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About one week before she died, Amy Williamsen invited me to write the Afterword to this special issue of Cervantes. Amy, my wife (Valerie Hegstrom), and I shared many quixotic [...]

Roas, David and Teresa Lopez Pellisa, eds. Visiones de lo fantastico en la cultura espanola (1970-2012) [Visions of the fantastic in Spanish culture, 1970-2012]. vol. II. Benalmadena, Malaga (Spain): E.D.A., [...]

Discerning behaviours of free-ranging animals allows for quantification of their activity budget, providing important insight into ecology. Over recent years, accelerometers have been used to unveil the cryptic lives of animals. The increased ability of accelerometers to store large quantities of high resolution data has prompted a need for automated behavioural classification. We assessed the performance of several machine learning (ML) classifiers to discern five behaviours performed by accelerometer-equipped juvenile lemon sharks (Negaprion brevirostris) at Bimini, Bahamas (25°44'N, 79°16'W). The sharks were observed to exhibit chafing, burst swimming, headshaking, resting and swimming in a semi-captive environment and these observations were used to ground-truth data for ML training and testing. ML methods included logistic regression, an artificial neural network, two random forest models, a gradient boosting model and a voting ensemble (VE) model, which combined the predictions of all other (base) models to improve classifier performance. The macro-averaged F-measure, an indicator of classifier performance, showed that the VE model improved overall classification (F-measure 0.88) above the strongest base learner model, gradient boosting (0.86). To test whether the VE model provided biologically meaningful results when applied to accelerometer data obtained from wild sharks, we investigated headshaking behaviour, as a proxy for prey capture, in relation to the variables: time of day, tidal phase and season. All variables were significant in predicting prey capture, with predations most likely to occur during early evening and less frequently during the dry season and high tides. These findings support previous hypotheses from sporadic visual observations., Author(s): L. R. Brewster [sup.1] [sup.2] [sup.3] , J. J. Dale [sup.4] , T. L. Guttridge [sup.1] , S. H. Gruber [sup.1] [sup.5] , A. C. Hansell [sup.6] , M. [...]

Introduction IN THE MOVIE THE MATRIX (1999), CHARACTERS EXPERIENCE a completely virtual world--created by sending electrical signals directly to their spinal cord and brain--that contains the sensations of the 'real' [...]

Participants' reaction times (RTs) in numerical judgment tasks in which one must determine which of 2 numbers is greater generally follow a monotonically decreasing function of the numerical distance between the two presented numbers. Here, I present 3 experiments in which the relative influences of numerical distance and physical similarity are assessed in just such a task using integers and decimals as stimuli. The data reveal that numerical distance is the primary feature controlling participants' RTs when integers are presented. However, the physical similarity between the decade place of the standard and the probe is the primary feature controlling participants' RTs when decimals are presented. I conclude that the unique qualities of decimals do not lend themselves to share the place-coding representation of integers, thus a direct retrieval mechanism for judging the relative quantity of decimals has developed. Keywords: numerical distance, numerical cognition, quantity judgment, decimals, automaticity DOI: 10.1037/a0020212

Laboratory markets are created to capture the important features of agricultural commodity markets. Sellers make production decisions and hold inventories before goods are sold. In a posted-bid auction environment, price supports create a moral hazard for sellers. Part of the price-support subsidy is transferred to buyers in the form of lower prices, which are close to those predicted by the buyers' Cournot level. The subsidy program is expensive for this reason. Lump-sum payments correct the moral hazard problem and are better at transferring income to sellers. However, transfers made at the beginning of each production period cause a decline in production levels. (JEL D44, C92), I. INTRODUCTION Agricultural price support programs have existed as U. S. federal policy since the 1933 Agricultural Adjustment Act and most recently have been continued in the 2008 Farm Bill [...]

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection causes large epidemics of liver disease in developing countries (1-3). In epidemic settings, HEV is transmitted by the fecal-oral route, and the most commonly attributed [...]

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ydbio.2009.02.035 Byline: Sarah Gibb (a), Anna Zagorska (a), Kristin Melton (b)(d), Gennady Tenin (a), Irene Vacca (a), Paul Trainor (b)(c), Miguel Maroto (a), J. Kim Dale (a) Keywords: Notch; Wnt; Embryo; Mouse; Chick; Somite; Segmentation clock Abstract: Somites are embryonic precursors of the ribs, vertebrae and certain dermis tissue. Somite formation is a periodic process regulated by a molecular clock which drives cyclic expression of a number of clock genes in the presomitic mesoderm. To date the mechanism regulating the period of clock gene oscillations is unknown. Here we show that chick homologues of the Wnt pathway genes that oscillate in mouse do not cycle across the chick presomitic mesoderm. Strikingly we find that modifying Wnt signalling changes the period of Notch driven oscillations in both mouse and chick but these oscillations continue. We propose that the Wnt pathway is a conserved mechanism that is involved in regulating the period of cyclic gene oscillations in the presomitic mesoderm. Author Affiliation: (a) Division of Cell and Developmental Biology, College of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee, DD1 5EH, Scotland, UK (b) Stowers Institute for Medical Research, 1000 E 50th Street, Kansas City, MO, 64110, USA (c) University of Kansas School of Medicine, 3901 Rainbow Boulevard, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA (d) Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Division of Neonatology 3333 Burnet Avenue, ML#7009 Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA Article History: Received 29 October 2008; Revised 25 February 2009; Accepted 26 February 2009

Lewis's (Melanerpes lewis) and Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus) breeding ranges overlap slightly, but co-occurrence within habitats is thought to be rare because of niche similarity. Our objectives were to examine factors that allowed for co-existence in two burned pine (Pinus ponderosa) forests in the Black Hills, South Dakota. We monitored 53 Lewis's and 38 Red-headed Woodpecker nests between 2002 and 2005, and compared clutch initiation dates and nest-site selection. Clutch initiation dates did not differ between species for 3 of 4 years. We compared multiple habitat factors surrounding nests of the two species, and only tree and snag densities differed between Red-headed Woodpecker nest sites (65.1 ± 5.78 stems/ha) and those of Lewis's Woodpeckers (48.5 ± 6.06 stems/ha). These results are consistent with the foraging techniques used by the two species. We suggest that habitat partitioning is an important mechanism of coexistence for these two species, but also recommend further research on their foraging strategies., The coexistence of ecologically equivalent species is unlikely; mechanisms that allow for coexistence include habitat partitioning, use of resources during different times (i.e., temporal partitioning), and/or differential use of food [...]

The orthographic differences between Chinese and English should influence the identification of words in the two languages. This study compared the identification of 50 Chinese and 50 comparable English words by 17 Chinese and 17 English participants, respectively. For English words, correlation and analysis of variance indicated significant effects for frequency and letter count. For Chinese words, the same statistical analyses yielded a significant frequency effect. Both analyses also showed stroke count of the first Chinese character was not related to accuracy of identification, while the two analyses yielded inconsistent results concerning relationships between the stroke count of the second character and accuracy of identification. These studies did not employ a masking stimulus, and 5 msec. were enough to activate sensory memory of most Chinese words, while 10 msec. were needed for most English words. These differences were significant by Wilcoxon rank-sum tests.

A new test structure has been developed, which is comprised of MOSFET arrays and an on-chip operational amplifier feedback loop for measuring threshold voltage variation. The test structure also includes an on-chip clock generator and address decoders to scan through the arrays. It can be used in an inline test environment to provide rapid assessment of Vt variation for technology development and chip manufacturing. Hardware results in a 65-nm technology are presented. The significance of the bias dependence of Vt variation is discussed for SRAM product designs. Index Terms--MOSFET threshold voltage variation, operational amplifiers, semiconductor test structure, SRAM cell stability.

