bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Linking historical land use to present vegetation and soil characteristics under slash‐and‐burn cultivation in Madagascar
Authors: Randrianarison Andry , Schlaepfer Rodolphe , Mills Robert , Hervé Dominique , Razanaka Samuel , Rakotoarimanana Vonjison , Carrière Stéphanie M. , Buttler Alexandre
Published: October 2015

Aim

In this paper, we link historical land use of cultivated parcels formerly slashed and burnt, with current secondary vegetation and soil characteristics, in the region of evergreen rain forest in Madagascar. Aim is to understand the legacy effect of former cultivation practices in order to optimize slash‐and‐burn cultivation.

Location

Forest corridor of Fianarantsoa, southeast Madagascar.

Methods

We examined three study sites to capture the ecological range in the forest corridor of Fianarantsoa. At each site, we selected formerly hand‐cultivated parcels since first forest clearing so as to represent up to four classes of age of abandonment, encompassing forest fallow periods after cultivation of 0–5, 6–10, 11–20 and 21–30 yrs. These parcels served for selection of 50 plots. Interviews were conducted with each farmer to document former cultivation practices of the parcels, and from these, land‐use metrics were calculated. Vegetation was surveyed in the plots and soil samples were taken and analysed for chemical and physical properties of the organo‐mineral layer (horizon A).

Results

We found that soil properties, such as pH, have higher values with an increasing number of cultivation cycles and duration of cultivation, and that this trend is inversely related to exchangeable P. C/N ratio is correlated to age of abandonment, and inversely related to soil N content. With increasing age of abandonment, species richness and diversity increase due mainly to an increase in ligneous species. The number of herbaceous and fern species increases with duration of cultivation and number of cultivation cycles.

Conclusion

Historical land use has had a lasting effect on vegetation and even longer‐term effect on soils. Different land‐use variables explain soil and vegetation characteristics of the current secondary forest. The ability of soils to recover P appears unrelated to abandonment duration, suggesting that longer periods of time are required to recover P fertility, or that secondary vegetation is shifting the pool of nutrients into biomass. Our results point to the need for a management regime that would maintain both scattered trees and patches of a grass layer, since this might be key to promoting both biodiversity and soil restoration.
Flexible Behavioral Capture–Recapture Modeling
Authors: Alunni Fegatelli Danilo , Tardella Luca
Published: October 2015

We develop alternative strategies for building and fitting parametric capture–recapture models for closed populations which can be used to address a better understanding of behavioral patterns. In the perspective of transition models, we first rely on a conditional probability parameterization. A large subset of standard capture–recapture models can be regarded as a suitable partitioning in equivalence classes of the full set of conditional probability parameters. We exploit a regression approach combined with the use of new suitable summaries of the conditioning binary partial capture histories as a device for enlarging the scope of behavioral models and also exploring the range of all possible partitions. We show how one can easily find unconditional MLE of such models within a generalized linear model framework. We illustrate the potential of our approach with the analysis of some known datasets and a simulation study.
Genetic Alterations in Gliosarcoma and Giant Cell Glioblastoma
Authors: Oh Ji Eun , Ohta Takashi , Nonoguchi Naosuke , Satomi Kaishi , Capper David , Pierscianek Daniela , Sure Ulrich , Vital Anne , Paulus Werner , Mittelbronn Michel , Antonelli Manila , Kleihues Paul , Giangaspero Felice , Ohgaki Hiroko
Published: October 2015

The majority of glioblastomas develop rapidly with a short clinical history (primary glioblastoma IDH wild‐type), whereas secondary glioblastomas progress from diffuse astrocytoma or anaplastic astrocytoma. IDH mutations are the genetic hallmark of secondary glioblastomas. Gliosarcomas and giant cell glioblastomas are rare histological glioblastoma variants, which usually develop rapidly. We determined the genetic patterns of 36 gliosarcomas and 19 giant cell glioblastomas. IDH1 and IDH2 mutations were absent in all 36 gliosarcomas and in 18 of 19 giant cell glioblastomas analyzed, indicating that they are histological variants of primary glioblastoma. Furthermore, LOH 10q (88%) and TERT promoter mutations (83%) were frequent in gliosarcomas. Copy number profiling using the 450k methylome array in 5 gliosarcomas revealed CDKN2A homozygous deletion (3 cases), trisomy chromosome 7 (2 cases), and monosomy chromosome 10 (2 cases). Giant cell glioblastomas had LOH 10q in 50% and LOH 19q in 42% of cases. ATRX loss was detected immunohistochemically in 19% of giant cell glioblastomas, but absent in 17 gliosarcomas. These and previous results suggest that gliosarcomas are a variant of, and genetically similar to, primary glioblastomas, except for a lack of EGFR amplification, while giant cell glioblastoma occupies a hybrid position between primary and secondary glioblastomas.
Rapid Liana Colonization along a Secondary Forest Chronosequence
Authors: Barry Kathryn E. , Schnitzer Stefan A. , van Breugel Michiel , Hall Jefferson S.
Published: October 2015

