Two New Species and Temporal Changes in the Prevalence of Eimerians in a Free-Living Population of Townsend\u27s Ground Squirrels (\u3ci\u3eSpermophilus townsendii\u3c/i\u3e) in Idaho

More than 1,180 fecal samples were collected from 253 juvenile and 384 adult Townsend\u27s ground squirrels (Spermophilus townsendii) at the Snae Snake River Birds of Prey Area near Boise, Idaho, from February to June 1992. Oocysts of 7 eimerians were observed. Five are new host records (Eimeria beecheyi, Eimeria bilamellata, Eimeria callospermophili, Eimeria lateralis, and Eimeria morainensis), 2 species are described here as new, and new structural information on E. morainensis is added. Sporulated oocysts of Eimeria adaensis n. sp. are ovoidal, 19.6 x 22.7 (16-22 x 18-26) μm with sporocysts ellipsoidal 7.2 x 11.9 (6-10 x 9-15) μm. No micropyle or oocyst residuum, but polar bodies, Stieda bodies, and sporocyst residua are present. Sporulated oocysts of Eimeria pseudospermophili n. sp. are ovoidal, 24.7 x 28.5 (21-27 x 25-32) μm with sporocysts ellipsoidal 8.8 x 14.2 (8-10 x 12-17) μm. Micropyle and oocyst residuum are absent, but polar bodies and Stieda bodies are present. Sporulated oocysts of E. morainensis are more variable in size and shape than originally described and contain 2 distinctly different residua not previously described. Temporal changes in the prevalence of eimerians of all 7 species combined in adult squirrels showed significant decline (r2 = 0.79, P \u3c 0.001). We hypothesize that this decline was due to drought during the period of squirrel activity. No significant temporal change in the prevalence of eimerians in juvenile squirrels was observed. The prevalence of E. callospermophili, E. adaensis, and all eimerians combined in adults was significantly greater than in juveniles. There was no significant difference in eimerian prevalence between male and female squirrels (P \u3c 0.05)

Radial velocity variations of the pulsating subdwarf B star PG 1605+072

We present an analysis of high-speed spectroscopy of the pulsating subdwarf B star PG 1605+072. Periodic radial motions are detected at frequencies similar to those reported for photometric variations in the star, with amplitudes of up to 6 km/s. Differences between relative strengths for given frequency peaks for our velocity data and previously measured photometry are probably a result of shifting of power between modes over time. Small differences in the detected frequencies may also indicate mode-shifting. We report the detection of line-shape variations using the moments of the cross correlation function profiles. It may be possible to use the moments to identify the star's pulsation modes.Comment: 5 pages, 6 figure

Alternative Explanations for Changes in Similarity Judgments and MDS Structure

[Excerpt] The basic purpose of our paper (Johnson et al., 1990) was to see if the repetitive task of providing similarity judgments affects the cognitive structure evidenced by those judgments. The data clearly indicate that the structure changed through the course of the task. Moreover, this change is consistent with a categorization-based response to task fatigue. Three primary criticisms have been raised in response to our paper (Malhotra, 1990): (1) fatigue is not directly measured, (2) our hypotheses do not follow from our categorization framework, and (3) our hypotheses and findings are more consistent with a learning framework

The Sloan Digital Sky Survey Reverberation Mapping Project: Ensemble Spectroscopic Variability of Quasar Broad Emission Lines