Human acid-sensing ion channel 1b (hASIC1b) is a [H.sup.+]-gated amiloride-sensitive cation channel. We have previously shown that glioma cells exhibit an amiloride-sensitive cation conductance. Amiloride and the ASIC1 blocker psalmotoxin-1 decrease the migration and proliferation of glioma cells. PKC also abolishes the amiloride-sensitive conductance of glioma cells and inhibits hASIC1b open probability in planar lipid bilayers. In addition, hASIC1b's COOH terminus has been shown to interact with protein interacting with C kinase (PICK)1, which targets PKC to the plasma membrane. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that PKC regulation of hASIC1b at specific PKC consensus sites inhibits hASIC1b function. We mutated three consensus PKC phosphorylation sites (T26, S40, and S499) in hASIC1b to alanine, to prevent phosphorylation, and to glutamic acid or aspartic acid, to mimic phosphorylation. Our data suggest that S40 and S499 are critical sites mediating the modulation of hASIC1b by PKC. We expressed mutant hASIC1b constructs in Xenopus oocytes and measured acid-activated currents by two-electrode voltage clamp. T26A and T26E did not exhibit acid-activated currents. S40A was indistinguishable from wild type (WT), whereas S40E, S499A, and S499D currents were decreased. The PKC activators PMA and phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate inhibited WT hASIC1b and S499A, and PMA had no effect on S40A or on WT hASIC1b in oocytes pretreated with the PKC inhibitor chelerythrine. Chelerythrine inhibited WT hASIC1b and S40A but had no effect on S499A or S40A/S499A. PKC activators or the inhibitor did not affect the surface expression of WT hASIC1b. These data show that the two PKC consensus sites S40 and S499 differentially regulate hASIC1b and mediate the effects of PKC activation or PKC inhibition on hASIC1b. This will result in a deeper understanding of PKC regulation of this channel in glioma cells, information that may help in designing potentially beneficial therapies in their treatment. two-electrode voltage clamp; Xenopus laevis oocytes; phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate; chelerythrine; mutagenesis; phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate; protein kinase C

An analysis of a near-end crosstalk (NEXT) cancelation system that uses adaptive digital filters is described. The analysis is based on two well-known models for the NEXT coupling factor, the Bradley and Lin models, and yields the minimum number of adaptive filters required to reduce the NEXT below a prescribed level to within a defined confidence factor. With the minimum number of adaptive filters known, the required computational resources for the application at hand can be estimated. The analysis is further extended to practical situations where the largest NEXT signals chosen for elimination are incorrectly detected, and estimates of the minimum and maximum increase in the uncanceled NEXT due to incorrect detection are then deduced. Simulations show that the estimated minimum number of adaptive filters required and the maximum and minimum increase in uncanceled NEXT due to incorrect detection are fairly close to corresponding estimates obtained on the basis of measurements for both the Bradley and the Lin models. Therefore, by using the proposed analysis the minimum number of adaptive filters can be deduced without the need for time-consuming and expensive experiments. Index Terms--Adaptive filters, LMS algorithm, near-end crosstalk cancellation, xDSL systems.

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jml.2007.09.002 Byline: Dale J. Barr Keywords: Eyetracking; Statistics; Multilevel modeling Abstract: A new framework is offered that uses multilevel logistic regression (MLR) to analyze data from 'visual world' eyetracking experiments used in psycholinguistic research. The MLR framework overcomes some of the problems with conventional analyses, making it possible to incorporate time as a continuous variable and gaze location as a categorical dependent variable. The multilevel approach minimizes the need for data aggregation and thus provides a more statistically powerful approach. With MLR, the researcher builds a mathematical model of the overall response curve that separates the response into different temporal components. The researcher can test hypotheses by examining the impact of independent variables and their interactions on these components. A worked example using MLR is provided. Author Affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA Article History: Received 14 November 2006; Revised 17 August 2007 Article Note: (footnote) [star] The author thanks Robert Rosenthal and the members of the weekly seminar on statistical methods (MAMA) at UC Riverside for their input on this project. One-on-one discussions with Dan Ozer and Chandra Reynolds were quite valuable in developing the framework. Thanks to Boaz Keysar, Kevin Esterling, Timothy Gann, Edmundo Kronmuller, and Mandana Seyfeddinipur for helpful comments; also to Peter Dixon, Len Katz, and two anonymous reviewers.

