Modeling energy flow and nutrient cycling in natural semiarid grassland ecosystems with the aid of thematic mapper data

Energy flow and nutrient cycling were modeled as affected by herbivory on selected intensive sites along gradients of precipitation and soils, validating the model output by monitoring selected parameters with data derived from the Thematic Mapper (TM). Herbivore production was modeled along the gradient of soils and herbivory, and validated with data derived from TM in a spatial data base

The Adoption of Medications in Substance Abuse Treatment: Associations With Organizational Characteristics

Highlights findings from a study of the use of phamacotherapies to treat substance abuse and the factors that affect their adoption by treatment organizations. Analyzes patterns by type of medication, type of organization, and accreditation

Are there gender differences in perceived sexual self-efficacy among African-American adolescents?

Background: African American adolescents accounted for more than half of all HIV/AIDS cases in 2009. Behavioral Strategies are needed to help lessen the incidence of HIV/AIDS among this population. Purpose: The aim of his study was to examine sexual self-efficacy practices and beliefs among African American adolescents. We also examined gender differences between African American adolescents to better understand their perceptions of sexual self-efficacy, condom use intention, and other safer sex practices and beliefs. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 214 African American adolescents using survey instruments to examine their beliefs, perception and intentions on the use of condoms, sexual self-efficacy and safe sex practices. Participants were recruited though a mass media campaign and local youth serving organizations within Sedgwick County, KS. Results: Our findings indicate significant differences exist between genders in perception of sexual self-efficacy among African American adolescents. Females were found to have higher perceived sexual self-efficacy compared to males. Having high negotiation skills and a sexual partner who approved of condom use were significant predictors for high perceived sexual self-efficacy. Conclusions: African American adolescent females were more likely to have higher perceived sexual self-efficacy then African American male adolescents. Because of the dynamics that exist in male and female relationships and the mediating role sexual self-efficacy might play in engaging in safe sex practices, it is important to design gender specific interventions in order to curb the spread of HIV/AIDS and other STDS/STI’s

Precision capacitor has improved temperature and operational stability

Vacuum dielectric capacitor is fabricated from materials with very low temperature coefficients of expansion. This precision capacitor in the 1000-2000 picofarad range has a near-zero temperature coefficient of capacitance, eliminates ion chamber action caused by air ionization in the dielectric, and minimizes electromagnetic field charging effects

Research and Practice in Transition: Improving Support and Advocacy of Transgender Middle School Students

In this essay, our purposes are to inspire particular avenues of future research addressing Transgender students, in middle school in particular, and to inform the professional development of teachers in support of these Transgender youth. In relation to the ways in which research can more authentically represent Transgender identity, we argue for the use of Transgender theory as a guiding framework for research addressing Transgender students, issues, and needs. We also describe the particular affordances of qualitative, ethnographic, and phenomenological studies in capturing the unique and highly personal experiences and realities of Transgender individuals, and specifically, in middle school. We then discuss how schools are structured socially and politically along heteronormative and cisnormative lines, presenting a stumbling block for Transgender rights advocacy in educational contexts. Finally, we review the potential of teachers to be the necessary educational change agents to spur greater understanding of and advocacy for students’ gender inclusivity

Proposal for demonstrating the Hong-Ou-Mandel effect with matter waves

The Hong-Ou-Mandel (HOM) effect is a striking demonstration of destructive quantum interference between pairs of indistinguishable bosons, realised so far only with massless photons. Here we propose an experiment which can realise this effect in the matter-wave regime using pair-correlated atoms produced via a collision of two Bose-Einstein condensates and subjected to two laser induced Bragg pulses. We formulate a novel measurement protocol appropriate for the multimode matter-wave field, which---unlike the typical two-mode optical case---bypasses the need for repeated measurements under different displacement settings of the beam-splitter, thus dramatically reducing the number of experimental runs required to map out the interference visibility. The protocol can be utilised in related matter-wave schemes; here we focus on condensate collisions and by simulating the entire experiment we predict a HOM-dip visibility of ~69%. By being larger than 50%, such a visibility highlights strong quantum correlations between the atoms and paves the way for a possible demonstration of a Bell inequality violation with massive particles in a related Rarity-Tapster setup.Comment: Essentially the same version as v2, except in Nature Communications style; for Supplementary Information see the source fil

Does Foreign Exchange Intervention Signal Future Monetary Policy?

A frequently cited explanation for why sterilized interventions may affect exchange rates is that these interventions signal central banks' future monetary policy intentions. This explanation presumes that central banks in fact back up interventions with subsequent changes in monetary policy. We empirically examine this hypothesis using data on market observations of U.S. intervention together with monetary policy variables, and exchange rates. We strongly reject the hypothesis that interventions convey no signal. However, we also find that in some episodes, intervention signaled changes in monetary policy in the opposite direction of the conventional signaling story. This finding can explain why in some periods exchange rates moved in the opposite direction of that suggested by intervention.

Space for inclusion? The Construction of Sport and Leisure Spaces as Places for Migrant Communities

The research on which this paper is based started from the proposition that sport and leisure spaces can support processes of social inclusion (Amara et al., 2005), yet may also serve to exclude certain groups. As such, these spaces may be seen as contested and racialised places that shape behaviour. We shall use this paper not just to explore how those spaces are perceived by new migrants, but how those interpretations may vary with time and processes of social change. That involves examining how sport and leisure spaces are encoded in different ways, thereby affecting people’s experience, while at the same time recognising that their sport and leisure practices shape those social constructions. We argue that such an understanding is necessary to inform policies and practices that could promote the development of mutual and shared spaces rather than disconnected multiple occupations of spaces. Our goal is not only to contribute to the development of theory, but also to the debate that has counterposed multiculturalism and integrationism. Our recent systematic review, conducted for Sporting Equals and the sports councils (Long et al., 2009), synthesised literature on participation in sport and physical recreation by people from Black and Minority Ethnic Communities (BME) in the UK. That review identified a growing body of research, but one focussing primarily on the experiences of Black and Asian groupings. That has led us to turn to a consideration of new migrant communities. In this paper we shall be reporting on empirical research conducted with ‘new migrants’ now living in Leeds