ALBERT

Notizen: Tax Increment Financing (TIF) is a popular yet controversial tool that allows local governments to use property tax revenue to fund the public costs of economic development. Since TIF gives one local government the power to affect the tax bases of the overlapping jurisdictions, there is uncertainty and argument on the part of government officials and taxpayers as to who really finances the program. To evaluate the alternative contentions, this paper presents a general methodology that identifies which taxpayers in which locations fund the TIF's expenditures, and sets forward the conditions under which such a local economic development policy can be beneficial to taxpayers. The paper applies the model to study the TIF program currently active in downtown Des Moines, Iowa. The evidence indicates that the taxpayers in the entire metropolitan area subsidized the downtown activities in the early years, but now pay lower property tax rates due to the city's TIF-financed urban revitalization program.

Notizen: : Conditions under which a given topological space does, or does not, possess a stronger maximal feebly compact topology are given. Procedures are developed which can be used, for certain feebly compact spaces, to obtain stronger maximal feebly compact spaces. Several examples are constructed.

Notizen: A finite-element method which incorporates mesh adaptation is used to calculate ground-water flow and pollutant transport. The formulation is based on the equations for conservation of mass, Darcy's law for an anisotropic medium, and the time-dependent species transport equation. Modifications have been implemented to the finite-element formulation to enhance computational speed and reduce storage; Petrov-Galerkin weighting of the advection terms provides numerical stability. An explicit time marching scheme is used to solve the transient equations. By utilizing unstructured adaptive meshing, species concentration and location of steep fronts are accurately resolved, even though one begins with a coarse mesh. The algorithm currently runs on PC and workstation class computers.

Notizen: The effects of soil fertility (two levels of soil nitrogen and two levels of soil phosphorus) and mycorrhizal infection on pollen production and pollen grain size were studied in two cultivars of the common zucchini (Cucurbita pepo). Overall, soil fertility and mycorrhizal infection had significant effects on traits affecting the male function of plants (staminate flower production, pollen production per flower and pollen grain size). There were also differences between the cultivars for these male traits in all three experiments. In addition, pollen grain size decreased toward the end of the growing season. In the mycorrhiza experiment, both phosphate concentration per pollen grain and total phosphate content per anther were greater but not significantly greater in the mycorrhizal plants than in the non-mycorrhizal plants. A significant negative relationship between pollen production and pollen grain size was found in the mycorrhiza and soil phosphorus experiments, indicating that there was a trade-off between pollen production and pollen size. This study is the first to show that mycorrhizal infection has an effect on male function (pollen production and size) in addition to the well-documented effects on female function (fruit/seed production and size).

Notizen: The Devonian of East Greenland comprises a thick sequence of continental clastic sediments infilling an extensional basin. West of the main basin bounding fault (Western Fault Zone) are scattered outliers of Devonian conglomerate which accumulated in small basins such as found on the island, Ella Ø. The Ella Ø Basin formed by extensional movement along the Narhval Sund Fault accompanied by the formation of a prominent bedding parallel detachment surface which was subsequently modified by sub-aerial exposure to become the unconformity surface. Mapping of this unconformity surface shows major vertical relief. A thick sequence of conglomerate occurs on Ella Ø, which, close to its exposed basal unconformity, has three lacustrine beds intercalated within it. Detailed analysis of one lake unit shows it to have significant lateral variation. At proximal localities it largely comprises lacustrine turbidites, whereas more distal locations were within a stratified lake. The interpreted sequence of events on Ella Ø is an interval of fluvial sedimentation followed by rapid drowning of the topography with lacustrine sediments onlapping onto basement. After an interval of deeper lacustrine sedimentation including laminites, the lake shallowed, the lithology changed to limestone and the lake dried out. Conglomerate deposition then recommenced. Maximum lake water depth of 100 m is estimated following correction (7°) for post-Devonian rotation, both determined using the distribution of lacustrine sediments on the unconformity surface. The preferred mechanism for flooding of the Ella Ø Basin is episodic flooding of the entire basin system. Lacustrine sediment preservation results purely from its deposition amongst topography at the edge of the active fluvial system. In such fluvial systems lacustrine sediments may be part of the normal sedimentary cycle but were almost always removed by reworking.

