Context matters: Construct framing in measures of physical activity engagement among African American women

Assessment of psychosocial factors influencing health behavior typically privileges conceptual consistency (framing constructs similarly across contexts) over conceptual specificity (context-specific framing). Modest statistical relationships between these factors and health behaviors, and persistent racial disparities in health outcomes raise questions about whether conceptually consistent framing fully captures relevant predictors. Ethnographic studies suggest not - that perceptions influencing health behaviors are multifaceted and contextual. To test this, we added items querying contextualized predictors of intention to engage in leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) to a Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB)-based survey and examined the psychometrics of the adapted subscales. We measured internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha) and construct validity (exploratory factor analysis using polychoric correlations for ordinal data). Participants were a convenience sample of 200 African American women in a Midwestern, suburban University-affiliated family medicine practice. Reliability of the adapted subscales was notably lower than the original subscales. A two-factor model fit best for the attitudes subscale, but explained slightly less than 50% of the variance. The new items loaded strongly on one factor. A three-factor model best fit the norms subscale and accounted for around 57% of the variance. Two of the three new items loaded strongly on one factor. Factor analysis for the perceived control subscale was not possible due to low number of items; however, two of the three new items were highly correlated (.73). Including context-specific factors may improve assessment of intention to engage in LTPA. Further study of this question with a larger, representative sample is warranted

The Seventh Data Release of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

This paper describes the Seventh Data Release of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), marking the completion of the original goals of the SDSS and the end of the phase known as SDSS-II. It includes 11663 deg^2 of imaging data, with most of the roughly 2000 deg^2 increment over the previous data release lying in regions of low Galactic latitude. The catalog contains five-band photometry for 357 million distinct objects. The survey also includes repeat photometry over 250 deg^2 along the Celestial Equator in the Southern Galactic Cap. A coaddition of these data goes roughly two magnitudes fainter than the main survey. The spectroscopy is now complete over a contiguous area of 7500 deg^2 in the Northern Galactic Cap, closing the gap that was present in previous data releases. There are over 1.6 million spectra in total, including 930,000 galaxies, 120,000 quasars, and 460,000 stars. The data release includes improved stellar photometry at low Galactic latitude. The astrometry has all been recalibrated with the second version of the USNO CCD Astrograph Catalog (UCAC-2), reducing the rms statistical errors at the bright end to 45 milli-arcseconds per coordinate. A systematic error in bright galaxy photometr is less severe than previously reported for the majority of galaxies. Finally, we describe a series of improvements to the spectroscopic reductions, including better flat-fielding and improved wavelength calibration at the blue end, better processing of objects with extremely strong narrow emission lines, and an improved determination of stellar metallicities. (Abridged)Comment: 20 pages, 10 embedded figures. Accepted to ApJS after minor correction

The Sloan Digital Sky Survey: Technical Summary

The Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) will provide the data to support detailed investigations of the distribution of luminous and non- luminous matter in the Universe: a photometrically and astrometrically calibrated digital imaging survey of pi steradians above about Galactic latitude 30 degrees in five broad optical bands to a depth of g' about 23 magnitudes, and a spectroscopic survey of the approximately one million brightest galaxies and 10^5 brightest quasars found in the photometric object catalog produced by the imaging survey. This paper summarizes the observational parameters and data products of the SDSS, and serves as an introduction to extensive technical on-line documentation.Comment: 9 pages, 7 figures, AAS Latex. To appear in AJ, Sept 200

An estimate of the number of tropical tree species

The high species richness of tropical forests has long been recognized, yet there remains substantial uncertainty regarding the actual number of tropical tree species. Using a pantropical tree inventory database from closed canopy forests, consisting of 657,630 trees belonging to 11,371 species, we use a fitted value of Fisher’s alpha and an approximate pantropical stem total to estimate the minimum number of tropical forest tree species to fall between ∼40,000 and ∼53,000, i.e. at the high end of previous estimates. Contrary to common assumption, the Indo-Pacific region was found to be as species-rich as the Neotropics, with both regions having a minimum of ∼19,000–25,000 tree species. Continental Africa is relatively depauperate with a minimum of ∼4,500–6,000 tree species. Very few species are shared among the African, American, and the Indo-Pacific regions. We provide a methodological framework for estimating species richness in trees that may help refine species richness estimates of tree-dependent taxa

