bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ce qui / Ce que : essai de description syntaxique et sémantique
Authors: Le Goffic Pierre
Published: March 2020

L’article examine les différents emplois (non anaphoriques) de ce qui / ce que en français, à partir du constat que ce qui / ce que est, fondamentalement, une formule supplétive permettant de contourner les blocages et de combler les ‹trous› du paradigme qu -. Les emplois se répartissent en trois grands ensembles : (i) le type ce que Jean a fait , dans lesquels ce qui / ce que pallie les carences du pronom indéfini (et interrogatif) quoi / que (marqueur de variable ‹non Humain›) ; (ii) le type ce qu’il reste , dans lequel la variable ‹non Humain› se charge d’une valeur supplémentaire de ‹qualité/quantité› ; (iii) le type ce qu’il peut faire chaud , dans lequel ce que , en emploi adverbial, correspond à une variable de ‹quantité› (rôle que ne peut assurer l’adverbe que ). Ainsi, une variable ‹non Humain›, d’essence nominale, en arrive à être également une variable de ‹quantité›, d’essence adverbiale.
Neonatal Long QT Syndrome Due to a De Novo Dominant Negative hERG Mutation
Authors: Beery Theresa A. , Shooner Kerry A. , Benson D. Woodrow
Published: March 2020

A 4-day-old girl with ventricular tachyarrhythmias, sinus bradycardia, and 2:1 atrioventricular block had prolongation of the QT interval. She was symptomatic with arching, gasping, and cyanosis presumably due to a life-threatening ventricular tachyarrhythmia such as torsades de pointes. Molecular genetic studies indicated a heterozygous, de novo, dominant negative mutation in hERG, a gene that encodes a protein in a potassium ion channel. The parents do not have the mutation. The patient’s clinical scenario was produced by the convergence of 3 events: a de novo mutation occurred in hERG, the mutation was dominant negative, and the action of the mutation resulted in neonatal long QT syndrome. The child was treated aggressively and is doing well at age 6 years.
Chronically Critically Ill Patients: Health-Related Quality of Life and Resource Use After a Disease Management Intervention
Authors: Douglas Sara L. , Daly Barbara J. , Kelley Carol Genet , O’Toole Elizabeth , Montenegro Hugo
Published: March 2020

Background Chronically critically ill patients often have high costs of care and poor outcomes and thus might benefit from a disease management program.

Objectives To evaluate how adding a disease management program to the usual care system affects outcomes after discharge from the hospital (mortality, health-related quality of life, resource use) in chronically critically ill patients.

Methods In a prospective experimental design, 335 intensive care patients who received more than 3 days of mechanical ventilation at a university medical center were recruited. For 8 weeks after discharge, advanced practice nurses provided an intervention that focused on case management and interdisciplinary communication to patients in the experimental group.

Results A total of 74.0% of the patients survived and completed the study. Significant predictors of death were age (P = .001), duration of mechanical ventilation (P = .001), and history of diabetes (P = .04). The disease management program did not have a significant impact on health-related quality of life; however, a greater percentage of patients in the experimental group than in the control group had “improved” physical health-related quality of life at the end of the intervention period (P = .02). The only significant effect of the intervention was a reduction in the number of days of hospital readmission and thus a reduction in charges associated with readmission.

Conclusion The intervention was not associated with significant changes in any outcomes other than duration of readmission, but the supportive care coordination program could be provided without increasing overall charges.
Capnometry and Air Insufflation for Assessing Initial Placement of Gastric Tubes
Authors: Elpern Ellen H. , Killeen Kathryn , Talla Erlinda , Perez Gabriel , Gurka David
Published: March 2020

Background Nurses are often responsible for placement of large-bore gastric tubes. Tube misplacement into the lungs is a potential complication with serious sequelae. The reliability of common bedside methods for differentiating between pulmonary and gastric placement has not been acceptable.

Objective To compare the accuracy of capnometry (colorimetric indicator of end-tidal carbon dioxide) and air insufflation/auscultation with the accuracy of radiography in detecting the location of gastric tubes.

Methods A prospective convenience sample of insertions of Salem sump gastric tubes was studied. Tubes were inserted by nurses according to the unit’s standard procedure, and air insufflation/auscultation, capnometry, and radiography were used to detect the position of the tubes. Results obtained with each of the methods were compared.

Results A total of 91 tube placements were studied in 69 patients. No radiographically documented instances of lung placement occurred. Capnometry incorrectly indicated 15 of 91 gastric placements (16%) as placements in the lung. Air insufflation/auscultation incorrectly indicated 5 of 91 gastric placements (5%) as placements in the lung.

Conclusions Neither air insufflation nor capnometry is a fail-safe method for determining placement of gastric tubes. Radiography remains the preferred method.
An Efficiency Evaluation of Protocols for Tight Glycemic Control in Intensive Care Units
Authors: Malesker Mark A. , Foral Pamela A. , McPhillips Ann C. , Christensen Keith J. , Chang Julie A. , Hilleman Daniel E.
Published: March 2020

Background The efficiency of protocols for tight glycemic control is uncertain despite their adoption in hospitals.

