Estimating Peak Demand for Beach Parking Spaces

The United States Army Corps of Engineers planning guidance stipulates that in order for local beach communities to qualify for Federal cost share funds for Hurricane and Storm Damage Reduction beach renourishment projects, the community must provide public beach access and parking to satisfy peak demand. This study presents a method for estimating peak demand for beach parking spaces in the presence of parking constraints. A Tobit regression model is developed to estimate the number of parking spaces that would be necessary to meet unconstrained demand on a given percentage of peak demand days. For example, the model can be used to estimate the number of parking spaces that would be adequate to meet peak demand on 90% of peak parking days. The Tobit model provides a promising framework for estimating peak parking demand under constrained parking conditions, a situation that characterizes most beach communities.

Amaranth Productivity and Nutrient Composition in Central Georgia

Amaranth (Amaranthus spp.) may have potential as a forage for summer grazing in the southeastern United States (US). Six accessions of amaranth were harvested at bud stage in two successive growing seasons to evaluate growth characteristics, yield, and forage quality parameters. The accessions, three genotypes of A. tricolor (Hinchoy VL, RRC-701, RRC-1186) and one each of A. hybridus (RRC-843), A. cruentus (RRC-1034), and A. dubius (RRC-1186) were evaluated in 1994 and 1995 on a Dothan sandy loam (fine loamy, siliceous, thermic, Plinthic Paleudult) soil at the Fort Valley State University Research Station, Fort Valley, Georgia. The plots were planted in mid- June in each year as a randomized complete block with four replications. Plants were harvested approximately 40 d after germination. Plant height and total dry matter (DM) yield determinations were made at harvest. Percentage leaf and stem were determined by hand separation of 5 randomly selected plants from each plot. Leaf material for the 1994 growing season was analyzed for neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), and crude protein (CP) content. Protein content ranged from 240-260 g/kg, while NDF and ADF ranged from 523-587 g/kg and 187-293 g/kg, respectively. The accessions ranged in height from 41-74 cm and total DM and leaf DM yield from 0.83-1.30 Mg/ha and 0.52-0.79 Mg/ha, respectively. All the accessions were over 50% leaf. With adequate yields and high leaf protein, amaranth has potential as a summer forage crop for livestock grazing in the southeastern US

Representation theory of some infinite-dimensional algebras arising in continuously controlled algebra and topology

In this paper we determine the representation type of some algebras of infinite matrices continuously controlled at infinity by a compact metrizable space. We explicitly classify their finitely presented modules in the finite and tame cases. The algebra of row-column-finite (or locally finite) matrices over an arbitrary field is one of the algebras considered in this paper, its representation type is shown to be finite.Comment: 33 page

The Beagle 2 optical microscope

Introduction to the Beagle2 optical microscope

Founding quantum theory on the basis of consciousness

In the present work, quantum theory is founded on the framework of consciousness, in contrast to earlier suggestions that consciousness might be understood starting from quantum theory. The notion of streams of consciousness, usually restricted to conscious beings, is extended to the notion of a Universal/Global stream of conscious flow of ordered events. The streams of conscious events which we experience constitute sub-streams of the Universal stream. Our postulated ontological character of consciousness also consists of an operator which acts on a state of potential consciousness to create or modify the likelihoods for later events to occur and become part of the Universal conscious flow. A generalized process of measurement-perception is introduced, where the operation of consciousness brings into existence, from a state of potentiality, the event in consciousness. This is mathematically represented by (a) an operator acting on the state of potential-consciousness before an actual event arises in consciousness and (b) the reflecting of the result of this operation back onto the state of potential-consciousness for comparison in order for the event to arise in consciousness. Beginning from our postulated ontology that consciousness is primary and from the most elementary conscious contents, such as perception of periodic change and motion, quantum theory follows naturally as the description of the conscious experience.Comment: 41 pages, 3 figures. To be published in Foundations of Physics, Vol 36 (6) (June 2006), published online at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10701-006-9049-

Plasmodium falciparum ligand binding to erythrocytes induce alterations in deformability essential for invasion

The most lethal form of malaria in humans is caused by Plasmodium falciparum. These parasites invade erythrocytes, a complex process involving multiple ligand-receptor interactions. The parasite makes initial contact with the erythrocyte followed by dramatic deformations linked to the function of the Erythrocyte binding antigen family and P. falciparum reticulocyte binding-like families. We show EBA-175 mediates substantial changes in the deformability of erythrocytes by binding to glycophorin A and activating a phosphorylation cascade that includes erythrocyte cytoskeletal proteins resulting in changes in the viscoelastic properties of the host cell. TRPM7 kinase inhibitors FTY720 and waixenicin A block the changes in the deformability of erythrocytes and inhibit merozoite invasion by directly inhibiting the phosphorylation cascade. Therefore, binding of P. falciparum parasites to the erythrocyte directly activate a signaling pathway through a phosphorylation cascade and this alters the viscoelastic properties of the host membrane conditioning it for successful invasion

Preference of Goats for Cool-Season Annual Clovers in the Southern United States

In the southern U.S.A., annual clovers provide high-quality winter and spring grazing for beef cattle and sheep. New Zealand data on white clover (Trifolium repens L.) suggests that goats do not prefer this plant as much as sheep (Clark et al., 1982) but little data are available on willingness of goats to consume different clover types in the USA

Occupational Therapy in HomEcare Re-ablement Services (OTHERS): results of a feasibility randomised controlled trial

Objectives: The objective of this study was to test the feasibility of conducting a randomised controlled trial (RCT) of an intervention targeted at activities of daily living (ADL), delivered by an occupational therapist, in homecare reablement. Design: Feasibility parallel group RCT. Setting: Single-site local authority homecare reablement service. Participants: People referred for homecare reablement with ability to consent. Exclusion criteria were as follows: inability to speak English, receiving other community therapy services, needing two or more to assist transfer and receiving end-of-life care. Control: ‘Usual care’ was 6 weeks of homecare reablement delivered by social care workers (no routine health professional input). Intervention: A targeted ADL programme, delivered by an occupational therapist incorporating goal setting, teaching/practising techniques, equipment/adaptations and provision of advice/support. This was in addition to usual care. Outcome measures: Aspects of feasibility including eligibility, recruitment, intervention delivery, attrition and suitability and sensitivity of outcome measures. Participant outcomes were personal and extended ADL, quality of life, falls and use of health and social care services. Results: 30 participants were recruited, 15 to each arm, which was 60% of those eligible. Data from 22 (73%) were analysed at 6 months. Of the 15 participants, 13 (86%) received the intervention and were able to set one or more ADL goals. There were improvements from baseline in both groups, although overall improvements were greater in the occupational therapy (OT) intervention group. The biggest threat to feasibility was a change in service configuration during the trial, involving additional occupational therapy input, affecting usual care and recruitment. Conclusions: Despite the service reconfiguration, it was feasible to recruit and retain participants, deliver the intervention and collect outcome data that were responsive to change. The choice of primary outcome measure remains unclear. A further powered study is feasible and warranted; however, the design will require careful consideration because of ongoing national changes in service configurations