Disruptive Ambiguities: The Potentiality of Jotería Critique in Communication Studies

Utilizing performative writing to interrogate the experiences of a queer Xicano male in the discipline of Communication Studies, this essay argues for specificity in dialogue with specificity to disrupt dominant and/or normalized power relations in Queer of Color Critique (QOCC) and beyond. After defining QOCC, the potentiality of jotería critique is offered as a decolonial queer praxis that focuses on hybridity, radical interconnectedness, and nonheteronormative mestiza/o sexual and gender subjectivities. Further, by embracing the ambiguities of hybridity and the politics of radical interconnectedness, Jotería communication studies is a nascent sub-discipline that works in the borderlands between the academic, the artistic, and the activist world, which contributes to and challenges the greater discipline to disrupt the multiple logics of the center in emancipatory, transformative, and embodied forms

Is Quail Hunting Self-Regulatory? Northern Bobwhite and Scaled Quail Abundance and Quail Hunting in Texas

Wildlife managers often maintain that quail hunting is self-regulatory because they assume hunters spend fewer days hunting, and bag fewer quail per day, when hunting is poor, while hunting more frequently, and bagging more quail per day, when hunting is good. For this reason, managers conclude that minor changes in hunting season length and bag limit are inconsequential. We used August quail abundance (1978-1996) and harvest (1981-1983, 1986---1996) data collected by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department biologists to test the self-regulatory hypothesis for both northern bobwhites (Colinus virginianus) and scaled quail (Callipepla squamata). First, we tested the hypothesis that quail abundance in August was sufficient to account for the total number of quail bagged by hunters during the subsequent hunting season. We then tested the hypotheses that quail abundance could predict: (1) the number of days people hunted quail; (2) the number of quail bagged per hunter per day; and (3) the number of quail hunters during the subsequent hunting season. Quail abundance in August was correlated with the number of northern bobwhite and scaled quail bagged during the following hunting season (r2 = 0.769 and 0.874, P \u3c0.0005, respectively). Texas hunters typically hunted quail about 2.5 to 3 days annually regardless of quail abundance. Quail abundance in August, however, was correlated with the number of quail bagged per hunter per day and the number of quail hunters during the subsequent hunting season (northern bobwhite: r2 = 0.895 and 0.868, P \u3c0.0005, respectively; scaled quail: r2 = 0.833 and 0.740, P \u3c 0.0005, respectively). These results are consistent with the hypothesis that both northern bobwhite and scaled quail abundance can regulate quail hunting effort and success within the framework of the hunting regulations that have been in effect in Texas since the early l 980\u27s

Maine Distributed Solar Valuation Study

During its 2014 session, the Maine Legislature enacted an Act to Support Solar Energy Development in Maine. P.L Chapter 562 (April 24, 2014) (codified at 35‐A M.R.S. §§ 3471‐3473) (“Act”). Section 1 of the Act contains the Legislative finding that it is in the public interest is to develop renewable energy resources, including solar energy, in a manner that protects and improves the health and well‐being of the citizens and natural environment of the State while also providing economic benefits to communities, ratepayers and the overall economy of the State. Section 2 of the Act requires the Public Utilities Commission (Commission) to determine the value of distributed solar energy generation in the State, evaluate implementation options, and to deliver a report to the Legislature. To support this work, the Commission engaged a project team comprising Clean Power Research (Napa, California), Sustainable Energy Advantage (Framingham, Massachusetts), Pace Energy and Climate Center at the Pace Law School (White Plains, New York), and Dr. Richard Perez (Albany, New York). Under the project, the team developed the methodology under a Commission‐run stakeholder review process, conducted a valuation on distributed solar for three utility territories, and developed a summary of implementation options for increasing deployment of distributed solar generation in the State. The report includes three volumes which accompany this Executive Summary: Volume I Methodology; Volume II Valuation Results; Volume III Implementation Options

Method for in-situ nondestructive measurement of Young's modulus of plate structures

A method for determining stiffness of a composite laminate plate entails disposing a device for generating an acoustical pulse against a surface of the plate and disposing a detecting device against the same surface spaced a known distance from the pulse-generating device, and using the pulse-generating device to emit a pulse so as to create an extensional wave in the plate. The detecting device is used to determine a time of flight of the wave over the known distance, and the wave velocity is calculated. A Young's modulus of the plate is determined based on the wave velocity. Methods for both anisotropic and quasi-isotropic laminates are disclosed

SLC30A3 (ZnT3) Oligomerization by Dityrosine Bonds Regulates Its Subcellular Localization and Metal Transport Capacity

