Competitive intransitivity, population interaction structure, and strategy coexistence.

Intransitive competition occurs when competing strategies cannot be listed in a hierarchy, but rather form loops-as in the game rock-paper-scissors. Due to its cyclic competitive replacement, competitive intransitivity promotes strategy coexistence, both in rock-paper-scissors and in higher-richness communities. Previous work has shown that this intransitivity-mediated coexistence is strongly influenced by spatially explicit interactions, compared to when populations are well mixed.

Applications of low altitude remote sensing in agriculture upon farmers' requests--a case study in northeastern Ontario, Canada.

With the growth of the low altitude remote sensing (LARS) industry in recent years, their practical application in precision agriculture seems all the more possible. However, only a few scientists have reported using LARS to monitor crop conditions. Moreover, there have been concerns regarding the feasibility of such systems for producers given the issues related to the post-processing of images, technical expertise, and timely delivery of information.

ABCG transporters are required for suberin and pollen wall extracellular barriers in Arabidopsis.

Effective regulation of water balance in plants requires localized extracellular barriers that control water and solute movement. We describe a clade of five Arabidopsis thaliana ABCG half-transporters that are required for synthesis of an effective suberin barrier in roots and seed coats (ABCG2, ABCG6, and ABCG20) and for synthesis of an intact pollen wall (ABCG1 and ABCG16). Seed coats of abcg2 abcg6 abcg20 triple mutant plants had increased permeability to tetrazolium red and decreased suberin content.

Extracellular lipids of Camelina sativa: characterization of chloroform-extractable waxes from aerial and subterranean surfaces.

Camelina sativa (L.) Crantz is an emerging low input, stress tolerant crop with seed oil composition suitable for biofuel and bioproduct production. The chemical compositions and ultrastructural features of surface waxes from C.

ZENK activation in the nidopallium of black-capped chickadees in response to both conspecific and heterospecific calls.

Neuronal populations in the songbird nidopallium increase in activity the most to conspecific vocalizations relative to heterospecific songbird vocalizations or artificial stimuli such as tones. Here, we tested whether the difference in neural activity between conspecific and heterospecific vocalizations is due to acoustic differences or to the degree of phylogenetic relatedness of the species producing the vocalizations. To compare differences in neural responses of black-capped chickadees, Poecile atricapillus, to playback conditions we used a known marker for neural activity, ZENK, in the caudal medial nidopallium and caudomedial mesopallium.

The behavioural response of adult Petromyzon marinus to damage-released alarm and predator cues.

Using semi-natural enclosures, this study investigated (1) whether adult sea lamprey Petromyzon marinus show avoidance of damage-released conspecific cues, damage-released heterospecific cues and predator cues and (2) whether this is a general response to injured heterospecific fishes or a specific response to injured P. marinus. Ten replicate groups of 10 adult P.

Accounting for soil biotic effects on soil health and crop productivity in the design of crop rotations.

There is an urgent need for novel agronomic improvements capable of boosting crop yields while alleviating environmental impacts. One such approach is the use of optimized crop rotations. However, a set of measurements that can serve as guiding principles for the design of crop rotations is lacking.

Effects of 'target' plant species body size on neighbourhood species richness and composition in old-field vegetation.

Competition is generally regarded as an important force in organizing the structure of vegetation, and evidence from several experimental studies of species mixtures suggests that larger mature plant size elicits a competitive advantage. However, these findings are at odds with the fact that large and small plant species generally coexist, and relatively smaller species are more common in virtually all plant communities. Here, we use replicates of ten relatively large old-field plant species to explore the competitive impact of target individual size on their surrounding neighbourhoods compared to nearby neighbourhoods of the same size that are not centred by a large target individual.

Mitigation of antagonistic effects on plant growth due to root co-colonization by dark septate endophytes and ectomycorrhiza.

Dark septate endophytes (DSE) are very common root colonizers of woody plant species. Ascomycetes of the Phialocephala fortinii s.l.

Exposure to air pollution near a steel plant and effects on cardiovascular physiology: a randomized crossover study.

Background: Iron and steel industry is an important source of air pollution emissions. Few studies have investigated cardiovascular effects of air pollutants emitted from steel plants.

Objective: We examined the influence of outdoor air pollution in the vicinity of a steel plant on cardiovascular physiology in Sault Ste.

Isolate identity determines plant tolerance to pathogen attack in assembled mycorrhizal communities.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are widespread soil microorganisms that associate mutualistically with plant hosts. AMF receive photosynthates from the host in return for various benefits. One of such benefits is in the form of enhanced pathogen tolerance.

Computerisation in general practice: lessons for Canada from the UK and Australia.

In 2000 Shaw and Kidd published an article on the lessons that could be learned from the UK in general practice computerization. Over a decade later many of these lessons remain yet to be learned. Hence Shaw & Bainbridge felt that it was time to revisit these issues and review progress made against each in both the UK and Australia in an effort to help Canada learn the lessons as it follows behind both countries.

A general P300 brain-computer interface presentation paradigm based on performance guided constraints.

