Vegetation in the vicinity of the Toolik Field Station, Alaska

This publication contains a group of vegetation maps at three scales in the vicinity of the Toolik Field Station. Alaska, which is an arctic research facility run by the Institute of Arctic Biology at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. The maps are intended to support research at the field station. The front side of this map sheet contains a vegetation map and ancillary maps of a 751-km squared region surrounding the upper Kuparuk River watershed, including the Toolik Lake and the lmnavait Creek research areas, as well as portions of the Dalton Highway and Trans-Alaska Pipeline from the northern end of Galbraith Lake to Slope Mountain. The reverse side shows more detailed vegetation maps of the 20-km squared research area centered on Toolik Lake and a 1.2-km squared intensive research grid on the south side of Toolik Lake (red rectangles on Map A). All the maps are part of a hierarchical geographic information system (GIS) and the Web-based Arctic Geobotanical Atlas (http:/www.arcticatlas.org/). The atlas also includes other map themes for all three areas and a previously published hierarchy of maps of the lmnavait Creek area (Walker et al. 1989: Walker and Walker 1996) (black rectangles on Map A). Photos and explanations of the geobotanical mapping units and the supporting field data and metadata can also be found on the website

Facilitating Classroom Economics Experiments with an Emerging Technology: The Case of Clickers

The authors discuss how they used the audience response system (ARS) to facilitate pit market trading in an applied microeconomics class and report the efficacy of the approach. Using the ARS to facilitate active learning by engaging students in economics experiments has pedagogical advantages over both the labor-intensive approach of pencil-and-paper and the capital-intensive route of relying on networked or on-line computer labs which oftentimes preclude or restrict face-to-face student interactions. Thus, the new method of conducting experiments represents an added advantage on top of such conventional functions as taking attendance and administering quizzes of this increasingly popular classroom technology.Teaching/Communication/Extension/Profession,

Facilitating Classroom Economics Experiments with an Emerging Technology: The Case of Clickers

The audience response system (ARS) has increasingly been used to engage students by eliciting and analyzing responses to questions posed by instructors. The authors discuss how they used the system to facilitate pit market trading in a microeconomics class, report the efficacy of the approach and provide suggestions extending the use of ARS to other experiments. Using the ARS to facilitate active learning by engaging students in economics experiments has pedagogical advantages over both the labor-intensive approach of pencil-and-paper and the capital-intensive route of relying on networked or on-line computer labs which oftentimes preclude or restrict face-to-face student interactions. Thus, the new method represents an added advantage on top of such conventional functions as taking attendance and administering quizzes of this increasingly popular classroom technology.Teaching/Communication/Extension/Profession,

The Zero Point of Extinction Toward Baade's Window

We measure the zero point of the Stanek (1996) extinction map by comparing the observed (V-K) colors of 206 K giant stars with their intrinsic (V-K)_0 colors as derived from their H\beta indices. We find that the zero point of the Stanek map should be changed by \Delta A_V = -0.10 +/- 0.06 mag, obtaining as a bonus a three-fold reduction of the previous statistical error. The most direct way to test for systematic errors in this determination would be to conduct a parallel measurement based on the (V-K) colors of RR Lyraes (type ab).Comment: 10 pages, 1 figur

Moderate carbohydrate, moderate protein weight loss diet reduces cardiovascular disease risk compared to high carbohydrate, low protein diet in obese adults: A randomized clinical trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>To evaluate the metabolic effects of two weight loss diets differing in macronutrient composition on features of dyslipidemia and post-prandial insulin (INS) response to a meal challenge in overweight/obese individuals.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This study was a parallel-arm randomized 4 mo weight loss trial. Adults (n = 50, 47 ± 7 y) matched on BMI (33.6 ± 0.6 kg/m², <it>P </it>= 0.79) consumed energy restricted diets (deficit ~500 kcal/d): PRO (1.6 g.kg^-1.d^-1protein and < 170 g/d carbohydrate) or CHO (0.8 g.kg^-1.d^-1protein and > 220 g/d carbohydrate) for 4 mos. Meal challenges of respective diets were utilized for determination of blood lipids and post-prandial INS and glucose response at the beginning and end of the study.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>There was a trend for PRO to lose more weight (-9.1% vs. -7.3%, <it>P </it>= 0.07) with a significant reduction in percent fat mass compared to CHO (-8.7% vs. -5.7%; <it>P </it>= 0.03). PRO also favored reductions in triacylglycerol (-34% vs. -14%; <it>P </it>< 0.05) and increases in HDL-C (+5% vs. -3%; <it>P </it>= 0.05); however, CHO favored reduction in LDL-C (-7% vs. +2.5%; <it>P </it>< 0.05). INS responses to the meal challenge were improved in PRO compared to CHO (<it>P </it>< 0.05) at both 1 hr (-34.3% vs. -1.0%) and 2 hr (-9.2% vs. +46.2%), an effect that remained significant after controlling for weight or fat loss (both <it>P </it>< 0.05).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>A weight loss diet with moderate carbohydrate, moderate protein results in more favorable changes in body composition, dyslipidemia, and post-prandial INS response compared to a high carbohydrate, low protein diet suggesting an additional benefit beyond weight management to include augmented risk reduction for metabolic disease.</p

