Reduced Consumption Rate Research Articles

Technoeconomic analysis of alternatives to improve Cuban sugarcane wax‐refining technology using Superpro Designer

AbstractSugarcane wax is a co‐product with strong potential. It contains several bioactive components that can be used for pharmaceutical and cosmetic purposes. It is also considered a substitute for leading vegetable waxes in the international market. The extraction and refining technologies that have been reported in Cuba do not always manage to deliver a wax that meets the quality demanded by the market. This problem can be solved with the development of innovative technologies that allow increasing yields, higher quality, and the reduction of costs. The main objective of this work was to achieve a validated model of the Cuban sugarcane wax‐refining process using the SuperPro Designer simulator, and to evaluate the alternatives in order to reduce consumption rates and increase stability in the final product quality, as customers demand. The model successfully replicated 39 out of 44 variables used for process validation, with values falling within the historical range of the process. Deviations from historical values were less than 4 percentage points. Among the proposed modifications, the second of the two alternatives proposed resulted in lower consumption rates and more consistent quality of refined wax.

A meta‐analysis of how parasites affect host consumption rates

Parasites are known to mediate trophic interactions and can, for example, modify how consumers acquire resources. These modifications of host feeding behaviour can be imposed through three interconnected mechanisms affecting: 1) host food acquisition, 2) host food digestion or 3) host energy budgets. As a result, infected hosts may consume more, less or the same amount of food compared to their uninfected conspecifics. It is commonly assumed that infected hosts have lower consumption rates than uninfected hosts, but a comprehensive quantitative synthesis investigating the effects of parasites on host consumption rate has been lacking thus far. To fill this knowledge gap, we systematically searched for experimental studies that evaluated changes in consumption rate of infected vs uninfected hosts. In total, we extracted 158 effect sizes from 68 studies. We then performed meta‐analyses of mean differences in host consumption rates and their variation. The analyses were carried out for all taxonomic groups as well as separately for vertebrate and invertebrate hosts. The main‐effects meta‐analyses confirmed a generally negative effect of parasites on host consumption rates; infected hosts consumed on average 25% less food than their uninfected conspecifics. In addition, there was a significant increase in the variability in host consumption rate, on average by 25%, indicating that parasites can have variable effects on the foraging behaviour of their hosts. The meta‐regression models revealed that several moderator variables related to host and parasite characteristics influence host consumption rate. Experimental infection had a stronger influence on variance effects than natural infection. Parasitic infections reduced consumption rate of vertebrate hosts by 28% and thus more strongly than those of invertebrates, which were reduced by 22%. We conclude with recommendations to facilitate future ecological research syntheses on host–parasite interactions and beyond.

Steering the product spectrum in high-pressure anaerobic processes: CO2 partial pressure as a novel tool in biorefinery concepts

BackgroundElevated CO2 partial pressure (pCO2) has been proposed as a potential steering parameter for selective carboxylate production in mixed culture fermentation. It is anticipated that intermediate product spectrum and production rates, as well as changes in the microbial community, are (in)directly influenced by elevated pCO2. However, it remains unclear how pCO2 interacts with other operational conditions, namely substrate specificity, substrate-to-biomass (S/X) ratio and the presence of an additional electron donor, and what effect pCO2 has on the exact composition of fermentation products. Here, we investigated possible steering effects of elevated pCO2 combined with (1) mixed substrate (glycerol/glucose) provision; (2) subsequent increments in substrate concentration to increase the S/X ratio; and (3) formate as an additional electron donor.ResultsMetabolite predominance, e.g., propionate vs. butyrate/acetate, and cell density, depended on interaction effects between pCO2–S/X ratio and pCO2–formate. Individual substrate consumption rates were negatively impacted by the interaction effect between pCO2–S/X ratio and were not re-established after lowering the S/X ratio and adding formate. The product spectrum was influenced by the microbial community composition, which in turn, was modified by substrate type and the interaction effect between pCO2–formate. High propionate and butyrate levels strongly correlated with Negativicutes and Clostridia predominance, respectively. After subsequent pressurized fermentation phases, the interaction effect between pCO2–formate enabled a shift from propionate towards succinate production when mixed substrate was provided.ConclusionsOverall, interaction effects between elevated pCO2, substrate specificity, high S/X ratio and availability of reducing equivalents from formate, rather than an isolated pCO2 effect, modified the proportionality of propionate, butyrate and acetate in pressurized mixed substrate fermentations at the expense of reduced consumption rates and increased lag-phases. The interaction effect between elevated pCO2 and formate was beneficial for succinate production and biomass growth with a glycerol/glucose mixture as the substrate. The positive effect may be attributed to the availability of extra reducing equivalents, likely enhanced carbon fixating activity and hindered propionate conversion due to increased concentration of undissociated carboxylic acids.