Recently, greater attention has been given to the potential keystone interaction between cavity excavators and the community of animals that use cavities. However, most research has focused on avian use of cavities in the breeding season, with little attention given to other cavity using guilds or cavity use during the non-breeding season. Furthermore, most breeding season studies were in unburned forests containing a mix of conifer and deciduous trees with much less attention given to cavity rich post-burn habitats. The objective of this study was to examine cavity use during the breeding and non-breeding seasons in old-burned ponderosa pine forests in the Black Hills, South Dakota. One hundred seventy nine active cavity nests of nine cavity nesting species were monitored between 2002-2005. We examined the contents of each cavity during the breeding season and twice during each non-breeding season (fall, winter, spring) each year. Additionally, we conducted vegetative surveys to determine the microhabitat variables that might influence the occupancy of cavities in the breeding season. Binomial logistic regression with AIC model selection criteria were used to model breeding season cavity reuse for the three most common cavity excavator species, Lewis's Woodpeckers (Melanerpes lewis), Red-headed Woodpeckers (M. erythrocephalus) and Northern Flickers (Colaptes auratus). All three species reused old cavities most recently used by conspecifics for breeding; snag density (dbh > 23 cm) and cavity height consistently influenced reuse of cavities for all three species. In the non-breeding season the cavities of these same three species were all commonly used, but Northern Flicker cavities contained the greatest diversity of secondary cavity users. We speculate that Northern Flicker cavities may have been used more frequently in the non-breeding season because of their lower cavity height compared to other similar sized cavities., INTRODUCTION The composition of a biological community is influenced by a number of factors including sudden changes in habitat structure (Terborgh, 1989; Vitousek, 1994; Sillett et al., 2000), and the [...]

Residual viremia can be detected in most HIV-l-infected patients on antiretroviral therapy despite suppression of plasma RNA to HIV persistence | HIV therapy | HIV viremia

This study assessed the utility of document prevalence and familiarity as predictors of adult document literacy performance. Three indexes--quantifying document prevalence, document familiarity, and the frequency of document use--were constructed using survey responses from an adult community sample and documents collected from government agencies and businesses. All three indexes significantly predicted document task performance on the 1992 National Adult Literacy Survey and the 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy, both of which were administered by the U.S. Department of Education. The three indexes, as individual predictors, accounted for 70% (familiarity), 51% (frequency of use), and 31% (prevalence) of the variation in document task performance. Document familiarity may aid in the search and retrieval of information from documents, thereby facilitating document literacy., A document is a symbolic display of information that does not consist predominantly of written prose (Guthrie, Weber, & Kimmerly, 1993). (1) Whereas prose materials are principally read to entertain [...]

High temperature and drought stresses may reduce quality in cool-season turfgrasses during summer months in the transition zone. This growth chamber study was conducted to evaluate effects of high temperature and drought on physiology and growth of 'Apollo' Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) (KBG), 'Dynasty' tall fescue (Festuca arundincea Schreb.) (TF), and 'Thermal Blue', a hybrid (HBG) between KBG and Texas bluegrass (Poa arachnifera Tom). Turfgrasses were exposed for 48 d to supra-optimal (high temperature; 35/25[degrees]C, 14-h day/10-h night) and optimal (control; 22/15[degrees]C, 14-h day/10-h night) temperatures under well-watered (100% evapotranspiration [ET] replacement) and deficit (60% ET replacement) irrigation. Heat resistance was greater in HBG, which had greater visual quality, gross photosynthesis (Pg), dry matter production, and lower electrolyte leakage and soil surface temperatures than KBG and TF under high temperature. Cumulative Pg during the study was 16 and 24% greater in HBG than in KBG and TF, respectively. Green leaf area index (LAI) in HBG was not affected by high temperature, but LAI was reduced by 29% in KBG and 38% in TF. Differences in drought resistance were negligible among species. The combination of high temperature and drought caused rapid declines in visual quality and dry matter production, but HBG generally performed better. Results indicated greater heat resistance, but not drought resistance, in HBG than in KBG or TF.

Despite intensive research, brain tumors remain among the most difficult type of malignancies to treat, due largely to their diffusely invasive nature and the associated difficulty of adequate surgical resection. To migrate through the brain parenchyma and to proliferate, glioma cells must be capable of significant changes in shape and volume. We have previously reported that glioma cells express an amiloride- and psalmotoxin-sensitive cation conductance that is not found in normal human astrocytes. In the present study, we investigated the potential role of this ion channel to mediate regulatory volume increase in glioma cells. We found that the ability of the cells to volume regulate subsequent to cell shrinkage by hyperosmolar solutions was abolished by both amiloride and psalmotoxin 1. This toxin is thought to be a specific peptide inhibitor of acid-sensing ion channel (ASIC1), a member of the Deg/ENaC superfamily of cation channels. We have previously shown this toxin to be an effective blocker of the glioma cation conductance. Our data suggest that one potential role for this conductance may be to restore cell volume during the cell's progression thorough the cell cycle and while the tumor cell migrates within the interstices of the brain. brain tumor; sodium; epithelial sodium channel; acid-sensing ion channel; psalmotoxin

