bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Discriminant analysis reveals limited association between forest habitat types and the environment in western United States land classification
Authors: Kusbach Antonín , Shaw John D. , Long James N.
Published: June 2014

Aims

Critical assessment of the connection between units of the habitat type system and physiographic, climatic and soil factors in interior western United States land classifications.

Location

Interior western United States including Utah,SEIdaho, W Wyoming and Colorado, N Arizona,NWNew Mexico and E Nevada, representing 11 Bailey's ecoregion sections and covering 389 519 km2.

Methods

We analysed 2754 plots from the extensiveFIAdatabase, representing 185 different habitat types. We used two techniques: discriminant analysis represented by Random Forests and ordination represented by principal components analysis to discriminate among habitat type classification units, and assessed their relationships with the physical environment.

Results

Neither habitat types nor series correspond well to environmental (climatic, physiographic, edaphic) differences. Plant indicator species (sensuDaubenmire) representing the habitat types generally failed in differentiating between important factors of the physical environment.

Conclusions

The failure of the habitat type classifications in discriminating between key environmental factors calls into question the basic premise that habitat types, as used in much of the western United States, are representative of basic ecological units of land. Given its broad acceptance and importance in land management, a fundamental reexamination of the habitat type concept is warranted.
A Bayesian nonparametric model for spatially distributed multivariate binary data with application to a multidrug‐resistant tuberculosis (MDR‐TB) study
Authors: Kang Jian , Zhang Nanhua , Shi Ran
Published: June 2014

There has been an increasing interest in the analysis of spatially distributed multivariate binary data motivated by a wide range of research problems. Two types of correlations are usually involved: the correlation between the multiple outcomes at one location and the spatial correlation between the locations for one particular outcome. The commonly used regression models only consider one type of correlations while ignoring or modeling inappropriately the other one. To address this limitation, we adopt a Bayesian nonparametric approach to jointly modeling multivariate spatial binary data by integrating both types of correlations. A multivariate probit model is employed to link the binary outcomes to Gaussian latent variables; and Gaussian processes are applied to specify the spatially correlated random effects. We develop an efficient Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithm for the posterior computation. We illustrate the proposed model on simulation studies and a multidrug‐resistant tuberculosis case study.
Changing USA national trends for adrenalectomy: the influence of surgeon and technique
Authors: Monn M. Francesca , Calaway Adam C. , Mellon Matthew J. , Bahler Clinton D. , Sundaram Chandru P. , Boris Ronald S.
Published: June 2014

Objective

To explain differences over time between operative approach and surgeon type for adrenal surgery in the USA.

Patients and methods

A retrospective cohort analysis was performed on all patients undergoing adrenalectomy between 2002 and 2011 using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample. Patients undergoing concurrent nephrectomy were excluded. Surgeon specialty was only available for 2003–2009. Descriptive analyses and multivariable logistic regression models were used to assess variables associated with minimally invasive surgery (MIS) and urologist‐performed procedures.

Results

In all, 58 948 adrenalectomies were identified. A MIS approach was used in 20% of these operations. There was a 4% increase in MIS throughout the study period (P < 0.001). Cases performed at teaching hospitals were more likely to be MIS (odds ratio [OR] 1.47, P < 0.001). We were able to identify surgical specialty in 23 746 cases, of which 60% were performed by urologists. Cases performed in the Midwest compared with Northeast were at increased adjusted odds of being performed by urologists (OR 1.38, P = 0.11). Despite most cases being performed by urologists, adrenalectomy by urologists showed a 15% annual decrease over the analysed period (P < 0.001).

Conclusions

The use of a MIS technique to perform adrenalectomy is increasing at a slower rate compared with most other surgical extirpative procedures. Further investigation to explain the decreased performance of adrenalectomy by urologists is warranted.
Social stratification and tooth loss among middle‐aged and older Americans from 1988 to 2004
Authors: Wu Bei , Hybels Celia , Liang Jersey , Landerman Lawrence , Plassman Brenda
Published: June 2014

Objectives

Tooth retention has improved over the past few decades, but it is not known whether these trends have been observed across all demographic/socioeconomic subgroups. We examined number of missing teeth among dentate individuals (n = 9, 113) as well as edentulism and systematically modeled their trends over time by using clinical examination data.

Methods

We investigated the association between social stratification and trends in tooth retention among adults ages 50+ from 1988 to 2004, using four waves of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) (n = 11 812).

Results

The prevalence of edentulism declined from 24.6% in NHANES III (1988–1994) to 17.4% in 2003–2004, and the mean number of missing teeth declined from 8.19 to 6.50. Older participants, Blacks, the less educated and those with lower income were higher on both edentulism and number missing teeth. Both edentulism and number of missing teeth declined over time, but their patterns varied. For edentulism, age and socioeconomic related disparities decreased over time due to more decline among older and low‐income participants. For missing teeth, there was less decrement among older and low‐income participants, resulting in increased age and socioeconomic related disparities.

