WETLAND OCCUPANCY OF POND-BREEDING AMPHIBIANS IN YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, USA

We estimated wetland occupancy and population trends for three species of pond-breeding anurans in Yosemite National Park from 2007 – 2011. We used a double survey technique in which two observers independently surveyed each site on the same day. Double surveys allowed us to calculate detectability for the three most common anurans within the park: Rana sierrae, Anaxyrus canorus, and Pseudacris regilla. Annual estimates of detectability were generally high; mean detectability ranged from 73.7% + 0.6 (SE) for any life history stage of A. canorus to 86.7% + 0.7 for sites with P. regilla reproduction (eggs or larvae present). Detectability was most variable for Anaxyrus canorus, which ranged from 45.9% to 99.7%. The probability of occupancy for R. sierrae was highest in larger, low-elevation wetlands that lacked fish. Anaxyrus canorus were more common in shallow high-elevation ponds; their occurrence was minimally impacted by the presence of fish. Finally, occurrence of P. regilla was largely unrelated to wetland size and elevation, but like R. sierrae, they were less likely to occupy sites with fish. Occupancy showed no trend over the five years of our study for R. sierrae or A. canorus when considering either sites with any life stage or only sites with reproduction. However, P. regilla showed a modest downward trend for sites with any life stage and sites with reproduction. Our results for R. sierrae run counter to expectations given recent concern about the decline of this species, while our findings for P. regilla raise concerns for this widespread and generally common species

A Study of Preferences for Traditional and Modern Shopping Environments in Bangkok, Thailand:: Preliminary Results

Traditional market shopping environments (see Figure 1) have long been an important part of Thai culture, meeting the economic, social, and psychological needs of Thai people. However, the introduction of western-style shopping environments, a result of the globalizing economy, has begun to change this. New, large-scale, commercial developments, especially shopping malls, are being developed primarily in modern-western styles, which have little relationship to native culture or traditions. The modern shopping environments have been successful economically. Traditional shopping environments are being replaced by westernized malls, resulting in a loss of cultural identity. Because of the size of these modern shopping malls and amount of land needed they require, they are typically developed along the city edge contributing to the problem of urban sprawl. In order to meet the needs of Thai shoppers, while at the same time preserving Thai culture and heritage, architects and planners must understand the preferences and attitudes of Thai shoppers toward different types of shopping environments. The purpose of this study is to identify attitudes and preferences of Thai shoppers toward shopping environments, both traditional markets as well as the newer westernized shopping centers

Emerging Investigators Series: Pyrolysis Removes Common Microconstituents Triclocarban, Triclosan, and Nonylphenol from Biosolids

Reusing biosolids is vital for the sustainability of wastewater management. Pyrolysis is an anoxic thermal degradation process that can be used to convert biosolids into energy rich py-gas and py-oil, and a beneficial soil amendment, biochar. Batch biosolids pyrolysis (60 minutes) revealed that triclocarban and triclosan were removed (to below quantification limit) at 200 °C and 300 °C, respectively. Substantial removal (\u3e90%) of nonylphenol was achieved at 300 °C as well, but 600 °C was required to remove nonylphenol to below the quantification limit. At 500 °C, the pyrolysis reaction time to remove \u3e90% of microconstituents was less than 5 minutes. Fate studies revealed that microconstituents were both volatilized and thermochemically transformed during pyrolysis; microconstituents with higher vapor pressures were more likely to volatilize and leave the pyrolysis reactor before being transformed than compounds with lower vapor pressures. Reductive dehalogenation products of triclocarban and suspected dehalogenation products of triclosan were identified in py-gas. Application of biosolids-derived biochar to soil in place of biosolids has potential to minimize organic microconstituents discharged to the environment provided appropriate management of py-gas and py-oil

Rythm of the eyes: enhancing visual communication through eye-tracking technology

Visual is the main form of communication used by designers to convey unique and creative messages to the viewers. Whether the communication processes took place in basic forms such as in 2D sketches, paintings or through rendered 3D animated models, the ultimatum of using visual communication is to enhance the viewers experience with the tangible creative products and subsequently improve the quality of their decision-making. The platforms for visual communication within the creative environment also include advanced visualization technologies such as virtual reality and augmented reality, which provide real-time and real-world experience to the viewers. Nevertheless questions were raised whether the designers were fully aware of the viewers perception towards the visual information embedded in their creative products. Without these understanding, the products and their valuable information would be less meaningful to the viewers

Comments on the classification of the finite subgroups of SU(3)

Many finite subgroups of SU(3) are commonly used in particle physics. The classification of the finite subgroups of SU(3) began with the work of H.F. Blichfeldt at the beginning of the 20th century. In Blichfeldt's work the two series (C) and (D) of finite subgroups of SU(3) are defined. While the group series Delta(3n^2) and Delta(6n^2) (which are subseries of (C) and (D), respectively) have been intensively studied, there is not much knowledge about the group series (C) and (D). In this work we will show that (C) and (D) have the structures (C) \cong (Z_m x Z_m') \rtimes Z_3 and (D) \cong (Z_n x Z_n') \rtimes S_3, respectively. Furthermore we will show that, while the (C)-groups can be interpreted as irreducible representations of Delta(3n^2), the (D)-groups can in general not be interpreted as irreducible representations of Delta(6n^2).Comment: 15 pages, no figures, typos corrected, clarifications and references added, proofs revise

The Management and Security Expert (MASE)

The Management and Security Expert (MASE) is a distributed expert system that monitors the operating systems and applications of a network. It is capable of gleaning the information provided by the different operating systems in order to optimize hardware and software performance; recognize potential hardware and/or software failure, and either repair the problem before it becomes an emergency, or notify the systems manager of the problem; and monitor applications and known security holes for indications of an intruder or virus. MASE can eradicate much of the guess work of system management

Landscape preference and human well-being

Humans have always been fascinated by the landscape. Aspects of the landscape that are intriguing play an important role in people’s preferences for landscapes. Since classical times philosophers such as Plato and Socrates, have made inquiries about aesthetics; and numerous theories have emerged. These theories can be categorized into two paradigms. Even though both paradigms focus on the role of landscape in determining landscape preferences one group believes that the aesthetic qualities of a landscape are inherent in the landscape, the other argues that landscape aesthetics lies in people’s cognition or mental understanding of the landscape. However, beginning with the seminal work of Kevin Lynch’s The Image of the City (1960) and his classification of landscape elements that are important to the imageability of urban landscapes, attention has been given to the later paradigm that emphasizes the role of human evolution and cognition in shaping landscape preferences and thus aesthetics. However, this paper argues that, after several decades, no central theory related to landscape preference or aesthetics has emerged, even though many researchers who subscribe to the later paradigm based their theory on the same assumption; human well-being. Therefore, the recognition of the relationship between landscape preference and human well-being should be redeveloped and strengthened by bringing in new evidence