bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Herbaceous Vegetation Responses (1992-2004) to Restoration Treatments in a Ponderosa Pine Forest
Authors: Moore Margaret M. , Casey Cheryl A. , Bakker Jonathan D. ,   Society for Range Management
Published: June 2016

Ecological restoration treatments are widely applied in southwestern ponderosa pine forests to convert them to an open canopy structure similar to that found at the time of Euro-American settlement. An experiment was initiated in northern Arizona in 1994 to evaluate long-term ecosystem responses to 3 restoration treatments: 1) thinning from below (thinning), 2) thinning from below plus forest floor manipulation with periodic prescribed burning (composite), and 3) an untreated control. Results focus on total herbaceous and functional-group standing crop response to these restoration treatments. Pretreatment data were collected in 1992 and posttreatment responses were measured from 1994 through 2004. Total herbaceous standing crop was significantly higher on the 2 treated areas than on the control over the entire posttreatment period, but did not differ between the thinning and composite treatments. Plant functional groups responded differently to treatments and to drought. In general, the graminoid standing crop responded within several years after the initial treatments and continued to increase through time, until a series of severe droughts reduced standing crop to pretreatment levels. C3 graminoids dominated the standing-crop response, of which bottlebrush squirreltail (Elymus elymoides (Raf.) Swezey ssp. elymoides) was the primary contributor. C4 graminoids had a minimal response to restoration treatments, possibly because they were less abundant before the experiment began or because they were adversely affected by autumn burning. Legumes and forbs exhibited a 4-5 year lag before responding to the thinning and composite treatments. Annual and biennial plants showed a large biomass increase approximately 5 years after implementation of the composite treatment. The restoration goal of optimizing herbaceous standing crop must be weighed against the competing goals of increasing the abundance of specific functional groups, increasing biodiversity or rare plants, and managing invasive plant species.
Postfire Vegetation Dynamics in Three Rangelands of Northeastern Patagonia, Argentina
Authors: Rastagno César M. , Defossé Guillermo E. , del Valle Héctor F. ,   Society for Range Management
Published: June 2016

In many rangeland ecosystems, the role of fire on vegetation dynamics has been the object of detailed studies. In Argentina, and especially in Patagonia, the knowledge of how fire changes vegetation is scarce. In 3 areas affected by wildfires on different dates (in 1988, 1994, and 1998), we determined the structure of the vegetation (plant cover, density, and biomass) and compared it with that of nearby unburned areas. Based upon these data, we present a qualitative state-and-transition model of this rangeland. For the sites burned in 1988 and 1994, aerial biomass, density, and cover of perennial grasses were significantly greater (P0.05) for burned than for unburned areas. For the site burned in 1998, although there were no significant differences in perennial grass biomass and cover, density was significantly greater compared to the unburned area. Total shrubcover was significantly lower (P0.05) in burned than in the unburned areas, attaining 49.7%, 15.0%, and 5.5% of that of the unburned areas for the sites burned in 1988, 1994, and 1998, respectively. Similar to cover, density for most shrubby species was significantly greater in the unburned than in the burned areas for the 3 sites. Grazing and fires of different intensities, combined with variable rainfall, makes the prediction of postfire vegetation changes difficult. However, it can be generalized that fire changed the vegetation from shrub-dominated steppes, a persistent state in northeastern Patagonia, into a grass-dominated transient state. This change has persisted for more than 10 years after a fire event. From the perspective of sheep raising, the significant postfire increase in perennial grass biomass represents a substantial improvement in the condition of these rangelands. However, repeated fires would be necessary to control the sprouting shrubs and maintain the grass-dominated state.
Removing Adult Overstory Trees Stimulates Growth and Transpiration of Conspecific Juvenile Trees
Authors: Moore Georanne W. , Owens M. Keith ,   Society for Range Management
Published: June 2016

During the last century, the density of Ashe juniper (Juniperus ashei Buchholz) has greatly increased in oak savannahs of central Texas. Recently, juniper removal has been advocated as a regional water conservation tool. In this study, we investigated whether juvenile trees released from an overstory canopy after clearing exhibited accelerated growth and water consumption. We compared leaf-level transpiration (El) and carbon assimilation (Anet) rates among juvenile juniper under three different treatment scenarios: 1) in the open, 2) under an adult juniper canopy or 3) recently released by the removal of an adult juniper canopy. Released plants apparently grew faster and used more water than other juvenile trees; average Anet of released plants was 94%-162% greater (P < 0.05) than those beneath an adult canopy and 22%-44% greater than open-grown plants. Furthermore, average El of released plants was 22%-72% greater than those beneath an adult canopy and 13%-22% greater than open-grown plants. These differences persisted for at least two years after treatment. Rates of Anet were particularly elevated in released plants compared to other plants during periods of low water stress; whereas El tended to be higher in released plants compared to other plants at all levels of water availability. Our evidence suggests released plants have better access to water, because at two out of three study sites, predawn leaf water potential (Wp) was significantly more favorable for released plants than open-grown or under-canopy plants (P < 0.05). Although adult canopy removal temporarily reduced leaf area of juniper on a community level, and likely total water use, we demonstrated that released juveniles, at a minimum, partially compensated for the reduced overstory by increasing rates of water use and growth.
Grazing Effects on Snow Accumulation on Rough Fescue Grasslands
Authors: Willms Walter D. , Chanasyk David S. ,   Society for Range Management
Published: June 2016

