Elizabeth Engel nee Benjamin-Rasmussen with her daughter Dorel Hall nee Engel in Elizabeth's home; Silver Springs, Maryland Portraits Family

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John and Ursula Schlosstein nee Gottschalk with their infant son Ralph. portraits family

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Satellite Telemetry and Long-Range Bat Movements.

Background: Understanding the long-distance movement of bats has direct relevance to studies of population dynamics, ecology, disease emergence, and conservation. Methodology/Principal Findings: We developed and trialed several collar and platform terminal transmitter (PTT) combinations on both free-living and captive fruit bats (Family Pteropodidae: Genus Pteropus). We examined transmitter weight, size, profile and comfort as key determinants of maximized transmitter activity. We then tested the importance of bat-related variables (species size/weight, roosting habitat and behavior) and environmental variables (day-length, rainfall pattern) in determining optimal collar/PTT configuration. We compared battery- and solar-powered PTT performance in various field situations, and found the latter more successful in maintaining voltage on species that roosted higher in the tree canopy, and at lower density, than those that roost more densely and lower in trees. Finally, we trialed transmitter accuracy, and found that actual distance errors and Argos location class error estimates were in broad agreement. Conclusions/Significance: We conclude that no single collar or transmitter design is optimal for all bat species, and that species size/weight, species ecology and study objectives are key design considerations. Our study provides a strategy for collar and platform choice that will be applicable to a larger number of bat species as transmitter size and weight continue to decrease in the future.

Simulation of parthenium weed canopy under changing climate using L-systems

Parthenium weed (Parthenium hysterophorus L.) is an erect, branched, annual plant of the family Asteraceae. It is native to the tropical Americas, while now widely distributed throughout Africa, Asia, Oceania, and Australasia. Due to its allelopathic and toxic characteristics, parthenium weed has been considered to be a weed of global significance. These effects occur across agriculture (crops and pastures), within natural ecosystems, and has impacts upon health (human and animals). Although integrated weed management (IWM) for parthenium weed has had some success, due to its tolerance and good adaptability to temperature, precipitation, and CO2, this weed has been predicted to become more vigorous under a changing climate resulting in an altered canopy architecture. From the viewpoint of IWM, the altered canopy architecture may be associated with not only improved competitive ability and replacement but also may alter the effectiveness of biocontrol agents and other management strategies. This paper reports on a preliminary study on parthenium weed canopy architecture at three temperature regimes (day/night 22/15 °C, 27/20 °C, and 32/25 °C in thermal time 12/12 hours) and establishes a threedimensional (3D) canopy model using Lindenmayer-systems (L-systems). This experiment was conducted in a series of controlled environment rooms with parthenium weed plants being grown in a heavy clay soil. A sonic digitizer system was used to record the morphology, topology, and geometry of the plants for model construction. The main findings include the determination of the phyllochron which enables the prediction of parthenium weed growth under different temperature regimes and that increased temperature enhances growth and enlarges the plants canopy size and structure. The developed 3D canopy model provides a tool to simulate and predict the weed growth in response to temperature, and can be adjusted for studies of other climatic variables such as precipitation and CO2. Further studies are planned to investigate the effects of other climatic variables, and the predicted changes in the pathogenic biocontrol agent effectiveness.

Therese Godshaw's nee Molling 70th birthday party at the Krakauer home; Boston Portraits Family

Left to right behind table: John Krakauer, Donald, Michael and Robert Godshaw (Children of Hal and Anne), Grandma Therese Godshaw nee Molling, Julius Pick (Grandfather of Robert, Michael and Donald). In front of table: Wendy and Gerry Godshaw (children of Kurt and Edith.

Outdoor family portrait after the memorial services for Therese Godshaw nee Molling at Hal Godshaws house; Argonne Drive, Kenmore, New York.

Front row from left to right: Robert Godshaw, Wendy Godshaw, Rosel Pick (Anne Godshaw's mother), Debbie Godshaw born Mariner, Hal Godshaaw, Francis Schlosstein; 2nd row from left to right: David Dysert, Mickey Sloan born McMath, Edith Godshaw nee Osterer, baby (probably Gary Godshaw), Anne Godshaw born Pick, Julius Pick (Anne's father), Ursula Schlosstein born Gottschalk, Elizabeth Krakauer nee Gottschalk, Michael Godshaw; back row from left to right: Charlie Sloan, Gerald Godshaw (partially hidden), unknown, Kurt Godshaw, John Krakauer, Donald Godshaw, Tom Krakauer, Ralph Schlosstein, John Schlosstein.

