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We consider an Erlang loss system with state-dependent arrival rates. Given the system is in steady-state and there are j customers being served, the system operator may wish to know about the distribution of arrival states for the j customers in service. Specifically, they may want the steady-state probability that any given customer entered when the system had i servers busy, given j customers are currently being served. We term this metric the conditional entry-state distribution and develop an algorithm to compute it.

Global land use change has resulted in more pasture and cropland, largely at the expense of woodlands, over the last 300 years. How this change affects soil hydraulic function with regard to feedbacks to the hydrological cycle is unclear for earth system modelling (ESM). Pedotransfer functions (PTFs) used to predict soil hydraulic conductivity (K) take no account of land use. Here, we synthesize >800 measurements from around the globe from sites that measured near-saturated soil hydraulic conductivity, or infiltration, at the soil surface, on the same soil type at each location, but with differing land use, woodland (W), grassland (G) and cropland (C). We found that texture based PTFs predict K reasonably well for cropland giving unbiased results, but increasingly underestimate K in grassland and woodland. In native woodland and grassland differences in K can usually be accounted for by differences in bulk density. However, heavy grazing K responses can be much lower indicating compaction likely reduces connectivity. We show that the K response ratios (RR) between land uses vary with cropland (C/W = 0.45 [W/C = 2.2]) and grassland (G/W = 0.63 [W/G = 1.6]) having about half the K of woodland.

A series of experiments investigated genetically diverse strains of Beauveria bassiana (Bb) isolated from coffee berry borer (CBB). Objectives included assessment of their biocontrol potential, particularly in comparison to Bb commercial strain GHA currently applied for CBB control, and identification of various attributes potentially contributing to their comparatively greater epizootic potential in CBB populations. Bioassays identified one strain from Hawai'i Island and one from Puerto Rico with virulence greater than GHA based on equal weights of unformulated conidial powder (CP); however, the greater potency of the CPs was ultimately explained by their 2.4-fold greater conidial densities (ca. 3.1 vs 1.3 × 10sup11/supviable conidia/g CP). Density was explained, in large part, by conidial size, but not by size alone. Bb-inoculated CBB held on moist filter paper were more susceptible to infection than those held on cooked green coffee bean (CGCB). A Bb strain representative of the most common Hawaiian haplotype produced 2.6x more conidia after death of CGCB-held beetles than GHA (19.1 vs 7.3 x10sup6/supconidia/cadaver). Following host death, no difference was observed in time to emergence and initial conidial production by GHA and a selected group of Hawaiian strains; however, mass sporulation was initiated within 2 days by strain GHA compared to 4-5 days by the Hawaiian strains. In a preliminary evaluation of conidial mass-production potential, CP yields of several strains were comparable to GHA on a weight basis and significantly greater than GHA on a conidial basis (1.3-1.6 vs 0.7 × 10sup13/supviable conidia/kg barley substrate).

Hawai‘i’s most widespread native tree, ‘ōhi‘a lehua (Metrosideros polymorpha), has been dying across large areas of Hawai‘i Island mainly due to two fungal pathogens (Ceratocystis lukuohia and Ceratocystis huliohia) that cause a disease collectively known as Rapid ‘Ōhi‘a Death (ROD). Here we examine patterns of positive detections of C. lukuohia as it has been linked to the larger mortality events across Hawai‘i Island. Our analysis compares the environmental range of C. lukuohia and its spread over time through the known climatic range and distribution of ‘ōhi‘a. Analyses show this fungal pathogen generally encompassed the core, but not the extremes of the climatic range of ‘ōhi‘a. We further modeled the potential distribution of C. lukuohia across the Hawaiian Archipelago to estimate the risk of ROD to other islands. Given the potential for C. lukuohia to alter the structure of ‘ōhi‘a dominated forests, we used our projected potential distribution of C. lukuohia to assess the risk of ROD to threatened and endangered plant species across Hawai‘i. Many native plants are likely vulnerable to these types of large ‘ōhi‘a mortality events: of 234 endangered native plant species considered, 147 (62.8%) have more than half of their range within current and expanding C. lukuohia suitable areas. We also found evidence that protecting habitat by fencing out introduced feral ungulates reduces the prevalence of the disease likely by reducing physical damage caused by these animals to ‘ōhi‘a trees, a precondition for Ceratocystis infection. Given the ongoing spread of C. lukuohia, we developed a dynamic web portal to host our results online, where models and analyses are updated with new lab-confirmed detections to provide managers with a useful tool to help monitor and assess the risk of C. lukuohia as it continues to spread.

We investigate the association neighborhood cohesion, as source of social support, has with psychological distress among white, Black, and Latinx lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals, compared to heterosexual individuals in the United States.We estimate zero-order multinomial logistic regression models to assess the likelihood of moderate and severe psychological distress among respondents.In the models accounting for neighborhood cohesion and all other covariates, white, Black, and Latinx lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals are more likely to meet the criteria for moderate and severe psychological distress than non-LGB people.Neighborhood cohesion has differing impact on psychological distress outcomes by racial/ethnic-sexual orientation groups, but in general provides a greater magnitude of protection against moderate psychological distress for non-LGB groups and a greater magnitude of protection against severe psychological distress for LGB groups.

We propose an extrinsic, continuous-Galerkin (CG), extended finite element method (XFEM) that generalizes the work of Hansbo and Hansbo to allow multiple Heaviside enrichments within a single element in a hierarchical manner. This approach enables complex, evolving XFEM surfaces in 3D that cannot be captured using existing CG-XFEM approaches. We describe an implementation of the method for 3D static elasticity with linearized strain for modeling open cracks as a salient step towards modeling progressive fracture. The implementation includes a description of the finite element model, hybrid implicit/explicit representation of enrichments, numerical integration method, and novel degree-of-freedom (DoF) enumeration algorithm. This algorithm supports an arbitrary number of enrichments within an element, while simultaneously maintaining a CG solution across elements. Additionally, our approach easily allows an implementation suitable for distributed computing systems. Enabled by the DoF enumeration algorithm, the proposed method lays the groundwork for a computational tool that efficiently models progressive fracture. To facilitate a discussion of the complex enrichment hierarchies, we develop enrichment diagrams to succinctly describe and visualize the relationships between the enrichments (and the fields they create) within an element. This also provides a unified language for discussing extrinsic XFEM methods in the literature. We compare several methods, relying on the enrichment diagrams to highlight their nuanced differences.

