Small Unit Size Research Articles

Preschool Children's Understanding of the Graphic Features of Writing

This project examined 2, 3, and 4-year-old children (N = 34) in a university campus child care setting to assess their understanding of the graphic features they use in their emergent writing (to distinguish it from a drawing of the same referent). The graphic features present in samples of the children's work were examined and compared to the graphic features children could identify through verbal and nonverbal communication. We examined the frequencies of graphic feature identification, as well as significant differences between graphic feature usage and graphic feature identification. The most frequently used graphic features were linearity, unidirectionality, and small size of units. The most frequently identified graphic feature was conventional letter. Overall, children used significantly more graphic features than they were able to identify. Significant relationships comparing the 2-year-old group and 4-year-old group's usage and identification were also found. The findings are discussed in terms of their application to early childhood classrooms. Teachers can apply these findings when engaging children in conversations about their emergent writing; these discussions are explored as a beneficial teaching tool.

Chlorobutyl rubber nanocomposites as effective gas and VOC barrier materials

The field of polymer nanocomposites has attracted attention as a method of enhancing polymer properties and extending their utility by using molecular or nanoscale reinforcements rather than conventional particulate filled nanocomposites. These materials exhibit behavior different from conventional composite materials with micro scale structure due to small size of structural unit and high surface to volume ratio. Chlorobutyl rubber nanocomposites were prepared using organically modified cloisite 15 A and characterized using XRD and TEM. The gas barrier properties of the nanocomposites were modeled using the composite theories of permeation and the tortousity factors were predicted. Analysis of mechanical properties, transport and gas barrier properties of the nanocomposites as well as the calculation of break through times show the effectiveness of the material to be utilized as potential gas as well as VOC barrier materials.

Integrated management of heterogeneous landscape—Mediterranean Israel as a study case

Natural and semi-natural landscapes usually serve varied land uses, including grazing, forestry, recreation, and nature or biodiversity protection. In most cases areas with differing land uses are managed by different agencies, with differing perspectives, goals, and operating methodologies. In his teaching, Imanuel Noy-Meir emphasized the ecological basis of the management of principal land-use practices (forests, rangelands, nature reserves) in Mediterranean Israel, and advocated ecological thinking to achieve better management and to minimize inter-agency conflicts. We propose a broader framework for integrated management of multiple uses by adoption of a landscape perspective that cuts across administrative lines. The reasoning for taking such an approach is based on the newly developing understanding of the impact of dynamic processes that occur spontaneously on a large scale in Mediterranean Israel. Landscape-scale interactions—oak woodland succession and pine colonization—may interfere or even conflict with some management goals set by the agencies involved. Attempts to mitigate these interactions may be very costly or ineffective. We propose coordinated management, planning, and implementation, based on common ecological criteria. We base this paper on observations and on perceptions gained from analyzing landscape dynamics of the predominant ecosystems in Mediterranean Israel: dense oak woodland and planted pine forests. The small size of Israel and the consequently small size of different land-use units, as well as their close proximity to each other, call for coordination of the organizational perspectives that relate at present independently to the various units. The new perspective should be broader, regional, landscape-oriented, and should take into consideration ecological processes that integrate neighboring units. As a first step, all agencies involved should accept the pine-oak interaction and dynamics as part of the local succession and should adapt their management schemes accordingly.

Differences In the Short Term Granulocyte and Platelet Producing Activity of Cord Blood and Mobilized Peripheral Blood Transplants Revealed by Quantitative Repopulation Assays In NOD/SCID-IL-2Rγc−/− Mice.