Objectives To evaluate the efficiency of protocols for tight glycemic control used in intensive care units.

Methods Three separate studies were performed: (1) a third-party observer used a stopwatch to do a time-motion analysis of patients being treated with a protocol for tight glycemic control in 3 intensive care units, (2) charts were retrospectively reviewed to determine the frequency of deviations from the protocol, and (3) a survey assessing satisfaction with and knowledge of the protocol was administered to full-time nurses.

Results Time-motion data were collected for 454 blood glucose determinations from 38 patients cared for by 47 nurses. Mean elapsed times from blood glucose result to therapeutic action were 2.24 (SD, 1.67) minutes for hypoglycemia and 10.65 (SD, 3.24) minutes for hyperglycemia. Mean elapsed time to initiate an insulin infusion was 32.56 (SD, 12.83) minutes. Chart review revealed 734 deviations from the protocol in 75 patients; 57% (n = 418) were deviations from scheduled times for blood glucose measurements. The mean number of deviations was approximately 9 per patient. Of 60 nurses who responded to the workload survey, 42 (70%) indicated that the protocol increased their workload; frequency of blood glucose determinations was the most common reason.

Conclusions Nurses spend substantial time administering protocols for tight glycemic control, and considerable numbers of deviations occur during that process. Further educational efforts and ongoing assessment of the impact of such protocols are needed.
The Power of Clinical Nursing Research: Engage Clinicians, Improve Patients’ Lives, and Forge a Professional Legacy
Authors: Gawlinski Anna
Published: March 2020

Sparked by the Institute of Medicine’s report titled Crossing the Quality Chasm, research-based decision making has been emphasized for improving care. Patients should receive care that is based on the best available scientific knowledge, and care should not vary from clinician to clinician or from place to place. Implementing research-based practices at the bedside is a complex endeavor. It is all too easy to discover that clinically important research findings are either not known by practitioners or not being used in actual practice. Efforts to instill and sustain research-based practices improve significantly when staff nurses are involved with the research from the start. Institutions that are effective in involving clinicians have built a foundation of infrastructures that enable processes for engaging clinicians to take place. What distinguishes effective from ineffective hospital nursing research and evidence-based practice programs is the presence of structures whereby processes can occur that (1) unleash the creativity of staff by securing their involvement early, (2) educate staff by involving them, (3) create internal expertise for research and evidence-based practice, and (4) ensure that patients experience principled implementation of research-based practices to improve their lives. This article describes infrastructures that can ensure and sustain research-based practices while unleashing the talent and creativity of clinicians as they question practice and ponder the merits of current research. Fostering participation in such clinical inquiry will summon professional growth, influence the lives of patients, and help each nurse develop a unique personal professional legacy.
Influence of Physical Restraint on Unplanned Extubation of Adult Intensive Care Patients: A Case-Control Study
Authors: Chang Li-Yin , Wang Kai-Wei Katherine , Chao Yann-Fen
Published: March 2020

Background Unplanned extubation commonly occurs in intensive care units. Various physical restraints have been used to prevent patients from removing their endotracheal tubes. However, physical restraint not only does not consistently prevent injury but also may be a safety hazard to patients.

Objectives To evaluate the effect of physical restraint on unplanned extubation in adult intensive care patients.

Methods A total of 100 patients with unplanned extubations and 200 age-, sex-, and diagnosis-matched controls with no record of unplanned extubation were included in this case-control study. The 300 participants were selected from a population of 1455 patients receiving mechanical ventilation during a 21-month period in an adult intensive care unit at a medical center in Taiwan. Data were collected by reviewing medical records and incident reports of unplanned extubation.

Results The incidence rate of unplanned extubation was 8.7%. Factors associated with increased risk for unplanned extubation included use of physical restraints (increased risk, 3.11 times), nosocomial infection (increased risk, 2.02 times), and a score of 9 or greater on the Glasgow Coma Scale on admission to the unit (increased risk, 1.98 times). Episodes of unplanned extubation also were associated with longer stays in the unit.

Conclusions An impaired level of consciousness on admission to the intensive care unit and the presence of nosocomial infection intensify the risk for unplanned extubation, even when physical restraints are used. To minimize the risk of unplanned extubation, nurses must establish better standards for using restraints.
Mimicking of Cerebral Herniation Through γ-Hydroxybutyric Acid Therapy
Authors: Klein M. , Remi J. , Pfister H.W. , Straube A. , Rupprecht T.A. , Weckbach S. , Pfefferkorn T.
Published: March 2020

Besides being a treatment option for narcolepsy, γ-hydroxybutyrate is used as an adjuvant during anesthesia in Europe. In addition, it is illegally used as a recreational drug. Fixed and dilated, asymmetric pupils developed in 2 patients during continuous therapy with intravenous γ-hydroxybutyrate, which was added to the long-term anesthetics fentanyl and midazolam. Cerebral herniation as an alternative cause for the pupillary changes was ruled out by using continuous intracranial pressure monitoring and computed tomography. In both patients, the pupillary abnormalities resolved after discontinuation of γ-hydroxybutyrate. Thus, fixed and dilated pupils that are asymmetric seem to be an important side effect of γ-hydroxybutyrate therapy that may mimic cerebral herniation in deeply anesthetized patients.
"So What Are You?:" Nepali Third Gender Women's Identities and Experiences Through the Lens of Human Rights Development Discourse
Authors: Gerstein Amit
Published: March 2020

