood development and health. Open-ended questions provided in-depth description of the early impacts of the pandemic on family environments. Pooled bivariate and multivariate regression coefficients revealed that having a child with a disability or developmental delay significantly decreased a caregiver's score on the FARE Change Scale by 1.95. The open-ended questions were thematically analyzed. Caregivers of children with disabilities or developmental delays discussed positive and negative impacts of the pandemic on their family environments. Overall, the study findings indicate that the early impacts of the pandemic on family environments that influenced early childhood development and health of children with disabilities or developmental delays were mixed and context-specific. The study findings inform the development of context-specific policies and programs to adequately support families of children with disabilities or developmental delays in public health crises similar to the pandemic. Highlights: Early impacts of the pandemic on families of children with disabilities or developmental delays in the Maritime provinces of Canada were mixed and context-specific. Measures to mitigate public health crises similar to the pandemic should take into consideration the needs of families of children with disabilities or developmental delays. Positive experiences associated with the pandemic discussed by some families in our study offer important directions to adequately address some unmet needs that families experienced before the pandemic into the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A second countable virtually free pro- $$p$$ group all of whose torsion elements have finite centralizer is the free pro- $$p$$ product of finite p-groups and a free pro- $$p$$ factor. The proof explores a connection between p-adic representations of finite p-groups and virtually free pro- p groups. In order to utilize this connection, we first prove a version of a remarkable theorem of A. Weiss for infinitely generated profinite modules that allows us to detect freeness of profinite modules. The proof now proceeds using techniques developed in the combinatorial theory of profinite groups. Using an HNN-extension, we embed our group into a semidirect product $$F\rtimes K$$ of a free pro- p group F and a finite p-group K that preserves the conditions on centralizers and such that every torsion element is conjugate to an element of K. We then show that the $$\mathbb {Z}_pK$$ -module F / [ F, F] is free using the detection theorem mentioned above. This allows us to deduce the result for $$F\rtimes K$$ , and hence for our original group, using the pro- p version of the Kurosh subgroup theorem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nursing-home staff perspectives on the development of intergenerational shared sites involving nursing homes and child-care centers is lacking. We use a strengths-based and community capacity framework to learn of the perceived benefits and burdens for nursing-home staff within a nursing home planning to implement a shared-site intergenerational program. Forty-two nursing-home staff completed a survey. Almost three-quarters of the participants either indicated strong positive support or saw more pros than cons in opening the child-care center. Over 25% of participants indicated that it was very possible they would use this service if it were available. Quantitative and qualitative results indicated existing strengths and areas to build capacity around four themes: nursing-home residents; nursing-home staff; children attending the child-care center; and the buildings and grounds. Our research emphasizes the importance of ensuring that other stakeholders, such as nursing-home staff, are also fully informed, consulted, and engaged in the process of developing a new colocated intergenerational program to contribute to the success of these programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An investigation has been carried out to characterize and evaluate phenolic compounds of bio-oils produced by the microwave enhanced pyrolysis of spruce woodchips (picea abies) for their potential application in stabilizing biodiesel from autoxidation. Four extracts were isolated from the bio-oil through multi-fractionation steps using a liquid–liquid extraction method: water-soluble, neutral, phenolic and organic acids extracts. The crude bio-oil and the isolated extracts were characterized by GC-MS, GC-FID, total phenols by Folin–Ciocalteu assay, ATR-IR and 13C NMR. The antioxidative effect of the crude bio-oil, its isolated extracts and two significant phenolic components (eugenol and catechol) of the crude bio-oil were also investigated using methyl linoleate as a biodiesel model by means of a high temperature (120 °C) oxidation test. The results show that methyl linoleate induction time increased after blending small amounts (1.4–5.6% w/w) of either the crude bio-oil or the isolated extracts. However, the crude bio-oil showed higher induction times in comparison with its isolated extracts, which was significant because the crude bio-oil contained a lower concentration of phenolic species (23% w/w), especially in comparison to the phenolic concentration in the phenolic extract (49.6% w/w). Furthermore, catechol was found to be very effective and was similar to crude bio-oil in the inhibition of methyl linoleate autoxidation, unlike eugenol, which was less effective at