bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cutting Edge: FcγRIII (CD16) and FcγRI (CD64) Are Responsible for Anti-Glycoprotein 75 Monoclonal Antibody TA99 Therapy for Experimental Metastatic B16 Melanoma
Authors: Albanesi Marcello , Mancardi David A. , Macdonald Lynn E. , Iannascoli Bruno , Zitvogel Laurence , Murphy Andrew J. , Leusen Jeanette H. , Bruhns Pierre
Published: November 2012

mAb therapy for experimental metastatic melanoma relies on activating receptors for the Fc portion of IgG (FcγR). Opposing results on the respective contribution of mouse FcγRI, FcγRIII, and FcγRIV have been reported using the gp75-expressing B16 melanoma and the protective anti-gp75 mAb TA99. We analyzed the contribution of FcγRs to this therapy model using bioluminescent measurement of lung metastases loads, novel mouse strains, and anti-FcγR blocking mAbs. We found that the TA99 mAb-mediated effects in a combination therapy using cyclophosphamide relied on activating FcγRs. The combination therapy, however, was not more efficient than mAb therapy alone. We demonstrate that FcγRI and, unexpectedly, FcγRIII contributed to TA99 mAb therapeutic effects, whereas FcγRIV did not. Therefore, FcγRIII and FcγRI are, together, responsible for anti-gp75 mAb therapy of B16 lung metastases. Our finding that mouse FcγRIII contributes to Ab-induced tumor reduction correlates with clinical data on its human functional equivalent human FcγRIIIA (CD16A).
Oral Hygiene Status of Individuals with Cardiovascular Diseases and Associated Risk Factors
Authors: Shetty Divya , Dua Mahima , Kumar Kiran , Dhanpal Raghu , Astekar Madhusudan , Shetty Devi Charan
Published: November 2012

Dentist and oral health screening may be the latest weapon in identifying persons at risk of cardiovascular disease. Oral infections, specifically periodontitis, may confer independent risks for different systemic conditions. The risk factors associated with cardiovascular diseases also suggest that the relationship between periodontal disease and diabetes works in both ways. The aim of this study was to support and strengthen the association and relationship between oral hygiene status of individuals with cardiovascular diseases and its associated risk factors. A simple random sampling was carried out in 200 inhabitants of Western Utter Pradesh, India. An oral health visit and examination was made for an equal number of males and females of different age groups with cardiovascular diseases. Evaluation of the oral status was made by means of an oral hygiene index, community periodontal index of treatment needs and loss of attachment. Evaluation of oral status in patients with cardiovascular diseases and in the control group has shown a statistically significant low level of oral health in patients with cardiovascular diseases as compared to control. Prevalence of systemic diseases in different age groups significantly correlated with the prevalence of severe periodontal diseases. Treating gum disease may reduce the risk of heart disease and improve health outcomes for patients with periodontal disease and vascular heart problems.
Cholesterol granuloma of the anterior mediastinum with osseous metaplasia
Authors: Ezzat Tarek Frederick , Alowami Salem
Published: November 2012

Cholesterol granuloma is a well-characterized entity comprised of a foreign-body giant cell-reaction that forms in response to the presence of cholesterol crystals. It is usually found in the middle-ear or mastoid process in patients with diseases associated with chronic inflammation such as cholesteatoma and otitis media. They are rarely seen in the mediastinum. Osseous metaplasia is an exceedingly rare feature of cholesterol granulomas only reported twice in the literature. We report a case of a cholesterol granuloma of the anterior mediastinum with osseous metaplasia in a 75 year-old man that was found incidentally during urgent coronary artery bypass graft surgery.
A rare case of extensive ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast with secretory features
Authors: Sato Takanobu , Iwasaki Akira , Iwama Takeo , Kawai Shigeo , Nakagawa Tsuyoshi , Sugihara Kenichi
Published: November 2012

We report a very rare case of extensive ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) of the breast with secretory features in a 30-year old Japanese woman. The patient presented with a nodule in the lower inner quadrant of the left breast measuring approximately 2–3 cm, accompanied by an irregular tumor shadow with segmental microcalcification on mammography. These findings suggested malignancy, and excisional biopsy was performed following core needle biopsy. Pathological diagnosis was that of DCIS with secretory features. A treatment plan of simple mastectomy and sentinel lymph node biopsy was chosen. Most previous reports have only described invasive secretory carcinoma of the breast. We have only been able to find 2 case reports of non-invasive secretory lesion in the English literature to date. Because the characteristics of this lesion are not widely known, we thought it important to share our findings.
The implementation of inclusive education in South Africa: Reflections arising from a workshop for teachers and therapists to introduce Universal Design for Learning
Authors: Dalton Elizabeth M. , Mckenzie Judith A. , Kahonde Callista
Published: November 2012

