Phylogeny of Fomitopsis pinicola: a species complex

Thesis (M.S.) University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2013Fomitopsis pinicola sensu lato is a common, saprotrophic fungal species occurring over the large circumpolar region covering Eurasia and North America, and extending south along areas of high elevation. It colonizes hardwood and softwood substrates, causing brown rot decay of wood, and exhibits a wide variety of morphological types and colors. Since the late nineteenth century, attempts have been made to determine how many species were in the genus Fomitopsis. Early attempts described two to three species based on host specificity and morphology. By the mid twentieth century, extensive mating studies among single spore isolates had been completed revealing three intersterility groups: two in North America and one in Europe. Partial fertility of both North American groups with the European group led researchers to describe F. pinicola as one biological species within which there was variation in host specificity and morphology. Further research was required using powerful molecular techniques to determine if a cryptic species complex was indeed present. This study was undertaken to delimit phylogenetic species in Fomitopsis pinicola sensu lato using phylogenetic and population genetic methods. Specimens of F. pinicola were collected throughout its range and gene sequences were obtained for three nuclear genes: EF I A, ITS and RPB2. Concatenated, partitioned Bayesian analyses were performed and gene tree topologies were compared to identify common Glades with high posterior probability support. In addition to phylogenetic methods, coalescent analyses were performed to develop a coalescent species tree, and DNA sequence polymorphism was evaluated to determine several measures of genetic variation for comparison among the clades. These data confirmed results of the historic mating studies and supported the existence of four phylogenetic species complex: Fomitopsis pinicola restricted to Eurasia, Fomitopsis ochracea restricted to North America, and two previously undescribed North American species of Fomitopsis

A Comparison of Daily and Occasional Smokers\u27 Implicit Affective Responses to Smoking Cues

Previous research has not compared implicit affective responses to smoking-related stimuli in occasional (i.e., those who smoke less than one cigarette per day) and daily smokers (i.e., those who smoke at least once per day). In addition to assessing their motivations for smoking, implicit affective responses were measured using the Affect Misattribution Procedure (AMP) in occasional (n = 19) and daily smokers (n = 34) to smoking-related and neutral cues. Half of the cues depicted a human interacting with an object (i.e., active), whereas the remaining cues depicted objects alone (i.e., inactive). Results indicated that for the active cues, daily smokers responded more positively to smoking-related than to neutral cues, whereas occasional smokers showed no difference in their implicit responses. In addition to smoking frequency, relative differences in implicit responses to active cues were related to cognitive enhancement motivation. For inactive cues, implicit responses were related to cognitive enhancement as well as reinforcement. Because daily smokers have more positive implicit responses to active smoking-related cues than occasional smokers, these cues may play an important role in maintaining smoking behavior in daily smokers

Presoaking and drying treatments to improve the performance of orchardgrass and bluegrass seed

The objective of this study was to develop a soaking and drying procedure to stimulate the germination and seedling emergence of orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) and Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) seed. Some of the physiological changes associated with the soaking and drying treatments were also studied. The seed was soaked on top of blotters moistened with solutions of 200 ppm GA₃, distilled H₂O and 20,000 ppm NaC1. The most beneficial results were obtained by soaking at 5 C for periods of 3 to 6 days. Following soaking, the seed lots were dried to their original dry weight and stored up to 8 months before testing. The effect of the treatment on the performance of the seed was evaluated in terms of germination and growth measurements. Presoaked seed germinated up to one day earlier than the unsoaked control. Radicle growth rate was not affected by any of the treatments. Seedling emergence from soil was more rapid after treatment. Germination tests conducted 8 months after presoaking indicated that the treatments had not caused any loss of viability during storage. Compared to water, there appeared to be little benefit from soaking in GA₃ and NaC1 solutions. Since seedling growth rates were not increased by the treatments, the beneficial results appeared to be related to the effects on germination rate. The small increase in imbibition rate and O₂ uptake by treated seeds may account for part of the accelerated germination. The treatments reduced the level of dormancy as indicated by the reduced requirement for alternating temperatures. Presoaking and drying treatments were most effective on cultivars and seed lots exhibiting higher levels of dormancy