Snow accumulation is an important process that defines the hydrological characteristics of grasslands and is mediated by vegetation structure. Grazing also affects those processes, but its relationship to snow accumulation is poorly understood. We conducted a study in the rough fescue grasslands in southwestern Alberta (lat 50 degrees11ʹ30 degreesN, long 113 degrees53ʹ30 degreesW) to determine the effect of grazing pressure on snow accumulation and its relationship with selected meteorological variables. Snow accumulation (mass per unit area) was measured throughout the winter from 1998 to 2004 within each of 3 watersheds that had different historical grazing pressures (high, moderate, and zero). In a second study, we examined the effect of artificially created patch sizes (0.5-, 1.0-, and 1.5-m diameter) on snow accumulation from 1998 to 2000. The yearly average of the heavily and moderately grazed watersheds was about 42% and 20%, respectively, less snow than the ungrazed watershed. Of the meteorological variables we tested, only average daily temperatures, average daily maximum temperatures, and snowfall were influenced by the watershed. Snowfall was about half as effective in predicting snow accumulation in the heavily grazed watershed as in the moderately grazed or ungrazed watersheds. Patch size was generally not effective, except at single observations in both 1998 and 1999 when the 1.0-m diameter patch captured the most snow mass per unit area. The ungrazed grassland captured a similar amount to that captured in the cut patches. The study indicates that increased grazing intensity reduces the ability of grasslands to capture snow.
Efficacy of Flea Beetle Control of Leafy Spurge in Montana and South Dakota
Authors: Butler Jack L. , Parker Matthew S. , Murphy John T. ,   Society for Range Management
Published: June 2016

Black (Aphthona lacertosa and Aphthona czwalinae) and brown (Aphthona nigriscutis) flea beetles are among the more successful biological control agents used in the control and management of leafy spurge on a relatively large scale in the Northern Great Plains. The objectives of this study were to document leafy spurge population dynamics in response to control by black and brown flea beetles, determine the role of selected site characteristics on establishment and persistence of the beetles, and evaluate the general response of the resident vegetation to control of leafy spurge. In late June 1998, about 3 000 insects of each species were released into permanently marked plots in northwestern South Dakota and southeastern Montana. Beetle abundance, density and foliar cover of leafy spurge, and foliar cover of the resident vegetation were evaluated each year from 1998 through 2004. Black beetles increased rapidly and peaked at 65% of their measurable potential abundance within 2 years (P < 0.05) following release and dominated all release plots throughout the study. Although population growth characteristics of black flea beetles were highly variable, the successful patterns in reducing the dominance of leafy spurge were fairly consistent. By 2004, foliar cover of leafy spurge on both release and nonrelease plots was significantly reduced compared to prerelease values. Foliar cover of grass and grasslike plants increased concomitantly with the reduction in leafy spurge dominance while cover of forbs on release and nonrelease plots remained consistently below noninfested values.
Low-Cost Radiation Shielding for Use in Mapping the Thermal Environments of Rangeland Animals
Authors: Clark Patrick E. , Johnson Douglas E. , Harris Norman ,   Society for Range Management
Published: June 2016

Variations in its thermal environment can influence how an animal utilizes a rangeland landscape. Mapping the spatial and temporal air temperature patterns throughout a landscape may be helpful in predicting range animal distribution and habitat use. Many sampling points are required to effectively map air temperature levels throughout extensive and topographically diverse rangelands. Self-contained air temperature data loggers are commercially available, but these require shielding from solar radiation to provide accurate measurements. Commercial shields are expensive and fragile. A low-cost, robust, and effective alternative to commercial shields is needed for air temperature mapping applications. Two types of shields, vented cylinder and inverted-U shaped, were constructed from PVC pipe. Temperature loggers protected in either of these shielding types provided more accurate air temperature measurements than unshielded loggers. Temperature measurements from loggers protected by inverted-U shields were within +/-2.5 degreesC of a reference instrument in 94.7% of 2 496 observations. About 86.2% of observations acquired by loggers within vented-cylinder shields were within +/-2.5 degreesC of the reference. Conversely, only 66.1% of the measurements from unshielded loggers were within +/-2.5 degreesC of the reference. Both shielding types were designed to be attached to a swiveling mounting system, thus avoiding damage by animals and eliminating the need for protective exclosure fencing. Materials costs for constructing either shield type, including the mounting system, were 8.00 or less. In contrast, commercially available radiation shields with mounting hardware cost 75.00 or more. Compared to the use of commercial shielding, construction and deployment of these PVC-pipe shields would reduce the cost, time, and labor required to collect accurate air temperature data at many points across an extensive landscape.
Vegetation Characteristics Across Part of the Wyoming Big Sagebrush Alliance
Authors: Davies Kirk W. , Bates Jonathan D. , Miller Richard F. ,   Society for Range Management
Published: June 2016