South Africa has adopted an inclusive education policy in order to address barriers to learning in the education system. However, the implementation of this policy is hampered by the lack of teachers’ skills and knowledge in differentiating the curriculum to address a wide range of learning needs. In this paper we provided a background to inclusive education policy in South Africa and a brief exposition of an instructional design approach, Universal Design for Learning (UDL) that addresses a wide range of learning needs in a single classroom. We reported on a workshop conducted with teachers and therapists in South Africa as a first attempt to introduce UDL in this context. Knowledge of UDL was judged to be appropriate and useful by the course participants in the South African context as a strategy for curriculum differentiation in inclusive classrooms. Furthermore, knowledge of the UDL framework facilitates dialogue between teachers and therapists and provides a relatively simple and comprehensive approach for curriculum differentiation. We therefore conclude that there is potential for this approach that can be expanded through further teacher training.
Stigma, medication adherence and coping mechanism among people living with HIV attending General Hospital, Lagos Island, Nigeria
Authors: Sekoni Adekemi O. , Obidike Obinna R. , Balogun Mobolanle R.
Published: November 2012

Background: People living with HIV and AIDS (PLWHA) experience some form of stigma which could lead to poor medication adherence.Objectives: This study assessed the various domains of stigma experienced by PLWHAs attending an HIV clinic at General Hospital, Lagos Island, their medication adherence patterns and their coping mechanisms for ensuring adherence to antiretroviral therapy.Method: A cross-sectional study design with a sample size of 200 was used. Respondents were selected using systematic random sampling. Interviewers administered structured questionnaires were used to collect information on the domains of stigma. Data was analysed using EPI info©. This was followed by a focus group discussion (FGD) with seven participants at the clinic using an interview guide with open-ended questions.Results: Overall, stigma was experienced by 35% of the respondents. Within this group, 6.6%, 37.1%, 43.1% and 98.0% of the respondents reported experiencing negative self image stigma, personalised stigma, disclosure stigma and public attitude stigma respectively. Almost 90% of the respondents were adherent. The FGD revealed that disclosure was usually confined to family members and the coping mechanism for achieving adherence was to put antiretroviral (ARVs) in unlabelled pill boxes.Conclusion: This study found that stigma was low and that the most common domain of stigma experienced was public attitude stigma. Medication adherence of respondents was good as a result of the coping mechanism, which involves putting ARVs in unlabelled pill boxes.
Phenotypic variation of side-oats grama grass [Bouteloua curtipendula (Michx.) Torr.] collections from the Canadian prairie
Authors: Schellenberg M. P. , Biligetu B. , McLeod G. J. , Wang Z.
Published: November 2012

Schellenberg, M. P., Biligetu, B., McLeod, G. J. and Wang, Z. 2012. Phenotypic variation of side-oats grama grass [ Bouteloua curtipendula (Michx.) Torr.] collections from the Canadian prairie. Can. J. Plant Sci. 92: 1043–1048. Native prairie grasses are adapted to local climates and have the potential for development as forage grass cultivars for semiarid environments. Side-oats grama grass [Bouteloua curtipendula (Michx.) Torr.] is a drought-tolerant grass with desirable forage characteristics, and is distributed across the Canadian prairies and throughout the Great Plains. Understanding ecotypic variability of this species is a prerequisite for developing populations suitable for drier regions of western Canada. A randomized complete block field plot was established using nine seed collections from Manitoba and Saskatchewan in 2006 near Swift Current (lat. 50°25'N, long. 107°44'W), Canada. Seed yield, tiller number, plant height, foliage diameter, and days to flower of individual plants were measured for each collection in the summers of 2007 and 2010. The Sidney and Wolseley collections had taller plants with greater basal diameter. Plants from these two collections also had higher tiller number, and required fewer days to reach flowering stage. However, there was no clear ranking of these variables among other collections. Averaged flowering date was Aug. 15 for Alexander, Sidney, and Wolseley collections, Aug. 21 for Wellwood, Glenboro, and Pratt collections, and Aug. 26 for Minto and Coulter collections, respectively. Taller plants with greater tiller number for the Sidney and Wolseley collections showed a potential for further cultivar development.
Effects of fungicide, seeding date and seedling age on clubroot severity, seedling emergence and yield of canola
Authors: Hwang S. F. , Cao T. , Xiao Q. , Ahmed H. U. , Manolii V. P. , Turnbull G. D. , Gossen B. D. , Peng G. , Strelkov S.E.
Published: November 2012

Hwang, S. F., Cao, T., Xiao, Q., Ahmed, H. U., Manolii, V. P., Turnbull, G. D., Gossen, B. D., Peng, G. and Strelkov, S. E. 2012. Effects of fungicide, seeding date and seedling age on clubroot severity, seedling emergence and yield of canola. Can. J. Plant Sci. 92: 1175–1186. The infestation of seeds by Plasmodiophora brassicae can result in the transmission of clubroot disease in canola. Five fungicides, including Dynasty 100 FS (azoxystrobin), Helix Xtra (thiamethoxam+difenoconazole+metataxyl+fludioxonil), NebijinTM5SC (flusulfamide), Prosper FX (clothianidin+carbathiin+trifloxystrobin+metalaxyl), and Vitavax RS (carbathiin+thiram), were evaluated under greenhouse conditions using artificially infested canola seeds for their efficacy in eliminating seed-borne inoculum. All of the fungicides significantly reduced clubroot relative to the non-treated control, but NebijinTM5SC and Dynasty 100 FS were the most effective. However, in field trials with Cruiser 5 FS (thiamethoxam), Helix Xtra, Dynasty, Prosper and Sedaxane (pyrazole anilide) applied alone or as a mixture, none of the treatments reduced clubroot severity or improved seedling emergence or yield compared with the insecticidal control (Cruiser 5 FS) in the susceptible cultivar. Clubroot severity was lower in early-seeded canola compared with the late-seeded crops in 2 site-years. The younger seedlings had greater disease severity and reduced plant height and yield than did older seedlings in both resistant and susceptible canola cultivars. We conclude that a combination of approaches including seed treatments and manipulation of seeding dates in conjunction with deployment of resistant cultivars is necessary for the sustainable management of clubroot in canola.
Comparisons among cultivars of wheat, hulled and hulless oats: Effects of N fertilization on growth and yield
Authors: Ma B. L. , Biswas D. K. , Zhou Q. P. , Ren C. Z.
Published: November 2012

