Showing papers by "University of Hawaii at Manoa published in 2010"

Reconsidering Baron and Kenny: Myths and Truths about Mediation Analysis

Abstract: Baron and Kenny’s procedure for determining if an independent variable affects a dependent variable through some mediator is so well known that it is used by authors and requested by reviewers almost reflexively. Many research projects have been terminated early in a research program or later in the review process because the data did not conform to Baron and Kenny’s criteria, impeding theoretical development. While the technical literature has disputed some of Baron and Kenny’s tests, this literature has not diffused to practicing researchers. We present a nontechnical summary of the flaws in the Baron and Kenny logic, some of which have not been previously noted. We provide a decision tree and a step-by-step procedure for testing mediation, classifying its type, and interpreting the implications of findings for theory building and future research.

Accelerating materials development for photoelectrochemical hydrogen production: Standards for methods, definitions, and reporting protocols

Abstract: Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting for hydrogen production is a promising technology that uses sunlight and water to produce renewable hydrogen with oxygen as a by-product. In the expanding field of PEC hydrogen production, the use of standardized screening methods and reporting has emerged as a necessity. This article is intended to provide guidance on key practices in characterization of PEC materials and proper reporting of efficiencies. Presented here are the definitions of various efficiency values that pertain to PEC, with an emphasis on the importance of solar-to-hydrogen efficiency, as well as a flow chart with standard procedures for PEC characterization techniques for planar photoelectrode materials (i.e., not suspensions of particles) with a focus on single band gap absorbers. These guidelines serve as a foundation and prelude to a much more complete and in-depth discussion of PEC techniques and procedures presented elsewhere.

Multilevel and Longitudinal Modeling with IBM SPSS

Abstract: This book demonstrates how to use multilevel and longitudinal modeling techniques available in the IBM SPSS mixed-effects program (MIXED). Annotated screen shots provide readers with a step-by-step understanding of each technique and navigating the program. Readers learn how to set up, run, and interpret a variety of models. Diagnostic tools, data management issues, and related graphics are introduced throughout. Annotated syntax is also available for those who prefer this approach. Extended examples illustrate the logic of model development to show readers the rationale of the research questions and the steps around which the analyses are structured. The data used in the text and syntax examples are available at www.routledge.com/9780415817110. Highlights of the new edition include: Updated throughout to reflect IBM SPSS Version 21. Further coverage of growth trajectories, coding time-related variables, covariance structures, individual change and longitudinal experimental designs (Ch.5). Extended discussion of other types of research designs for examining change (e.g., regression discontinuity, quasi-experimental) over time (Ch.6). New examples specifying multiple latent constructs and parallel growth processes (Ch. 7). Discussion of alternatives for dealing with missing data and the use of sample weights within multilevel data structures (Ch.1). The book opens with the conceptual and methodological issues associated with multilevel and longitudinal modeling, followed by a discussion of SPSS data management techniques which facilitate working with multilevel, longitudinal, and cross-classified data sets. Chapters 3 and 4 introduce the basics of multilevel modeling: developing a multilevel model, interpreting output, and trouble-shooting common programming and modeling problems. Models for investigating individual and organizational change are presented in chapters 5 and 6, followed by models with multivariate outcomes in chapter 7. Chapter 8 provides an illustration of multilevel models with cross-classified data structures. The book concludes with ways to expand on the various multilevel and longitudinal modeling techniques and issues when conducting multilevel analyses. Ideal as a supplementary text for graduate courses on multilevel and longitudinal modeling, multivariate statistics, and research design taught in education, psychology, business, and sociology, this books practical approach also appeals to researchers in these fields. The book provides an excellent supplement to Heck & Thomass An Introduction to Multilevel Modeling Techniques, 2nd Edition; however, it can also be used with any multilevel and/or longitudinal modeling book or as a stand-alone text.

Global warming pattern formation: sea surface temperature and rainfall.