The Wyoming big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata ssp. Wyomingensis [Beetle A. Young] S.L. Welsh) alliance is the most extensive of the big sagebrush complex in the Intermountain West. This alliance provides critical habitat for many sagebrush obligate and facultative wildlife species and serves as a forage base for livestock production. There is a lack of information that describes vegetation cover values, characteristics, diversity, and heterogeneity of the Wyoming big sagebrush alliance. This study describes vegetation cover values and defines distinct associations for intact, late-seral Wyoming big sagebrush plant communities across part of its northwestern range. We sampled 107 Wyoming big sagebrush plant communities. Total herbaceous cover values were variable among sites with differences between sites exceeding 700%. Mean sagebrush cover was 12.3% with 90% of the sites producing 6% to 20% cover. Tall forb (.18 cm) cover averaged 1.9% and 90% of the sites varied between 0.2% and 5.6% cover. Five associations delineated by dominant perennial bunchgrass species were identified: ARTRW8 (Wyoming big sagebrush)/PSSP6 (Pseudoroegneria spicata [Pursh] A. Löve, bluebunch wheatgrass), ARTRW8/ACTH7 (Achnatherum thurberianum [Piper] Barkworth, Thurber’s needlegrass), ARTRW8/FEID (Festuca idahoensis Elmer, Idahofescue), ARTRW8/HECO26 (Hesperostipa comata [Trin. Rupr.] Barkworth, needle-and-thread), and ARTRW8/PSSP6-ACTH7 (a codominance of bluebunch wheatgrass and Thurber’s needlegrass). Our results suggest when the vegetation cover values proposed for sage-grouse are applied as requirements at or above the stand level, they exceed the ecological potentialof many of the sites sampled.
Case Series of a Knowledge Translation Intervention to Increase Upper Limb Exercise in Stroke Rehabilitation
Authors: Connell Louise A. , McMahon Naoimh E. , Tyson Sarah F. , Watkins Caroline L. , Eng Janice J.
Published: June 2016

Background and Purpose

Current approaches to upper limb rehabilitation are not sufficient to drive neural reorganization and maximize recovery after stroke. To address this evidence-practice gap, a knowledge translation intervention using the Behaviour Change Wheel was developed. The intervention involves collaboratively working with stroke therapy teams to change their practice and increase therapy intensity by therapists prescribing supplementary self-directed arm exercise. The purposes of this case series are: (1) to provide an illustrative example of how a research-informed process changed clinical practice and (2) to report on staff members' and patients' perceptions of the utility of the developed intervention.

Case Descriptions

A participatory action research approach was used in 3 stroke rehabilitation units in the United Kingdom. The intervention aimed to change 4 therapist-level behaviors: (1) screening patients for suitability for supplementary self-directed arm exercise, (2) provision of exercises, (3) involving family and caregivers in assisting with exercises, and (4) monitoring and progressing exercises. Data on changes in practice were collected by therapy teams using a bespoke audit tool. Utility of the intervention was explored in qualitative interviews with patients and staff.

Outcomes

Components of the intervention were successfully embedded in 2 of the 3 stroke units. At these sites, almost all admitted patients were screened for suitability for supplementary self-directed exercise. Exercises were provided to 77%, 70%, and 88% of suitable patients across the 3 sites. Involving family and caregivers and monitoring and progressing exercises were not performed consistently.

Conclusions

This case series is an example of how a rigorous research-informed knowledge translation process resulted in practice change. Research is needed to demonstrate that these changes can translate into increased intensity of upper limb exercise and affect patient outcomes.
Preparing to introduce the varicella vaccine into the Italian immunisation programme: varicella-related hospitalisations in Tuscany, 2004–2012
Authors: Boccalini Sara , Bonanni Paolo , Bechini Angela
Published: June 2016

A universal immunisation programme against varicella in the form of the measles-mumps-rubella-varicella (MMRV) vaccine for toddlers aged 13–15 months was introduced in Tuscany in July 2008. An assessment of the impact of this programme on varicella-related hospitalisations 4 years after its introduction could further support its adoption at a national level. The hospitalisation data were analysed in two periods: pre-vaccination (2004–2007) and vaccination period (2009–2012). The high coverage of the vaccines (84% in 2012) resulted in a significant decline in notifications, from 33,114 (2004–2007) to 13,184 cases (2009–2012), and also of hospitalisations, from 584 (pre-vaccination period) to 325 (vaccination period). The hospitalisation rate was 4.1 per 100,000 (95% confidence intervals (CI): 3.4–4.7) before the introduction of vaccination, which dropped to 2.2 per 100,000 (95% CI: 1.7–2.7) in the vaccination period (hospitalisation risk ratios: 0.54; 95% CI:  0.472–0.619). The reduction was most significant in the youngest age groups. The introduction of universal vaccination has already led to a significant decline in hospitalisations due to varicella after just 4 years of implementation. Hospitalisation rates fell noticeably among younger individuals involved in the vaccination programme. The decrease in hospitalisation rate in the older age groups suggests a possible indirect protection.
Fracturing and adhesion behavior of hydroxyapatite formed by a citric acid and sodium citrate buffer system
Authors: Aydin İbrahim , Çetinel Hakan , Pasinli Ahmet , Yuksel Mithat
Published: June 2016

