Recruitment, growth and mortality of an Antarctic hexactinellid sponge, Anoxycalyx joubini.

Polar ecosystems are sensitive to climate forcing, and we often lack baselines to evaluate changes. Here we report a nearly 50-year study in which a sudden shift in the population dynamics of an ecologically important, structure-forming hexactinellid sponge, Anoxycalyx joubini was observed. This is the largest Antarctic sponge, with individuals growing over two meters tall. In order to investigate life history characteristics of Antarctic marine invertebrates, artificial substrata were deployed at a number of sites in the southern portion of the Ross Sea between 1967 and 1975. Over a 22-year period, no growth or settlement was recorded for A. joubini on these substrata; however, in 2004 and 2010, A. joubini was observed to have settled and grown to large sizes on some but not all artificial substrata. This single settlement and growth event correlates with a region-wide shift in phytoplankton productivity driven by the calving of a massive iceberg. We also report almost complete mortality of large sponges followed over 40 years. Given our warming global climate, similar system-wide changes are expected in the future

A Development Methodology for Concurrent Programs

This paper describes a development methodology for the design of concurrent programs that provides a migration path from existing sequential C and FORTRAN programs. These programs may be executed immediately, without change, using the entire physical memory of a distributed memory machine or a network of ATM-coupled shared-memory multiprocessors. Subsequent program refinements may involve data and control decomposition together with explicit message passing to improve performance. Each step in the program development may utilize new hardware mechanisms supporting shared memory, segmentation and protection. The ideas presented in this paper are currently being implemented within the Multiflow compiler which is being targetted for the M-Machine. Although the examples we present use the C programming language, the concepts will also be available in FORTRAN

Cited2 is required for the proper formation of the hyaloid vasculature and for lens morphogenesis

Cited2 is a transcriptional modulator with pivotal roles in different biological processes. Cited2-deficient mouse embryos manifested two major defects in the developing eye. An abnormal corneal-lenticular stalk was characteristic of Cited2(−/−) developing eyes, a feature reminiscent of Peters’ anomaly, which can be rescued by increased Pax6 gene dosage in Cited2(−/−) embryonic eyes. In addition, the hyaloid vascular system showed hyaloid hypercellularity consisting of aberrant vasculature, which might be correlated with increased VEGF expression in the lens. Deletion of Hif1a (which encodes HIF-1α) in Cited2(−/−) lens specifically eliminated the excessive accumulation of cellular mass and aberrant vasculature in the developing vitreous without affecting the corneal-lenticular stalk phenotype. These in vivo data demonstrate for the first time dual functions for Cited2: one upstream of, or together with, Pax6 in lens morphogenesis; and another in the normal formation of the hyaloid vasculature through its negative modulation of HIF-1 signaling. Taken together, our study provides novel mechanistic revelation for lens morphogenesis and hyaloid vasculature formation and hence might offer new insights into the etiology of Peters’ anomaly and ocular hypervascularity

Recruitment, Growth and Mortality of an Antarctic Hexactinellid Sponge, Anoxycalyx joubini

Polar ecosystems are sensitive to climate forcing, and we often lack baselines to evaluate changes. Here we report a nearly 50-year study in which a sudden shift in the population dynamics of an ecologically important, structure-forming hexactinellid sponge, Anoxycalyx joubini was observed. This is the largest Antarctic sponge, with individuals growing over two meters tall. In order to investigate life history characteristics of Antarctic marine invertebrates, artificial substrata were deployed at a number of sites in the southern portion of the Ross Sea between 1967 and 1975. Over a 22-year period, no growth or settlement was recorded for A. joubini on these substrata; however, in 2004 and 2010, A. joubini was observed to have settled and grown to large sizes on some but not all artificial substrata. This single settlement and growth event correlates with a region-wide shift in phytoplankton productivity driven by the calving of a massive iceberg. We also report almost complete mortality of large sponges followed over 40 years. Given our warming global climate, similar system-wide changes are expected in the future

Reducing medication errors in critical care: A multimodal approach

The Institute of Medicine has reported that medication errors are the single most common type of error in health care, representing 19% of all adverse events, while accounting for over 7,000 deaths annually. The frequency of medication errors in adult intensive care units can be as high as 947 per 1,000 patient-days, with a median of 105.9 per 1,000 patient-days. The formulation of drugs is a potential contributor to medication errors. Challenges related to drug formulation are specific to the various routes of medication administration, though errors associated with medication appearance and labeling occur among all drug formulations and routes of administration. Addressing these multifaceted challenges requires a multimodal approach. Changes in technology, training, systems, and safety culture are all strategies to potentially reduce medication errors related to drug formulation in the intensive care unit

Russia's Evolving Political System

ISSN:1863-042

Analysis of the Composition of Mixed Lipid Phases by the Moments of (2)H NMR Spectra

The use of (2)H NMR spectral moments to determine the composition of biphasic lipid mixtures is outlined. The analysis has been applied to phosphatidylethanolamine-cholesterol (1:1), potassium palmitate, 30% (wt/wt) water and phosphatidylcholine-cholesterol (4:1) systems, as well as to membrances of Escherichia coli during phase transitions. The advantages and disadvantages of the use of spectral moments to determine fractions of coexistent phases are discussed

Todd Newberry: Professor of Biology

This interview with [Andrew] Todd Newberry was conducted by Randall Jarrell, the former director of the Regional History Project, on July 18, 1994 in Newberry's office at UCSC. Todd Newberry arrived at UCSC as a founding faculty member in biology when the campus opened in 1965. He had earned a B.A. in biology from Princeton University and a Ph.D. in biology from Stanford University, where his doctoral research focused on ascidian tunicates ("sea squirts"). Other research interests included invertebrate development and reproduction and biosystematics. Professor Newberry speaks of teaching "as a form of persuasion, of launching, of getting people interested in things." Some of the other courses Newberry taught over the years included Invertebrate Zoology, The Organism in Its Environment (Biology 1A), Invertebrate Anatomy Laboratory, Morphogenesis, and California Marine Invertebrates.In this narration Newberry provides his recollections of the early years at UCSC, particularly of Cowell College. He characterizes those years as "exhilarating," and as an "improbable adventure." He also discusses the development of the biology board [now department], and his colleagues such as William Doyle, Charles Daniel, and Peter Ray

Todd Newberry: Professor of Biology

This interview with [Andrew] Todd Newberry was conducted by Randall Jarrell, the former director of the Regional History Project, on July 18, 1994 in Newberry's office at UCSC. Todd Newberry arrived at UCSC as a founding faculty member in biology when the campus opened in 1965. He had earned a B.A. in biology from Princeton University and a Ph.D. in biology from Stanford University, where his doctoral research focused on ascidian tunicates ("sea squirts"). Other research interests included invertebrate development and reproduction and biosystematics. Professor Newberry speaks of teaching "as a form of persuasion, of launching, of getting people interested in things." Some of the other courses Newberry taught over the years included Invertebrate Zoology, The Organism in Its Environment (Biology 1A), Invertebrate Anatomy Laboratory, Morphogenesis, and California Marine Invertebrates.In this narration Newberry provides his recollections of the early years at UCSC, particularly of Cowell College. He characterizes those years as "exhilarating," and as an "improbable adventure." He also discusses the development of the biology board [now department], and his colleagues such as William Doyle, Charles Daniel, and Peter Ray