AbstractAbstract 3733Human G-CSF-mobilized peripheral blood (mPB) progenitor harvests collected by leukapheresis have become the usual transplant of choice when a suitable normal histocompatible or unrelated adult donor is available for patients requiring a transplant. Unfortunately, for most such patients such a donor is not available and, for these individuals, an autotransplant or unrelated cord blood (CB) unit provide potential alternatives. Autologous harvests are frequently compromised by prior exposure to chemotherapy, and the relatively small size of a single CB unit, can also pose significant problems, particularly in adult recipients. These typically involve pronounced delays in neutrophil recovery and almost always a protracted and/or poor recovery in platelet output. Interestingly, although the simultaneous transplantation of multiple CB units has successfully reduced graft failure, timely hematopoietic recovery is still not commonly achieved, especially for the platelets. There is thus a compelling need to understand the types of repopulating cells that are present in different mPB and CB harvests and how these may vary numerically and biologically. Such information is key to devising better surrogate predictors of adequate engrafting potential and as a first step towards developing new approaches to improve the utility of CB and poor mPB harvests for clinical transplant applications. To pursue these issues, we have developed new assays for quantifying different types of human cells with different durabilities of platelet and granulocyte generating activity in sublethally irradiated NOD/SCID-IL-2Rγc−/− (NSG) mice and have now used these assays to compare the numbers and output properties of different phenotypically characterized subpopulations of cells present in CB and normal mPB samples. Consistent with previous reports, we found that >90% of the week-3 bone marrow repopulating activity in transplanted mice was contained within the Lin−ALDH+ fraction regardless of the source of the human cells tested. However, a substantial proportion of early (week 2) platelet repopulating activity came from the Lin−ALDH− fraction of both CB and mPB (30% for CB and 61% for mPB, decreasing to 12% and 16% respectively by week 3). In vitro CFU-Mk (and CFU-GM/BFU-E/CFU-GEMM) assays reflected a similar differential distribution between the Lin−ALDH+ and Lin−ALDH− cells from the two sources, suggesting possible overlap in the corresponding in vitro and in vivo endpoints. Interestingly, at 3 weeks post-transplant, we found the Lin−ALDH+ cells from mPB produced more of the GM cells than the platelets as compared to the Lin−ALDH+ cells from CB. Limiting dilution assays revealed that the actual frequency of week-3 GM-repopulating cells (GMRC-3wks) and platelet-repopulating cells (PRC-3wks) in Lin−ALDH+ cells in mPB (1/2500, 95% CI=1/1500–1/4200 and 1/3300, 95% CI=1/1900–1/5600) is actually about 3-fold lower (p<0.05) than that in CB (1/780, 95% CI=1/470–1/1300 and 1/1300, 95% CI=1/800–1/2000). Thus, the average mature cell output per RC of either type is correspondingly higher in mPB than in CB (≂f8-fold for GMRC-3wks and 4-fold for PRC-3wks). Based on these findings and knowledge of the median cell dose used for clinical transplants of mPB and a single CB unit, we estimated that adults transplanted with the latter would receive ≂f35-fold less GMRC-3wks and PRC-3wks than what would be given in a typical mPB transplant. In summary, our results show that discontinued ALDH activity identifies many of the cells in both mPB and CB that are responsible for very rapid (within 2–3 weeks) but transient production of mature myeloid cells and platelets post-transplant versus those with persistent ALDH activity that are required for the more prolonged output of these cells (>3 weeks). In addition, our results demonstrate that the 3-week RCs in mPB and CB differ in their average clonal outputs of mature GM cells and platelets in vivo, suggesting ontogeny-related changes in the mechanisms that determine this functional parameter. Disclosures:No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

A new format of the CATT test for the detection of Human African Trypanosomiasis, designed for use in peripheral health facilities

To test the reproducibility and thermostability of a new format of the Card-Agglutination Test for Trypanosomiasis (CATT) test for Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT), designed for use at primary health care facility level in endemic countries. A population of 4217 from highly endemic villages was screened using the existing format of the CATT test (CATT-R250) on whole blood. All those testing positive (220) and a random sample of negatives (555) were retested in the field with the new format (CATT-D10). Inter-format reproducibility was assessed by calculating kappa. All samples testing positive on whole blood with either method were further evaluated in Belgium by CATT titration of serum by two observers, using both old and new format. CATT-D10 test kits were incubated under four temperature regimens (4, 37, 45 degrees C and fluctuating) with regular assessments of reactivity over 18 months. Inter-format reproducibility of CATT-D10 vs. CATT-R250 on whole blood performed by laboratory technicians in the field was excellent with kappa values of 0.83-0.89. Both inter- and intra-format reproducibility assessed by CATT titration were excellent, with 96.5-100% of all differences observed falling within the limits of +/-1 titration step. After 18 months, reactivity of test kits incubated under all four temperature regimens was still well above the minimum threshold considered acceptable. The CATT-D10 is thermostable and can be used interchangeably with the old format of the CATT test. It is highly suitable for use in peripheral health facilities in HAT-endemic countries.