Notizen: Laboratory studies have shown that the amounts of glutathione (GSH) and cysteine are higher in grass species that are moderately tolerant, such as wheat (Triticum aestivum L., cv. Fredrick), and moderately susceptible, such as barley (Hor deum vitlgare L., cv. Legér) and triticale (cv. OAC Trillium), to fenoxaprop-ethyl (FE) than in species that are very susceptible to the her bicide, such as oat (Avena saliva L., cv. OAC Woodstock), wild oat (Avena fatua L.), yellow foxtail (Setaria glanca (L.) Bcauv.), large crab grass (Digitaria sanguinalis (L.) Scop.) and bar nyard grass (Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) P.B.). The safener, fenchlorazole-ethyl (FCE) was found to increase and decrease, respectively, the amounts of GSH and cysteine in the moderately tolerant and moderately susceptible species but had no effect on the susceptible species. It is sug gested that in the moderately tolerant and moderately susceptible species, especially following FCE treatment, more GSH is available to detoxify the herbicide. Glutathione-S-tranferase activity (GST) for FE was found to be very low in all of the species tested. In vitro experiments at physio-logical pH. demonstrated that FE may conjugate with GSH nonenzymatically. Therefore, it is suggested that nonenzymatic conjugation of fenoxaprop-ethyl with glutathione may be an important mechanism for tolerance of some grasses to this herbicide.

Notizen: The effect of five herbicide safeners on preventing maize (Zea mays L.) injury by acetochlor [N-(2-ethyl-6-methyl-phenyl)-N-(ethoxymethyl)-chloroacetamide], their influence on herbicide uptake and metabolism to a glutathione (GSH) conjugate as well as on GSH content and glutathione S-transferase activity (GST) in untreated and herbicide with/without safener-pre-treated 4-day-old seedlings were determined. The safeners studied were: AD-67 (N-di-chloroacetyl-1-oxa-4-azaspiro-4-5-decane), BAS-145138 [1-dichloroacetyl-hexahydro-3,3,8a-trimethyl-pyrrolo(l,2-a)pyrimidin-6(2H)-one], dichlormid (N, A,-diallyl-2,2-dichlo-roacetamide), DKA-24 (N, N2-diallyl-N2dichloroacetylglycineamide) and MG-191 (2-dichloromethyl-2-methyl-1,3-dioxolane). All safeners significantly increased [14C]acetochlor uptake and metabolism rate, maize GSH content and GST activity. Seedlings receiving BAS-145138 pre-treatment metabolized almost 70% of the absorbed [14C]acetochlor within 10 min.Safener-enhanced GST activity was always found to be higher when [14C]acetochlor was used as the substrate compared with CDNB (1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene). Although DKA-24 had a significantly lower influence on both herbicide metabolism and GST activity, it was nearly as effective a safener as BAS-145138, while the others provided no or poor protection to maize from acetochlor injury when they were not incorporated in the soil. Effets d'antidotes sur la toxicité, la pénétration et le métabolisme de I'acétochlore chez le mats etsur l'activité glutathion S-transférase Cinq antidotes d'herbicides diminuaient la toxicité de 1'acétochlore [N-(2-éthyl-6-méthyl-phényl)-N-(éthoxyméthyl)-chloroacétamide] à I'égard du maïs (Zea mays L.). Lew effet sur l'absorption de l'herbicide et sur son métabolisme en un conjugué avec le glutathion (GSH), de même que leur effet sur la teneur en GSH et 1'activité glutathion 5-transférase (GST) ont étéétudiés sur des maïs âgés de 4 jours. Les antidotes étaient: l'AD-67 (N-dichloroacétyl-1-oxa-4-azaspiro-4,5-décane), le BAS-145138 [1 -dichloroacétyl-hexahydro-3,3,8a-triméthyl-pyrrolo(l,2-a) pyrimidine-6(2H)-one], le di-chlormide (N, N-diallyl-2,2-dichloracétamide), le DKA-24 (N, N2-diallyl-N2-dichloracétylgly-cineamide] et le MG-191 (2-dichlorométhyl-2-méthyl-l,3-dioxolane). Tous les antidotes augmentaient de manière significative 1'absorption et le métabolisme de I'acétochlore 14C, ainsi que la teneur du maïs en GSH et son activité GST. Les jeunes plantes prétraitées avec le BAS-145138 métabolisaient en 10 min près de 70% de I'acétochlore 14C absorbé. L'activité GST stimulée par 1'antidote était toujours plus élevée avec I'acétochlore 14C comme substrat qu'avec le CDNB (1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzène).Le DKA-24 avait un effet significativement plus faible que le BAS-145138 sur le métabolisme de l'herbicide et sur l'activité GSH, mais son action antidote était presque aussi importante. Les autres produits n'apportaient au maïs qu'une protection faible ou nulle contre l'acétochlore quand ils n'étaient pas incorporés au sol. Wirkung von Safenern auf die Phytotoxizität, Aufnahme und Metabolismus von Acetochlor und die Glutathion-S-Transferase-Aktivität in Mais Die Wirkung von 5 Safenern (AD-67, BAS-145138, Dichlormid, DKA-24 und MG-191; chemische Bezeichnungen s.o.) auf die Phytotoxizität von Acetochlor für Mais (Zea mays L.) und ihr Einfluß auf die Aufnahme des Herbizids und Metabolismus zu einem Glutathion-(GSH-) Konjugat und auf die Glutathion-S-Transferase-(GST-)Aktivität wurde an 4 Tage alten Keimpflanzen untersucht. Durch die Vorbehandlung mit den Safenern wurden die [14C]-Acetochlor-Aufnahme- und -Metabolierungsrate, der GSH-Gehalt und die GST-Ak-tivität signifikant erhöht. Mit BAS-145138 vorbehandelte Keimpflanzen metabolisierten fast 70% des absorbierten [14C]-Acetochlor innerhalb von 10 min. Die durch die Safener erhöhte GST-Aktivität bei [14C]-Acetochlor als Substrat war im Vergleich zu Chlordinitroben-zen immer höher. Obwohl DKA-24 einen signifikant geringeren Einfluß sowohl auf den Herbizidmetabolismus als auch auf die GST-Aktivität hatte, war es fast so wirkungsvoll wie BAS-145138, während die anderen ohne Einarbeitung in den Boden für den Mais keinen oder geringen Schutz gegen Schäden durch Acetochlor boten.

