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Notes: In 1980 the State of Connecticut began a tidal marsh restoration program targeting systems degraded by tidal restrictions and impoundments. Such marshes become dominated by common reed grass (Phragmites australis) and cattail (Typha angustifolia and T. latifolia), with little ecological connection to Long Island Sound. The management and scientific hypothesis was that returning tidal action, reconnecting marshes to Long Island Sound, would set these systems on a recovery trajectory. Specific restoration targets (i.e., pre-disturbance conditions or particular reference marshes) were considered unrealistic. However, it was expected that with time restored tides would return ecological functions and attributes characteristic of fully functioning tidal salt marshes. Here we report results of this program at nine separate sites within six marsh systems along 110 km of Long Island Sound shoreline, with restoration times of 5 to 21 years. Biotic parameters assessed include vegetation, macroinvertebrates, and use by fish and birds. Abiotic factors studied were soil salinity, elevation and tidal flooding, and soil water table depth. Sites fell into two categories of vegetation recovery: slow, ca. 0.5%, or fast, more than 5% of total area per year. Although total cover and frequency of salt marsh angiosperms was positively related to soil salinity, and reed grass stand parameters negatively so, fast versus slow recovery rates could not be attributed to salinity. Instead, rates appear to reflect differences in tidal flooding. Rapid recovery was characterized by lower elevations, greater hydroperiods, and higher soil water tables. Recovery of other biotic attributes and functions does not necessarily parallel those for vegetation. At the longest studied system (rapid vegetation recovery) the high marsh snail Melampus bidentatus took two decades to reach densities comparable with a nearby reference marsh, whereas the amphipod Orchestia grillus was well established on a slow-recovery marsh, reed grass dominated after 9 years. Typical fish species assemblages were found in restoration site creeks and ditches within 5 years. Gut contents of fish in ditches and on the high marsh suggest that use of restored marsh as foraging areas may require up to 15 years to reach equivalence with reference sites. Bird species that specialize in salt marshes require appropriate vegetation; on the oldest restoration site, breeding populations comparable with reference marshland had become established after 15 years. Use of restoration sites by birds considered marsh generalists was initially high and was still nearly twice that of reference areas even after 20 years. Herons, egrets, and migratory shorebirds used restoration areas extensively. These results support our prediction that returning tides will set degraded marshes on trajectories that can bring essentially full restoration of ecological functions. This can occur within two decades, although reduced tidal action can delay restoration of some functions. With this success, Connecticut's Department of Environmental Protection established a dedicated Wetland Restoration Unit. As of 1999 tides have been restored at 57 separate sites along the Connecticut coast.

Notes: Nicastrin, a type-I transmembrane glycoprotein, is a necessary component of the high molecular weight presenilin (PS) complexes that mediate intramembranous cleavage of β-amyloid precursor protein (βAPP) and Notch. Nicastrin undergoes trafficking-dependent glycosylation maturation, and PS1 interacts preferentially with these maturely glycosylated forms of nicastrin. We investigated the effects of differing levels of the immature and mature endoglycosidase-H-resistant forms of nicastrin on Aβ40- and Aβ42-peptide secretion in several cell lines stably expressing a mutant nicastrin (D336A/Y337A) that increases Aβ secretion. There was no correlation between Aβ secretion and the level of over-expression of the immature forms of nicastrin. The total level of mature nicastrin remained constant, but mutant nicastrin replaced endogenous mature nicastrin in varying degrees. Differences in the levels of mature mutant nicastrin positively correlated with Aβ secretion, but did not influence either βAPP trafficking or processing by α- and β-secretases. Proper trafficking and terminal maturation of nicastrin is therefore a necessary event for the regulated intramembranous proteolysis of βAPP.

Notes: In accordance with the theory of threatened egotism and aggression, the relationships among narcissism, trait anger, job constraints and counterproductive work behavior (CWB) were explored in a questionnaire study. The results were supportive of the hypotheses that narcissism would relate to trait anger, job constraints, and CWB and that the relationship between narcissism and CWB would be mediated by anger. In addition, narcissism was found to moderate the relationship between job constraints and CWB, such that individuals high in narcissism reported more CWB when constraints were high, than individuals low in narcissism.

Notes: Researchers have recently drawn attention to performance elements that extend beyond task performance (often labeled as organizational citizenship behavior, or OCB). A second stream of research concerns detrimental, potentially destructive acts that hurt colleagues or organizations (labeled counterproductive work behavior, or CWB). Spector and Fox (in press) have proposed a model based upon conceptual parallels that may help connect these two disparate fields of research, using positive and negative emotions as intermediary variables between environmental conditions and extra-role work behaviors. The current study tested portions of the overall model, and found reasonable support for the components. Suggestions for further research designed to test the overall model are presented.