equivalent molar concentrations. Also, the effect of catechol and the crude bio-oil on methyl linoleate induction time was approximately comparable with a commercial antioxidant (butylated hydroxytoluene) when treated at equivalent molar concentration of phenols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the artefacts of personal adornment recovered during recent archaeological excavations of a graveyard associated with the nineteenth century, British-run ‘Liberated African Establishment’ in Rupert's Valley, on the South Atlantic Island of St Helena. It presents evidence for the transportation of pre-enslavement cultural material, and identifies factors that may have affected the ability of captive Africans to retain personal effects. It also discusses the interpretative constraints that exist in identifying transported – as opposed to acquired – material culture in the context of the post-Abolition Transatlantic slave trade. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Little is known about midlife and older women who experience intimate partner violence living in rural places and their resource needs. Guided by a strengths perspective, we provided insights into resources that midlife and older women use, or would like to use, in their journey in leaving an abusive partner. Eight women who had left an abusive partner participated in a face-to-face interview. They drew on a wide variety of paid and unpaid resources, while each woman had a unique set of resources that contributed to her being able to make such a significant life transition. It is clear that we need to have a variety of formal and informal resources available to older women experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV) in rural places, and new forms of resources need to be developed. Our results also indicate that increased efforts are needed in improving both public and professional education regarding older rural women and IPV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The biorefinery is an important concept for the development of alternative routes to a range of interesting and important materials from renewable resources. It ensures that the resources are used fully and that all parts of them are valorized. This paper develops this concept, using brown macroalgae Ascophyllum nodosum as an example, by assistance of microwave technology. A step-by-step process was designed to obtain fucoidan, alginates, sugars and biochar (alga residue) consecutively. The yields of fucoidan, alginates, sugars and biochar were 14.09%, 18.24%, 10.87% and 21.44%, respectively. To make an evaluation of the biorefinery process, seaweed sample was also treated for fucoidan extraction only, alginate extraction only and hydrothermal treatment for sugars and biochar only. The chemical composition and properties of each product were also analyzed. The results indicated that A. nodosum could be potentially used as feedstock for a biorefinery process to produce valuable chemicals and fuels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inhomogeneous dephasing from uncontrolled environmental noise can limit the coherence of a quantum sensor or qubit. For solid-state spin qubits such as the nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center in diamond, a dominant source of environmental noise is magnetic field fluctuations due to nearby paramagnetic impurities and instabilities in a magnetic bias field. In this work, we use ac stress generated by a diamond mechanical resonator to engineer a dressed spin basis in which a single NV center qubit is less sensitive to its magnetic environment. For a qubit in the thermally isolated subspace of this protected basis, we prolong the dephasing time T2* from 2.7 ± 0.1 to 15 ± 1μs is by dressing with a Ω/2π = 581 + 2 kHz mechanical Rabi field. Furthermore, we develop a model that quantitatively predicts the relationship between Ω and T2* in the dressed basis. Our model suggests that a combination of magnetic field fluctuations and hyperfine coupling to nearby nuclear spins limits the protected coherence time over the range of Ω accessed here. We show that amplitude noise in Ω will dominate the dephasing for larger driving fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early childhood educators are key to delivering early childhood education and care (ECEC) for the benefit of children, their families and society alike. For the benefits of ECEC to be realised, however, the educators who deliver these services need to be well. Despite growing attention to attracting and retaining a high-quality early childhood workforce, little is known about the work-related psychological and physiological well-being of early childhood educators. This paper contributes an example of a protocol for an holistic study of early childhood educators' well-being. It describes the use of multiple, interdisciplinary, innovative methods to measure educators' physiological and psychological well-being, within the context of their work environment. Recommendations are provided for future studies of educators' holistic well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Groundwater with total dissolved sulphide concentrations in excess of 1.0 × 10 − 4 mol L − 1 3 mg L − 1 is relatively common at intermediate depths in sedimentary basins. However, the mechanisms responsible for the formation and spatial distribution of these sulphidic waters in sedimentary basins, which have been affected