Nepal is the site of many national and international human rights development measures focused on the country’s gender and sexual minorities (SGM). Given the significant impact those development efforts have on SGM and Nepali society, national and international development actors need to understand the identities and experiences of the populations they attempt to help. Performed in Kathmandu and Bharatpur, this study attempts to understand the identities used by third gender women and if those identities are reflected in development discourse. Over the course of this research, self-identified third gender women and members of organizations that work with SGM were interviewed. Observations were also conducted in a Bharatpur SGM-advocacy organization. This research questions the homogeneity of SGM described by some development organizations and their critics. Identity should be understood as context-specific, and SGM identities as intertwined and mutually-informing. Understanding the framework for gender and sexuality that underlies Nepali sexual and gender identity terms is important in order to supplement and contextualize the identities that, otherwise, may be misrepresented and misunderstood. Furthermore, development organizations should be cognizant of the impacts donor sources may have on development projects and on sexual and gender minorities. The national government should focus on successful implementation of measures already executed, and interested parties should hold the government accountable for following through with these SGM-focused human rights measures.
A Republican View of Rhee: The Chicago Tribune’s coverage of Syngman Rhee from 1945 to 1950
Authors: Thomas-Patterson Mark
Published: March 2020

This paper aims to examine the attitude that the Chicago Tribune displayed towards the Korean leader Syngman Rhee from 1945-1950. The Tribune played a key role in providing a voice for conservative Republicans during the first half of the 20th century, under the ownership of Robert McCormick. The paper was split over foreign policy, as it supported stopping Communism abroad but also supported non-intervention in global affairs. The political situation on the Korean Peninsula therefore proved to be an especially challenging topic for the Tribune, as it forced it to choose between combating Communism and non-intervention. In order to ascertain the Tribune’s positions on these key issues, I analyzed articles that had been digitized as part of ProQuest’s historical archives. Throughout this relatively short period of time, the Tribune’s opinion of Rhee varied greatly. It initially supported Rhee as a hero against the Truman state department. After the paper established a reporter in Korea, however, the paper’s attitude shifted, and Rhee was portrayed as an ultranationalist zealot. Ultimately, the Tribune developed a stance of confronting communist advances and supporting anti-Communist governments such as Rhee’s that would hold true for the rest of the cold war.
Evolution of Konglish Based on the Current Prevalence and South Korean Public Attitude Towards Konglish
Authors: Tse Jennifer
Published: March 2020

Alzheimer’s disease is a brain disorder that negatively affects memory and other cognitive abilities, including language and maintaining one’s orientation. Eventually, one’s ability to function cognitively or physically ceases altogether. The Mediterranean diet is characterized by large amounts of fruits, vegetables, olive oil, and a lack of red meat. Such a diet is most often consumed near areas surrounding the Mediterranean Sea and has been linked to a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease. This correlation is crucial to study as there is no current effective treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. Understanding what can prevent this disease is important for public health, as well as helping us identify the causes of the disease, which aid in creating effective treatments in the future. In this paper, research on the link between the Mediterranean diet and the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease as one ages will be examined. Evidence shows that people who follow the Mediterranean diet have a lower risk of Alzheimer’s as they grow older. Research indicates that this is due to the polyphenols in olive oil—a staple in the Mediterranean diet—and the general heart and body health that the diet promotes. This healthy diet also reduces obesity, which is linked to an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease. In the future, more effort should be put into impeding the development of Alzheimer’s disease, which could potentially be done using knowledge of which populations are at risk, critical biomarkers of the disease, and preventative measures like the Mediterranean diet.
A new method for the direct tracking of in vivo lignin nanocapsules in Eragrostis tef (Poaceae) tissues
Authors: Falsini Sara , Tani Corrado , Schiff Silvia , Gonnelli Cristina , Clemente Ilaria , Ristori Sandra , Papini Alessio
Published: March 2020

Environmental concerns have driven scientists to research new eco-friendly approaches for the preparation of nanosystems. For this purpose, novel bio-polymers have been selected. Among these, one of the most promising is lignin, which is biodegradable and biocompatible. Additionally, lignin is one of the main by-products of the paper industry and can be re-used in nanosystems building. Lignin-based nanosystems could be used in agriculture, to improve the uptake of bioactive compounds, thus avoiding soil pollution. However, the mechanism of penetration in the plant and the route of transportation within the internal plant tissues are unknown and need to be clearly elucidated. Here we present a method of lignin nanocapsules staining and tracking by fluorochrome: Fluoral Yellow 088, which is a well-suited dye for the tracking of lipids and other oil phases. Two different applications were applied: in the first one fourteen-day plants were soaked with fluorescent nanocapsules (fNCs) pure solution and in the second one, Eragrostis tef plants were laid down on blotting paper and soaked with diluted fNCs solution. Wetting the roots of Teff plantlets with the pure fNCs solution resulted in the most efficient way of nanocapsule entrance. The dyeing of lignin nanocapsules allowed us to track them in Eragrostis tef plant tissues through microscopic observations. In particular, fNCs were proven to be able to permeate roots, reaching xylem vessels where, through water pressure, they reached the leaf.
Magnetic resonance imaging based muscle strain rate mapping during eccentric contraction to study effects of unloading induced by unilateral limb suspension
Authors: Sinha Usha , Malis Vadim , Csapo Robert , Narici Marco , Sinha Shantanu
Published: March 2020