Conclusions

Our study found disparities in trends of tooth loss across demographic/socioeconomic strata. Findings suggest that racial/ethnic disparities are partially explained by socioeconomic status. Interventions designed to improve oral health for older adults, particularly those with low levels of income, need special attention.
Local‐Scale Dynamics and Local Drivers of Bushmeat Trade
Authors: NYAKI ANGELA , GRAY STEVEN A. , LEPCZYK CHRISTOPHER A. , SKIBINS JEFFREY C. , RENTSCH DENNIS
Published: June 2014

Bushmeat management policies are often developed outside the communities in which they are to be implemented. These policies are also routinely designed to be applied uniformly across communities with little regard for variation in social or ecological conditions. We used fuzzy‐logic cognitive mapping, a form of participatory modeling, to compare the assumptions driving externally generated bushmeat management policies with perceptions of bushmeat trade dynamics collected from local community members who admitted to being recently engaged in bushmeat trading (e.g., hunters, sellers, consumers). Data were collected during 9 workshops in 4 Tanzanian villages bordering Serengeti National Park. Specifically, we evaluated 9 community‐generated models for the presence of the central factors that comprise and drive the bushmeat trade and whether or not models included the same core concepts, relationships, and logical chains of reasoning on which bushmeat conservation policies are commonly based. Across local communities, there was agreement about the most central factors important to understanding the bushmeat trade (e.g., animal recruitment, low income, and scarcity of food crops). These matched policy assumptions. However, the factors perceived to drive social‐ecological bushmeat trade dynamics were more diverse and varied considerably across communities (e.g., presence or absence of collaborative law enforcement, increasing human population, market demand, cultural preference). Sensitive conservation issues, such as the bushmeat trade, that require cooperation between communities and outside conservation organizations can benefit from participatory modeling approaches that make local‐scale dynamics and conservation policy assumptions explicit. Further, communities’ and conservation organizations’ perceptions need to be aligned. This can improve success by allowing context appropriate policies to be developed, monitored, and appropriately adapted as new evidence is generated.

Dinámicas a Escala Local y Conductores Locales del Mercado de Carne de Caza
Optimal Management of a Multispecies Shorebird Flyway under Sea‐Level Rise
Authors: IWAMURA TAKUYA , FULLER RICHARD A. , POSSINGHAM HUGH P.
Published: June 2014

Every year, millions of migratory shorebirds fly through the East Asian–Australasian Flyway between their arctic breeding grounds and Australasia. This flyway includes numerous coastal wetlands in Asia and the Pacific that are used as stopover sites where birds rest and feed. Loss of a few important stopover sites through sea‐level rise (SLR) could cause sudden population declines. We formulated and solved mathematically the problem of how to identify the most important stopover sites to minimize losses of bird populations across flyways by conserving land that facilitates upshore shifts of tidal flats in response to SLR. To guide conservation investment that minimizes losses of migratory bird populations during migration, we developed a spatially explicit flyway model coupled with a maximum flow algorithm. Migratory routes of 10 shorebird taxa were modeled in a graph theoretic framework by representing clusters of important wetlands as nodes and the number of birds flying between 2 nodes as edges. We also evaluated several resource allocation algorithms that required only partial information on flyway connectivity (node strategy, based on the impacts of SLR at nodes; habitat strategy, based on habitat change at sites; population strategy, based on population change at sites; and random investment). The resource allocation algorithms based on flyway information performed on average 15% better than simpler allocations based on patterns of habitat loss or local bird counts. The Yellow Sea region stood out as the most important priority for effective conservation of migratory shorebirds, but investment in this area alone will not ensure the persistence of species across the flyway. The spatial distribution of conservation investments differed enormously according to the severity of SLR and whether information about flyway connectivity was used to guide the prioritizations. With the rapid ongoing loss of coastal wetlands globally, our method provides insight into efficient conservation planning for migratory species.

Gestión Óptima de una Ruta Migratoria de Múltiples Especies de Aves Costeras Sometida a Incremento del Nivel del Mar
Publishing trends on climate change vulnerability in the conservation literature reveal a predominant focus on direct impacts and long time‐scales
Authors: Chapman Sarah , Mustin Karen , Renwick Anna R. , Segan Daniel B. , Hole David G. , Pearson Richard G. , Watson James E. M.
Published: June 2014

Over the past twelve years the number of papers that explore the impacts of climate change on biodiversity in the conservation literature has grown on average by 20% annually. By categorising these papers on their primary research questions, we show that the vast majority of these articles (88.6%) focus only on those impacts that arise directly as a result of climate change, ignoring the potentially significant indirect threats that arise from human adaptation responses. This pattern has remained fairly consistent throughout the review period (2000–2012), with a trend towards more articles considering both direct and indirect impacts towards the end of the period. We also find a bias in the time‐frames considered by published articles that project future impacts of climate change on biodiversity, with more than three‐quarters (77.9%) of papers only considering impacts after 2031, and almost half (49.1%) only considering impacts after 2051. This focus on long‐term, direct impacts creates a mismatch, not only with the life‐cycles of species and timescales of many ecological processes, but also with most management and policy timelines and the short‐term nature of human decision making processes. The focus on studying the long‐term, direct impacts of climate change on biodiversity is likely a function of the lack of availability of climate projections on shorter temporal scales; a perception that short‐term impacts will be minor; and, insufficient integration with the social and political sciences. While the direct impact of changes in mean climatic conditions will significantly change the biosphere by the end of the century, near term changes in seasonality and extreme events coupled with human adaptation responses are likely to have substantial impacts much sooner, threatening the survival of species and ecosystems. It is therefore essential that we balance our research efforts to facilitate a better understanding of these more imminent threats.
A trait‐based approach for assessing and mapping niche overlap between native and exotic species: theMediterranean coastal fish fauna as a case study
Authors: Elleouet J. , Albouy C. , Ben Rais Lasram F. , Mouillot D. , Leprieur F.
Published: June 2014