A national sample of 1,200 social workers, categorized by the National Association of Social Workers as being in clinical practice, participated in a study to find out whether social work clinicians decline in hope or have increasing burnout over the course of their careers. In the final sample of 676 respondents, social workers' self-reported burnout was negatively associated with social worker age. Practice setting (i.e., either public or private practice) moderated the relation between perceived burnout and years in social work. Burnout seemed to decline with increasing years in private practice, but not in public practice. The results also suggest that social worker hope is higher in public practice than in private practice. However, for older social workers, hope in these two settings is about equal. Implications for social work managers and administrators are discussed, doi: 10.1300/J147v31n04_08 KEYWORDS. Burnout, hope, practice setting, social workers, social work administration

Byline: Edmundo Kronmuller, Dale J. Barr Keywords: Language comprehension; Pragmatics; Common ground; Referential communication; Eye-tracking Abstract: When speakers refer to the same referent multiple times in a conversation, they tend to follow established patterns of usage, known as conversational precedents. Research has found that listeners expect speakers to follow precedents, and that this expectation guides their search for referents (Barr, D. J., & Keysar, B. (2002). Anchoring comprehension in linguistic precedents. Journal of Memory and Language, 46, 391-418). Recently, Metzing and Brennan (2003) (Metzing, C., & Brennan, S. E. (2003). When conceptual pacts are broken: partner-specific effects on the comprehension of referring expressions. Journal of Memory and Language, 49, 201-213) reported a speaker-specific effect for broken precedents that suggests early use of speaker information when precedents are broken. Results from two eyetracking experiments show that this speaker effect results from the late use of speaker information to recover from an early, partner-independent preemption effect. When a new description is heard, existing precedents preempt the mapping of the new description to an old referent. Later, listeners use speaker-information to inhibit precedents that are not known to the current speaker. Time-course data, as well as the results of a cognitive load manipulation, suggest that the preemption and speaker effects are supported by distinct processing systems. Our findings indicate that certain pragmatic effects in language comprehension are based on general expectations about language use, rather than assumptions about the beliefs and goals of particular speakers. Author Affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA Article History: Received 9 February 2006; Revised 11 May 2006 Article Note: (footnote) [star] We thank the TalkLab undergraduate research assistants who assisted in collecting the data for these experiments: Lillian Farjeat, Karla Gonzalez, Alejandro Manzo, Wajeeha Munir, Vanessa Olguin, Jeff Olney, Marvin Sesuca, and Erica Severan.

Crown-burned pine forests are an important breeding habitat for many cavity-nesting birds, and can serve as a source habitat for some woodpecker species. However, it is unclear if this function continues with postburn succession as predators recolonize burned habitats and snag density declines. Lewis's Woodpeckers (Melanerpes lewis) are considered 'burn specialists' and are a species of conservation concern. We monitored Lewis's Woodpeckers nesting in ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) forests to determine the source or sink function of old-burn habitats in the Black Hills of South Dakota (study units burned in 1988 and 1991): concurrently, we examined avian and mammalian predator communities within burned and unburned areas. Between 2002 and 2005 we found 55 Lewis's Woodpecker nests, 51 of which were successful. Using adult and juvenile mortality rates for other melanerpine species taken from the literature, we determined that the old-burn habitats we sampled were acting as sources for Lewis's Woodpeckers. Point counts and tracking tube surveys suggested that both avian and mammalian predators had successfully recolonized these old-burn habitats, as both groups were common in old burns and in unburned forests. The unusually high nesting success of Lewis's Woodpeckers in the Black Hills is likely due to the absence of some common nest predators. While the high success rates might continue, we suggest that the overall contribution of young to the region from these burned sites will decline as suitable habitat components (such as snags) decline with the continuation of postfire succession. Key words: Black Hills, cavity nesting, Melanerpes lewis, ponderosa pine, predation, wildfire. Los bosques de coniferas cuyas copas de los arboles han sido quemadas son un habitat importante para muchas especies de aves que anidan en cavidades y tambien pueden servir como un habitat fuente para algunas especies de carpinteros. Sin embargo, no esta claro siesta funcion continua con la sucesion post-quema cuando los depredadores comienzan a recolonizar el habitat quemado y la densidad de arboles muertos en pie disminuye. El carpintero Mehmerpes lewis es considerado especialista de habitats quemados y es una especie en estado de conservacion vulnerable. Monitoreamos poblaciones de M. lewis que nidifican en pinos de la especie Pinus ponderosa en las montanas Black Hills en Dakota de Sur para determinar la funcion de fuente o sumidero de habitats quemados en el pasado (areas de estudio quemadas en 1988 y 1991), y para examinar las comunidades de depredadores (aves y mamiferos) en las areas quemadas. Entre los anos 2002 y 2005 encontramos 55 nidos de M. lewis, 51 de los cuales fueron exitosos. Utilizando tasas de mortalidad de adultos y juveniles de otras especies del grupo melanerpine provenientes de la literatura, determinamos que los habitats quemados en el pasado actuaron como habitat fuente para M. lewis. Conteos en puntos y muestreos utilizando tubos de rastreo sugirieron que tanto los depredadores aviares como mamiferos habian colonizado exitosamente estos habitats quemados, ya que ambos grupos fueron abundantes en bosques quemados y no quemados. El exito de nidificacion inusualmente alto de M. lewis en nuestra area de estudio se debe probablemente a la ausencia de algunos depredadores de nido comunes. Si bien las tasas de exito de nidificacion altas pueden continuar, sugerimos que la contribucion regional de juveniles desde estas areas quemadas disminuira conforme los componentes apropiados del habitat (como los arboles muertos en pie) disminuyan con la progresion del proceso de sucesion post-quema.