Lianas (woody vines) can have profound effects on tree recruitment, growth, survival, and diversity in tropical forests. However, the dynamics of liana colonization soon after land abandonment are poorly understood, and thus it is unknown whether lianas alter tree regeneration early in succession. We examined the liana community in 43 forests that ranged from 1 to 31 yr old in central Panama to determine how fast lianas colonize young forests and how the liana community changes with forest succession. We found that lianas reached high densities early in succession, commonly exceeding 1000 stems/ha within the first 5 yr of forest regeneration. Lianas also increased rapidly during early succession in terms of basal area but did not show evidence of saturation within the 30 yr of our chronosequence. The relative contribution of lianas to total woody plant community in terms of basal area and density increased rapidly and reached a saturation point within 5 yr (basal area) to 15 yr (density) after land abandonment. Our data demonstrate that lianas recruit early and in high density in tropical forest regeneration, and thus lianas may have a large effect on the way in which secondary forests develop both early and throughout succession.
Do Collared Peccaries Negatively Impact Understory Insectivorous Rain Forest Birds Indirectly Via Lianas and Vines?
Authors: Michel Nicole L. , Carson Walter P. , Sherry Thomas W.
Published: October 2015

Tropical rain forest understory insectivorous birds are declining, even in large forest reserves, yet the mechanisms remain unclear. Abundant large mammals can reshape forest structure, which degrades foraging microhabitat. We used six sites in Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama with varying collared peccary (Pecari tajacu) density to test three linked hypotheses: (1) locally declining understory insectivores forage preferentially in liana tangles; (2) vine and liana density, cover, and frequency of dense tangles are lower in the presence of abundant collared peccaries; and consequently (3) abundant collared peccaries are associated with reduced understory insectivorous bird abundance. Three insectivores that declined at La Selva preferentially foraged in liana tangles: Checker‐throated Antwren (Epinecrophylla fulviventris), Dot‐winged Antwren (Microrhopias quixensis), and Ruddy‐tailed Flycatcher (Terenotriccus erythrurus). Vine density, liana cover, liana tangle frequency, and forest cover were lower in the presence of collared peccaries relative to experimental mammal exclosures, with the greatest differences at La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica. Across sites, five of seven vine and liana measures showed negative, curvilinear relationships with peccary densities. Vine and liana measures peaked at sites with intermediate peccary density, and were low at La Selva. Structural equation models suggest negative indirect effects of the collared peccaries on focal bird densities, mediated by vine and liana density, cover, or tangle frequency. Forest area and rainfall affected both lianas and birds, but collared peccaries also contributed to the reduced abundance of understory insectivores. Indirect effects such as that suggested here may occur even in large, protected forest reserves where large mammal communities are changing.
Disparity in Onset Timing and Frequency of Flowering and Fruiting Events in Two Bornean Peat‐Swamp Forests
Authors: Harrison Mark E. , Zweifel Nicole , Husson Simon J. , Cheyne Susan M. , D'Arcy Laura J. , Harsanto Fransiskus A. , Morrogh‐Bernard Helen C. , Purwanto Ari , Rahmatd   , Santiano   , Vogel Erin R. , Wich Serge A. , van Noordwijk Maria A.
Published: October 2015

The timing and frequency of flowering and fruiting events are key tropical forest characteristics that have substantial influence on fauna. Although our understanding of geographic variation in habitat‐wide timing and frequency of flowering and fruiting is advancing, corresponding information for individual tree species is limited. Thus, we compared climate and reproductive phenology of 16 tree species over 70 mo at two Bornean tropical peat‐swamp forest sites. We found significant inter‐site correlations in rainfall and temperature, and only small absolute temperature differences. In both sites, most species exhibited within‐site synchrony in flowering and fruiting onset. Broad‐scale flowering and fruiting onset frequency classifications showed high congruence between sites. Significant correlations in flowering and fruiting onset timing between sites were found for only 19 and 17 percent of the species, respectively. This remained the case when applying 1‐ and 2‐month lag periods for both sites, with neither site consistently lagging behind. Significant differences in the exact frequency of new flowering and fruiting events were detected for 44 and 58 percent of species, respectively, and no significant relationships between the onset timing synchrony and exact frequency of new reproductive events were found for either flowers or fruit. We conclude that inter‐site climatic and ecological similarities do not necessarily lead to high inter‐site synchrony in either onset timing or exact frequency of tree reproductive events. Potential reasons for this are discussed, as are the implications for understanding tropical forest ecology and improving forest restoration project seed collections.
Out of time: theorizing family in social work practice
Authors: Morris Kate , White Sue , Doherty Paula , Warwick Lisa
Published: October 2015

This paper draws on a British Academy (BA) funded study exploring social workers' conceptions of family using a vignette and focus groups. The policy context is discussed and the data from the BA study are then compared and contrasted with families' accounts of their own situations using the data from a separate qualitative study about child protection social work. The paper discusses the themes emerging and argues for a renewed focus on theorizing family in children's social work and the implications for practice.
Two Simple Methods for Improving a Triangle Mesh Surface
Authors: Renka Robert J.
Published: October 2015