Ma, B. L., Biswas, D. K., Zhou, Q. P. and Ren, C. Z. 2012. Comparisons among cultivars of wheat, hulled and hulless oats: Effects of N fertilization on growth and yield. Can. J. Plant Sci. 92: 1213–1222. There is limited comparative research on the responses of crop growth and yield to N fertilization in hulless (Avena nuda) and hulled (Avena sativa) oats. A field study was conducted for 3 yr at Ottawa, ON, to assess the growth and grain yield of current wheat (Triticum aestivum), hulled and hulless oat cultivars with three N fertility levels. Averaged across the 3 yr, both the mid and high (75 and 150 kg N ha−1) N treatments demonstrated statistically similar, but higher, leaf area index (LAI) and total dry matter (TDM) than the 0 N treatment, regardless of crop types. At final harvest, with increasing N supply, both hulled oat Gosling and wheat cultivar AC Brio had similar and higher TDM than the hulless oat VAO-2 in 2006, whereas both oat cultivars produced much lower (P<0.01) grain yield than wheat in 2008, primarily due to early lodging of the oat cultivars. Overall, the wheat cultivar AC Brio produced the greatest grain yield with the highest harvest index (HI), followed by hulled Gosling; the hulless oat had the lowest grain yield and the lowest HI. Compared with the wheat cultivar, the lower grain yield of both hulled and hulless oats was attributed to a lower (P<0.05) HI and more severe crop lodging (especially when lodging occurred early), coupled with a higher LAI at flowering. Our results suggest that enhancing HI and resistance to crop lodging are the primary targets for both the hulled and hulless oat cultivar improvement in eastern Canada.
Morphological and molecular analyses in micropropagated berry plants acclimatized under ex vitro condition
Authors: Debnath S. C. , Vyas P. , Goyali J. C. , Igamberdiev A. U.
Published: November 2012

Debnath, S. C., Vyas, P., Goyali, J. C. and Igamberdiev, A. U. 2012. Morphological and molecular analyses in micropropagated berry plants acclimatized under ex vitro condition. Can. J. Plant Sci. 92: 1065–1073. Berry crops include, but are not limited to, the members of the genera Fragaria (strawberry; Rosaceae), Rubus (brambles: raspberry and blackberry; Rosaceae), Vaccinium (blueberry, cranberry and lingonberry; Ericaceae) and Ribes (currant and gooseberry; Grossulariaceae). While berry fruits have long enjoyed huge popularity among consumers, tremendous progress in plant tissue culture, resulting in great advances in micropropagation, has occurred. The in vitro morphogenesis seems to be highly dependent on plant growth regulators and media used for culture, which is again genotype specific. Although automation of micropropagation in bioreactors has been advanced as a possible way of reducing the cost of propagation, optimal plant production depends on better understanding of physiological and biochemical responses of plants to the signals of the culture microenvironment and an optimization of specific physical and chemical culture conditions to control the morphogenesis of berry plants in liquid culture systems. Increased branching, vigorous vegetative growth and change in biochemical components are often noted in micropropagated plants acclimatized under ex vitro condition. Clonal fidelity can be a serious problem and strategies have been developed to reduce the variation to manageable levels. Molecular markers have been introduced in tissue culture research and can potentially be used in various facets of pertinent studies with berry crops. This paper describes in depth the progress of various aspects of berry propagation in vitro, the characterization of micropropagated berry plants for morphological characters, and the employment of molecular markers in these plants for the assessment of genetic fidelity, uniformity, stability and trueness-to-type among donor plants and tissue culture regenerants.
Viruses as triggers of DNA rearrangements in host plants
Authors: Andronic Larisa
Published: November 2012

Andronic, L. 2012. Viruses as triggers of DNA rearrangements in host plants. Can. J. Plant Sci. 92: 1083–1091. Assessment of microsporogenesis in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum, cultivars Fachel, Nistru and Prizior) infected with tomato aspermy virus or potato virus X and barley (Hordeum vulgare L., cultivars Galactic, Sonor, Unirea) infected with barley stripe mosaic virus showed deviations in the conjugation of homologous chromosomes and segregation of genetic material, expressed in the disruption of chromatin cohesion between homologous chromosomes. The evidence of meiotic division in targeted genotypes indicates the effect of viral infection on chiasmata number and position, promoting the redistribution of chiasmata. On the basis of cytological study, significant changes and the induction of additional exchanges offset by asynapsis were established in early diakinesis. Different parameters, determined at particular stages of meiosis, such as chromosome aberration and the mean percentage of abnormal pollen mother cells, served as cytogenetic evaluation of microsporogenesis in virus-infected tomato or barley cultivars. The study of meiotic stability in anaphase and telophase I and II revealed a significant increase in different types of abnormalities: elimination or/and lagging chromosomes, formation of chromosome and chromatid bridges with or without fragments. Reviewed examples provide data regarding genetic rearrangements in host plants as a response to viral infection.
Reduced-stature Rosa species through in vitro mutagenesis
Authors: Baig M. M. Q. , Hafiz I. A. , Abbasi N. A. , Yaseen M. , Akram Z. , Donnelly D. J.
Published: November 2012

