Playas are ecologically and hydrologically important ephemeral wetlands found in arid and semi-arid regions of the world. Urbanization, changes in agricultural land use and irrigation practices, and climate change all threaten playas. While variations in playa inundation on the Great Plains of North America have been previously analyzed by satellite using annual and decadal time scales, no study to our knowledge has monitored the Great Plains playa inundation area using sub-monthly time scales. Thousands of playas smaller than ~50 m in diameter, which were not previously identified by the Landsat satellite platform, can now be captured by higher resolution satellite data. In this preliminary study, we demonstrate monitoring spatial and temporal changes in the playa water inundation area on sub-monthly times scales between September 2018 and February 2019 over a region in West Texas, USA, using 10 m spatial resolution imagery from the Sentinel-2A/B satellites. We also demonstrate the feasibility and potential benefits of using the Sentinel-2A/B satellite retrievals, in combination with precipitation and evaporation data, to monitor playas for environmental, ecological, groundwater recharge, and hydrological applications.

Ingestion of anthropogenic debris can have deleterious effects on sea turtles. To study diet content of sea turtles, four species were opportunistically collected as deceased bycatch over 18 years (1993–2011) from pelagic longline fisheries based in American Samoa and Hawaii (North Pacific between 140°–170°W and 20°S–50°N). Diet contents were analyzed from 71 sea turtles: 45 olive ridleys (Lepidochelys olivacea), 22 greens (Chelonia mydas), 2 loggerheads (Caretta caretta), and 2 leatherbacks (Dermochelys coriacea). This study reports some of the highest frequencies of anthropogenic debris ingestion documented for sea turtles, with 83 % of all the sea turtles sampled ingesting anthropogenic debris. Within species, 91 % of greens and 82 % of olive ridleys ingested anthropogenic debris. This is the first published report of anthropogenic debris ingestion by olive ridleys outside of the Atlantic Ocean. Neither of the leatherbacks ingested anthropogenic debris. The average dry weight of anthropogenic debris ingested by individual olive ridleys and individual greens was 4 and 7 g, respectively. The total dry weights of anthropogenic debris ingested by the two loggerheads were 9 and 120 g. Plastics were the most prominent anthropogenic debris ingested, making up 95 % (405 g dry weight) of the total 427 g ingested. Increased ingestion of anthropogenic debris was found in olive ridleys collected during the winter, which corresponds with the wintertime increase in anthropogenic debris accumulated in the North Pacific Subtropical Convergence Zone. This study highlights the need to better understand the factors affecting anthropogenic debris ingestion and its sublethal effects.

In lizards, signal patches play a role in sexual selection, both in interactions among and between sexes. The size and shape of a signal patch may be used by males to determine if another individual is of the same or opposite sex. Males may confuse other males for females, or vice versa (i.e., sexual confusion) if the signal patches overlap in size and shape between males and females. As a result, the confused male may perform courtship displays to an intruding male or display aggression toward a female. Sexual confusion has been documented in Sceloporus cowlesi and is attributed to overlap in signal patch morphology between the sexes. But it is unknown how common this pattern is among other Sceloporus lizards. To make inferences about sexual confusion at the species level, we compare the morphology of signal patches between males and females in three species of Sceloporus lizards (S. consobrinus, S. cowlesi, S. tristichus) to test for adequate differences in signal patch size to prevent sexual confusion. Our results suggest that due to similarities in patch size between the sexes of both S. cowlesi and S. tristichus sexual confusion may be occurring.

It is established that calorie restriction (CR) increases the resistance of cells to various stressors such as oxidative damage, excitotoxins, mercury and acetaminophen. Alternate day feeding (ADF) may confer greater stress resistance than daily CR of 30% or 40%. A recent study in three strains of mouse showed that a fast of 48 or 60 h prevented toxic effects due to administration of doses 2-4 times the maximum human dose of etoposide, a chemotherapy agent which acts through increased oxidative stress. In addition, mice inoculated with neuroblastoma survived longer when pretreated with fasting, then given high dose etoposide, as well as not exhibiting toxicity. This increased survival was construed as evidence of differential stress resistance between normal and cancer cells, the cancer cells being only partially protected by the pretreatment fast. In clinical practice, increased differential stress resistance could lead to the use of much higher doses of chemotherapy agents, and in the absence of toxicity, make it possible to repeat the treatment to kill residual cancer cells. Humans are unlikely to comply with a total fast of longer than 24 or 48 h, which may be insufficient to activate the same gene expression process. Based on published data we estimate that an optimal time period for development of stress resistance is 2-3 weeks when alternate day feeding is employed. Our previously published experience suggests that 2-3 weeks of alternate day modified fast in which subjects eat ad libitum one day and <20% of one's estimated caloric requirement the next will confer a similar stress resistance. Compliance with this diet is high and greater maintenance of body weight is feasible. We hypothesize that a pretreatment of 2-3 weeks with the alternate day modified fast will improve outcomes in cancer chemotherapy, decreasing morbidity and raising cure rates.