Abstract: Spatial variations in sea surface temperature (SST) and rainfall changes over the tropics are investigated based on ensemble simulations for the first half of the twenty-first century under the greenhouse gas (GHG) emission scenario A1B with coupled ocean–atmosphere general circulation models of the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL) and National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). Despite a GHG increase that is nearly uniform in space, pronounced patterns emerge in both SST and precipitation. Regional differences in SST warming can be as large as the tropical-mean warming. Specifically, the tropical Pacific warming features a conspicuous maximum along the equator and a minimum in the southeast subtropics. The former is associated with westerly wind anomalies whereas the latter is linked to intensified southeast trade winds, suggestive of wind–evaporation–SST feedback. There is a tendency for a greater warming in the northern subtropics than in the southern subtropics in accordance ...

Global Warming Pattern Formation: Sea Surface Temperature and Rainfall

Abstract: Spatial variations in sea surface temperature (SST) and rainfall changes over the tropics are investigated based on ensemble simulations for the first half of the twenty-first century under the greenhouse gas (GHG) emission scenario A1B with coupled ocean–atmosphere general circulation models of the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL) and National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). Despite a GHG increase that is nearly uniform in space, pronounced patterns emerge in both SST and precipitation. Regional differences in SST warming can be as large as the tropical-mean warming. Specifically, the tropical Pacific warming features a conspicuous maximum along the equator and a minimum in the southeast subtropics. The former is associated with westerly wind anomalies whereas the latter is linked to intensified southeast trade winds, suggestive of wind–evaporation–SST feedback. There is a tendency for a greater warming in the northern subtropics than in the southern subtropics in accordance ...

Fluorescence Polarization/Anisotropy in Diagnostics and Imaging

Abstract: Fluorescence polarization was first applied in biochemistry almost 6 decades ago, when Gregorio Weber described his studies on bovine serum albumin and ovalbumin conjugated with 1-dimethylaminonaphthalene-5-sulfonyl chloride (dansyl chloride)1,2 (Figure 1). (For an overview of Gregorio Weber's wide-ranging contributions to fluorescence see3). Polarization methods became increasingly popular during the decades following Weber's work. During the past few decades, however, the increase in the number and diversity of fluorescence polarization studies has been astonishing and the method is now extremely wide-spread in the clinical and biomedical fields. The virtual explosion of polarization studies, which began during the mid-1980's, was due to several factors, including the availability of commercial instruments equipped with polarizers, the commercial availability of a great many fluorescence probes (largely due to the company Molecular Probes – now part of Invitrogen) and, in the clinical chemistry area, the introduction of the TDx instrument (and associated reagents) by Abbott Laboratories. The reasons for the popularity of fluorescence polarization in clinical and high-throughput assays are manifold. Firstly, polarization assays are homogeneous, i.e., there is no necessity for separation of free and bound ligand (these type of assays are often referred to as “mix and measure” assays). Secondly, and one of the original motivations for the development of fluorescence-based assays, there is no need for radioisotopes. Thirdly, polarization assays are reproducible and facilely automated. In this review we shall briefly trace the history of the technique and discuss in detail both theoretical and practical aspects. We shall also present copious examples from the literature, which illustrate the scope of the method in areas such as ligand binding, immunoassays, high-throughput screening, and live cell imaging and hint at future directions and applications. Figure 1 Gregorio Weber in Hawaii – 1989. Photograph courtesy of Prof. David Jameson. 2.0 Historical Overview As mentioned above, fluorescence polarization is widely applied in diverse fields, especially in the life sciences. A rough survey using Pubmed reveals that publications on fluorescence polarization/anisotropy numbered around a dozen in the 1950's, less than 100 in the 1960s, several hundreds in the 1970s, more than two thousand in the 1980's, more than three thousand in the1990s and close to four thousand in the 2000s to date. Given this rising trend, one may be curious how it all got started. We shall thus present a brief history of fluorescence polarization. 2.1 Discovery of Polarization In 1808, Etienne-Louis Malus observed sunlight reflected from the windows of the Luxemburg Palace in Paris through an Iceland spar (Calcite) crystal that he rotated (Erasmus Bartholin had discovered the double refraction of light by Iceland spar in 1669). Malus discovered that the intensity of the reflected light varied as he rotated the crystal and coined the term “polarized” to describe this property of light. He published his findings in 1809 4. Malus also derived an expression for calculating the transmission of light as a function of the angle (θ) between two polarizers. This equation (Malus' Law) is now written as: I(θ) = I0 (cos2θ). Some years later, David Brewster studied the relationship between refractive index and angle of incidence on the polarization of the reflected light 5. He discovered that for normal glass and visible light, an incidence angle of ∼56 degrees resulted in total reflection of one plane of polarization – this angle is now known as Brewster's Angle. This discovery allowed Brewster to construct a polarizer composed of a “pile of plates” (interestingly, when one of the authors – DMJ – first joined Gregorio Weber's laboratory as a graduate student, Weber showed him the “pile of plates” polarizer that he had used in some of his initial studies). In 1828, William Nicol joined two crystals of Iceland spar, cut at an angle of 68°, using Canada balsam, which allowed a spatial separation between the orthogonally polarized components. Other important calcite polarizers developed around this time include: Glan-Foucault; Glan-Thompson; Glan-Taylor; Wollaston; and Rochon. Most modern spectrofluorimeters today use Glan-Taylor type calcite polarizers, which have an air-gap between the two calcite crystals allowing for transmission deep into the ultraviolet, and which makes them less susceptible to photodamage at higher irradiance levels. But the Henry Ford of polarizers was Edwin Herbert Land. In 1929 Edwin Land patented the sheet polarizer (the J-sheet), consisting of crystals of iodoquinine sulfate embedded in nitrocellulose film followed by alignment of the crystals by stretching, which led to dichroism. In 1937 he founded the Polaroid Company and in 1938 he invented the H-sheet which comprised polyvinyl alcohol sheets with embedded iodine. Land's invention made him quite rich and also allowed the use of inexpensive polarizers in diverse applications such as sunglasses and photography filters.