The insect pathogenic fungus Hirsutella eleutheratorum was first reported as a pathogen of coffee berry borer (CBB) Hypothenemus hampei in Colombia in 1993. A similar CBB pathogen identified as Hirsutella sp. was reported also from Colombia in 2007; attempts at isolation and in vitro culture of this fungus were unsuccessful. During 2016 and 2017 on the island of Hawai'i, extensive sampling of CBB populations was conducted in coffee fields treated with Beauveria bassiana-based biopesticides and in untreated fields. Among the samples collected from two high-elevation sites in the district of South Kona were rare findings of adult foundress CBB infected with a species of Hirsutella fitting the description of H. eleutheratorum. Prevalence of the pathogen was, in all cases, very low (1%), having no significant impact on pest populations, even under conditions supporting epizootics of B. bassiana. The fungus was readily isolated from freshly-killed CBB and cultured on potato dextrose agar (PDA). Molecular characterization identified the fungus as a member of the Hirsutella citriformis clade, which includes species recently placed in the genus Ophiocordyceps. Adult CBB exposed to fungus-killed beetles or to PDA cultures of the fungus succumbed to infection within 10-14 days. Under high-humidity laboratory conditions, the fungus emerged from the killed host and produced long, conidia-bearing synnemata characteristic of the species. To our knowledge, this is the first record of H. eleutheratorum from CBB in Hawai'i and the first account of isolation, in vitro culture, genetic characterization, host-to-host transfer, and culture-to-host transfer of this fungal pathogen.

In order to effectively manage natural resources at national scales national decision makers require data on the natural capital which supports the delivery of Ecosystem Services (ES). Key data sources used for the provision of national natural capital metrics include Satellite Remote Sensing (SRS), which provides information on land cover at an increasing range of resolutions, and field survey, which can provide very high resolution data on ecosystem components, but is constrained in its potential coverage by resource requirements. Here we combine spatially representative field data from a historic national survey of Great Britain (Countryside Survey (CS)) with concurrent low resolution SRS data land cover map within modelling frameworks to produce national natural capital metrics. We present three examples of natural capital metrics; top soil carbon, headwater stream quality and nectar species plant richness which show how highly resolved, but spatially representative field data can be used to significantly enhance the potential of low resolution SRS land cover data for providing national spatial data on natural capital metrics which have been linked to Ecosystem Services (ES). We discuss the role of such metrics in evaluations of ecosystem service provision and areas of further development to improve their utility for stakeholders.

KLPH/lctl belongs to the Klotho family of proteins. Expressed sequence tag analyses unexpectedly revealed that KLPH is highly expressed in the eye lens while northern blots showed that expression is much higher in the eye than in other tissues. In situ hybridization in mouse localized mRNA to the lens, particularly in the equatorial epithelium. Immunofluorescence detected KLPH in lens epithelial cells with highest levels in the germinative/differentiation zone. The gene for KLPH in mouse was deleted by homologous recombination. Littermate knockout (KO) and wild type (WT) mice were compared in a wide panel of pathology examinations and were all grossly normal, showing no systemic effects of the deletion. However, the lens, while superficially normal at young ages, had focusing defects and exhibited age-related cortical cataract by slit lamp examination. Whole-lens imaging showed that KO mice had disorganized lens sutures, forming a loose double-y or x instead of the tight y formation of WT. RNA-seq profiles for KO and WT littermates confirmed the absence of KLPH mRNA in KO lens and also showed complete absence of transcripts for Clic5, a protein associated with cilium/basal body related auditory defects in a mouse model. Immunofluorescence of lens epithelial flat mounts showed that Clic5 localized to cilia/centrosomes. Mice mutant for Clic5 (jitterbug) also had defective sutures. These results suggest that KLPH is required for lens-specific expression of Clic5 and that Clic5 has an important role in the machinery that controls lens fiber cell extension and organization.

Beauveria bassiana (Bb) strain GHA is a major component of an integrated pest management (IPM) program for coffee berry borer (CBB) in Hawai‘i. Efforts to measure effectiveness of GHA spray applications have been complicated by activity of naturally-occurring Bb. Studies were thus designed to provide more accurate efficacy assessments by accounting for this natural activity. BotaniGard® ES + Widespread Max® (WSM) surfactant (2.3 + 0.6 L/ha) were applied in commercial coffee fields. Live CBB were collected at various times post spray and monitored for infection. GHA killed 12–15% of founder females collected 1–3 days post spray and 9–10% collected after 10 days (infections attributed to secondary transmission); each spray thus resulted in 20–25% mortality. Results were comparable at high- and low-elevation sites in summer-wet climate zones. Sprays applied May–August produced similar rates of infection. Peak counts of CBB recently killed by GHA were recorded 4–5 and 12–16 days post spray (reflecting infection by sprayed conidia vs. conidia produced in the field). Cumulative mortality assessed by counts of GHA-killed CBB plateaued at 50–60%, even after numerous sprays, and was attributed to factors unrelated to efficacy. Half rates of BotaniGard/WSM were nearly as effective as full rates. Sprays on intermediate-elevation fields in a summer-dry climate zone were less effective, but efficacy varied with crop-architecture. GHA spray residues infected 30–40% of host-seeking CBB trapped one day post spray, but activity of the spray residues decreased substantially after two days, producing