Baig, M. M. Q., Hafiz, I. A., Abbasi, N. A., Yaseen, M., Akram, Z. and Donnelly, D. J. 2012. Reduced-stature Rosa species through in vitro mutagenesis. Can. J. Plant Sci. 92: 1049–1055. Plant height is one of the main attributes affecting general appeal and beauty of roses (Rosa spp.). Among the highly scented rose species, R. gruss an teplitz, R. centifolia, and R. borboniana, have great potential horticultural and commercial value. However, their large plant size detracts from recent trends towards selection of smaller plants for emerging markets and high-density plantations. This study aimed to produce reduced-stature plants through in vitro mutagenesis using gamma irradiation (Co60). Shoot tips cut from micropropagated shoots were exposed up to 120 Gy. Irradiated shoot tips were micropropagated for one culture cycle. Surviving shoots were rooted in vitro then acclimatized for 2 mo in a greenhouse. The shoot tip LD50 after gamma irradiation was species-dependent and 33–54 Gy. In this dose range, survival during in vitro rooting and acclimatization was also affected; this was 64 to 24% and 34 to 14% of control values, respectively. Acclimatized transplants were 17 to 56% smaller with 16 to 51% less leaf area compared with the controls. In order to ascertain stability putative reduced-stature roses will be monitored for vegetative and floral characteristics over the next few years. This study adds to the ongoing efforts to obtain reduced-stature rose plants for horticultural purposes.
Seasonal changes in photochemistry, light use efficiency and net photosynthetic rates of wild blueberry (Vaccinium angustifoliumAit.)
Authors: Percival David , Kaur Jatinder , Hainstock Lindsay J. , Privé Jean-Pierre
Published: November 2012

Percival, D., Kaur, J., Hainstock, L. J. and Privé, J.-P. 2012. Seasonal changes in photochemistry, light use efficiency and net photosynthetic rates of wild blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium Ait.). Can. J. Plant Sci. 92: 1135–1143. The seasonal variation of carotenoid concentration, chlorophyll a and b levels, dark- (Fv/Fm) and light-adapted (Fv′/Fm′) variable to maximal chlorophyll fluorescence (an indication of the quantum efficiency of PSII photochemistry) and net photosynthesis of the wild blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium Ait.) was examined in the vegetative and cropping phases of production. Chlorophyll levels ranged from 2.0 to 12 µg cm−2and from 0.042 to 1.4 µg cm−2for chlorophyll a and b, respectively, were significantly lower in the cropping phase of production, and were also lower in the latter stages of the growing season. Similarly, carotenoid concentrations ranged from 0.67 to 4.1 µg cm−2and were lower in the cropping phase of production. However, carotenoid concentration and dark- and light-adapted variable to maximal chlorophyll fluorescence (Fv/Fm and Fv′/Fm′) decreased marketably at the mid-point of the growing season, presumably as a result of photoinhibition. Net photosynthetic values of upright stems ranged from 2.1 to 7.6 µmol m−2s−1, were substantially higher in the vegetative phase of production and also decreased significantly in the latter part of the growing season. Results from this investigation indicate that the wild blueberry has a relatively low photosynthetic rate, which may be prone to photoinhibition and limited carbohydrate supply (i.e., source) when compared with other temperate fruit crops.
Factors affecting the antioxidant potential and health benefits of plant foods
Authors: Li Hongyan , Tsao Rong , Deng Zeyuan
Published: November 2012

Li, H., Tsao, R. and Deng, Z. 2012. Factors affecting the antioxidant potential and health benefits of plant foods. Can. J. Plant Sci. 92: 1101–1111. Phytochemicals, such as carotenoids, phenolics and glucosinolates, in plants and plant-based foods are able to reduce the incidence of non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, stroke and different types of cancer due to their antioxidant potential. A brief summary of the in vitro and in vivo evidence and how post-harvest storage and processing conditions can affect the health benefits is presented in this review. Genetic, environmental conditions and physiological factors may modify the composition and amounts of these compounds present in plants, thus affecting the in vitro antioxidant activities. Such changes in combination with degradations after digestion can significantly affect the bioaccessibility and bioavailability of phytochemicals. The main objective of this review is to provide updated information on the effects of various factors such as genetics, environment, post-harvest storage and processing on the bioactive components, and knowledge of these factors can lead to multidisciplinary strategies to maximise the bioavailability and health potential of foods.
Molecular markers and antioxidant activity in berry crops: Genetic diversity analysis
Authors: Debnath S. C. , Siow Y. L. , Petkau J. , An D. , Bykova N. V.
Published: November 2012