Climate Change Adaptation for the US National Wildlife Refuge System

Since its establishment in 1903, the National Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS) has grown to 635 units and 37 Wetland Management Districts in the United States and its territories. These units provide the seasonal habitats necessary for migratory waterfowl and other species to complete their annual life cycles. Habitat conversion and fragmentation, invasive species, pollution, and competition for water have stressed refuges for decades, but the interaction of climate change with these stressors presents the most recent, pervasive, and complex conservation challenge to the NWRS. Geographic isolation and small unit size compound the challenges of climate change, but a combined emphasis on species that refuges were established to conserve and on maintaining biological integrity, diversity, and environmental health provides the NWRS with substantial latitude to respond. Individual symptoms of climate change can be addressed at the refuge level, but the strategic response requires system-wide planning. A dynamic vision of the NWRS in a changing climate, an explicit national strategic plan to implement that vision, and an assessment of representation, redundancy, size, and total number of units in relation to conservation targets are the first steps toward adaptation. This adaptation must begin immediately and be built on more closely integrated research and management. Rigorous projections of possible futures are required to facilitate adaptation to change. Furthermore, the effective conservation footprint of the NWRS must be increased through land acquisition, creative partnerships, and educational programs in order for the NWRS to meet its legal mandate to maintain the biological integrity, diversity, and environmental health of the system and the species and ecosystems that it supports.

Specific organization of ribosomal DNA arrays in Squamata

A first report on structural organization of ribosomal DNA arrays in some members of the order Squamata is presented. The data obtained point to unusually small (for vertebrates) size of the rDNA repetitive unit (approximately, 10 to 15 kb) in the lizard species examined. Analysis of BAC library of Uta stansburiana (Iguania) showed that haploid genome of this lizard contained a single cluster, consisting of about ten rDNA repeats. Determination of the extent of rDNA unit repetition in some other representatives of the order Squamata, using the method of comparative real-time PCR, showed that the number of rDNA units varied from one or several dozens in Iguanina to several hundred repeats in Scincomorpha and Varonoidea. The results are discussed in terms of an ambiguous position of the family Iguania on the evolutionary trees constructed based on morphological and molecular data.

Electro‐optic response of cubic liquid crystal compounds in Kerr cell geometry

We present the results of our investigations on the electro‐optic response of the cubic phase liquid crystal compounds 1,2‐bis‐[4‐n‐octyloxy‐benzoyl]‐hydrazine (BABH8) and 4’‐n‐hexadecyloxy‐3’‐nitrobiphenyl‐4‐carboxylic acid (ANBC16) in Kerr cell geometry. The AC electric field response in the BABH8 cubic phase was found to be as small as that of the isotropic phase, even though there was a response in the adjacent smectic C (SmC) phase. The response in the SmC phase means that the BABH8 molecule itself has an electric field coupling ability, but this ability is strongly inactivated in the cubic phase. This inactivity to the AC fields was also found in the cubic phase of ANBC16. This behaviour could be explained by the small structural unit size of the cubic phase.

Growth and dynamics of unorganised industries in Punjab

The relatively small size and limited bargaining power of small-scale units raised concerns about the survival of these units in a competitive environment. It was feared that these, mainly the unorganised ones, would be wiped-off completely unless they were given some protection in the rapidly globalising economy. But, the experience of unorganised manufacturing units has been quite different. These units expanded in terms of their contribution to employment and output. The study establishes the distinct emergence of unorganised industry in Punjab, in terms of employment, capital used and labour productivity, in sharp contrast to the scenario in other states. It further explores the structure of Punjab's unorganised industry along with examining the inter-industry patterns of growth. It also delves into the factor-use pattern through an analysis of labour mix, factor allocation and factor productivity. The study points out the existence of various impediments in the growth path of Punjab's unorganised industry. Therefore, there arises a serious need to curb these impediments if the policy makers are really interested in enabling Punjab's unorganised industry to realise its potential in the fast globalising competitive environment.

Crystallographic alignments in a coccolith (Pleurochrysis carterae) revealed by electron back-scattered diffraction (EBSD)

Crystal orientations of the sub-micrometer-sized calcite units in oval-shaped coccoliths of a coccolithophore, Pleurochrysis carterae, have been investigated using electron back-scattered diffraction (EBSD). Although the contrast of the acquired EBSD patterns was weak due to the small crystal unit size, the orientations could be uniquely determined from the patterns. The crystal orientations for V- and R-units are close to those reported in a previous work using electron diffraction in a TEM. However, more accurate crystal orientations corresponding to the coccolith morphology were obtained by using EBSD in a SEM. In V-units, the c-axis is declined about 35° from the normal of the coccolith plane and one of the a i -axes is roughly parallel to the coccolith plane. The c-axis in R-units is slightly oblique to the radial direction along the coccolith plane and one of the a i -axes is near vertical to the coccolith plane. The projections of the c-axis of V- and R-units on the coccolith plane deviate considerably from the normal of the coccolith circumference, giving a crystallographic chiral property. The atomic arrangements of calcite contacted with the organic base plate are discussed for both units based on the crystallographic orientations derived from EBSD measurements.