Mesofauna underpin many ecosystem functions in soils. However, mesofauna communities are often overlooked when discussing these functions on large scales. They have been proposed as bioindicators of soil quality and ecosystem health. This study aimed to evaluate differences amongst mesofauna communities, particularly Acari and Collembola, across multiple habitat and soil types, as well as organic matter levels, and their relationships with soil characteristics, on a national-scale. Soil cores were collected from 685 locations as part of a nationwide soil monitoring programme of Wales. Plant community composition, soil type, as well as physical and chemical variables, including pH, total C and N, were measured at these locations. Mesofauna were extracted from soil cores and identified using a Tullgren funnel technique. Acari were sorted to Order; Collembola were sorted according to Super-family. Abundances of mesofauna were consistently lowest in arable sites and highest in lowland woodlands, except for Mesostigmata. Differences between similar habitat types (e.g. Fertile and Infertile grasslands) were not detected using the national-level dataset and differences in mesofauna communities amongst soil types were unclear. Relationships between mesofauna groups and soil organic matter class, however, were much more informative. Oribatid abundances were lowest in mineral soils and correlated with all soil properties except moisture content. Collembola and Mesostigmata abundances were likely negatively influenced by increased moisture levels in upland peat habitats where their abundances were lowest. These groups also had low abundances in heathlands and this was reflected in low diversity values. Together, these findings show that this national-level soil survey can effectively identify differences in mesofauna community structure and correlations with soil properties. Identification of mesofauna at high taxonomic levels in national-level soil monitoring is encouraged to better understand the ecological context of changes in soil properties.

Outbreaks of Crown-of-Thorns Starfish (CoTS), Acanthaster planci, are a major cause of coral decline on the Great Barrier Reef, second only to cyclones. Although various models have been developed in the past to assist management decision making, most of these models were cohort-based deterministic descriptions with little inclusion of parameter and individual uncertainties, or they were structured around a generic ecological modelling framework, or they were not calibrated with observational data. A major challenge of statistical modelling occurs when estimation of the likelihood is computationally expensive or even intractable. However, approximate Bayesian computation (ABC) can be a convenient solution to this problem. In this study, we developed a semi-individual agent-based model for CoTS. Unlike previous models, this model amalgamated a species specific individual-based process model with statistical methods of parameter estimation, namely replenishment ABC (RABC) and ABC-rejection. This Bayesian modelling framework facilitates quantification of the uncertainty in parameter estimation while the individual-based aspect of the model enables it to take into account individual variation in life histories. In this relatively complex setting and in the absence of an informative prior, ABC-rejection was unable to efficiently estimate the posterior distribution of model parameters within a reasonable time frame. In contrast, RABC demonstrated promising results in estimating model parameters. The results of posterior predictive checks showed that most observations were within the 95% predicted intervals. Therefore, the semi-individual agent-based model developed in this study showed promising ability to accurately predict the general population trends at the three locations studied. The results of modelling identified a strong link between observed sharp declines in CoTS populations and depletion of their food (i.e. coral cover). As outbreaks of CoTs have caused substantial decline in the coral cover of the Great Barrier Reef, this model should eventually be combined with operation models to predict the outcome of different interventions, and the design of optimal control strategies.

The 2017 hurricane season devastated the U.S. gulf coast with two of the worst hurricanes in history: Harvey (107 deaths, $125B in damages) and Irma (134 deaths, $50B in damages). Despite extensive warnings, most affected residents did not evacuate their homes before the storms hit, complicating rescue and recovery efforts. Combining a large GPS dataset for 2.7 million smartphone users in Florida and Texas with U.S. Census demographic data and 2016 U.S. Presidential election precinct-level results, we empirically examine hurricane evacuation behavior. A difference-in-differences analysis demonstrates that Trump/Clinton vote share strongly predicts evacuation rates, but only after the emergence of conservative-media dismissals of hurricane warnings in September 2017, just before Irma made landfall in Florida. Following this viral "hurricane trutherism", we estimate that Trump-voting Florida residents were 10-11% less likely to evacuate Irma than Clinton-voters (34% vs. 45%) after controlling for key demographic and geographic covariates, highlighting one consequence of political polarization. This effect size is similar in magnitude to that of an official hurricane watch. We confirm the causal impact of hurricane advisories using a spatial regression-discontinuity design that compares evacuation rates for residents living just on opposite sides of county boundaries who received differential alerts. A hurricane watch causally increases rapid evacuations (within 24 hours) by 6 percentage-points compared to no watch, and by 4 percentage-points compared to a tropical storm watch.

In many markets, consumers visit stores and physically inspect products before making purchase decisions. We view the inspection of a product at a retail location as a search for product fit. We quantify the cost and benefit from searching for product fit using a discrete choice model of demand with optimal sequential search. In these models, the benefit of searching is measured by the standard deviation of the product fit and has, heretofore, been fixed to one in estimation. We show that, with an exogenous search cost shifter, both the cost and benefit of searching can be separately estimated. Our empirical setting is the U.S. automotive market. We assemble a unique data set containing individual-level smartphone geolocation data that inform us about dealership visits. We also obtain information on new vehicle purchases from proprietary DMV registration data. Our exogenous cost shifter is the distance a consumer must travel to visit a dealership. Our results show that the benefit provided by dealerships to consumers is substantial. Within our empirical context, failure to estimate the standard deviation of the product fit leads to biased search cost and consumer surplus estimates and to inaccurate predictions regarding consumers' number of searches and effects of at-home test drive programs.

Tracers infused into the brain appear to be transported along channels surrounding cerebral blood vessels. Bulk fluid flow has been hypothesized in paravascular "glymphatic" channels (outer space between the pial membrane and astrocyte endfeet), as well as in the periarterial space (inner space between smooth muscle cells). The plausibility of net flow in these channels due to steady and oscillatory pressures is reviewed, as is that of transport by oscillatory shear-enhanced dispersion in the absence of net flow. Models including 1D branching networks of annular channels and an expanded compartmental model for humans both predict that flow driven by physiologic steady pressure differences is unlikely in both periarterial and paraarterial spaces, whether the spaces are open or filled with porous media. One exception is that a small additional steady pressure difference could drive paraarterial flow if the space is open. The potential that the tracer injection itself could present such a pressure difference is outlined. Oscillatory (peristaltic) wall motion alone has been found to be insufficient to drive significant forward flow. However, a number of hypothesized mechanisms that have yet to be experimentally verified in the brain may create directional flow in combination with wall motion. Shear-augmented dispersion due to oscillatory pressure in channels with a range of porosity has been modeled analytically. Enhancement of axial dispersion is small for periarterial channels. In open paraarterial channels, dispersion enhancement with optimal lateral mixing is large enough that it may explain observed tracer transport without net forward fluid flow.