Debnath, S. C., Siow, Y. L., Petkau, J., An, D. and Bykova, N. V. 2012. Molecular markers and antioxidant activity in berry crops: Genetic diversity analysis. Can. J. Plant Sci. 92: 1121–1133. An improved understanding of important roles of dietary fruits in maintaining human health has led to a dramatic increase of global berry crop production. Berry fruits contain relatively high levels of vitamin C, cellulose and pectin, and produce anthocyanins, which have important therapeutic values, including antitumor, antiulcer, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. There is a need to develop reliable methods to identify berry germplasm and assess genetic diversity/relatedness for dietary properties in berry genotypes for practical breeding purposes through genotype selection in a breeding program for cultivar development, and proprietary-rights protection. The introduction of molecular biology techniques, such as DNA-based markers, allows direct comparison of different genetic materials independent of environmental influences. Significant progress has been made in diversity analysis of wild cranberry, lowbush blueberry, lingonberry and cloudberry germplasm, and in strawberry and raspberry cultivars and advanced breeding lines developed in Canada. Inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers detected an adequate degree of polymorphism to differentiate among berry genotypes, making this technology valuable for cultivar identification and for the more efficient choice of parents in the current berry improvement programs. Although multiple factors affect antioxidant activity, a wide range of genetic diversity has been reported in wild and cultivated berry crops. Diversity analysis based on molecular markers did not agree with those from antioxidant activity. The paper also discusses the issues that still need to be addressed to utilize the full potential of molecular techniques including expressed sequence tag-polymerase chain reaction (EST-PCR) analysis to develop improved environment-friendly berry cultivars suited to the changing needs of growers and consumers.
Strawberry production in forced and protected culture in Europe as a response to climate change
Authors: Neri Davide , Baruzzi Gianluca , Massetani Francesca , Faedi Walther
Published: November 2012

Neri, D., Baruzzi, G., Massetani, F. and Faedi, W. 2012. Strawberry production in forced and protected culture in Europe as a response to climate change. Can. J. Plant Sci. 92: 1021–1036. In Europe, the production of strawberry for fresh market in forced and protected conditions is increasing. These techniques were initially aimed at enhancing the earliness of June-bearing short day varieties. Nowadays, the objective is to have year-round fruit availability, forcing and preserving strawberry crops against adverse weather conditions. The new high-quality low-chilling varieties widely expanded winter–spring strawberry production in the Mediterranean climate with autumn planting, while the diffusion of day-neutral ever-bearing varieties increased spring–summer yields in more continental climates, avoiding the extremely cold winter with spring planting. Finally, the use of tray-plants significantly increased late summer–fall strawberry production with summer programmed planting. The present review analyzes the recent evolution of strawberry cultivars and cultivation systems under plastic tunnels and in greenhouses. The physiological effects on plant architecture and propagation are discussed. In conclusion, we can affirm that strawberry growers are facing climate change with innovations in cultivated varieties and cultural techniques, and by the integration of the different production areas, with their specific optimum yield seasons, to continuously fulfill the demands of the European market.
Predicting weed invasion in Canada under climate change: Evaluating evolutionary potential
Authors: Clements David R. , DiTommaso Antonio
Published: November 2012

Clements, D. R. and DiTommaso, A. 2012. Predicting weed invasion in Canada under climate change: Evaluating evolutionary potential. Can. J. Plant Sci. 92: 1013–1020. Many weed species have already advanced northward from the United States into Canada, and their number threatens to increase with warming trends under climate change. For many weed species, this range expansion can be attributed to evolutionary adaptation by northern populations occurring in areas experiencing warmer climates and longer growing seasons in recent decades. In this paper, we examine the potential for invasive plant species to be selected for one or more of 10 character traits: (1) high growth rate, (2) wide climatic or environmental tolerance, (3) short generation time, (4) prolific or consistent reproduction, (5) small seed size, (6) effective dispersal, (7) uniparental reproduction capacity, (8) no specialized germination requirements, (9) high competitive ability, and (10) effective defenses against natural enemies. If any one of these traits is selected for in an invasive species, it would provide the affected species with the potential for a more expansive invasion range than anticipated by models that assume a static genotype. Four weed species of interest exhibiting potential northward range expansion within North America were evaluated: an obligatory outcrossing annual dicot, Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandilifera Royle), a mostly selfing annual dicot, velvetleaf (Abutilon theophrasti Medic.), a perennial dicot that reproduces via rhizomes but forms fertile hybrids, Japanese knotweed [Fallopia japonica (Houtt.) Ronse Decr.], and a primarily selfing perennial grass, johnsongrass [Sorghum halapense (L.) Pers.]. Evidence for potential evolutionary responses to climate change was observed among particular traits for each of the four species, despite population genetic differences. The population genetics of invasive plants are difficult to model, as is climate change itself, but consideration of weed evolution to whatever degree possible should lead to improved predictive power of such models.
Assessment of the environmental sustainability of organic farming: Definitions, indicators and the major challenges
Authors: Halberg Niels
Published: November 2012

