Using ICESat's Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS) to assess large-scale forest disturbance caused by hurricane Katrina

In 2005, hurricane Katrina resulted in a large disturbance to U.S. forests. Recent estimates of damage from hurricane Katrina have relied primarily on optical remote sensing and field data. This paper is the first large-scale study to use satellite-based lidar data to quantify changes in forest structure from that event. GLAS data for the years prior to and following hurricane Katrina were compared to wind speed, forest cover, and damage data to assess the adequacy of sensor sampling, and to estimate changes in Mean Canopy Height (MCH) over all areas that experienced tropical force winds and greater. Statistically significant decreases in MCH post-Katrina were found to increase with wind intensity: Tropical Storm ?MCH = − 0.5 m, Category 1 ?MCH = − 2 m, and Category 2 ?MCH = − 4 m. A strong relationship was also found between changes in non-photosynthetic vegetation (?NPV), a metric previously shown to be related to storm damage, and post-storm MCH. The season of data acquisition was shown to influence calculations of MCH and MCH loss, but did not preclude the detection of major large-scale patterns of damage. Results from this study show promise for using space-borne lidar for large-scale assessments of forest disturbance, and highlight the need for future data on vegetation structure from space.     

DEVELOPMENT AND USE OF A METHOD FOR DETERMINATION OF MALT FERMENTABILITY

A method for the determination of the fermentability of unboiled, filtered, malt Hot Water Extracts has been developed. The wort is fermented under carefully controlled conditions, using fresh distillers' yeast. Knowledge of a malt's extract and fermentability allows calculation of its fermentable extract content, which allows spirit yield prediction, and the method is in use as a basis for Malt Purchase Specifications.     

Clarification of the relationship between free radical spin trapping and carbon tetrachloride metabolism in microsomal systems

It has been proposed that the C-phenyl-N-tert-butylnitrone/trichloromethyl radical adduct (PBN/.CCl3) is metabolized to either the C-phenyl-N-tert-butylnitrone/carbon dioxide anion radical adduct (PBN/.CO2-) or the glutathione (GSH) and CCl4-dependent PBN radical adduct (PBN/[GSH-.CCl3]). Inclusion of PBN/.CCl3 in microsomal incubations containing GSH, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH), or GSH plus NADPH produced no electron spin resonance (ESR) spectral data indicative of the formation of either the PBN/[GSH-.CCl3] or PBN/.CO2- radical adducts. Microsomes alone or with GSH had no effect on the PBN/.CCl3 radical adduct. Addition of NADPH to a microsomal system containing PBN/.CCl3 presumably reduced the radical adduct to its ESR-silent hydroxylamine because no ESR signal was observed. The Folch extract of this system produced an ESR spectrum that was a composite of two radicals, one of which had hyperfine coupling constants identical to those of PBN/.CCl3. We conclude that PBN/.CCl3 is not metabolized into either PBN/[GSH-.CCl3] or PBN/.CO2- in microsomal systems.     

The Structured Assessment of Violence Risk in Youth as a predictor of recidivism in a United Kingdom cohort of adolescent offenders with conduct disorder.

This prospective study examined the predictive validity of the Structured Assessment of Violence Risk in Youth (SAVRY) and the Psychopathy Checklist: Youth Version (PCL: YV) in 99 male adolescents who were assessed in custody and followed up 12 months post release. Outcome data on recidivism were based on official Home Office records. The base rates for violent and general recidivism, respectively, were 38.4% and 70.7%. The predictive validity of the SAVRY Risk Total and the SAVRY Risk Rating was moderate for both violent and general recidivism, but both showed incremental validity in predicting outcomes compared with the PCL: YV. Data are discussed in relation to the limited published international literature. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

DNA repair: caretakers of the genome?

Recent results show that the 8-oxoguanine DNA repair system is functionally conserved in bacteria and mammals. The bacterial system protects the genome from the mutagenic effects of oxidative stress; the role of the mammalian system is expected to be similar and defects in it may increase susceptibility to cancer.     

Computer simulation (based on a linear-elution-strength approximation) as an aid for optimizing separations by programmed-temperature gas chromatography

If the dependence of retention on temperature is specified for the various components of a sample in isothermal gas chromatography (GC), it is possible to predict retention, bandwidth, and resolution for programmed-temperature GC separations as a function of experimental conditions. The use of a linear-elution-strength (LES) approximation for isothermal retention allows these predictions to be carried out more easily and conveniently, in turn facilitating rapid simulations with a personal computer. This approach to GC method development appears promising, especially if segmented-temperature programs are used. The LES approximation also provides added insight into how different factors affect separation in programmed-temperature GC.