Notizen: An organism diversity index for use with mixed liquor or wastewater samples was developed to assess the species richness and diversity of activated sludge. The index was used in several studies and was found to be fast and simple to perform using basic laboratory equipment. Two bench-scale and two pilot-scale studies found that the resulting ‘organism diversity index’value was a good indicator of process performance and was not influenced by the total concentration of the mixed-liquor suspended solids but by their nature alone. The technique rapidly yielded pertinent information about the health of the sludge and could be used instead of genetic investigations to obtain population information quickly enough for wastewater-treatment plant process control.

Notizen: Many interesting inverse problems in geophysics are non-linear and multimodal. Parametrization of these problems leads to an objective function, or measure of agreement between data and model predictions, that has a complex topography with many local minima. Optimization algorithms that rely on local gradients in the objective function or that search the model space locally may become trapped in these local minima. By combining simulated annealing with the downhill simplex method, a hybrid global search algorithm is presented in this paper for non-linear, multimodal, inverse problems. The hybrid algorithm shares the advantages of both local search methods that perform well if the local model is suitable, and global methods that are able to explore efficiently the full model space. The hybrid algorithm also utilizes a larger and more complex memory to store information on the objective function than simulated annealing algorithms. The effectiveness of this new scheme is evaluated in three problems: minimization of the multidimensional Rosenbrock function, non-linear, 1-D, acoustic waveform inversion, and residual statics. The performance of the hybrid algorithm is compared with simulated annealing and genetic algorithms and is shown to converge more rapidly and to have a higher success rate of locating the global minimum for the cases investigated.