Aerospace Medicine and Biology: A continuing supplement 180, May 1978

This special bibliography lists 201 reports, articles, and other documents introduced into the NASA scientific and technical information system in April 1978

Evolutionary patterns in Thamnochortus (Restionaceae) : a study of specification in the Cape floristic region

Bibliography: pages 85-92.Patterns of speciation and potential evolutionary pressures and constraints were investigated in the genus Thamnochortus. Phenetic methods were used to define boundaries of species prior to cladistic analyses. Comparative techniques were employed to investigate aspects of dispersal biology and fire survival habit. Methods of historical biogeography were used to evaluate vicariance and dispersal hypotheses. The broader understanding of species evolution gained in such a comparative study is important in conservation of species or areas, forming a basis for further ecological and genetic predictions. The majority of Thamnochortus species have well-defined species limits; however, those of T. comptonii, T. platypteris and T. scabridus are more diffuse. For this species complex a matrix of 94 specimens, nine quantitative and sixteen qualitative characters was investigated, using cluster and ordination analyses, to define species boundaries. Thirty-four species of Thamnochortus, with three species of Rhodocoma as the outgroup, were used in the cladistic analysis. There were forty-three qualitative characters and ten quantitative characters. The number of species, height, reproductive output and geographic area were compared between sister lineages of seeding and resprouting species. In species classified as resprouters individuals survive fire by resprouting from the rhizome. In a post-fire environment seeding species recruit from seed and not by resprouting. Resprouters were significantly taller than seeders and covered a significantly larger distribution area. There was no significant difference in the amount of seed produced by seeding and resprouting lineages or in the geographic area covered by winged and keeled lineages. Correlated evolution tests indicated that wings of seeds evolved independently of the seeding condition, although the probability of wings evolving randomly was low. The evolution of keels was significantly associated with a switch to resprouting. There are few distinct ecological differences between the seeding and resprouting habits in soil type or rainfall; however, the inference is that resprouters do occupy habitats in higher rainfall areas than the sister seeders. Biogeographic analysis of species distributions, using cluster methods with a Jacard similarity coefficient, defined four phytogeographic areas which were considered to be areas of endemism. A concentric ring method recognised narrow areas of endemism and illustrated the overlap of species distributions between areas. The defined areas of endemism and similarity were used in general area cladograms to determine area relationships. The primary differentiations on the general area cladogram of areas of similarity distinguished a summer rainfall region (south coast) from a winter rainfall region (south Western Cape extending up the west coast). Within the winter rainfall region there is separation into a mesic (Cape Peninsula and south western mountain range) and an arid region (Cedarberg and Koue Bokkeveld). This analysis of Thamnochortus gives the first indication that the primary differentiation was between summer and winter rainfall, followed by the differentiation of the winter rainfall region into mesic and arid areas. Comparison within clades of distribution and habitat profiles indicated that, where distributions of closely related species overlap, there is niche differentiation in flowering time and substrate texture. Fire survival habit does not appear to have influenced speciation in Thamnochortus. There is, however, an evolutionary relationship between fire survival habit and female outer tepal specialization. Evidence from the general area cladogram indicates that speciation patterns in Thamnochortus may have been influenced by changes in rainfall in the Miocene. Habitat profiles of sister species indicate that alterations in flowering time and substrate texture are key factors in ecological differentiation of species

The analysis of the pilot's cognitive and decision processes

Articles are presented on pilot performance in zero-visibility precision approach, failure detection by pilots during automatic landing, experiments in pilot decision-making during simulated low visibility approaches, a multinomial maximum likelihood program, and a random search algorithm for laboratory computers. Other topics discussed include detection of system failures in multi-axis tasks and changes in pilot workload during an instrument landing

Applicability of Scrape Loading-Dye Transfer Assay for Non-Genotoxic Carcinogen Testing

Dysregulation of gap junction intercellular communication (GJIC) is recognized as one of the key hallmarks for identifying non-genotoxic carcinogens (NGTxC). Currently, there is a demand for in vitro assays addressing the gap junction hallmark, which would have the potential to eventually become an integral part of an integrated approach to the testing and assessment (IATA) of NGTxC. The scrape loading-dye transfer (SL-DT) technique is a simple assay for the functional evaluation of GJIC in various in vitro cultured mammalian cells and represents an interesting candidate assay. Out of the various techniques for evaluating GJIC, the SL-DT assay has been used frequently to assess the effects of various chemicals on GJIC in toxicological and tumor promotion research. In this review, we systematically searched the existing literature to gather papers assessing GJIC using the SL-DT assay in a rat liver epithelial cell line, WB-F344, after treating with chemicals, especially environmental and food toxicants, drugs, reproductive-, cardio- and neuro-toxicants and chemical tumor promoters. We discuss findings derived from the SL-DT assay with the known knowledge about the tumor-promoting activity and carcinogenicity of the assessed chemicals to evaluate the predictive capacity of the SL-DT assay in terms of its sensitivity, specificity and accuracy for identifying carcinogens. These data represent important information with respect to the applicability of the SL-DT assay for the testing of NGTxC within the IATA framework

