bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Mount Moco: its importance to the conservation of Swierstra’s Francolin Pternistis swierstrai and the Afromontane avifauna of Angola
Authors: MILLS MICHAEL S. L. , OLMOS FABIO , MELO MARTIM , DEAN W. RICHARD J. 
Published: February 2011

SummaryThe forests of the Angolan highlands are the smallest and most isolated of the Afromontane centres of endemism. Despite their high biodiversity value and small, fragmented extent of less than 200 ha, they remain entirely unprotected. Here we draw attention to their uniqueness and the threats to their conservation. We specifically highlight the importance of Mt Moco to bird conservation and describe current forest cover and condition. Sixty-four endemic/near-endemic species/subspecies and taxa with isolated populations are associated with the highlands of western Angola. All 19 forest-dependent taxa are among the 233 species recorded at Mt Moco, which include a rich diversity of montane specialists. Swierstra’s Francolin Pternistis swierstrai is the only threatened endemic. In 2009, 10 of 30 forest patches at Mt Moco larger than 0.5 ha were surveyed for this species. It occurred in seven of these surveyed patches, at a mean minimum density of 0.95 pair ha−1 in forest patches > 1 ha. Based on extrapolations of this figure, we estimate a minimum of 75 pairs of Swierstra’s Francolin at Mt Moco, and 185–420 pairs worldwide. Due to both limited range and small population size, we propose the species be up-listed from ‘Vulnerable’ to ‘Endangered’. Total forest cover at Mount Moco in forest patches > 0.5 ha in size is currently 85 ha. This is c.40% of the total cover of Afromontane forest estimated for Angola in 1974. Remaining forest cover at Mt Moco is being eroded by bush fires, removal of wood for fire and construction material, and clearance for subsistence agriculture by the c.330 inhabitants of Kanjonde village. In order to preserve the forest of Mt Moco, we propose the implementation of a protected area and define its boundaries. A similar proposal was made in 1974 for the creation of the Mount Moco Special Reserve.
Effects of grassland burning on reproductive success of globally threatened Strange-tailed Tyrants Alectrurus risora
Authors: DI GIACOMO ALEJANDRO G. , DI GIACOMO ADRIAN S. , REBOREDA JUAN C. 
Published: February 2011

SummaryThe north-east of Argentina contains a high number of globally threatened grassland birds and is increasingly managed for livestock, with annual burning in remaining natural grasslands. The Strange-tailed Tyrant Alectrurus risora, a globally threatened grassland specialist, has suffered a 90% contraction in its original range. From 1996 to 2008 we monitored a breeding population in Formosa, north-east Argentina, and explored the effect on breeding of four accidental and one prescribed fires. The plant most frequently used for nesting was Imperata brasiliensis, but the frequency of use was lower after a fire than before. In years with a fire, the height of the plant used for nesting and the height of the nest were lower than in those without a fire. Females avoided nesting in the burned plot in the breeding season immediately after the prescribed fire, but they started to return to the burned plot by the second breeding season and did not discriminate between plots by the third breeding season after the fire. Movements of females after the prescribed fire did not affect nest survival, clutch size, hatchability or chick survival indicating this species was adapted to regular fires. However, our results also show that annual burning in the grassland negatively affects the settlement for reproduction of Strange-tailed Tyrants and that the intervals between burns in the same grassland should be longer than two years.
Long-term declines of wader populations at the Tagus estuary, Portugal: a response to global or local factors?
Authors: CATRY TERESA , ALVES JOSÉ A. , ANDRADE JOANA , COSTA HELDER , DIAS MARIA P. , FERNANDES PEDRO , LEAL ANA , LOURENÇO PEDRO M. , MARTINS RICARDO C. , MONIZ FILIPE , PARDAL SARA , ROCHA AFONSO , SANTOS CARLOS D. , ENCARNAÇÃO VITOR , GRANADEIRO JOSÉ P. 
Published: February 2011