Panel Discussion: Expropriation, Threats of Expropriation and Developmental Policy

This panel discussion is a conversation about the place of expropriation in international law

Poverty and Service Delivery in Suburban America Framing Paper

In the United States today, contrary to popular belief, living in the suburbs is not synonymous with living the American dream. An unprecedented number of people in the suburbs are living on household incomes of less than $20,000, many on much less. Increasingly, individuals and their families need to rely on services and public benefits to meet their basic needs (Kneebone & Berube, 2013). Over the past 30 years, poverty in the suburbs has grown due to multiple factors, including job decentralization, shifts in the location of affordable and subsidized housing, and the relocation to the suburbs of lower income immigrants and minorities (Covington, Freeman, & Stoll, 2011; Frey, 2011a). The rate of growth in suburban poverty has been particularly high in the past decade, outpacing growth in both urban and rural areas. During the Great Recession (2007-2009), high rates of unemployment and underemployment and the home foreclosure crisis brought the number of people living in poverty in the suburbs to an all-time high. Today, suburban areas are home to about 40 percent of all poor people in the country, an increase from 25 percent in 1980. Furthermore, in the 100 largest metropolitan areas, more people are living in poverty in the suburbs than in urban areas (Frey, 2011b). Suburbs are now facing a range of challenges traditionally associated with cities, such as high rates of unemployment and underemployment, lower educational attainment, food insecurity, and lack of access to health care. The increase in the suburban poverty rate is straining social service providers and local governments at a time when resources are shrinking (Allard & Roth, 2010). The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) seeks to better understand poverty and service delivery in suburban America, including how the dynamics of suburban poverty may differ from those in rural and urban communities and whether service models may need to be tailored to meet these differences. To that end, ASPE commissioned this framing paper to review and synthesize existing research, analyze the characteristics and service needs of those living in poverty in the suburbs, and identify information and research needed to more fully understand and guide efforts to address suburban poverty. To prepare this review, we used three types of information sources: existing literature, both published and unpublished; a select number of key informant interviews; and two sources of extant U.S. Census Bureau household survey data: the Annual Social and Economic Supplement to the Current Population Survey (CPS), which provides an annual count of the number of people living below 100 percent of the federal poverty level from 1959 to 2011, and the 2009-2011 American Community Survey (ACS) Weighted 3-Year Restricted-Use Files, a household survey of a nationally representative sample of individuals. These data provide information about all suburbs, including but not limited to, the 100 largest metropolitan areas (see Appendix 1). This paper will serve to frame the discussion during the Poverty and Service Delivery in Suburban America Roundtable, to be convened in 2014. The roundtable will bring together researchers, policy 5 experts, practitioners, and federal staff to discuss the issues raised in this paper and gaps in the research, formulate new research questions, consider the implications of the research for service delivery and public benefits, and assess opportunities for HHS and broader federal engagement

