Spatial and Temporal Patterns in Nitrous Oxide Flux from Agricultural Soil in Southern Ontario

This research examines spatial and temporal variations in N2O flux from agricultural clay loam in corn-wheat and corn-oat rotations in southern Ontario. Gas samples are collected by the chamber method following significant precipitation events, thaw events, fertilization events, and otherwise every two weeks over a two-year period. Crop type appears to influence the magnitude of N2O emisions, whereas N2O fluxes do not otherwise seem to vary by landscape position. The seasonal pattern of in situ N2O flux at Strawberry Creek (SC) indicates that the highest N2O emissions are occuring during the spring and growing season. Soil moisture and fertilization appear to be the prevailing flux drivers at these times. This pattern is common to most of the literature, although SC fluxes are up to two orders of magnitude lower than those from several studies in similar agricultural regions. Although field data appear to indicate that N2O fluxes are insignificant during the winter, other researchers, in southern Quebec and in northern Europe, have found significant winter N2O fluxes, especially during winter thaws. Soil temperature appears to be the predominant driver of N2O flux during the winter and fall. The SC field data is compared to that collected during an intensive non-growing season simulation, whereby intact soil mesocosms are exposed to winter and spring temperatures in a laboratory environment, and gas samples are collected daily. Increases and decreases in N2O flux parallel fluctuations in soil temperature through 0°C during the winter simulation. N2O fluxes quickly drop off following an initial spike in emissions as soil temperature increases during the spring simulation. The laboratory fluxes from the situation exceed those from the field by up to two orders of magnitude. It may be that high N2O fluxes exist during in situ winter thaws, but are undetected because of the timing of field sampling. It is also possible that the laboratory methodology created extreme and rapid soil temperature changes, which may not be representative of typical in situ conditions. Dramatic increases and decreases in soil temperature may cause a high level of physical, chemical and/or microbiological disturbance to the soil cores, which, in turn, may drive higher N2O fluxes. Strong SC correlations between N2O flux and binned soil temperature data, by soil moisture category, may allow general predictions of N2O flux based on readily available records, or estimates, of these two parameters. Derived N2O flux estimates may be reliable predictors of N2O emissions in northern temperature regions, from agricultural clay loams growing corn and grains. Predictive models would likely be improved by increasing the intensity of empirical measurements during winter and spring thaw conditions, and by incorporating antecedent soil temperature and soil moisture terms into the models

Changing the Narrative: A Visual Art Project

VISIONARIES, the Harrisonburg, Virginia, TRHT Changing the Narrative project recognizes African American history through creative visual art forms. The project centers on the under-recognized histories and peoples of African American descent living in the Shenandoah Valley.n 2019, the Northeast Neighborhood Association of Harrisonburg, Virginia, was awarded a grant from Virginia Humanities, made possible by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, as part of the statewide Changing the Narrative projects. The HarrisonburgTruth, Racial Healing, and Transformation Advisory Committee is sponsoring this project in Harrisonburg in order to cultivate a more inclusive narrative—one in which all Virginians can feel valued

¿Cómo los demás influencian nuestro consumo? : un análisis del consumo visible y los grupos de referencia en Uruguay

En este trabajo se explora el consumo posicional de los hogares uruguayos a partir de la estimación empírica del rol del grupo de pares en el gasto en consumo visible. Utilizando los datos de la última encuesta de gastos en ingresos correspondiente a 2016/2017 se analiza cómo las comparaciones afectan el gasto en distintas canastas de bienes visibles. Al igual que en los antecedentes revisado se considera consumo visible al gasto en vestimenta, joyas, cuidado personal y vehículos, pero, además, este trabajo innova en la inclusión de gastos en experiencias como viajes, recreación, salidas a comer y fiestas dentro de la canasta de consumo visible. Las estimaciones se realizan para distintas definiciones del grupo de referencia, teniendo en cuenta tanto la ubicación geográfica del hogar como características sociodemográficas. Una de las definiciones incluye por primera vez para Uruguay la étnico-racial, una variable generalmente considerada relevante para la conformación de los grupos (Kaus, 2013). Las estimaciones muestran que el grupo de referencia afecta el gasto en consumo visible y este resultado es robusto para todas las definiciones del grupo de pares. Sin embargo, el efecto es diferente entre los bienes visibles básicos y los nuevos bienes visibles considerados en este trabajo. Pertenecer a un grupo de menores ingresos estimularía el consumo de vestimenta, vehículos y los gastos en cuidado personal, en tanto la situación inversa se encuentra en el caso de los gastos en viajes y actividades recreativa

¿Cómo los demás influencian nuestro consumo? : un análisis del consumo visible y los grupos de referencia en Uruguay