We present two simple and efficient local methods that reposition vertices of a triangle mesh surface with the goal of producing good triangle shapes while preserving the enclosed volume and sharp features. The methods involve minimizing a quadratic energy functional with respect to variations in a tangent plane (or in the direction of a crease) at each free vertex. One of the methods is aimed at producing uniform angles, while the other method is designed to produce uniform triangle areas, or more generally, to force relative triangle areas to conform to curvature estimates or estimates of local feature size so that vertex density is low in flat spots and relatively high in regions of large curvature. Test results demonstrate the effectiveness of both methods, especially when combined.
Fixed ratio or lower limit of normal for the FEV1/VC ratio: relation to symptoms and extended lung function tests
Authors: Wollmer Per , Frantz Sophia , Engström Gunnar , Dencker Magnus , Löfdahl Claes‐Göran , Nihlén Ulf
Published: October 2015

There is no general agreement on the spirometric definition of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The global initiative for obstructive lung disease recommends a fixed ratio between forced expiratory volume in one‐second (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC) of <0·7 (FR) for the diagnosis of COPD. European Respiratory Society and American Thoracic Society favour the use of the fifth percentile of the age‐related FEV1/FVC ratio (the lower limit of normal, LLN). The purpose of this study was to analyse extensive lung function tests in groups of subjects fulfilling none, either or both of the spirometric criteria for COPD. From a previous population‐based study, 450 subjects were examined with spirometry, body pletysmography diffusing capacity for CO (DL,CO), Impulse Oscillometry System (IOS) and answered a questionnaire on respiratory symptoms and diseases. Seventy subjects fulfilled both spirometric COPD criteria (FR+LLN+), 62 subjects the fixed ratio criterion (FR+) only. Of the remaining 318 subjects, 236 were ever smokers (N‐ES). Significant differences between all groups were seen for FEV1 and DL,CO. Significant differences between groups were also seen for residual volume (RV) and RV/total lung capacity. For IOS, variables and symptoms increasingly abnormal values were seen from never smokers to FR+LLN+. This study shows that subjects meeting both spirometric COPD criteria frequently have symptoms and findings at extended lung function tests compatible with the diagnosis. Also subjects meeting the fixed ratio criterion only tend to have more symptoms and lung function findings compatible with COPD than ever‐smoking subjects with FEV1/VC > 0·7.
Sudomotor and vasomotor activity during the menstrual cycle with global heating
Authors: Petrofsky Jerrold , Lee Haneul , Khowailed Iman Akef
Published: October 2015

Many studies have reported that there are changes in sympathetic activity throughout the menstrual cycle as there are oestrogen receptor in the hypothalamus and all other parts of the sympathetic nervous system. The purpose of this study was to see whether there were variations in sympathetic activity, skin vasomotor and sweat gland sudomotor rhythms during the menstrual cycle. Eight young female subjects with a regular menstrual cycle participated in the study. Subjects were tested once during the follicular phase and once during the luteal phase. Skin blood flow and sweat rate were significantly higher in the luteal phase compared with the follicular phase (p < .05), but the frequency and magnitude of sudomotor and vasomotor rhythms were significantly greater in the follicular phase (p < .05). In contrast, spectral data showed less sympathetic activity in the luteal phase. A significant finding here is that the sudomotor rhythm of sweat glands is altered by the menstrual cycle.
Lipomatous metaplasia of superficial dermis
Authors: Googe Paul B. , Tidwell W. James , Rosenberg Andrew E.
Published: October 2015

Lipomatous metaplasia is an uncommon phenomenon. After identifying the presence of a band of adipocytes in the superficial reticular dermis underlying two excisions for basal cell carcinoma, we prospectively reviewed all skin specimens accessioned in our laboratory over a 6‐month period and identified eight additional cases. In each example there was a band of adipocytes in the upper dermis, at the level of solar elastosis that was widely separated from the subcutaneous fat by a normal appearing reticular dermis. The cells were positive for S100 and negative for CD163. No connection between the superficial band of adipocytes and the subcutaneous or periappendageal fat was seen. The alterations were flat in configuration without polypoid changes. Eyerich et al. reported lipomatous metaplasia in the dermis of a patient with acute generalized exanthematic pustulosis and psoriasis, and postulated this to be a postinflammatory phenomenon. Fatty metaplasia occurs within a variety of cutaneous neoplasms including nevi, adnexal tumors and peripheral nerve sheath tumors. However, superficial dermal fatty metaplasia beneath cutaneous neoplasms is a newly described phenomenon and we suspect this process represents fatty metaplasia within solar elastosis and that it may occur more frequently than recognized.
Immune dysregulation in the functional gastrointestinal disorders
Authors: Keely Simon , Walker Marjorie M. , Marks Ellen , Talley Nicholas J.
Published: October 2015