Notes: Harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) are small pinnipeds that are widely distributed throughout the temperate coastal regions of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. We determined birth mass, neonatal growth rates, weaning age, and weaning mass of NE Pacific harbor seals (P. v. richardsi) during a capture-recapture study that spanned the nursing period (Sidney Island, British Columbia, Canada). Of 46 harbor seal pups initially captured, 28 were classified as newborns (i. e., 〈 24 h old). Mean body mass of newborns was 11.2 ± SE 0.31 kg. Pups were individually tagged and recaptured throughout the nursing period. Average daily mass gain during the nursing period was 394 ± 26 g. Mean birth mass of males did not differ significantly from females, although pups found with fetal pelage (lanugo) (21.4% of all newborns) were smaller at birth (9.8 ± 0.44 kg) than non-lanugo pups (11.6 ± 0.33 kg). Mean weaning mass was estimated at 23.6 ± 1.2 kg at a mean weaning age of 32 d ± 1.5 d. While birth and weaning masses differed little from the published data for offshore Sable Island harbor seals (P. v. concolor), British Columbia harbor seals are characterized by half the daily mass gain and a longer nursing period.

Notes: Feces were collected from six Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) that consumed known amounts of Atka mackerel (Pleurogrammus monopterygius), Pacific herring (Clupea barengus), pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha), walleye pollock (Theragra chalcogramma), and squid (Loligo opalacens). The goal was to determine the numbers and types of taxon-specific hard parts that pass through the digestive tract and to develop correction factors for certain abundantly occurring structures. Over 20,000 fish and squid were consumed during 267 d of fecal collection. During this period, over 119,000 taxon-specific hard parts, representing 56 different structures, were recovered. Skeletal structures and non-skeletal structures accounted for 72% and 28% of all hard parts, respectively. The branchiocranium, axial skeleton, and dermocranium regions of the skeletal system accounted for the greatest number of hard parts recovered. Over 70% of all recovered hard parts were represented by one to six taxa specific structures for each prey type. The average number of hard parts (3.1–31.2) and structure types (2.0–17.7) recovered per individual prey varied across taxa and were used to derive correction factors (to reconstruct original prey numbers). A measure of the variability of hard part recovery among sea lions showed no difference for certain herring, pollock, and squid structures, however, there was a significant difference for salmon and Atka mackerel structures. Identifying all taxon- specific prey hard parts increases the likelihood of identifying and estimating the number of prey consumed.

Notes: In this investigation, we report the results of 2 studies designed to (a) conduct confirmatory factor analytic tests of a model of general safety performance with performance ratings from 550 coworker appraisals (Study 1), and (b) examine hypothesized relationships between indicators of breadth and depth of knowledge constructs and confirmed safety performance factors (from Study 1) with training history data and supervisory appraisals for 133 hazardous waste workers in 23 jobs and 4 organizations (Study 2). Confirmatory factor analytic results from Study 1 provided support for a 4-factor model of general safety performance with performance factors labeled Using Personal Protective Equipment, Engaging in Work Practices to Reduce Risk, Communicating Health and Safety Information, and Exercising Employee Rights and Responsibilities. In general, the results from Study 2 supported the hypothesized dominance of depth of knowledge over breadth of knowledge in the prediction of performance with respect to more routine, consistent safety tasks. Issues concerning the general-izability of these factors to other types of work and the human resource management implications of these results are discussed.

Notes: 1. Increased bronchoconstrictor responses to contractile agonists and decreased dilator responses to β-adrenoceptor agonists are characteristics of human asthma. One explanation for these features of asthma is that cytokines released in the asthmatic airway have direct effects on airway smooth muscle cells that alter their phenotype.2. The present review summarizes data indicating that inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-1β and tumour necrosis factor-α, T helper (h) 1 cytokines, such as interferon-γ, and Th2 cytokines, such as IL-13 and IL-5, have the capacity to enhance contractile responses and/or decrease relaxant responses of airway smooth muscle. These effects are observed in smooth muscle from human airways and airway smooth muscle of other species.3. Understanding the mechanistic basis for the effects of these cytokines may prove to be an important step in improving the efficacy of β-adrenoceptor agonists for the treatment of asthma.

Notes: The stoichiometry of the reaction between ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) having an empirical formula of C7.88S7.39M3A and calcium hydroxide (CH) was investigated. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to determine the slag consumption as well as the Ca/Si ratio in calcium silicate hydrate gel (C-S-H) products. A tentative stoichiometric ratio of 2.6 mol of CH consumed per mole of slag reacted was determined using two methods. By combining consumption data determined separately for slag and CH a molar stoichiometry of 2.79 was found. Similarly, by directly determining the Ca/Si ratio in the C-S-H gel product, a range for the molar stoichiometry between 1.65 and 3.42 was found. Finally, a comparison of the stoichiometry of the slag/CH reaction was made with slag/portland cement hydration. The basic features of both appear similar. In the C-S-H gel around slag grains, a calcium-to-silica ratio of 1.3 to 1.4 was found for both slag/CH and slag/cement systems.

Notes: A GDH gene from Halobacterium salinarum has been cloned and sequenced and the publication assigns the sequence to the NADP+-glutamate dehydrogenase of this organism. We have expressed this gene in Escherichia coli and find that it encodes an NAD+-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase without activity towards NADP+. Further, peptide sequence from the two corresponding proteins supports the view that the deposited sequence is indeed that of the NAD+-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase. Sequence from the NAD+-dependent protein matches the published gene sequence, whereas sequence from the NADP+ glutamate dehydrogenase does not.