An electroencephalographic-based brain-computer interface (BCI) can provide a non-muscular method of communication. A general model for P300-based BCI stimulus presentations is introduced--the "m choose n" or C(m (number of flashes per sequence), n (number of flashes per item)) paradigm, which is a universal extension of the previously reported checkerboard paradigm (CBP). C(m,n) captures all possible (unconstrained) ways to flash target items, and then applies constraints to enhance ERP's produced by attended matrix items.

Geographical information systems and health: current state and future directions.

This paper provides an introduction to Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and how they can be used. It reviews the current state of GIS use in health care before identifying the barriers to more pervasive use of GIS in health. Finally, it makes recommendations for the direction of health GIS research over the next decade and concludes with a call to action to health informatics researchers to stop ignoring a tool and methodology that has such immense potential for improving the health of our communities.

Copper toxicity to Lemna minor modelled using humic acid as a surrogate for the plant root.

Humic acids are chemically analogous to plant root cell walls in that their surface sites are principally comprised of carboxylic and phenolic acids which bind both metals and protons. Based on this analogy, we developed a biotic-ligand type of model to predict Cu toxicity to Lemna minor, using particulate humic acid (HA(part)) of the Windermere Humic Aqueous Model (WHAM), and 7d static-renewal exposures with five surface waters and one nutrient media which varied in DOC (1-10 mg L(-1)), pH (6.9-8.

Evidence for functional divergence in arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi from contrasting climatic origins.

A considerable amount of phenotypic, genetic and symbiotic functional variability has been documented in arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). However, little is known about whether distinct AMF ecotypes have evolved within their geographic range. We tested the hypothesis that AMF growing at temperatures closer to those prevalent within their origin would benefit their host and grow more than isolates distant from their native conditions.

A novel P300-based brain-computer interface stimulus presentation paradigm: moving beyond rows and columns.

Objective: An electroencephalographic brain-computer interface (BCI) can provide a non-muscular means of communication for people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or other neuromuscular disorders. We present a novel P300-based BCI stimulus presentation - the checkerboard paradigm (CBP). CBP performance is compared to that of the standard row/column paradigm (RCP) introduced by Farwell and Donchin (1988).

Deterministic assembly of land snail communities according to species size and diet.

1. We investigated whether coexisting snail species in 145 treeless fen communities in the Western Carpathian Mountains differed more in size and diet than would be expected by chance, as predicted for traits commonly associated with competition and differential resource acquisition under limiting similarity theory. 2.

Mixed infections and the competitive fitness of faster-acting genetically modified viruses.

Faster-acting recombinant baculoviruses have shown potential for improved suppression of insect pests, but their ecological impact on target and nontarget hosts and naturally occurring pathogens needs to be assessed. Previous studies have focused on the fitness of recombinants at the between-hosts level. However, the population structure of the transmission stages will also be decided by within-host selection.

Within and between population variation in disease resistance in cyclic populations of western tent caterpillars: a test of the disease defence hypothesis.

1. Epizootics of nucleopolyhedrovirus (NPV) are an obvious component of the population fluctuations of several species of temperate forest Lepidoptera, including the western tent caterpillar, Malacosoma californicum pluviale (Dyer). An observed relationship between epizootics and the subsequent reduction in fecundity of populations led to the formulation of the disease defence hypothesis.

Eyewitness misidentification: single vs. double-blind comparison of photospread administration.

Interactive effects of photospread procedures (blind administration or has knowledge of suspect identity) and presentation techniques (sequential or simultaneous photospreads) on false eyewitness identification rates were examined. Of 117 subjects (57 men and 60 women), 87 served as a witness sample and 30 as a photospread administrator sample. Witnesses viewed a 20-sec.

A comparison of common spatial patterns with complex band power features in a four-class BCI experiment.

We report on the offline analysis of four-class brain-computer interface (BCI) data recordings. Although the analysis is done within defined time windows (cue-based BCI), our goal is to work toward an approach which classifies on-going electroencephalogram (EEG) signals without the use of such windows (un-cued BCI). To that end, we provide some elements of that analysis related to timing issues that will become important as we pursue this goal in the future.

Continuous EEG classification during motor imagery--simulation of an asynchronous BCI.

Nearly all electroencephalogram (EEG)-based brain-computer interface (BCI) systems operate in a cue-paced or synchronous mode. This means that the onset of mental activity (thought) is externally-paced and the EEG has to be analyzed in predefined time windows. In the near future, BCI systems that allow the user to intend a specific mental pattern whenever she/he wishes to produce such patterns will also become important.

Recording and marking with silicon multichannel electrodes.

This protocol describes an implementation of recording and analysis of evoked potentials in the hippocampal cortex, combined with lesioning using multichannel silicon probes. Multichannel recording offers the advantage of capturing a potential field at one instant in time. The potentials are then subjected to current source density (CSD) analysis, to reveal the layer-by-layer current sources and sinks.

Effects of humor on test anxiety and performance.

The present study evaluated the moderating effects of humor in test items on the hypothesized relationship between test anxiety and performance. Subjects initially completed anxiety scales, as well as coping-humor and sense-of-humor scales. 34 women and 26 men received achievement tests under one of three test conditions: (1) nonhumorous, (2) low-humor (15% of test items), or (3) moderate-humor (30% of test items).