Collaborative leadership and school improvement: understanding the impact on school capacity and student learning

Abstract: Fifty years of theory and research offer increasing levels of support for the assertion that principal leadership makes a difference in the quality of schooling, school development and student learning In the current context of global education reform, however, recent inquiries have focused on identifying how teams of school leaders contribute to school improvement and student learning This chapter reports on findings drawn from a series of empirical analyses that assessed the effects of collaborative leadership on school improvement capacity and student learning in a large sample of primary schools in the state of Hawaii over a 4-year period Our findings support the prevailing view that collaborative school leadership can positively affect student learning in reading and math through building the school’s capacity for academic improvement The research further extends this finding, however, by offering empirical support for a more refined conception that casts leadership for student learning as a process of mutual influence in which school capacity both shapes and is shaped by the school’s collective leadership

Large-Scale Dynamics of the Meiyu-Baiu Rainband: Environmental Forcing by the Westerly Jet*

Abstract: Meiyu-baiu is the major rainy season from central China to Japan brought by a zonally elongated rainband from June to mid-July. Large-scale characteristics and environmental forcing of this important phenomenon are investigated based on a reanalysis dataset. The meiyu-baiu rainband is accompanied by a trough of sea level pressure, horizontal shears, and sharp moisture gradients near the surface, a westerly jet tilted northward with height, and large northeastward moisture transport from the south. The analysis here reveals the westerly jet as an important culprit for meiyu-baiu. Along the rainband, mean ascending motion corresponds well with a band of warm horizontal temperature advection in the midtroposphere throughout summer. This adiabatic induction of upward motion originates from the advection of warm air by the westerlies from the eastern flank of the Tibetan Plateau. The ascending motion both induces convection and is enhanced by the resultant condensational heating. The westerly jet anch...