Portrait of Elly Goldschmidt and her children Ilse and Robert. Portraits Family

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Portrait of Joseph and his sister Elly Schoenbeck; Cologne, Germany. Portraits family

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Ilse and Robert Goldschmidt with their parents Albert Goldschmidt and Elly nee Schoenbeck grandfather Albert Schoenbeck and great grandmother Sophie Schoenbeck nee Mahler. Portraits Family

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Microarrays in Molecular Profiling of Ewing Sarcoma Family of Tumors and CDKN2A Aberrations

Background: The Ewing sarcoma family of tumors (ESFT) are rare but highly malignant neoplasms that occur mainly in bone or but also in soft tissue. ESFT affects patients typically in their second decade of life, whereby children and adolescents bear the heaviest incidence burden. Despite recent advances in the clinical management of ESFT patients, their prognosis and survival are still disappointingly poor, especially in cases with metastasis. No targeted therapy for ESFT patients is currently available. Moreover, based merely on current clinical and biological characteristics, accurate classification of ESFT patients often fails at the time of diagnosis. Therefore, there is a constant need for novel molecular biomarkers to be applied in tandem with conventional parameters to further intensify ESFT risk-stratification and treatment selection, and ultimately to develop novel targeted therapies. In this context, a greater understanding of the genetics and immune characteristics of ESFT is needed. Aims: This study sought to open novel insights into gene copy number changes and gene expression in ESFT and, further, to enlighten the role of inflammation in ESFT. For this purpose, microarrays were used to provide gene-level information on a genomewide scale. In addition, this study focused on screening of 9p21.3 deletion sizes and frequencies in ESFT and, in another pediatric cancer, acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), in order to define more exact criteria for highrisk patient selection and to provide data for developing a more reliable diagnostic method to detect CDKN2A deletions. Results: In study I, 20 novel ESFT-associated suppressor genes and oncogenes were pinpointed using combined array CGH and expression analysis. In addition, interesting chromosomal rearrangements were identified: (1) Duplication of derivative chromosome der(22)(11;22) was detected in three ESFT patients. This duplication included the EWSR1-FLI1 fusion gene leading to increase in its copy number; (2) Cryptic amplifications on chromosomes 20 and 22 were detected, suggesting a novel translocation between chromosomes 20 and 22, which most probably produces a fusion between EWSR1 and NFATC2. In study II, bioinformatic analysis of ESFT expression profiles showed that inflammatory gene activation is detectable in ESFT patient samples and that the activation is characterized by macrophage gene expression. Most interestingly, ESFT patient samples were shown to express certain inflammatory genes that were prognostically significant. High local expression of C5 and JAK1 at the tumor site was shown to associate with favorable clinical outcome, whereas high local expression of IL8 was shown to be detrimental. Studies III and IV showed that the smallest overlapping region of deletion in 9p21.3 includes CDKN2A in all cases and that the length of this region is 12.2 kb in both Ewing sarcoma and ALL. Furthermore, our results showed that the most widely used commercial CDKN2A FISH probe creates false negative results in the narrowest microdeletion cases (<190 kb). Therefore, more accurate methods should be developed for the detection of deletions in the CDKN2A locus. Conclusions: This study provides novel insights into the genetic changes involved in the biology of ESFT, in the interaction between ESFT cells and immune system, and in the inactivation of CDKN2A. Novel ESFT biomarker genes identified in this study serve as a useful resource for future studies and in developing novel therapeutic strategies to improve the survival of patients with ESFT.

Gottschalk Family on porch of Kurhaus Brunig; Norderney, Germany. Business Establishments; Hotels

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Therese Godshaw (Gottschalk) nee Molling walking with Elizabeth Krakauer nee Gottschalk; Prescott, Arizona Portraits Family

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Gottschalk family in the park; Hannover, Germany. Portraits Family

Left to right: Therese Godshaw (Gottschalk) nee Molling, Walter, Freddy, Grandmother Henriette Gottschalk nee Rothschild, Ursula, Hal and Kurt