Biodiversity, productivity, and the spatial insurance hypothesis revisited

Accelerating rates of biodiversity loss have led ecologists to explore the effects of species richness on ecosystem functioning and the flow of ecosystem services. One explanation of the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning lies in the spatial insurance hypothesis, which centers on the idea that productivity and stability increase with biodiversity in a temporally varying, spatially heterogeneous environment. However, there has been little work on the impact of dispersal where environmental risk are more or less spatially correlated, or where dispersal rates are variable. In this paper, we extend the original Loreau model to consider stochastic temporal variation in resource availability, which we refer to as "environmental risk", and heterogeneity in species dispersal rates. We find that asynchronies across communities and species provide community-level stabilizing effects on productivity, despite varying levels of species richness. Although intermediate dispersal rates play a role in mitigating risk, they are less effective in insuring productivity against global (metacommunity-level) than local (individual community-level) risks. These results are particularly interesting given the emergence of global sources of risk such as climate change or the closer integration of world markets. Our results offer deeper insights into the Loreau model and new perspectives on the effectiveness of spatial insurance in the face of environmental risks

Coherent Quantum-Noise Cancellation for Optomechanical Sensors

Using a flowchart representation of quantum optomechanical dynamics, we design coherent quantum-noise-cancellation schemes that can eliminate the back-action noise induced by radiation pressure at all frequencies and thus overcome the standard quantum limit of force sensing. The proposed schemes can be regarded as novel examples of coherent feedforward quantum control.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures, v2: accepted by Physical Review Letter

Analysis of lead oxide (PbO) layers for direct conversion X-ray detection

Lead oxide (PbO) is a candidate direct conversion material for medical X-ray applications. We produced various samples and detectors with thick PbO layers. X-ray performance data such as dark current, charge generation yield and temporal behavior were evaluated on small samples. The influence of the metal contacts was studied in detail. We also covered large a-Si thin-film transistor (TFT)-plates with PbO. Imaging results from a large detector with an active area of 18 cm × 20 cm are presented. The detector has 960 × 1080 pixels with a pixel pitch of 184 ?m. The modulation transfer function at the Nyquist frequency of 2.72 linepairs/mm is 50%. Finally, a full size X-ray image is presented

Absence of association between behavior problems in childhood and hypertension in midlife

Background It is known that behavior in childhood is associated with certain physical and mental health problems in midlife. However, there is limited evidence on the role of childhood behavior problems in the development of hypertension in adulthood. The present study aimed to examine whether behavior problems in childhood influenced the risk of hypertension in midlife in the United Kingdom 1958 birth cohort. Methods The 1958 British birth cohort comprised 17,638 individuals born in the first week of March 1958 in the United Kingdom. Behavior problems were assessed at 7, 11, and 16 years of age by parents and teachers. At age 45, blood pressure was measured and hypertension was recorded if blood pressure was ≥140/90 mm Hg or if the participants were informed by their health professionals that they had high blood pressure. Behavioral information was reported according to the Rutter Children's Behaviour Questionnaire (RCBQ) and the Bristol Social Adjustment Guide (BSAG). Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to examine behavior problems in childhood in relation to hypertension at 45 years of age according to logistic regression analysis, with adjustment for sex, social class in childhood and adulthood, childhood cognition, birth weight, gestational age at birth, body mass index (BMI), smoking, alcohol consumption, and physical activity. Results Behavior problems reported by parents at 7, 11, and 16 years were not associated with hypertension in midlife (OR, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.81, 1.07; OR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.81, 1.11; OR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.85, 1.12, respectively). Similarly, teacher-reported behavior problems at 7, 11, and 16 years were not associated with hypertension in midlife (OR, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.72, 1.18; OR, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.84, 1.02; OR, 1.03; 95% CI, 0.92, 1.15, respectively). Further separate analyses showed similar results for males and females. Conclusion There is no association between behavior problems in childhood and hypertension in midlife

Water in low-mass star-forming regions with Herschel (WISH-LM): High-velocity H2O bullets in L1448-MM observed with HIFI

Herschel-HIFI observations of water in the low-mass star-forming object L1448-MM, known for its prominent outflow, are presented, as obtained within the `Water in star-forming regions with Herschel' (WISH) key programme. Six H2-16O lines are targeted and detected (E_up/k_B ~ 50-250 K), as is CO J= 10-9 (E_up/k_B ~ 305 K), and tentatively H2-18O 110-101 at 548 GHz. All lines show strong emission in the "bullets" at |v| > 50 km/s from the source velocity, in addition to a broad, central component and narrow absorption. The bullets are seen much more prominently in H$_2$O than in CO with respect to the central component, and show little variation with excitation in H2O profile shape. Excitation conditions in the bullets derived from CO lines imply a temperature >150 K and density >10^5 cm^-3, similar to that of the broad component. The H2O/CO abundance ratio is similar in the "bullets" and the broad component, ~ 0.05-1.0, in spite of their different origins in the molecular jet and the interaction between the outflow and the envelope. The high H2O abundance indicates that the bullets are H2 rich. The H2O cooling in the "bullets" and the broad component is similar and higher than the CO cooling in the same components. These data illustrate the power of Herschel-HIFI to disentangle different dynamical components in low-mass star-forming objects and determine their excitation and chemical conditions.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&

Standard and increased-dose BEACOPP chemotherapy compared with COPP-ABVD for advanced Hodgkins disease