SummaryMigratory wader populations face global threats, mainly related to increasing rates of habitat loss and disturbance driven by human activities. To a large extent, the long-term survival of these populations requires the conservation of networks of sites along their migratory flyways. The Tagus estuary, Portugal, is among the most important wetlands for waders in the East Atlantic Flyway. Annual winter wader counts have been carried in this wetland since 1975 and a monthly roost-monitoring programme was implemented in 2007. Wintering populations of three out of the five most abundant species, DunlinCalidris alpina, Grey PloverPluvialis squatarolaand RedshankTringa totanus, showed significant population declines over the past three decades, which are most likely due to the loss and degradation of roost sites as a result of increasing human activity. The situation is unlikely to improve, as a high proportion of the wintering waders use roost sites that are situated in highly urbanised areas with no legal protection. The use of different roost sites by waders is highly variable both temporally and spatially, thus emphasizing the need for a network of good quality roost sites. Additionally, during migration, 60–80% of all the waders of the Tagus estuary concentrate at a single refuge, thus increasing the risk for wader populations during these periods.
Breeding range of the last eastern colony of Critically Endangered Northern Bald Ibis Geronticus eremita in the Syrian steppe: a threatened area
Authors: SERRA GIANLUCA , BRUSCHINI CLAUDIA , LINDSELL JEREMY A. , PESKE LUBOMIR , KANANI AHMED 
Published: February 2011

SummaryEight years after the discovery of the last survivors of the eastern population of Northern Bald Ibis in Syria, their breeding grounds within the Palmyra steppe remain threatened by habitat degradation, human disturbance and uncontrolled infrastructural development whilst the ibis colony size has continued to decline. This study is aimed at assisting national and international stakeholders in strengthening the Ibis Protected Area, established in 2004 and still lacking a clear boundary and management zonation, by quantitatively establishing the range used by these birds through use of satellite tracking and field observations collected between 2006 and 2009. The core breeding range used by the ibises is 224–253 km2 while the full home range is c.1,500 km2, encompassing a mountainous area north of Palmyra, ranging from 400 to 1,000 m asl. Locations from satellite tracking also revealed an important unknown post-breeding site. The ibis breeding area is also home to a range of other rare and endangered fauna as well as significant landscape, cultural and recreational assets, establishing it as an area of international importance. The Syrian steppe is a crucial socio-economic asset for the country, not only for the indigenous pastoralist people, but also because Syria seeks to develop and promote ecotourism in the Palmyra region. The steppe is increasingly suffering from damaging desertification. The need for investment in protection and management of key biodiversity and landscape assets is a precondition that needs greater recognition by the authorities. Recommendations are provided for decision makers and conservationists aimed at mitigating threats and making the Ibis Protected Area fully functional.
The Plan-a-Day Approach to Measuring Planning Ability in Patients with Schizophrenia
Authors: Holt Daniel V. , Rodewald Katlehn , Rentrop Mirjam , Funke Joachim , Weisbrod Matthias , Kaiser Stefan 
Published: February 2011

AbstractDeficits in executive functioning are closely related to the level of everyday functioning in patients with schizophrenia. However, many existing neuropsychological measures are limited in their ability to predict functional outcome. To contribute towards closing this gap, we developed a computer-based test of planning ability (“Plan-a-Day”) that requires participants to create daily activity schedules in a simulated work setting. Eighty patients diagnosed with schizophrenia were tested with Plan-a-Day and a battery of cognitive ability tests. Plan-a-Day showed satisfactory psychometric properties in terms of consistency, reliability, and construct validity. Compared to other neuropsychological tests used in this study, it also demonstrated incremental validity with regard to the Global Assessment of Functioning. The Plan-a-Day approach, therefore, seems to represent a valid alternative for measuring planning ability in patients with executive function deficits, occupying a middle ground between traditional neuropsychological tests and real-life assessments. (JINS, 2011,17, 327–335)
Salinity effects on food habits in three coastal, rural villages in Bangladesh
Authors: Rahman M.H. , Lund T. , Bryceson I. 
Published: February 2011