by periods of glaciation and deglaciation, are not fully understood. Sulphate reduction rates depend on many factors including redox conditions, salinity, temperature, and the presence and abundance of sulphate, organic matter, and sulphate-reducing bacteria. Two-dimensional reactive transport modelling was undertaken to provide potential explanations for the presence and distribution of sulphidic waters in sedimentary basins, partially constrained by field data from the Michigan Basin underlying Southern Ontario, Canada. Simulations were able to generally reproduce the observed depth-dependent distribution of sulphide. Sulphate reduction was most significant at intermediate depths due to anoxic conditions and elevated sulphate concentrations in the presence of organic matter in waters with relatively low salinity. The simulations indicate that glaciation-deglaciation periods increase mixing of waters at this interfacial zone, thereby enhancing rates of sulphate reduction and the formation of sulphide. In addition, the simulations indicate that glaciation-deglaciation cycles do not significantly affect sulphide concentrations in low permeability units, even at shallow depths (e.g., 25 m), while concentrations in permeable units remain stable below depths of 500 m. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Miscanthus is a major bioenergy crop in Europe and a potential feedstock for second generation biofuels. The most efficient and realistic method to produce fermentable sugars from lignocellulosic biomass is by enzymatic hydrolysis, assisted by thermo-chemical pretreatment. Recently, microwave technology has drawn growing attention, because of its unique effects and performance on biomass. Result: In this work, microwave energy was applied to facilitate NaOH and H2SO4 pretreatment for Miscanthus under different temperatures (130-200 °C) for 20 min. The yields of reducing sugars from Miscanthus during the pretreatment process increased up to 180 °C and then declined with increasing temperature. Out results here showed a remarkable sugar yield from available carbohydrate (73 %) at the temperature of 180 °C by using 0.2 M H2SO4. In comparison with conventional heating pretreatment studied at same temperature with same biomass material, the reducing sugar release in this study was 17 times higher within half the time. It was highlighted that the major sugar component could be tuned by changing pretreatment temperature or pretreatment media. Optimally, the glucose and xylose yield from available carbohydrate are 47 and 22 % by using 0.2 M H2SO4 and NaOH respectively when temperature was 180 °C. The digestibility of pretreated Miscanthus was 10 times higher than that of untreated biomass. 68-86 % of the lignin content was removed from biomass by 0.2 M NaOH. Simultaneous saccharification fermentation (SSF) results showed an ethanol production of 143-152 mg/g biomass by using H2SO4/NaOH microwave assisted pretreatment, which is 7 times higher than that of untreated Miscanthus. Biomass morphology was studied by SEM, showing temperature has a strong influence on lignin removal process, as different lignin deposits were observed. At the temperature of 180 °C, NaOH pretreated biomass presented highly exposed fibres, which is a very important biomass characteristic for improved enzymatic hydrolysis. Conclusion: Compared to conventional pretreatment, microwave assisted pretreatment is more energy efficient and faster, due to its unique heating mechanism leading to direct interaction between the polar part of biomass and electromagnetic field. The results of this work present promising potential for using microwave to assist biomass thermo-chemical pretreatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Active heat injection and temperature monitoring are methods that may have potential for the detection of anomalous seepage at the interface between earth dams and concrete structures. A finite-element modeling investigation was conducted to assess the feasibility of using such a seepage-detection approach. Anomalous seepage at the interface between a clay and concrete structure was simulated by increasing the hydraulic conductivity in a 3-m-thick zone and imposing a range of hydraulic gradients. The results indicate that the heat-injection location would need to be less than 1.0 m from the interface to ensure seepage-related temperature deviations of 1.0°C or greater. Provided the heat-injection location is within 1.0 m of the interface, it is concluded that the interpretation of temperature data collected prior to, during, and following heat injection should be a feasible method for identifying locations of anomalous seepage. A simulation with realistic dam geometry, including seasonally varying reservoir and air-temperature boundary conditions, showed that these factors should not overwhelm the temperature deviations generated by active heating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sulfated polysaccharides (fucoidan) from brown seaweed Ascophyllum nodosum were extracted by microwave assisted extraction (MAE) technology. Different conditions of temperature (90–150 °C), extraction time (5–30 min) were evaluated and optimal fucoidan yield was 16.08%, obtained from 120 °C for 15 min's extraction. Compositional analysis, GPC, HPAEC and IR analysis were employed for characterization of extracted sulfated polysaccharides. Fucose was the main monosaccharide of fucoidan extracted at 90 °C while glucuronic acid was the main monosaccharide of fucoidan extracted at 150 °C. Both the molecular weight and sulfate content of extracted fucoidan increased with decreasing extraction temperature. All fucoidans exhibited antioxidant activities as measured by DPPH scavenging and reducing power, among which fucoidan extracted at 90 °C was highest. This study shows that MAE is an efficient technology to extract sulfated polysaccharides from seaweed and Ascophyllum nodosum could potentially be a resource for natural antioxidants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider the following Antenna Orientation Problem: Given a connected Unit Disk Graph (UDG) formed by n identical omnidirectional sensors, what is the optimal range (or radius) which is necessary and sufficient for a given antenna beamwidth (or angle) ϕ so that after replacing the omnidirectional sensors by directional antennas of beamwidth ϕ it is possible to find an appropriate orientation of each antenna so that the resulting graph is strongly connected? In this paper we study beamwidth/range tradeoffs for the Antenna Orientation Problem. Namely, for the full range of angles in the interval [ 0 , 2 π ] we compare the antenna range provided by an orientation algorithm to the optimal possible for the given beamwidth. We propose new antenna orientation algorithms that ensure improved bounds for given angle ranges and analyze their complexity. We also examine the Antenna Orientation Problem with Constant Stretch Factor, where we wish to optimize both the transmission range and the hop-stretch factor of the induced communication network. We present approximations to this problem for antennas with angles π / 2 ≤ ϕ ≤ 2 π . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ambermarked birch leafminer, Profenusa thomsoni Konow (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae), was first discovered in Alaska in 1991 but was not correctly identified until 1996 when it invaded Anchorage and became a widespread and damaging pest to forest and urban birches. In 2003, the parasitoid wasp, Lathrolestes thomsoni Reshchikov (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), was selected as a candidate for a classical biological control program against P. thomsoni . Parasitized leafminer larvae were collected from the Northwest Territories and Alberta, Canada, where it was previously introduced and causing injury to Betula spp., and transferred to Alaska in soil as pre-pupae for emergence. From 2004 to 2008, 3636 adult L. thomsoni adults were released in birch stands in Alaska. Parasitoids were later recovered at all six release sites in Anchorage and the Kenai Peninsula. While percent leaves mined declined by 30–40% at parasitoid release sites over the period of this study, a similar decline was also observed at paired, non-release long-term monitoring sites. Therefore, the decline in the pest density cannot be ascribed entirely to L. thomsoni . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nature-based learning is an increasingly popular type of early childhood education. Despite this, children’s experiences—in particular, their form and function within different settings and how they are viewed by practitioners—are relatively unknown. Accordingly, the use of nature as a setting and a resource for learning was researched. A description and an emerging understanding of nature-based learning were obtained through the use of a group discussion and case studies. Practitioners’ views demonstrated their eagerness to share experience that ranged from positive examples to challenges encountered within practice. Case studies recorded in a Scottish nature kindergarten and two Nordic counterparts take a situated view of nature-based learning. Findings indicate that nature is utilised as setting, as resource and as educator within children’s learning and this holds true within different countries. Local, social and cultural contexts exert influence on pedagogical practice and implications for practice based upon these are given. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Significant amounts of paper deinking residue (DIR) has been and is still being generated from paper deinking processes, representing both an economic and environmental burden for recycled paper mills. Our research on low-temperature (<200 °C) microwave-assisted (MW-assisted) pyrolysis of DIR allows for simultaneously efficient fast separation and recovery of the organic and inorganic content of DIR at relatively low temperature and within 15 min. Our study is the first highly detailed account of the use low-temperature MW-assisted pyrolysis to effect this change. The obtained liquid and solid products were characterized by a variety of analytical techniques (e.g., attenuated total reflection infrared, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, liquid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), X-ray diffraction, solid-state cross-polarization/magic-angle spinning 13C NMR, and Bloch-decay 13C NMR). The results reveal that the process efficiently separates the inorganic minerals as microwave residue (mainly calcite and kaolinite) from organic matter, and hence the microwave residue could be reused to produce new paper/cardboard products. The organic fraction bio-oil generated is energy-densified and rich in carbohydrates and is a potential source for valuable aromatic compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]