Poverty and Service Delivery in Suburban America Framing Paper

In the United States today, contrary to popular belief, living in the suburbs is not synonymous with living the American dream. An unprecedented number of people in the suburbs are living on household incomes of less than $20,000, many on much less. Increasingly, individuals and their families need to rely on services and public benefits to meet their basic needs (Kneebone & Berube, 2013). Over the past 30 years, poverty in the suburbs has grown due to multiple factors, including job decentralization, shifts in the location of affordable and subsidized housing, and the relocation to the suburbs of lower income immigrants and minorities (Covington, Freeman, & Stoll, 2011; Frey, 2011a). The rate of growth in suburban poverty has been particularly high in the past decade, outpacing growth in both urban and rural areas. During the Great Recession (2007-2009), high rates of unemployment and underemployment and the home foreclosure crisis brought the number of people living in poverty in the suburbs to an all-time high. Today, suburban areas are home to about 40 percent of all poor people in the country, an increase from 25 percent in 1980. Furthermore, in the 100 largest metropolitan areas, more people are living in poverty in the suburbs than in urban areas (Frey, 2011b). Suburbs are now facing a range of challenges traditionally associated with cities, such as high rates of unemployment and underemployment, lower educational attainment, food insecurity, and lack of access to health care. The increase in the suburban poverty rate is straining social service providers and local governments at a time when resources are shrinking (Allard & Roth, 2010). The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) seeks to better understand poverty and service delivery in suburban America, including how the dynamics of suburban poverty may differ from those in rural and urban communities and whether service models may need to be tailored to meet these differences. To that end, ASPE commissioned this framing paper to review and synthesize existing research, analyze the characteristics and service needs of those living in poverty in the suburbs, and identify information and research needed to more fully understand and guide efforts to address suburban poverty. To prepare this review, we used three types of information sources: existing literature, both published and unpublished; a select number of key informant interviews; and two sources of extant U.S. Census Bureau household survey data: the Annual Social and Economic Supplement to the Current Population Survey (CPS), which provides an annual count of the number of people living below 100 percent of the federal poverty level from 1959 to 2011, and the 2009-2011 American Community Survey (ACS) Weighted 3-Year Restricted-Use Files, a household survey of a nationally representative sample of individuals. These data provide information about all suburbs, including but not limited to, the 100 largest metropolitan areas (see Appendix 1). This paper will serve to frame the discussion during the Poverty and Service Delivery in Suburban America Roundtable, to be convened in 2014. The roundtable will bring together researchers, policy 5 experts, practitioners, and federal staff to discuss the issues raised in this paper and gaps in the research, formulate new research questions, consider the implications of the research for service delivery and public benefits, and assess opportunities for HHS and broader federal engagement

Using Fludarabine to Reduce Exposure to Alkylating Agents in Children with Sickle Cell Disease Receiving Busulfan, Cyclophosphamide, and Antithymocyte Globulin Transplant Conditioning: Results of a Dose De-Escalation Trial

AbstractHigh-dose busulfan, cyclophosphamide, and antithymocyte globulin (BU-CY-ATG) is the most commonly used conditioning regimen in HLA-matched related hematopoietic cell transplantation for children with sickle cell disease. Disease-free survival with this regimen is now approximately 95%; however, it produces significant morbidity. We hypothesized we could create a less toxic regimen by adding fludarabine (FLU) to BU-CY-ATG and reduce the dosages of busulfan and cyclophosphamide. We conducted a multicenter dose de-escalation trial with the objective of decreasing the doses of busulfan and cyclophosphamide by 50% and 55%, respectively. Using day +28 donor-predominant chimerism as a surrogate endpoint for sustained engraftment, we completed the first 2 of 4 planned levels, enrolling 6 patients at each and reducing the total dose of cyclophosphamide from 200 mg/kg to 90 mg/kg. On the third level, which involved a reduction of i.v. busulfan from 12.8 mg/kg to 9.6 mg/kg, the first 2 patients had host-predominant T cell chimerism, which triggered trial-stopping rules. All 14 patients survive disease-free. No patients suffered severe regimen-related toxicity. Our results suggest BU-FLU-CY-ATG using lower dose CY could be a less toxic yet effective regimen. Further evaluation of this regimen in a full-scale clinical trial is warranted

Effects of Patient Aggression on Pediatric Healthcare Workers

Healthcare workers are injured at high rates, even those who work in pediatric settings. The source of these injuries may be overexertion, slips/trips/falls, or needle sticks, but one source of injuries that has not been studied as extensively is patient aggression. Our study looked at possible effects of experiencing “patient behavioral events” (or PBEs), which are defined as physical aggression toward an employee, whether or not there was an intention to harm. Surveys of employees at three children’s hospitals across the U.S. showed that increased frequency of PBEs is associated with decreased well-being and worse job/organization attitudes. One key finding from this study is that the same negative effects were shown when the frequency of witnessing or hearing about PBEs was higher, which suggests that one need not be the target of the aggression to experience negative effects. If this causal path holds in future research, it would mean that PBEs have ripple effects in the unit, beyond just the person who is targeted by the patient aggression. Ongoing data analyses will examine whether there are any mitigating factors that might reduce the harm caused by PBEs

The Victorian Newsletter (Fall 1959)

The Victorian Newsletter is edited for the English X Group of the Modern Language Association by William E. Buckler, 737 East Building, New York University, New York 3, New York.Some pages are missing from this record