This study aims to examine the fracture and surface adhesion behavior of hydroxyapatite (HA) coatings created in acitric acid – sodium citrate buffer system. Coatings were implemented on the surface of Ti6Al4V. The modulus of elasticity, hardness and adhesion strength values of the presented coatings were determined, the fracture toughness values were calculated and scanning electron microscope (SEM) images were taken as well. Finally, the mechanical properties found by the tests implemented to hydroxyapatite coatings applied on Ti6Al4V, which yielded successful outcomes were compared to the mechanical properties of bone. The fracture toughness achieved in this study was found to be more compatible with the mechanical properties of the original bone itself when compared to the literature findings. Besides, the adhesion strength was found to be remarkably high.
Fabrication of nano-sized copper powders in liquid media via high-energy electrical explosion method: Use of high purity copper recovered from waste jelly-filled cable as raw material
Authors: Lee Sungkyu , Lee Dukhee , Lee Soo-Young , Cho Sung-Su , Uhm Sunghyun
Published: June 2016

A novel process for fabrication of nano-sized copper powders in organic oleic acid medium was developed employing a high-energy electrical explosion method. Formation of copper oxides was inhibited by the oleic acid medium during the electrical explosion of copper wires recovered from waste jelly-filled cable as a raw material for synthesis of nano-colloids and final dried nano-sized copper powders. High voltage of 320 V was repeatedly applied between the two horizontal electrodes for 3000 electrical explosions across the horizontal electrodes assembly. The copper powders were finally recovered via dispersion of the colloid by ultra-sonification and subsequent drying in an oven at 60 °C for 1 h and 5 h, respectively. The copper powders thus fabricated were analyzed using FESEM, BET surface area analyzer, TEM and elemental analyzer for determination of morphology, porosity and elemental purity. All of them turned out to be superior compared to similarly produced copper nano-sized powders in deionized water or ethyl alcohol (EtOH) media.
Comparison between an Ascenda and a silicone catheter in intrathecal baclofen therapy in pediatric patients: analysis of complications
Authors: Motta Francesco , Antonello Clara Eleonora
Published: June 2016

OBJECTIVE

In this single-center study the authors investigated the complications occurring before and after the introduction of the new Ascenda intrathecal catheter (Medtronic Inc.) in pediatric patients treated with intrathecal baclofen therapy (ITB) for spasticity and/or dystonia.

METHODS

This was a retrospective review of 508 children who had received ITB, 416 with silicone catheters in the 13 years between September 1998 and September 2011 and 92 with Ascenda catheters in the 3 years between September 2011 and August 2014. The authors evaluated major complications such as infections, CSF leaks treated, and problems related to the catheter or pump, and they compared the 2 groups of patients who had received either a silicone catheter or an Ascenda catheter implant.

RESULTS

One hundred twenty patients in the silicone group (29%) and 1 patient in the Ascenda group (1.1%; p < 0.001) had a major complication. In the silicone group 23 patients (5.5%) were affected by CSF leakage and 75 patients (18%) experienced 82 catheter-related events, such as occlusion, dislodgment, disconnection, or breakage, which required catheter replacement. In the Ascenda group, only 1 patient (1.1%) was affected by CSF leakage.

CONCLUSIONS

To the authors' knowledge, this study is the first in the literature to compare the performance of the new Ascenda catheter, introduced in 2011, with the traditional silicone catheter for intrathecal drug infusion. In their analysis, the authors found that the Ascenda catheter can reduce major complications related to the catheter after ITB pump implantation. Further investigation is necessary to expand on and confirm their results.
“All That Country Will Be Taken Up by the Thrifty Settler”: Migration, Environment, and the Cutover Lands of Minnesota, USA from the 1890s to the 1930s
Authors: Brown Kevin
Published: June 2016

During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the lumber industry in northern Minnesota transformed vast swaths of forested land into lumber products for burgeoning capitalist markets across the United States, a process entailing not only the destruction of old growth pine forests, but the creation of a new (albeit severely degraded) space: the cutover. These lands – marshy, rocky, and now riddled with tree stumps and debris – presented serious economic problems for lumber companies themselves, in the form of tax burdens and the risk of spreading fires to still valuable timbered lands. Lumber companies and boosters promoted the climate and ecology of this region as ideal for agricultural development by migrants of “modest means.” This understanding of the cutover reflected a mix of ideas about nature, climate, and migration as much as it did the ecology of the region itself. By the late 1920s, the dream of these cutover boosters resulted in a landscape of impoverished migrants and abandoned farms across the former lumber regions of both states. When, during the 1930s, New Deal planners examined the cutover and evaluated its climate and ecology they saw its future in radically different terms than boosters had. These spaces, they argued, should be removed from agricultural development and reforested under public control. This case study demonstrates that the ways institutions and individuals think about climate and ecology matters when examining the connection between migration and climate.
Big Science and the Enchantment of Growth in Latin America
Authors: Cuvi Nicolás
Published: June 2016

The central theme of this article is the mirage of growth that spread in Latin American countries under the influence of the United States, during and after World War II, that is, the persuasion that well-being could be achieved through growth, that building and making everything bigger would grant the people of these countries a lifestyle similar to that of the United States. Contrary to this belief, the author argues that what has grown is not the projected well-being of the people, but poverty, exclusion, external debt and ecological damage. The author’s investigation of the subject begins from the long shadows cast by WWII on the environment. This historical period not only had significant material consequences on world landscapes, but also had a symbolic impact, at least in Latin America, through the rise of the ideal of Big Science, which actually aggravated the material environmental impacts. The article concludes with a reflection on the need for a paradigm shift towards ways of achieving development without relying exclusively on growth. Environmental studies could point out ways to defuse or possibly even eradicate the enchantment of growth.
The Environmental Impacts of Japan’s Occupation of West Malaysia (1942-45) and its Socio-Economic Implications
Authors: Kathirithamby-Wells Jeyamalar
Published: June 2016