Submarine canyons: hotspots of benthic biomass and productivity in the deep sea

Abstract: Submarine canyons are dramatic and widespread topographic features crossing continental and island margins in all oceans. Canyons can be sites of enhanced organic-matter flux and deposition through entrainment of coastal detrital export, dense shelf-water cascade, channelling of resuspended particulate material and focusing of sediment deposition. Despite their unusual ecological characteristics and global distribution along oceanic continental margins, only scattered information is available about the influence of submarine canyons on deep-sea ecosystem structure and productivity. Here, we show that deep-sea canyons such as the Kaikoura Canyon on the eastern New Zealand margin (42°01′ S, 173°03′ E) can sustain enormous biomasses of infaunal megabenthic invertebrates over large areas. Our reported biomass values are 100-fold higher than those previously reported for deep-sea (non-chemosynthetic) habitats below 500 m in the ocean. We also present evidence from deep-sea-towed camera images that areas in the canyon that have the extraordinary benthic biomass also harbour high abundances of macrourid (rattail) fishes likely to be feeding on the macro- and megabenthos. Bottom-trawl catch data also indicate that the Kaikoura Canyon has dramatically higher abundances of benthic-feeding fishes than adjacent slopes. Our results demonstrate that the Kaikoura Canyon is one of the most productive habitats described so far in the deep sea. A new global inventory suggests there are at least 660 submarine canyons worldwide, approximately 100 of which could be biomass hotspots similar to the Kaikoura Canyon. The importance of such deep-sea canyons as potential hotspots of production and commercial fisheries yields merits substantial further study.

The spatial distribution of star formation in the solar neighbourhood: do all stars form in dense clusters?

Abstract: We present a global study of low mass, young stellar object (YSO) surface densities (�) in nearby (< 500 pc) star forming regions based on a comprehensive collection of Spitzer Space Telescope surveys. We show that the distribution of YSO surface densities in the solar neighbourhood is a smooth distribution, being adequately described by a lognormal function from a few to 10 3 YSOs per pc 2 , with a peak at � 22 stars pc

Relative Contributions of the Indian Ocean and Local SST Anomalies to the Maintenance of the Western North Pacific Anomalous Anticyclone during the El Niño Decaying Summer

Abstract: To investigate the relative role of the cold SST anomaly (SSTA) in the western North Pacific (WNP) or Indian Ocean basin mode (IOBM) in maintaining an anomalous anticyclone over the western North Pacific (WNPAC) during the El Nino decaying summer, a suite of numerical experiments is performed using an atmospheric general circulation model, ECHAM4. In sensitive experiments, the El Nino composite SSTA is specified in either the WNP or the tropical Indian Ocean, while the climatological SST is specified elsewhere. The results indicate that the WNPAC is maintained by the combined effects of the local forcing of the negative SSTA in the WNP and the remote forcing from the IOBM. The former (latter) contribution gradually weakens (enhances) from June to August. The negative SSTA in the WNP is crucial for the maintenance of the WNPAC in early summer. However, because of a negative air–sea feedback, the negative SSTA gradually decays, as does the local forcing effect. Enhanced local convection associated ...

Leadership for Learning: Does Collaborative Leadership Make a Difference in School Improvement?

Abstract: Although there has been a sizable growth spurt in empirical studies of shared leadership over the past decade, the bulk of this research has been descriptive. Relatively few published studies have investigated the impact of shared leadership on school improvement, and even fewer have studied effects on student learning. This longitudinal study examines the effects of collaborative leadership on school improvement and student reading achievement in 192 elementary schools in one state in the USA over a 4-year period. Using latent change analysis, the research found significant direct effects of collaborative leadership on change in the schools' academic capacity and indirect effects on rates of growth in student reading achievement. In addition, the study identified three different growth trajectories among schools, each characterized by variations in associated school improve- ment processes. The study supports a perspective on leadership for learning that aims at building the academic capacity of schools as a means of improving student learning outcomes.