Age- and disuse- related loss of muscle force is disproportionately larger than the loss of muscle mass. Earlier studies reported that comparing concentric and eccentric contractions, there is a significant age-related decrease in force only in concentric contractions. Magnetic Resonance Imaging enables mapping of muscle deformation and has been used to study isometric but not eccentric contractions. We report MRI based strain rate mapping of the medial gastrocnemius in subjects pre- and post-unloading induced by Unilateral Limb Suspension. In contrast to isometric contraction, no difference in strain rate indices were observed post-unloading, in conformance with preserved force during eccentric contractions.
Non invasive ventilation use for acute respiratory failure in general medical wards: a regional Italian survey
Authors: Lari Federico , Gilioli Fabio , Ongari Maurizio , Ballardini Giorgio
Published: March 2020

Non-invasive ventilation (NIV) is a rapidly spreading method in the last years even outside of intensive care units for the treatment of patients with acute respiratory failure (ARF). Its use in general medical wards in Italy and Europe is still largely incomplete and there are clear gaps in terms of organization, training, selection and patient monitoring. If these gaps are filled, NIV has also proven to be effective in general medical wards, especially if they have a critical care area. This publication reports the data collected by an Italian regional survey on the use of NIV in internal medicine, highlighting positive and negative aspects.
STORIA DELLA LUCE: DAL SOLE AL LASER
Authors: Degiorgio Vittorio
Published: March 2020

The new sources of light (laser and led) that have been invented and developed during the last fifty-sixty years have given origin to a true scientific and technological revolution. This article synthetically follows the main steps of the history of light, which started by studying the properties of solar emission, and introducing the concept of electromagnetic wave. At the end of the 19th century there was experimental evidence that it was necessary to complicate the approach by introducing the assumption that the electromagnetic energy is a discrete, and not continuous, quantity. The new concept led to design and realization of the laser and the led. Through the utilization of these sources fundamental progress was achieved in both science and technology, by deepening the description of wave-particle dualism and of the coherence concept, by putting on a completely new basis information and communication technology, and by giving new tools to industrial and biomedical sensing.
UN METODO SPETTROSCOPICO PER LA QUANTIFICAZIONE DI FARMACI IN FLUIDI BIOLOGICI
Authors: Ossi, et al. (#) Paolo Maria
Published: March 2020

An innovative spectroscopic technique to determine the drug concentration in biological fluids is discussed. We introduce the context of drugs with narrow therapeutic index in relation to epilepsy and Parkinsonâ€™s disease. We then recapitulate the essentials of Raman and enhanced Raman spectroscopy that makes use of a corrugated metallic surface. Optimizing the intensification of the spectroscopic signatures of a given analyte critically depends on the metal choice and on the fine details of the induced surface nanostructuring. We review the topic with emphasis on noble metal surfaces synthesized by pulsed laser ablation in inert gas at high pressure. The performance of optimized surfaces to determine the drug concentration in different fluids, including human blood, is discussed with reference to carbamazepine, an anti-epileptic drug widely adopted in Developing Countries and to apomorphine, a drug used to treat via subcutaneous injection patients with important manifestations of Parkinsonâ€™s disease.
Land-use change effect on the hydro-dynamic characteristics of soil in the Brazilian semi-arid region
Authors: Soares Willames Albuquerque , Silva Simone Rosa da , Lima José Romualdo de Sousa
Published: March 2020

The search for better living conditions has led the residents of the Brazilian semi-arid region to plant forage crops, leading to a gradual decrease in the native vegetation (Caatinga) of this region. The effects caused by the replacement of Caatinga with palm, for example, have been little studied, especially with regard to the physical and hydraulic properties of the soil. The objective of this study was to compare the physical-hydraulic characteristics of a litholic neosol in two areas having different vegetation cover: one area cultivated with forage palm (O. ficus-indica) and the other covered by native Caatinga. Differences in soil structure, especially in porosity, between the natural and cultivated soils were observed to control the hydrodynamic processes, resulting in changes in water retention curves and hydraulic conductivity. Natural soil presents low values of hydraulic conductivity when compared to those of cultivated soil. This increase is probably due to soil management required for forage palm cultivation. The natural soil structure, characterized by relatively low saturated hydraulic conductivity values, presents an infiltrability that favors surface runoff. Human activities in the study area have promoted changes in the soil’s physical attributes, decreasing density and increasing porosity. Consequently, there is an increase in water infiltration into the soil and a reduction of runoff in cultivated areas, confirming results obtained in previous studies.
Proposal of optimal operation strategy applied to water distribution network with statistical approach
Authors: Silva Alex Takeo Yasumura Lima , Silva Fernando Das Graças Braga da , Silva André Carlos da , Reis José Antonio Tosta dos , Freitas Claudio Lindemberg de , Valério Victor Eduardo de Mello
Published: March 2020