The Japanese occupation of Malaysia highlights the interrelation between war and the natural environment as forming an integral part of the national narrative and global environmentalism. By disrupting the economy and emasculating the forestry service, the Japanese military administration removed the restraints on forest invasion by the hungry and landless and simultaneously privileged Japanese cooperate business, which engaged in indiscriminate exploitation, ostensibly for the war effort. Despite the best efforts of the Japanese scientific wing, the breakdown of forest management wrought havoc on environment and health. Ironically, postwar restitution of forestry was based on two by-products of the war: the Malayan Uniform System of silviculture and new technologies of harvesting and transportation, which set independent Malaysia on the trajectory of unsustainable harvesting. But equally, the retreat to the forest of the hungry, the landless and the disaffected bred a new awareness of human interdependence, irrespective of ethnic differences, within a shared natural environment. The collective experience and memory contributed to the emergence of the nation’s first environmental advocates.
Survival Strategies and the Environment: The Siwalik Forest Commons, 19th and 20th Centuries
Authors: Chakravarty-Kaul Minoti
Published: June 2016

The history of the Siwalik forest commons counters the notion of a ‘tragedy of the commons’ as is commonly understood. It also corroborates their support as buffers and safety niches for pastoral peoples from uncertain political and harsh landscape of seven rivers and mountain chains of the Hindu Kush - Himalayas. Here we document those features of such traditional systems of shamilat van or forest commons in the Siwalik forests of the Punjab and analyse their contribution to the agro-ecosystems of both local agriculturalists and pastoralists to the north and south and the reciprocal system of rights, rules, and responsibilities devised by the users to ensure the survival of the forests. These resource-use systems also enabled communities to bear uncertainty and share risks. Indigenous management systems assumed a diversity of forms, reflecting the flexibility required to adapt to the dynamic environments in which these communities lived. It appears that this institutional flexibility allowed local management systems to endure through political upheavals and natural disasters. Thus it is that the collaborative management of the Siwalik forests successfully supported fragile ecosystems of the Upper Himalayas and relieved resource pressures on the plains below in the doabs or land lying between the rivers of Punjab.
Urbanists and the Environment Between Technique and Politics: The Case of Italy from the Sixties to the Present
Authors: Corona Gabriella
Published: June 2016

Beginning in the Sixties, a trend in town-planning studies known as “reformist” developed in Italy, largely revolving around the Istituto Nazionale di Urbanistica (national institute for town-planning studies). This trend marked a deep change in land management concepts. Its adherents sought to “reform” – rather than merely rationalize – the economic growth to limit its negative social and environment impact. This was to be achieved by controlling the real estate market and the regulation of land rent processes. Thanks to the strong ties they formed with public administrations and left-wing parties, many exponents of this trend became leading figures in the public debate on cities of the Seventies and early Eighties, and were responsible for many institutional decisions adopted in this period at the national as well as the local level (e.g. the land law of 1977 and the ten-year housing plan of 1978). In the Eighties and Nineties, in spite of the spread of a private conception of urban planning - the so-called “contrattata” (negotiated) urban planning – the exponents of this trend were still able to carry out programs and plans – e.g. in Bologna, Roma, and Naples – aimed at safeguarding the physical integrity of the land. This was achieved through a juridical and legislative evolution (as in the case of the Galasso law of 1986 and subsequent measures) that provided public administrations with new instruments for the protection of natural resources and the landscape, even within urban areas.
“Rather Active Today than Radioactive Tomorrow!” Environmental Justice and the Anti-Nuclear Movement in 1970s Wyhl, West Germany
Authors: Kalb Martin
Published: June 2016

This article applies new understandings of environmental justice theory to a specific local case study. More precisely, it uses a broader conception of environmental justice theory to further our understanding of the rise of the German anti-nuclear movement. After briefly introducing new trends within environmental justice theory that move beyond equity, the article applies this framework to the German context. It thereby helps define
Umweltgerechtigkeit
or environmental justice in Germany, and then applies this nuanced framework to the events in Wyhl, a small community on the forefront against nuclear power in the early 1970s. The article ultimately argues that environmental justice needs to move beyond focusing on the unequal distribution of environmental goods and bads. It also indicates that environmental justice is an excellent historical lens and a powerful interdisciplinary framework that can provide unique avenues for revisiting existing scholarship.
Registration of ‘Canggu 5’ Foxtail Millet
Authors: Tian Bohong , Zhang Lixin , Liu Yanli
Published: June 2016