Aim

We propose a trait‐based approach for assessing and mapping potential niche overlap between native and exotic species at large spatial scales.

Location

The Mediterranean Sea.

Methods

We developed two complementary indices based on ecological, biological and ecomorphological similarities between native and exotic species. The first index (FNNr) allows identifying areas where native species are the most at risk in terms of potential ecological interactions with exotic species. The second index (FGO) is species‐specific and allows identifying native species that display the broadest functional niche overlap and range overlap with exotic species. We illustrated our approach using the Mediterranean coastal fish fauna as a case study.

Results

We found that endemic and exotic fishes had a similar global functional niche at the Mediterranean scale, that is, they filled the same functional space defined by trait axes. FNNrhotspots were found to be moderately congruent with exotic species richness hotspots. Higher values of FNNrwere observed along the coasts of the Levantine Sea. The computation of the FGO index showed that the geographical range of a given endemic species overlapped in average with 52 exotic species. Species showing the highest FGO values displayed localized and/or fragmented distributions in the eastern Mediterranean basin.

Main conclusions

Our findings suggest that the number of exotic species alone cannot be used as a broad‐scale indicator of potential impact because this metric does not account for functional relatedness between native and exotic species. The trait‐based indices developed in this study can be used for other taxa in both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems and should help environmental managers to set up local‐scale studies on areas where the potential impact of exotic species on native biodiversity is the highest.
Spatiotemporal patterns of fish community composition in Great Lakes drowned river mouths
Authors: Janetski David J. , Ruetz Carl R.
Published: June 2014

Freshwater river mouths in large lakes are centres of biological activity, yet little is understood about the spatial and temporal dynamics of fish communities in these systems. In the Laurentian Great Lakes, we sampled littoral fishes over 3 years in six drowned (i.e., protected) river mouths to: (i) quantify spatial (among river mouths) and temporal (among years) variation, (ii) evaluate associations with environmental conditions and (iii) assess spatial patterns of community similarity. We sampled 6787 fish representing 43 species over the course of the study. Multivariate analyses indicated that variation in fish species composition was more strongly partitioned among river mouths than among years. Fish communities across the six river mouths were partitioned into three groups, a pattern we attribute to variability in anthropogenic disturbance and environmental conditions. Canonical correspondence analysis showed that fish species composition was associated with specific conductivity, vegetation cover, turbidity and pH, suggesting species–environment relationships are similar to those shown for Great Lakes coastal wetlands. Finally, we found a negative relationship between geographic distance and community similarity, suggesting that dispersal and/or environmental gradients play a role in shaping these river mouth fish assemblages. We conclude that Great Lakes drowned river mouths can harbour diverse and spatially variable fish assemblages that are driven by a combination of local and regional factors.
Fundamental Rights and Citizenship of the Union at a Crossroads: A Promising Alliance or a Dangerous Liaison?
Authors: Iglesias Sánchez Sara
Published: June 2014

The reinforcement of the protection of fundamental rights at the European level and the emergence of the status of Union citizenship are two closely connected phenomena. European citizenship has been and continues to be one of the central arguments in favour of the extension of the scope of EU fundamental rights. This argument arises out of a sentiment that vindicates equality at the core of the citizenship of the Union as a fundamental status. Against this background, this paper examines the different possibilities of interconnection between the traditional doctrine of EU fundamental rights and the jurisprudential construction of the citizenship of the Union. Particularly, it will be discussed whether fundamental rights should be placed at the core of the formula that protects the ‘genuine enjoyment of the substance’ of the rights conferred by EU citizenship, inaugurated by Ruiz Zambrano, already latent in Rottmann and substantially refined in an ever‐growing case‐law (McCarthy, Dereci, O. and S., Ymaraga and Alokpa). It will be argued that this formula carries the very valuable potential to reinforce citizenship of the Union as an independent source of rights able to overcome problems such as reverse discrimination. For these purposes, this formula could be considered to encompass not only the absolute deprivation of the ‘genuine enjoyment of the substance of citizenship rights’, but also the existence of serious obstacles thereto.
Structural enzymology and inhibition of the bi‐functional folate pathway enzyme HPPK–DHPS from the biowarfare agent Francisella tularensis
Authors: Shaw Gary X. , Li Yue , Shi Genbin , Wu Yan , Cherry Scott , Needle Danielle , Zhang Di , Tropea Joseph E. , Waugh David S. , Yan Honggao , Ji Xinhua
Published: June 2014