Pests or pathogens that affect trees have the potential to fundamentally alter forest composition, structure and function. Throughout the last six years, large areas of otherwise healthy ‘ōhi‘a (Metrosideros polymorpha) trees have been dying rapidly (typically within weeks) in lowland tropical wet forest on Hawai‘i Island, USA. This mortality is quite distinct from previous well-documented ‘ōhi‘a dieback episodes driven by cohort senescence. Ceratocystis fimbiata was identified and routinely found associated with rapidly dying individuals of ‘ōhi‘a, Hawai‘i’s most widespread native tree. Pathogenicity of this fungus was proven and M. polymorpha was recorded as a new host for C. fimbiata. Mortality of ‘ōhi‘a at this scale is of great concern as the understory in these forests is often occupied by invasive non-native plants capable of severely limiting ‘ōhi‘a regeneration. Imagery of ‘ōhi‘a mortality obtained in 2012 revealed large expanses of greater than expected mortality (i.e., ≥10%) across 1600 ha. By 2014 ‘ōhi‘a mortality levels ≥10% had spread to 6403 ha, or 30% of total area classified as ‘ōhi‘a in our study area. Further, levels of ‘ōhi‘a mortality in field plots established within the study region averaged 39%, and mortality levels were comparable across size classes and forest compositions. Results from a subset of field plots re-inventoried one year after plot establishment revealed average annual ‘ōhi‘a mortality rates of 24% and 28% based on basal area and stem density measures, respectively; mortality rates were as high as 47% in some field plots. The dearth of ‘ōhi‘a seedling recruitment and characteristic understory dominance of non-native species documented within our research plots, coupled with the lethality of C. fimbriata to ‘ōhi‘a, suggest that these forests likely will be dominated by non-native species in the future.

Many applications in graph analysis require a space of graphs or networks to be sampled uniformly at random. For example, one may need to efficiently draw a small representative sample of graphs from a particular large target space. We assume that a uniform distribution f ( N , E ) = 1 / | X | has been defined, where N is a set of nodes, E is a set of edges, (N, E) is a graph in the target space X and | X | is the (finite) total number of graphs in the target space. We propose a new approach to sample graphs at random from such a distribution. The new approach uses a Markov chain Monte Carlo method called the Neighbourhood Sampler. We validate the new sampling technique by simulating from feasible spaces of directed or undirected graphs, and compare its computational efficiency with the conventional Metropolis-Hastings Sampler. The simulation results indicate efficient uniform sampling of the target spaces, and more rapid rate of convergence than Metropolis-Hastings Sampler.

Leukotrienes (LTs) and related species are proinflammatory lipid mediators derived from arachidonic acid (AA) that have pathological roles in autoimmune and inflammatory conditions, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. 5-Lipoxygenase activating protein (FLAP) plays a critical accessory role in the conversion of AA to LTA4, and its subsequent conversion to LTC4 by LTC4 synthase. Pharmacological inhibition of FLAP results in a loss of LT production by preventing the biosynthesis of both LTB4 and LTC4, making it an attractive target for the treatment of inflammatory diseases in which LTs likely play a role. Small-molecule (SM) drugs often exhibit polypharmacology through various pathways, which may explain the differential therapeutic efficacies of compounds sharing structural similarity. We have profiled a series of SM FLAP modulators for their selectivity across enzymes of AA cascade in human whole blood (HWB), using a recently developed LC/MS (liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry)-based high-throughput lipidomics platform that monitors 122 eicosanoids in multiplex. Highly efficient data acquisition coupled with fast and accurate data analysis allowed facile compound profiling from ex vivo study samples. This platform allowed us to quantitatively map the effects of those SMs on the entire AA cascade, demonstrating its potential to discriminate structurally related compounds.

We examined how sociopolitical context (marked by generational cohort) and maternal skin color interacted to influence preterm delivery (PTD) rates in sample of Black women. Data were from 1410 Black women, ages 18–45 years, residing in Metropolitan Detroit, MI enrolled (2009–2011) in the Life-course Influences on Fetal Environments (LIFE) Study. Because we hypothesized that generational differences marked by changes in the sociopolitical context would influence exposure to racism, we categorized women into two cohorts by maternal birth year: a) Generation X, 1964–1983 and b) Millennial, 1984–1993. Descriptive results showed similar PTD rates by generational cohort, Generation X: 16.3% vs. Millennials: 16.1%. Yet, within each generation, PTD rates varied by women's skin tone (categorized: light, medium, and dark brown). Poisson regression models confirmed a significant interaction between generational cohort and maternal skin tone predicting PTD (P = 0.001); suggesting a salubrious association between light brown skin tone (compared to medium and dark) and PTD for Generation X. However, Millennials with medium and dark brown skin experienced lower PTD rates than their light Millennial counterparts. Research should consider sociopolitical context and the salience of skin tone bias when investigating racial health disparities, including those in perinatal health.

Shifts in size structure have been documented for many commercially exploited marine fish stocks, thought to be attributed to size-selective harvesting practices coupled with changing oceanic conditions. Northwest Atlantic monkfish (Lophius americanus) is a commercially valued species in the United States that is commonly caught as bycatch in Canadian scallop and groundfish fisheries. This uniquely positioned stock is bisected by the Canadian–American jurisdictional boundary, with considerable differences in exploitation and management across its range. The status of this species was assessed two decades ago (2000) in the Maritimes region of Canada and more recently (2016) in the United States, with both countries reporting considerable decreases in the average and maximum size attained by fish. A comprehensive understanding of the magnitude of this size decrease and the drivers underlying these changes across this species’ range is lacking. Here, using 55 years of fishery-independent survey data, we apply a linear mixed effects model to quantify temporal changes in monkfish length frequencies. Widespread decreases were evident in both countries, with a 48% reduction in historic body length, indicating that the large fish once prevalent in the 1970s have become uncommon. Length varied significantly as a function of seasonality and bottom temperature. Discrepancies exist in the average observed size between countries when controlling for year, season, and area; with monkfish observed by the United States trawl survey 6 cm larger on average than those observed by the Canadian trawl survey. The implications of this difference should be considered when combining fish length data from multiple surveys. Irrespective of survey differences, the truncation of size structure in Northwest Atlantic monkfish is significant and understanding how these drivers, among others hypothesized to affect size structure (e.g. fishing mortality, density dependence), are associated with population viability will be necessary to ensure its long-term sustainability.