Resolved lower limb muscle tone abnormalities in children with HIV encephalopathy receiving standard antiretroviral therapy

BackgroundThis short report arose from a follow-up study of children previously diagnosed with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) encephalopathy and spastic diplegia and is among the first to describe that increased lower limb muscle tone in children with a confirmed HIV encephalopathy diagnosis may resolve over time in some cases.ResultsOf 19 children previously diagnosed with HIV encephalopathy and increased lower limb muscle tone, some were found to have resolved muscle tone abnormalities during a follow-up physical examination [resolved group, n=13, median age 9years 7months (interquartile range 7years 3months–10years 9months)] whereas others continued to show increased lower limb muscle tone at follow-up [unresolved group, n=6 median age 8years 6months (interquartile range 7years 9months–9years 7months)]. A review of clinical records showed no significant differences in age or follow-up time between the resolved and unresolved groups. However, the unresolved group appeared to have severe disease at an earlier age than the resolved group, based on the age at antiretroviral treatment initiation [median age at start of treatment 2years 3months (interquartile range 7months–5years 3months) vs. 8months (interquartile range 6–12months), p=0.08] and had more severe neurological signs at the initial assessment.ConclusionsIt is anticipated that this information may be of immediate value to those involved in the treatment of children with HIV encephalopathy and increased lower limb muscle tone whilst awaiting the outcome of future controlled clinical trials

Phylogeny and taxonomy of Ophiognomonia (Gnomoniaceae, Diaporthales), including twenty-five new species in this highly diverse genus

Species of Ophiognomonia are leaf-inhabiting endophytes, pathogens, and saprobes that infect plants in the families Betulaceae, Fagaceae, Juglandaceae, Lauraceae, Malvaceae, Platanaceae, Rosaceae, Salicaceae, and Sapindaceae. Based on extensive collecting, this speciesrich genus is now known to have a world wide distribution in primarily temperate areas, although some species are known from the subtropics. Analyses of DNA sequences from three markers including guanine nucleotide-binding protein subunit beta-like protein (MS204), translation elongation factor 1α (tef-1α), and the ITS region including ITS1, 5.8 S rDNA and ITS2 regions (ITS) were used to define phylogenetic species in Ophiognomonia. Host plant association correlated with these species. Twenty-five new species of Ophiognomonia and two new combinations are proposed with descriptions and illustrations. In addition, descriptions and illustrations are provided for 12 other species of Ophiognomonia. A key is provided to the 45 currently accepted species of Ophiognomonia. The disposition of additional names in Ophiognomonia is also discussedSpecies of Ophiognomonia are leaf-inhabiting endophytes, pathogens, and saprobes that infect plants in the families Betulaceae, Fagaceae, Juglandaceae, Lauraceae, Malvaceae, Platanaceae, Rosaceae, Salicaceae, and Sapindaceae. Based on extensive collecting, this speciesrich genus is now known to have a world wide distribution in primarily temperate areas, although some species are known from the subtropics. Analyses of DNA sequences from three markers including guanine nucleotide-binding protein subunit beta-like protein (MS204), translation elongation factor 1α (tef-1α), and the ITS region including ITS1, 5.8 S rDNA and ITS2 regions (ITS) were used to define phylogenetic species in Ophiognomonia. Host plant association correlated with these species. Twenty-five new species of Ophiognomonia and two new combinations are proposed with descriptions and illustrations. In addition, descriptions and illustrations are provided for 12 other species of Ophiognomonia. A key is provided to the 45 currently accepted species of Ophiognomonia. The disposition of additional names in Ophiognomonia is also discusse

The Distances to Open Clusters from Main-Sequence Fitting. IV. Galactic Cepheids, the LMC, and the Local Distance Scale

We derive the basic properties of seven Galactic open clusters containing Cepheids and construct their period-luminosity (P-L) relations. For our cluster main-sequence fitting we extend previous Hyades-based empirical color-temperature corrections to hotter stars using the Pleiades as a template. We use BVI_{C}JHK_{s} data to test the reddening law, and include metallicity effects to perform a more comprehensive study for our clusters than prior efforts. The ratio of total to selective extinction R_V that we derive is consistent with expectations. Assuming the LMC P-L slopes, we find = -3.93 +/- 0.07 (statistical) +/- 0.14 (systematic) for 10-day period Cepheids, which is generally fainter than those in previous studies. Our results are consistent with recent HST and Hipparcos parallax studies when using the Wesenheit magnitudes W(VI). Uncertainties in reddening and metallicity are the major remaining sources of error in the V-band P-L relation, but a higher precision could be obtained with deeper optical and near-infrared cluster photometry. We derive distances to NGC4258, the LMC, and M33 of (m - M)_0 = 29.28 +/- 0.10, 18.34 +/- 0.06, and 24.55 +/- 0.28, respectively, with an additional systematic error of 0.16 mag in the P-L relations. The distance to NGC4258 is in good agreement with the geometric distance derived from water masers [\Delta (m - M)_0 = 0.01 +/- 0.24]; our value for M33 is less consistent with the distance from an eclipsing binary [\Delta (m - M)_0 = 0.37 +/- 0.34]; our LMC distance is moderately shorter than the adopted distance in the HST Key Project, which formally implies an increase in the Hubble constant of 7% +/- 8%.Comment: 28 pages, 21 figures; accepted for publication in the Ap