Two valid targets for antibiotic development, 6‐hydroxymethyl‐7,8‐dihydropterin pyrophosphokinase (HPPK) and dihydropteroate synthase (DHPS), catalyze consecutive reactions in folate biosynthesis. In Francisella tularensis (Ft), these two activities are contained in a single protein, FtHPPK–DHPS. Although Pemble et al. (PLoS One 5, e14165) determined the structure of FtHPPK–DHPS, they were unable to measure the kinetic parameters of the enzyme. In this study, we elucidated the binding and inhibitory activities of two HPPK inhibitors (HP‐18 and HP‐26) against FtHPPK–DHPS, determined the structure of FtHPPK–DHPS in complex with HP‐26, and measured the kinetic parameters for the dual enzymatic activities of FtHPPK–DHPS. The biochemical analyses showed that HP‐18 and HP‐26 have significant isozyme selectivity, and that FtHPPK–DHPS is unique in that the catalytic efficiency of its DHPS activity is only 1/260,000 of that of Escherichia coli DHPS. Sequence and structural analyses suggest that HP‐26 is an excellent lead for developing therapeutic agents for tularemia, and that the very low DHPS activity is due, at least in part, to the lack of a key residue that interacts with the substrate p‐aminobenzoic acid (pABA). A BLAST search of the genomes of ten F. tularensis strains indicated that the bacterium contains a single FtHPPK–DHPS. The marginal DHPS activity and the single copy existence of FtHPPK–DHPS in F. tularensis make this bacterium more vulnerable to DHPS inhibitors. Current sulfa drugs are ineffective against tularemia; new inhibitors targeting the unique pABA‐binding pocket may be effective and less subject to resistance because any mutations introducing resistance may make the marginal DHPS activity unable to support the growth of F. tularensis.

Database

The coordinates and structure factors have been deposited in the Protein Data Bank under accession code 4PZV.
Structure solution with ARCIMBOLDO using fragments derived from distant homology models
Authors: Sammito Massimo , Meindl Kathrin , de Ilarduya Iñaki M. , Millán Claudia , Artola‐Recolons Cecilia , Hermoso Juan A. , Usón Isabel
Published: June 2014

Molecular replacement, one of the general methods used to solve the crystallographic phase problem, relies on the availability of suitable models for placement in the unit cell of the unknown structure in order to provide initial phases. ARCIMBOLDO, originally conceived for ab initio phasing, operates at the limit of this approach, using small, very accurate fragments such as polyalanine α‐helices. A distant homolog may contain accurate building blocks, but it may not be evident which sub‐structure is the most suitable purely from the degree of conservation. Trying out all alternative possibilities in a systematic way is computationally expensive, even if effective. In the present study, the solution of the previously unknown structure of MltE, an outer membrane‐anchored endolytic peptidoglycan lytic transglycosylase from Escherichia coli, is described. The asymmetric unit contains a dimer of this 194 amino acid protein. The closest available homolog was the catalytic domain of Slt70 (PDB code 1QTE). Originally, this template was used omitting contiguous spans of aminoacids and setting as many ARCIMBOLDO runs as models, each aiming to locate two copies sequentially with PHASER. Fragment trimming against the correlation coefficient prior to expansion through density modification and autotracing in SHELXE was essential. Analysis of the figures of merit led to the strategy to optimize the search model against the experimental data now implemented within ARCIMBOLDO‐SHREDDER (http://chango.ibmb.csic.es/SHREDDER). In this strategy, the initial template is systematically shredded, and fragments are scored against each unique solution of the rotation function. Results are combined into a score per residue and the template is trimmed accordingly.
The role of urban and agricultural areas during avian migration: an assessment of within‐year temporal turnover
Authors: La Sorte Frank A. , Tingley Morgan W. , Hurlbert Allen H.
Published: June 2014

Aim

Migration is often identified as the most vulnerable period in the annual cycle for birds, and land‐use change is likely to have altered how avian populations are regulated during migration events. However, the consequences of land‐use change for avian diversity are typically assessed based on annual surveys of breeding communities with little consideration given to migration or other phases of the annual cycle.

Location

Forty‐four North American ecoregions.

Methods

We use eBird avian occurrence data to estimate, at a monthly temporal resolution for the combined period 2004 to 2013, how species richness and temporal turnover in species composition is structured within years across a land‐use gradient (intact vegetation, agricultural and urban).

Results

Species richness peaked on average during spring and autumn migrations. Intact vegetation had the highest and urban areas the lowest species richness on average. Despite differences in community size, the three land‐use categories had similar patterns of within‐year temporal turnover, suggesting analogous effects of geographic diffusion by migrating species. Agricultural and urban areas had comparatively dampened temporal turnover across the annual cycle, suggesting more homogeneous within‐year species compositions. Relative to eastern ecoregions, differences in species richness and temporal turnover among land‐use categories were substantially more pronounced in western ecoregions.