INFLUENCE OF WEED CONTROL AND MICROFERTILIZERS ON VEGETABLE YIELD

The article summarizes the results of research on the structure of weed agrocenosis of vegetable peas; controlling the level of its weeding by performing pre-emergence and post-emergence harrowing with medium toothed harrows; evaluation of the chemical method of protection of vegetable peas from weeds, which involved the introduction of 2 types of herbicides, which contained such active substances as S-metallochlor and Imazamox. Part of the study areas was treated with the microfertilizer Reacoma-chelate of boron + molybdenum with a rate of 1.0 l / ha before flowering peas. As a result of research, it was found that in the structure of weed agrocenosis of vegetable peas the share of monocotyledonous weeds averaged 71.4% in two years of research and, accordingly, dicotyledonous - 28.6%. But the air-dry mass of cereal weeds was much lower than that of deciduous weeds. The implementation of agronomic measures alone did not allow to keep the presence of weeds in crops below the level of economic damage throughout the growing season. Prior to harvesting, this variant accounted for 18 weeds / m2 of weed stalks. This agricultural measure reduced the level of their presence by 69.5% and 45.8% of air-dry weight compared to the control option. The application of a soil herbicide based on S-metallochlorine provided a reduction in the number of weeds in the month after spraying by 85.7% compared to the control version. Before harvesting vegetable peas, the number of weeds in the areas where the soil herbicide was applied was 11 pieces / m2, and the level of weeding decreased by 81.4% compared to the control variant. At the time of the second weed count, we found that the herbicide with the active ingredient Imazamox was 89.8% effective. Consecutive application of S-metallochlor and Imazamox with reduced consumption rates allowed to control the presence of weeds in agrophytocenoses throughout the growing season of vegetable peas. Weed mortality at the time of harvest in this variant averaged 89.8% over two years of research, and their above-ground air-dry mass was 95 g / m2. On average, in two years of our research, the yield of peas in the variants with the application of herbicides was 5.00-5,64 t / ha, which was 35.5-52.8% higher than in the control areas. The highest increase in pea yield was obtained with the successive application of S-metallochlor and Imazamox with reduced consumption rates. On the average for two years of researches it made 1.95 t / hectare. Before flowering of vegetables, the application of micro-fertilizer Reacom-chelate of boron + molybdenum with a consumption rate of 1.0 l / ha made it possible to obtain higher yields of 3.7-6.1% compared to uncultivated areas on agronomic and chemical weed protection options.

An eco-friendly way to protect wheat seeds from phytopathogens

Protecting wheat seed from phytopathogens is a popular topic for plant breeders. The objects requiring close attention and control on wheat are smut infections, pathogens of root rot. And if the pathogens of smut we have learned to fight quite effectively with, then microorganisms that infect underground parts of plants are controlled with less success and many questions in the system of protection against them remain controversial. The issue of reducing the pesticide load on agrocenoses, starting with the protection of seeds, also remains relevant. The article presents the results of field trials of means of protecting spring wheat seeds from root rot in 2019–2020, carried out within the framework of the state assignment at the Kurgan SRIA — branch of FSBSI UrFASRC, according to generally accepted methods. The aim of the research was to assess the biological, economic efficiency of the combined use of a chemical seed dressing agent and a biofungicide based on Bacillus subtilis in protecting wheat from soil-seed infections, to determine the competitiveness of an ecologized method of protecting seeds (reduced consumption rate of a chemical seed dressing agent in combination with biological fungicide). The obtained research results indicate that with a high level of damage to wheat by root rot (Fusarium, B. sorokiniana), the use of seed treatment with the studied preparations ensured the preservation of 10–12% of the yield, more efficiency was noted in the variants with the Oplot 0.5 l/t and the Oplot 0.3 l/t + Nodix Premium 0.3 l/t . The technical effectiveness of fungicides against wheat root rot ranged 44% for Nodix Premium to 85–86% for chemical protection and mixed use. An environmentally friendly method of protecting wheat seeds, which consists in using a 40% lower rate of a chemical dressing agent with a biopesticide, turned out to be competitive.