A Library of Theoretical Ultraviolet Spectra of Massive, Hot Stars for Evolutionary Synthesis

Abstract: We computed a comprehensive set of theoretical ultraviolet spectra of hot, massive stars with the radiation-hydrodynamics code WM-Basic. This model atmosphere and spectral synthesis code is optimized for computing the strong P Cygni type lines originating in the winds of hot stars, which are the strongest features in the ultraviolet spectral region. The computed set is suitable as a spectral library for inclusion in evolutionary synthesis models of star clusters and star-forming galaxies. The chosen stellar parameters cover the upper left Hertzsprung-Russell diagram at L 102.75 L ? and T eff 20,000 K. The adopted elemental abundances are 0.05 Z ?, 0.2 Z ?, 0.4 Z ?, Z ?, and 2 Z ?. The spectra cover the wavelength range from 900 to 3000 ? and have a resolution of 0.4 ?. We compared the theoretical spectra to data of individual hot stars in the Galaxy and the Magellanic Clouds obtained with the International Ultraviolet Explorer and Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer satellites and found very good agreement. We built a library with the set of spectra and implemented it into the evolutionary synthesis code Starburst99 where it complements and extends the existing empirical library toward lower chemical abundances. Comparison of population synthesis models at solar and near-solar composition demonstrates consistency between synthetic spectra generated with either library. We discuss the potential of the new library for the interpretation of the rest-frame ultraviolet spectra of star-forming galaxies. Properties that can be addressed with the models include ages, initial mass function, and heavy-element abundance. The library can be obtained both individually or as part of the Starburst99 package.

Risks of Lynch Syndrome Cancers for MSH6 Mutation Carriers

Abstract: Background Germline mutations in MSH6 account for 10%–20% of Lynch syndrome colorectal cancers caused by hereditary DNA mismatch repair gene mutations. Because there have been only a few studies of mutation carriers, their cancer risks are uncertain.

A genome-wide association study identifies susceptibility loci for ovarian cancer at 2q31 and 8q24

Abstract: Ovarian cancer accounts for more deaths than all other gynecological cancers combined. To identify common low-penetrance ovarian cancer susceptibility genes, we conducted a genome-wide association study of 507,094 SNPs in 1,768 individuals with ovarian cancer (cases) and 2,354 controls, with follow up of 21,955 SNPs in 4,162 cases and 4,810 controls, leading to the identification of a confirmed susceptibility locus at 9p22 (in BNC2). Here, we report on nine additional candidate loci (defined as having P ≤ 10⁻⁴) identified after stratifying cases by histology, which we genotyped in an additional 4,353 cases and 6,021 controls. We confirmed two new susceptibility loci with P ≤ 5 × 10⁻⁸ (8q24, P = 8.0 × 10⁻¹⁵ and 2q31, P = 3.8 × 10⁻¹⁴) and identified two additional loci that approached genome-wide significance (3q25, P = 7.1 × 10⁻⁸ and 17q21, P = 1.4 × 10⁻⁷). The associations of these loci with serous ovarian cancer were generally stronger than with other cancer subtypes. Analysis of HOXD1, MYC, TIPARP and SKAP1 at these loci and of BNC2 at 9p22 supports a functional role for these genes in ovarian cancer development.

Fertility, Human Capital, and Economic Growth over the Demographic Transition

Abstract: Do low fertility and population aging lead to economic decline if couples have fewer children, but invest more in each child? By addressing this question, this article extends previous work in which the authors show that population aging leads to an increased demand for wealth that can, under some conditions, lead to increased capital per worker and higher per capita consumption. This article is based on an overlapping generations (OLG) model which highlights the quantity–quality tradeoff and the links between human capital investment and economic growth. It incorporates new national level estimates of human capital investment produced by the National Transfer Accounts project. Simulation analysis is employed to show that, even in the absence of the capital dilution effect, low fertility leads to higher per capita consumption through human capital accumulation, given plausible model parameters.

Central Pacific El Niño and decadal climate change in the North Pacific Ocean

Abstract: Decadal fluctuations of the ocean and atmosphere over the North Pacific Ocean significantly affect the weather and climate of North America and Eurasia. They also cause transitions between different states of marine ecosystems across the Pacific Ocean 1‐3 . An important fraction of North Pacific low-frequency variability is linked to the North Pacific Gyre Oscillation 4 , a climate pattern associated with decadal fluctuations of the ocean circulation. Decadal variations in the North Pacific Gyre Oscillation are characterized by a pattern of sea surface temperature anomalies that resemble the central Pacific El Nino, a dominant mode of interannual variability with far-reaching effects on global climate patterns 5‐7 . Here we use an ensemble of simulations with a coupled ocean‐ atmosphere model to show that the sea surface temperature anomalies associated with central Pacific El Nino force changes in the extra-tropical atmospheric circulation. These changes in turn drive the decadal fluctuations of the North Pacific Gyre Oscillation. Given that central Pacific El Nino events could become more frequent with increasing levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere 8 , we infer that the North Pacific