Inefficiency of sanitation companies’ operation procedures threatens the population’s future supplies. Thus, it is essential to increase water and energy efficiency in order to meet future demand. Optimization techniques are important tools for the analysis of complex problems, as in distribution networks for supply. Currently, genetic algorithms are recognized by their application in literature. In this regard, an optimization model of water distribution network is proposed, using genetic algorithms. The difference in this research is a methodology based on in-depth analysis of results, using statistics and the design of experimental tools and software. The proposed technique was applied to a theoretical network developed for the study. Preliminary simulations were accomplished using EPANET, representing the main causes of water and energy inefficiency in Brazilian sanitation companies. Some parameters were changed in applying this model, such as reservoir level, pipe diameter, pumping pressures, and valve-closing percentage. These values were established by the design of experimental techniques. As output, we obtained the equation of response surface, optimized, which resulted in values of established hydraulic parameters. From these data, the obtained parameters in computational optimization algorithms were applied, resulting in losses of 26.61%, improvement of 16.19 p.p. with regard to the network without optimization, establishing an operational strategy involving three pumps and a pressure-reducing valve.  We conclude that the association of optimization and the planning of experimental techniques constitutes an encouraging method to deal with the complexity of water-distribution network optimization.
On measures that improve $L^q$ dimension under convolution
Authors: Rossi Eino , Shmerkin Pablo
Published: March 2020

The

L^q

dimensions, for

1 < q < \infty

, quantify the degree of smoothness of a measure. We study the following problem on the real line: when does the

L^q

dimension improve under convolution? This can be seen as a variant of the well-known

L^p

-improving property. Our main result asserts that uniformly perfect measures (which include Ahlfors-regular measures as a proper subset) have the property that convolving with them results in a strict increase of the

L^q

dimension. We also study the case

q = \infty

, which corresponds to the supremum of the Frostman exponents of the measure. We obtain consequences for repeated convolutions and for the box dimension of sumsets. Our results are derived from an inverse theorem for the

L^q

norms of convolutions due to the second author.
Plagiochila xerophila (Plagiochilaceae, Marchantiophyta) – a highly xerophilous new species from the Tibetan Spur (China)
Authors: Bakalin Vadim , Vilnet Anna
Published: March 2020

Background and aims – The xeric landscapes of the Tibetan floristic province are adverse habitats for leafy liverworts. Here we report on the occurrence of a population of a species of the genus Plagiochila from exposed high-elevation cliffs in the Sichuan Province, China. We assessed its taxonomic distinctiveness and affinities within a morphological and phylogenetic framework.Results and discussion – The population is accommodated in a new species, Plagiochila xerophila Bakalin & Vilnet – probably the most xerophilous taxon within the genus in Asia – and a new section (sect. Xerophilae Bakalin & Vilnet) based on integrative analyses of molecular and morphological traits. The species is characterized by a greenish colour, unexpected given the highly exposed habitat, rigid texture and stem paraphyllia. The closest morphological relatives from sect. Poeltiae are phylogenetically only distantly related, whereas members of its sister groups, namely of sect. Trabeculatae and sect. Fruticosae are morphologically conspicuously different.
Niche conservatism in a plant with long invasion history: the case of the Peruvian peppertree (Schinus molle, Anacardiaceae) in Mexico
Authors: Ramírez-Albores Jorge E. , Bizama Gustavo , Bustamante Ramiro O. , Badano Ernesto I.
Published: March 2020

Background and aim – Invasive plants should only colonize habitats meeting the environmental conditions included in their native niches. However, if they invade habitats with novel environmental conditions, this can induce shifts in their niches. This may occur in plants with long invasion histories because they interacted with the environmental conditions of invaded regions over long periods of time. We focused on this issue and evaluated whether the niche of the oldest plant invader reported in Mexico, the Peruvian peppertree, is still conserved after almost 500 years of invasion history. Methods – We compared climatic niches of the species between the native and invaded region. We later used species distribution models (SDM) to visualize the geographical expression of both niches in Mexico. Results – The invasive niche of the Peruvian peppertree is fully nested within the native niche. Although this suggests that the niche is conserved, this also indicates that a large fraction of the native niche is empty in the invaded region. The SDM from the native region indicated that Mexico contains habitats meeting the conditions included in this empty fraction of the native niche and, thus, this invasion should continue expanding. Nevertheless, the SDM calibrated with data from the invaded region indicated that peppertrees have colonized all suitable habitats indicated by its invasive niche and, thus, their populations should no longer expand. Conclusion – Our results suggests that the niche of the Peruvian peppertree is partially conserved in Mexico. This may have occurred because individuals introduced into Mexico constituted a small, nonrepresentative sample of the full niche of the species.
New insights on spatial genetic structure and diversity of Coffea canephora (Rubiaceae) in Upper Guinea based on old herbaria
Authors: Labouisse Jean-Pierre , Cubry Philippe , Austerlitz Frédéric , Rivallan Ronan , Nguyen Hong Anh
Published: March 2020