The coffee berry borer (CBB), Hypothenemus hampei, is considered the most important insect pest of coffee worldwide. CBB was discovered on Hawai‘i Island in 2010 and soon thereafter on the islands of O’ahu (2014) and Maui (2016). As part of an areawide effort to manage CBB in Hawai‘i, we conducted a survey of naturally-occurring Beauveria associated with the beetle to complement field efficacy studies of the commercial B. bassiana strain GHA. Sampling of CBB from coffee farms or unmanaged sites in various districts on the islands of Hawai‘i and O’ahu, and also from Puerto Rico, resulted in >1800 Beauveria isolates. These were initially characterized using colony morphology to differentiate strain GHA, registered for use in Hawai‘i, from indigenous congenerics. A total of 114 isolates representative of these indigenous morphotypes were selected for further characterization. Sequencing of the intergenic regions B locus and EFutr identified all as Beauveria bassiana sensu stricto. Sixteen haplotypes were observed, with one more common haplotype present in 12 of 16 sites sampled on Hawai‘i Island. This B locus-EFutr haplotype, designated Bb1, was the only haplotype observed in 2016 epizootics on two high-elevation coffee farms on Hawai‘i Island with no history of GHA application. Many of the haplotypes showed genetic similarity to those collected from CBB from other countries, including Brazil, Columbia, Nicaragua, and Kenya, but a few were identical to those from other insect species collected in Hawai‘i before 2010. This diversity suggests a mixed lineage among B. bassiana strains associated with CBB in the three Hawaiian islands.

Microalgae derived oils have outstanding potential for use in biodiesel production. Chlorella protothecoides has been shown to accumulate lipids up to 60% of its cellular dry weight with glucose supplementation under heterotrophic growth conditions. To reduce production costs, alternative carbon feedstocks have been evaluated and show promise as low-cost alternatives. Regional agricultural residues, such as off-quality fruits and vegetables that cannot be used as human food or animal feed, as well as inedible plant byproducts, represent an abundant and underutilized resource as a feedstock for supporting microbial production of biofuels. Here, we present the finding that C. protothecoides isolates are capable of robust cell growth and oil production in growth medium comprised of pH-adjusted puree of culled, waste papaya fruit without any additional growth supplements. Optimization of culture medium and growth conditions was used for lab-scale strain characterization and demonstration of the potential for scale-up to an industrial bioprocess. The most rapid cell doubling time observed was 6.6 h and the maximum oil production rate observed was 1.9 g/l/day.

We highlight the overlap in Ecosystem Services frameworks and the developing One Health approach, and assert that better integration and communication between these could provide a platform for synergistic research with greater benefits for resilience and health in socioecological systems. Furthermore, we propose that soil stewardship could act as the nexus for such integration and present potential research avenues with existing positive examples.

Participation in non-traditional work arrangements has increased dramatically over the last decade, including in settings where new technologies lower the transaction costs of providing labor flexibly. One prominent example of flexible work is the ride-sharing company Uber, which allows drivers to provide (or not provide) rides anytime they are willing to accept prevailing wages for providing this service. An Uber-style arrangement offers workers flexibility in both setting a customized work schedule and also adjusting the schedule from week to week, day to day, and hour to hour. Using data on hourly earnings for Uber drivers, we document the ways in which drivers utilize this real-time flexibility and we estimate the driver surplus generated by this flexibility. We estimate how drivers’ reservation wages vary from hour to hour, which allows us to examine the surplus and supply implications of both flexible and traditional work arrangements. Our results indicate that, while the Uber relationship may have other drawbacks, Uber drivers benefit significantly from real-time flexibility, earning more than twice the surplus they would in less flexible arrangements. If required to supply labor inflexibly at prevailing wages, they would also reduce the hours they supply by more than two-thirds.

An improved model of a heat pipe augmented passive solar space heating system was tested. Computer simulations showed that the new model, featuring key design modifications including a copper absorber, thicker insulation, a rubber adiabatic section, and one condenser exposed directly to room air, has significantly improved heat delivery to the room and reduced losses. The new prototype was tested alongside the previous prototype in a two-room passive solar test facility during January–February of 2013. Results showed that modifications implemented for the new model contributed to increased rate of useful thermal gains to thermal storage and to the room, and decreased rate of thermal losses to ambient. Average daily peak efficiencies for the previous system and the new system were 80.7% and 85.0%, respectively. Furthermore, the average storage temperature for the new model, over the entire testing period, was 13.4% higher than that of the previous model; while the average room temperature over the same period was 24.6% greater for the new system. Simulations matched well with experimental data from the new prototype after parametric adjustments were made to the thermal capacitance of the room and conductances between evaporators and condensers, storage tank and room, solar wall insulation, and the load to collector ratio.

