A cytophotometric analysis of anterior pituitary changes in rats exposed to reduced pressure

Adaptive cytochemical responses of hormone producing cells of rat anterior pituitary following exposure to simulated high altitud

New optical and radio frequency angular tropospheric refraction models for deep space applications

The development of angular tropospheric refraction models for optical and radio frequency usage is presented. The models are compact analytic functions, finite over the entire domain of elevation angle, and accurate over large ranges of pressure, temperature, and relative humidity. Additionally, FORTRAN subroutines for each of the models are included

The Emperor Goose: An Annotated Bibliography

This bibliography contains more than 500 published and unpublished references relevant to the emperor goose (Chen canagica). The referenced works date from the early exploration of Beringia and Alaska through the formal description of the species in 1802 to 1993

Supporting proactive management in the context of climate change: Prioritizaing range-shifting invasive plants based on impact

Non-native, invasive plants are projected to shift their ranges with climate change, creating hotspots of risk where a multitude of novel species may soon establish and spread. The Northeast U.S. is one such hotspot. However, because monitoring for novel species is costly, these range-shifting invasive plants need to be prioritized. Preventing negative impacts is a key goal of management, thus, comparing the potential impacts of range-shifting invasive species could inform this prioritization. Here, we adapted the Environmental Impacts Classification for Alien Taxa (EICAT) protocol to evaluate potential impacts of 100 invasive plants that could establish either currently or by 2050 in the states of New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, or Rhode Island. We searched Web of Science for each species and identified papers reporting ecological, economic, human health, or agricultural impacts. We scored ecological impacts from 1 (‘minimal concern’) to 4 (‘major’) and socio-ecological impacts as present or absent. We evaluated 865 impact studies and categorized 20 species as high-impact, 36 as medium-impact, and 26 as low-impact. We further refined high-impact invasive species based on whether major impacts affect ecosystems found in Northeast U.S. and identified five high-priority species: Anthriscus caucalis, Arundo donax, Avena barbata, Ludwigia grandiflora, and Rubus ulmifolius. Additional research is needed for 18 data-deficient species, which had no studies reporting impacts. Identifying and prioritizing range-shifting invasive plants provides a unique opportunity for early detection and rapid response that targets future problem species before they can establish and spread. This research illustrates the feasibility of using impacts assessments on range-shifting invasive species in order to inform proactive policy and management

Association between HIV/AIDS Education and Reduced Risky Sexual Behaviors amongst African American Adolescents living in the United States in 2013

ABSTRACT Association between HIV/AIDS Education and Reduced Risky Sexual Behaviors amongst African American Adolescents living in the United States in 2013 By Jasmine A. Rockwell November 30, 2016 Purpose: Adolescent contraction of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is a major public health problem in the United States. Sex education is usually regarded as effective in increasing HIV/AIDS knowledge and helps to lead to a reduction in risky sexual behaviors. Yet, there are still concerns whether sex education will actually increase sexual behavior in adolescents According to the CDC, in 2010, adolescents aged 13-24 accounted for an estimated 26% of all new HIV infections in the United States with African American adolescents accounting for an estimated 57% (7,000) of all new HIV infections among youth. There is a critical need to understand if sex education in schools can help adolescents reduce risky sexual behaviors. The objective of this study is to explore the association between HIV/AIDS education and reduced risky sexual behaviors amongst African American adolescents living in the United States in 2013 using the 2013 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS). Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using data from the YRBS. The participants include 9th through 12th grade public or private high school students in the United States who have taken 2013 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) in school. The YRBS is a national school-based survey held by CDC and state, territorial, tribal, and local surveys conducted by state, territorial, and local education and health agencies and tribal governments. A total of 2880 African American adolescents and 5382 White American adolescents were included in the study. Results: A total of five outcomes were assessed: had sex before 13, had sex with 4 or more people in life, used alcohol/drugs last time had sex, used condom last time had sex, and risky sexual behavior which combined the other 4 outcomes. The primary exposure variable was whether participants received HIV/AIDS education at School. When looking at the multivariable model for the association between engaging in risky sexual behavior and other participant characteristics for African American adolescents and White American Adolescents, having 5 or more drinks within the last 30 days (AOR = 2.52, 95% CI: 1.91, 3.33) and using marijuana one or more times in the last 30 days (AOR = 3.58, 95% CI: 2.68, 4.77) were significantly associated with risky sexual behavior, after adjusting for all covariates in the model. Also, adolescent females (AOR = 0.62, 95% CI: 0.48, 0.79) were more likely than males and African American adolescents (AOR = 1.63, 95% CI: 1.28, 2.18) were more likely than White adolescents to engage in risky sexual behaviors after adjusting for all variables in the model. Age and ever taught about HIV/AIDS at school were not significantly associated with risky sexual behavior, after adjusting for all covariates. Conclusions: There was not an association found between receiving HIV/AIDS education in school and reduced risky sexual behaviors. Although this study did not find evidence that HIV/AIDS education in school can reduce risky sexual behavior in African American adolescents when compared amongst each other or when compared to White American Adolescents, the literature has shown numerous examples that HIV/AIDS education is effective in reducing risky sexual behaviors. There needs to be further studies that exam how in depth educators are going when describing HIV/AIDS risk factors in sex education classes. Improved school-based HIV/AIDS education classes will yield better results in future studies