Backgrounds and aims – Previous studies showed that robusta coffee (Coffea canephora Pierre ex A.Froehner), one of the two cultivated coffee species worldwide, can be classified in two genetic groups: the Guinean group originating in Upper Guinea and the Congolese group in Lower Guinea and Congolia. Although C. canephora of the Guinean group is an important resource for genetic improvement of robusta coffee, its germplasm is under-represented in ex situ gene banks and its genetic diversity and population structure have not yet been investigated. Methods – To overcome the limitations of living collections, we explored old herbarium specimens collected in Guinea and Côte d’Ivoire and conserved at the Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris. First, we reviewed the history of collection missions in both countries and how the C. canephora herbaria from the Muséum were assembled. Then, using 23 nuclear microsatellite markers, factorial and model-based Bayesian analyses, we investigated the genetic diversity of 126 specimens and 36 controls, analysed their distribution among the Congolese and Guinean groups, and estimated admixture proportions for each individual.Key results – For the first time, we detected population genetic structure within the Guinean group of C. canephora. The Guinean genotypes can be assigned to five sub-groups with distinct geographic distribution, especially in Guinea where two sub-groups (Maclaudii and Gamé) are characterized by a low level of admixture due to geographical isolation.Conclusions – We showed how combining a literature review and genetic data from old herbarium specimens can shed light on previous observations made by botanists and guide further actions to better preserve native coffee plants in forest remnants of West Africa.
Dracula’s mistress: removal of blood-red floral nectar results in secretion of more nectar
Authors: Mione Thomas , Diaz Isaac Argeo
Published: March 2020

Background and aims – Flowers of Jaltomata quipuscoae (Solanaceae) secrete blood-red nectar that serves as an energy reward and possible attractant to pollinators. The purposes of this study were to determine whether simulated pollinator visits (manual removal of nectar) stimulates replenishment of nectar, and report the pattern of nectar presentation during the lifespan of the flower. Methods – For the nectar replenishment experiments flowers were paired: each pair of flowers was selected to be on the same plant and at the same developmental stage. From all 62 flowers nectar was removed and discarded (not measured) at time zero. Then, over a period of eight hours, the nectar of one flower was measured four times, i.e., every two hours, while nectar of the paired control flower was measured only at the end of the eight-hour period. In the nectar dynamics experiment five sets of flowers received different treatments: flowers were unmanipulated for zero, one, two, three or four days and then nectar was removed once every day. The volume of nectar produced and concentration of sugar in the nectar were recorded at each extraction for both studies.Key results – In the nectar replenishment study significantly higher nectar volume and consequently significantly higher total sugar content was present in the experimental nectar-extracted flowers. In the nectar dynamics study, nectar was produced starting on day one or two, continuously through the life of the open flowers until one or two days before the corolla senesced. Delay of nectar removal from different flower sets for zero, one, two, three or four days resulted in a linear increase in nectar volume and total nectar sugar production, and had little or no effect on the cumulative (life of the flower) nectar production. Floral longevity, seven to ten days, was not affected by a single removal of nectar each day.Conclusions – The floral nectary of J. quipuscoae responded to nectar removal by secreting more nectar, and thus more total sugar (not a higher concentration of sugar) than was secreted by control flowers. In flowers from which nectar was not removed, nectar volume and thus total sugar secreted continued to accumulate linearly, suggesting that reabsorption of nectar either does not occur or is slow relative to the rate of secretion. The more we (or pollinators) take, the more the flowers make: the volume of nectar and sugar production increase if nectar is removed frequently but not if nectar is removed infrequently.
Genetic structure and conservation status of Astragalus subrecognitus (Fabaceae): a very rare and narrow endemic species
Authors: Bagheri Ali , Abbasi Shabnam , Mahmoodi Mohammad , Akhavan Roofigar Azadeh , Blattner Frank R.
Published: March 2020

Background and aims – Narrow endemics, characterized by small distribution areas and small effective population sizes are prone to extinction due to low genetic variation caused by genetic bottlenecks and drift together with the danger of habitat loss. Astragalus subrecognitus is an endemic species that only occurs in northwestern Iran in mountain steppe at higher elevations above the Qezel Ozan River in the province Zanjan. Methods – In this study, we investigated the genetic structure of the populations of A. subrecognitus using inter simple sequence repeats (ISSR) and sequence-related amplified polymorphism (SRAP) as molecular markers.Key results – We detected two genetic groups, which do however not concur with the geographic origins east and west of the Qezel Ozan River. Extant gene flow between these populations is rather unlikely given their distance of c. 70 km and the lack of suitable habitats for this species in lower areas of the valley in between. Conclusions – From this we conclude that we see an older pattern of geographic isolation that was followed by an exchange of genotypes during a time when migration through the valley was possible. Still, admixture between both genetic clusters was found only in one individual, indicating that broadening of allelic diversity by hybridization between individuals belonging to different genetic clusters might be a slow process. Due to the small size of the population, sparse inhabited area, and also very slow or even lack of regeneration in some places we consider A. subrecognitus according to IUCN Red List criteria as ‘endangered’ species.
Notes on the plants of Bakossi, Cameroon, and the new Cola etugei and Cola kodminensis (Sterculiaceae s. str.)
Authors: Cheek Martin , Tchiengue Barthelemy , Baldwin Isabel
Published: March 2020