Main conclusions

Agricultural and urban areas have lower species richness and reduced within‐year temporal turnover across the annual cycle relative to areas of intact vegetation, particularly in the west. Our findings suggest that avian diversity has been simplified across the annual cycle through the influence of human activities, with human‐transformed landscapes maintaining a degree of relevance for migratory birds, especially in the east.
A quantitative and humane tail bleeding assay for efficacy evaluation of antihaemophilic factors in haemophilia A mice
Authors: Molina E. S. , Fujita A. , Sogayar M. C. , Demasi M. A.
Published: June 2014

The tail bleeding model using haemophilic mice has been used as one of the standard assays for efficacy evaluation of novel antihaemophilic therapies at the preclinical level. A number of different configurations and endpoints have been proposed in the literature for this model, hindering interlaboratory comparisons. A particular configuration, known as the tail bleeding survival assay (TBS), adopted by several groups, involves measuring the ability of conscious haemophilic mice to survive exsanguination following tail transection. Major limitations to this configuration include ethical constraints and impaired quantitative determinations. The aim of this study was to standardize and validate a quantitative haemostatic assay for evaluation of antihaemophilic therapies employing an alternative to TBS, which involves a more humane endpoint associated with stable clot formation. Haemophilic mice were treated with vehicle or different doses of two antihaemophilic reference products licensed in Brazil. The haemostatic response was evaluated by our quantitative tail bleeding haemostatic assay (qTBA) over a period of 120 min and then quantified by dose–response modelling. We demonstrate that our qTBA method allows a direct relationship between the number of animals which achieved full haemostatic response and the dosage of both antihaemophilic factors evaluated over 120 min. In addition, the method sensitivity is suitable to demonstrate the conversion from a severe to a moderate haemophilia phenotype. Our proposed qTBA is easy to implement and constitutes an alternative and more ethical endpoint, which could be effectively used as a surrogate to the commonly employed survival endpoint, allowing quantitative haemostatic response evaluation associated with stable clot formation.
Can your public library improve your health and well‐being? An investigation of East Sussex Library and Information Service
Authors: Ingham Anneliese
Published: June 2014

This article is only the second in the Dissertations into Practice series to highlight the role of public libraries in health information. It is the result of an investigation into the provision of health information in East Sussex Library and Information Service, which formed the basis of Anneliese Ingham's dissertation for her MA in Information Studies at the University of Brighton. At the time Anneliese was doing her research, the service was experimenting with different ways of providing healthcare information at one of its main libraries, and they were interested in the impact of this. The provision of health information to the public is one of my own research interests, and I was Anneliese's dissertation supervisor. I thought she produced a very good piece of work, and the results she highlights in this article are applicable to all public library authorities. Anneliese graduated with an MA in 2012 and worked for East Sussex Library and Information Service, which she joined whilst she was still studying.

AM
Keeping up‐to‐date with current practice
Authors: Bridgen Richard , Grant Maria J.
Published: June 2014

Acknowledging the need for continuous improvement to keep health libraries at the forefront of patient care, Richard Bridgen considers the alternative ways in which library and knowledge services can be provided, from regional hubs to embedded services. Richard echo's the words of the CILIP Chief Executive Officer that services are likely to be judged on provision rather than breadth of collection and emphasises the need for a properly educated workforce to enable staff to keep up with changes in their professional domains.
Development and Characterization of Continuous SiC Fiber‐Reinforced HfB2‐Based UHTC Matrix Composites Using Polymer Impregnation and Slurry Infiltration Techniques
Authors: Leslie Clifford J. , Boakye Emmanuel E. , Keller Kristin A. , Cinibulk Michael K.
Published: June 2014

This paper discusses the development of continuous SiC fiber‐reinforced HfB2‐SiC composite laminates. A range of techniques, based on resin‐based precursors and slurries, for infiltrating porous SiC preforms with HfB2 powder were developed. While resin‐based precursors proved to be ineffective due to low HfB2 yield and poor adhesion, the slurry infiltration techniques were effective to varying degrees. The greatest pore filling and composite densities were achieved using pressure and vibration‐assisted pressure infiltration techniques. SiCf/HfB2‐SiC laminates were subsequently developed via lamination, cure and pyrolysis of fabrics using a HfB2‐loaded polymeric SiC precursor, followed by HfB2 slurry infiltration and preceramic polymer infiltration and pyrolysis (PIP). Repeated PIP processing, for 6–10 cycles, resulted in density increases, from the 3.03–3.22 g/cm3 range after HfB2 slurry infiltration, to 3.97–4.03 g/cm3 after PIP processing. Correspondingly, there was a decrease in open porosity from approximately 52% to less than 11%. The matrix consisted of discreet, lightly sintered HfB2 particles dispersed in SiC. The PIP SiC matrix was primarily nanocrystalline after 1300°C pyrolysis, but experienced grain growth with further heat treatment at 1600°C.
Scoping the context of programs and services for maintaining wellness of older people in rural areas of Indonesia
Authors: Kadar K.S. , McKenna L. , Francis K.
Published: June 2014

Introduction

Ageing and problems concerning the aged are an increasing and concerning reality in developing and underdeveloped countries such as Indonesia. Improving service quality is important to promote and maintain wellness of older persons, especially in rural areas.