Evaluation of the risk when monthly auditing standards are imposed by sampling with weighed attributes

A method is developed to assist the producer in controlling the product quality where monthly auditing standards are imposed after final inspection. The control involves monitoring the numer of demerits accumulated by the auditing department and finding the risk that the product will be rated out of control at the end of the month. Thus the method is intended to be employed in addition to present control techniques

Regional Invasive Species & Climate Change Management Challenge: Prioritizing range-shifting invasive plants High-impact species coming to the Northeast

Prevention of new invasions is a cost-effective way to manage invasive species and is most effective when emerging invaders are identified and prioritized before they arrive. Climate change is projected to bring nearly 100 new invasive plants to the Northeast. However, these plants are likely to have different types of impacts, making some a higher concern than others. Here, we summarize the results of original RISCC research that identifies high priority, range-shifting invasive plants based on their potential impacts

A Multimedia Information and Education Tool on the Importance of Bull Trout and the Relationship between Bull Trout and the Salish and Pend d'Oreille People

The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes have undertaken a large-scale watershed restoration project in an effort to benefit bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) in the Jocko River drainage. An important component of this comprehensive project is education and outreach. In this poster and an accompanying digital presentation we will give an overview of a multimedia information and education project that describes the ecology and importance of bull trout, the relationship between bull trout and the Salish and Pend d'Oreille people, and the Tribes’ current efforts to restore habitats. The project is composed of an integrated set of educational materials that will include an interactive DVD entitled “Explore the River: Bull Trout, Tribal People and the Jocko River”, a curriculum, a website, a storybook “Bull Trout’s Gift”, and an accompanying field journal to be published by the University of Nebraska Press

2-kW Average Power CW Phase-Conjugate Solid-State Laser

We have demonstrated stable operation of a 2-kW Yb:YAG phase-conjugate master oscillator power amplifier (PC-MOPA) laser system with a loop phase-conjugate mirror (LPCM). This is the first demonstration of a continuous wave (CW)-input LPCM MOPA operating at a power greater than 1 kW with a nearly diffraction-limited output beam. The single-pass beam quality incident on the LPCM varied with the specific operating conditions, but it was typically ${sim}20$ times diffraction-limited (XDL). The measured beam quality with an MOPA output power of 1.65 kW was 1.3 XDL

Recent and Long-Term Behavior of the Brawley Fault Zone, Imperial Valley, California: An Escalation in Slip Rate?

The Brawley fault zone (bfz) and the Brawley Seismic Zone constitute the principal transfer zone accommodating strain between the San Andreas and Imperial faults in southernmost California. The bfz ruptured along with the Imperial fault in the 1940 M_w 6.9 and the 1979 M_w 6.4 earthquakes, although in each case only minor slip apparently occurred on the bfz; several other episodes of slip and creep have been documented on the bfz historically. Until this study, it has been unclear whether the past few decades reflect average behavior of the fault. Two trenches were opened and a series of auger holes were bored across three strands of the bfz at Harris Road to compare the amount of slip observed historically with the displacements observed in the paleoseismic record. Evidence is presented, across the westernmost strand of the bfz and across the entire bfz at Harris Road, to show that both the average vertical slip rate observed in modern times (since 1970) and the vertical creep rate (excluding coseismic slip) observed during the 1970s are significantly higher than the long-term average. Across the westernmost strand, the long- term vertical rate is 1.2 (+1.5/−0.5) mm/yr, and the average rate since about a.d. 1710 is determined to be no greater than 2.0 mm/yr; in contrast, the average vertical rate between 1970 and 2004 across that strand was at least 4.3 mm/yr, and the 1970s vertical aseismic creep rate was 10 mm/yr. Likewise, across the entire bfz, the long- term vertical rate is 2.8 (+4.1/−1.4) mm/yr, whereas the rate between 1970 and 2004 was at least 7.2 mm/yr, and the 1970s aseismic creep rate was 10 mm/yr. The long-term strike-slip rate cannot be determined across any strands of the bfz but may be significant. In contrast to the commonly accepted higher sedimentation rates inferred for the entire Imperial Valley, we find that the average sedimentation rate on the downthrown side of the bfz adjacent to Mesquite Basin, in the millennium preceding the onset of agricultural influences, was at most 3.5 mm/yr. Finally, a creep event occurred on the bfz during our study in 2002 and is documented herein