Judging a book by its cover: interface elements that affect reader selection of ebooks

Digital library research has demonstrated the impact of content presentation on both search and reading behaviours. In this paper, we scrutinise the influence of ebook presentation on user behaviour, focussing on document thumbnails and the first page view. We demonstrate that flaws in presentation increase the volume of short time-span reading, and reduce the likelihood of long-span reading when compared to other documents. This reflects other patterns of information seeking behaviour that demonstrate increased short-term reading when information content is uncertain, and suggests an ineffective use of reader time on less useful content

Arctic Zooplankton Community Structure: Exceptions to Some General Rules

Commonly accepted theories of zooplankton species distribution hold that: 1) large-bodied zooplankton species are excluded by fish predation and so are found only in lakes and ponds without fish; and 2) because small-bodied species are unable to compete successfully against large ones and also are preyed upon heavily by invertebrate predators, they exist primarily in lakes with fish. This pattern is not followed in a group of lakes and ponds in arctic Alaska. Some of these lakes were found to support both large and small zooplankton species along with populations of facultative planktivorous fish. Other lakes that had no fish had a small-bodied zooplankton species co-existing with a more typical large-bodied community. Close analysis of these unusual distributions reveals that the mechanisms affecting zooplankton community dynamics are more subtle and complex than generally recognized, particularly in such harsh environments as the Arctic

Strategic communication during relationship dissolution: Disengagement resistance strategies.

Research in relationship disengagement has focused almost exclusively on strategies used by the initiator of the breakup to the neglect of studying communication strategies employed by partners undesirous of the breakup. Further, extant relational termination research centers on friendships and dating partners in romantic relationships. This study investigates communication strategies used by divorced individuals who did not wish their marriages to end (Non-Initiators). Participants were 270 divorced persons drawn from divorce recovery groups, divorce support groups, and network sampling. Buss's (1988) taxonomy of retention tactics is used to explore planned communication strategies of Non-Initiators during relational dissolution. These tactics are manifestations of overall strategies used by Non-Initiators to retain their spouse. Findings reveal four strategic communication Disengagement Resistance Strategies (DRS) used by Non-Initiators during the relationship disengagement process: Negativity, Alignment, Commitment, and Harm. In addition, relationship demographic variables including the participant's age at the time of marriage, participant's age at the time of divorce, and the presence of children in the former marriage predict use of the Negativity, Alignment, and Commitment strategies by Non-Initiators. Implications for the application of DRS to the study of relationship dissolution are discussed, and research directions identified

Distinctive temporal profiles of detergent-soluble and -insoluble tau and Aβ species in human Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology relevant proteins tau and beta-amyloid (Aβ) exist as an array of post-translationally modified and conformationally altered species with varying abundance, solubility and toxicity. Insoluble neurofibrillary tau tangles and Aβ plaques are end-stage AD hallmarks, yet may carry less disease significance compared to soluble species. At present, it is unclear how soluble and insoluble tau and Aβ relate to each other as well as to disease progression. Here, detergent soluble and insoluble fractions generated from post-mortem human temporal lobe samples (Brodmann area 21) were probed for tau and Aβ markers in immuno-dot assays. Measures were quantified according to diagnosis (AD cf. Non-AD), neuropathological severity, and correlated with disease progression (Braak stages). All markers were elevated within AD cases cf. non-AD controls (p &lt; 0.05) independent of solubility. However, when considered according to neuropathological severity, phospho-tau (detected via CP13 and AT8 antibodies) was elevated early within the soluble fraction (p &lt; 0.05 intermediate cf. low severity) and emerged only later within the insoluble fraction (p &lt; 0.05 high cf. low severity). In contrast, PHF1 phospho-tau, TOC1 reactive tau oligomers and amyloid markers rose within the two fractions simultaneously. Independent of solubility, cognitive correlations were observed for tau makers and for fibrillary amyloid (OC), however only soluble total Aβ was significantly correlated with intellectual impairment. Following the exclusion of end-stage cases, only soluble total Aβ remained correlated with cognition. The data indicate differential rates of protein aggregation during AD progression and confirm the disease relevance of early emerging soluble Aβ species.</p

Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation: Using the CyberKnife as the Radiation Delivery Platform in the Treatment of Early Breast Cancer

We evaluate the CyberKnife (Accuray Incorporated, Sunnyvale, CA, USA) for non-invasive delivery of accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) in early breast cancer patients. Between 6/2009 and 5/2011, nine patients were treated with CyberKnife APBI. Normal tissue constraints were imposed as outlined in the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project B-39/Radiation Therapy Oncology Group 0413 (NSABP/RTOG) Protocol (Vicini and White, 2007). Patients received a total dose of 30 Gy in five fractions (group 1, n = 2) or 34 Gy in 10 fractions (group 2, n = 7) delivered to the planning treatment volume (PTV) defined as the clinical target volume (CTV) +2 mm. The CTV was defined as either the lumpectomy cavity plus 10 mm (n = 2) or 15 mm (n = 7). The cavity was defined by a T2-weighted non-contrast breast MRI fused to a planning non-contrast thoracic CT. The CyberKnife Synchrony system tracked gold fiducials sutured into the cavity wall during lumpectomy. Treatments started 4–5 weeks after lumpectomy. The mean PTV was 100 cm3 (range, 92–108 cm3) and 105 cm3 (range, 49–241 cm3) and the mean PTV isodose prescription line was 70% for groups 1 and 2, respectively. The mean percent of whole breast reference volume receiving 100 and 50% of the dose (V100 and V50) for group 1 was 11% (range, 8–13%) and 23% (range, 16–30%) and for group 2 was 11% (range, 7–14%) and 26% (range, 21–35.0%), respectively. At a median 7 months follow-up (range, 4–26 months), no acute toxicities were seen. Acute cosmetic outcomes were excellent or good in all patients; for those patients with more than 12 months follow-up the late cosmesis outcomes were excellent or good. In conclusion, the lack of observable acute side effects and current excellent/good cosmetic outcomes is promising. We believe this suggests the CyberKnife is a suitable non-invasive radiation platform for delivering APBI with achievable normal tissue constraints

Knock-in of Mutated hTAU Causes Insulin Resistance, Inflammation and Proteostasis Disturbance in a Mouse Model of Frontotemporal Dementia

Open Access via Springer Compact Agreement.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

NLRP3 inflammasome inhibition with MCC950 improves insulin sensitivity and inflammation in a mouse model of frontotemporal dementia

Acknowledgments: This study was supported by ARUK project grant PG2017B-11 and ARUK summer scholarship funding from the Scottish ARUK network. The authors would like to thank Prof. Gernot Riedel for his support of the in vivo experimentation.Peer reviewedPostprin

Transforming Local Government Strategies for Mobile Workforces

Labour mobility presents numerous opportunities and challenges for rural and small town communities. Opportunities exist in terms of addressing needed services for workers, while also presenting the possibility for community growth and stability by attracting new residents and businesses. Challenges include impacts like burdening existing service levels that are not designed to accommodate large shadow populations, problems with housing availability and affordability, and social pressures associated with large (mostly male) transient populations. In resource-dependent regions, work camps are increasingly deployed within or adjacent to municipal boundaries. This has prompted important, but controversial, questions about local government approaches to maximize the benefits, and mitigate the negative impacts, associated with such mobile workforces