Joint effect of habitat identity and spatial distance on spiders′ community similarity in a fragmented transition zone

Understanding the main processes that affect community similarity have been the focus of much ecological research. However, the relative effects of environmental and spatial aspects in structuring ecological communities is still unresolved and is probably scale-dependent. Here, we examine the effect of habitat identity and spatial distance on finegrained community similarity within a biogeographic transition zone. We compared four hypotheses: i) habitat identity alone, ii) spatial proximity alone, iii) non-interactive effects of both habitat identity and spatial proximity, and iv) interactive effect of habitat identity and spatial proximity. We explored these hypotheses for spiders in three fragmented landscapes located along the sharp climatic gradient of Southern Judea Lowlands (SJL), Israel. We sampled 14,854 spiders (from 199 species or morphospecies) in 644 samples, taken in 35 patches and stratified to nine different habitats. We calculated the Bray-Curtis similarity between all samples-pairs. We divided the pairwise values to four functional distance categories (same patch, different patches from the same landscape, adjacent landscapes and distant landscapes) and two habitat categories (same or different habitats) and compared them using non-parametric MANOVA. A significant interaction between habitat identity and spatial distance was found, such that the difference in mean similarity between same-habitat pairs and different-habitat pairs decreases with spatial distance. Additionally, community similarity decayed with spatial distance. Furthermore, at all distances, same-habitat pairs had higher similarity than different-habitats pairs. Our results support the fourth hypothesis of interactive effect of habitat identity and spatial proximity. We suggest that the environmental complexity of habitats or increased habitat specificity of species near the edge of their distribution range may explain this pattern. Thus, in transitions zones care should be taken when using habitats as surrogate of community composition in conservation planning since similar habitats in different locations are more likely to support different communities

A Country Torn Asunder: Deliberations Over the Fate of Post-WWII Germany

This diplomatic history examines the development of Germany’s post-WWII borders. Beginning in 1941, this thesis traces the myriad of proposals and debates about German territory, focusing particularly on the matter of division and dismemberment. This work focuses on two main topics: Allied proposals and counterproposals for a divided Germany and zones of occupation, and the relationship and interactions between the Big Three leaders and powers, focusing on how East-West tensions affected the diplomatic talks

Monuments of Legitimacy: 17th Century Tokugawa-Sponsored Architecture as Political Objects

This work aims to synthesize art history, historical memory, and Tokugawa-era Japanese politics with an art history approach and cultural analysis. It takes a more complete look at the politics of Tokugawa Ieyasu’s death and the significance of memorial and religious architecture as political works. It examines the utilization of architecture as a way to elevate and legitimize the Tokugawa, demonstrating that policy was not the only way for the Tokugawa to solidify their legacy and suggesting that key figures like Ieyasu were more important to the religious and political structures of Tokugawa Japan in death than they were in life. This paper begins by discussing the immediate political effects of Ieyasu’s death and the establishment of the Nikko Toshogu before discussing the physical aspects of the shrine and comparing it with the Ise Shrine to establish the relationship between the shogun and the Emperor. Finally, it examines the mausoleum of Sūgen-in, Tokugawa Iemitsu’s mother, in order to contextualize the shift of the architectural style of female mausoleums to emulate those of their male counterparts, showing a growing inclusivity towards women in establishing the legacy of the Tokugawa during the early Edo Period

The spatio-temporal distribution of lightning over Israel and the neighboring area and its relation to regional synoptic systems

The spatio-temporal distribution of lightning flashes over Israel and the neighboring area and its relation to the regional synoptic systems has been studied, based on data obtained from the Israel Lightning Location System (ILLS) operated by the Israel Electric Corporation (IEC). The system detects cloud-to-ground lightning discharges in a range of ~500 km around central Israel (32.5° N, 35° E). The study period was defined for annual activity from August through July, for 5 seasons in the period 2004–2010. <br><br> The spatial distribution of lightning flash density indicates the highest concentration over the Mediterranean Sea, attributed to the contribution of moisture as well as sensible and latent heat fluxes from the sea surface. Other centers of high density appear along the coastal plain, orographic barriers, especially in northern Israel, and downwind from the metropolitan area of Tel Aviv, Israel. The intra-annual distribution shows an absence of lightning during the summer months (JJA) due to the persistent subsidence over the region. The vast majority of lightning activity occurs during 7 months, October to April. Although over 65 % of the rainfall in Israel is obtained during the winter months (DJF), only 35 % of lightning flashes occur in these months. October is the richest month, with 40 % of total annual flashes. This is attributed both to tropical intrusions, i.e., Red Sea Troughs (RST), which are characterized by intense static instability and convection, and to Cyprus Lows (CLs) arriving from the west. <br><br> Based on daily study of the spatial distribution of lightning, three patterns have been defined; "land", "maritime" and "hybrid". CLs cause high flash density over the Mediterranean Sea, whereas some of the RST days are typified by flashes over land. The pattern defined "hybrid" is a combination of the other 2 patterns. On CL days, only the maritime pattern was noted, whereas in RST days all 3 patterns were found, including the maritime pattern. It is suggested that atmospheric processes associated with RST produce the land pattern. Hence, the occurrence of a maritime pattern in days identified as RST reflects an "apparent RST". The hybrid pattern was associated with an RST located east of Israel. This synoptic type produced the typical flash maximum over the land, but the upper-level trough together with the onshore winds it induced over the eastern coast of the Mediterranean resulted in lightning activity over the sea as well, similar to that of CLs. <br><br> It is suggested that the spatial distribution patterns of lightning may better identify the synoptic system responsible, a CL, an "active RST" or an "apparent RST". The electrical activity thus serves as a "fingerprint" for the synoptic situation responsible for its generation

