Dealing with construction and demolition waste abroad: lessons for Hong Kong [Part I]

Few issues in construction give rise to more controversy than dealing with construction and demolition (C&D) waste. The problem is the same the world over. In Hong Kong it has been exacerbated by conflicting definitions in governing primary and secondary legislation as to what qualifies as waste, which affects how it should be dealt with - whether recycled or filled. In the first instalment of a two-part article Dr Arthur McInnis and David Hall-Jones of Denton Wilde Sapte look at how C&D waste is dealt with in other leading jurisdictions and then draw some conclusions for how Hong Kong might address the issue.published_or_final_versio

Dealing with construction and demolition waste abroad: lessons for Hong Kong [Part II]

In the second instalment of a two-part article Dr Arthur McInnis and David Hall-Jones of Denton Wilde Sapte finish their look at how construction and demolition (C&D) waste is dealt with in other leading jurisdictions and set out their conclusions for how Hong Kong might address the issue.published_or_final_versio

Edited NSSL meso-scale upper air network data in southwestern Oklahoma, 1966 and 1967

Cover title."Atmospheric General Circulation Technical Document No. 1.

Gause's exclusion principle revisited: artificial modified species and competition

Gause's principle of competition between two species is studied when one of them is sterile. We study the condition for total extinction in the niche, namely, when the sterile population exterminates the native one by an optimal use of resources. A mathematical Lotka-Volterra non linear model of interaction between a native and sterile species is proposed. The condition for total extinction is related to the initial number $M_{o}$ of sterile individuals released in the niche. In fact, the existence of a critical sterile-population value $M_{c}$ is conjectured from numerical analysis and an analytical estimation is found. When spatial diffusion (migration) is considered a critical size territory is found and, for small territory, total extinction exist in any case. This work is motived by the extermination agriculture problem of fruit flies in our region.Comment: 11 pages. Published in Jour.Phys.A Math.Gen. 33, 4877 (2000

Enhancing the early student experience

This paper is concerned with identifying how the early student experience can be enhanced in order to improve levels of student retention and achievement. The early student experience is the focus of this project as the literature has consistently declared the first year to be the most critical in shaping persistence decisions. Programme managers of courses with high and low retention rates have been interviewed to identify activities that appear to be associated with good retention rates. The results show that there are similarities in the way programmes with high retention are run, with these features not being prevalent on programmes with low retention. Recommendations of activities that appear likely to enhance the early student experience are provided

Optimum dose of ginger root oil to treat sterile Mediterranean fruit fly males (Diptera: Tephritidae)

The sterile insect technique (SIT) is widely used as part of an integrated approach to reduce field populations of the Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata, Diptera: Tephritidae). Aromatherapy based on exposure to ginger root oil (GRO) volatiles is known as a method to significantly improve the sexual performance of sterile medfly males, and is being used in many mass-rearing facilities around the world. However, the optimum dose of GRO is not well defined. This work evaluated in laboratory cages four different doses of GRO and a control (0, 0.1, 0.25, 0.5 and 0.75 ml/m3), and two different methods to hold flies prior to release (paper bags and plastic cages). The objective was to find the lowest dose that provides optimal improvement in mating performance of sterile males when competing with wild males for wild females and optimal reduction in fertility of wild females. Egg hatch, copula duration, the Relative Sterility Index (RSI), and a Competitiveness (C) value (based on RSI) were calculated for each treatment to assess male sexual performance and induction of sterility. The method used to hold flies did not influence the aromatherapy effect. The mean time spent by wild females in copula with wild males was significantly longer than with sterile males for all treatments, except when sterile males were treated with 0.1 ml of GRO/m3. Amongst all doses studied, it is recommended to apply the lowest dose, 0.1 ml of GRO/m3, since at this dose both the RSI and induced sterility reached the highest levels, and were not statistically different from the 0.25 and 0.5 GRO/m3 doses. Indeed, this dose showed a very significant improvement in the mating competitiveness of sterile males aromatically treated with GRO.Supplement 1

XCEED™ canola, introduction of the first herbicide tolerant Brassica juncea canola for western Canada

Non-Peer ReviewedCanola-quality Brassica juncea has been developed to provide a reliable method of producing canola in areas prone to heat and drought and where straight-cut combing is desirable. Conventional varieties have been available since 2002 and have been grown on a limited acreage. CLEARFIELD varieties have been developed and will provide improved weed control options for the crop and thereby increase the cultivated acreage. These varieties will be marketed as XCEED canola by Viterra

Traumatic Stress Interacts With Bipolar Disorder Genetic Risk to Increase Risk for Suicide Attempts

Objective Bipolar disorder (BD) is one of the most heritable psychiatric conditions and is associated with high suicide risk. To explore the reasons for this link, this study examined the interaction between traumatic stress and BD polygenic risk score in relation to suicidal ideation, suicide attempt, and nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) in adolescent and young adult offspring and relatives of persons with BD (BD-relatives) compared with adolescent and young adult offspring of individuals without psychiatric disorders (controls). Method Data were collected from 4 sites in the United States and 1 site in Australia from 2006 through 2012. Generalized estimating equation models were used to compare rates of ideation, attempts, and NSSI between BD-relatives (n = 307) and controls (n = 166) and to determine the contribution of demographic factors, traumatic stress exposure, lifetime mood or substance (alcohol/drug) use disorders, and BD polygenic risk score. Results After adjusting for demographic characteristics and mood and substance use disorders, BD-relatives were at increased risk for suicidal ideation and attempts but not for NSSI. Independent of BD-relative versus control status, demographic factors, or mood and substance use disorders, exposure to trauma within the past year (including bullying, sexual abuse, and domestic violence) was associated with suicide attempts (p = .014), and BD polygenic risk score was marginally associated with attempts (p = .061). Importantly, the interaction between BD polygenic risk score and traumatic event exposures was significantly associated with attempts, independent of demographics, relative versus control status, and mood and substance use disorders (p = .041). Conclusion BD-relatives are at increased risk for suicide attempts and ideation, especially if they are exposed to trauma and have evidence of increased genetic vulnerability