Background and aims – This paper reports a further discovery during preparation for a monograph of the genus Cola, and also in the context of a long-term botanical survey in the Cross River-Sanaga interval of west-central Africa, focussing on species discovery and conservation through the Tropical Important Plant Areas programme.Methods – Normal practices of herbarium taxonomy have been applied to study the material collected. The relevant collections are stored in the Herbarium of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, London (K) and at the Institute of Research in Agronomic Development – National Herbarium of Cameroon (YA). Key results – Two species new to science, small trees or shrubs of cloud forest, are formally named from the Bakossi tribal area and assessed for their conservation status. Cola etugei, is endemic to the western slopes of Mt Kupe with conservation status assessed as Critically Endangered (CR B1+2ab(iii)) according to the 2012 criteria of IUCN. Cola kodminensis from the Bakossi Mts is also assessed as Critically Endangered (CR B1+2ab(iii)). This publication increases the number of documented narrowly endemic, threatened species in the Bakossi tribal area, and helps make the case for formal protection of Mt Kupe, which with 33 endemic and near-endemic plant species remains an extremely high candidate for such protection. Further effort is needed to publish the remaining informally named species of this location, and investment to support the protection of the mountain by local communities.
Typology of the woody plant communities of the Ethiopian Nech Sar National Park and an assessment of vegetation-environment relations and human disturbance impacts
Authors: Utaile Yonas U. , Helsen Kenny , Aydagnehum Seyoum G. , Muys Bart , Shibru Simon C. , Honnay Olivier
Published: March 2020

Background and aims – Deforestation and forest degradation have hugely affected the Southern Ethiopian Rift Valley, jeopardizing biodiversity conservation and ecosystem service provisioning. Quantifying the impacts of human activities on the remaining woody plant communities and recognizing vegetation–environment relationships provide the basis for targeted conservation and rehabilitation.Material and methods – The study was performed in the Nech Sar National Park (NSNP). Based on a large systematic vegetation survey of 104 plots, we quantified the woody vegetation composition, and we provided a vegetation classification based on Non Metric Multidimensional Scaling, cluster analysis and indicator species analysis. Furthermore, we evaluated vegetation – environment relationships and the effects of human disturbance on community composition and woody plant species richness and diversity.Key results – Our analyses revealed three very distinct woody vegetation types (Acacia mellifera-Combretum aculeatum; Lecaniodiscus fraxinifolius-Deinbollia kilimandscharica and Acacia polyacantha-Ficus sycomorus) which were significantly differentiated by soil pH, electrical conductivity, available soil phosphorus and organic matter, and by elevation. Human disturbance, as quantified by a compound Human Disturbance Index (HDI) significantly affected community composition, species richness and diversity, and was significantly positively correlated with species richness and diversity. The latter is likely due to intermediate levels of disturbance and encroachment of disturbance affiliated shrubs such as Dichrostachys cinerea, Lantana camara, and Acalypha fruticosa. Furthermore, the demographic structure of key woody species such as Acacia polyacantha, Acacia tortilis, Balanites aegyptiaca, Diospyros abyssinica, Lecaniodiscus fraxinifolius and Terminalia brownii, showed impacts of human disturbance.Conclusion – Our results provide a baseline for further conservation actions in the NSNP which should be differentially targeted on the different plant community types. Overall, human disturbance seems not to have resulted yet in species richness declines, although it has started to affect the integrity of the delineated vegetation types and resulted in small scale succession.
Soil total phosphorus and nitrogen explain vegetation community composition in a northern forest ecosystem near a phosphate massif
Authors: Matkala Laura , Salemaa Maija , Bäck Jaana
Published: March 2020

Abstract. The relationship of the community composition of forest vegetation and soil
nutrients were studied near the Sokli phosphate ore deposit in northern Finland.
Simultaneously, the effects of the dominant species and the age of trees,
rock parent material and soil layer on these nutrients were examined. For
this purpose, 16 study plots were established at different distances from
the phosphate ore along four transects. Phosphate mining may take place in
Sokli in the future, and the vegetation surveys and soil sampling conducted
at the plots can be used as a baseline status for following the possible
changes that the mining may cause in the surrounding ecosystem. The total
phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) contents of the soil humus layer were
positively related with species number and abundance of the understorey
vegetation, and the correlation was slightly higher with P than N. This is
interesting, as N usually has the most important growth-limiting role in
boreal ecosystems. The spatial variation in the content of soil elements was
high both between and within plots, emphasizing the heterogeneity of the
soil. Dominant tree species and the soil layer were the most important
environmental variables affecting soil nutrient content. High contents of P
in the humus layer (maximum 2.60 g kg−1) were measured from the
birch-dominated plots. As the P contents of birch leaves and leaf litter
were also rather high (2.58 and 1.28 g kg−1,
respectively), this may imply that the leaf litter of birch forms an
important source of P for the soil. The possible mining effects, together
with climate change, can have an influence on the release of nutrients to
plants, which may lead to alterations in the vegetation community
composition in the study region.
Habilidades comunicativas y lingüísticas del síndrome de Wolf-Hirschhorn: estudio de caso con fenotipo atenuado. Un estudio de caso
Authors: Martínez López Verónica , González-Lamuño Leguina Domingo , Hernández Hernández Sonia , Ceballos Cayón Sara , Ortega Quijano Daniel
Published: March 2020