Function of sperm chromatin structural elements in fertilization and development

Abstract: Understanding how DNA is packaged in the mammalian sperm cell has important implications for human infertility as well as for the cell biology. Recent advances in the study of mammalian sperm chromatin structure and function have altered our perception of this highly condensed, inert chromatin. Sperm DNA is packaged very tightly to protect the DNA during the transit that occurs before fertilization. However, this condensation cannot sacrifice chromosomal elements that are essential for the embryo to access the correct sequences of the paternal genome for proper initiation of the embryonic developmental program. The primary levels of the sperm chromatin structure can be divided into three main categories: the large majority of DNA is packaged by protamines, a smaller amount (2-15%) retains histone-bound chromatin and the DNA is attached to the nuclear matrix at roughly 50 kb intervals. Current data suggest that the latter two structural elements are transferred to the paternal pronucleus after fertilization where they have important functional roles. The nuclear matrix organization is essential for DNA replication, and the histone-bound chromatin identifies genes that are important for embryonic development. These data support the emerging view of the sperm genome as providing, in addition to the paternal DNA sequence, a structural framework that includes molecular regulatory factors that are required for proper embryonic development.

Interaction between El Niño and Extreme Indian Ocean Dipole

Abstract: Climate variability in the tropical Indo-Pacific sector has undergone dramatic changes under global ocean warming. Extreme Indian Ocean dipole (IOD) events occurred repeatedly in recent decades with an unprecedented series of three consecutive episodes during 2006–08, causing vast climate and socioeconomic effects worldwide and weakening the historic El Nino–Indian monsoon relationship. Major attention has been paid to the El Nino influence on the Indian Ocean, but how the IOD influences El Nino and its predictability remained an important issue to be understood. On the basis of various forecast experiments activating and suppressing air–sea coupling in the individual tropical ocean basins using a state-of-the-art coupled ocean–atmosphere model with demonstrated predictive capability, the present study shows that the extreme IOD plays a key role in driving the 1994 pseudo–El Nino, in contrast with traditional El Nino theory. The pseudo–El Nino is more frequently observed in recent decades, coinci...

Changes in the sea surface temperature threshold for tropical convection

Abstract: Deep convection in the tropics is observed generally above a threshold for sea surface temperatures of about 26–28 °C. An analysis of satellite observations of tropical rainfall shows that the threshold has varied in the past 30 years in parallel with tropical mean sea surface temperatures.

Ultra-bright Optical Transients are Linked with Type Ic Supernovae

Abstract: Recent searches by unbiased, wide-field surveys have uncovered a group of extremely luminous optical transients The initial discoveries of SN 2005ap by the Texas Supernova Search and SCP-06F6 in a deep Hubble pencil beam survey were followed by the Palomar Transient Factory confirmation of host redshifts for other similar transients The transients share the common properties of high optical luminosities (peak magnitudes ~-21 to -23), blue colors, and a lack of H or He spectral features The physical mechanism that produces the luminosity is uncertain, with suggestions ranging from jet-driven explosion to pulsational pair instability Here, we report the most detailed photometric and spectral coverage of an ultra-bright transient (SN 2010gx) detected in the Pan-STARRS 1 sky survey In common with other transients in this family, early-time spectra show a blue continuum and prominent broad absorption lines of O II However, about 25 days after discovery, the spectra developed type Ic supernova features, showing the characteristic broad Fe II and Si II absorption lines Detailed, post-maximum follow-up may show that all SN 2005ap and SCP-06F6 type transients are linked to supernovae Ic This poses problems in understanding the physics of the explosions: there is no indication from late-time photometry that the luminosity is powered by 56Ni, the broad light curves suggest very large ejected masses, and the slow spectral evolution is quite different from typical Ic timescales The nature of the progenitor stars and the origin of the luminosity are intriguing and open questions