BACKGROUND: Faced with unsatisfactory results of treatment for advanced Hodgkin's disease, we investigated three combinations of chemotherapy. METHODS: From 1993 to 1998, 1201 eligible patients 15 to 65 years of age who had newly diagnosed Hodgkin's disease in unfavorable stage IIB or IIIA or stage IIIB or IV were randomly assigned to receive eight cycles of cyclophosphamide, vincristine, procarbazine, and prednisone alternating with doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine (COPP-ABVD); bleomycin, etoposide, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, procarbazine, and prednisone (BEACOPP); or increased-dose BEACOPP, each followed by local radiotherapy when indicated. Enrollment in the COPP-ABVD group was stopped in 1996 owing to inferior results. RESULTS: For the final analysis, 1195 of 1201 patients could be evaluated: 260 in the COPP-ABVD group, 469 in the BEACOPP group, and 466 in the increased-dose BEACOPP group; the median follow-up was 72, 54, and 51 months, respectively. The rate of freedom from treatment failure at five years was 69 percent in the COPP-ABVD group, 76 percent in the BEACOPP group, and 87 percent in the increased-dose BEACOPP group (P=0.04 for the comparison of the COPP-ABVD group with the BEACOPP group and P<0.001 for the comparison of the increased-dose BEACOPP group with the COPP-ABVD group and with the BEACOPP group), and the five-year rates of overall survival were 83 percent, 88 percent, and 91 percent, respectively (P=0.16 for the comparison of the COPP-ABVD group with the BEACOPP group, P=0.06 for the comparison of the BEACOPP group with the increased-dose BEACOPP group, and P=0.002 for the comparison of the COPP-ABVD group with the increased-dose BEACOPP group). Rates of early progression were significantly lower with increased-dose BEACOPP than with COPP-ABVD or standard BEACOPP. CONCLUSIONS: Increased-dose BEACOPP resulted in better tumor control and overall survival than did COPP-ABVD

From Tetraquark to Hexaquark: A Systematic Study of Heavy Exotics in the Large NcN_c Limit

A systematic study of multiquark exotics with one or $N_c-1$ heavy quarks in the large $N_c$ limit is presented. By binding a chiral soliton to a heavy meson, either a normal $N_c$-quark baryon or an exotic $(N_c+2)$-quark baryon is obtained. By replacing the heavy quark with $N_c-1$ heavy antiquarks, exotic $(2N_c-2)$-quark and $2N_c$-quark mesons are obtained. When $N_c = 3$, they are just the normal triquark baryon $Qqq$, the exotic pentaquark baryon $Q\bar q\bar q\bar q\bar q$, tetraquark di-meson $\bar Q \bar Q qq$ and the hexaquark di-baryon $\bar Q \bar Q \bar q \bar q\ bar q \bar q$ respectively. Their stabilities and decays are also discussed. In particular, it is shown that the ``heavy to heavy'' semileptonic decays are described by the Isgur--Wise form factors of the normal baryons.Comment: 14 pages in REVTeX, no Figure

Increased accuracy in climate impact studies by incorporating forest management practices within a process-based regional ecosystem modelling framework

Process-based simulation models of terrestrial ecosystem dynamics are increasingly being applied as practical tools in forest management. Regional applications of such models are, however, very limited to date. This study presents and tests the performance of a process-based regional ecosystem modelling framework, LPJ-GUESS, which incorporates forest management practices. The model is driven by historical climate data and applied on a grid across Sweden to simulate the influence of recent historical management practices on the forest structure and its productivity. The study focuses on species-level interactions and investigates how stem wood volume increment has changed during the historical time period. The performance of the model is evaluated by comparing the simulated forest composition and growth with the observed forest inventory data from Swedish forest regions. The model estimates tend to be somewhat low in the southern and high in the northern part of the country, but generally comparable with observations in all regions of Sweden. Our results emphasize the potential that models like LPJ-GUESS offers to support forestry practice, especially with regard to the choice of species and management regime in a changing environment

The First Episode Rapid Early Intervention for Eating Disorders - Upscaled study: Clinical outcomes

BACKGROUND: First Episode Rapid Early Intervention for Eating Disorders (FREED) is a service model and care pathway for emerging adults aged 16 to 25‐years with a recent onset eating disorder (ED) of <3 years. A previous single‐site study suggests that FREED significantly improves clinical outcomes compared to treatment‐as‐usual (TAU). The present study (FREED‐Up) assessed the scalability of FREED. A multi‐centre quasi‐experimental pre‐post design was used, comparing patient outcomes before and after implementation of FREED in participating services. METHODS: FREED patients (n = 278) were consecutive, prospectively ascertained referrals to four specialist ED services in England, assessed at four time points over 12 months on ED symptoms, mood, service utilization and cost. FREED patients were compared to a TAU cohort (n = 224) of similar patients, identified retrospectively from electronic patient records in participating services. All were emerging adults aged 16–25 experiencing a first episode ED of <3 years duration. RESULTS: Overall, FREED patients made significant and rapid clinical improvements over time. 53.2% of FREED patients with anorexia nervosa reached a healthy weight at the 12‐month timepoint, compared to only 17.9% of TAU patients (X2 [1, N = 107] = 10.46, p < .001). Significantly fewer FREED patients required intensive (i.e., in‐patient or day‐patient) treatment (6.6%) compared to TAU patients (12.4%) across the follow‐up period (X2 [1, N = 40] = 4.36, p = .037). This contributed to a trend in cost savings in FREED compared to TAU (−£4472, p = .06, CI −£9168, £233). DISCUSSION: FREED is robust and scalable and is associated with substantial improvements in clinical outcomes, reduction in inpatient or day‐patient admissions, and cost‐savin