Summer foxtail millet [Setaria italica (L.) Beauv.] is widely grown in the northern part of China, especially in Hebei Province, where it accounts for one‐fourth of the country's producing areas. A winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)–summer foxtail millet–winter wheat rotation is a typical practice, so early maturity of foxtail millet is critical in this system. The objective of this research was to develop a summer foxtail millet cultivar with early maturity and promising agronomical performance. ‘Canggu 5’ (Reg. No. CV‐1, PI 676976) summer foxtail millet was developed from the cross Ji 8787/Shui 2, which was made in 1999 and released in December 2013 by Cangzhou Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences (Certificate no. 2013001). Canggu 5 was assessed in multi‐environment replicated plots in the Northern China Summer Foxtail Millet Regional trials (NCSFMRT) from 2011 to 2013. Canggu 5 was 3 d earlier in maturity than the control cultivar Jigu 19. Canggu 5 was moderately resistant to stem lodging, which was similar to Jigu 19. Grain yields were consistently better than Jigu 19. The end‐use quality was equal or better than Jigu 19. Canggu 5 is an early maturing cultivar and is agronomically competitive in the summer foxtail millet production regions in northern China.
Electrical and Spectroscopic Diagnostics of Atmospheric Pressure DBD Plasma Jet
Authors: Roy NC , Talukder MR
Published: June 2016

Atmospheric pressure capillary dielectric barrier oxygen discharge plasma jet is developed to generate nonthermal plasma using unipolar positive pulse power supply. Both electrical and optical diagnostic techniques were used to characterize the produced plasma as functions of applied voltage and gas flow rate. Electrical diagnostics indicated that the discharge frequency decreased with gas flow rate but increased with the applied voltage. Analytical results obtained from the optical emission spectroscopic data revealed the gas temperature, excitation temperature and electron density. Gas temperature was found to decrease with increasing oxygen flow rate but increase linearly with applied voltage. The produced plasma was applied preliminarily to study the inactivation yield of Fusarium oxysporum fungus infected potato samples.Journal of Bangladesh Academy of Sciences, Vol. 40, No. 1, 23-36, 2016
Synthesis and Antibacterial Activities of Sugar-containing Platinum Ethynyl Complexes
Authors: Paul Ratan Kumar , Ahmad Md Faruak , Khan Mohammad Mizanur Rahman , Younus Muhammad
Published: June 2016

New sugar-containing aryl ethynyl ligand [N-(4-trimethylsilylethynylphenyl)-?-D-glucopyranosylamine] 2 has been prepared by the reaction of [N-(4-iodophenyl)-?-D-glucopyranosylamine] 1 with trimethysilylacetylene in the presence of Pd(OAc)2/CuI catalyst, in iPr2NH and DMF solvent mixture. The trimethylsilyl group of compound 2 was deprotected using K2CO3 in methanol to form terminal ethynylene ligand [N-(?-D-glucopyranosyl)aniline-4-ethyne] 3. Novel platinum mono-ethynyl complex trans-[(P(Bu)3)2PtCl(C?C-4-C6H4-NH-D-glocose)] 4 and bis-ethynyl complex trans-[(P(Bu)3)2PtCl(C?C-4-C6H4-NH-D-glocose)2] 5 were formed by the dehydrohalogenation reaction of trans-[Pt(P(Bu)3)2Cl2] with terminal ethynyl ligand 3 in iPr2NH/THF, in the presence of CuI, at 65ºC. The complexes are hygroscopic in air, and are fairly soluble in methanol and CH2Cl2. The new compound 2 - 5 were characterized by FTIR and UV-Vis spectroscopy and elemental analysis. The compounds were tested for antibacterial activity using disk diffusion technique. The platinum complexes 4 and 5 displayed good resistivity against the following bacteria: Escherichia coli, Proteus penneri, Klebsiella oxytoca and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.Journal of Bangladesh Academy of Sciences, Vol. 40, No. 1, 65-77, 2016New sugar-containing aryl ethynyl ligand [N-(4-trimethylsilylethynylphenyl)-?-D-glucopyranosylamine] 2 has been prepared by the reaction of [N-(4-iodophenyl)-?-D-glucopyranosylamine] 1 with trimethysilylacetylene in the presence of Pd(OAc)2/CuI catalyst, in iPr2NH and DMF solvent mixture. The trimethylsilyl group of compound 2 was deprotected using K2CO3in methanol to form terminal ethynylene ligand [N-(?-D-glucopyranosyl)aniline-4-ethyne] 3. Novel platinum mono-ethynyl complex trans-[(P(Bu)3)2PtCl(C?C-4-C6H4-NH-D-glocose)] 4 and bis-ethynyl complex trans-[(P(Bu)3)2PtCl(C?C-4-C6H4-NH-D-glocose)2] 5 were formed by the dehydrohalogenation reaction of trans-[Pt(P(Bu)3)2Cl2] with terminal ethynyl ligand 3 in iPr2NH/THF, in the presence of CuI, at 65ºC. The complexes are hygroscopic in air, and are fairly soluble in methanol and CH2Cl2. The new compound 2 - 5 were characterized by FTIR and UV-Vis spectroscopy and elemental analysis. The compounds were tested for antibacterial activity using disk diffusion technique. The platinum complexes 4 and 5 displayed good resistivity against the following bacteria: Escherichia coli, Proteus penneri, Klebsiella oxytoca and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.Journal of Bangladesh Academy of Sciences, Vol. 40, No. 1, 65-77, 2016
Benefits of Considering More than Temperature Acceleration for GaN HEMT Life Testing
Authors: Coutu Ronald , Lake Robert , Christiansen Bradley , Heller Eric , Bozada Christopher , Poling Brian , Via Glen , Theimer James , Tetlak Stephen , Vetury Ramakrishna , Shealy Jeffrey
Published: June 2016