AbstractSince shrimp farming started in Bangladesh in the 1970s, it has spread throughout the coastal region, increasing soil and water salinity levels. The water salinity in 2005 in the coastal districts of Khulna, Bagherat and Satkhira ranged from 0.3 to 20.7, 0.4 to 27.1 and 0.7 to 24.8 dS m−1, respectively, whereby it was highly saline for several months of the year. Water salinity above 2.5 dS m−1 is not suitable for irrigation, and may cause animal health problems. Irrigation with saline water may cause ion toxicity and osmotic stress, reducing plant growth and yield. Salinity has reduced the agro-biodiversity in the coastal regions of Bangladesh, and this paper investigates how these changes have impacted human food habits in the three coastal, rural villages Putia (Satkhira district), Srifaltala (Bagerhat district) and Hogolbunia (Khulna district). Fieldwork was conducted from July to December 2006 and Participatory Rural Appraisal methods including transect walks, key informant interviews, group discussions and personal interviews were carried out. In total, 121 respondents were interviewed and historical data from 1975 to 2006 were collected. For historical data, respondents aged above 50 years were sampled, but additional criteria such as socio-economic condition and farm location were applied to assure a sample representative for the population of the coastal areas. The sampled households had characteristics similar to the major part of Bangladeshi households (rural, agrarian based, regarding family size and food habits), and were thus representative of a broader cross-section of households in Bangladesh. As all sampled villages faced increasing salinity and spread of shrimp farming, they were representative of villages in the coastal areas. When salinity increased, the production of vegetables, seasonal fruits, animal species, eggs and milk declined. As the price of the mentioned animal commodities rose, cheaper commodities such as broilers, exotic and marine fish species and exotic oils were introduced. The decision on what to cultivate was also influenced by non-residents converting the farmers' land into shrimp ponds, increasing the salinity in the surroundings and killing the farmers' ducks. These agro-biodiversity changes caused reduced frequency of consumption of beef, goat, native chicken, egg, local freshwater fish, seasonal fruits, vegetables and milk, while broilers, exotic fish, exotic oils and marine fish species were increasingly consumed. Still, the total fish consumption declined. These changed food habits may lead to considerable negative health consequences for the rural, coastal populations.
Reassessing catastrophic health-care payments with a Nigerian case study
Authors: Ataguba John Ele-Ojo 
Published: February 2011

AbstractHealth financing reforms have recently received much attention in developing countries. However, out-of-pocket payments remain substantial. When such payments involve expenditures above some given proportion of household resources, they are often deemed ‘catastrophic’. The research literature on defining catastrophe leaves open a number of important questions and as a result there still exists a lack of consensus on the issue. This paper argues that there is a need to examine the question of what might constitute fair indices of catastrophic payment, which explicitly recognize diminishing marginal utility of income as reflected in some principle of vertical equity. It proposes the use of rank-dependent weights to allow variations in threshold payment levels across individuals on the income ladder. These are then applied to a Nigerian data set. It emerged that the catastrophic headcount (positive gap) obtained using a fixed threshold – weighted or not by the concentration index – is lower (higher) than that predicted by the rank-dependent threshold. More fundamentally there is a need for more research effort to take the ideas in this paper further and examine in various different contexts what a fair construct of catastrophe might look like.
The character, volume and implications of sediment impounded in mill dams in Scotland: the case of the Baldernock Mill dam in East Dunbartonshire
Authors: Bishop Paul , Muñoz-Salinas Esperanza , MacKenzie Angus B. , Pulford Ian , McKibbin Jan 
Published: February 2011

