bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Towards developing a multi-aspectual framework for systematic evaluation of locally prepared ELT materials
Authors: Biria Reza , Mehrabi Boshrabadi Abbas 
Published: August 2015

Purpose– This paper aims to develop a multi-aspectual framework for evaluating locally prepared English language teaching (ELT) materials used for Iranian senior high school students. Many practitioners of the field assert that the inappropriate development of ELT materials would leave an adverse effect on the potential value of the realistic ways which translate the educational beliefs on language learning into operational goals defined by local educational systems.Design/Methodology/Approach– Using a stratified sampling method, 120 high school students along with 60 ex-students attending Isfahan (Khorasgan) University as well as 30 English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers teaching English courses at high schools were selected. To measure the participants’ attitudes toward the pedagogical effectiveness of English textbooks (i.e.Right Path to Englishseries), a 30-item questionnaire developed based on the comprehensive guidelines suggested by Nation and Macalister (2010) about materials development was used. To improve the credibility and dependability of respondents’ perceptions, a focused-group interview was further utilized as a source of triangulation.Findings– The findings revealed that the multi-aspectual framework is a comprehensive and valid model utilized for post-use materials evaluation. The results also depicted that the target textbooks published by the Iranian Ministry of Education did not satisfy the actual needs of students.Practical implications– The findings may offer certain benefits to teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) teachers, policy makers and materials developers engaged in locally ELT material design.Originality/value– The present study used a comprehensive list of criteria dominating not only the curriculum development but also the principles governing the EFL classroom practices. Considering the principles as a litmus test for evaluation, the study used a principle-driven approach to evaluate the Iranian English textbooks used in senior high school level.
Effects of neonatal size on maturity and escape performance in the Trinidadian guppy
Authors: Dial Terry R. , Reznick David N. , Brainerd Elizabeth L. 
Published: August 2015

SummaryThe livebearing Trinidadian guppy (Poecilia reticulata) produces bigger offspring in populations exposed to low predation and produces smaller, more numerous offspring in populations subject to high predation (HP).Like most fishes, guppies respond to predator attacks with a fast‐start escape response. From the scaling of teleost fast‐start performance, we predict that larger guppy neonates should exhibit faster, more effective escape responses than smaller neonates. Increasing performance with increasing size could be due simply to size, or to both size and the acquisition of more mature body forms, as is seen in larval‐stage fishes.We find no difference in external body proportions among guppy offspring varying in size from 5·1 mm to 7·1 mm at birth, suggesting offspring are born morphologically mature. However, based on the degree of skeletal ossification, as a proxy for internal maturity, we find that guppies are still maturing rapidly around the time of birth. The smallest neonates from the very HP Caroni confluence lack ossification of key skeletal elements that are present in their larger low predation counterparts.In guppies from the Aripo/Caroni drainage, we show that neonatal escape performance covaries with responsiveness and increases with size along a gradient of HP offspring, but is lower in the largest low predation offspring. The scaling of escape performance in the HP populations performing maximally (scaling with length as L2·76) exceeds predictions from size alone (scaling exponent of L1·0indicates performance increases linearly with body size). This suggests that guppy neonates, like rapidly developing larval fishes, vary substantially in morphological maturity among populations.The finding that neonatal guppy offspring covary in both size and maturity at birth means that being smaller also means being less mature, which amplifies the negative escape performance effects of being born small. Despite the negative consequences of being born both small and immature, HP environments select heavily for high fecundity, and thus small offspring size. We find selection favours female life‐history traits over offspring escape performance.
Hollows in living trees develop slowly but considerably influence the estimate of forest biomass
Authors: Zheng Zheng , Zhang Shubin , Baskin Carol , Baskin Jerry , Schaefer Doug , Yang Xiaodong , Yang Lianyan 
Published: August 2015

Summary

The decomposition of wood inside living tree hollows influences forest structure and processes. Although the decomposition rate controls the formation of hollows, it has not previously been measured.

In an old‐growth subtropical montane evergreen broad‐leaved forest in south‐west China, we measured respiration rates of decaying wood inside living tree hollows, logs (downed tree trunks) and snags (standing dead trees) using infrared CO2 analysis. We compared stem radial growth rates to the horizontal expansion rates of hollows. We also estimated the proportion of hollows to total stem volume and the time required to form nesting hollows.

Overall, decaying wood inside living tree hollows had significantly higher wood density but lower a moisture content and respiration rate than logs. Wood moisture content and wood density significantly affected the respiration rates of wood inside tree hollows and logs and snags. The average respiration rate of wood inside tree hollows (0·16 ± 0·02 μmol kg−1 s−1) was 49% lower than in logs and 34% lower than in snags.

The proportion of stem volume occupied by hollows was 8·0% in this forest. The radial expansion rate of tree hollows was 2·0 mm year−1, which was slightly less than the stem radial growth rate. The rate of vertical expansion of hollows was eight times higher than radial expansion. At these rates, it would require 50–100 years for the formation of hollows large enough for honeybees Apis cerana cerana to nest.

We conclude that wood decomposition inside tree hollows is more strongly limited by moisture content than in logs, and a very long time is required to form nesting hollows by decomposition. However, the decomposition of wood inside living tree hollows can considerably influence estimates of stem biomass in old‐growth forests.
REVIEW: Potential roles of soil fauna in improving the efficiency of rain gardens used as natural stormwater treatment systems
Authors: Mehring Andrew S. , Levin Lisa A. 
Published: August 2015

Summary

Natural treatment systems such as rain gardens aim to overcome the negative effects of urbanization on water quality, availability, and freshwater and marine ecosystem integrity by mimicking the natural water cycle in urban planning and design. While soils in these systems are inhabited by a diverse array of invertebrates, the soil macrofauna is ignored in the vast majority of studies on new or existing rain gardens.

Here, we review the functional roles of invertebrates commonly found within soils of rain gardens. Soil fauna have the potential to substantially alter plant growth, water infiltration rates, and the retention and removal of pathogens, nutrients, heavy metals and other contaminants. Their lack of inclusion in controlled laboratory or greenhouse studies may contribute to differences in observed function in field and laboratory settings.

Promising future research directions include the following: (i) the use of controlled experiments to study invertebrate effects on rain garden function; (ii) determining the factors affecting variability in organismal abundance among and within sites; and (iii) the design of rain gardens to facilitate development of fauna that promote desired functions.

Synthesis and applications. Soil fauna may substantially alter the function of rain gardens as natural stormwater treatment systems in urban areas. Therefore, incorporat‐ing animal effects into design and testing may better enable managers and researchers to understand and optimize rain garden functioning, and forecast the longevity of rain gardens.
Chemical suppression of embryonic cane toads Rhinella marina by larval conspecifics
Authors: Clarke Gregory S. , Crossland Michael R. , Shilton Cathy , Shine Richard 
Published: August 2015

Summary

Mechanisms that evolved to suppress the development of potential competitors may offer novel methods for species‐specific control of invasive organisms. The tadpoles of cane toads Rhinella marina compete for limited food resources in small ponds and older tadpoles eliminate competitors not only by eating newly laid eggs, but also by releasing a chemical that suppresses development of conspecific eggs.

We conducted laboratory trials to assess the magnitude and generality of this suppression effect and to identify the developmental stages capable of producing the suppressor cue and those that are vulnerable to its presence.

In all clutches that we tested, the suppressor cue reduced larval growth, development and survival (>95% mortality vs. <50% in controls). The suppressor exerts a general effect on larval development, rather than causing malformations of specific organ systems.

Free‐swimming tadpoles of all developmental stages produce the cue (but are not affected by it), whereas embryos do not produce the cue, but are vulnerable to it. Tadpoles produce the cue consistently rather than facultatively (e.g. in response to detecting eggs).

A preliminary trial shows that the cue is effective in natural spawning ponds as well as in the laboratory.

Synthesis and applications. Our data have strong implications for current methods of toad control (culling tadpoles will remove suppression effects on the next generation, so it may be better to maintain live toad tadpoles in secure containers rather than removing them from the pond). Longer‐term, understanding the chemical basis of this powerful mechanism for intraspecific competition may facilitate invader control.
EDITOR'S CHOICE: REVIEW: Trait matching of flower visitors and crops predicts fruit set better than trait diversity
Authors: Garibaldi Lucas A. , Bartomeus Ignasi , Bommarco Riccardo , Klein Alexandra M. , Cunningham Saul A. , Aizen Marcelo A. , Boreux Virginie , Garratt Michael P. D. , Carvalheiro Luísa G. , Kremen Claire , Morales Carolina L. , Schüepp Christof , Chacoff Natacha P. , Freitas Breno M. , Gagic Vesna , Holzschuh Andrea , Klatt Björn K. , Krewenka Kristin M. , Krishnan Smitha , Mayfield Margaret M. , Motzke Iris , Otieno Mark , Petersen Jessica , Potts Simon G. , Ricketts Taylor H. , Rundlöf Maj , Sciligo Amber , Sinu Palatty Allesh , Steffan‐Dewenter Ingolf , Taki Hisatomo , Tscharntke Teja , Vergara Carlos H. , Viana Blandina F. , Woyciechowski Michal 
Published: August 2015

Summary

Understanding the relationships between trait diversity, species diversity and ecosystem functioning is essential for sustainable management. For functions comprising two trophic levels, trait matching between interacting partners should also drive functioning. However, the predictive ability of trait diversity and matching is unclear for most functions, particularly for crop pollination, where interacting partners did not necessarily co‐evolve.

World‐wide, we collected data on traits of flower visitors and crops, visitation rates to crop flowers per insect species and fruit set in 469 fields of 33 crop systems. Through hierarchical mixed‐effects models, we tested whether flower visitor trait diversity and/or trait matching between flower visitors and crops improve the prediction of crop fruit set (functioning) beyond flower visitor species diversity and abundance.

Flower visitor trait diversity was positively related to fruit set, but surprisingly did not explain more variation than flower visitor species diversity.

The best prediction of fruit set was obtained by matching traits of flower visitors (body size and mouthpart length) and crops (nectar accessibility of flowers) in addition to flower visitor abundance, species richness and species evenness. Fruit set increased with species richness, and more so in assemblages with high evenness, indicating that additional species of flower visitors contribute more to crop pollination when species abundances are similar.

Synthesis and applications. Despite contrasting floral traits for crops world‐wide, only the abundance of a few pollinator species is commonly managed for greater yield. Our results suggest that the identification and enhancement of pollinator species with traits matching those of the focal crop, as well as the enhancement of pollinator richness and evenness, will increase crop yield beyond current practices. Furthermore, we show that field practitioners can predict and manage agroecosystems for pollination services based on knowledge of just a few traits that are known for a wide range of flower visitor species.
Root herbivory indirectly affects above‐ and below‐ground community members and directly reduces plant performance
Authors: Barber Nicholas A. , Milano Nelson J. , Kiers E. Toby , Theis Nina , Bartolo Vanessa , Hazzard Ruth V. , Adler Lynn S. 
Published: August 2015

Summary

There is a widespread recognition that above‐ and below‐ground organisms are linked through their interactions with host plants that span terrestrial subsystems. In addition to direct effects on plants, soil organisms such as root herbivores can indirectly alter interactions between plants and other community members, with potentially important effects on plant growth and fitness.

We manipulated root herbivory by Acalymma vittatum in Cucumis sativus to determine indirect effects on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, leaf herbivory, the leaf pathogen downy mildew and pollinators. We also manipulated pollen receipt by plants to determine whether root herbivory reduced plant reproduction through changes in pollinator visitation.

Overall, root herbivory had strong net negative effects on plant growth and fitness, with 34% reductions in both leaf and fruit production by high root damage levels relative to control, despite reduced infection by downy mildew. High root herbivory also reduced floral visitation by 39%, apparently due to lower flower production, as flower size and scent were unaffected. Above‐ground herbivory was not affected by root herbivores.

Although root herbivory reduced pollinator visits, pollen receipt manipulations had no effect on fruit set, indicating that reduced pollinator service did not affect plant reproduction.

Synthesis. Root herbivory had indirect effects on a range of community members, including mutualists and antagonists both above‐ and below‐ground. Although reduced pathogen infection associated with root herbivory would be expected to benefit plants, root herbivory had an overall strong negative effect on plant growth and reproduction, indicating that direct negative effects over‐rode any potential indirect benefits.
Comparison of techniques used to deliver a deeply impacted fetal head at full dilation: a systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Jeve YB , Navti OB , Konje JC 
Published: August 2015

BackgroundSecond‐stage caesarean section with a deeply impacted fetal head is associated with maternal and neonatal complications.ObjectivesSystematic review and meta‐analysis to identify, appraise and synthesise existing evidence that evaluated various techniques of delivering a baby with a deeply impacted head at full‐dilation caesarean section. The primary outcome was uterine extension and secondary outcomes were other maternal and neonatal morbidities.Search strategyOnline searches of MEDLINE (1946–January 2015), EMBASE (1950–January 2015), Web of Sciences (1950–2015), and the Cochrane Library databases were performed using a set of relevant keywords.Selection criteriaAll studies that compared the outcome of various techniques of delivering the baby's head at full‐dilation caesarean section.Data collection and analysisMethodological quality was assessed using the Newcastle–Ottawa scale. Data collected from each of the studies included variables on the participants, comparisons used, and feto‐maternal outcomes. Meta‐analysis was performed using review manager 5.3.Main resultsIn total, 12 studies were included. Six studies (n = 455) examined primary outcomes. Meta‐analysis showed that the risks of uterine incision extension, infection, mean blood loss, and operative time were significantly higher with the push technique compared with the reverse breech extraction. The evidence to support the Patwardhan method and fetal pillow was inadequate.Authors' conclusionsEvidence gathered from observational studies suggests that reverse breech extraction is associated with significantly lower maternal risks compared with the push method.Tweetable abstractMeta‐analysis suggests reverse breech extraction during caesarean section to deliver impacted fetus is safer.
The distribution of individual cabinet positions in coalition governments: A sequential approach
Authors: Ecker Alejandro , Meyer Thomas M. , Müller Wolfgang C. 
Published: August 2015

AbstractMultiparty government in parliamentary democracies entails bargaining over the payoffs of government participation, in particular the allocation of cabinet positions. While most of the literature deals with the numerical distribution of cabinet seats among government parties, this article explores the distribution of individual portfolios. It argues that coalition negotiations are sequential choice processes that begin with the allocation of those portfolios most important to the bargaining parties. This induces conditionality in the bargaining process as choices of individual cabinet positions are not independent of each other. Linking this sequential logic with party preferences for individual cabinet positions, the authors of the article study the allocation of individual portfolios for 146 coalition governments in Western and Central Eastern Europe. The results suggest that a sequential logic in the bargaining process results in better predictions than assuming mutual independence in the distribution of individual portfolios.
Examination of the Sequence between Laser Printing and Rollerball Pen Writing Without an Intersecting Stroke
Authors: Wang Shaofang , Lu Caijun , Wang Gang 
Published: August 2015