Halberg, N. 2012. Assessment of the environmental sustainability of organic farming: Definitions, indicators and the major challenges. Can. J. Plant Sci. 92: 981–996. The debate over agricultural sustainability continues due to the challenges of reducing externalities of intensive farming methods and preserving vital natural capital, but many definitions of sustainability are too wide to allow for a prioritized assessment. This paper uses a more narrow definition of agricultural sustainability focusing on the functional integrity of a system to highlight specific aspects of vital importance for the long-term resilience and reproducibility of agricultural systems. Key areas of resource sufficiency are also identified. Based on a review of scientific literature the relative sustainability of organic agriculture is assessed with a focus on environmental impact and resource use in Europe and North America. While there are many examples of organic agriculture with improved performance in terms of soil fertility and preservation of biodiversity, in other aspects – such as resource use per kilogram product – the difference to conventional farming is less important. The paper presents a framework for selection of indicators based on the principles of organic agriculture which may be used to monitor and improve the performance of organic agriculture with respect to functional integrity and resource sufficiency. The differences between comparable organic farms may be used for improving farm practices through a benchmarking process.
Pre-Travel Health Care of Immigrants Returning Home to Visit Friends and Relatives
Authors: LaRocque Regina C. , Deshpande Bhushan R. , Rao Sowmya R. , Brunette Gary W. , Sotir Mark J. , Jentes Emily S. , Ryan Edward T. , _ _
Published: November 2012

Immigrants returning home to visit friends and relatives (VFR travelers) are at higher risk of travel-associated illness than other international travelers. We evaluated 3,707 VFR and 17,507 non-VFR travelers seen for pre-travel consultation in Global TravEpiNet during 2009–2011; all were traveling to resource-poor destinations. VFR travelers more commonly visited urban destinations than non-VFR travelers (42% versus 30%, P < 0.0001); 54% of VFR travelers were female, and 18% of VFR travelers were under 6 years old. VFR travelers sought health advice closer to their departure than non-VFR travelers (median days before departure was 17 versus 26, P < 0.0001). In multivariable analysis, being a VFR traveler was an independent predictor of declining a recommended vaccine. Missed opportunities for vaccination could be addressed by improving the timing of pre-travel health care and increasing the acceptance of vaccines. Making pre-travel health care available in primary care settings may be one step to this goal.
Child Access Prevention Laws and Nonfatal Gun Injuries
Authors: DeSimone Jeffrey , Markowitz Sara , Xu Jing
Published: November 2012

Many states have passed child access prevention (CAP) laws, which hold the gun owner responsible if a child gains access to a gun that is not securely stored. Previous research on CAP laws has focused exclusively on gun‐related deaths even though most gun injuries are not fatal. We use annual hospital discharge data to investigate whether CAP laws are associated with decreased nonfatal gun injuries. Results from Poisson regressions that control for various hospital, county, and state characteristics, including state‐specific fixed effects and time trends, indicate that CAP laws are associated with reductions in nonfatal gun injuries among children under age 18. Our results are bolstered by the absence of effects on other outcomes such as self‐inflicted gun injuries among adults and nongun self‐inflicted injuries.
Green Consumption under Misperceived Prices: An Application to Active Transportation
Authors: Petre Alexander , Wagner Jeffrey
Published: November 2012

We propose a consumption model that captures the impact that perceived price ambiguities may have upon decision‐making in green markets in general and in active transportation markets in particular. The basic intuition for the model is that a consumer who may be misperceiving the price of the green good (the active transportation mode) would be willing to pay a positive amount from her income in the current period to resolve the misperception going forward. We posit that the basis for the price misperception in the active transportation context is misperception of the relative risks involved in taking that mode. The compensating variation that aligns perceived and objective risk is derived. We show how raising green consumption via price misperception correction can be superior to traditional economic policy instruments. The results shed light on the more general family of situations in which agents may consistently misperceive aspects of the decision environment.
Soot and SO2 contribution to the supersites in the MILAGRO campaign from elevated flares in the Tula Refinery
Authors: Almanza V. H. , Molina L. T. , Sosa G.
Published: November 2012

Abstract. This work presents a simulation of the plume trajectory emitted by flaring activities of the Miguel Hidalgo Refinery in Mexico. The flame of a representative sour gas flare is modeled with a CFD combustion code in order to estimate emission rates of combustion by-products of interest for air quality: acetylene, ethylene, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, soot and sulfur dioxide. The emission rates of NO2 and SO2 were compared with measurements obtained at Tula as part of MILAGRO field campaign. The rates of soot, VOCs and CO emissions were compared with estimates obtained by Instituto Mexicano del Petróleo (IMP). The emission rates of these species were further included in WRF-Chem model to simulate the chemical transport of the plume from 22 to 27 March of 2006. The model presents reliable performance of the resolved meteorology, with respect to the Mean Absolute Error (MAE), Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), mean bias (BIAS), vector RMSE and Index of Agreement (IOA). WRF-Chem outputs of SO2 and soot were compared with surface measurements obtained at the three supersites of MILAGRO campaign. The results suggest a contribution of Tula flaring activities to the total SO2 levels of 18% to 27% at the urban supersite (T0), and of 10% to 18% at the suburban supersite (T1). For soot, the model predicts low contribution at the three supersites, with less than 0.1% at three supersites. According to the model, the greatest contribution of both pollutants to the three supersites occurred on 23 March, which coincides with the third cold surge event reported during the campaign.
Influence of model resolution on the atmospheric transport of 10Be
Authors: Heikkilä U. , Smith A. M.
Published: November 2012