The purpose of this work was to investigate the validity of Arrhenius accelerated-life testing when applied to gallium nitride (GaN) high electron mobility transistors (HEMT) lifetime assessments, where the standard assumption is that only critical stressor is temperature, which is derived from operating power, device channel-case, thermal resistance, and baseplate temperature. We found that power or temperature alone could not explain difference in observed degradation, and that accelerated life tests employed by industry can benefit by considering the impact of accelerating factors besides temperature. Specifically, we found that the voltage used to reach a desired power dissipation is important, and also that temperature acceleration alone or voltage alone (without much power dissipation) is insufficient to assess lifetime at operating conditions.
Zombies and Refugees: Variations on the “Post-human” and the “Non-human” in Robin Campillo’s Les Revenants (2004) and Fabrice Gobert’s Les Revenants (2012–2015)
Authors: Mouflard Claire
Published: June 2016

This article examines the use of the zombie (or the “returned,” the literal translation of the French term “revenant”) in Fabrice Gobert’s French series Les Revenants (2012–2015) as a narrative trope that evokes the recent wave of migration from Syria into Europe. In parallel, this article addresses Robin Campillo’s 2004 original feature Les Revenants as it served as an inspiration for Gobert’s work in 2012. Campillo’s work, like Gobert’s, is rooted in the treatment of refugees in France. Following the forceful closing of the Sangatte refugee camp in Calais in 2002, the Moroccan-born French filmmaker expressed his concern for the treatment of Others in France through the figure of the zombie, eventually initiating a new genre in French fiction that would serve to express and denounce the characterization of Others in France as “non-human.”
The Impact of the 2013 Eastern China Smog on Outpatient Visits for Coronary Heart Disease in Shanghai, China
Authors: Huang Fang , Chen Renjie , Shen Yuetian , Kan Haidong , Kuang Xingya
Published: June 2016

There have been relatively few opportunities to examine the cardiovascular effects of an extreme air pollution event in China. We aimed to examine the impact of the 2013 Eastern China Smog occurring from 2 to 9 December 2013, on outpatient visits for coronary heart diseases (CHD) in a typical hospital in Shanghai, China. We used the over-dispersed, generalized additive model to estimate the relative risk (RR) of the 2013 Eastern China Smog on the outpatient visits by comparing the smog period (2–9 December 2013; 8 days) to the non-smog period (1 November–1 December 2013, and 10 December–28 February 2014; 112 days). This model also controlled for time trends, days of the week, holidays, and meteorological factors. A stratification analysis was performed to estimate sex- and age-specific RRs. The daily average PM2.5 (fine particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 μm) concentrations during the smog period were 212 μg/m3, which were three times higher than during the non-smog period (76 μg/m3). The smog in Eastern China in 2013 was significantly associated with an increased risk of outpatient visits for CHD. For example, the RR was 1.18 (95% CI: 1.04, 1.32) on lag 0 day. There were similar effects on males and females. Our analyses provided preliminary evidence that smog constituted a significant risk factor of CHD in China.
Associations of Undergoing a Routine Medical Examination or Not with Prevalence Rates of Hypertension and Diabetes Mellitus: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Zhang Lin , Zhang Wei , Zhang Lingling , Tian Danping , Li Li , Deng Xin , Deng Jing , Ning Peishan , Hu Guoqing
Published: June 2016

Background: Undergoing a routine medical examination may be associated with the prevalence rate of chronic diseases from a population-based household interview survey. However, this important issue has not been examined so far. Methods: Data came from the first health service household interview of Hunan province, China, in 2013. A Rao–Scott chi-square test was performed to examine the difference in prevalence rates between subgroups. Adjusted odds ratio (OR) was calculated using the PROC SURVEYLOGISTIC procedure of SAS9.1 statistical software. Results: In total, 24,282 residents of 8400 households were surveyed. A higher proportion of elderly adults had undergone a medical examination within the prior 12 months compared with young adults (≥65 years, 60%; 45–64 years, 46%; 18–44 years, 37%). After controlling for location, sex, and household income per capita, undergoing a medical examination was significantly associated with high prevalence rates of hypertension (adjusted OR: 2.0, 95% CI: 1.1–3.5) and of diabetes mellitus (adjusted OR: 3.3, 95% CI: 1.7–6.5) for young adults aged 18–44 years. The associations were not statistically significant for age groups 45–64 years and 65 years or older. Conclusion: The prevalence rates of hypertension and diabetes mellitus may be seriously underestimated for young adults not undergoing a routine medical examination in a health household interview survey.
Nickel-Refining Fumes Induced DNA Damage and Apoptosis of NIH/3T3 Cells via Oxidative Stress
Authors: Wang Yue , Wang Sheng-Yuan , Jia Li , Zhang Lin , Ba Jing-Chong , Han Dan , Yu Cui-Ping , Wu Yong-Hui
Published: June 2016