Aim

To explore programs and services offered to the elderly in a rural area of Indonesia to support them in promoting and maintaining their wellness. To describe roles and practices of health professionals and teams responsible for delivering services to older people.

Methods

Action research was used with mixed method data collection (interview and survey).

Results

Results demonstrated that activities related to the elderly health programs were limited due to budget and facilities. Practices of health staff for elderly in the community focused on intervention tasks, rather than prevention.

Limitation

Lack of available information on the range of programs and services implemented in Indonesia for the elderly in community settings was a limitation of this study.

Conclusion

Programs and services for older people have been implemented in Indonesia. However, these do not yet meet their needs, especially in rural areas. There is a need for greater focus on health promotion and illness prevention.

Implication for Nursing and Health Policy

Findings contribute to development of international knowledge in community health nursing, as these issues may not be only relevant to Indonesia. It is timely for governments, including in Indonesia, to evaluate health workforce needs in the community and appropriate educational qualifications for delivering optimal health services for older people.
Influence of oxygen on wound healing
Authors: Yip Wai Lam
Published: June 2014

Oxygen has an important role in normal wound healing. This article reviews the evidence concerning the role of oxygen in wound healing and its influence on the different stages of wound healing. The evidence reviewed has demonstrated that improving oxygenation may be helpful in limiting wound infection, although there is a lack of good quality studies on the role of oxygen in the proliferative phase and in reepithelialisation. Overall, the relationship between oxygen and wound healing is complex. Knowledge of this aspect is important as many treatment modalities for refractory wounds are based on these principles.
Temporal and environmental influences on the vocal behaviour of a nocturnal bird
Authors: Digby Andrew , Towsey Michael , Bell Ben D. , Teal Paul D.
Published: June 2014

Temporal and environmental variation in vocal activity can provide information on avian behaviour and call function not available to short‐term experimental studies. Inter‐sexual differences in this variation can provide insight into selection effects. Yet factors influencing vocal behaviour have not been assessed in many birds, even those monitored by acoustic methods. This applies to the New Zealand kiwi (Apterygidae), for which call censuses are used extensively in conservation monitoring, yet which have poorly understood acoustic ecology. We investigated little spotted kiwi Apteryx owenii vocal behaviour over 3 yr, measuring influences on vocal activity in both sexes from time of night, season, weather conditions and lunar cycle. We tested hypotheses that call rate variation reflects call function, foraging efficiency, historic predation risk and variability in sound transmission, and that there are inter‐sexual differences in call function. Significant seasonal variation showed that vocalisations were important in kiwi reproduction, and inter‐sexual synchronisation of call rates indicated that contact, pair‐bonding or resource defence were key functions. All weather variables significantly affected call rates, with elevated calling during increased humidity and ground moisture indicating a relation between vocal activity and foraging conditions. A significant decrease in calling activity on cloudy nights, combined with no moonlight effect, suggests an impact of light pollution in this species. These influences on vocal activity provide insight into kiwi call function, have direct consequences for conservation monitoring of kiwi, and have wider implications in understanding vocal behaviour in a range of nocturnal birds.
Temporal patterns of avian body size reflect linear size responses to broadscale environmental change over the last 50 years
Authors: Gardner Janet L. , Amano Tatsuya , Backwell Patrica R. Y. , Ikin Karen , Sutherland William J. , Peters Anne
Published: June 2014

Alongside well researched shifts in species' distributions and phenology, reduction in the body size of organisms has been suggested as a third universal response to contemporary climate change. Despite mounting evidence for declining body size, several recent reviews highlight studies reporting increases in body size or no change over time. This variability in response may derive from the geographic scale of contributing studies, masking species‐level responses to broad‐scale environmental change and instead reflecting local influences on single populations. Using museum specimens, we examine temporal patterns of body size of 24 Australian passerine species, sampling multiple populations across the geographic ranges of each species between 1960 and 2007. Generalised additive models indictated that the majority (67%) of species showed important inter‐annual body size variation, and there was striking cross‐species similarity in temporal size patterns. Most displayed near‐linear or linear, unidirectional size trends, suggesting a pervasive and directional change in environmental conditions, consistent with climate change. For species showing linear size responses, the absolute rate of size change ranged between 0.016 and 0.114% of body size (wing length) per year, consistent with studies on other continents. Overall, 38% (9/24) of species showed temporal declines in body size and 21% (5/24) showed increases, consistent with the variability and direction of size responses thus far documented among populations; declining body size is a pervasive response to climate change but it is not universal.
East Asian pollen database: modern pollen distribution and its quantitative relationship with vegetation and climate
Authors: Zheng Zhuo , Wei Jinhui , Huang Kangyou , Xu Qinghai , Lu Houyuan , Tarasov Pavel , Luo Chuanxiu , Beaudouin Celia , Deng Yun , Pan Anding , Zheng Yanwei , Luo Yunli , Nakagawa Takeshi , Li Chunhai , Yang Shixiong , Peng Huanhuan , Cheddadi Rachid
Published: June 2014

Aim

Our aims were to provide new pollen data for establishing a sub‐continental surface pollen database (East Asian Pollen Database, EAPD) and to study relationships between vegetation and climate.

