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Remote detection of chemical and biological warfare agents and toxic gases in the atmosphere is of current interest to both the military and civilian agencies. Out of all currently available techniques, no single technique provides efficient detection against such threats at significant standoff distances. Light detection and ranging (LIDAR) technologies, based on the transmission of laser pulses and analysis of the return signals, have demonstrated impressive capabilities in remote detection of such toxic chemicals. LIDAR is a highly sensitive tool to detect the extremely low concentrations of various toxic agents present in the form of thin clouds at distances of few kilometer. The detection of these toxic clouds is based on the approach of first detecting and measuring the range of the clouds using the scattering phenomena and subsequently identifying the composition of toxic clouds using absorption and fluorescence phenomena. Laser Science and Technology Centre (LASTEC), Delhi has been working on the design and development of LIDAR systems for detection of chemical and biological warfare (CBW) agents. In this paper, theoretical analysis of differential absorption LIDAR (DIAL) for detection of chemical agents and fluorescence LIDAR for detection of biological agents has been discussed. For some typical parametric conditions, the received power levels from different ranges to detect specific concentrations of chemical or biological clouds have been computed and discussed. The technical details of the indigenously developed backscattering LIDAR, which detects and measures the distance of cloud layers up to 5 km is also presented.Defence Science Journal, 2011, 61(3), pp.241-250, DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.14429/dsj.61.556

"1 Oct 58." ; At head of title: Engineering and design. ; Title from contents page. ; Mode of access: Internet.

DESCRIBE THE IDEA We have designed the 'Bee Brick' to provide a nesting site to support the declining solitary bee population. 'Britain has more than 250 bee species, but numbers have fallen dramatically due to disease, an increase in chemical use and habitat loss (Friends of the Earth 2013). The bee brick is specifically designed to be an integral part of the build and offers the dual function of being a construction material that also promotes biodiversity. It has been designed to be included in new build projects as a 'fit and forget' component, and to sit alongside current green systems such as Solar panels, rainwater harvesting, ground source heat pump systems and Sedan roofs. WHAT IS NEW ABOUT IT (100) Main stream construction materials primary function is to perform as structural components within the fabric of new buildings. We have taken these materials as starting points, and created habitats for bee's displaced by the construction process to become hubs for greater biodiversity within new community's. HOW FAR HAVE YOU PUT IT INTO PRACTICE AND WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THE FUTURE (100) To date we have produced a working method in-house for batch production of the 'bee brick' along with its stand alone partner the 'bee block'. The bee block's can be used on their own or stacked. We are working with the structural engineering team at Plymouth university to establish its suitability as a building material and provide relevant performance tests to prove this. We are also drawing on the expertise of Bio scientist's from Exeter university to test prototypes and working models in controlled environments and measure and record the results. HOW DOES IT BENEFIT PEOPLE, THE ENVIRONMENT OR ANIMAL WELFARE? (UP TO 300 WORDS – INCLUDE EVIDENCE WHERE AVAILABLE)*? Biodiversity loss has been highlighted as a key worldwide issue. In October 2010 in Japan, over 190 countries around the world reached a historic global agreement to take urgent action to halt the loss of biodiversity. In response to this Defra's Biodiversity 2020 strategy was created to 'halt overall biodiversity loss, support healthy ecosystems and establish coherent ecological networks'. This is particularly important in light of the Governments plans for additional housing. In 2007 the Government set a target of increasing the supply of housing to 240,000 additional homes per year by 2016 (Wilson, 2007). According to English Nature not all development is harmful and, 'given careful location and design, can even be carried out to enhance wildlife'. However, without careful attention to location, layout and design, habitats can be partially or totally destroyed. (English Nature, 2006). The design of the bee brick is in direct response to these issues. Providing habitats for the next generation of pollinating bee species is vitally important. Adapting and rethinking how we use existing building components makes implementing these goals viable at a scale necessary to see real change and promote biodiversity.

This book discusses the interplay among bees, agriculture and the environment. Both managed and wild bees are critical for successful pollination of numerous fruit, vegetable, oilseed and legume seed crops and are considered here. So is treatment of how bees also impact the agro-ecosystem in ways beyond simple pollination, such as by transporting pollen from genetically modified plants and by enhancing biological control strategies. The principles and examples are international. The concept is in line with current thinking of pollination as an important ecological process, and an understanding of agriculture as disturbance ecology.

Eichhornia crassipes (Martius) Solms Laubach (Liliales: Pontederiaceae) was introduced to Florida in the 1880s as an ornamental and it once infested thousands of square kilometers across the state. Megamelus scutellaris Berg (Hemiptera: Delphacidae) was developed as a classical biological control agent for this plant primarily because its free-living life stages allow it to better integrate with herbicides, which are currently used as the main control method for E. crassipes in Florida. Mass rearing and distribution programs can accelerate the benefits of biological control by augmenting natural dispersal, but an optimal release strategy must consider the entire system including the agent, the target weed, and the habitat. The effectiveness of various release strategies was evaluated using a tank experiment where single and multiple releases of either adult M. scutellaris only or E. crassipes infested with M. scutellaris eggs were compared to control treatments. The post-release dispersal capability of brachypterous M. scutellaris was evaluated using a linear transect of E. crassipes. Two density release treatments were tested and emerging nymphs were used as a proxy for female dispersal distances. All release treatments resulted in successful M. scutellaris population establishment and levels of M. scutellaris were not significantly different among them. The dispersal experiment indicated that adult females oviposit near the release point before dispersing. While the release experiment indicated that all treatments were similar, the continually fluctuating populations of E. crassipes makes establishment of populations difficult in the field. By releasing both adults and infested plants, additional propagule pressure can be attained from a single release event which can counter the tendency of adult M. scutellaris to disperse rapidly following release. ; Public domain authored by a U.S. government employee

The presence of biological agents in the workplace may result in hazardous situations for workers. The present study was carried out in the microbiology laboratory of a Medical School and the methodology was based on the qualitative method presented in the Technical Note of Spanish Prevention (NTP 833) and the Accompanied Method of Biological Risk Management (MAGRB). It was concluded that the MAGRB allows to distinguish and prioritize the risk associated to the different operations as a whole, taking into account safety conditions and practices, if evaluation parameters defined in the legislation of bio-logical agents are met, something that the International method (NTP 833) does not allow doing so effectively. As the focus of worker protection, the MAGRB provides the necessary guidelines to trigger a prevention structure in all ac-tivities likely to be exposed to biological agents. ; info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion