bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Long-term effects of burning Festuca and Stipa-Agropyron grasslands
Authors: Pylypec B. , Romo J. T. ,   Society for Range Management
Published: March 2016

The effects of early spring burning on current year standing crop, litter, and total standing crop (current year standing crop plus litter) were examined in Festuca- and Stipa-Agropyron-dominated communities in central Saskatchewan over an 11-year period in a paired design with burned sites compared to adjacent control sites that were not burned. In Festuca communities current year standing crop was reduced in the first and third years (P = 0.010) after burning. Burning Stipa-Agropyron-communities tended to reduce current year standing crop, but the differences were not significant (P 0.050) compared to control. Increasing precipitation stimulated current year standing crop after burning Festuca (P < 0.001, r2 = 0.33) and Stipa-Agropyron (P < 0.001, r2 = 0.55) communities. Litter and current year standing crop were correlated (R2 = 0.24, P = 0.002) for Festuca indicating beneficial and detrimental effects of litter on production at low and high amounts, respectively. Litter and current year standing crop were not correlated (P = 0.964) for Stipa-Agropyron. In both communities total standing crop increased until about the eighth year after burning while the mass of litter appeared to reach a plateau around 11 years.
Roller chopping effects on tamaulipan scrub community composition
Authors: Schindler J. R. , Fulbright T. E. ,   Society for Range Management
Published: March 2016

Palatability of shrub sprouts to white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus Raf.) differs among species, which causes selective browsing and can shift shrub species composition to dominance by less palatable species. The hypothesis was tested that differences in palatability of new sprouts among shrub species following roller chopping small (4 ha) patches within a shrubland matrix would result in a shift in shrub species composition within the patches toward less palatable species. Relative density and relative canopy cover of all woody species in plots 9 years after 1 roller chopping treatment, in plots 3 years after 2 roller chopping treatments, and in untreated plots were estimated. Relative density of blackbrush acacia (Acacia rigidula Benth.) was 3 times greater and relative canopy cover was 12 times greater 9 years after the first roller chopping treatment compared to untreated plots, but relative density and relative canopy cover of blackbrush acacia in roller chopped plots were similar to relative density and relative canopy cover in untreated plots 3 years after the second roller chopping treatment. Relative canopy cover of spiny hackberry (Celtis pallida Torr.) in plots roller chopped in 1989 and 1995 was higher than in untreated plots. Relative density and canopy cover of all other species were similar between roller chopped and untreated plots. Shrub community composition 9 years after 1 roller chopping treatment or 3 years after 2 roller chopping treatments in the subtropical thornscrub communities in southern Texas did not shift toward greater dominance of less palatable species.
An evaluation of the federal grazing fee formula
Authors: Torell L. A. , Rimbey N. R. , Va L. W. ,   Society for Range Management
Published: March 2016

The federal grazing fee is currently set using the Public Rangeland Improvement Act (PRIA) fee formula established in 1978 and modified in 1986. The formula is adjusted annually using indices of private land grazing lease rates (Forage Value Index, FVI), prices received for beef cattle (Beef Cattle Price Index, BCPI), and costs of beef production (Prices Paid Index, PPI). The FVI tracks price movement in the private forage market and was the only index originally proposed to be included in the fee formula. Public land ranchers and the Interdepartmental Grazing Fee Technical Committee assigned to study grazing fee alternatives in the 1960s questioned the ability of the FVI to account for short-term demand, supply, and price equilibrium, and, for this reason, the BCPI and PPI were added to the fee formula. Nearly 40 years of data are now available to evaluate whether adding the BCPI and PPI did, in fact, help explain short-term market fluctuations. Analysis shows that if tracking the private forage market is the primary objective, the fee formula should have included only the FVI. Including the BCPI and the PPI has caused calculated grazing fees to fall further and further behind private land lease rates. Had the 1.23 base fee in the PRIA formula been indexed by only the FVI, the federal grazing fee would have been 4.36 AUM-1 instead of 1.43 AUM-1 in 2002. It is time to consider the feasibility of a competitive bid system for public lands, or, at the very least, drop the BCPI and PPI indices and adopt a new fee formula that generates more equitable grazing fees.
Growth and reproductive responses of true mountain mahogany to browsing
Authors: Turley D. , Roundy B. A. , Walker S. C. ,   Society for Range Management
Published: March 2016

True mountain mahogany (Cercocarpus montanus Raf.) compensates for annual growth lost to browsing under conditions of high resource availability. To develop better guidelines for its management for big game winter forage, twig demography was studied under natural herbivory and resource availability inside and outside exclosures at 1 site in the Wasatch Mountains and on 4 sites on the North Slope of the Uinta Mountains, Utah. Annual and previous years' twig lengths, as well as location and numbers of flowers and seeds were diagrammed on branches of browsed and unbrowsed shrubs in the spring or summer and fall between 1996 and 1999. Annual twig growth and flower and seed numbers of both browsed and unbrowsed shrubs were greatest in 1997 or 1998 when precipitation was highest. Utilization of annual growth varied among sites within a year and among years within a site and ranged from < 21 % to > 300 % when previous years' growth was browsed. Despite differences in utilization, browsed twigs compensated similarly for length lost to herbivory, so that total twig lengths remained the same over the course of the study. Although twigs on unbrowsed shrubs had less annual growth per unit branch length than those on browsed shrubs, lack of length lost to herbivory resulted in an increase in total twig length over time. Years of high resource availability are important in allowing grazing tolerant shrubs such as true mountain mahogany to compensate for years of heavy utilization. Flower and seed numbers were much higher (P < 0.05) on unbrowsed than browsed shrubs. Compensatory growth was enough to maintain, but not increase total twig lengths after high utilization (> 100 %) even on years of high resource availability.
Landscape-level dynamics of grassland-forest transitions in British Columbia
Authors: Bai Yuguang , Broersma Klaas , Thompson Don ,   Society for Range Management
Published: March 2016

Grasslands in the interior British Columbia of Canada are adjacent to forests and are susceptible to tree encroachment. Grazing, fire suppression, and climate variability are among factors affecting vegetation dynamics in the ecotone between grassland and forest, but topographic factors such as slope aspect, slope degree and elevation may interact with these factors and result in uneven changes in vegetation among landscape elements. Nine sites with a total of approximately 50,000 ha of grasslands and forests in the Cariboo/Chilcotin forest region of British Columbia were selected to study the effect of slope aspect, slope degree and elevation on vegetation distribution, dynamics and forest expansion from the 1960's to 1990's. Vegetation maps of the 1960's and 1990's were generated using aerial photos and overlaid with GIS layers including aspect, slope and elevation. The classification of open grassland, treed grassland, open forest and closed forest was based on the percent coverage of coniferous species, ranging from 0-5%, 5-15%, 15-35%, and ≥ 35%, respectively. A probability index (P-value) was developed to test the effect of aspect, slope, and elevation on vegetation distribution, dynamics, and forest expansion based on the distribution and changed areas. Results show that open grasslands occurred on southerly aspects and the shift to treed grassland occurred mostly on these aspects. The probability of vegetation shift from open to treed grasslands decreased with increasing slope degree, probably due to the less favorable moisture regime on steep slopes. Treed grassland also shifted to open forest on south facing slopes and more level sites. In contrast, closed forest most often occurred on northerly facing slopes and the shift from open to closed forests was most likely to occur there. The greatest changes in vegetation cover types occurred at mid-elevations between 700 and 1,000 m. Management plans aimed at the control of tree encroachment and forest ingrowth should take these topographic factors into consideration.
Ecology and management of sage-grouse and sage-grouse habitat
Authors: Crawford John A. , Olson Rich A. , West Neil E. ,   Society for Range Management
Published: March 2016

Sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus and C. minimus) historically inhabited much of the sagebrush-dominated habitat of North America. Today, sage-grouse populations are declining throughout most of their range. Population dynamics of sage-grouse are marked by strong cyclic behavior. Adult survival is high, but is offset by low juvenile survival, resulting in low productivity. Habitat for sage-grouse varies strongly by life-history stage. Critical habitat components include adequate canopy cover of tall grasses (≥ 18 cm) and medium height shrubs (40-80 cm) for nesting, abundant forbs and insects for brood rearing, and availability of herbaceous riparian species for late-growing season foraging. Fire ecology of sage-grouse habitat changed dramatically with European settlement. In high elevation sagebrush habitat, fire return intervals have increased (from 12-24 to > 50 years) resulting in invasion of conifers and a consequent loss of understory herbaceous and shrub canopy cover. In lower elevation sagebrush habitat, fire return intervals have decreased dramatically (from 50-100 to < 10 years) due to invasion by annual grasses, causing loss of perennial bunchgrasses and shrubs. Livestock grazing can have negative or positive impacts on sage-grouse habitat depending on the timing and intensity of grazing, and which habitat element is being considered. Early season light to moderate grazing can promote forb abundance/availability in both upland and riparian habitats. Heavier levels of utilization decrease herbaceous cover, and may promote invasion by undesirable species. At rates intended to produce high sagebrush kill, herbicide-based control of big sagebrush may result in decreased habitat quality for sage-grouse. Light applications of tebuthiuron (N-[5-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl]-N,N′-dimethylurea) can decrease canopy cover of sagebrush and increase grass and forb production which may be locally important to nesting and foraging activities. The ability of resource managers to address sage-grouse habitat concerns at large scales is aided greatly by geomatics technology and advances in landscape ecology. These tools allow unprecedented linkage of habitat and population dynamics data over space and time and can be used to retroactively assess such relationships using archived imagery. The present sage-grouse decline is a complex issue that is likely associated with multiple causative factors. Solving management issues associated with the decline will require unprecedented cooperation among wildlife biology, range science, and other professional disciplines.
Recovery of biological soil crusts following wildfire in Idaho
Authors: Hilty Julie H. , Eldridge David J. , Rosentreter Roger ,   Society for Range Management
Published: March 2016

Invasion of sagebrush steppe by exotic annual grasses has modified the structure of shrubland communities over much of the western United States by increasing fuel loads and therefore the frequency of wildfire. Active revegetation with perennial species that encourage the growth of biological soil crusts is critical on many burned sites to prevent dominance by exotic, weedy vegetation. However, active regeneration is likely to lead to a disruption of the soil surface and impact adversely on soil crust communities which are important for stability and functioning of shrub communities. We examined the recovery of biological soil crusts on sagebrush steppe following wildfire. Burning resulted in significantly reduced shrub cover and enhanced annual grass and annual forb cover compared with unburned sites. Burning also resulted in substantially reduced diversity and richness of crust taxa, increased cover of short mosses, but reduced cover of lichens and tall mosses growing on the shrub hummocks. Post-fire recovery of perennial grasses and biological soil crusts was greatest on seeded sites compared with unseeded sites dominated by exotic grasses, despite the disturbance associated with the rangeland seeding treatment. Our results indicate that seeding is necessary to facilitate recovery of biological soil crusts and hasten the development of the perennial component of the shrubland and therefore increase landscape structure. These findings suggest that seeding perennial grasses and resting from livestock grazing reduces exotic annual grasses after fire and benefits native mosses.
Spatio-temporal rainfall variation and stock management in arid Namibia
Authors: Ward David , Saltz David , Ngairorue Ben T. ,   Society for Range Management
Published: March 2016

The high inherent variability in rainfall and forage availability in arid regions makes it very difficult for a rancher to establish a herd size that is suited to the environment and also complicates management decision-making regarding the distribution of animals within and between areas of a single ranch. We recorded the temporal and spatial variability in rainfall and grass production on a local scale on 3 ranches in arid Namibia over 3 years, to determine their effects on potential stocking density, stock movement decisions and timing of grazing. We conducted a 3-year experiment to test the effects of the timing of grazing on grass regrowth. Furthermore, we tested the reliability of a rule-of-thumb used by ranchers to ascertain whether a drought year is likely and whether they should sell some of their cattle in advance of drought. We expanded the scale of the study to include 31 ranches over a 700 km-long rainfall gradient to determine the reliability of extrapolating conclusions obtained at a local scale to a larger geographic scale. We found that rainfall and grass production varied widely, resulting in recommended stocking densities up to 10-fold smaller than those currently recommended by the Namibian Ministry of Agriculture. We found that there is no optimal spatial or temporal scale of ranch management, and that ranchers could do no better than a simple rule of “move the cattle to wherever there is most grass”. This simple rule's validity was reinforced by the results of our experiment, which showed that there was no significant effect of timing of grazing on grass regrowth. Statistical analyses of long-term rainfall records indicated that the ranchers' rule-of-thumb regarding approaching drought was unreliable and that this could lead to substantial loss of profit if adhered to.
Sheep gain and species diversity: in sandy grassland, Inner Mongolia
Authors: Zhao Ha-Lin , Li Sheng-Gong , Zhang Tong-Hui ,   Society for Range Management
Published: March 2016

A grazing experiment was conducted from 1992 to 1996 at a sandy grassland in the Horqin sandy land, located in the northeastern part of China. The grassland had been grazed by sheep for many years before the experiment at an intensity of 4.5 sheep ha-1. The experiment consisted of 4 grazing treatments: no grazing (0 sheep ha-1), light grazing (2 sheep ha-1), moderate grazing (4 sheep ha-1) and overgrazing (6 sheep ha-1). Plant species diversity, plant biomass, soil properties, and sheep liveweight under various grazing treatments were examined. Overgrazing resulted in considerable decreases in both species diversity and plant biomass. As a result, sheep liveweight gain decreased significantly in the last 3 years of the experiment in the overgrazing treatment. No grazing and light grazing treatments had higher species diversity as well as higher biomass production than moderate grazing and overgrazing treatments. The results indicate that light sheep grazing is sufficient for the recovery of overgrazed grassland in this region and for the maintenance of plant species diversity. The proper grazing intensity should be 2-3 sheep or sheep equivalents per hectare for the sandy grassland in Inner Mongolia.
Plant wax alkanes and alcohols as herbivore diet composition markers
Authors: Bugalho Miguel N. , Dove Hugh , Kelman Walter ,   Society for Range Management
Published: March 2016

The n-alkanes in plant cuticular wax have been used as markers for estimating the species composition of herbivore diets, but the long-chain fatty alcohols (LCOH) of plant wax may also be useful. The objective of this research was to assess if LCOH contributed extra information to differentiate plant species, compared with n-alkanes only. We used 3 data sets consisting of n-alkane and LCOH concentrations of plant species occurring in pastures of New South Wales, Australia. We used Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to summarise the data for n-alkane and LCOH concentrations obtained for the species in these data sets. The first 3 principal components explained 86 to 93% and 75 to 99% of the variance in n-alkane and LCOH concentrations, respectively. Orthogonal Procrustes Rotation (OPR) was then used to compare the results of PCA conducted with n-alkane and LCOH data, with a view to establishing whether LCOH provided discriminatory information in addition to that provided by the n-alkanes. Results of OPR indicated that this was so for all 3 data sets, and suggested that the LCOH would be useful additional markers for discriminating between plant species. We tested this by using Discriminant Analysis and cross-validation procedures in 2 data sets to distinguish between defined species groups of C3 grasses, C4 grasses, clovers and Lotus spp. The discrimination between these categories and the proportion of plant species correctly classified into the defined categories was better when using n-alkanes and LCOH together, compared with alkanes alone. Our results indicate that LCOH provided additional information that could be used for distinguishing plant species as part of estimating the species composition of herbivore diets.
Feral horse seasonal habitat use on a coastal barrier spit
Authors: Rheinhardt Richard D. , Rheinhardt Martha Craig ,   Society for Range Management
Published: March 2016

Management of feral horses grazing on Atlantic and Gulf coast barrier islands requires information on seasonal habitat preferences and distribution of important forage species to maintain stable populations and prevent destruction of fragile island ecosystems, particularly as coastal development further restricts free range. Counts from seasonal aerial surveys of Currituck Banks, N.C. were used to determine whether particular habitats were used more or less than would be expected by chance. On-ground observations were used to determine the relative intensity of grazing on vegetation by habitat and season. Feral horses showed seasonal preferences for particular forage species and habitat types. Horses grazed upon at least 16 graminoid and 5 forb species across 6 identified habitat types covering 4,619 ha. In late winter, Maritime Forest was used significantly more than expected while Tidal Freshwater Marsh was used less than expected. In spring, all habitats were used in the proportion expected based on availability. In early summer, Wet Grassland was preferentially used while Dry Grassland was preferentially avoided. The relative degree of exposure from wind may explain why horses spent less time than expected in exposed marshes during winter and more time than expected in forest. The availability of fresh water and hydrophytes may explain why horses spent more time than expected in Wet Grassland in summer and less time than expected in Dry Grassland. Seasonal habitat preferences should be considered when managing for ecosystem sustainability of feral horses on barrier islands.
Canopy spectra of giant reed and associated vegetation
Authors: Everitt J. H. , Yang C. , Alaniz M. A. ,   Society for Range Management
Published: March 2016

This paper describes the spectral light reflectance characteristics of giant reed (Arundo donax L.) and the application of aerial color-infrared photography and videography for distinguishing infestations of this invasive plant species in Texas riparian areas. Airborne videography was integrated with global positioning system (GPS) and geographic information system (GIS) technologies for mapping the distribution of giant reed. Field spectral measurements showed that giant reed had higher near-infrared reflectance than associated plant species in summer and fall. Giant reed had a conspicuous pink image response on the color-infrared photography and videography. This allowed infestations to be quantified using computer analysis of the photographic and videographic images. Accuracy assessments performed on the classified images had user's and producer's accuracies for giant reed that ranged from 78% to 100%. Integration of the GPS with the video imagery permitted latitude-longitude coordinates of giant reed infestations to be recorded on each image. A long stretch of the Rio Grande in southwest and west Texas was flown with the photographic and video systems to detect giant reed infestations. The GPS coordinates on the color-infrared video scenes depicting giant reed infestations were entered into a GIS to map the distribution of this invasive weed along the Rio Grande.
Defoliation increased above-ground productivity in a semi-arid grassland
Authors: Loeser Matthew R. , Crews Timothy E. , Sisk Thomas D. ,   Society for Range Management
Published: March 2016

In light of the continuing debate regarding overcompensation we studied the responses of above-ground biomass in a high-elevation, semi-arid grassland to defoliation, defoliation history, and livestock grazing. The above-ground annual net primary productivity (ANPP) was measured over 2 years in one-hundred twenty, 1-m2 plots that were exposed to single- and multi-year defoliation and grazing treatments. Plant communities showed an average increase in ANPP of 31%-45% due to a single defoliation event. The most conservative estimate of average ANPP of defoliated subplots was 29.4 g m-2 greater than the non-defoliated controls. A history of defoliation, due to clipping or grazing, lessened the magnitude of the compensatory response, but above-ground overcompensation of biomass was still observed, ranging on average from 17% to 26%. One dominant species, squirreltail grass [Elymus elymoides (Raf.) Swezeyi], accounted for nearly one-third of the community-level increases in ANPP. In contrast to above-ground patterns, below-ground root production of squirreltail did not increase in response to defoliation events. These results suggest that the above-ground production of high-elevation, semi-arid grasslands in the American Southwest may be temporarily increased through certain grazing events, and may help explain shifts in species dominance in grasslands exposed to long-term grazing by livestock.
Age and body condition score and diets of grazing goats
Authors: Mellado Miguel , Rodríguez Alvaro , Olvera Abundio ,   Society for Range Management
Published: March 2016

Diet selection by juvenile and adult non-pregnant, non-lactating goats and the diets of adult non-productive goats with low (≤ 1.5; grading scale 0-5) and moderate (≥ 2.5) body condition score (BCS) are described by microhistological analysis of fecal samples for a Chihuahuan desert vegetation in northern Mexico. In the rainy season, adult goats utilized more (P < 0.10) shrubs than juvenile goats (70.4 vs 58.6%), but, in the dry season, the diet of both groups contained equal amounts of shrubs. The proportion of forbs and grasses in the goats' diet also tended to vary (P < 0.10) between age groups in the rainy season. Juvenile goats generally had lower consumption of plants with spines than adult goats. Goats with low BCS selected more (P < 0.10) shrubs than goats with moderate BCS in the rainy season. Forbs were eaten in larger amounts by does with moderate BCS (38% of the diet) during the rainy season compared to goats with low BCS (30.9%). Regardless of age and body reserves, grasses formed less than 5% of goat diets in both seasons. Mean similarity index for juvenile and adult goats was 75, while mean similarity index for goats with low and moderate BCS was 78. For all classes of goats, Larrea tridentata (DC.) Cov., the dominating species in the plant community, was the only plant selected at proportions below those found in ground cover in the rainy season. These data indicate that, during the rainy season, juvenile goats mixed their diets to achieve more even use of forages than adult goats. These results also indicate that high utilization of shrubs, including resinous and fibrous forages, appeared to be an adaptive foraging strategy of goats with low fat reserves, when forage was readily available.
Effect of cow cleanliness in different housing systems on somatic cell count in milk
Authors: Neja Wojciech , Bogucki Mariusz , Jankowska Małgorzata , Sawa Anna
Published: March 2016

The aim of the study was to analyse the effect of the housing system (tie-stall vs free-stall) on cow cleanliness, and the effect of the degree of cow dirtiness on the milk somatic cell count. Over 33% of the cows were found to be clean, with more of them in the free-stall barn. Analysis of the cleanliness of body parts showed that the highest hygiene level was characteristic of the udders and underbelly (scores of 1 for 47% and 56% of the cows, respectively). In the free-stall barn, there were over twice as many cows with clean udders (58%) and almost twice as few cows with very dirty udders. Regardless of the housing system, the degree of udder dirtiness created differences (P ≤ 0.01) in the natural log somatic cell count. The natural log somatic cell count increased from 11.54 to 12.37 on average with increased dirtiness of the udder. Greater differences in the cytological quality of milk were found in cows housed in the free-stall system. When analysing the effect of overall dirtiness of the cows and the body parts on the percentage of SCC classes, it was found that highest quality milk (< 200 000 somatic cells/ml) was produced by clean cows (71.52%). The proportion of cows with subclinical and clinical mastitis was found to increase with decreasing cleanliness of the udder, especially in the free-stall system. Overall, the proportion of cows with clinical mastitis increased from 2.51% (clean cows) to 14.29% (dirty cows).
Grade of Membership Response Time Model for Detecting Guessing Behaviors
Authors: Pokropek Artur
Published: March 2016

A response model that is able to detect guessing behaviors and produce unbiased estimates in low-stake conditions using timing information is proposed. The model is a special case of the grade of membership model in which responses are modeled as partial members of a class that is affected by motivation and a class that responds only according to the level of ability. Monte Carlo simulations were conducted to compare the proposed model with an approach that ignored guessing and an approach based on item filtering. In each simulated condition, the proposed model outperformed the other approaches by showing the lowest level of bias and the highest precision of item and persons estimates. Finally, the model was estimated using real life data from Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies research (PIAAC). The results showed slight but expected corrections for the levels of proficiency in all countries.
One Man Initiative: Kathmandu’s Kamal Pokhari (Lotus Pond) resurrected
Authors: Thanju Jeewan Prasad
Published: March 2016

Hydro Nepal: Journal of Water, Energy and Environment Issue No. 3, January, 2008 Page 53-54
Interview with Mr. Shanker Prasad Koirala, Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources
Authors: Thanju Jeewan Prasad
Published: March 2016

Mr. Shanker Prasad Koirala granted an interview toMr. Jeewan P. Thanju, Editor-in-Chief of HYDRO Nepal. He isdetermined for rapid development of hydro power sector in Nepalby mustering support from all quarters. Excerpts from aninterview:-Hydro Nepal: Journal of Water, Energy and Environment Issue No. 3, January, 2008 Page 57-59
West Seti Hydro-electric Project
Authors: Thanju Jeewan Prasad
Published: March 2016

Hydro Nepal: Journal of Water, Energy and Environment Issue No. 3, January, 2008 Page 60
Sustainable Development Goals: relevance to maternal and child health in Nepal
Authors: Regmi Promod R , Van Teijlingen Edwin , Hundley Vanora , Simkhada Padam , Sharma Sheetal , Mahato Preeti
Published: March 2016
Thorax and pelvis kinematics during walking, a comparison between children with and without cerebral palsy: A systematic review
Authors: Swinnen Eva , Goten Laura Vander , De Koster Berdien , Degelaen Marc
Published: March 2016

BACKGROUND:

Dysfunctional postural control and pathological thorax and pelvis motions are often observed in children with cerebral palsy (CP) and can be considered as an indicator of diminished dynamic stability.

OBJECTIVE:

The aim of this study was to identify the differences between children with CP and typically developing children in three-dimensional thorax and pelvis kinematics during walking.

METHODS:

Three electronic databases were searched by using different combinations of keywords. The methodological quality of the studies was assessed by two researchers with the Strobe quality checklist.

RESULTS:

Ten studies (methodological quality: 32% to 74%) with in total 259 children with CP and 220 typically developing children (mean age: 7.6 to 13.6 year) were included. Compared to typically developing children, children with bilateral CP showed an increased range of motion of the thorax, pelvis and spine during walking. The results of the children with unilateral CP were less clear.

CONCLUSION:

In general, children with bilateral CP showed larger movement amplitudes of the trunk compared to children without CP. This increase in movement amplitudes could influence the dynamic stability of the body during walking. In children with unilateral CP, the results were less obvious and further research on this topic is required.
Dysarthria as a predictor of dysphagia following stroke
Authors: Bahia Mariana Mendes , Mourão Lucia Figueiredo , Chun Regina Yu Shon
Published: March 2016

BACKGROUND:

Stroke is the leading cause of mortality and disability worldwide. Important sequels are frequent, including dysphagia and communication disorders.

OBJECTIVE:

to determine the prevalence of dysphagia and communication disorders following stroke, and to identify if communication disorders can predict dysphagia.

METHODS:

Thirty-one prospective and consecutive patients were admitted to the Otolaryngology-Dysphagia Outpatient Clinic with diagnosis of ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke. Stroke was confirmed by computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging, and medical evaluation. All patients had a swallowing and communication evaluation. We compared patients with and without dysphagia, and established the co-occurrence among dysphagia and communication disorders.

RESULTS:

Twenty-five patients presented dysphagia. Aphasia occurred in 32.3% of the patients; dysarthria in 45.2% . Dysphagia and aphasia co-occurred in 29% of the population; dysphagia and dysarthria in 45.2% ; the three conditions co-occurred in 22.6% . Dysarthria was a predictor of dysphagia, and it was associated with the presence of oral stage problems.

CONCLUSIONS:

A comprehensive evaluation of dysphagia, aphasia, and dysarthria are important to improve clinical outcome following stroke. The identification of dysarthria as a predictor of dysphagia can help identify risk for dysphagia in stroke and assist in the therapeutic process of swallowing problems.
A durable gain in motor and non-motor symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease following repeated caloric vestibular stimulation: A single-case study
Authors: Wilkinson David , Podlewska Aleksandra , Sakel Mohamed
Published: March 2016

OBJECTIVE:

To gain ‘first-in-man’ evidence that repeated caloric vestibular stimulation (CVS), a non-invasive form of neuro-modulation, can induce a lasting and clinically-relevant reduction in Parkinson’s Disease (PD) symptoms.

METHODS:

A 70 yr old male, diagnosed with PD 7 years prior to study enrolment, self-administered CVS at home 2×20 minutes per day for three months using a solid-state portable device. Standardised neuropsychological assessments of motor, cognitive, affective and independent function were carried out prior to stimulation, at the start and end of the sham (month 1) and active (months 2–3) phases, and 5 months post-stimulation.

RESULTS:

Relative to the pre-stimulation baseline, behavioural improvements that exceeded the minimal detectable change were observed on the EQ5D, Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale, Schwab and England scale, 2 minute walk, Timed up and go, Non-motor symptom assessment scale for PD, Montreal cognitive assessment, Hospital depression scale and Epworth sleepiness scale. The level of change exceeded the threshold for a minimal clinically important difference on all scales for which a threshold has been published. By contrast, little improvement was seen during the sham (i.e. placebo) phase.

CONCLUSION:

Caloric vestibular stimulation may offer a novel, home-based method of relieving everyday symptoms of PD, and merits further evaluative study.
Cross-validation of oxygen uptake prediction during walking in ambulatory persons with multiple sclerosis
Authors: Agiovlasitis Stamatis , Motl Robert W.
Published: March 2016

BACKGROUND:

An equation for predicting the gross oxygen uptake (gross-VO2) during walking for persons with multiple sclerosis (MS) has been developed. Predictors included walking speed and total score from the 12-Item Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale (MSWS-12).

OBJECTIVE:

This study examined the validity of this prediction equation in another sample of persons with MS.

METHODS:

Participants were 18 persons with MS with limited mobility problems (42 ± 13 years; 14 women). Participants completed the MSWS-12. Gross-VO2 was measured with open-circuit spirometry during treadmill walking at 2.0, 3.0, and 4.0 mph (0.89, 1.34, and 1.79 m·s–1).

REULTS:

Absolute percent error was small: 8.3 ± 6.1% , 8.0 ± 5.6% , and 12.2 ± 9.0% at 2.0, 3.0, and 4.0 mph, respectively. Actual gross-VO2 did not differ significantly from predicted gross-VO2 at 2.0 and 3.0 mph, but was significantly higher than predicted gross-VO2 at 4.0 mph ( p <  0.001). Bland-Altman plots indicated nearly zero mean difference between actual and predicted gross-VO2 with modest 95% confidence intervals at 2.0 and 3.0 mph, but there was some underestimation at 4.0 mph.

CONCLUSIONS:

Speed and MSWS-12 score provide valid prediction of gross-VO2 during treadmill walking at slow and moderate speeds in ambulatory persons with MS. However, there is a possibility of small underestimation for walking at 4.0 mph.
Neuronavigated left temporal continuous theta burst stimulation in chronic tinnitus
Authors: Schecklmann Martin , Giani Anette , Tupak Sara , Langguth Berthold , Raab Vincent , Polak Thomas , Várallyay Csanád , Großmann Wilma , Herrmann Martin J. , Fallgatter Andreas J.
Published: March 2016

Purpose: Clinical effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in chronic tinnitus are moderate. More precise coil localisation strategies, innovative stimulation protocols, and identification of predictors for treatment response were proposed as promising attempts to enhance treatment efficacy. In this pilot study we investigated neuronavigated continuous theta burst TMS (cTBS).

Methods: Twenty-three patients received neuronavigated cTBS over the left primary auditory cortex in a randomized sham-controlled trial (verum = 12; sham = 11). Treatment response was evaluated with tinnitus questionnaires and numeric rating scales. Immediate change in numeric rating scales during the first session was used as predictor for treatment response.

Results: Tinnitus was significantly reduced after treatment, but there were no superior effects between verum vs. sham treatment. Immediate change in the first treatment session predicted the response to treatment only in the verum group.

Conclusions: In our study, verum cTBS was not superior to sham which highlights the persistent need for improving non-invasive brain stimulation techniques for the treatment of tinnitus. Future research should focus on the transfer of positive single session effects to daily treatment trials.
Effect of using fluoxetine at different time windows on neurological functional prognosis after ischemic stroke
Authors: Guo Yi , He Yitao , Tang Bingshan , Ma Kefu , Cai Zhili , Zeng Siling , Zhang Ying , Jiang Xin
Published: March 2016

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of using fluoxetine at different time intervals after ischemic stroke on neurological functional prognosis in China.

Methods: The patients enrolled were randomly allocated to three groups. Group A received fluoxetine 20 mg/day immediately; group B received fluoxetine 20 mg/day 7 days after enrollment; and group C did not receive fluoxetine. The therapeutic duration of fluoxetine was 90 days and the follow-up period was 180 days.

Results: The mean NIHSS score at day 90 was significantly lower in group A than group C ( P = 0.005), while at day 180, the mean score in group A was significantly lower than groups B and C ( P = 0.035, P = 0.000), respectively. The mean BI score at day 90 was significantly higher in group A than group C ( P = 0.001), while at day 180, the mean score in group A was significantly higher than groups B and C ( P = 0.036, P = 0.000), respectively. Regression analysis indicated that lower NIHSS score and higher BI score at day 180 were attributed to the early administration of fluoxetine.

Conclusions: In patients with ischemic stroke, early administration of fluoxetine may improve the neurological functional prognosis.
Pre-conditioning with transcranial low-level light therapy reduces neuroinflammation and protects blood-brain barrier after focal cerebral ischemia in mice
Authors: Lee Hae In , Park Jung Hwa , Park Min Young , Kim Nam Gyun , Park Kyoung-Jun , Choi Byung Tae , Shin Yong-II , Shin Hwa Kyoung
Published: March 2016

Purpose: Transcranial low-level light therapy (LLLT) has gained interest as a non-invasive, inexpensive and safe method of modulating neurological and psychological functions in recent years. This study was designed to examine the preventive effects of LLLT via visible light source against cerebral ischemia at the behavioral, structural and neurochemical levels.

Methods: The mice received LLLT twice a day for 2 days prior to photothrombotic cortical ischemia.

Results: LLLT significantly reduced infarct size and edema and improved neurological and motor function 24 h after ischemic injury. In addition, LLLT markedly inhibited Iba-1- and GFAP-positive cells, which was accompanied by a reduction in the expression of inflammatory mediators and inhibition of MAPK activation and NF- κB translocation in the ischemic cortex. Concomitantly, LLLT significantly attenuated leukocyte accumulation and infiltration into the infarct perifocal region. LLLT also prevented BBB disruption after ischemic events, as indicated by a reduction of Evans blue leakage and water content. These findings were corroborated by immunofluorescence staining of the tight junction-related proteins in the ischemic cortex in response to LLLT.

Conclusions: Non-invasive intervention of LLLT in ischemic brain injury may provide a significant functional benefit with an underlying mechanism possibly being suppression of neuroinflammation and reduction of BBB disruption.
Kinematic measures for upper limb motor assessment during robot-mediated training in patients with severe sub-acute stroke
Authors: Duret Christophe , Courtial Ophélie , Grosmaire Anne Gaelle
Published: March 2016

Purpose: Kinematic assessments are increasingly used as motor outcome measures during upper limb robot-assisted training, in addition to clinical scales. However, their relevance has not been evaluated much.

Methods: Thirty-eight patients with severe sub-acute stroke (age 56 ± 17 [19–87] years; time since stroke, 55 ± 22 days) carried out 16 sessions (average 3/week, 35 ± 15 days) of upper limb robot-assisted training combined with standard therapy. Pre/post motor performance was evaluated using the Fugl-Meyer Assessment scale, Motor Status Scale (MSS) and kinematic measures. Motor outcomes were compared and relationships between clinical and kinematic outcomes were analyzed.

Results: All clinical and kinematic outcomes improved after training ( p <  0.01). FM score increased from 17.7 ± 10.0 to 28.6 ± 15.4. All baseline kinematic measures were strongly correlated with clinical scores. Correlations between clinical and kinematic changes were moderate ( r = –0.65 for change in FM Proximal score and change in accuracy measure). However, smoothness and accuracy indicators were shown to be responsive measures.

Conclusion: This study demonstrated that baseline kinematic measures and their pre/post training changes were significantly correlated with clinical motor outcome measures. However, even if kinematic measures are valid for the evaluation of motor impairment we cannot propose to substitute common clinical measures of motor function which also evaluate functional abilities of the upper limb.
The dynamic motor imagery of locomotion is task-dependent in patients with stroke
Authors: Fusco Augusto , Gallotta Maria Chiara , Iosa Marco , Morone Giovanni , Iasevoli Luigi , Trifoglio Domenica , Saraceni Vincenzo Maria , Paolucci Stefano , Baldari Carlo , Guidetti Laura
Published: March 2016

Purpose: Recently, Motor Imagery (MI) has been associated with the execution of movements miming in part the mentally represented action (dynamic MI, dMI). Preliminary studies have reported as dMI may improve trainings in sport, with imagery timing close to the physical execution one. This study was aimed to investigate time and spatial parameters of dMI with actual locomotion in people with stroke.

Methods: Twelve patients (stroke group, SG) were compared with twelve healthy elderly (elderly group, EG) and twenty young adults (young group, YG). Subjects performed mental representations of different walking (forward, FW; lateral, LW, backward, BW), accompanied or not by movements imitating walking (dMI and static MI, sMI). Then, they performed actual locomotion (AL). Outcome measures were related to the time and the number of steps spent for completing the tasks for all the given locomotor conditions.

Results: Significant differences were found in patients with respect to healthy subjects, with time in sMI significantly shorter than in dMI ( p < 0.004) and AL ( p < 0.002), but not between dMI and AL in FW ( p = 0.806). In patients, times obtained in sMI and dMI was significantly shorter with respect to those of AL in LW and BW. Patients performed imagery tasks with similar times in all locomotion. Healthy groups did not reveal differences among tasks in BW, while significant differences were found in LW. Analogous results were found in terms of number of performed steps.

Conclusions: In patients with stroke, a spatiotemporal functional equivalence with AL was found only for dMI, and not for sMI, in forward walking. This could be due to familiarity with this task. These results might have implications for the rehabilitative techniques based on MI.
Vascular insufficiency, not inflammation, contributes to chronic gliosis in a rat CNS transplantation model
Authors: Bates Kristyn A. , Drummond Eleanor S. , Cozens Greg S. , Harvey Alan R.
Published: March 2016

Purpose: There is considerable variability in the extent and nature of the glial response to injury and neurodegeneration. Transplantation of fetal cortical tissue onto the brain of neonatal host rats or mice results in region-specific changes dependent on where the fetal tissue is placed. These changes include chronic astrocytic and microglial gliosis, oxidative stress, and altered metabolism of a number of proteins associated with the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease. Such changes are only observed in heterotopic (cortex-to-midbrain) grafts and are not observed in homotopic cortex-to-cortex grafts. We investigated two possible triggers for the region-specific gliosis observed in our transplant model hypothesizing that either i) poor vascularization and lack of blood brain barrier integrity or ii) an inflammatory response initiated by the transplantation process, contributed to establishing chronic pathological changes.

Methods: We analyzed the time course of neovascularization, blood brain barrier permeability and inflammation using a combination of immunohistochemistry, enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay and Evan’s blue dye extravasation techniques.

Results: Blood brain barrier permeability and altered neovascularization occurred prior to the onset of gliosis in heterotopic grafts.

Conclusion: These data suggest that ischemic conditions and blood brain barrier damage can be a primary mechanism that initiates chronic gliosis and associated inflammatory changes in central nervous system tissue.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Asphalt Pavement Construction: A Case Study in China
Authors: Ma Feng , Sha Aimin , Lin Ruiyu , Huang Yue , Wang Chao
Published: March 2016

In China, the construction of asphalt pavement has a significant impact on the environment, and energy use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from asphalt pavement construction have been receiving increasing attention in recent years. At present, there is no universal criterion for the evaluation of GHG emissions in asphalt pavement construction. This paper proposes to define the system boundaries for GHG emissions from asphalt pavement by using a process-based life cycle assessment method. A method for evaluating GHG emissions from asphalt pavement construction is suggested. The paper reports a case study of GHG emissions from a typical asphalt pavement construction project in China. The results show that the greenhouse gas emissions from the mixture mixing phase are the highest, and account for about 54% of the total amount. The second highest GHG emission phase is the production of raw materials. For GHG emissions of cement stabilized base/subbase, the production of raw materials emits the most, about 98%. The GHG emission for cement production alone is about 92%. The results indicate that any measures to reduce GHG emissions from asphalt pavement construction should be focused on the raw materials manufacturing stage. If the raw materials production phase is excluded, the measures to reduce GHG emissions should be aimed at the mixture mixing phase.