Isolation and Genomic Analysis of the Cetacean Y-chromosome

The male-specific mammalian Y-chromosome represents a powerful tool for studying malemediated gene flow and genome evolution. Here it was possible to identify 7 polymorphic microsatellites for the first time in an odontocete species, using a combination of cell culture, cytogenetics and molecular approaches. Initially, the development of an efficient and repeatable methodology for obtaining a growing lymphocyte culture that facilitated the isolation of individual chromosomes is described. Flow karyotypic characterization and isolation of individual chromosomes via flow sorting or microdissection is reported for the killer whale (Orcinus orca). Microdissected Y-chromosomes from the killer whale and bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) were screened for sequences containing microsatellite motifs. 15 and 10 male-specific microsatellites were identified from the killer whale and bottlenose dolphin, respectively. Additional microsatellite loci were identified from previously published fin whale Y-chromosome sequence. 6 markers designed from heterologous sequences amplified from sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus), were also screened for variation. All 31 markers were monomorphic in the bottlenose dolphin, only 2 loci showed 2 variants in the killer whale and 7 were polymorphic in the sperm whale. In addition 162 anonymous regions of the Y-chromosome, isolated from the delphinid species were used to characterize the comparative composition of the ‘Y’ relative to the autosomes in these species. Characteristics are discussed in the context of the genome as a whole, species-specific history and with reference to the expected patterns of mammalian Y-chromosome evolution

Strategies for the online dissemination of large geographically disaggregated time-series

This thesis investigates the various strategies used to produce a large on-line database which stores its data in the terms of dates and areas. The database studied was Nomis which was released in 1982 and provides remote access to official labour market data. The Nomis system underwent a complete redesign in 1997. A detailed account of the 'Old Nomis' system is provided in order to set the context for a study of its limitations. This study discusses the limitations due to the data design of the original model and code organisation as well as the limitations of the command interface and geographical management. The next part of the study was to investigate different methods of implementing a redesign of the original system. This focused on the choice of technology available both in terms of software and hardware, ways of improving the user interface, designing a new data model and the development of a new geographical management system. Once the new system was in place a menu-style interface was developed to provide a more user-friendly way to access the Nomis data. Various technologies were considered and the decision was taken to use the basic Web technology of HTML and forms due mainly to its accessibility to the majority of Nomis users and supported by all WWW browsers. Future Web technologies are also discussed. The success of the redesign was evaluated in terms of examining the 'New Nomis' interface to see if limitations had been addressed. Also the 'Beta Testing' process was discussed with various users feedback indicating possible strengths and weaknesses of the 'New Nomis' system. Usage level performance graphs were also considered which compare usage levels of the 'Old Nomis' system against the 'New Nomis' system

Quests of Difference: Reading Pope\u27s Poems

In this eminently readable book, G. Douglas Atkins continues the efforts undertaken in Reading Deconstruction/Deconstructive Reading to open eighteenth-century texts to the insights of recent critical theory. Through close readings of most of Pope’s major poems, Atkins demonstrates how the powerful theoretical movement known as deconstruction enriches, challenges, and significantly modifies our understanding of the work of the greatest poet of the eighteenth century. The first full-scale deconstructive study of Augustan poetry, Quests of Difference at once offers a fresh and compelling reading of Pope and makes an important contribution to constructive criticism. Though it will be of particular interest and importance to specialists in both eighteenth-century studies and criticism and theory, Quests of Difference is written with the general reader in mind. All readers will appreciate the intelligence and balance of Atkin’s approach as well as the clarity, informality, and grace that distinguish his writing. G. Douglas Atkins is professor of English at the University of Kansas.https://uknowledge.uky.edu/upk_english_language_and_literature_british_isles/1026/thumbnail.jp

Causes, cures, and compliance : bible believers\u27 causal attributions and preferred treatments for mental disorders

The importance of providing culturally-competent treatment is increasingly being emphasized in the mental health literature. However, the effect of religion as a cultural determinant of treatment utilization is largely understudied. Previous studies suggest that religious fundamentalists are more likely to endorse spiritual and demonic explanations for mental illness and are less willing to seek help from secular mental health professionals. However, these studies are based on small, regional, non-probability samples and have failed to adequately control for the effects of other sociodemographic variables such as education. This study utilized data from two nationally representative surveys, the 1996 and 1998 General Social Surveys (GSS), to examine the effect of beliefs about the authorship, inerrancy, and interpretation of the Bible on beliefs about the perceived causes and preferred treatments for mental disorders. Respondents to the 1996 MacArthur Mental Health Module were presented with a vignette that described someone experiencing one of four disorders: schizophrenia, major depression. alcoholism, or drug addiction

An experimental examination of psychophysical methods for studying the perception of binaural repetitive transients

Imperial Users onl