Bibliography to Upper Mississippi River Aquatic and Wetland Plant Literature

A comprehensive bibliography of 308 references by 270 authors was prepared to provide access to the literature on aquatic and wetland plants of the Upper Mississippi River. The references treated the taxonomy, floristics, ecology, wildlife biology, limnological role, and management programs on macrophytes present in the navigation channel, backwater, and floodplain of the Upper Mississippi River, which stretches from Minneapolis, MN, southward some 1,380 km to Cairo, IL. Articles, serials, books, agency reports, agency contracted studies, theses, and dissertations were included

Bibliography of Iowa Aquatic and Wetland Plant Literature

A bibliography of 350 references by 210 authors is presented. References were included if they treated the identity, floristics, taxonomy, ecology, physiology, wildlife interaction, limnological role, or historical importance of Iowa’s aquatic and wetland macrophytes. Some references were briefly annotated to clarify titles or support their inclusion in the bibliography

The concept of strong and weak virtual reality

We approach the virtual reality phenomenon by studying its relationship to set theory, and we investigate the case where this is done using the wellfoundedness property of sets. Our hypothesis is that non-wellfounded sets (hypersets) give rise to a different quality of virtual reality than do familiar wellfounded sets. We initially provide an alternative approach to virtual reality based on Sommerhoff's idea of first and second order self-awareness; both categories of self-awareness are considered as necessary conditions for consciousness in terms of higher cognitive functions. We then introduce a representation of first and second order self-awareness through sets, and assume that these sets, which we call events, originally form a collection of wellfounded sets. Strong virtual reality characterizes virtual reality environments which have the limited capacity to create only events associated with wellfounded sets. In contrast, the more general concept of weak virtual reality characterizes collections of virtual reality mediated events altogether forming an entirety larger than any collection of wellfounded sets. By giving reference to Aczel's hyperset theory we indicate that this definition is not empty, because hypersets encompass wellfounded sets already. Moreover, we argue that weak virtual reality could be realized in human history through continued progress in computer technology. Finally, we reformulate our characterization into a more general framework, and use Baltag's Structural Theory of Sets (STS) to show that within this general hyperset theory Sommerhoff's first and second order self-awareness as well as both concepts of virtual reality admit a consistent mathematical representation.Comment: 17 pages; several edits in v

A Flaring Megamaser in Mrk 348

We report new observations of the H2O megamaser in the Seyfert 2 galaxy Mrk 348. Following our initial detection in 2000 March using the Effelsberg 100 m telescope, re-analysis of previous data on this source indicates that the maser was present but only marginally detectable in late 1997. Monitoring through late 2000 shows that the maser has again decreased to its original level. The H2O line is redshifted by ~130 km/s with respect to the systemic velocity, is extremely broad, with a FWHM of 130 km/s, and has no detectable high velocity components within 1500 km/s on either side of the strong line. Followup VLBA observations show that the maser emission emanates entirely from a region >0.25 pc in extent, toward the base of the radio jet.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, to appear in Cosmic Masers: from Protostars to Black Holes, IAU 206, Eds. V. Migenes et al., ASP Conference Serie

Thinking beyond the hybrid:“actually-existing” cities “after neoliberalism” in Boyle <i>et al.</i>

In their article, ‘The spatialities of actually existing neoliberalism in Glasgow, 1977 to present’, Mark Boyle, Christopher McWilliams and Gareth Rice (2008) usefully problematise our current understanding of neoliberal urbanism. Our response is aimed at developing a sympathetic but critical approach to Boyle et al's understanding of neoliberal urbanism as illustrated by the Glasgow example. In particular, the counterposing by Boyle et al of a 'hybrid, mutant' model to a 'pure' model of neoliberalism for us misrepresents existing models of neoliberalism as a perfectly finished object rather than a roughly mottled process. That they do not identify any ‘pure’ model leads them to create a straw construct against which they can claim a more sophisticated, refined approach to the messiness of neoliberal urbanism. In contrast, we view neoliberalism as a contested and unstable response to accumulation crises at various scales of analysis

A Checklist of the Vascular Flora of Allamakee County, Iowa

Based upon field and herbarium study, the vascular flora of Allamakee County is composed of 1040 taxa (species plus hybrids), including 46 endangered and 23 threatened Iowa species. This number represents approximately 50% of the species in the state flora and is the greatest number of taxa documented for a single Iowa county. The large and diverse flora reflects the diversity of topography and habitat types within the county. The study resulted in the addition of four taxa to the state flora (Conopholis americana, Dryopteris X triploidea, Equisetum X litorale, and Polygonum douglasii) and in the location of populations of two species previously considered extirpated within the state (Dryopteris intermedia and Ilex verticillata)

Obscuration of the Parsec Scale Jets in the Compact Symmetric Object 1946+708

We present results of VLA and VLBA observations of the 1.420 GHz neutral hydrogen absorption associated with the Compact Symmetric Object 1946+708 (z=0.101). We find significant structure in the gas on parsec scales. The peak column density in the HI (N_HI~2.2x10^23 cm^-2 (T_s/8000K)) occurs toward the center of activity of the source, as does the highest velocity dispersion (FWHM~350 \kms). In addition, we find that the continuum spectra of the various radio components associated with these jets strongly indicate free-free absorption. This effect is particularly pronounced toward the core and inner components of the receding jet, suggesting the presence of a screen local to the source, perhaps part of an obscuring torus.Comment: revised version, some text added, 1 figure changed; accepted to Astrophysical Journal, 22 page LaTeX document includes 8 postscript figure

Arkansas Gray Fox Fur Price-Harvest Model Revisited

Peck and Heidt (1985) proposed a linear model that demonstrated that for gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) in Arkansas; total fur harvests from 1966-1982 were highly correlated with mean pelt values. Single variable models using linear regression analysis of current season pelt values (CSPV) and previous season pelt values (PSPV) were designed to predict total fur harvests. These models demonstrated high correlations (r =0.93 and 0.89, respectively). In the past 15 years, markets for fur have undergone many perturbations within Arkansas and overseas resulting in great changes in mean pelt prices. In an attempt to evaluate the continued performance of the original model, pelt price and harvest data from 1983-1997 were tested for correlation using linear regression analysis. The results from these tests showed a high correlation. Two specific years (1983 and 1987) were affected strongly by political and economic events. A new model encompassing trapping seasons from 1966 through 1997 was evaluated. Mean pelt value remains a significant predictor of total gray fox fur harvest in Arkansas