Location

The sample sites covered most regions of East Asia, including China, Mongolia, the Russian Far East, Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand.

Methods

Data quality control procedures were applied, including taxonomic standardization, removal of duplicates, and adjustment of geographical coordinates. Vegetation types and climate parameters were assigned to each sample. Modern pollen distribution maps were drawn using circle scattergrams. The plots of pollen percentages versus climate variables allowed quantitative estimates of climate values. The modern analogue technique (MAT) was used to predict modern biomes and climate parameters.

Results

Pollen assemblages extracted from 2858 sites were used to model the geographical distribution of selected taxa and their relationships with climate. For most taxa, the reconstructed range fitted the observed geographical distribution rather well. Arboreal pollen (AP) and Pinus dominated the transition zone between forest and steppe. Use of the MAT revealed that the predicted and observed biomes matched in 71% of the cases. The warm temperate evergreen broadleaf forest had the best agreement between predictions and observations. Climate values reconstructed using MAT were highly correlated with observed values in January temperature. The correlation coefficient of the temperature variables ranged from 0.799 to 0.930 and was as high as 0.939 for precipitation.

Main conclusions

This paper documents a new modern pollen database for East Asia and makes the data readily available. The reconstructed biomes and climate variables are significantly correlated with the observed values, thus demonstrating the utility of the pollen database for future multiscale palaeoenvironmental studies.
Spatial structure in European moose (Alces alces): genetic data reveal a complex population history
Authors: Niedziałkowska Magdalena , Hundertmark Kris J. , Jędrzejewska Bogumiła , Niedziałkowski Krzysztof , Sidorovich Vadim E. , Górny Marcin , Veeroja Rauno , Solberg Erling J. , Laaksonen Sauli , Sand Håkan , Solovyev Vyacheslav A. , Shkvyria Maryna , Tiainen Juha , Okhlopkov Innokentiy M. , Juškaitis Rimvydas , Done Gundega , Borodulin Vadim A. , Tulandin Evgenii A. , Jędrzejewski Włodzimierz
Published: June 2014

Aim

Moose, Alces alces (Linnaeus, 1758), survived the European Pleistocene glaciations in multiple southern refugia, in a northern refugium near the Carpathians and possibly in other locations. During the second millennium ad, moose were nearly extirpated in Europe and only recolonized their current range after World War II. The number and location of refugia during the Pleistocene and recent population lows may have affected the current genetic diversity. We sought to characterize the genetic diversity in European moose in order to determine its genetic structure and the location of genetic hotspots as a way of inferring its population history and the number of Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) refugia.

Location

Europe.

Methods

We sequenced 538 nucleotides from the mitochondrial control region of 657 moose from throughout the species' European range. We estimated diversity within and among 16 sampling localities, and used samova to cluster sampling locations into subpopulations. We constructed phylogenetic trees and median‐joining networks to examine systematic relationships, and conducted Bayesian analysis of the coalescent and used mismatch distributions and approximate Bayesian computation to infer demographic history.

Results

Estonia had the highest nucleotide diversity, and western Belarus had the highest haplotype diversity. We observed four regional populations from the samova analysis. We found three haplogroups in European moose, probably representing lineages conserved in different refugia during the Pleistocene. European moose underwent spatial expansion after the LGM, but did not undergo demographic expansion. The effective population size has declined markedly within the last 2000 years.

Main conclusions

The current levels and distribution of genetic diversity in European moose indicate the effects both of Pleistocene glaciations and of a recent bottleneck, probably associated with anthropogenic influences such as pastoralization and hunting, and a very recent re‐expansion. We show that both historical and recent events can influence the diversity and distribution of a large mammal on a large scale.
Prevalence of purging at age 16 and associations with negative outcomes among girls in three community‐based cohorts
Authors: Solmi Francesca , Sonneville Kendrin R. , Easter Abigail , Horton Nicholas J. , Crosby Ross D. , Treasure Janet , Rodriguez Alina , Jarvelin Marjo‐Riitta , Field Alison E. , Micali Nadia
Published: June 2014

Background

The comorbidity of purging behaviours, such as vomiting, inappropriate use of laxatives, diuretics or slimming medications, has been examined in literature. However, most studies do not include adolescents, individuals who purge in the absence of binge eating, or those purging at subclinical frequency. This study examines the prevalence of purging among 16‐year‐old girls across three countries and their association with substance use and psychological comorbidity.

Methods

Data were obtained by questionnaire in 3 population‐based cohorts (Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), United Kingdom, n = 1,608; Growing Up Today Study (GUTS), USA, n = 3,504; North Finland Birth Cohort (NFBC85/86), Finland, n = 2,306). Multivariate logistic regressions were employed to estimate associations between purging and outcomes. Four models were fit adjusting for binge eating and potential confounders of these associations.