Non-covalent and covalent homo-oligomerization of membrane proteins regulates their subcellular localization and function. Here, we described a novel oligomerization mechanism affecting solute carrier family 30 member 3/zinc transporter 3 (SLC30A3/ZnT3). Oligomerization was mediated by intermolecular covalent dityrosine bonds. Using mutagenized ZnT3 expressed in PC12 cells, we identified two critical tyrosine residues necessary for dityrosine-mediated ZnT3 oligomerization. ZnT3 carrying the Y372F mutation prevented ZnT3 oligomerization, decreased ZnT3 targeting to synaptic-like microvesicles (SLMVs), and decreased resistance to zinc toxicity. Strikingly, ZnT3 harboring the Y357F mutation behaved as a “gain-of-function” mutant as it displayed increased ZnT3 oligomerization, targeting to SLMVs, and increased resistance to zinc toxicity. Single and double tyrosine ZnT3 mutants indicate that the predominant dimeric species is formed between tyrosine 357 and 372. ZnT3 tyrosine dimerization was detected under normal conditions and it was enhanced by oxidative stress. Covalent species were also detected in other SLC30A zinc transporters localized in different subcellular compartments. These results indicate that covalent tyrosine dimerization of a SLC30A family member modulates its subcellular localization and zinc transport capacity. We propose that dityrosine-dependent membrane protein oligomerization may regulate the function of diverse membrane protein in normal and disease states

Apparatus for in-situ nondestructive measurement of Young's modulus of plate structures

A method and apparatus for determining stiffness of a plate-like structure including a monolithic or composite laminate plate entails disposing a device for generating an acoustical pulse against a surface of the plate and disposing a detecting device against the same surface spaced a known distance from the pulse-generating device, and using the pulse-generating device to emit a pulse so as to create an extensional wave in the plate. The detecting device is used to determine a time of flight of the wave over the known distance, and the wave velocity is calculated. A Young's modulus of the plate is determined by a processor based on the wave velocity. Methods and apparatus for evaluating both isotropic plates and anisotropic laminates are disclosed

Survival and Flight Characteristics of Captive-Reared and Wild Northern Bobwhites in Texas

Introductions of captive-reared northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) to bolster native populations have been largely unsuccessful. We compared the survival and flight characteristics of game-farm (n 46), first-generation (F1) (n = 48), wild translocated (n = 45), and wild native (n = 50) northern bobwhites. In November 1993, all birds were radio-collared, leg banded, sexed, and aged. Birds were then released on a study area in Brooks County, Texas in groups of about 15, 1 bird at a time. Upon release, the direction of departure, speed, and time required to reach cover were recorded. The mean flight speed and distance flown for wild bobwhites was significantly greater (P \u3c 0.01) than captive-reared bobwhites. Wild native, wild translocated, and F1 groups were non-randomly distributed in direction of departure at release site (P \u3c 0.01). Survival of wild groups was significantly higher than captive-raised groups (P \u3c 0.05). The major cause of mortality in all groups was mammalian depredation. Fifteen F1 quail and 1 game-farm quail integrated into wild coveys. Our results re-confirm the inability of game-farm and first-generation northern bobwhites to survive in the wild, and we offer flight speed as one potential causal factor

Fine Scale Influence of Weather on Northern Bobwhite Abundance, Breeding Success, and Harvest in South Texas

Weather plays a substantial role in annual changes in populations of northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) within and among ecological regions. Few studies have tested this relationship within the confines of specific sites. We examined the fine scale influence of annual (12-month), seasonal (6-month), and monthly Modified Palmer Drought Severity Indices (PMDI) and raw precipitation on abundance, breeding success, and harvest of northern bobwhites on 2 sites in south Texas. We used 18 years (1984–01) of roadside census, juvenile : adult ratios, and harvest records from the Chaparral Wildlife Management Area (CWMA) in La Salle County and 15 years (1984–99) of juvenile : adult ratios and harvest records from a private property in Brooks County (BCP) to examine relationships and trends with weather variables. Bobwhite abundance was correlated (r \u3e= 0.50, P \u3c= 0.035) with 12- and 6-month sums of precipitation and PMDI. Breeding success was correlated (r \u3e= 0.53, P \u3c= 0.023) with 12-month precipitation for both sites and was correlated (r = 0.53, P = 0.040) with 6-month precipitation for BCP only. Harvest variables for CWMA were correlated (r \u3e= 0.54, P \u3c= 0.022) with 12- and 6-month PMDI, while BCP harvest/ha was correlated (r = 0.54, P = 0.027) with the 12-month precipitation sum. Monthly correlates with precipitation increased from spring to summer until July when they became negatively related to rainfall on both sites. Monthly PMDI correlates became increasingly important from spring through summer including July. Our findings account for at least part of the annual variation in northern bobwhite abundance in south Texas and provide information useful in understanding of the influence of weather at fine spatial scales

Two-dimensional quantum Yang-Mills theory with corners

The solution of quantum Yang-Mills theory on arbitrary compact two-manifolds is well known. We bring this solution into a TQFT-like form and extend it to include corners. Our formulation is based on an axiomatic system that we hope is flexible enough to capture actual quantum field theories also in higher dimensions. We motivate this axiomatic system from a formal Schroedinger-Feynman quantization procedure. We also discuss the physical meaning of unitarity, the concept of vacuum, (partial) Wilson loops and non-orientable surfaces.Comment: 31 pages, 6 figures, LaTeX + AMS; minor corrections, reference update