'Enchantment is just what this writer exercised; he fixed pictures in our minds that thirty years have been unable to wear away,' Graham Greene confessed in 'Rider Haggard's Secret' (Greene [...]

To purchase or authenticate to the full-text of this article, please visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1523-1739.2006.00445.x Byline: HEATHER L. KEOUGH (*), DALE J. BLAHNA ([dagger]) Keywords: social and ecological benefits; collaborative decision making; public involvement; stewardship Abstract: Abstract: Although numerous principles have been identified as being important for successfully integrating social and ecological factors in collaborative management, few authors have illustrated how these principles are used and why they are effective. On the basis of a review of the ecosystem management and collaboration literature, we identified eight factors important for integrative, collaborative ecosystem management-integrated and balanced goals, inclusive public involvement, stakeholder influence, consensus group approach, collaborative stewardship, monitoring and adaptive management, multidisciplinary data, and economic incentives.We examined four cases of successful ecosystem management to illustrate how the factors were incorporated and discuss the role they played in each case's success. The cases illustrate that balancing social and ecosystem sustainability goals is possible. Collaborative efforts resulted in part from factors aimed at making plans economically feasible and from meaningful stakeholder participation in ongoing management. It also required participation in monitoring programs to ensure stakeholder interests were protected and management efforts were focused on agreed-upon goals. Data collection efforts were not all-inclusive and systematic; rather, they addressed the ecological, economic, and social aspects of key issues as they emerged over time. Economic considerations appear to be broader than simply providing economic incentives; stakeholders seem willing to trade some economic value for recreational or environmental benefits. The cases demonstrate that it is not idealistic to believe integrative, collaborative ecosystem management is possible in field applications. Abstract (Spanish): Logrando la Gestion Integradora y Cooperativa de Ecosistemas Resumen: Aunque numerosos principios han sido identificados como importantes para la integracion exitosa de factores sociales y ecologicos en la gestion cooperativa, pocos autores han ilustrado como son utilizados estos principios y porque son efectivos. Con base en una revision de la literatura sobre gestion de ecosistemas y colaboracion, identificamos cinco factores-metas integradas y balanceadas, inclusive participacion publica, influencia de grupos de interes, estrategia de consenso en el grupo, gestion cooperativa, gestion adaptativa y monitoreo, datos multidisciplinarios e incentivos economicos-que son importantes para la gestion integradora y cooperativa de ecosistemas. Examinamos cuatro casos de gestion exitosa de ecosistemas para ilustrar como fueron incorporados los factores y discutimos el papel que jugaron en el exito de cada caso. Los casos ilustran que el balance de metas de sustentabilidad social y ecologica es posible. En parte, los esfuerzos cooperativos resultaron de factores orientados a hacer que los planes fueran economicamente viables y de la participacion significativa de grupos de interes en la gestion en curso. Tambien se requirio la participacion en programas de monitoreo para asegurar que los intereses de los grupos fueran protegidos y los esfuerzos de gestion se enfocaran en las metas acordadas. No todos los esfuerzos de recolecta de datos fueron incluyentes y sistematicos, mas bien, eran dirigidos a los aspectos ecologicos, economicos y sociales de temas clave a medida que emergian. Las consideraciones economicas parecen ser mas amplias que simplemente proporcionar incentivos economicos, los grupos de interes parecen dispuestos a cambiar algo de valor economico por beneficios recreativos o ambientales. Los casos demuestran que no es idealista pensar que es posible aplicar la gestion integradora y cooperativa de ecosistemas en el campo. Author Affiliation: (*)Department of Forest, Range, and Wildlife Science, Utah State University, 5230 Old Main Hill, Logan, Utah 84322-5215, U.S.A., emailheatherkeough@hotmail.com ([dagger])Department of Environment and Society, Utah State University, 5230 Old Main Hill, Logan, Utah 84322-5215, U.S.A. Article History: Paper submitted July 21, 2005; revised manuscript accepted November 30, 2005.