Asthma is an increasingly common disorder responsible for considerable morbidity and mortality. Although obesity is a risk factor for asthma and weight loss can improve symptoms, many patients do not adhere to low calorie diets and the impact of dietary restriction on the disease process is unknown. A study was designed to determine if overweight asthma patients would adhere to an alternate day calorie restriction (ADCR) dietary regimen, and to establish the effects of the diet on their symptoms, pulmonary function and markers of oxidative stress, and inflammation. Ten subjects with BMI > 30 were maintained for 8 weeks on a dietary regimen in which they ate ad libitum every other day, while consuming less than 20% of their normal calorie intake on the intervening days. At baseline, and at designated time points during the 8-week study, asthma control, symptoms, and Quality of Life questionnaires (ACQ, ASUI, mini-AQLQ) were assessed and blood was collected for analyses of markers of general health, oxidative stress, and inflammation. Peak expiratory flow (PEF) was measured daily on awakening. Pre-and postbronchodilator spirometry was obtained at baseline and 8 weeks. Nine of the subjects adhered to the diet and lost an average of 8% of their initial weight during the study. Their asthma-related symptoms, control, and QOL improved significantly, and PEF increased significantly, within 2 weeks of diet initiation; these changes persisted for the duration of the study. Spirometery was unaffected by ADCR. Levels of serum beta-hydroxybutyrate were increased and levels of leptin were decreased on CR days, indicating a shift in energy metabolism toward utilization of fatty acids and confirming compliance with the diet. The improved clinical findings were associated with decreased levels of serum cholesterol and triglycerides, striking reductions in markers of oxidative stress (8-isoprostane, nitrotyrosine, protein carbonyls, and 4-hydroxynonenal adducts), and increased levels of the antioxidant uric acid. Indicators of inflammation, including serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha and brain-derived neurotrophic factor, were also significantly decreased by ADCR. Compliance with the ADCR diet was high, symptoms and pulmonary function improved, and oxidative stress and inflammation declined in response to the dietary intervention. These findings demonstrate rapid and sustained beneficial effects of ADCR on the underlying disease process in subjects with asthma, suggesting a novel approach for therapeutic intervention in this disorder. (c) 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Restricting caloric intake to 60-70% of normal adult weight maintenance requirement prolongs lifespan 30-50% and confers near perfect health across a broad range of species. Every other day feeding produces similar effects in rodents, and profound beneficial physiologic changes have been demonstrated in the absence of weight loss in ob/ob mice. Since May 2003 we have experimented with alternate day calorie restriction, one day consuming 20-50% of estimated daily caloric requirement and the next day ad lib eating, and have observed health benefits starting in as little as two weeks, in insulin resistance, asthma, seasonal allergies, infectious diseases of viral, bacterial and fungal origin (viral URI, recurrent bacterial tonsillitis, chronic sinusitis, periodontal disease), autoimmune disorder (rheumatoid arthritis), osteoarthritis, symptoms due to CNS inflammatory lesions (Tourette's, Meniere's) cardiac arrhythmias (PVCs, atrial fibrillation), menopause related hot flashes. We hypothesize that other many conditions would be delayed, prevented or improved, including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis, brain injury due to thrombotic stroke atherosclerosis, NIDDM, congestive heart failure. Our hypothesis is supported by an article from 1957 in the Spanish medical literature which due to a translation error has been construed by several authors to be the only existing example of calorie restriction with good nutrition. We contend for reasons cited that there was no reduction in calories overall, but that the subjects were eating, on alternate days, either 900 calories or 2300 calories, averaging 1600, and that body weight was maintained. Thus they consumed either 56% or 144% of daily caloric requirement. The subjects were in a residence for old people, and all were in perfect health and over 65. Over three years, there were 6 deaths among 60 study subjects and 13 deaths among 60 ad lib-fed controls, non-significant difference. Study subjects were in hospital 123 days, controls 219, highly significant difference. We believe widespread use of this pattern of eating could impact influenza epidemics and other communicable diseases by improving resistance to infection. In addition to the health effects, this pattern of eating has proven to be a good method of weight control, and we are continuing to study the process in conjunction with the NIH.