The effect of different consumption rates of the herbicide Basis, 75, VG, on the level of stress in maize plants

Goal. Establishing the optimally high efficiency of the herbicide Basis, 75, VG, during the control of weed seedlings in maize crops for grain at reduced rates of consumption of the drug to relieve stress in crop plants.
 Methods. field; laboratory; quantitative and weight; visual; settlement and comparative; mathematical and statistical.
 Results. According to the results of research, it was found that one spraying of crops with herbicide Basis, 75, VG, with the maximum consumption rate allowed, led to the induction of chemical stress in maize plants (determined to reduce the amount of chlorophyll (a + b) from 1.3 to 1.1 g/dm2), which negatively affected the processes of photosynthesis intensity and partially delayed other physiological processes. According to research, it is established that the optimal from both physiological and agronomic assessment is the use of the herbicide Basis, 75, VG, with reduced consumption rates during successive spraying with a time interval, which provided the herbicide in the most sensitive phases of storm germination. and did not lead to the induction of stress in crop plants. According to the obtained indicators, according to the results of research, the highest grain yield was corn at option 3, 8.75 t/ha or 93.9%, where the first spraying of crops with herbicide Basis, 75, VG, with a rate of 12 g/ha + Trend-90 — 0.2 l/ha, during the phase of formation of three leaves in maize plants, and the second spraying on the 4th day after the first spraying.
 Conclusions. According to the results of research, a system of application of the herbicide Basis, 75, VG, with reduced consumption rates with a certain time interval between sprays, which eliminates the negative effects of chemical treatment for crops and allows to obtain high yields of corn grain, and the risk of chemical load on the environment 4 to 28%.

Development of a combined unit for chemical and electric radiation treatment of cotton plants

The study is devoted to a combined unit that has been developed for cotton harvesting tractors. This unit combines technologies of chemical and electric radiation treatment of cotton plants. Thus, the authors solve the task of reduction of the negative impact of pesticides on the environment during chemical treatment of plants, including defoliation of cotton, by reducing consumption rates of chemicals. The paper discusses the basic sprayer to form a combined unit selected on the basis of preliminary field tests of boom and fan sprayers with movable and fixed working bodies. The work has established that a fan sprayer with two fixed nozzles has the main positive characteristics of boom and fan sprayers in chemical treatment of cotton, taken as the basis for formation of a combined unit. The authors concluded that field trials of a combined unit have shown that chemical treatment (defoliation) with simultaneous electrical irradiation accelerates the opening of cotton bolls 1.2-1.25 times. This makes it possible to start early harvesting of cotton in risky agriculture to reduce consumption rates of pesticides.

Determination of Hansen solubility parameters for sugarcane oil. Use of ethanol in sugarcane wax refining

Currently, the refining of sugarcane wax is carried out with 95% v/v ethanol as solvent. This process has a high rate of ethanol consumption thus, the main objective of this work was to corroborate the feasibility of 95% v/v ethanol as a solvent in the refining of sugarcane wax. The suitability of its performance over other organic solvents was evaluated through the relative energy difference (RED) determined from Hansen solubility parameters (HSPs) of sugarcane oil, which were calculated using HSPiP software. HSPs turned out to be δD = 16.24 MPa½, δP = 3.21 MPa½ and δH = 10.34 MPa½, similar to those reported for pine resin and castor oil. The best solvent was 1-decanol. 95% v/v ethanol turned out to be a bad solvent. Absolute ethanol had a RED value of 0.993, which made it a better candidate since it could reduce consumption rates, and constituted an eco-friendly solvent produced in Cuba for the refining process.