We explore the variability of quasars in the MgII and Hbeta broad emission lines and UV/optical continuum emission using the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Reverberation Mapping project (SDSS-RM). This is the largest spectroscopic study of quasar variability to date: our study includes 29 spectroscopic epochs from SDSS-RM over $6$ months, containing 357 quasars with MgII and 41 quasars with Hbeta . On longer timescales, the study is also supplemented with two-epoch data from SDSS-I/II. The SDSS-I/II data include an additional $2854$ quasars with MgII and 572 quasars with Hbeta. The MgII emission line is significantly variable ($\Delta f/f$ 10% on 100-day timescales), a necessary prerequisite for its use for reverberation mapping studies. The data also confirm that continuum variability increases with timescale and decreases with luminosity, and the continuum light curves are consistent with a damped random-walk model on rest-frame timescales of $\gtrsim 5$ days. We compare the emission-line and continuum variability to investigate the structure of the broad-line region. Broad-line variability shows a shallower increase with timescale compared to the continuum emission, demonstrating that the broad-line transfer function is not a $\delta$-function. Hbeta is more variable than MgII (roughly by a factor of $1.5$), suggesting different excitation mechanisms, optical depths and/or geometrical configuration for each emission line. The ensemble spectroscopic variability measurements enabled by the SDSS-RM project have important consequences for future studies of reverberation mapping and black hole mass estimation of $1<z<2$ quasars.Comment: 20 pages, 25 figures. ApJ accepted: minor revisions following referee repor

Attribute abstraction, feature-dimensionality, and the scaling of product similarities

This paper examines the attributes that consumers use when making product similarity judgments and their effect on similarity scaling. Previous research suggests that concrete brands are judged using dichotomous features while more abstract product categories are judged using continuous dimensions. This, in turn, suggests that the appropriateness of spatial scaling increases relative to tree scaling as one moves from brands to product categories. The results of two studies support an increase in the fit of spaces relative to trees from brands to categories. However, the abstractness of the judgments appears to be driving the effect, not the use of features or dimensions.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/30067/1/0000437.pd

The Sloan Digital Sky Survey Reverberation Mapping Project: No Evidence for Evolution in the M-sigma Relation to z~1

We present host stellar velocity dispersion measurements for a sample of 88 broad-line quasars at 0.10.6) from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Reverberation Mapping (SDSS-RM) project. High signal-to-noise ratio coadded spectra (average S/N~30 per 69 km/s pixel) from SDSS-RM allowed decomposition of the host and quasar spectra, and measurement of the host stellar velocity dispersions and black hole (BH) masses using the single-epoch (SE) virial method. The large sample size and dynamic range in luminosity (L5100=10^(43.2-44.7) erg/s) lead to the first clear detection of a correlation between SE virial BH mass and host stellar velocity dispersion far beyond the local universe. However, the observed correlation is significantly flatter than the local relation, suggesting that there are selection biases in high-z luminosity-threshold quasar samples for such studies. Our uniform sample and analysis enable an investigation of the redshift evolution of the M-sigma relation free of caveats by comparing different samples/analyses at disjoint redshifts. We do not observe evolution of the M-sigma relation in our sample, up to z~1, but there is an indication that the relation flattens towards higher redshifts. Coupled with the increasing threshold luminosity with redshift in our sample, this again suggests certain selection biases are at work, and simple simulations demonstrate that a constant M-sigma relation is favored to z~1. Our results highlight the scientific potential of deep coadded spectroscopy from quasar monitoring programs, and offer a new path to probe the co-evolution of BHs and galaxies at earlier times.Comment: replaced with the accepted version (minor changes and updated references); ApJ in press; changed title to highlight the main resul

Supporting adult unpaid carers via an online dancing intervention: A feasibility/acceptability study

Unpaid carers often experience poor mental and physical health linked to their caring role. Engagement in physical activity has been shown to alleviate these negative health outcomes, but it is harder for carers to find the time, energy and space to exercise. This qualitative study, based in the UK, explored the feasibility of an online, dance-based physical activity intervention with six female unpaid carers. Five themes resulted from the thematic analysis of the pre- and post-intervention interviews: Perceived physical health benefits of the intervention; Perceived mental health benefits of the intervention; Satisfactoriness of the dance classes; Impact of caring responsibilities on participation; and Suggestions for future classes. Further research is required to measure the effectiveness of the dance intervention in improving mental and physical wellbeing with larger samples including a wider mix of carers in terms of gender, age and health conditions of the care recipients, as well as international samples. Future research should also consider the barriers that some carers may face when accessing an online intervention, and alternative forms of exercise that may appeal to other groups of carers (e.g., male carers, older adult carers)

Performance of On-Line Learning Methods in Predicting Multiprocessor Memory Access Patterns

