The process of hardening for drought resistance results in many changes in the vegetative organs of plants. PRINGSHEIM (7) has noted that pumpkin seedlings, grown under conditions of insufficient moisture, had an increased osmotic pressure in the cells and a higher resistance to drought than check plants grown in a moist soil and humid atmosphere. Since then a number of investigations have been...

The extent of visible fungus growth on pressuresensitive electrical insulating tapes, as well as the effects of fungi on the mechanical strength of the tapes, was reported previously (Berk and Teitell, 1951). Fungi seriously decreased the tensile strength of tapes with cellulosic backings but had no more than slight effects on the tensile strength of tapes with elastomeric backings. This report...

To better understand the effects of biological soil crusts (BSCs) on soil moisture and wind erosion and study the necessity and feasibility of disturbance of BSCs in the Mu Us sandland, the effects of four treatments, including moss-dominated crusts alone, Artemisia ordosica alone, bare sand, and Artemisia ordosica combined with moss-dominated crusts, on rainwater infiltration, soil moisture, a...

Biomass, mainly in the form of wood, is the oldest form of energy used by humans. Gasification is a process of conversion of solid carbonaceous fuel into combustible gas by partial combustion. In the present study, a model developed by us in our earlier study is used for predicting the steady-state composition and rate of reaction profiles for the reduction zone of the downdraft biomass gasifie...

UNLABELLED The public health risk and economic impact of dampness and mold exposures was assessed using current asthma as a health endpoint. Individual risk of current asthma from exposure to dampness and mold in homes from W.J. Fisk, Q. Lei-Gomez & M.J. Mendell [(2007) Indoor Air, [corrected] 17, 284-296], and [corrected] asthma risks calculated from additional studies that reported the preval...

Temporal and spatial characteristics of microwave dielectric properties and water status of several forest species were investigated during the 1990 and 1991 growing seasons as part of the NASA FED MAC. Data presented were acquired from Durham, New Hampshire (white pine, eastern hemlock, and American beech), and Howland, Maine (eastern hemlock and red spruce). Dielectric properties of trunk woo...

Within a 53 home monitored sample, long-term energy use of electric resistance clothes dryers was sub-metered. Average measured dryer energy use was 3% of total household energy or 814 kWh/year. Hourly dryer electrical demand profile showed large coincidence with utility summer afternoon peak and significant increases over weekends versus weekdays. After collection of baseline data, electric re...

BACKGROUND Heat and moisture loss from the respiratory tract during exercise are important triggers of exercise induced asthma. METHODS A new heat and moisture exchange mask has been developed which both recovers exhaled heat and water and has a sufficiently low resistance for use during exercise. The effect of the mask on inspired air temperature was studied in four normal subjects. Eight as...

To determine the relationship between changes in soil physical properties due to tillage and growth of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) seedlings, we measured soil moisture and penetration resistance for a range of tillage treatments on two Upper Coastal Plain sites in Georgia and correlated these measurements to the growth of individual seedlings. The five tillage treatments were: no-till (NT), ...

The phase change of water from liquid to vapor is one of the most energy-intensive physical processes in nature, giving it immense potential for cooling. Diverse evaporative cooling strategies have resulted worldwide, including roof ponds and sprinklers, courtyard fountains, wind catchers with qanats, irrigated green roofs, and fan-assisted evaporative coolers. These methods all require water i...