Effective graphical presentation efficiently summarizes, exposes, and communicates patterns in data. Here we describe a new plot, the sectioned density plot, that compares full distributions across multiple groups. We designed the sectioned density plot to exploit the visual system's natural ability to interpret occlusion and intensity variation as changes in depth. By incorporating depth into the graphical display, we were able to combine the ability of the boxplot to display trends in variance and central tendency with the ability of a histogram/kernel density plot to present distribution shape. KEY WORDS: Boxplot; Comparing distributions; Graphical presentation; Kernel density; Perception.

Forest fragmentation is thought to be partially responsible for declines in many Neotropical migrant birds due to the combined effects of higher rates of brood parasitism and increased predation near forest edges. A majority of the forested habitat in the northern prairie region is found in riparian corridors, but this native habitat has been much reduced from its historical extent. However, additional woodland nesting habitat has been established within the last century in the form of isolated woodlots on farms. We compared abundance, species richness, and nesting success of migrant forest birds breeding in native riparian corridors and anthropogenic woodlots. The two habitats had similar bird abundances but native riparian woodlands were more species-rich than woodlots. We located a total of 650 nests, with 320 nests of 15 species in woodlots and 331 nests of 25 species in riparian corridors. Nesting success was not significantly different between the two habitats for all species combined or for individual species with [greater than or equal to]15 nests in each habitat. Nests above 5 m were more successful than lower nests, but distance to woodland edge did not influence nesting success. Nests initiated in the middle and late portions of the nesting season were more successful than early season nests, significantly so in woodlots. Thus, anthropogenic woodlots were as suitable as natural habitats for successful nesting. However, many of the Neotropical migrants occurring in riparian habitats were absent from woodlots, which suggests that riparian corridors are especially important habitats for breeding birds in the northern prairie region. Key words: edge effects, forest fragmentation, Neotropical migrant, nesting success, parasitism rates, woodlots. Resumen. Se cree que la fragmentacion de los bosques es parcialmente responsable por la disminucion de varias especies de aves migratorias neotropicales debido a los efectos de borde que incrementan la tasa de parasitismo de nidos y la depredacion. La mayoria de los habitats boscosos en la region de la pradera nortena se encuentran en corredores riberenos, pero este tipo de habitat nativo ha sido reducido en gran medida en comparacion con su extension original. Sin embargo, durante el siglo pasado se establecieron zonas boscosas adecuadas para la nidificacion en forma de parches de bosque aislados dentro de granjas. Comparamos la abundancia, la riqueza de especies y el exito de nidificacion de aves migratorias de bosque que se reprodujeron en corredores riberenos nativos y en parches de bosque antropogenicos. Los dos habitats presentaron abundancias de aves similares, pero las zonas boscosas nativas tuvieron mls especies que los parches de bosque antropogenicos. Localizamos un total de 650 nidos, de los cuales 320 correspondientes a 15 especies estuvieron dentro de los parches de bosque y 331 correspondientes a 25 especies en los corredores riberefios. El exito reproductivo no fue significativamente diferente entre los dos tipos de habitat cuando el analisis incluyo a todas las especies ni cuando las especies que tuvieron un numero de nidos mayor a 15 se analizaron individualmente. Los nidos localizados a mls de 5 m de altura fueron mas exitosos que aquellos localizados a menores alturas, pero la distancia a la orilla del bosque no influencio el exito de anidacion. Los nidos iniciados a la mitad y al final de la temporada de nidificacion fueron mls exitosos que los iniciados al principio de la temporada, especialmente en los parches de bosque. Por lo tanto, los parches de bosque antropogenicos fueron tan adecuados como los habitats naturales para producir nidadas exitosas. Sin embargo, muchas de las aves migratorias neotropicales localizadas en los habitats riberenos no fueron registradas en los parches de bosque, lo cual sugiere que los corredores riberenos son habitats especialmente importantes para la reproduccion de las aves en la pradera nortena.