Although there have been numerous studies examining the toxicity and carcinogenicity of nickel compounds in humans and animals, its molecular mechanisms of action are not fully elucidated. In our research, NIH/3T3 cells were exposed to nickel-refining fumes at the concentrations of 0, 6.25, 12.50, 25, 50 and 100 μg/mL for 24 h. Cell viability, cell apoptosis, reactive oxygen species (ROS) level, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay, the level of glutathione (GSH), activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and malondialdehyde (MDA) level were detected. The exposure of NIH/3T3 cells to nickel-refining fumes significantly reduced cell viability and induced cell apoptotic death in a dose-dependent manner. Nickel-refining fumes significantly increased ROS levels and induced DNA damage. Nickel-refining fumes may induce the changes in the state of ROS, which may eventually initiate oxidative stress, DNA damage and apoptosis of NIH/3T3 cells.
Simulation and Evaluation of Urban Growth for Germany Including Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Measures
Authors: Hoymann Jana , Goetzke Roland
Published: June 2016

Decision-makers in the fields of urban and regional planning in Germany face new challenges. High rates of urban sprawl need to be reduced by increased inner-urban development while settlements have to adapt to climate change and contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions at the same time. In this study, we analyze conflicts in the management of urban areas and develop integrated sustainable land use strategies for Germany. The spatial explicit land use change model Land Use Scanner is used to simulate alternative scenarios of land use change for Germany for 2030. A multi-criteria analysis is set up based on these scenarios and based on a set of indicators. They are used to measure whether the mitigation and adaptation objectives can be achieved and to uncover conflicts between these aims. The results show that the built-up and transport area development can be influenced both in terms of magnitude and spatial distribution to contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation. Strengthening the inner-urban development is particularly effective in terms of reducing built-up and transport area development. It is possible to reduce built-up and transport area development to approximately 30 ha per day in 2030, which matches the sustainability objective of the German Federal Government for the year 2020. In the case of adaptation to climate change, the inclusion of extreme flood events in the context of spatial planning requirements may contribute to a reduction of the damage potential.
Role of the Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System beyond Blood Pressure Regulation: Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms Involved in End-Organ Damage during Arterial Hypertension
Authors: Muñoz-Durango Natalia , Fuentes Cristóbal , Castillo Andrés , González-Gómez Luis , Vecchiola Andrea , Fardella Carlos , Kalergis Alexis
Published: June 2016

Arterial hypertension is a common condition worldwide and an important predictor of several complicated diseases. Arterial hypertension can be triggered by many factors, including physiological, genetic, and lifestyle causes. Specifically, molecules of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system not only play important roles in the control of blood pressure, but they are also associated with the genesis of arterial hypertension, thus constituting a need for pharmacological interventions. Chronic high pressure generates mechanical damage along the vascular system, heart, and kidneys, which are the principal organs affected in this condition. In addition to mechanical stress, hypertension-induced oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, and the activation of reparative mechanisms lead to end-organ damage, mainly due to fibrosis. Clinical trials have demonstrated that renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system intervention in hypertensive patients lowers morbidity/mortality and inflammatory marker levels as compared to placebo patients, evidencing that this system controls more than blood pressure. This review emphasizes the detrimental effects that a renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) imbalance has on health considerations above and beyond high blood pressure, such as fibrotic end-organ damage.
Conductive Hybrid Crystal Composed from Polyoxomolybdate and Deprotonatable Ionic-Liquid Surfactant
Authors: Kobayashi Jun , Kawahara Ryosuke , Uchida Sayaka , Koguchi Shinichi , Ito Takeru
Published: June 2016

A polyoxomolybdate inorganic-organic hybrid crystal was synthesized with deprotonatable ionic-liquid surfactant. 1-dodecylimidazolium cation was employed for its synthesis. The hybrid crystal contained δ-type octamolybdate (Mo8) isomer, and possessed alternate stacking of Mo8 monolayers and interdigitated surfactant bilayers. The crystal structure was compared with polyoxomolybdate hybrid crystals comprising 1-dodecyl-3-methylimidazolium surfactant, which preferred β-type Mo8 isomer. The less bulky hydrophilic moiety of the 1-dodecylimidazolium interacted with the δ-Mo8 anion by N–H···O hydrogen bonds, which presumably induced the formation of the δ-Mo8 anion. Anhydrous conductivity of the hybrid crystal was estimated to be 5.5 × 10−6 S·cm−1 at 443 K by alternating current (AC) impedance spectroscopy.
Chitosan Effects on Plant Systems
Authors: Malerba Massimo , Cerana Raffaella
Published: June 2016

Chitosan (CHT) is a natural, safe, and cheap product of chitin deacetylation, widely used by several industries because of its interesting features. The availability of industrial quantities of CHT in the late 1980s enabled it to be tested in agriculture. CHT has been proven to stimulate plant growth, to protect the safety of edible products, and to induce abiotic and biotic stress tolerance in various horticultural commodities. The stimulating effect of different enzyme activities to detoxify reactive oxygen species suggests the involvement of hydrogen peroxide and nitric oxide in CHT signaling. CHT could also interact with chromatin and directly affect gene expression. Recent innovative uses of CHT include synthesis of CHT nanoparticles as a valuable delivery system for fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, and micronutrients for crop growth promotion by a balanced and sustained nutrition. In addition, CHT nanoparticles can safely deliver genetic material for plant transformation. This review presents an overview on the status of the use of CHT in plant systems. Attention was given to the research that suggested the use of CHT for sustainable crop productivity.