SEA-BUCKTHORN FLY (RHAGOLETIS BATAVA OBSCURIOSA) AND OPTIMIZATION OF PROTECTIVE MEASURES AGAINST PEST IN ALTAI TERRITORY

Receiving of high yields of sea-buckthorn in most regions of its cultivation is holding back by the wide distribution and high harmfulness of the sea-buckthorn fly ( Rhagoletis batava obscuriosa Kol). The main problem carrying out in protective measures against these vermin consist in the fact, that sea-buckthorn is a medicinal crop and pesticide residues for its fruits are not allowed. The biological method of protection, based on the use of the biogenic preparation Fitoverm (10 g / l), guarantees an environmentally friendly yield, but in the extreme continental climate of the Altai Territory, it does not always provide reliable protection of the crop from the sea buckthorn fly. The wide introduction of the preparation Fitoverm into production is constrained by the high cost of the preparation. In case of force majeure (precipitation before processing, temperature changes, etc.), a low-risk chemical preparation “Fufanon” (570 g/l of malathion) can be used to protect against sea buckthorn flies. The article discusses ways to reduce the consumption rates of the biogenic preparation “Fitoverma” and “Fufanon” in the protection of sea buckthorn from sea buckthorn flies due to their use in combination with a micro supplement and the preparation “Neo”, developed at the Research Institute of Horticulture of Siberia on the basis of natural BAS, as well as a tank mixture of preparations “Fitoverma” and “Fufanon”. The dependence of the efficiency of treatment against sea buckthorn flies on environmental conditions is shown. Fitoverm (10 g / l) at a concentration of 0.3 %, depending on environmental conditions, provided an efficiency of 94.2-99.4 % with reduced consumption rates of the drug due to its combined use with a microadditive and the drug “Neo” 92.5 -100 %, tank mixture “Fitoverma” and “Fufanon” 96.9-100 %. The decrease in residual amounts of malathion by 1.6-2.6 times was ensured by the tank mixture of Fufanon and Fitoverma in half dosages, as well as a half dose of Fufanon in combination with a microadditive.

Lipid markers and compound-specific carbon isotopes as diet and biosynthesis reflectors in the northern Neptune whelk Neptunea heros

A suite of lipid biomarkers plus compound-specific carbon isotopes of major sterols were determined in muscle tissues across increasing sizes of northern Neptune whelks Neptunea heros, developing eggs and potential diets to link trophic patterns, metabolism and carbon sources on the Chukchi Sea shelf. Analysis of primary prey included the northern clam Astarte borealis, water column particulate organic matter (POM) and surface sediments near the collection sites. Sterols specific to major algal groups along with algal-derived polyunsaturated fatty acids (C20:5n-3, C20:4n-3, C22:6n-3) in whelk muscle tissue reflected the importance of algal primary production to benthic consumers and its direct incorporation. Compound-specific carbon isotope values of cholesterol and Δ5,7-sterols present in foot muscle of N. heros also suggest a transition from scavenging/detrital feeding in smaller juveniles to predatory consumption by larger adults. Sexually mature adult female N. heros (shell lengths >10 cm) contained lower sterol concentrations compared to smaller whelks, which may reflect reduced consumption rates or lipid translocation during the annual reproductive cycle. Analysis of N. heros eggs at 3 developmental stages ranging from internal egg masses to mature egg cases showed significant transfer of algal-derived sterols and fatty acids which were conserved during egg maturation. The suite of individual lipid signatures and δ13C sterol values observed in N. heros suggest that the northern Neptune whelk relies on both direct lipid incorporation as well as metabolic modification of algal-derived food sources for sterol requirements that transition as animals mature and become predatory consumers.

Assessment of the silicon compounds effect on disease resistance and productivity of spring barley with a decrease in pesticide load in the south of Russia

In a small-plot field experiment, the effect of different forms of silicon compounds (tetraethoxysilane (TES) and sodium silicate) and processing methods (seeds and plants) on disease incidence and productivity of spring barley varieties was studied and the effect of diseases on productivity was evaluated. It was found that the use of silicon-containing compounds separately and in a mixture with a reduced consumption rate of fungicide led to a decrease in the infestation of barley with root rot and leaf spots. The lowest degree of disease development was observed when using a fungicide and mixtures of TES and sodium silicate with a reduced consumption rate of fungicide. The maximum yield increases were obtained by combining two types of treatment with silicon - seeds and plants. When processing seeds, the use of sodium silicate was more effective. The relationship between the development of diseases and the productivity of spring barley, primarily grain biomass, is estimated in most cases as strong and medium.