A global comparison of plant invasions on oceanic islands

Abstract: Oceanic islands have long been considered to be particularly vulnerable to biotic invasions, and much research has focused on invasive plants on oceanic islands. However, findings from individual islands have rarely been compared between islands within or between biogeographic regions. We present in this study the most comprehensive, standardized dataset to date on the global distribution of invasive plant species in natural areas of oceanic islands. We compiled lists of moderate (5–25% cover) and dominant (>25% cover) invasive plant species for 30 island groups from four oceanic regions (Atlantic, Caribbean, Pacific, and Western Indian Ocean). To assess consistency of plant behaviour across island groups, we also recorded present but not invasive species in each island group. We tested the importance of different factors discussed in the literature in predicting the number of invasive plant species per island group, including island area and isolation, habitat diversity, native species diversity, and human development. Further we investigated whether particular invasive species are consistently and predictably invasive across island archipelagos or whether island-specific factors are more important than species traits in explaining the invasion success of particular species. We found in total 383 non-native spermatophyte plants that were invasive in natural areas on at least one of the 30 studied island groups, with between 3 and 74 invaders per island group. Of these invaders about 50% (181 species) were dominants or co-dominants of a habitat in at least one island group. An extrapolation from species accumulation curves across the 30 island groups indicates that the total current flora of invasive plants on oceanic islands at latitudes between c. 35°N and 35°S may eventually consist of 500–800 spermatophyte species, with 250–350 of these being dominant invaders in at least one island group. The number of invaders per island group was well predicted by a combination of human development (measured by the gross domestic product (GDP) per capita), habitat diversity (number of habitat types), island age, and oceanic region (87% of variation explained). Island area, latitude, isolation from continents, number of present, non-native species with a known invasion history, and native species richness were not retained as significant factors in the multivariate models. Among 259 invaders present in at least five island groups, only 9 species were dominant invaders in at least 50% of island groups where they were present. Most species were invasive only in one to a few island groups although they were typically present in many more island groups. Consequently, similarity between island groups was low for invader floras but considerably higher for introduced (but not necessarily invasive) species – especially in pairs of island groups that are spatially close or similar in latitude. Hence, for invasive plants of natural areas, biotic homogenization among oceanic islands may be driven by the recurrent deliberate human introduction of the same species to different islands, while post-introduction processes during establishment and spread in natural areas tend to reduce similarity in invader composition between oceanic islands. We discuss a number of possible mechanisms, including time lags, propagule pressure, local biotic and abiotic factors, invader community assembly history, and genotypic differences that may explain the inconsistent performance of particular invasive species in different island groups.

Western Boundary Currents and Frontal Air–Sea Interaction: Gulf Stream and Kuroshio Extension

Abstract: In the Northern Hemisphere midlatitude western boundary current (WBC) systems there is a complex interaction between dynamics and thermodynamics and between atmosphere and ocean. Their potential contribution to the climate system motivated major parallel field programs in both the North Pacific [Kuroshio Extension System Study (KESS)] and the North Atlantic [Climate Variability and Predictability (CLIVAR) Mode Water Dynamics Experiment (CLIMODE)], and preliminary observations and analyses from these programs highlight that complexity. The Gulf Stream (GS) in the North Atlantic and the Kuroshio Extension (KE) in the North Pacific have broad similarities, as subtropical gyre WBCs, but they also have significant differences, which affect the regional air–sea exchange processes and their larger-scale interactions. The 15-yr satellite altimeter data record, which provides a rich source of information, is combined here with the longer historical record from in situ data to describe and compare the curr...

TRPM7 is essential for Mg 2+ homeostasis in mammals

Abstract: Magnesium is an essential element of the diet and is a cofactor for many enzymes. In this study, the channel kinase TRPM7 is shown to be essential for magnesium homeostasis, and heterozygous mice lacking the kinase domain show a defect in absorption of magnesium from the diet.