ABSTRACTReservoir sedimentation provides a valuable source of data on sediment flux. This paper assesses the record of sedimentation in the Baldernock Mill dam, a small mill dam in western Scotland. That record is based on the volume of sediment in the dam, and the detailed analysis of a continuously sampled stratigraphic section through the impounded sediment, with a chronology for mill dam construction and subsequent breaching based on historical maps and the impounded sediment’s content of 137Cs and lead isotopes. The mill dam was constructed in c. 1820, was initially partially breached in the late nineteenth or early twentieth century and then fully breached by about the mid 1920s. The dam trapped relatively low volumes of sediment and the correspondingly low rate of sediment flux indicated by the volume of impounded sediment reflects the dam’s very low trap efficiency. The basal Unit 1 in the impounded sediments was deposited between dam construction and the initial breaching of the wall. The unit consists of repeated ‘triplets’ of a basal sand (flood deposit) grading upwards into a mud deposit (post-flood deposition), which is in turn overlain by an organic-rich layer of leaves and twigs (the subsequent autumn leaf fall). Unit 2 is similar to Unit 1 but lacks the organic layer, indicating the lack of ongoing standing water to trap the autumn leaf fall, and Unit 3 was deposited after full breaching of the wall. Mill dams in Scotland generally impound small steep bedrock channels – the latter reflecting a strong glacial legacy in Scotland – and are only small structures designed to ensure water for mills during dry periods in a climate of otherwise generally moderate to high and reliable rainfall. The small sizes of these dams and their low wall heights mean that they trap relatively low volumes of sediment that have minimal to minor downstream impacts if the dams fail.
The postcranial skeleton of the iguanodontian ornithopod Jinzhousaurus yangi from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation of western Liaoning, China
Authors: Wang Xiaolin , Pan Rui , Butler Richard J. , Barrett Paul M. 
Published: February 2011

ABSTRACTNon-hadrosaurid iguanodontians were the most diverse and abundant group of large-bodied herbivorous dinosaurs during the Early Cretaceous, and were a particularly important component of Laurasian ecosystems. Recent years have seen a dramatic increase in our knowledge of the diversity of this group, with multiple new taxa being described from northeast China. The most complete of these Chinese non-hadrosaurid iguanodontians is Jinzhousaurus yangi, from the middle part of the Yixian Formation (Lower Cretaceous: lower Aptian) of Liaoning Province. Here, we provide the first description of the relatively complete and partially articulated postcranial skeleton of the holotype of Jinzhousaurus, and provide detailed comparisons to closely related taxa. We document additional autapomorphies of Jinzhousaurus that provide strong support for the validity of this taxon.
Beyond the endoplasmic reticulum: atypical GRP78 in cell viability, signalling and therapeutic targeting
Authors: Ni Min , Zhang Yi , Lee Amy S. 
Published: February 2011

GRP78 (glucose-regulated protein of 78 kDa) is traditionally regarded as a major ER (endoplasmic reticulum) chaperone facilitating protein folding and assembly, protein quality control, Ca2+ binding and regulating ER stress signalling. It is a potent anti-apoptotic protein and plays a critical role in tumour cell survival, tumour progression and angiogenesis, metastasis and resistance to therapy. Recent evidence shows that GRP78 can also exist outside the ER. The finding that GRP78 is present on the surface of cancer but not normal cells in vivo represents a paradigm shift on how GRP78 controls cell homoeostasis and provides an opportunity for cancer-specific targeting. Cell-surface GRP78 has emerged as an important regulator of tumour cell signalling and viability as it forms complexes with a rapidly expanding repertoire of cell-surface protein partners, regulating proliferation, PI3K (phosphoinositide 3-kinase)/Akt signalling and cell viability. Evidence is also emerging that GRP78 serves as a receptor for viral entry into host cells. Additionally, a novel cytosolic form of GRP78 has been discovered prominently in leukaemia cells. These, coupled with reports of nucleus- and mitochondria-localized forms of GRP78, point to the previously unanticipated role of GRP78 beyond the ER that may be critical for cell viability and therapeutic targeting.
Application of stochastic system identification to the study of the compliance of electroactive polymers
Authors: Pillai Priam V. , Hunter Ian W. , Hernandez Emanuel 
Published: February 2011

Electroactive polymers have shown promising applications as transducers that can mimic biological muscle. The modulus or the compliance of many of these devices can change significantly as they are actuated making these materials attractive for applications that require tunable stiffness. We have developed a dynamic mechanical analyzer that is capable of making in situ measurements of the dynamic compliance transfer function of conducting polymers as a function of an electrochemical stimulus. We do this by simultaneously applying a stochastic stress waveform over a potential waveform and calculating the compliance as it changes over the course of electrochemical excitation. Using these signals we can calculate the compliance transfer function between 0.1 and 100 Hz and the impulse response function with up to 3% variation in its parameters. These functions are then computed as charge is injected into the polymer and it is shown that the low frequency gain of the transfer function can change by 30%–40% in the electrochemical system tested.
Brownian motion with variable drift can be space filling
Authors: Antunović Tonći , Peres Yuval , Vermesi Brigitta 
Published: February 2011