Gastrointestinal conditions may be broadly classified into two: organic and functional disease, with functional disorders accounting for the majority of patients with chronic gastrointestinal symptoms. Functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) present with no obvious pathology or well‐accepted biochemical mechanism and, as such, treatment strategies are limited and focus on symptoms rather than cure. Irritable bowel syndrome and functional dyspepsia are the most widely recognised FGIDs, and there is a growing body of evidence to suggest an underlying inflammatory phenotype in subsets with these conditions. Here, we discuss the current knowledge of immune involvement in FGIDs and the commonalities between the different manifestations of FGIDs and propose a new hypothesis, potentially defining an underlying immunopathological basis of these conditions.
Sensory and instrumental characterization of fast inverting oil‐in‐water emulsions for cosmetic application
Authors: Korać R. , Krajišnik D. , Milić J.
Published: October 2015

Objective

The aim of this study was to perform short‐term sensory testing and instrumental (conductivity and rheological) characterization of a fast inverted oil‐in‐water (o/w) emulsion base, also known as aSWOP(Switch‐Oil‐Phase) emulsion, and reference o/w and water‐in‐oil (w/o) emulsion bases under various testing conditions: in the presence of ions and at different temperatures.SWOPemulsions are known as metastable o/w emulsions, which invert into w/o emulsions on application of mechanical energy, while rubbing it onto the skin and due to their propertiesSWOPemulsion are especially suitable as a cosmetic vehicle in, for example, sun‐protection products.

Methods

Sensory testing, which included the evaluation of twenty attributes of the investigated emulsion bases, was performed by a panel of 20 healthy assessors experienced in the evaluation of cosmetic products. Rheological characterization of the investigated emulsion bases included continuous flow testing and oscillatory measurements under various testing conditions. Additionally, conductivity measurements were combined with rheological characterization to monitor stability changes of investigated emulsions. The instrumental and sensory results were analysed statistically and compared.

Results

The obtained results indicated that the investigated emulsions behaved differently in the presence of ions (originating from artificial sweat solution) and at different temperatures (under storage and application conditions). Namely, theSWOPemulsion showed similar behaviour to the reference o/w emulsion under storage conditions, but in the presence of ions and at skin temperature, theSWOPemulsion was followed by re‐establishment of a stable w/o system, whereas reference o/w emulsion was irreversibly destroyed. The statistical analysis of chosen sensorial attributes indicated that the reference w/o emulsion was significantly different in comparison with the reference o/w andSWOP emulsions, mainly, standing in good agreement with the results of rheological characterization.

Conclusion

The study showed that rheological measurements potentially could be related to certain sensory attributes and used for faster development ofSWOPemulsions in the future. Finally,SWOPemulsions should be considered for further investigation as suitable vehicles in cosmetic products due to their favourable physicochemical and sensory characteristics which could be partially predicted with instrumental characterization.
High‐Strength Frosted Glass by Ion Exchange of Float Glass with a Potassium Water Glass Film
Authors: Patschger Marek , Bocker Christian , Rüssel Christian
Published: October 2015

Frosted glasses with increased strength were prepared by ion exchange process. Float glass samples with a size of approximately 7 × 7 cm2 were spray‐coated with potassium water glass. After drying, the samples were thermally treated at 405°C for 20 h. This led to ion exchange of the sodium ions of the float glass for the potassium ions of the water glass layer. The remaining coating was not removed from the glass. At the interface coating/glass, a diffusion layer with a high potassium concentration is formed. The penetration depth is around 18 μm. The strength of the glass increased from 180 MPa for an uncoated glass to 290 MPa for the ion‐exchanged glass (measured with a double ring test). The glasses showed intense light scattering due to the remaining scratch‐resistant coating.
Ethics for Biofuels … and Everything Else
Authors: Mortimer Nigel
Published: October 2015

Biofuels save the planet. Biofuels destroy rainforests, add to greenhouse gases and starve the poor. Both claims are made. What should we do? Decisions call for careful quantification of the benefits and drawbacks and an appreciation of the uncertainties involved, says Nigel Mortimer
Francis Galton and Regression to the Mean
Authors: Senn Stephen
Published: October 2015

Galton founded many concepts in statistics, among them correlation, quartile, and percentile. Here Stephen Senn examines one of Galton's most important statistical legacies – one that is at once so trivial that it is blindingly obvious, and so deep that many scientists spend their whole career being fooled by it.
Eveline Pye: Poetry in Numbers
Authors: Champkin Julian
Published: October 2015

Statistics is dry, practical, unimaginative? Unpoetical? Too many people think so. Is there poetry in numbers? Julian Champkin talks to Eveline Pye, statistician and poet of statistics, to disprove it.
Stepped care versus standard trauma‐focused cognitive behavioral therapy for young children
Authors: Salloum Alison , Wang Wei , Robst John , Murphy Tanya K. , Scheeringa Michael S. , Cohen Judith A. , Storch Eric A.
Published: October 2015

Background

To compare the effectiveness and cost of stepped care trauma‐focused cognitive behavioral therapy (SC‐TF‐CBT), a new service delivery method designed to address treatment barriers, to standardTF‐CBTamong young children who were experiencing posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS).

Methods

A total of 53 children (ages 3–7 years) who were experiencingPTSSwere randomly assigned (2:1) to receiveSC‐TF‐CBTorTF‐CBT. Assessments by a blinded evaluator occurred at screening/baseline, after Step One forSC‐TF‐CBT, posttreatment, and 3‐month follow‐up. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov:https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01603563.