Spatial predictions of soil properties are needed for various purposes. However, the costs associated with soil sampling and laboratory analysis are substantial. One way to improve efficiencies is to combine measurement of soil properties with collection of cheaper-to-measure ancillary data. There are two possible approaches. The first is the formation of classes from ancillary data. A second is the use of a simple predictive linear model of the target soil property on the ancillary variables. Here, results are presented and compared where proximally sensed gamma-ray (γ-ray) spectrometry and electromagnetic induction (EMI) data are used to predict the variation in topsoil properties (e.g. clay content and pH). In the first instance, the proximal data is numerically clustered using a fuzzy k-means (FKM) clustering algorithm, to identify contiguous classes. The resultant digital soil maps (i.e. k = 2–10 classes) are consistent with a soil series map generated using traditional soil profile description, classification and mapping methods at a highly variable site near the township of Shelford, Nottinghamshire UK. In terms of prediction, the calculated expected value of mean squared prediction error (i.e. σ2p,C) indicated that values of k = 7 and 8 were ideal for predicting clay and pH. Secondly, a linear mixed model (LMM) is fitted in which the proximal data are fixed effects but the residuals are treated as a combination of a spatially correlated random effect and an independent and identically distributed error. In terms of prediction, the expected value of the mean squared prediction error from a regression (σ2p,R) suggested that the regression models were able to predict clay content, better than FKM clustering. The reverse was true with respect to pH, however. We conclude that both methods have merit. In the case of the clustering the approach is able to account for soil properties which have non-linearity's with the ancillary data (i.e. pH), whereas the LMM approach is best when there is a strong linear relationship (i.e. clay).

Landspreading of biosolids (treated sewage sludge) in agroecosystems is a common waste management practice worldwide. Evidence suggests biosolids may be detrimental to arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF); however, previous studies focused on arable systems and often unrealistically high biosolids application levels. We investigated the effects of biosolids on AMF communities in grassland and arable agroecosystems, in the context of the natural seasonal dynamics of AMF community composition and diversity. A pasture and arable system under commercial farming management were amended annually with two different types of biosolids, applied at levels meeting current European Union regulations, in a factorial, replicated field-scale plot experiment. AMF root colonisation and community composition were measured in Lolium perenne roots from the pasture and Trifolium repens roots growing in arable soil across the seasons of two years. AMF community compositions were assessed by terminal-restriction fragment length polymorphism analyses. Biosolids had no significant effect on AMF root colonisation or community composition in either agroecosystem. Soil chemical analyses indicated several changes in the top 0–5 cm layer of the pasture soil, including small increases in heavy metal concentrations in biosolids relative to control plots. Temporal AMF dynamics were detected in soils from both agroecosystem indicating that the effect of seasonality outweighed that of biosolids application.

At present, the concepts of ‘recovery’ and ‘recovered state’ are poorly defined and often confused within academic literature and legislation. These definitional inconsistencies result in global ad hoc attempts at recovery and recovery plans that typically exhibit low success rates, and whose outcomes are difficult to evaluate. There is a dire need for an internationally accepted framework to guide the development of plans for the recovery of populations, species, and ecosystems. Such a framework must distinguish between the process of recovery and the end-state of recovered, and implement quantifiable, generalizable guidelines that ensure optimal outcomes. Drawing from established principles in medicine, we introduce a 5-stage classification of recovery: Diagnosis, Treatment, Stabilization, Rehabilitation, and Recovered. Recovery and recovered states should be measured objectively, using population health metrics relevant to the life history of the population, organism, or ecological unit under consideration. These metrics should be used to establish a baseline, set targets for a recovered state, and monitor population health in accordance with the five stages of recovery. This framework could be used to overcome significant problems of unpredictable decision making, definitional inconsistencies, and an inability to measure recovery or learn from failures and successes. The guidelines we propose are intended for adoption by conservation agencies, and provide a quantified, accountable system that could greatly improve the likelihood of populations successfully reaching recovered status.

Thermally rearranged polymer membranes exhibit extraordinary gas permeability based on a rigid polymer structure with a high free volume element. In this study, TR poly(benzoxazole-co-imide) membranes from 4,4′-hexafluoroisopropylidene diphthalic anhydride (6FDA), 3,3′-dihydroxyl-4-4′-diamino-biphenyl (HAB), 2,2′-bis(3-amino-4-hydroxyphenyl)-hexafluoropropane (bisAPAF), and 2,4,6-trimethyl-m-phenylenediamine (DAM) were prepared to improve their gas separation properties. Copolymer membranes of polyimides and TR polybenzoxazoles may be desirable to generate efficient gas transport properties as well as to process polymers into fiber or film forms. Gas permeability, diffusivity, and solubility of the precursor polyimide and TR poly(benzoxazole-co-imide) membranes were investigated to characterize gas transport properties for small gas molecules including H2, O2, N2, CH4, and CO2. Thermal rearrangement process resulted in an increase in polymer free volume, which improved the diffusion and sorption coefficients.

A series of 1-aryl-2-(((6-aryl)pyrimidin-4-yl)amino)ethanols have been found to be competitive inhibitors of fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH). One member of this class, JNJ-40413269, was found to have excellent pharmacokinetic properties, demonstrated robust central target engagement, and was efficacious in a rat model of neuropathic pain.

A series of mechanism based heteroaryl urea fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) inhibitors with spirocyclic diamine cores is described. A potent member of this class, (37), was found to inhibit FAAH centrally, elevate the brain levels of three fatty acid ethanolamides [FAAs: anandamide (AEA), oleoyl ethanolamide (OEA) and palmitoyl ethanolamide (PEA)], and was moderately efficacious in a rat model of neuropathic pain.

We investigated the effects of the polymer chemical structure on the gas separation performances of thermally rearranged poly(benzoxazole-co-imide) (TR-PBO-co-I) membranes. Eight non-TR-able aromatic diamines, one TR-able hydroxyl diamine, and one dianhydride were utilized to synthesize precursors of TR-PBO-co-I. For comparison, a thermally rearranged (TR) polybenzoxazole (PBO) homopolymer precursor was also synthesized from the same type of dianhydride and hydroxy diamine. All precursors were fabricated into membranes and thermally treated in the solid state to produce TR-PBO-co-I/TR-PBO membranes. It was confirmed that the non-polar bulky side groups in the diamines disrupted polymer chain packing and increased the fractional free volume (FFV) most effectively, resulting in increased gas permeabilities. A significant increase of the polymer rotational mobility imposed by the non-TR-able diamines promoted higher chain rotational motion which resulted in higher gas permeabilities. The percentage of conversion, which should affect the gas permeabilities, was very similar in all TR-PBO-co-I/TR-PBO membranes. Therefore, it was not a main factor in influencing the gas permeability of the TR-PBO-co-I/TR-PBO membranes. The gas selectivities of small gas molecules were improved if the non-TR-able diamines had a somewhat flat and rigid structure. The gas selectivities were also found to be much higher in the TR-PBO-co-I copolymer membranes compared to the TR-PBO homopolymer membrane.

