Water Quality Impacts of Natural Riparian Grasses Part 1: Empirical Studies

Studies were conducted on the effectiveness of natural riparian grass buffer strips in removing sediment and ag chemicals from surface runoff. No till and conventional tillage erosion plots served as the sediment and chemical source area. Runoff from the plots was directed onto 15, 30, and 45 foot filter strips where the inflow and outflow concentrations and sediment size distributions. Trapping percentages for sediment and ag chemicals typically ranged near or above 90%. An evaluation was made of the distribution of trapped chemicals among infiltrated mass and mass stored in the surface layer and on plant surfaces. The analysis showed that most of the chemicals were trapped by infiltration onto the soil matrix

The Effect of Bonding on the Fragmentation of Small Systems

Recent dissociative recombination (DR) experiments have reported that the observed reaction products depend on the structure, bonding, and charge centre of the molecular ion. For examples, the dominant product channel observed in the DR of D5(+)(2), N2O2(+)(1), and D5O2(+)(3) suggests that the former two ions have the form D3(+) D2, and NO(+) NO(1), respectively, whilst the latter is known to have the form D2O D(+) D2O (3). Here we compare and contrast these observations by investigating the DR of one of the simplest such systems, Li(+) H2. This system, a weakly bound cluster with the charge centre located on the lithium atom, will provide us with an excellent opportunity for investigating the role played by the type of bonds and charge centre in the DR process

Increasing Employee Awareness of the Signs and Symptoms of Heart Attack and the Need to Use 911 in a State Health Department

INTRODUCTION: Early recognition of the signs and symptoms of a heart attack can lead to reduced morbidity and mortality. METHODS: A workplace intervention was conducted among 523 Montana state health department employees in 2003 to increase awareness of the signs and symptoms of heart attack and the need to use 911. All employees received an Act in Time to Heart Attack Signs brochure and wallet card with their paychecks. Act in Time posters were placed in key workplace areas. A weekly e-mail message, including a contest entry opportunity addressing the signs and symptoms of heart attack, was sent to all employees. Baseline and follow-up telephone surveys were conducted to evaluate intervention effectiveness. RESULTS: Awareness of heart attack signs and symptoms and the need to call 911 increased significantly among employees from baseline to follow-up: pain or discomfort in the jaw, neck, or back (awareness increased from 69% to 91%); feeling weak, light-headed, or faint (awareness increased from 79% to 89%); call 911 if someone is having a heart attack or stroke (awareness increased from 84% to 90%). Awareness of chest pain, pain or discomfort in the arms or shoulders, and shortness of breath were more than 90% at baseline and did not increase significantly at follow-up. At baseline, 69% of respondents correctly reported five or more of the signs and symptoms of heart attack; 89% reported correctly at follow-up. CONCLUSION: This low-cost workplace intervention increased awareness of the signs and symptoms of heart attack and the need to call 911

Electron-Impact Ionization of Be-like C III, N IV, and O V

We present recent measurements of absolute electron-impact ionization cross sections for Be-like C III, N IV, and O V forming Li-like C IV, N V, and O VI. The measurements were taken using the crossed-beams apparatus at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. A gas cell beam attenuation method was used to independently measure the metastable fractions present in the ion beams. The measured ionization cross sections were compared with calculations using the R-matrix with pseudostates and distorted-wave theoretical methods. Best agreement is found with the R-matrix with pseudostates cross sections results that account for the metastable fractions inferred from the gas attenuation measurements. We present a set of recommended rate coefficients for electron-impact single ionization from the ground state and metastable term of each ion

Genes in the postgenomic era

We outline three very different concepts of the gene - 'instrumental', 'nominal', and 'postgenomic'. The instrumental gene has a critical role in the construction and interpretation of experiments in which the relationship between genotype and phenotype is explored via hybridization between organisms or directly between nucleic acid molecules. It also plays an important theoretical role in the foundations of disciplines such as quantitative genetics and population genetics. The nominal gene is a critical practical tool, allowing stable communication between bioscientists in a wide range of fields grounded in well-defined sequences of nucleotides, but this concept does not embody major theoretical insights into genome structure or function. The post-genomic gene embodies the continuing project of understanding how genome structure supports genome function, but with a deflationary picture of the gene as a structural unit. This final concept of the gene poses a significant challenge to conventional assumptions about the relationship between genome structure and function, and between genotype and phenotype

Electron-ion recombination of Si IV forming Si III: Storage-ring measurement and multiconfiguration Dirac-Fock calculations

The electron-ion recombination rate coefficient for Si IV forming Si III was measured at the heavy-ion storage-ring TSR. The experimental electron-ion collision energy range of 0-186 eV encompassed the 2p(6) nl n'l' dielectronic recombination (DR) resonances associated with 3s to nl core excitations, 2s 2p(6) 3s nl n'l' resonances associated with 2s to nl (n=3,4) core excitations, and 2p(5) 3s nl n'l' resonances associated with 2p to nl (n=3,...,infinity) core excitations. The experimental DR results are compared with theoretical calculations using the multiconfiguration Dirac-Fock (MCDF) method for DR via the 3s to 3p n'l' and 3s to 3d n'l' (both n'=3,...,6) and 2p(5) 3s 3l n'l' (n'=3,4) capture channels. Finally, the experimental and theoretical plasma DR rate coefficients for Si IV forming Si III are derived and compared with previously available results.Comment: 13 pages, 9 figures, 3 tables. Accepted for publication in Physical Review

ICF-based Functional Components and Contextual Factors as Correlates of Perceived Quality of Life for Youth With Chronic Conditions

Purpose: To explore International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF)-based functional components and contextual factors associated with perceived quality of life (QOL) for youth with chronic conditions from the perspective of youth and parents. Method: Baseline data were obtained from a longitudinal study examining predictors of changes in perceived QOL for youth with chronic conditions. 439 youth aged 11–17 (and one of their parents) completed a questionnaire. Standardized tools were used to measure youth functioning, contextual factors and perceived QOL. Multivariate linear regression analyses, controlling for socio-demographic and health information, were conducted to explore correlations among youth functioning/contextual factors and youth and parent perceptions of youth QOL. Results: Significant (p0.05) negative correlates with both youth and parent perceptions of youth QOL included pain/other physical symptoms and emotional symptoms. Significant factors positively correlated with youth and parent perceptions of youth QOL included school productivity and spirituality. Other significant positive correlates of youth perspectives were family social support and school belongingness/safety. Family functioning was positively correlated, and youth social anxiety and environmental barriers were negatively correlated, with parent perceptions of youth QOL. Conclusions: This study provides preliminary evidence of factors upon which services aimed at improving perceived QOL of youth with chronic conditions could be based

The Properties of Adaptive Walks in Evolving Populations of Fungus

A novel method to infer the number and fitness effect of beneficial mutations reveals that the bulk of adaptive evolution is attributable to a few mutations with variable effects on fitness

Astrophysical Relevance of Storage-Ring Electron-Ion Recombination Experiments

The relevance of storage-ring electron-ion recombination experiments for astrophysics is outlined. In particular, the role of low-energy dielectronic-recombination resonances is discussed. A bibliographic compilation of electron-ion recombination measurements with cosmically abundant ions is provided.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures, 1 table, 77 references, Proceedings of the 14th International Conference on the Physics of Highly Charged Ions, Cofu, Tokyo, Septmber 1-5, 2008, to be published in J. Phys. Conf. Se