Results

There were comparable improvements over time inPTSSand secondary outcomes in both conditions. Noninferiority ofSC‐TF‐CBTcompared toTF‐CBTwas supported for the primary outcome ofPTSS, and the secondary outcomes of severity and internalizing symptoms, but not for externalizing symptoms. There were no statistical differences in comparisons of changes over time from pre‐ to posttreatment and pre‐ to 3‐month follow‐up for posttraumatic stress disorder diagnostic status, treatment response, or remission. Parent satisfaction was high for both conditions. Costs were 51.3% lower for children inSC‐TF‐CBTcompared toTF‐CBT.

Conclusions

Although future research is needed, preliminary evidence suggests thatSC‐TF‐CBTis comparable toTF‐CBT, and delivery costs are significantly less than standard care.SC‐TF‐CBTmay be a viable service delivery system to address treatment barriers.
Conformational Changes and Kinetic Study of Actomyosin from Silver Carp Surimi with Modified Starch–Sucrose Mixtures during Frozen Storage
Authors: Cao Liwei , An Yueqi , Xiong Shanbai , Li Shasha , Liu Ru
Published: October 2015

The cryoprotective effects of modified starch–sucrose mixtures on silver carp surimi were compared with commercial cryoprotectant using the changes in gel strength and actomyosin conformation during frozen storage. Acetic acid esterification starch (AAES)‐sucrose maintained the maximum gel strength and Ca2+–ATPase activity throughout the frozen storage (P < 0.05). Hydroxypropylated starch (HS)‐sucrose showed a similar retention of Ca2+–ATPase activity (39.34%) and salt‐soluble protein (SSP) content (60.20%) to that of AAES–sucrose (40.14%, 63.89%, respectively) after 91 days of storage (P > 0.05). AAES–sucrose and HS–sucrose separately showed the best effect on depressing loss of total sulfhydryl content in the early 28 days and later 63 days. Therefore, they protected actomyosin structure more effectively than commercial cryoprotectant. The relationship of Ca2+–ATPase activity and SSP content with respect to storage time could be fitted with a first‐order model to predict the changes in fish protein structure during frozen storage (R2 > 0.99).

Practical Applications

Modified starch–sucrose mixtures tended to improve gel strength of frozen surimi, as well as effectively prevent conformational changes of actomyosin during long period of frozen storage at −20C. The effectiveness of acetic acid esterification starch (AAES)‐sucrose and hydroxypropylated starch (HS)‐sucrose seemed to be slightly evident than commercial cryoprotectant. Therefore, the application of AAES‐sucrose or HS‐sucrose in frozen surimi products could be popularized at reduced cost and more healthy quality.
A method for estimating spatial resolution of real image in the Fourier domain
Authors: MIZUTANI RYUTA , SAIGA RINO , TAKEKOSHI SUSUMU , INOMOTO CHIE , NAKAMURA NAOYA , ITOKAWA MASANARI , ARAI MAKOTO , OSHIMA KENICHI , TAKEUCHI AKIHISA , UESUGI KENTARO , TERADA YASUKO , SUZUKI YOSHIO
Published: October 2015

Spatial resolution is a fundamental parameter in structural sciences. In crystallography, the resolution is determined from the detection limit of high‐angle diffraction in reciprocal space. In electron microscopy, correlation in the Fourier domain is used for estimating the resolution. In this paper, we report a method for estimating the spatial resolution of real images from a logarithmic intensity plot in the Fourier domain. The logarithmic intensity plots of test images indicated that the full width at half maximum of a Gaussian point spread function can be estimated from the images. The spatial resolution of imaging X‐ray microtomography using Fresnel zone‐plate optics was also estimated with this method. A cross section of a test object visualized with the imaging microtomography indicated that square‐wave patterns up to 120‐nm pitch were resolved. The logarithmic intensity plot was calculated from a tomographic cross section of brain tissue. The full width at half maximum of the point spread function estimated from the plot coincided with the resolution determined from the test object. These results indicated that the logarithmic intensity plot in the Fourier domain provides an alternative measure of the spatial resolution without explicitly defining a noise criterion.
Influence of caffeine on 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine‐induced dopaminergic neuron degeneration and neuroinflammation is age‐dependent
Authors: Frau Lucia , Costa Giulia , Porceddu Pier Francesca , Khairnar Amit , Castelli Maria Paola , Ennas Maria Grazia , Madeddu Camilla , Wardas Jadwiga , Morelli Micaela
Published: October 2015