Using 1996 data on defendants accused of felony offenses derived from a district court in a Midwestern jurisdiction, the authors employ bivariate and multivariate analyses to examine for significant differences between Hispanics and other racial and ethnic groups in the dependent variable, bail amount set by judge. To predict differences in the bail amount set by judges for Hispanic and other defendants, the multiple regression controls for two independent “legal” variables, prior arrest and seriousness of the instant offense, and for the “extra-legal” variables of age, gender, type of attorney, residency, and race. Our research shows that Hispanics receive higher bail amounts than White or African Americans; leading the authors to cast doubt on the tenets of “legal theory” which has gained attention as a model for explaining why members of racial or ethnic minorities receive harsher treatment at various stages of the criminal and juvenile justice system.

Data collected on all felony defendants during 1996 from a district court in a Midwestern county were examined for racial differences in the setting of bail. While we hypothesized that African Americans would receive higher bail amounts than whites, we found no independent effect of race on bail amounts either before or after applying controls for legal variables-seriousness of offense and prior arrests-and extralegal variables-sex, age, residency, and type of attorney. Thus, we were compelled to reject our hypothesis. Seriousness of offense and the interaction between offense seriousness and race were statistically significant in the regressions.

The Multi-Spectral Missile Life-Cycle Test Facility (MSMLCTF) is a single hardware-in-the-loop (HWIL) simulation complex that will uniquely have the capability to perform life-cycle simulation/testing on next-generation multi-sensor missile systems. The facility will allow for simulated end-to-end flight tests in a non-destructive manner as well as complete evaluation of all missile electronics and software. This testing will be performed at both the All-Up-Round (AUR) level and the Guidance Section (GS) level. The MSMLCTF will be used to support the Army Transformation by evaluating operational flexibility before fielding, reducing life-cycle costs, improving system performance by evaluating technology insertions and evaluating interoperability impacts. This paper gives a general description of the MSMLCTF, cost tradeoffs between live flight testing and simulation, and an update on facility development status.

In spite of alarms raised by economists and journalists over the decreasing availability of private pensions, relatively little is known about the topic. This paper explores the political aspects of pension policy, analyzing congressional hearings and organized interest group data from 1970 through 1994. Changes in committee influence, increased executive pressure for revenue without raising taxes, and interest group activity increasingly skewed toward business rather than workers are shown to underlie the present dilemma. This study thus adds to our understanding of pension policy and assesses current policy against competing theoretical models offered by pluralism, hyperpluralism, market as prison, and market justice. It concludes that pension policy is a case of market as prison and argues for renewed focus on the influence of private interests on public policy.

Racism, perpetrated by virtually all of America's governmental institutions, has long been a fact and problem of American life. Research suggests that America's juvenile justice systems have not escaped the negative effects of racism; thus, racial equity in outcomes of decisions made at various steps of the justice process remains a major issue in dispensing juvenile justice. This research examined Nebraska Crime Commission data over a six-year period and found, all else being equal, that black youths are usually more likely to receive harsher treatment than whites in regard to prehearing detention and final penalty. With regard to judging an accused youth to be delinquent or a status offender, the analysis reveals a reversal of this relationship between race and harshness of outcomes: Whites are more likely to be found delinquent.

ABSTRACT This research examines the differences in adjudication (delinquent/status offender or dismissal) and dispositions (transfer of custody or not transfer of custody) of specialized juvenile courts compared to courts of mixed jurisdiction hearing cases involving juvenile defendants. The data are from juvenile court records of the state of Nebraska for 1988 through 1993. The study uses logistic regression to examine the differences in the behavior of the types of courts while controlling for extralegal and legal characteristics of the defendants, as well as county environmental characteristics of the two types of courts. The authors found statistically significant differences in the adjudication decisions, with mixed jurisdiction courts more likely to adjudicate delinquent but not in the final dispositions of the two kind of courts. The findings are discussed within the framework of the parens patriae philosophy.