Abstract. Understanding the transport path of the solar activity proxy 10Be from source to archive is crucial for the interpretation of its observed variability. The extent of mixing of the strong production signal has been quantified in a previous study (Heikkilä et al., 2009). In this study we perform sensitivity studies to investigate the influence of model resolution on the degree of mixing and transport path of 10Be in the atmosphere using the ECHAM5-HAM aerosol-climate model. This study permits us to choose an acceptable resolution, and so minimum CPU time, to produce reconstructions as physically accurate as possible. Five model resolutions are applied: T21L19: a coarse horizontal and vertical resolution with model top at ca. 30 km, T42L31: an average horizontal and fine vertical one, T42L39: similar vertical resolution than L19 but including the middle atmosphere up to ca. 80 km, T63L31: a fine horizontal and vertical resolution and T63L47: a fine resolution horizontally and vertically with middle atmosphere. Comparison with observations suggests that a finer horizontal and vertical resolution might be beneficial, producing a reduced meridional gradient, although the spread between observations was much larger than between the five model runs. In terms of atmospheric mixing the differences became more distinguishable. All resolutions agreed that the main driver of deposition variability, observed in natural archives, is the input of stratospheric 10Be (total contribution 68%) which is transported into the troposphere at latitudes 30–50°. In the troposphere the model resolutions deviated largely in the dispersion of the stratospheric component over latitude. The finest resolution (T63L47) predicted the least dispersion towards low latitudes but the most towards the poles, whereas the coarsest resolution (T21L19) suggested the opposite. The tropospheric components of 10Be differed less between the five model runs. The largest differences were found in the polar tropospheric components, which contribute the least to total production (≈ 4%). We conclude that the use of the T42 horizontal resolution seems to be sufficient in terms of atmospheric mixing of a stratospheric tracer because no substantial improvement was seen when the resolution was increased from T42 to T63. The use of the middle atmospheric configuration is a trade-off between correctly describing stratospheric dynamics and having to reduce vertical resolution. The use of a high vertical resolution seemed more beneficial than the middle atmospheric configuration in this study. The differences found between the T42L31 and T63L31 resolutions were so small that T42L31 is a good choice because of its computational efficiency.
Future air quality in Europe: a multi-model assessment of projected exposure to ozone
Authors: Colette A. , Granier C. , Hodnebrog Ø. , Jakobs H. , Maurizi A. , Nyiri A. , Rao S. , Amann M. , Bessagnet B. , D'Angiola A. , Gauss M. , Heyes C. , Klimont Z. , Meleux F. , Memmesheimer M. , Mieville A. , Rouïl L. , Russo F. , Schucht S. , Simpson D. , Stordal F. , Tampieri F. , Vrac M.
Published: November 2012

Abstract. In order to explore future air quality in Europe at the 2030 horizon, two emission scenarios developed in the framework of the Global Energy Assessment including varying assumptions on climate and energy access policies are investigated with an ensemble of six regional and global atmospheric chemistry transport models. A specific focus is given in the paper to the assessment of uncertainties and robustness of the projected changes in air quality. The present work relies on an ensemble of chemistry transport models giving insight into the model spread. Both regional and global scale models were involved, so that the ensemble benefits from medium-resolution approaches as well as global models that capture long-range transport. For each scenario a whole decade is modelled in order to gain statistical confidence in the results. A statistical downscaling approach is used to correct the distribution of the modelled projection. Last, the modelling experiment is related to a hind-cast study published earlier, where the performances of all participating models were extensively documented. The analysis is presented in an exposure-based framework in order to discuss policy relevant changes. According to the emission projections, ozone precursors such as NOx will drop down to 30% to 50% of their current levels, depending on the scenario. As a result, annual mean O3 will slightly increase in NOx saturated areas but the overall O3 burden will decrease substantially. Exposure to detrimental O3 levels for health (SOMO35) will be reduced down to 45% to 70% of their current levels. And the fraction of stations where present-day exceedences of daily maximum O3 is higher than 120 μg m−3 more than 25 days per year will drop from 43% down to 2 to 8%. We conclude that air pollution mitigation measures (present in both scenarios) are the main factors leading to the improvement, but an additional cobenefit of at least 40% (depending on the indicator) is brought about by the climate policy.
Regional CO2 flux estimates for 2009–2010 based on GOSAT and ground-based CO2 observations
Authors: Maksyutov S. , Takagi H. , Valsala V. K. , Saito M. , Oda T. , Saeki T. , Belikov D. A. , Saito R. , Ito A. , Yoshida Y. , Morino I. , Uchino O. , Andres R. J. , Yokota T.
Published: November 2012