Previous studies have demonstrated that caffeine administration to adult mice potentiates glial activation induced by 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). As neuroinflammatory response seems to correlate with neurodegeneration, and the young brain is particularly vulnerable to neurotoxicity, we evaluated dopamine neuron degeneration and glial activation in the caudate‐putamen (CPu) and substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) of adolescent and adult mice. Mice were treated with MDMA (4 × 20 mg/kg), alone or with caffeine (10 mg/kg). Interleukin (IL)‐1β, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐α, neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) were evaluated in CPu, whereas tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), glial fibrillary acidic protein, and CD11b were evaluated in CPu and SNc by immunohistochemistry. MDMA decreased TH in SNc of both adolescent and adult mice, whereas TH‐positive fibers in CPu were only decreased in adults. In CPu of adolescent mice, caffeine potentiated MDMA‐induced glial fibrillary acidic protein without altering CD11b, whereas in SNc caffeine did not influence MDMA‐induced glial activation. nNOS, IL‐1β, and TNF‐α were increased by MDMA in CPu of adults, whereas in adolescents, levels were only elevated after combined MDMA plus caffeine. Caffeine alone modified only nNOS. Results suggest that the use of MDMA in association with caffeine during adolescence may exacerbate the neurotoxicity and neuroinflammation elicited by MDMA.

image

Previous studies have demonstrated that caffeine potentiated glial activation induced by 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) in adult mice. In this study, caffeine was shown to potentiate MDMA‐induced dopamine neuron degeneration in substantia nigra pars compacta, astrogliosis, and TNF‐α levels in caudate‐putamen of adolescent mice. Results suggest that combined use of MDMA plus caffeine during adolescence may worsen the neurotoxicity and neuroinflammation elicited by MDMA.
Driven by Ambitions: The Nurse Practitioner's Role Transition in Dutch Hospital Care
Authors: Maten‐Speksnijder Ada ter , Pool Aart , Grypdonck Mieke , Meurs Pauline , van Staa AnneLoes
Published: October 2015

Introduction

Insight into nurse practitioners’ (NPs’) role transition can help NP students and new graduates in taking on new responsibilities in a changing and demanding healthcare context. The aim of the research was to explore the role transition from nurse to NP using the components of Meleis's Framework of Transitions.

Method

A qualitative descriptive design was used. Individual interviews (n = 9) and two focus group discussions (n = 12) were held with NPs. Data were analyzed with the directed content analysis method.

Findings

The Framework component transitions’ nature was characterized by changes in the healthcare system, combined with professional and educational role changes. Transition conditions showed that the respondents felt distressed after they became accountable for a patient's care and well‐being. Although the respondents were authorized to do medical procedures, they initially lacked nursing role models and NP protocols. Process indicators showed ongoing transition; the respondents were still developing clinical competencies and confidence in patient care while relying on earlier acquired nursing competencies. Outcome indicators showed that the respondents found themselves successful in the medical extension of two different nursing roles: continuity of medical care for hospitalized patients in acute and intensive care settings, and being responsible for continuity of care for chronic patients in outpatient clinics.

Conclusions

Role transition was characterized by coping with feelings of distress at the cost of time and effort. The respondents’ strategies to adapt to new expectations, combined with organizational support, determined the outcomes as well as the start of new transitions.

Clinical Relevance

NPs’ role transition in hospital care implies a dynamic ongoing process that needs to be supported, with the ultimate goal to improve patient outcomes.
Spiegelman Studies Part 2 of 2: Breakdowns, No Towers and the Rest of the Canon
Authors: Smith Philip
Published: October 2015

Art Spiegelman is one of the most‐discussed creators in Comic Book Studies. His Pulitzer‐winning work Maus (1980 and 1991) was, alongside The Dark Knight Returns (1986) and Watchmen (), the catalyst to a sea change in the commercial and critical fortunes of the alternative comic book during the mid‐1980s. It has been a landmark text in critical discourse on comics ever since. The purpose of this and its companion paper is to offer a synthesis and reinvestigation of both the existing critical literature on Spiegelman as well as, perhaps most importantly, the lacunae within that literature. The aims of these two papers, then, are two‐fold: firstly, to establish where we have got to and, secondly, to suggest some directions for the future of Spiegelman scholarship. The first paper concerned Maus. This, the second of the two, is devoted to In The Shadow of No Towers (), Breakdowns (1977 and ), and Spiegelman's other works.
Grades across Universities over Time
Authors: Johnes Geraint , Soo Kwok Tong
Published: October 2015

This paper examines the determinants of degree outcomes in a sample of UK universities from 2004 to 2012. We use stochastic frontier methods to account for differences in efficiency across universities and over time. The quality of the student intake and the university's research performance are the main determinants of degree outcomes. There is no evidence of grade inflation at the boundary between upper and lower second‐class honours. Decomposing the determinants of degree outcomes, we find that good entry grades yield a higher return in traditional universities than in new universities. Although high‐quality universities award more good degrees, we find little evidence that universities of different quality differ in their propensity to inflate grades over time.
Toward quantification of strain‐related mosaicity in shocked lunar and terrestrial plagioclase by in situ micro‐X‐ray diffraction
Authors: Pickersgill Annemarie E. , Flemming Roberta L. , Osinski Gordon R.
Published: October 2015