The global abundance of tree palms

Aim Palms are an iconic, diverse and often abundant component of tropical ecosystems that provide many ecosystem services. Being monocots, tree palms are evolutionarily, morphologically and physiologically distinct from other trees, and these differences have important consequences for ecosystem services (e.g., carbon sequestration and storage) and in terms of responses to climate change. We quantified global patterns of tree palm relative abundance to help improve understanding of tropical forests and reduce uncertainty about these ecosystems under climate change. Location Tropical and subtropical moist forests. Time period Current. Major taxa studied Palms (Arecaceae). Methods We assembled a pantropical dataset of 2,548 forest plots (covering 1,191 ha) and quantified tree palm (i.e., ≥10 cm diameter at breast height) abundance relative to co‐occurring non‐palm trees. We compared the relative abundance of tree palms across biogeographical realms and tested for associations with palaeoclimate stability, current climate, edaphic conditions and metrics of forest structure. Results On average, the relative abundance of tree palms was more than five times larger between Neotropical locations and other biogeographical realms. Tree palms were absent in most locations outside the Neotropics but present in >80% of Neotropical locations. The relative abundance of tree palms was more strongly associated with local conditions (e.g., higher mean annual precipitation, lower soil fertility, shallower water table and lower plot mean wood density) than metrics of long‐term climate stability. Life‐form diversity also influenced the patterns; palm assemblages outside the Neotropics comprise many non‐tree (e.g., climbing) palms. Finally, we show that tree palms can influence estimates of above‐ground biomass, but the magnitude and direction of the effect require additional work. Conclusions Tree palms are not only quintessentially tropical, but they are also overwhelmingly Neotropical. Future work to understand the contributions of tree palms to biomass estimates and carbon cycling will be particularly crucial in Neotropical forests

EFFECTS OF LEVELS OF PROPOSITIONAL COMPLEXITY AND SYNTACTIC COMPLEXITY UPON READING COMPREHENSION

This study investigated the interactional effects of levels of propositional complexity and syntactic (structural) complexity upon reading comprehension. Syntactic (structural) complexity was measured according to the syntactic complexity formula developed by Granowsky (1971). Propositional complexity was measured according to propositional analysis (cf. Kintsch, 1974). Reading comprehension was determined by a score on the instrument designed by the investigator. The investigator-designed instrument consisted of thirty statements and test sentences of controlled and varied levels of combined propositional and syntactic complexity. These hypotheses were investigated: (1) There will be no significant differences in reading comprehension scores between different levels of complexity; (2) There will be no significant difference in scores of subjects in the Alpha reading level and subjects in the Omega reading level; (3) There will be no significant interaction between levels of complexity and reading group. The subjects of the study, 100 students in grade six and grade eight in the public schools of Central Islip, Long Island, New York ranged in age from 11 to 13 years. Based upon the Stanford Achievement Test grade equivalent scores, the subjects were designated as Alpha (higher) reading level or Omega (lower) reading level. The data was analyzed by two two-way analyses of variance. A two-way analysis of variance was performed on the sixth grade data. A separate two-way analysis of variance was employed on the eighth grade data. The population was separated according to grade level and reading group. The .05 level of confidence was established. The three null hypotheses were retained for grade six. For grade eight, the first two null hypotheses were retained but the third was rejected. The data of the study indicates that the difficulty which results from the combined propositional and syntactic complexity of a sentence is a factor to be considered in reading comprehension. The findings further suggest that for both grade levels, sixth and eighth, grouping does relate to performance on different levels of complexity. The levels of complexity need to be reexamined since the difficulty was not as anticipated