AbstractExamining the sequences of printing and writing is a significant method of determining the authenticity and validity of documents. Forensic document examiners have extensively studied crossing lines, which has produced useful information. However, the sequence for laser printing and rollerball pen writing without crossing strokes has not been studied. To solve this problem, volunteers were invited to write characters on A4 paper with different rollerball pens using two sequences. Four laser printers applied print to these sheets, and the materials were examined using an Optem A‐Zoom2 video tomography microscope. Consequently, distinguishing features were noted between the materials produced in both sequences. These features might provide a scientific basis for accurately determining the sequence between laser printing and rollerball pen writing in the absence of intersecting strokes.
A Direct Aqueous Derivatization GSMS Method for Determining Benzoylecgonine Concentrations in Human Urine
Authors: Chericoni Silvio , Stefanelli Fabio , Da Valle Ylenia , Giusiani Mario 
Published: August 2015

AbstractA sensitive and reliable method for extraction and quantification of benzoylecgonine (BZE) and cocaine (COC) in urine is presented. Propyl‐chloroformate was used as derivatizing agent, and it was directly added to the urine sample: the propyl derivative and COC were then recovered by liquid–liquid extraction procedure. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry was used to detect the analytes in selected ion monitoring mode. The method proved to be precise for BZE and COC both in term of intraday and interday analysis, with a coefficient of variation (CV) <6%. Limits of detection (LOD) were 2.7 ng/mL for BZE and 1.4 ng/mL for COC. The calibration curve showed a linear relationship for BZE and COC (r2 >0.999 and >0.997, respectively) within the range investigated. The method, applied to thirty authentic samples, showed to be very simple, fast, and reliable, so it can be easily applied in routine analysis for the quantification of BZE and COC in urine samples.
Assessing the Risk of Secondary Transfer Via Fingerprint Brush Contamination Using Enhanced Sensitivity DNA Analysis Methods
Authors: Bolivar Paula‐Andrea , Tracey Martin , McCord Bruce 
Published: August 2015

AbstractExperiments were performed to determine the extent of cross‐contamination of DNA resulting from secondary transfer due to fingerprint brushes used on multiple items of evidence. Analysis of both standard and low copy number (LCN) STR was performed. Two different procedures were used to enhance sensitivity, post‐PCR cleanup and increased cycle number. Under standard STR typing procedures, some additional alleles were produced that were not present in the controls or blanks; however, there was insufficient data to include the contaminant donor as a contributor. Inclusion of the contaminant donor did occur for one sample using post‐PCR cleanup. Detection of the contaminant donor occurred for every replicate of the 31 cycle amplifications; however, using LCN interpretation recommendations for consensus profiles, only one sample would include the contaminant donor. Our results indicate that detection of secondary transfer of DNA can occur through fingerprint brush contamination and is enhanced using LCN‐DNA methods.
Intraosseous access in neonates and infants: risk of severe complications – a case report
Authors: Suominen P. K. , Nurmi E. , Lauerma K. 
Published: August 2015

Gaining vascular access in a neonate during cardiopulmonary resuscitation is crucial and challenging. Intraosseous (IO) access can offer a fast and reliable method for achieving emergency access for fluids and drugs when venous access fails in a critically ill child. IO access can however result in rare, but serious adverse events including compartment syndrome and amputation. We describe a case resulting in leg amputation due to IO infusion in a neonate after resuscitation and therapeutic hypothermia. We compared 10 tibia X‐rays in three age groups. The mean medullary diameter of the proximal tibia at the recommended site for IO access was 7 mm in neonate, 10 mm in 1‐ to 12‐month‐old infants, and 12 mm in 3‐ to 4‐year‐old children. This provides a narrow margin of safety for the correct positioning and the avoidance of dislodgement of the IO needle. The correct position of the IO needle should be confirmed by bone marrow aspiration and fluid bolus. Unnecessary touching of the IO needle after fixing it in place should be avoided by inserting a luer‐lock catheter with a three‐way stop‐cock for IO drug and fluid administration. Regular observation of the circulation and possible swelling of the leg should be performed. The IO administration of inotropic infusions should also be avoided after the initial resuscitation phase. When treating with therapeutic hypothermia, it may be wise to remove the IO needle much earlier than the currently recommended 24 h because of the problems in peripheral circulation and its monitoring.