Restaurant Servicescape, Service Encounter, and Perceived Congruency on Customers' Emotions and Satisfaction

Abstract: This study examines the relative impact of physical surroundings and customer-employee interactions on customers' emotions and satisfaction. A field study was conducted in an actual restaurant setting. Subjects were interviewed at the end of the meal and asked to complete a survey instrument. Results indicate that both the servicescape and the service encounter influence pleasure and satisfaction. In addition, perceived congruency (i.e., matching the restaurant theme with food served, and matching the exterior look with the interior decor) had a positive impact on pleasure level, while such impact on arousal was minimal. Further, perceived congruency and pleasure had a joint impact on satisfaction. Managerial and future research implications are reported and discussed.

Return Reversals, Idiosyncratic Risk, and Expected Returns

Abstract: The empirical evidence on the cross-sectional relation between idiosyncratic risk and expected stock returns is mixed. We demonstrate that the omission of the previous month's stock returns can lead to a negatively biased estimate of the relation. The magnitude of the omitted variable bias depends on the approach to estimating the conditional idiosyncratic volatility. Although a negative relation exists when the estimate is based on daily returns, it disappears after return reversals are controlled for. Return reversals can explain both the negative relation between value-weighted portfolio returns and idiosyncratic volatility and the insignificant relation between equal-weighted portfolio returns and idiosyncratic volatility. In contrast, there is a significantly positive relation between the conditional idiosyncratic volatility estimated from monthly data and expected returns. This relation remains robust after controlling for return reversals. The Author 2009. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Society for Financial Studies. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org., Oxford University Press.

Decadal Shift in El Niño Influences on Indo–Western Pacific and East Asian Climate in the 1970s*

Abstract: El Nino’s influence on the subtropical northwest (NW) Pacific climate increased after the climate regime shift of the 1970s. This is manifested in well-organized atmospheric anomalies of suppressed convection and a surface anticyclone during the summer (June–August) of the El Nino decay year [JJA(1)], a season when equatorial Pacific sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies have dissipated. In situ observations and ocean–atmospheric reanalyses are used to investigate mechanisms for the interdecadal change. During JJA(1), the influence of the El Nino–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) on the NW Pacific is indirect, being mediated by SST conditions over the tropical Indian Ocean (TIO). The results here show that interdecadal change in this influence is due to changes in the TIO response to ENSO. During the postregime shift epoch, the El Nino teleconnection excites downwelling Rossby waves in the south TIO by anticyclonic wind curls. These Rossby waves propagate slowly westward, causing persistent SST warmi...

Programmed necrosis induced by asbestos in human mesothelial cells causes high-mobility group box 1 protein release and resultant inflammation

Abstract: Asbestos carcinogenesis has been linked to the release of cytokines and mutagenic reactive oxygen species (ROS) from inflammatory cells. Asbestos is cytotoxic to human mesothelial cells (HM), which appears counterintuitive for a carcinogen. We show that asbestos-induced HM cell death is a regulated form of necrosis that links to carcinogenesis. Asbestos-exposed HM activate poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, secrete H2O2, deplete ATP, and translocate high-mobility group box 1 protein (HMGB1) from the nucleus to the cytoplasm, and into the extracellular space. The release of HMGB1 induces macrophages to secrete TNF-α, which protects HM from asbestos-induced cell death and triggers a chronic inflammatory response; both favor HM transformation. In both mice and hamsters injected with asbestos, HMGB1 was specifically detected in the nuclei, cytoplasm, and extracellular space of mesothelial and inflammatory cells around asbestos deposits. TNF-α was coexpressed in the same areas. HMGB1 levels in asbestos-exposed individuals were significantly higher than in nonexposed controls (P < 0.0001). Our findings identify the release of HMGB1 as a critical initial step in the pathogenesis of asbestos-related disease, and provide mechanistic links between asbestos-induced cell death, chronic inflammation, and carcinogenesis. Chemopreventive approaches aimed at inhibiting the chronic inflammatory response, and especially blocking HMGB1, may decrease the risk of malignant mesothelioma among asbestos-exposed cohorts.