Investigations into the Mechanisms of Resistance to Fusarium Head Blight in Wheat

Fusarium head blight (FHB), caused by the fungal pathogen Fusarium graminearum, is a devastating disease of wheat and barely. Control of FHB has proven to be especially difficult in wheat, where genetic resistance is infrequent, quantitative in nature, and often must be bred into elite lines from varieties of little commercial value. Resistance to the spread of the pathogen following infection of a single floret, known as type II resistance, is poorly understood at the molecular level and is therefore difficult to make use of in order to develop better performing varieties. The objective of this study was to gain a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms behind type II resistance to F. graminearum. In order to achieve this, a list of candidate genes with known or suspected general defense functions was compiled. These genes were targeted for silencing in a resistant variety using virus induced gene silencing (VIGS). This study demonstrates that ethylene (ET) signaling is vitally important to the type II resistance mechanism found naturally in the wheat variety Ning7840. Silencing of the ET biosynthesis gene SAMs and the transcription factor TaERF 7-1 resulted in the conversion to susceptibility in the resistant cultivar. The VIGS results were then confirmed by chemically manipulating ET signaling. Inhibition of ET signaling with the compound 1-MCP generated similar results in Ning and actually enhanced the susceptibility of the already susceptible line Bobwhite. 1-MCP treatment also rendered Ning more sensitive to deoxynivalenol, the toxin produced by F. graminearum when a single floret was exposed to the toxin alone. Augmentation of ET signaling with the immediate biological precursor 1-aminocycloproane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC), had no effect on the already resistant Ning, but significantly increased resistance in Bobwhite. ACC treatment in both varieties also caused an increase in lignin deposition. Furthermore, silencing of the genes BAK1, BRI1, CEBiP, Chorismate synthase, and Anthranilate N-benzoylransferase results in conversion of Ning to susceptibility. These genes are all linked with basal defense, and therefore, ethylene is likely modulating the resistance mechanism of wheat to F. graminearum by activating basal defense

Preliminary geological results of sea-bed sampling in the Hebrides-Rockall area from the RRS James Clark Ross in 2001

In 2001 the British Geological Survey (BGS) was awarded survey time on the NERC vessel RRS James Clark Ross, normally operated by the British Antarctic Survey. Originally a cruise length of up to four weeks duration had been anticipated. However, owing to problems encountered during a refit on the Tyne, the ship was eventually only available for two weeks. The RRS James Clark Ross sailed from Leith on 6th August 2001 and reached the first site the following day. A report on the operational procedures, and performance of the equipment, was given by Skinner (2001). The cruise was funded through the BGS Science Budget

Multiple Cross-Species Transmission Events of Human Adenoviruses (HAdV) during Hominine Evolution

Human adenoviruses (HAdV; species HAdV-A to -G) are highly prevalent in the human population, and represent an important cause of morbidity and, to a lesser extent, mortality. Recent studies have identified close relatives of these viruses in African great apes, suggesting that some HAdV may be of zoonotic origin. We analyzed more than 800 fecal samples from wild African great apes and humans to further investigate the evolutionary history and zoonotic potential of hominine HAdV. HAdV-B and -E were frequently detected in wild gorillas (55%) and chimpanzees (25%), respectively. Bayesian ancestral host reconstruction under discrete diffusion models supported a gorilla and chimpanzee origin for these viral species. Host switches were relatively rare along HAdV evolution, with about ten events recorded in 4.5 My. Despite presumably rare direct contact between sympatric populations of the two species, transmission events from gorillas to chimpanzees were observed, suggesting that habitat and dietary overlap may lead to fecal-oral cross-hominine transmission of HAdV. Finally, we determined that two independent HAdV-B transmission events to humans occurred more than 100,000 years ago. We conclude that HAdV-B circulating in humans are of zoonotic origin and have probably affected global human health for most of our species lifetime.publishe