The study aims to determine correlated of HIV-1 concordance for couples receiving voluntary HIV counseling and testing. The results reveal that several behavioral and biologic factors are associated with HIV concordance for couples.

The advances in the understanding of the host-mobile element dynamic and its overall impact on primate evolution are reviewed. Primate genomes are inundated with repetitive sequence that consists of 'molecular fossils' inherited from early mammalian ancestors and a significant portion of this material comprises active mobile element lineages.

Despite extensive work in the field of glioblastoma research no significant increase in survival rates for this devastating disease has been achieved. It is known that disturbance of intracellular [Ca.sup.2+] ([[Ca.sup.2+]].sub.i]) and intracellular pH ([pH.sub.i]) regulation could be involved in tumor formation. The sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum [Ca.sup.2+]-ATPase (SERCA) is a major regulator of [[Ca.sup.2+]].sub.i]. We have investigated the effect of inhibition of SERCA by thapsigargin (TG) on [[Ca.sup.2+]].sub.i] and pHi in human primary glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) cells and GBM cell lines, compared with normal human astrocytes, using the fluorescent indicators fura-2 and BCECF, respectively. Basal [[Ca.sup.2+]].sub.i] was higher in SK-MG-1 and U87 MG but not in human primary GBM cells compared with normal astrocytes. However, in tumor cells, TG evoked a much larger and faster [[Ca.sup.2+]].sub.i] increase than in normal astrocytes. This increase was prevented in nominally [Ca.sup.2+]-free buffer and by 2-APB, an inhibitor of storeoperated [Ca.sup.2+] channels. In addition, TG-activated [Ca.sup.2+] influx, which was sensitive to 2-APB, was higher in all tumor cell lines and primary GBM cells compared with normal astrocytes. The p[H.sub.i] was also elevated in tumor cells compared with normal astrocytes. TG caused acidification of both normal and all GBM cells, but in the tumor cells, this acidification was followed by an amiloride- and 5-(N,N-hexamethylene)-amiloride-sensitive recovery, indicating involvement of a [Na.sup.+]/[H.sup.+] exchanger. In summary, inhibition of SERCA function revealed a significant divergence in intracellular [Ca.sup.2+] homeostasis and pH regulation in tumor cells compared with normal human astrocytes. fura-2; BCECF; store-operated calcium channels

A latest demonstration of superconductor oscillator/counter A/D Converter up through twelve Giga-Sample per second (12 GS/s) with 3 effective bits of signal-to-noise ratio at that sample rate is presented along with analysis of its performance. This A/D Converter incorporates a new technique for defining the aperture using inter-Josephson transmission line single-flux-quantum repulsion.

This paper develops new Bayesian methods for semiparametric inference in the partial linear Normal regression model: y = z[beta] + f(x)+ [epsilon] where f(.) is an unknown function. These methods draw solely on the Normal linear regression model with natural conjugate prior. Hence, posterior results are available which do not suffer from some problems which plague the existing literature such as computational complexity. Methods for testing parametric regression models against semiparametric alternatives are developed. We discuss how these methods can, at some cost in terms of computational complexity, be extended to other models (e.g. qualitative choice models or those involving censoring or truncation) and provide precise details for a semiparametric probit model. We show how the assumption of Normal errors can easily be relaxed. JEL classification: C11; C14 Keywords: Partial linear model; Additive nonparametric regression model; Semiparametric probit; Extreme bounds analysis