Previous computer simulations and bench-scale experiments showed that the heat pipe assisted solar wall had the potential for significantly improved performance relative to conventional passive space heating systems. To further test this potential, a full-scale prototype of the heat pipe system was designed, built and installed in a classroom on the University of Louisville campus in Louisville, KY. During the spring heating season of 2010 (January–April), maximum daily peak thermal efficiency was 83.7% and average daily peak thermal efficiency was 61.4%. The maximum hourly average room gain achieved during the season was 163 W/m2. On days with good solar insolation, the thermal storage was heated to temperatures sufficient to provide significant energy to the classroom – even during the coldest days of the season. During the longest period (4 days) of low insolation during the season, average hourly heat delivery to the room from storage remained positive, and was never less than 16.6 W/m2. During good insolation days following a period of consecutive low insolation days, thermal storage temperature was quickly restored to levels comparable to those obtained during consecutive good insolation days. Estimated heat removal factor * transmittance absorptance product FR(τα) and heat removal factor * overall loss coefficient FRUL values for the system were comparable to those for glazed liquid active collectors.

Background Preparation for an H5N1 influenza pandemic in humans could include priming the population in the pre-pandemic period with a vaccine produced from an existing H5N1 vaccine strain, with the possibility of boosting with a pandemic virus vaccine when it becomes available. We investigated the longevity of the immune response after one or two priming immunizations with a whole-virus H5N1 vaccine and the extent to which this can be boosted by later immunization with either a homologous or heterologous vaccine. Methods Mice received one or two priming immunizations with a Vero cell culture-derived, whole-virus clade 1 H5N1 vaccine formulated to contain either 750 ng or 30 ng hemagglutinin. Six months after the first priming immunization, mice received either a booster immunization with the same clade 1 vaccine or a heterologous clade 2.1 vaccine, or buffer. Humoral and cellular immune responses were evaluated before and at regular intervals after immunizations. Three weeks after booster immunization, mice were challenged with a lethal dose of wild-type H5N1 virus from clades 1, 2.1 or 2.2 and survival was monitored for 14 days. Results One or two priming immunizations with the 750 ng or 30 ng HA formulations, respectively, induced H5N1-neutralizing antibody titers which were maintained for ≥6 months and provided long-term cross-clade protection against wild-type virus challenge. Both humoral and cellular immune responses were substantially increased by a booster immunization after 6 months. The broadest protective immunity was provided by an immunization regimen consisting of one or two priming immunizations with a clade 1 vaccine and a boosting immunization with a clade 2.1 vaccine. Conclusions These data support the concept that pre-pandemic vaccination can provide robust and long-lasting H5N1 immunity which could be effectively boosted by immunization either with another pre-pandemic vaccine or with the pandemic strain vaccine.

Background Influenza viruses of subtype A/H9N2 are enzootic in poultry across Asia and the Middle East and are considered to have pandemic potential. The development of new vaccine manufacturing technologies is a cornerstone of influenza pandemic preparedness. Methods A non-adjuvanted whole-virus H9N2 vaccine was developed using Vero cell culture manufacturing technology. The induction of hemagglutination inhibition (HI) and virus-neutralizing antibodies was assessed in CD1 mice and guinea pigs. A highly sensitive enzyme-linked lectin assay was used to investigate the induction of antibodies capable of inhibiting the enzymatic activity of the H9N2 neuraminidase. Protective efficacy against virus replication in the lung after challenge with the homologous virus was evaluated in BALB/c mice by a TCID50 assay, and prevention of virus replication in the lung and associated pathology were evaluated by histology and immunohistochemistry. To investigate the ability of the vaccine to prevent severe disease, BALB/c mice were challenged with a highly virulent mouse-adapted H9N2 isolate which was generated by multiple lung-to-lung passage of wild-type virus. Results The vaccine elicited high titers of functional H9N2-specific HA antibodies in both mice and guinea pigs, as determined by HI and virus neutralization assays. High titer H9N2-specific neuraminidase inhibiting (NAi) antibodies were also induced in both species. Vaccinated mice were protected from lung virus replication in a dose-dependent manner after challenge with the homologous H9N2 virus. Immunohistochemical analyses confirmed the lack of virus replication in the lung and an associated substantial reduction in lung pathology. Dose-dependent protection from severe weight loss was also provided after challenge with the highly virulent mouse-adapted H9N2 virus. Conclusions The induction of high titers of H9N2-specific HI, virus-neutralizing and NAi antibodies and dose-dependent protection from virus replication and severe disease in animal models suggest that the Vero cell culture-derived whole-virus vaccine will provide an effective intervention in the event of a H9N2 pandemic situation.

Performance was evaluated for a passive solar space heating system utilizing heat pipes to transfer heat through an insulated wall from an absorber outside the building to a storage tank inside the building. The one-directional, thermal diode heat transfer effect of heat pipes make them ideal for passive solar applications. Gains by the heat pipe are not lost during cloud cover or periods of low irradiation. Simplified thermal resistance-based computer models were constructed to simulate the performance of direct gain, indirect gain, and integrated heat pipe passive solar systems in four different climates. The heat pipe system provided significantly higher solar fractions than the other passive options in all climates, but was particularly advantageous in cold and cloudy climates. Parametric sensitivity was evaluated for material and design features related to the collector cover, absorber plate, heat pipe, and water storage tank to determine a combination providing good thermal performance with diminishing returns for incremental parametric improvements. Important parameters included a high transmittance glazing, a high performance absorber surface and large thermal storage capacity. An experimental model of the heat pipe passive solar wall was also tested in a laboratory setting. Experimental variations included fluid fill levels, addition of insulation on the adiabatic section of the heat pipe, and fins on the outside of the condenser section. Filling the heat pipe to 120% of the volume of the evaporator section and insulating the adiabatic section achieved a system efficiency of 85%. Addition of fins on the condenser of the heat pipe did not significantly enhance overall performance. The computer model was validated by simulating the laboratory experiments and comparing experimental and simulated data. Temperatures across the system were matched by adjusting the model conductances, which resulted in good agreement with the experiment.