Unit Bias

People seem to think that a unit of some entity (with certain constraints) is the appropriate and optimal amount. We refer to this heuristic as unit bias. We illustrate unit bias by demonstrating large effects of unit segmentation, a form of portion control, on food intake. Thus, people choose, and presumably eat, much greater weights of Tootsie Rolls and pretzels when offered a large as opposed to a small unit size (and given the option of taking as many units as they choose at no monetary cost). Additionally, they consume substantially more M&M's when the candies are offered with a large as opposed to a small spoon (again with no limits as to the number of spoonfuls to be taken). We propose that unit bias explains why small portion sizes are effective in controlling consumption; in some cases, people served small portions would simply eat additional portions if it were not for unit bias. We argue that unit bias is a general feature in human choice and discuss possible origins of this bias, including consumption norms.

Analysing farming systems with Data Envelopment Analysis: citrus farming in Spain

Farming systems in the Mediterranean agricultural areas of Spain are frequently characterised by the small size of the production units and a widespread strategy of externalisation of many growing tasks which could be seen as a way of allowing farms to remain competitive. In this paper, we suggest Data Envelopment Analysis as an appropriate analytical tool to explore the possibilities of short-term viability of individual farms, after eliminating current inefficient practices. From a sample of Spanish citrus farms, we identify the efficient production units that determine the technological or best practice frontier, and we compare their characteristics with those of the average farm. Best practice farms have higher yields than the average farm and are also further advanced in the process of substituting wage-earning labour for family labour. Cutting the employment of the household's labour on its own farm is linked to a strategy of externalisation of citrus growing tasks, in an attempt to surmount the problems posed by the small average size of farms. Finally, we compute an overall efficiency measure and several indicators of short-run competitiveness that compare the ability of farms to generate net income under both current and efficient production plans. Our results show that there is a substantial fall in the number of farms judged economically non-viable after inefficiency has been removed.

蒸気タービン機器リスクベースメンテナンス（ＲＢＭ）における不信頼度推定法

Two approaches were investigated for evaluating unreliability functions of failure events in steam turbine components. One is the parameter normalizing approach to establish the unique relationship between normalized hours or normalized cycles and unreliability for various classes of steam turbine output capacity. Another is the parameter adjustment approach to seek modifying coefficients as the functions of steam turbine design parameters for evaluating the specific unreliability functions from the common master curve. The cumulative hazard function method is applied to evaluate the actual field data fittings of those approaches for turbine rotor bowing and nozzle erosion events respectively. The data fittings through those approaches are good enough to apply the probabilistic risk analysis in the case of small sample size or number of units in the objective type of steam turbines.

OS12W0341 Risk-based maintenance system for steam turbines

Two approaches were investigated for evaluating unreliability functions of failure events in steam turbine components. One is the parameter normalizing approach to establish the unique relationship between normalized hours or normalized cycles and unreliability for various classes of steam turbine output capacity. Another is the parameter adjustment approach to seek modifying coefficients as the functions of steam turbine design parameters for evaluating the specific unreliability functions from the common master curve. The cumulative hazard function method is applied to evaluate the actual field data fittings of those approaches for turbine rotor bowing and nozzle erosion events respectively. The data fittings through those approaches are good enough to apply the probabilistic risk analysis in the case of small sample size or number of units in the objective type of steam turbines. This procedure is applied in the PC based risk-based maintenance (RBM) system for practical utilization.

The influence of ATM on operating systems

The features of ATM offered many attractions to the application community, such as fine-grained multiplexing and high-throughput links. These created considerable challenges for the O.S. designer, since a small protocol data unit size (the 48 byte "cell") and link bandwidths within a (binary) order of magnitude of memory bandwidths demanded considerable rethinking of operating system structure.Using an historical and personal perspective, this paper describes two aspects of that rethinking which I participated in directly, namely, those of new event signalling and memory buffering schemes. Ideas and techniques stemming from ATM network research influenced first research operating systems and then commercial operating systems. The positive results of ATM networking, although indirect, have benefitted applications and systems far beyond the original design goals.