Navigating Healthcare Supply Shortages During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cardiologist's Perspective.

Navigating Healthcare Supply Shortages During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cardiologist's Perspective.

Control of ragweed in apple orchards in southern Ukraine

Goal. The effectiveness of the herbicides Hurricane Forte 500 SL, RK and Bast 150 SL, RK in protecting the apple orchard from ragweed was evaluated.
 Methods. The studies were conducted in the field in plantations of apple trees. The soil of the experimental plot is the southern light loamy chernozem, with a humus content in the arable layer of 3.2%, pH — 7.1. The tree planting scheme was 1.5—4 m. The experiments, observations, and counting were carried out according to generally accepted methods.
 Results. According to the results of phytosanitary surveys of apple plantations in farms of Odessa region, 27 species of weeds were identified, which belong to 12 botanical families. Among the annual weeds, the following species dominated: ragweed, ragweed, common shrubbery, common bedroot, white gauze; from perennial species: sharp gusset, pink sow thistle, field bindweed, wheat grass creeping, spurge vine. The mass emergence of seedlings of ragweed was observed in the third decade of April — the first decade of May. The phase of development of ragweed plants at the time of processing was 2—4 true leaves. Herbicide Hurricane Forte 500 SL in the norm of 2.0 l/ ha a month after treatment controlled 98.0%, at the end of the growing season — 83.2% of the weed. The treatment of plots with Hurricane Forte 500 SL with a flow rate of 1.0 l/ha and the addition of Trend 90 surfactant to the working solution ensured weed control after a month — 96.8%, at the end of the growing season — 80.6%. With a single application of the Bast 150 SL herbicide at a consumption rate of 4.0 l/ha, the technical efficiency a month after treatment was 94.7%; at the end of the growing season, it decreased to 60.1% due to the regrowth of ragweed plants. Two-time use of the Basta 150 SL preparation at a consumption rate of 3.0 l/ha made it possible to control the weed during the entire growing season at the level of 86.4—87.4%.
 Conclusions. The use of a reduced consumption rate of the Hurricane Forte 500 SL, RK herbicide in a mixture with the surfactant Trend 90 provides control of the ragweed at the optimal rate. Herbicide Basta 150 SL, RK is more effective to apply twice.

Эффективность микробиологических препаратов на основе Bacillus subtilis и Trichoderma harzianum в защите ярового ячменя от болезней на Северо-Западе России

The efficacy of microbiological plant protection specimens based on Bacillus subtilis (Vitapan, SP) and Trichoderna harzianum (Trikhotsin, SP) was studied on such spring barley diseases as a root rot and Helminthosporium leaf spot. The use of these biological products in the treatment of seeds and vegetative plants of spring barley was ineffective, namely a decrease in the development of root rot and helminthosprium disease did not exceed 35%. A greater protective effect was achieved when using studied preparations for treating seeds with a low degree of infection with the main pathogen of root rot. The use of Vitaplan in a tank mixture with reduced consumption rates of the chemical fungicides was less effective than pure chemicals with full consumption rates: the decrease was 17% for root rot and 12.7% for Helminthosporium leaf spot. Thus, it is advisable to use mixtures of chemicals with the Vitaplan as a biological for treatment of seeds with an average degree of infection by root rot pathogens and a predicted moderate development of Helminthosporium disease. spring barley, biological plantprotecting agents, root rot, protective efficiency.