Studies of shock metamorphism of feldspar typically rely on qualitative petrographic observations, which, while providing invaluable information, can be difficult to interpret. Shocked feldspars, therefore, are now being studied in greater detail by various groups using a variety of modern techniques. We apply in situ micro‐X‐ray diffraction (μXRD) to shocked lunar and terrestrial plagioclase feldspar to contribute to the development of a quantitative scale of shock deformation for the feldspar group. Andesine and labradorite from the Mistastin Lake impact structure, Labrador, Canada, and anorthite from Earth's Moon, returned during the Apollo program, were examined using optical petrography and assigned to subgroups of the optical shock level classification system of Stöffler (1971). Two‐dimensional μXRD patterns from the same samples revealed increased peak broadening in the chi dimension (χ), due to strain‐related mosaicity, with increased optical signs of deformation. Measurement of the full width at half maximum along χ (FWHMχ) of these peaks provides a quantitative way to measure strain‐related mosaicity in plagioclase feldspar as a proxy for shock level.
Towards understanding resprouting at the global scale
Authors: Pausas Juli G. , Pratt R. Brandon , Keeley Jon E. , Jacobsen Anna L. , Ramirez Aaron R. , Vilagrosa Alberto , Paula Susana , Kaneakua‐Pia Iolana N. , Davis Stephen D.
Published: October 2015

Understanding and predicting plant response to disturbance is of paramount importance in our changing world. Resprouting ability is often considered a simple qualitative trait and used in many ecological studies. Our aim is to show some of the complexities of resprouting while highlighting cautions that need be taken in using resprouting ability to predict vegetation responses across disturbance types and biomes. There are marked differences in resprouting depending on the disturbance type, and fire is often the most severe disturbance because it includes both defoliation and lethal temperatures. In the Mediterranean biome, there are differences in functional strategies to cope with water deficit between resprouters (dehydration avoiders) and nonresprouters (dehydration tolerators); however, there is little research to unambiguously extrapolate these results to other biomes. Furthermore, predictions of vegetation responses to changes in disturbance regimes require consideration not only of resprouting, but also other relevant traits (e.g. seeding, bark thickness) and the different correlations among traits observed in different biomes; models lacking these details would behave poorly at the global scale. Overall, the lessons learned from a given disturbance regime and biome (e.g. crown‐fire Mediterranean ecosystems) can guide research in other ecosystems but should not be extrapolated at the global scale.
Unlocking the potential of lignocellulosic biomass through plant science
Authors: Marriott Poppy E. , Gómez Leonardo D. , McQueen‐Mason Simon J.
Published: October 2015

The aim of producing sustainable liquid biofuels and chemicals from lignocellulosic biomass remains high on the sustainability agenda, but is challenged by the costs of producing fermentable sugars from these materials. Sugars from plant biomass can be fermented to alcohols or even alkanes, creating a liquid fuel in which carbon released on combustion is balanced by its photosynthetic capture. Large amounts of sugar are present in the woody, nonfood parts of crops and could be used for fuel production without compromising global food security. However, the sugar in woody biomass is locked up in the complex and recalcitrant lignocellulosic plant cell wall, making it difficult and expensive to extract. In this paper, we review what is known about the major polymeric components of woody plant biomass, with an emphasis on the molecular interactions that contribute to its recalcitrance to enzymatic digestion. In addition, we review the extensive research that has been carried out in order to understand and reduce lignocellulose recalcitrance and enable more cost‐effective production of fuel from woody plant biomass.

Contents

Summary
1366

I.
Introduction
1366

II.
Lignocellulosic feedstocks
1367

III.
Measuring cell wall recalcitrance
1368

IV.
Cellulose
1368

V.
Hemicellulose
1369

VI.
Side‐chain substitution of xylans
1370

VII.
Pectin
1372

VIII.
Lignin
1372

IX.
Ferulic acid linkages
1376

X.
Final considerations
1377

Acknowledgements
1377

References
1377
Plant fitness in a rapidly changing world
Authors: Anderson Jill T.
Published: October 2015

Modern reliance on fossil fuels has ushered in extreme temperatures globally and abnormal precipitation patterns in many regions. Although the climate is changing rapidly, other agents of natural selection such as photoperiod remain constant. This decoupling of previously reliable environmental cues shifts adaptive landscapes, favors novel suites of traits and likely increases the extinction risk of local populations. Here, I examine the fitness consequences of changing climates. Meta‐analyses demonstrate that simulated future climates depress viability and fecundity components of fitness for native plant species in the short term, which could reduce population growth rates. Contracting populations that cannot adapt or adjust plastically to new climates might not be capable of producing sufficient migrants to track changing conditions.

Contents

Summary
81

I.
Introduction
81

II.
Fitness landscapes
82

III.
Recommendations for future studies
84

IV.
Evolutionary consequences
84

V.
Conclusions
85

Acknowledgements
85

References
85
A METAPOPULATION MODEL FOR FERAL HOGS IN GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK
Authors: LEVY BENJAMIN , COLLINS CHARLES , LENHART SUZANNE , MADDEN MARGUERITE , CORN JOSEPH , SALINAS RENÉ A. , STIVER WILLIAM
Published: October 2015

Feral Hogs (Sus scrofa) are an invasive species that have occupied the Great Smoky Mountains National Park since the early 1900s. Recent studies on vegetation, mast, and harvest history were important for our work. Using these data, a model with discrete time and space was formulated to represent the feral hog dynamics in the Park. Management strategies and key characteristics of the population were investigated. The model uses observed mast variation to help govern population dynamics and results indicate that Park control efforts have limited the growth of the population.
Timing is crucial for consequences of migratory connectivity
Authors: Bauer Silke , Lisovski Simeon , Hahn Steffen
Published: October 2015

Migratory connectivity can have important consequences for individuals, populations and communities. We argue that most consequences not only depend onwhichsites are used but importantly also onwhenthese are used and suggest that the timing of migration is characterised by synchrony, phenology, and consistency. We illustrate the importance of these aspects of timing for shaping the consequences of migratory connectivity on individual fitness, population dynamics, gene flow and community dynamics using examples from throughout the animal kingdom.

