Integrating Computer Technology and Traditional Art Tools: A Visual Literacy Handbook

Throughout history technology has advanced because new tools have been invented. Within the past fifty years the computer grew to be a new tool for business and industry. In the last twenty years, computers have become a tool for helping with daily activities. Now computers are being recognized as a tool for creativity. Artists have incorporated digital tools in their traditional toolbox. A review of related literature shows that computer generated digital art has been integrated into many aspects of the fine arts, including galleries and museums. This technology is being incorporated into the curriculums of our schools as well. Students are developing visual literacy through activities and lessons that make use of current computer technology along with materials and tools in the traditional fine arts program. This handbook shows ways digital art can enhance the learning of visual literacy in a fine arts program

Molecular design of branched and binary molecules at ordered interfaces

This study examined five different branched molecular architectures to discern the effect of design on the ability of molecules to form ordered structures at interfaces. Photochromic monodendrons formed kinked packing structures at the air-water interface due to the cross sectional area mismatch created by varying number of alkyl tails and the hydrophilic polar head group. The lower generations formed orthorhombic unit cell with long range ordering despite the alkyl tails tilted to a large degree. Favorable interactions between liquid crystalline terminal groups and the underlying substrate were observed to compel a flexible carbosilane dendrimer core to form a compressed elliptical conformation which packed stagger within lamellae domains with limited short range ordering. A twelve arm binary star polymer was observed to form two dimensional micelles at the air-water interface attributed to the higher polystyrene block composition. Linear rod-coil molecules formed a multitude of packing structures at the air-water interface due to the varying composition. Tree-like rod-coil molecules demonstrated the ability to form one-dimensional structures at the air-water interface and at the air-solvent interface caused by the preferential ordering of the rigid rod cores. The role of molecular architecture and composition was examined and the influence chemically competing fragments was shown to exert on the packing structure. The amphiphilic balance of the different molecular series exhibited control on the ordering behavior at the air-water interface and within bulk structures. The shell nature and tail type was determined to dictate the preferential ordering structure and molecular reorganization at interfaces with the core nature effect secondary

Evolutionary lability of a complex life cycle in the aphid genus Brachycaudus

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Most aphid species complete their life cycle on the same set of host-plant species, but some (heteroecious species) alternate between different hosts, migrating from primary (woody) to secondary (herbaceous) host plants. The evolutionary processes behind the evolution of this complex life cycle have often been debated. One widely accepted scenario is that heteroecy evolved from monoecy on woody host plants. Several shifts towards monoecy on herbaceous plants have subsequently occurred and resulted in the radiation of aphids. Host alternation would have persisted in some cases due to developmental constraints preventing aphids from shifting their entire life cycle to herbaceous hosts (which are thought to be more favourable). According to this scenario, if aphids lose their primary host during evolution they should not regain it. The genus <it>Brachycaudus </it>includes species with all the types of life cycle (monoecy on woody plants, heteroecy, monoecy on herbs). We used this genus to test hypotheses concerning the evolution of life cycles in aphids.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Phylogenetic investigation and character reconstruction suggest that life cycle is evolutionary labile in the genus. Though ancestral character states can be ambiguous depending on optimization methods, all analyses suggest that transitions from monoecy on herbs towards heteroecy have occurred several times. Transitions from heteroecy towards monoecy, are also likely. There have been many shifts in feeding behaviour but we found no significant correlation between life cycle changes and changes in diet.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The transitions from monoecy on herbs towards heteroecy observed in this study go against a widely accepted evolutionary scenario: aphids in the genus <it>Brachycaudus </it>seem to be able to recapture their supposedly ancestral woody host. This suggests that the determinants of host alternation are probably not as complicated as previously thought. Definitive proofs of the lability of life cycle in <it>Brachycaudus </it>will necessitate investigation of these determinants. Life cycle changes, whether corresponding to the loss or acquisition of a primary host, necessarily promote speciation, by inducing shifts of the reproductive phase on different plants. We suggest that the evolutionary lability of life cycle may have driven speciation events in the <it>Brachycaudus </it>genus.</p

Kinetic and equilibrium study for the sorption of Pb(II) ions from aqueous phase by water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes)

This paper reports the kinetic and equilibrium studies of Eichhornia crassipes root biomass as a biosorbent for Pb(II) ions from aqueous system. Batch adsorption studies were carried out to examine the influence of various parameters such as the pH, contact time, adsorbent dose, initial metal ion concentration, temperature and agitation speed on the metal ion uptake. Uptake of Pb(II) ions on the E. crassipes roots showed a pH-dependent profile. The maximum metal uptake values were 164 &#956;g/mL. Langmuir model fitted the experimental sorption equilibrium data with a good fit (R2 &gt; 0.99). The biosorption kinetics was described by the pseudo-second-order model (R2 &gt; 0.99).&#160;KEY WORDS: Water hyacinth, Biosorption, Kinetics, Water treatment, Pb(II) removal&#160;Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2012, 26(2), 181-193.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v26i2.

Vehicle Shaping for Mine Blast Damage Reduction

When a buried explosive is detonated beneath a target (such as a vehicle), the target is rapidly loaded by flying ejecta, high pressure gas, and shock waves. This paper explores how changes in the shape of the underside of a target affect the total impulse captured from the detonation of a buried charge. The effects of changes in target height and charge burial depth are also examined. Testing was conducted on dihedral target plates using 0.636 gram charges. These were buried in saturated sand at three depths, and shaped targets were placed at four heights above the surface. The impulse applied to the plate by the exploding charge was determined through analysis of high speed digital video recordings. Changing the geometry of the target reduced the impulse by up to 45%. Increasing standoff distance reduced impulse by up to 70%

Multilocus phylogeny and ecological differentiation of the "Eupelmus urozonus species group" (Hymenoptera, Eupelmidae) in the West-Palaearctic

Background: The ecological differentiation of insects with parasitic life-style is a complex process that may involve phylogenetic constraints as well as morphological and/ or behavioural adaptations. In most cases, the relative importance of these driving forces remains unexplored. We investigate here this question for the “ Eupelmus urozonus species group ” which encompasses parasitoid wasps of potential interest in biological control. This was achieved using seven molecular markers, re liable records on 91 host species and a proxy of the ovipositor length. Results: After using an adequate partitioning scheme, Maximum likelihood and Bayesian approaches provide a well-resolved phylogeny supporting the monophyly of this species group and highlighting its subdivision into three sub-groups. Great variations of both the ovipositor length and the host range (specialist versus generalist) were observed at this scale, with these two features being not significantly constrained by the phylogeny. Ovipositor length was not shown as a significant predictor of the parasitoid host range. Conclusions: This study provides firstly the first evidence for the strong lability of both the ovipositor's length and the realised host range in a set of phylogeneticall y related and sympatric species. In both cases, strong contrasts were observed between sister species. Moreover, no significant correlation was found between these two features. Alternative drivers of the ecological differentiation such as interspecific interactions are proposed and the consequences on the recruitment of these parasitoids on native and exotic pests are discussed