PERSEPSI KOMUNITAS “ARSENAL” BANDUNG TERHADAP PESAN PERINGATAN PADA BUNGKUS ROKOK

Cigarettes are the product that leads to the pros and cons the people of Indonesia. Negative effects due to smoking no doubt, substances in cigarettes to be an indicator of various diseases of cigarettes to consumers. The government has issued a rule requiring cigarette manufacturers to the dangers of smoking message by including images warning of the dangers of smoking. This study aims to determine the perceptions of community members regarding visual warning label smoked edition of "lungs damaged". Data collection techniques used in this research through interviews, observation, documentation. This study refers to the theories of perception ecology, how the stages of processing human perception occurs, that man's way of responding to a stimulus environmental, cultural backgrounds and communities, through the method of the message fear appeals, on delivery through media spooky image on cigarette packs. Results of research conducted by researchers at the community Arsenal Indonesian Supporter is a positive perception of the members of that community, and the message delivered by the government through the media picture warnings to be put on artificial cigarette packs in particular edition of "lungs damaged" conveyed properly, it is evident by reduced consumption rate of smokers in the community. Thus, it can be concluded that government regulation regarding the rules for the inclusion of the dangers of smoking images on cigarette packs is a good effort although still not very effective but enough make community members AIS Bandung smokers reduce smoking intensity and some have quit smoking.

THE EFFICIENCY OF THE COMPLEX USE OF MICROBIAL FORMULATIONS AND FUNGICIDES FOR THE DISEASES CONTROL AND PRODUCTIVITY INCREASE OF VEGETABLE CROPS

The introduction of biotechnologies into the practice of land use, the reduction or replacement of chemicals by bioformulations, including microbial, are relevant for modern crop production. To date, a wide range of biological products based on soil bacteria has been developed, they are used to increase plant productivity and crop quality, protect plants from harmful organisms, and reduce the rate of mineral fertilizers and pesticides application. Aim. To study the effect of the complex use of microbial preparations Azotobacterin and Biophosphorin together with fungicides on the tomatoes, cucumbers, white cabbage diseases development and their productivity under field cultivation. Methods. Microbiological methods of micromycetes isolation from infected plants tissues; morphological and physiological methods of identification of phytopathogenic micromycetes of Alternaria, Pseudoperonospora and Fusarium genus; methods of field studies; methods of determination of diseases development and the effectiveness of protective action of biopreparations Azotobacterin (based on Azotobacter chroococcum ІМВ В-7171), Biophosphorin (based on Bacillus megaterium ІМВ В-7168) and fungicides Acrobat MC, Quadris 250 SC, Infinito 61 SC, Ridomil Gold MC 68 WG; statistical methods. Results. The bioformulation Azotobacterin and its composition with Biophosphorin in the mixtures with such fungicides as Acrobat MC, Quadris 250 SC, Infinito 61 SC, Ridomil Gold MC 68 WG with reduced consumption rates have provided a protective effect against pathogens at the level of fungicides with full consumption rates and the increase in yield of vegetable crops by 11–39% compared to control. Conclusions. Application of nitrogen-fixing and phosphate-mobilizing bacteria together with fungicides with the reduced consumption rates contributed to decrease of the tomatoes, cucumbers, white cabbage diseases control and increase in their yield, which makes possible to reduce the pesticide load on agrocenosis by an average of 17-33% and has significant environmental and economic importance.

Awareness of alternative gluten-free grains for individuals with coeliac disease

Purpose Coeliac disease (CD) is a prevalent autoimmune disorder, affecting 1 in 100 of all individuals in the UK. Currently, the only treatment for CD is the complete avoidance of gluten, a protein commonly found in wheat, rye and barley. The use of alternative grains (AG) is highly recommended to individuals with CD to improve and diversify their diet. The purpose of this paper is to determine the current knowledge of the gluten-free diet (GFD), consumption rates of AG and awareness of AG, for individuals diagnosed with CD. Design/methodology/approach A total of 100 participants were recruited via local coeliac support groups as well as an “Allergy and Free From Show”, to participate in a survey. Consent was obtained from all organisations and all individual participants, prior to collecting data. The questionnaire consists of ten questions, related to participants’ demographic characteristics, knowledge of gluten-free food (GFF) and AG and consumption rate of AG. χ2 analyses were conducted to compare the variables between gender and time of diagnosis. Findings Overall, both genders possessed good knowledge of the GFD. Yogurt, vinegar and oats resulted in the highest incorrect responses. It was found that females possessed better knowledge of both GFF and AG. Rice, quinoa and corn were amongst the most popular AG consumed whilst job’s tears, fonio and sorghum were the least consumed grains. Females reported a higher consumption rate of AG than males. Additionally, those more recently diagnosed had poorer knowledge of the GFD, reduced consumption rates of AG and poor awareness of AG. Originality/value It can be suggested that the incorporation of AG into the diet can prove beneficial for coeliacs and that both knowledge and education play a fundamental role in determining consumption rates amongst individuals.