Exemplarily for one specific process that is shaped by migratory connectivity and the timing of migration – the transmission of parasites and the dynamics of diseases – we underpin our arguments with a dynamic epidemiological network model of a migratory population. Here, we quantitatively demonstrate that variations in migration phenology and synchrony yield disease dynamics that significantly differ from a time‐neglecting case.

Extending the original definition of migratory connectivity into a spatio‐temporal concept can importantly contribute to understanding the links migratory animals make across the globe and the consequences these may have both for the dynamics of their populations and the communities they visit throughout their journeys.

Synthesis

Migratory connectivity quantifies the links migrant animals make across the globe and these can have manifold consequences – from individual fitness, population dynamics, gene flow to transmission of pathogens and parasites. We show through the use of empirical examples and a conceptual model that these consequences not only depend onwhichsites are used but importantly also onwhenthese are used. Therefore, we specify three dimensions of migration timing – phenology, synchrony and consistency, which describe the timing of migration 1) relative to development of key resources; 2) relative to the migration of other individuals; and 3) relative to previous migration events. Each of these dimensions can alter the consequences, but typically through different mechanisms.
A longitudinal study of age‐related changes inHaemoproteusinfection in a passerine bird
Authors: Marzal Alfonso , Balbontín Javier , Reviriego Maribel , García‐Longoria Luz , Relinque Carmen , Hermosell Ignacio G. , Magallanes Sergio , López‐Calderón Cosme , de Lope Florentino , Møller Anders Pape
Published: October 2015

Blood parasites such as malaria and related haemosporidians commonly infect vertebrate species including birds. Understanding age‐specific patterns of parasite infections is crucial for quantifying the fitness consequences of parasitism for hosts and for understanding parasite transmission dynamics. We analyzed longitudinal and cross‐sectional infection data in house martinsDelichon urbica, a migratory bird suffering from intense haemosporidian infection. We separated within‐ from among‐individual effects of age on prevalence. Our results showed that the probability of blood parasite infection increased as individual house martins aged. We also showed that the prevalence of infection decreased with age at last reproduction when controlling for age, showing a selective disappearance of infected birds from the population (i.e. selection). The estimated effect of age on prevalence was underestimated two‐ to three‐fold if not accounting for such selection. This study highlights the importance of taking among‐individual heterogeneity in the capacity to fight a disease into account because such heterogeneity can mask age‐related patterns of infection. These findings emphasize the relevance of considering within‐ and among‐individual patterns of infection in order to understand parasite‐induced mortality and the potential for parasite transmission.
Towards understanding the organisation of metacommunities in highly dynamic ecological systems
Authors: Datry Thibault , Bonada Núria , Heino Jani
Published: October 2015

Community ecology recognises today that local biological communities are not only affected by local biotic interactions and abiotic environmental conditions, but also by regional processes (e.g. dispersal). While much is known about how metacommunities are organised in space in terrestrial, marine and freshwater ecological systems, their temporal variations remain poorly studied. Here, we address the question of the dynamics of metacommunities in highly variable systems, using intermittent rivers (IRs), those rivers which temporarily stop flowing or dry up, as a model system. We first review how habitat heterogeneity in space and time influences metacommunity organisation. Second, we compare the metacommunities in IRs to those in perennial rivers (PRs) and develop the idea that IRs could undergo highly dynamic shifts due to the temporal variability in local and regional community processes. Third, we develop the idea that in IRs, metacommunities of the wet and dry phases of IRs are closely intertwined, thereby increasing even more their respective temporal dynamics. Last, we provide a roadmap to stimulate further conceptual and empirical developments of metacommunity research and identify possible applications for improving the management of IRs and other highly dynamic ecological systems.

Synthesis

Extensive research has examined the importance of local biotic interactions, environmental filtering, and regional processes on community assembly. Movement of organisms between sites, i.e. dispersal, is a major set of processes within this framework. However, subsequent metacommunity organisation also varies over time in ecosystems because habitat characteristics such as configuration and composition continuously shift. Intermittent rivers are an ideal set of systems to examine these ideas because these freshwater systems temporarily cease flowing thereby limiting dispersal events. We proposed the hypothesis that metacommunities in dynamic ecosystems will undergo frequent shifts in structure and composition in response to the temporal variability in environmental filtering and dispersal. In addition to providing a roadmap for developing a more dynamic perspective for community ecology, these framework provides direct insights for the management of intermittent rivers.