Shared memory multiprocessors require reconfigurable interconnection networks (INs) for scalability. These INs are reconfigured by an IN control unit. However, these INs are often plagued by undesirable reconfiguration time that is primarily due to control latency, the amount of time delay that the control unit takes to decide on a desired new IN configuration. To reduce control latency, a trainable prediction unit (PU) was devised and added to the IN controller. The PU's job is to anticipate and reduce control configuration time, the major component of the control latency. Three different on-line prediction techniques were tested to learn and predict repetitive memory access patterns for three typical parallel processing applications, the 2-D relaxation algorithm, matrix multiply and Fast Fourier Transform. The predictions were then used by a routing control algorithm to reduce control latency by configuring the IN to provide needed memory access paths before they were requested. Three prediction techniques were used and tested: 1). a Markov predictor, 2). a linear predictor and 3). a time delay neural network (TDNN) predictor. As expected, different predictors performed best on different applications, however, the TDNN produced the best overall results. (Also cross-referenced as UMIACS-TR-96-59

Risk assessments and structured care interventions for prevention of foot ulceration in diabetes:development and validation of a prognostic model

Background: Diabetes-related foot ulcers give rise to considerable morbidity, generate a high monetary cost for health and social care services and precede the majority of diabetes-related lower extremity amputations. There are many clinical prediction rules in existence to assess risk of foot ulceration but few have been subject to validation. Objectives: Our objectives were to produce an evidence-based clinical pathway for risk assessment and management of the foot in people with diabetes mellitus to estimate cost-effective monitoring intervals and to perform cost-effectiveness analyses and a value-of-information analysis. Design: We developed and validated a prognostic model using predictive modelling, calibration and discrimination techniques. An overview of systematic reviews already completed was followed by a review of randomised controlled trials of interventions to prevent foot ulceration in diabetes mellitus. A review of the health economic literature was followed by the construction of an economic model, an analysis of the transitional probability of moving from one foot risk state to another, an assessment of cost-effectiveness and a value-of-information analysis. Interventions: The effects of simple and complex interventions and different monitoring intervals for the clinical prediction rules were evaluated. Main outcome measure: The main outcome was the incidence of foot ulceration. We compared the new clinical prediction rules in conjunction with the most effective preventative interventions at different monitoring intervals with a ‘treat-all’ strategy. Data sources: Data from an electronic health record for 26,154 people with diabetes mellitus in one Scottish health board were used to estimate the monitoring interval. The Prediction Of Diabetic foot UlcerationS (PODUS) data set was used to develop and validate the clinical prediction rule. Review methods: We searched for eligible randomised controlled trials of interventions using search strategies created for Ovid® (Wolters Kluwer, Alphen aan den Rijn, the Netherlands), MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. Randomised controlled trials in progress were identified via the International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number Registry and systematic reviews were identified via PROSPERO. Databases were searched from inception to February 2019. Results: The clinical prediction rule was found to accurately assess the risk of foot ulceration. Digital infrared thermometry, complex interventions and therapeutic footwear with offloading devices were found to be effective in preventing foot ulcers. The risk of developing a foot ulcer did not change over time for most people. We found that interventions to prevent foot ulceration may be cost-effective but there is uncertainty about this. Digital infrared thermometry and therapeutic footwear with offloading devices may be cost-effective when used to treat all people with diabetes mellitus regardless of their ulcer risk. Limitations: The threats to the validity of the results in some randomised controlled trials in the review and the large number of missing data in the electronic health record mean that there is uncertainty in our estimates. Conclusions: There is evidence that interventions to prevent foot ulceration are effective but it is not clear who would benefit most from receiving the interventions. The ulceration risk does not change over an 8-year period for most people with diabetes mellitus. A change in the monitoring interval from annually to every 2 years for those at low risk would be acceptable. Future work recommendations: Improving the completeness of electronic health records and sharing data would help improve our knowledge about the most clinically effective and cost-effective approaches to prevent foot ulceration in diabetes mellitus. Study registration: This study is registered as PROSPERO CRD42016052324. Funding: This project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme and will be published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 24, No. 62. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information