Tower Foundations Bearing Above Weak Soils

A 13-level reinforced concrete structure was constructed on Marco Island in southwest Florida. The tower is located 200 feet from the Gulf of Mexico and has plan area dimensions of 115 by 170 feet. The field testing revealed the site was mantled with a 17-foot thick layer of firm sand. The sand stratum was underlain by a compressible 9-foot thick layer of silty sand which had an average SPT N-value of less than 2. Various methods of engineering analyses estimated total tower settlements to range from 1 to 8 inches. Actual measured settlement following the application of dead load was about 1 3/4 inches. An engineering inspection following construction revealed diagonal shear wall cracks

Mechanisms and dynamics of the NH⁺₂ + H⁺ and NH⁺ + H⁺ + H fragmentation channels upon single-photon double ionization of NH₃

We present state-selective measurements on the NH$_2^{+}$ + H$^{+}$ and NH$^{+}$ + H$^{+}$ + H dissociation channels following single-photon double ionization at 61.5 eV of neutral NH$_{3}$, where the two photoelectrons and two cations are measured in coincidence using 3-D momentum imaging. Three dication electronic states are identified to contribute to the NH$_2^{+}$ + H$^{+}$ dissociation channel, where the excitation in one of the three states undergoes intersystem crossing prior to dissociation, producing a cold NH$_2^+$ fragment. In contrast, the other two states directly dissociate, producing a ro-vibrationally excited NH$_2^+$ fragment with roughly 1 eV of internal energy. The NH$^{+}$ + H$^{+}$ + H channel is fed by direct dissociation from three intermediate dication states, one of which is shared with the NH$_2^{+}$ + H$^{+}$ channel. We find evidence of autoionization contributing to each of the double ionization channels. The distributions of the relative emission angle between the two photoelectrons, as well as the relative angle between the recoil axis of the molecular breakup and the polarization vector of the ionizing field, are also presented to provide insight on both the photoionization and photodissociation mechanisms for the different dication states

The plight of the sense-making ape

This is a selective review of the published literature on object-choice tasks, where participants use directional cues to find hidden objects. This literature comprises the efforts of researchers to make sense of the sense-making capacities of our nearest living relatives. This chapter is written to highlight some nonsensical conclusions that frequently emerge from this research. The data suggest that when apes are given approximately the same sense-making opportunities as we provide our children, then they will easily make sense of our social signals. The ubiquity of nonsensical contemporary scientific claims to the effect that humans are essentially--or inherently--more capable than other great apes in the understanding of simple directional cues is, itself, a testament to the power of preconceived ideas on human perception

Great Apes' Risk-Taking Strategies in a Decision Making Task

We investigate decision-making behaviour in all four non-human great ape species. Apes chose between a safe and a risky option across trials of varying expected values. All species chose the safe option more often with decreasing probability of success. While all species were risk-seeking, orangutans and chimpanzees chose the risky option more often than gorillas and bonobos. Hence all four species' preferences were ordered in a manner consistent with normative dictates of expected value, but varied predictably in their willingness to take risks

Evidence for Emulation in Chimpanzees in Social Settings Using the Floating Peanut Task

The authors have no support or funding to report.Background: It is still unclear which observational learning mechanisms underlie the transmission of difficult problem-solving skills in chimpanzees. In particular, two different mechanisms have been proposed: imitation and emulation. Previous studies have largely failed to control for social factors when these mechanisms were targeted. Methods: In an attempt to resolve the existing discrepancies, we adopted the 'floating peanut task', in which subjects need to spit water into a tube until it is sufficiently full for floating peanuts to be grasped. In a previous study only a few chimpanzees were able to invent the necessary solution (and they either did so in their first trials or never). Here we compared success levels in baseline tests with two experimental conditions that followed: 1) A full model condition to test whether social demonstrations would be effective, and 2) A social emulation control condition, in which a human experimenter poured water from a bottle into the tube, to test whether results information alone (present in both experimental conditions) would also induce successes. Crucially, we controlled for social factors in both experimental conditions. Both types of demonstrations significantly increased successful spitting, with no differences between demonstration types. We also found that younger subjects were more likely to succeed than older ones. Our analysis showed that mere order effects could not explain our results. Conclusion: The full demonstration condition (which potentially offers additional information to observers, in the form of actions), induced no more successes than the emulation condition. Hence, emulation learning could explain the success in both conditions. This finding has broad implications for the interpretation of chimpanzee traditions, for which emulation learning may perhaps suffice.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Women\u27s Changing Attitudes Toward Divorce, 1974–2002: Evidence for an Educational Crossover

This article examines trends in divorce attitudes of young adult women in the United States by educational attainment from 1974 to 2002. Women with 4‐year college degrees, who previously had the most permissive attitudes toward divorce, have become more restrictive in their attitudes toward divorce than high school graduates and women with some college education, whereas women with no high school diplomas have increasingly permissive attitudes toward divorce. We examine this educational crossover in divorce attitudes in the context of variables correlated with women\u27s educational attainment, including family attitudes and religion, income and occupational prestige, and family structure. We conclude that the educational crossover in divorce attitudes is associated most strongly with work and family structure variables

Differences in the Cognitive Skills of Bonobos and Chimpanzees

While bonobos and chimpanzees are both genetically and behaviorally very similar, they also differ in significant ways. Bonobos are more cautious and socially tolerant while chimpanzees are more dependent on extractive foraging, which requires tools. The similarities suggest the two species should be cognitively similar while the behavioral differences predict where the two species should differ cognitively. We compared both species on a wide range of cognitive problems testing their understanding of the physical and social world. Bonobos were more skilled at solving tasks related to theory of mind or an understanding of social causality, while chimpanzees were more skilled at tasks requiring the use of tools and an understanding of physical causality. These species differences support the role of ecological and socio-ecological pressures in shaping cognitive skills over relatively short periods of evolutionary time

Визначення понять «резидент» і «нерезидент»: проблеми теорії і практики

Досліджено практику застосування понять «резидент» та «нерезидент» у як в Україні так і окремих зарубіжних країнах, а також надано авторське бачення щодо визначення даних термінів. Автори статті визначають умови оподаткування операцій з нерезидентами з огляду на існуючі особливості правозастосовної діяльності і вно­сять окремі пропозиції щодо удосконалення процедури адміністрування податків, що стягуються з нерезидентів.Исследована практика применения понятий «резидент» и «нерезидент» как в Украине, так и отдельных зарубежных странах, а также предоставлено авторское виденье относительно определения данных терминов. Авторы статьи определяют условия налогообложения операций с нерезидентами, учитывая существующие особен­ности правоприменительной деятельности, вносят отдельные предложения относи­тельно усовершенствования процедуры администрирования налогов, которые удержи­ваются из нерезидентов.Іn this article practice of application of concepts «resident» and «non­resident» are explored both in Ukraine and some foreign countries, and granted the author’s view on the definition of these terms. The authors of the article determine the term of taxation of operations with non­residents, taking into account the existing features of legal activity and make some suggestions in relation to the improvement of procedure of administration of taxes which are tightened from non­residents

“Deconstructing” Scientific Research: A Practical and Scalable Pedagogical Tool to Provide Evidence-Based Science Instruction

Focused analysis of current research projects provides an effective platform for teaching early-stage undergraduates the logic of scientific inquiry