En este trabajo se explora el consumo posicional de los hogares uruguayos a partir de la estimación empírica del rol del grupo de pares en el gasto en consumo visible. Utilizando los datos de la última encuesta de gastos en ingresos correspondiente a 2016/2017 se analiza cómo las comparaciones afectan el gasto en distintas canastas de bienes visibles. Al igual que en los antecedentes revisados se considera consumo visible al gasto en vestimenta, joyas, cuidado personal y vehículos, pero, además, este trabajo innova en la inclusión de gastos en experiencias como viajes, recreación, salidas a comer y fiestas dentro de la canasta de consumo visible. Las estimaciones se realizan para distintas definiciones del grupo de referencia, teniendo en cuenta tanto la ubicación geográfica del hogar como características socio-demográficas. Una de las definiciones incluye por primera vez para Uruguay la étnico-racial, una variable generalmente considerada relevante para la conformación de los grupos (Kaus, 2013). Las estimaciones muestran que el grupo de referencia afecta el gasto en consumo visible y este resultado es robusto para todas las definiciones del grupo de pares. Sin embargo, el efecto es diferente entre los bienes visibles básicos y los nuevos bienes visibles considerados en este trabajo. Pertenecer a un grupo de menores ingresos estimularía el consumo de vestimenta, vehículos y los gastos en cuidado personal, en tanto la situación inversa se encuentra en el caso de los gastos en viajes y actividades recreativas

Evidence in Practice – A Pilot Study Leveraging Companion Animal and Equine Health Data from Primary Care Veterinary Clinics in New Zealand

Veterinary practitioners have extensive knowledge of animal health from their day-to-day observations of clinical patients. There have been several recent initiatives to capture these data from electronic medical records for use in national surveillance systems and clinical research. In response, an approach to surveillance has been evolving that leverages existing computerized veterinary practice management systems to capture animal health data recorded by veterinarians. Work in the United Kingdom within the VetCompass program utilizes routinely recorded clinical data with the addition of further standardized fields. The current study describes a prototype system that was developed based on this approach. In a 4-week pilot study in New Zealand, clinical data on presentation reasons and diagnoses from a total of 344 patient consults were extracted from two veterinary clinics into a dedicated database and analyzed at the population level. New Zealand companion animal and equine veterinary practitioners were engaged to test the feasibility of this national practice-based health information and data system. Strategies to ensure continued engagement and submission of quality data by participating veterinarians were identified, as were important considerations for transitioning the pilot program to a sustainable large-scale and multi-species surveillance system that has the capacity to securely manage big data. The results further emphasized the need for a high degree of usability and smart interface design to make such a system work effectively in practice. The geospatial integration of data from multiple clinical practices into a common operating picture can be used to establish the baseline incidence of disease in New Zealand companion animal and equine populations, detect unusual trends that may indicate an emerging disease threat or welfare issue, improve the management of endemic and exotic infectious diseases, and support research activities. This pilot project is an important step toward developing a national surveillance system for companion animals and equines that moves beyond emerging infectious disease detection to provide important animal health information that can be used by a wide range of stakeholder groups, including participating veterinary practices

La Institución Nacional de Derechos Humanos: un estudio desde las capacidades estatales

Este trabajo se propone profundizar sobre la institucionalidad de los derechos humanos y la adaptación de distintas figuras al contexto latinoamericano, centrando la atención en la INDDHH uruguaya y las capacidades con que la misma cuenta para llevar adelante sus cometidos. La Ley N° 18.446 de 24 de diciembre de 2008 asigna a la Institución Nacional de Derechos Humanos una vasta responsabilidad en materia de control de la actividad del Estado, pero a la vez se pretende opere como un instrumento complementario o específico respecto de otros ya existentes como el Poder Judicial, el Poder Ejecutivo o Legislativo, con la finalidad de otorgar mayores garantías a las personas en el goce de sus derechos humanos y para que les leyes, las prácticas administrativas y políticas públicas se desarrollen en consonancia con los mismos. La investigación se centra en las capacidades administrativas y políticas que ha desarrollado la INDDHH para dar cumplimiento con las responsabilidades asignadas. Los hallazgos permiten concluir que, si bien las capacidades administrativas son altamente relevantes, las capacidades políticas posibilitan la persuasión que requieren las recomendaciones para que las mismas sean efectivas.This work aims to delve into the institutionality of human rights and the adaptation of different figures to the Latin American context, focusing attention on the Uruguayan INDDHH and the skills it has to carry out its tasks. Law No. 18,446 of December 24, 2008 assigns to the National Human Rights Institution a vast responsibility in matters of control of State activity, but at the same time it is intended to operate as a complementary or specific instrument with respect to other existing ones such as the Judicial Branch, the Executive or Legislative Branch, with the purpose of granting greater guarantees to people in the enjoyment of their human rights and so that laws, administrative practices and public policies are developed in consonance with them. The research focuses on the administrative and political skills that the INDDHH has developed to comply with the assigned responsibilities. The findings allow us to conclude that, although administrative skills are highly relevant, political skills enable the persuasion that the recommendations require for them to be effective