Abstract. We present the application of an integrated global carbon cycle modeling system to the estimation of monthly regional CO2 fluxes from the column-averaged dry air mole fractions of CO2 (XCO2) retrieved from the spectral observations made by the Greenhouse gases Observing SATellite (GOSAT). The regional flux estimates are to be publicly disseminated as the GOSAT Level 4 data product. The forward modeling components of the system include an atmospheric tracer transport model, an anthropogenic emissions inventory, a terrestrial biosphere exchange model, and an oceanic flux model. The atmospheric tracer transport was simulated using isentropic coordinates in the stratosphere and was tuned to reproduce the age of air. We used a fossil fuel emission inventory based on large point source data and observations of nighttime lights. The terrestrial biospheric model was optimized by fitting model parameters to match observed atmospheric CO2 seasonal cycle, net primary production data, and a biomass distribution map. The oceanic surface pCO2 distribution was estimated with a 4-D variational data assimilation system based on reanalyzed ocean currents. Monthly CO2 fluxes of 64 sub-continental regions, between June 2009 and May 2010, were estimated from the GOSAT FTS SWIR Level 2 XCO2 retrievals (ver. 02.00) gridded to 5° × 5° cells and averaged on a monthly basis and monthly-mean GLOBALVIEW-CO2 surface-based observations. Our result indicated that adding the GOSAT XCO2 retrievals to the GLOBALVIEW observations in the flux estimation would bring changes to fluxes of tropics and other remote regions where the surface-based observations are sparse. The uncertainty of these remote fluxes was reduced by as much as 60% through such addition. For many of these regions, optimized fluxes are brought closer to the prior fluxes by the addition of GOSAT data. For the most of the regions and seasons considered here, the estimated fluxes fell within the range of natural flux variability estimated with the component models.
Comparison of satellite microwave backscattering (ASCAT) and visible/near-infrared reflectances (PARASOL) for the estimation of aeolian aerodynamic roughness length in arid and semi-arid regions
Authors: Prigent C. , Jiménez C. , Catherinot J.
Published: November 2012

Abstract. Previous studies examined the possibility to estimate the aeolian aerodynamic roughness length from satellites, either from visible/near-infrared observations or from microwave backscattering measurements. Here we compare the potential of the two approaches and propose to merge the two sources of information to benefit from their complementary aspects, i.e. the high spatial resolution of the visible/near-infrared (6 km for PARASOL that is part of the A-Train) and the independence from atmospheric contamination of the active microwaves (ASCAT on board MetOp with a lower spatial resolution of 25 km). A global map of the aeolian aerodynamic roughness length at 6 km resolution is derived, for arid and semi-arid regions. It shows very good consistency with the existing information on the properties of these surfaces. The dataset is available to the community, for use in atmospheric dust transport models.
A mobile X-POL weather radar for hydrometeorological applications in the metropolitan area of São Paulo, Brazil
Authors: Pereira Filho A. J.
Published: November 2012

Abstract. This paper presents the first mobile X-band dual-polarization Doppler weather radar termed MXPOL operated by the Laboratory of Hydrometeorology (LABHIDRO) of the University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. It is used in graduate and under graduate courses, real-time monitoring and nowcasting of severe weather in the Metropolitan Area of São Paulo (MASP). It is one of the first of its kind to be used operationally to provide real-time high spatial resolution polarimetric data. MXPOL is an important component of a Hydrometeorological Forecast System (Pereira Filho et al., 2005) for MASP. This manuscript presents some instances of MXPOL polarimetric measurements of weather systems and their respective microphysical, dynamical and boundary layer features that can improve nowcasting.
Origin and assessment of deep groundwater inflow in the Ca' Lita landslide using hydrochemistry and in situ monitoring
Authors: Cervi F. , Ronchetti F. , Martinelli G. , Bogaard T. A. , Corsini A.
Published: November 2012

Abstract. Changes in soil water content, groundwater flow and a rise in pore water pressure are well-known causal or triggering factors for hillslope instability. Rainfall and snowmelt are generally assumed as the main sources of groundwater recharge. This assumption neglects the role of deep water inflow in highly tectonized areas, a factor that can influence long-term pore-pressure regimes and play a role on local slope instability. This paper aims to assess the origin of groundwater in the Ca' Lita landslide (northern Italian Apennines) and to qualify and quantify the aliquot attributable to deep water inflow. The research is essentially based on in situ monitoring and hydrochemical analyses. It involved 5 yr of continuous monitoring of groundwater levels, electrical conductivity and temperature and with groundwater sampling followed by determination of major ions (Na+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+, Cl−, HCO3−, SO42−), tracers (such as Btot and Sr2+), and isotopes (δ18O, δ2H and 3H). Leaching experiments on soil samples, hydrochemical modelling and water recharge estimation were also carried out. Results show that the groundwater balance in the Ca' Lita landslide must take into account an inflow of deep and highly mineralised Na-SO4 water (more than 9500 μS cm−1) with non-negligible amounts of Cl− (up to 800 mg l−1). The chemical and isotopic fingerprint of this water points to oilfield water hosted at large depths in the Apennine chain and that uprises through a regional fault line crossing the landslide area. It recharges the aquifer hosted in the bedrock underlying the sliding surface (at a rate of about 49 000–85 700 m3 yr−1) and it also partly recharges the landslide body. In both the aquifers, the hydrochemical imprint of deep water mixed with rainfall and snowmelt water was observed. This indicates a probable influence of deep water inflow on the mobility of the Ca' Lita landslide, a finding that could be applicable to other large landslides occurring in highly tectonized areas in the northern Apennines or in other mountain chains. The paper demonstrates that hydrochemistry should, therefore, be considered as a valuable investigation method to define hydrogeological limits and the groundwater sources in hillslope and to assess groundwater flow patterns in deep-seated landslides.