Wetting properties of polystyrene ionomers treated with plasma source ion implantation

AbstractThe wetting properties of polystyrene‐based ionomers treated with plasma source ion implantation (PSII) were investigated by the measurement of water contact angles. When sulfonated ionomers were aged for a few days, the hydrophobic recovery for the ionomers became much slower than that for the nonionic polymers. However, when the samples were aged over 20 days, the water contact angle of the ionomers converged with that of the nonionic polymer. Thus, it was concluded that the ionic interaction between the ionic groups and the presence of ionic groups together resulted in the slow hydrophobic recovery and that the aging effect was significant for the ionomers. For the methacrylate ionomer of low ion content, on the other hand, it was found that the PSII treatment produced only a small change in hydrophobic recovery behavior. Thus, it was suggested that the low ionic content coupled with the small size of the ionic unit might cause changes only of a very insignificant degree in hydrophobic recovery behavior. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 83: 2500–2504, 2002

RELEVANT MEASUREMENTS OF GREEN PEA TEXTURE

ABSTRACTPea (Pisum sativum L. var. medullae Alef.) texture is one of the most important quality attributes for Danish consumers. To optimize acceptance of frozen green pea products in the future it is necessary to have suitable methods that can be used in plant breeding for optimizing texture quality. Peas with a wide range of textural characteristics were selected during three pea seasons and analyzed using chemical‐physical measurements and sensory descriptive analysis. Determination of alcohol insoluble solids (AIS), dry weight, tenderometer value (TV), testa texture, cotyledon texture, and testa weight were satisfactory methods for screening frozen green peas for sensory texture quality. AIS and dry weight could handle small unit sizes as required in plant breeding. Within the range of pea quality found in Denmark, the AIS, dry weight and testa weight methods were highly correlated to sensory mealiness, skin (testa) toughness, juiciness and crispness. Instrumental measurement of cotyledon texture was better related to sensory seed hardness than was instrumental seed texture. Sample size has to be reduced to make this method suitable for screening of plant material for hardness.

Prevalence of carriage of antimicrobial resistant strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae in primary school children in Hong Kong.

A cross-sectional survey was conducted to determine prevalence and assess risk factors for carriage of antibiotic resistant strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae in healthy school children in Hong Kong. Throat swabs were collected from 1455 subjects and written questionnaires providing demographic data and medical history were completed by parents. The overall carriage rate of Streptococcus pneumoniae was 3.5%, of which 49% were penicillin resistant. High levels of resistance to tetracycline (73%), erythromycin (52%), trimethoprim (66%) and ciprofloxacin (57%) were observed. Carriage was associated with presence of a younger sibling (OR = 1.79) and use of antibiotics (OR = 2.31). High use of day care and small size of housing units did not result in a high rate of carriage. The low rate of carriage may be linked to high use of antibiotics, geographical factors or ethnicity. High rates of antibiotic resistance reflect heavy use of antibiotics by general practitioners.

Neuromuscular system of the flexible arm of the octopus: physiological characterization.

The octopus arm is an outstanding example of an efficient boneless and highly flexible appendage. We have begun characterizing the neuromuscular system of the octopus arm in both innervated muscle preparations and dissociated muscle cells. Functionally antagonistic longitudinal and transverse muscle fibers showed no differences in membrane properties and mode of innervation. The muscle cells are excitable but have a broad range of linear membrane properties. They are electrotonically very compact so that localized synaptic inputs can control the membrane potential of the entire muscle cell. Three distinct excitatory neuronal inputs to each arm muscle cell were identified; their reversal potentials were extrapolated to be about -10 mV. These appear to be cholinergic as they are blocked by hexamethonium, D-tubocurarine, and atropine. Two inputs have low quantal amplitude (1-7 mV) and slow rise times (4-15 ms), whereas the third has a large size (5-25 mV) and fast rise time (2-4 ms). This large synaptic input is most likely due to exceptionally large quantal events. The probability of release is rather low, suggesting a stochastic activation of muscle cells. All inputs demonstrated a modest activity-dependent plasticity typical of fast neuromuscular systems. The pre- and postsynaptic properties suggest a rather direct relation between neuronal activity and muscle action. The lack of significant electrical coupling between muscle fibers and the indications for the small size of the motor units suggest that the neuromuscular system of the octopus arm has evolved to ensure a high level of precise localization in the neural control of arm function.

Improving institutions: Effects of small unit size on quality of care of people with severe intellectual disabilities

Two studies analysed the effects of small unit size of six to eight residents on the quality of care in institutions for people with intellectual disabilities. The results showed improvements in small units when compared with larger wards with 10 to 20 residents. Overall, the outcomes were small or modest, and the quality of care remained below standards typically achieved in community environments.