Parasites of the genera Plasmodium and Haemoproteus (Apicomplexa: Haemosporida) are a diverse group of pathogens that infect birds nearly worldwide. Despite their ubiquity, the ecological and evolutionary factors that shape the diversity and distribution of these protozoan parasites among avian communities and geographic regions are poorly understood. Based on a survey throughout the Neotropics of

Haemosporidian parasites (genera Plasmodium and Haemoproteus) are common blood parasites of birds transmitted by dipteran insect vectors. We analyzed blood samples from 329 individuals of 43 bird species in eastern Tennessee to better understand the relationship between the local community of birds and their blood parasites, including the distribution of parasites across hosts and the underlying e

Parasite specialization on one or a few host species leads to a reduction in the total number of available host individuals, which may decrease transmission. However, specialists are thought to be able to compensate by increased prevalence in the host population and increased success in each individual host. Here, we use variation in host breadth among a community of avian Haemosporida to investig

Forested countries in the global south that have agreed to engage in REDD+, a policy mechanism for addressing climate change, are receiving support to improve laws, policies, systems and structures. As a mechanism initiated at the global level and seeking to use forests to address a global commons crisis (atmospheric carbon concentration), understanding how REDD+ translates into implementation at

Partially premixed combustion using gasoline-like fuels on compression ignition engines shows great potentials to break the soot-nitrogen oxides trade off and reduce both emissions simultaneously. By simply adjusting the dilution strategies and injection events, the control of partially premixed combustion is relatively easier compared to other low-temperature combustion concepts. However despite

We develop fixed-point algorithms for the approximation of structured matrices with rank penalties. In particular we use these fixed-point algorithms for making approximations by sums of exponentials, i.e., frequency estimation. For the basic formulation of the fixed-point algorithm we show that it converges to the solution of a related minimization problem, namely the one obtained by replacing th

Serum levels of parathyroid hormone (PTH), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), calcium, creatinine, and vitamin D and the glomerular filtration rate were compared with the histologic properties and expression of PTH and chromogranin A in excised parathyroid adenomas from patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (pHPT). PTH and chromogranin A were detected immunohistochemically, and their mRNA was demonst

Overbank flooding caused by historically high flows, such as that in the Rio Mundaú watershed (lying between the states of Alagoas and Pernambuco) in 2010, has been the cause of widespread damage. The purpose of work described in this paper was to propose a mapping of areas liable to flooding in the township of Rio Largo (Alagoas) in the Rio Mundaú watershed by means of an “off-line” coupling of t

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) and inflammatory markers have been associated with various neuro-psychiatric disorders. However, their role in mild to moderate depression and anxiety patients treated with mindfulness-based group therapy (mindfulness) or cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is not known. In this study we analyzed plasma levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, high sensitivity C-reactive pr

This Note introduces the Heads of Government dataset, which provides summary information about the ideological orientation of heads of government (left, center, or right, with separately provided information about religious orientation) in 33 states in Western Europe, the Americas, and the Asia–Pacific region between 1870 and 2012. The Note also describes some intriguing empirical patterns when it

Controlling robots in real-time over a wireless inter- face present fundamental challenges for forthcoming fifth gen- eration wireless networks. Mission critical real-time applications such as telesurgery over the tactile Internet require a commu- nication link that is both ultra-reliable and low-latency, and that simultaneously serving multiple devices and applications. Wireless performance requi

As was the case with brand management, the loyalty and relationship perspective first appeared in the 1970s and gained momentum in the 1990s. Loyalty and relationship building are key parts of the dominant brand management models, and in many models, loyalty is the goal of brand building and the ultimate sign of a strong brand. In addition, a customer that is loyal to the brand not only repurchase