Dilemmas, coordination and defection: How uncertain tipping points induce common pool resource destruction

Many common pool resources (CPRs) have tipping points—stock levels below which the resource is permanently damaged or destroyed—but the specific levels at which these thresholds are crossed are rarely known with certainty. We model a CPR in which uncertainty simultaneously creates a Prisoner's Dilemma and a Coordination Game. This model highlights a novel mechanism through which uncertainty incentivizes the overuse of a CPR. In the model, two Nash Equilibria exist, both of which lead to a Tragedy of the Commons, but one is an inferior solution because it leads to assured resource destruction. We use a single-period laboratory experiment to investigate the effects of uncertain tipping points on constituents' resource extraction decisions. Experimental results suggest that uncertainty reduces coordination in this type of CPR setting and increases the likelihood of resource destruction. We also find that tax and fine policies reduce consumption rates and prevent resource destruction.

Regulation of benthic oxygen fluxes in permeable sediments of the coastal ocean

AbstractLarge areas of the oceanic shelf are composed of sandy sediments through which reactive solutes are transported via porewater advection fueling active microbial communities. The advective oxygen transport in permeable sands of the North Sea was investigated under in situ conditions using a new benthic observatory to assess the dynamic interaction of hydrodynamics, sediment morphodynamics, and oxygen penetration depth. During 16 deployments, concurrent measurement of current velocity, sediment topography, and porewater oxygen concentration were carried out. In all cases the oxyclines were found at depths of 1–6 cm, correlating with the topography of stationary and migrating bedforms (ripples). Different conditions in terms of bottom water currents and bedform migration led to fluctuating oxygen penetration depths and, hence, highly variable redox conditions in up to 2.5 cm thick layers beneath the surface. Volumetric oxygen consumption rates of surface sediments were measured on board in flow‐through reactors. Bedform migration was found to reduce consumption rates by up to , presumably caused by the washout of organic carbon that is otherwise trapped in the pore space of the sediment. Based on the observations we found oxygen penetration depths to be largely controlled by oxygen consumption rates, grain size, and current velocity. These controlling variables are summarized by an adapted Damköhler number which allows for prediction of oxygen penetretion depths based on a simple scaling law. By integrating the oxygen consumption rates over the oxygen penetration depth, oxygen fluxes of 8–34 mmol m−2 d−1 were estimated.

Further investigation of phenotypes and confounding factors of progressive ratio performance and feeding behavior in the BACHD rat model of Huntington disease.

Huntington disease is an inherited neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor, cognitive, psychiatric and metabolic symptoms. We recently published a study describing that the BACHD rat model of HD shows an obesity phenotype, which might affect their motivation to perform food-based behavioral tests. Further, we argued that using a food restriction protocol based on matching BACHD and wild type rats’ food consumption rates might resolve these motivational differences. In the current study, we followed up on these ideas in a longitudinal study of the rats’ performance in a progressive ratio test. We also investigated the phenotype of reduced food consumption rate, which is typically seen in food-restricted BACHD rats, in greater detail. In line with our previous study, the BACHD rats were less motivated to perform the progressive ratio test compared to their wild type littermates, although the phenotype was no longer present when the rats’ food consumption rates had been matched. However, video analysis of food consumption tests suggested that the reduced consumption rate found in the BACHD rats was not entirely based on differences in hunger, but likely involved motoric impairments. Thus, restriction protocols based on food consumption rates are not appropriate when working with BACHD rats. As an alternative, we suggest that studies where BACHD rats are used should investigate how the readouts of interest are affected by motivational differences, and use appropriate control tests to avoid misleading results. In addition, we show that BACHD rats display distinct behavioral changes in their progressive ratio performance, which might be indicative of striatal dysfunction.