El síndrome de Wolf-Hirschhorn (SWH) es un síndrome genético neuroevolutivo causado por una deleción del brazo corto del cromosoma 4 (4p16.3). Presentan un fenotipo variable con retraso del crecimiento pre y postnatal, epilepsia, retraso psicomotor, hipotonía, anomalías craneofaciales (facies en “casco griego” y defectos oclusivos), discapacidad intelectual y limitaciones en el uso del lenguaje tanto expresivo como comprensivo. El objetivo de este estudio es describir las habilidades comunicativas y lingüísticas de una niña con fenotipo atenuado de SWH a nivel de desarrollo fonológico, morfológico y léxico. Una niña española de 8;08 años diagnóstica de SWF mediante CGHarray, sin anomalías estructurales orofaciales significativas, salvo laringe muy inmadura. Sus habilidades lingüísticas se evalúan en situación de interacción durante 45 minutos, con pruebas estandarizadas y registro realizado por los padres. Se analiza la frecuencia y la naturaleza de los errores de producción en términos de procesos fonológicos. Los resultados muestran que sus habilidades lingüísticas receptivas equivalen a las de niños de 3;08 años. En situación de interacción produce menos de 50 palabras. No tiene adquirido todo el repertorio fonético español. La frecuencia de los procesos fonológicos es muy alta y característica de niños que se encuentran en los primeros momentos de la etapa verbal del desarrollo fonológico. La participante presenta habilidades fonológicas, morfológicas y léxicas propias de niños de 2-3 años con desarrollo típico. Su perfil lingüístico se ha observado en el retraso del lenguaje y en niños menores de 3;6 años con síndrome de Down. Determinar las características lingüísticas del SWH resulta imprescindible para la intervención logopédica.
La estimulación eléctrica transcutánea de tipo acupuntura como herramienta aceleradora de la recuperación de los tejidos expuestos a sobrecarga vocal
Authors: Fuentes Christopher Hernan , Arrau Bordalí Javiera , Pino Quiroz Gabriela , Valdivia Alarcón Nataly , Aguilar Pavez Camila
Published: March 2020

Tradicionalmente, se ha planteado que el reposo es la herramienta ideal para permitir la recuperación natural de los tejidos inducidos a sobrecarga. Sin embargo, los tiempos necesarios para que esto se produzca son muy largos. Se ha estimado que la electroterapia es útil al momento de recuperar algunos tejidos sobreutilizados, no obstante, se desconocen estos beneficios en la función vocal. Este estudio tuvo como objetivo describir los efectos de la electroterapia sobre los tejidos laríngeos y cordales que previamente fueron sometidos a sobrecarga vocal. En esta investigación participaron 21 mujeres sin patología o entrenamiento vocal, cuya edad fue de 24 ± 1,28 años. Las participantes fueron sometidas a sobrecarga vocal por 40 minutos y posteriormente, a 15 minutos de estimulación eléctrica transcutánea (TENS) de tipo acupuntura. A través de laringoscopía con luz continua, análisis acústico-perceptual y estudio sintomatológico, se examinaron los cambios provocados por la electroterapia. Los principales resultados incluyen a la relajación perilaríngea y de los músculos intrínsecos sobreutilizados, y eliminación de los síntomas sufridos. De esta forma, se concluye que la TENS de tipo acupuntura es una herramienta útil en la aceleración de la recuperación de los tejidos sometidos a sobrecarga vocal.
Board Audit Committee Characteristics and Financial Performance of Selected Commercial Banks in Ghana
Authors: Baiden John Nana Ekow
Published: March 2020

The purpose of the study was to examine the influence of board audit committee characteristics on the financial performance of selected commercial banks in Ghana during the period of 2008 to 2017. The correlational design was employed. The study population was 23 commercial banks licensed under the Bank and Special Deposit Taking Institution Act with audit committee on their board and offices in Ghana as at December 2018. The sample size for the study was 13 commercial banks in Ghana. The lottery method of simple random sampling technique was used to select the 13 banks. The study made use of only secondary data. Statistical tools such as means, standard deviations, Pearson product moment correlation, and linear multiple regression analysis were used to analyse the data. The findings of the study revealed that when banks audit committee increase the frequency of their meetings, increase the number and quality of financial qualifications of member on board and also increase the size of the audit committee members on total board membership, it will have a significant influence on the banks’ financial performance. It was recommended to Bank of Ghana (BoG) and managers of the various commercial banks to ensure that audit committee members are independent, meaningfully represented at boards of the banks, and are people with expertise in accounting/finance.