Results

In ALSPAC, 9.7% of girls reported purging in the 12‐months prior to assessment, 7.3% in GUTS, and 3.5% in NFBC. In all 3 cohorts, purging was associated with adverse outcomes such as binge drinking (ALSPAC: odds ratio (OR) = 2.0, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.4–2.9; GUTS: OR = 2.5, 95% CI = 1.5–4.0; NFBC: OR = 1.7, 95% CI = 1.0–2.8), drug use (ALSPAC: OR = 2.9, 95% CI = 1.8–4.7; GUTS: OR = 4.5, 95% CI = 2.8–7.3; NFBC: OR = 4.1, 95% CI = 2.6–6.6), depressive symptoms in ALSPAC (OR = 2.2, 95% CI = 1.5–3.1) and GUTS(OR = 3.7, 95% CI = 2.2–6.3), and several psychopathology measures including clinical anxiety/depression in NFBC (OR = 11.2, 95% CI = 3.9, 31.7).

Conclusions

Results show a higher prevalence of purging behaviours among girls in the United Kingdom compared to those in the United States and Finland. Our findings support evidence highlighting that purging in adolescence is associated with negative outcomes, independent of its frequency and binge eating.
Are ant supercolonies crucibles of a new major transition in evolution?
Authors: Kennedy P. , Uller T. , Helanterä H.
Published: June 2014

The biological hierarchy of genes, cells, organisms and societies is a fundamental reality in the living world. This hierarchy of entities did not ariseex nihiloat the origin of life, but rather has been serially generated by a succession of critical events known as ‘evolutionary transitions in individuality’ (ETIs). Given the sequential nature ofETIs, it is natural to look for candidates to form the next hierarchical tier. We analyse claims that these candidates are found among ‘supercolonies’, ant populations in which discrete nests cooperate as part of a wider collective, in ways redolent of cells in a multicellular organism. Examining earlier empirical work and new data within the recently proposed ‘Darwinian space’ framework, we offer a novel analysis of the evolutionary status of supercolonies and show how certain key conditions might be satisfied in any future process transforming these collaborative networks into true Darwinian individuals.
Exotic wildland weeds serve as reservoirs for a newly introduced cole crop pest, Bagrada hilaris (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae)
Authors: Lambert A. M. , Dudley T. L.
Published: June 2014

The role of wildland weeds that serve as alternate hosts for insect pests has not been directly examined for the potential to sustain pest populations or facilitate pest outbreaks. The development of weed biological control programmes is also complicated by weed species that are closely related to economically important or native plants, especially rare or special status species. In recent surveys in southern California, USA, we found a newly introduced insect pest of cole crops, Bagrada hilaris Burmeister (Bagrada bug), feeding on Brassicaceae weeds in riparian areas adjacent to agricultural fields where cole crops are routinely grown. Insect populations grew to levels well over action thresholds and caused severe damage to populations of the invasive weed, Lepidium latifolium (perennial pepperweed). The numerical response of B. hilaris on L. latifolium and other Brassicaceae weeds in natural areas may pose a significant challenge to effectively managing pest populations in crops. However, the accidental introduction of this insect provides the opportunity to examine plant–insect interactions with important implications for development of biologically based control methods for weeds.
First records of the blue runner Caranx crysos (Perciformes: Carangidae) in Newfoundland waters
Authors: Devine B. M. , Fisher J. A. D.
Published: June 2014

From August to September 2013, c. 21 specimens of the blue runner Caranx crysos were caught by commercial fishermen in two locations off the south coast of Newfoundland, Canada. These samples represent the first records of C. crysos in Newfoundland waters, and a potential northward range expansion of this species in the north‐western Atlantic Ocean. They also illustrate the importance of fisher‐derived sampling that spans times and locations outside of the limited range targeted by scientific surveys in this region.
The pineal complex in the cichlid Cichlasoma dimerus: effect of different photoperiods on its cell morphology
Authors: Birba A. , Ramallo M. R. , Morandini L. , Villafañe V. , Tubert C. , Guimarães Moreira R. , Pandolfi M.
Published: June 2014

This research describes the pineal complex histology in juvenile and adult Cichlasoma dimerus, and the effect of different photoperiods on its cell morphology. In both juveniles and adults, the pineal complex of C. dimerus has three components: the pineal organ, consisting of a pineal vesicle (PV) and a pineal stalk, the parapineal organ and the dorsal sac. Although a strong morphological resemblance exists between the two stages, different synthesis patterns of cone and rod opsins were detected in the two life stages. An effect of the photoperiod length was observed on putative pinealocytes' activity from the PV, measured indirectly through nuclear area morphometry. Individuals exposed to a natural photoperiod (14L:10D) had smaller nuclear areas (mean ± s.e. = 13·82 ± 1·52 µm2) than those exposed to a short photoperiod (8:16) (21·45 ± 2·67 µm2; P < 0·001). Eventually, the nuclear area of pinealocytes could be used as a putative indicator of melatonin synthesis in fishes where it is difficult to obtain plasma samples, e.g. due to its small size or age. This work constitutes one of the few comparative descriptions of the pineal complex of juvenile and adult teleost and suggests potential approaches for the study of melatonin synthesis in fish larvae or small adult fishes.