Multiple breast cancer risk variants are associated with differential transcript isoform expression in tumors.

Genome-wide association studies have identified over 70 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with breast cancer. A subset of these SNPs are associated with quantitative expression of nearby genes, but the functional effects of the majority remain unknown. We hypothesized that some risk SNPs may regulate alternative splicing. Using RNA-sequencing data from breast tumors and germline genotypes from The Cancer Genome Atlas, we tested the association between each risk SNP genotype and exon-, exon-exon junction- or transcript-specific expression of nearby genes. Six SNPs were associated with differential transcript expression of seven nearby genes at FDR < 0.05 (BABAM1, DCLRE1B/PHTF1, PEX14, RAD51L1, SRGAP2D and STXBP4). We next developed a Bayesian approach to evaluate, for each SNP, the overlap between the signal of association with breast cancer and the signal of association with alternative splicing. At one locus (SRGAP2D), this method eliminated the possibility that the breast cancer risk and the alternate splicing event were due to the same causal SNP. Lastly, at two loci, we identified the likely causal SNP for the alternative splicing event, and at one, functionally validated the effect of that SNP on alternative splicing using a minigene reporter assay. Our results suggest that the regulation of differential transcript isoform expression is the functional mechanism of some breast cancer risk SNPs and that we can use these associations to identify causal SNPs, target genes and the specific transcripts that may mediate breast cancer risk

Prediction of Maximal Heart Rate in Children and Adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: To identify a method to predict the maximal heart rate (MHR) in children and adolescents, as available prediction equations developed for adults have a low accuracy in children. We hypothesized that MHR may be influenced by resting heart rate, anthropometric factors, or fitness level. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Sports medicine center in primary care. PARTICIPANTS: Data from 627 treadmill maximal exercise tests performed by 433 pediatric athletes (age 13.7 ± 2.1 years, 70% males) were analyzed. INDEPENDENT VARIABLES: Age, sex, sport type, stature, body mass, BMI, body fat, fitness level, resting, and MHR were recorded. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: To develop a prediction equation for MHR in youth, using stepwise multivariate linear regression and linear mixed model. To determine correlations between existing prediction equations and pediatric MHR. RESULTS: Observed MHR was 197 ± 8.6 b·min. Regression analysis revealed that resting heart rate, fitness, body mass, and fat percent were predictors of MHR (R = 0.25, P < 0.001), whereas age was not. Resting heart rate explained 15.6% of MHR variance, body mass added 5.7%, fat percent added 2.4%, and fitness added 1.2%. Existing adult equations had low correlations with observed MHR in children and adolescents (r = -0.03-0.34). CONCLUSIONS: A new equation to predict MHR in children and adolescents was developed, but was found to have low predictive ability, a finding similar to adult equations applied to children. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Considering the narrow range of MHR in youth, we propose using 197 b·min as the mean MHR in children and adolescents, with 180 b·min the minimal threshold value (-2 standard deviations)

Numerical Observation of a Tubular Phase in Anisotropic Membranes

We provide the first numerical evidence for the existence of a tubular phase, predicted by Radzihovsky and Toner (RT), for anisotropic tethered membranes without self-avoidance. Incorporating anisotropy into the bending rigidity of a simple model of a tethered membrane with free boundary conditions, we show that the model indeed has two phase transitions corresponding to the flat-to-tubular and tubular-to-crumpled transitions. For the tubular phase we measure the Flory exponent $\nu_F$ and the roughness exponent $\zeta$. We find $\nu_F=0.305(14)$ and $\zeta=0.895(60)$, which are in reasonable agreement with the theoretical predictions of RT --- $\nu_F=1/4$ and $\zeta=1$.Comment: 8 pages, LaTeX, REVTEX, final published versio

Practical Evaluation of Lempel-Ziv-78 and Lempel-Ziv-Welch Tries

We present the first thorough practical study of the Lempel-Ziv-78 and the Lempel-Ziv-Welch computation based on trie data structures. With a careful selection of trie representations we can beat well-tuned popular trie data structures like Judy, m-Bonsai or Cedar

Correction: Joint Effect of Habitat Identity and Spatial Distance on Spiders' Community Similarity in a Fragmented Transition Zone

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0168417.]