A baseline assessment of migratory and resident bird use of a prairie restoration site in eastern Washington

Prairies, and other types of grassland ecosystems, have suffered some of the most profound losses worldwide, due to anthropogenic factors such as fossil fuel extraction, agriculture, and climate change. Likewise, organisms inhabiting grassland ecosystems have become extirpated across much of their historical range, not the least of which has been a 50% decline in grassland birds since the 1960s. In response to losses of intact prairie in eastern Washington, a 120-ac site has been established on the EWU campus to regenerate native prairie and monitor changes in the ecosystem as native plants recolonize and replace non-natives. Because birds are an important indicator species of ecosystem health, the goal of our research was to estimate baseline abundance and diversity of birds at the prairie restoration site before restoration takes place. We also assessed bird abundance and diversity at a small, intact prairie remnant 20 mi north of the EWU campus to compare current bird use of the restoration site with that of an intact prairie system. We assessed bird abundance and bird diversity using the line-transect method. We established one transect at each site, and counted all birds seen or heard within 50 meters of the transects. Our findings will provide a baseline of knowledge about how and when birds will begin to reinhabit the EWU restoration site and inform future restoration efforts on the benefits and outcomes of restoring native grasslands locally, and worldwide

Automotive Stirling engine development program

The major accomplishments were the completion of the Basic Stirling Engine (BSE) and the Stirling Engine System (SES) designs on schedule, the approval and acceptance of those designs by NASA, and the initiation of manufacture of BSE components. The performance predictions indicate the Mod II engine design will meet or exceed the original program goals of 30% improvement in fuel economy over a conventional Internal Combustion (IC) powered vehicle, while providing acceptable emissions. This was accomplished while simultaneously reducing Mod II engine weight to a level comparable with IC engine power density, and packaging the Mod II in a 1985 Celebrity with no external sheet metal changes. The projected mileage of the Mod II Celebrity for the combined urban and highway CVS cycle is 40.9 mpg which is a 32% improvement over the IC Celebrity. If additional potential improvements are verified and incorporated in the Mod II, the mileage could increase to 42.7 mpg

Automotive Stirling engine development program

This is the ninth Semiannual Technical Progress Report prepared under the Automotive Stirling Engine Development Program. It covers the twenty-eighth and twenty-ninth quarters of activity after award of the contract. Quarterly Technical Progress Reports related program activities from the first through the thirteenth quarters; thereafter, reporting was changed to a Semiannual format. This report summarizes the study of higher-power kinematic Stirling engines for transportation use, development testing of Mod I Stirling engines, and component development activities. Component development testing included successful conical fuel nozzle testing and functional checkout of Mod II controls and auxiliaries on Mod I engine test beds. Overall program philosophy is outlined and data and test results are presented

Chondroitin Sulfate Proteoglycans Are a Common Component of Neuronal Inclusions and Astrocytic Reaction in Neurodegenerative Diseases

Previously, we showed three differentially sulfated forms of chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPG) associated with senile plaques, astrocytes and neurofibrillary tangles in Alzheimer\u27s disease. Here, monoclonal antibodies were used to demonstrate CSPGs in other neurodegenerative diseases. CSPGs were found associated with inclusions of Parkinson\u27s, diffuse Lewy body, Pick\u27s diseases, and progressive supranuclear palsy. Reacting astrocytes in each of these neurodegenrative diseases and Huntington\u27s disease showed immunoreactivity for CSPG. CSPG distribution in a variety of neurodegenerative diseases suggests that similar mechanisms may be involved in the accumulation of proteoglycans in a number of filamentous inclusions

Automotive Stirling Engine Development Program

Development test activities on Mod I engines directed toward evaluating technologies for potential inclusion in the Mod II engine are summarized. Activities covered include: test of a 12-tube combustion gas recirculation combustor; manufacture and flow-distribution test of a two-manifold annular heater head; piston rod/piston base joint; single-solid piston rings; and a digital air/fuel concept. Also summarized are results of a formal assessment of candidate technologies for the Mod II engine, and preliminary design work for the Mod II. The overall program philosophy weight is outlined, and data and test results are presented

Estimating the requirement for manipulation of medicines to provide accurate doses for children

.

R-matrix Quantization of the Elliptic Ruijsenaars--Schneider model

It is shown that the classical L-operator algebra of the elliptic Ruijsenaars-Schneider model can be realized as a subalgebra of the algebra of functions on the cotangent bundle over the centrally extended current group in two dimensions. It is governed by two dynamical r and $\bar{r}$-matrices satisfying a closed system of equations. The corresponding quantum R and $\overline{R}$-matrices are found as solutions to quantum analogs of these equations. We present the quantum L-operator algebra and show that the system of equations on R and $\overline{R}$ arises as the compatibility condition for this algebra. It turns out that the R-matrix is twist-equivalent to the Felder elliptic R^F-matrix with $\overline{R}$ playing the role of the twist. The simplest representation of the quantum L-operator algebra corresponding to the elliptic Ruijsenaars-Schneider model is obtained. The connection of the quantum L-operator algebra to the fundamental relation RLL=LLR with Belavin's elliptic R matrix is established. As a byproduct of our construction, we find a new N-parameter elliptic solution to the classical Yang-Baxter equation.Comment: latex, 29 pages, some misprints are corrected and the meromorphic version of the quantum L-operator algebra is discusse

Optical Properties of Iron Silicates in the Infrared to Millimeter as a Function of Temperatures and Wavelength

The Optical Properties of Astronomical Silicates with Infrared Techniques (OPASI-T) program utilizes multiple instruments to provide spectral data over a wide range of temperature and wavelengths. Experimental methods include Vector Network Analyzer (VNA) and Fourier Transform Spectroscopy (FTS) transmission, and reflection/scattering measurements. From this data, we can determine the optical parameters for the index of refraction, \textit{n}, and the absorption coefficient, \textit{k}. The analysis of the laboratory transmittance data for each sample type is based upon different mathematical models, which are applied to each data set according to their degree of coherence. Presented here are results from iron silicate dust grain analogs, in several sample preparations and at temperatures ranging from 5--300 K, across the infrared and millimeter portion of the spectrum (from 2.5--10,000 \mic\ or 4,000--1 \wvn).Comment: Revised manuscript submitted to Ap

The celebrification of farmers: celebrity and the new politics of farming

Michelle Phillipov and Michael K. Goodma