Important steps in developing reliable bioindicators for soil quality are characterising soil biodiversity and determining the response of its components to environmental factors across a range of land uses and soil types. Baseline data from a national survey in Ireland were used to explore relationships between diversity and composition of micro-organisms (bacteria, fungi, mycorrhiza), and micro-, meso- and macro-fauna (nematodes; mites; earthworms, ants) across a general gradient representing dominant land uses (arable, pasture, rough-grazing, forest and bogland). These diversity data were also linked to soil physico-chemical properties. Differences in diversity and composition of meso- and macro-fauna, but not microbes, were clear between agriculturally-managed (arable and pasture) and extensively-managed (rough-grazing and bogland) soils corresponding to a broad division between ‘mineral’ and ‘organic’ soils. The abundance, richness and composition of nematode and earthworm taxa were significantly congruent with a number of the other groups. Further analysis, using significant indicator species from each group, identified potential target taxa and linked them to soil environmental gradients. This study suggests that there is potential surrogacy between the diversity of key soil taxa groups and that different sets of bioindicators may be most effective under agricultural and extensive land use.

Lumbricus terrestris is a deep-burrowing anecic earthworm that builds permanent, vertical burrows with linings (e.g., drilosphere) that are stable and long-lived microhabitats for bacteria, fungi, micro- and mesofauna. We conducted the first non-culture based field study to assess simultaneously the drilosphere (here sampled as 0–2 mm burrow lining) composition of microbial and micro/mesofaunal communities relative to bulk soil. Our study also included a treatment of surface-applied 13C- and 15N-labeled plant residue to trace the short-term (40 d) translocation of residue C and N into the drilosphere, and potentially the assimilation of residue C into drilosphere microbial phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs). Total C concentration was 23%, microbial PLFA biomass was 58%, and PLFAs associated with protozoa, nematodes, Collembola and other fauna were 200-to-300% greater in the drilosphere than in nearby bulk soil. Principal components analysis of community PLFAs revealed that distributions of Gram-negative bacteria and actinomycetes and other Gram-positive bacteria were highly variable among drilosphere samples, and that drilosphere communities were distinct from bulk soil communities due to the atypical distribution of PLFA biomarkers for micro- and mesofauna. The degree of microbial PLFA 13C enrichment in drilosphere soils receiving 13C-labeled residue was highly variable, and only one PLFA, 18:1ω9c, was significantly enriched. In contrast, 11 PLFAs from diverse microbial groups where enriched in response to residue amendment in bulk soil 0–5 cm deep. Among control soils, however, a significant δ13C shift between drilosphere and bulk soil at the same depth (5–15 cm) revealed the importance of L. terrestris for translocating perennial ryegrass-derived C into the soil at depth, where we estimated the contribution of the recent grass C (8 years) to be at least 26% of the drilosphere soil C. We conclude that L. terrestris facilitates the translocation of plant C into soil at depth and promotes the maintenance of distinct soil microbial and faunal communities that are unlike those found in the bulk soil.

Evapotranspiration (ET) is a key component limiting groundwater recharge past the root zone in semiarid regions. Vegetation management may alter groundwater recharge if ET is altered due to changes in vegetation type or cover. This study quantifies changes in groundwater recharge following vegetation cover change from native woodland to pasture in a semiarid region of southwest Texas. The Carrizo–Wilcox aquifer is a valuable groundwater resource in this area, where overuse by dependent farming practices has lowered aquifer levels significantly in the last 85 yr. Combining data from short-term (30 mo) monitoring of the changes in soil moisture and long-term (5–30 yr) changes in total soil chloride indicated deep drainage increased slightly where land had been cleared of vegetation. Annual recharge rates below rooting depths (standardized to 155 cm) averaged only 0.72 ± mm · yr -1 (mean ± SE) in areas not cleared of woody vegetation, as estimated by chloride mass balance. Upon clearing, 72% of the total chloride naturally occurring in the soil profile was flushed away within 30 yr, leading to an estimated 2.59 ± mm · yr -1 additional recharge. Deep soil moisture in recently cleared land increased by up to 17% during the growing season of wet years (double the average rainfall) but did not increase in dry or normal precipitation years, providing supporting evidence that more water penetrated below the roots under certain environmental conditions. These results demonstrate that brush management can increase recharge by modest, but measurable, amounts depending on site-specific soil characteristics and degree of reduction in vegetation.

Ants are important ecosystem engineers and can be abundant in extensively managed grassland ecosystems. Different ant species create nests varying in structure and size, and tend to have a variety of feeding strategies. Differences in food imported to the nest and contrasting nesting behaviour may control soil microbial community structure in nest soil, with cascading effects on nutrient cycling, but this has not been tested in grassland ants. Soil and ants were sampled from nests of three ant species: two formicines; Lasius flavus (aphid farmer/scavenger, mound builder) and Formica lemani (scavenger/hunter, non-mound builder), and a myrmicine; Myrmica sabuleti (hunter/scavenger, non-mound builder), in an extensively grazed temperate grassland and compared to similar soils without ants. Microbial assemblages were determined using molecular approaches (terminal restriction length polymorphism and automated ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis). Both aboveground (vegetation diversity) and belowground (soil physico-chemical properties) components were measured to assess the potential of the different ant species to modify the environment. Stable isotope ratios (δ13C and δ15N) of ant tissues and nest soil organic matter confirmed differences in trophic distances. Significant changes in soil pH, moisture content, total C and total N, and in vegetation composition, demonstrated ant ecosystem engineering effects. In turn, nests of L. flavus, M. sabuleti and F. lemani had different microbial activities and harboured significantly different microbial assemblages (total bacteria, total fungi, ammonia-oxidising bacteria and nitrogen-fixing bacteria), but the diversity was similar. These findings suggest that grassland ants can control microbial assemblages via changes in physical and biological soil characteristics in their nests, and as such, different ant species harbour unique microbial assemblages in nests.