For

d
≥
2

d \geq 2

let

B
B

be standard

d
d

-dimensional Brownian motion. For any

α
>
1

/

d

\alpha > 1/d

we construct an

α
\alpha

-Hölder continuous function

f
:
[
0
,
1
]
→

R

d

f \colon [0,1] \to \mathbb {R}^d

so that the range of

B
−
f

B-f

covers an open set. This strengthens a result of Graversen (1982) and answers a question of Le Gall (1988).
Heat Shock Protein 72 Overexpression Prevents Early Postoperative Memory Decline after Orthopedic Surgery under General Anesthesia in Mice
Authors: Vizcaychipi Marcela P. , Xu Lijun , Barreto George E. , Ma Daqing , Maze Mervyn , Giffard Rona G. 
Published: February 2011

Background
Problems with learning and memory are common after surgery in the elderly and are associated with high morbidity. Heat shock protein 72 (Hsp72) confers neuroprotection against acute neurologic injury. We hypothesized that overexpression of Hsp72 would prevent the development of postoperative memory loss.

Methods
C57BL/6 wild-type and Hsp72 overexpressing transgenic mice were randomly allocated to the following: control, isoflurane anesthesia alone, or tibial fracture during isoflurane anesthesia. Animals were trained 24 h before surgery using a fear conditioning protocol and assessed in their training environment and in a novel context on posttreatment days 1, 3, and 7. Microglial activation was assessed by immunostaining.

Results
Adult male C57BL/6 wild-type mice exhibited reduced memory evidenced by a decreased percentage freezing time on days 1 and 3 after anesthesia alone (58.8 ± 5, 46.5 ± 5 mean ± SEM) and after surgery (53.4 ± 6, 44.1 ± 7), compared with controls (78.8 ± 5, 63.4 ± 6; P < 0.05 and P < 0.001, respectively). Hsp72 mice showed no difference by treatment on any day. Similarly, nonhippocampal-dependent memory was significantly impaired on days 1 and 3 after surgery and day 3 after anesthesia. The genotype effect was significant on days 1 and 7. CD68-immunopositive activated microglia in the hippocampus varied modestly with subregion and time; on day 7, there was a significant treatment effect with no genotype effect, with more activated microglia after surgery in all regions.

Conclusion
Hsp72 overexpression is associated with prevention of postoperative hippocampal-dependent and -independent memory deficit induced by anesthesia and/or surgery. Memory deficit is not correlated with numbers of activated hippocampal microglia.
Clinician-delivered Intervention to Facilitate Tobacco Quitline Use by Surgical Patients
Authors: Warner David O. , Klesges Robert C. , Dale Lowell C. , Offord Kenneth P. , Schroeder Darrell R. , Shi Yu , Vickers Kristin S. , Danielson David R. 
Published: February 2011

Background
Telephone quitlines that provide counseling support are efficacious in helping cigarette smokers quit and have been widely disseminated; currently, they are underused. Surgery represents a teachable moment for smoking cessation, which can benefit surgical outcomes; however, few surgical patients receive smoking cessation interventions. This study developed and tested a clinician-delivered intervention to facilitate quitline use by adult patients scheduled for elective surgery.

Methods
After formative work involving patients and clinicians, a brief intervention was designed to facilitate telephone quitline use. It was then evaluated in a randomized trial of 300 adults scheduled for elective surgery. A control standard brief stop-smoking intervention served as a comparator, with both interventions delivered by clinicians. The primary outcome was the use rate of a quitline accessed through a dedicated toll-free telephone number, with use defined as completing at least one full counseling session. Secondary outcomes included self-reported abstinence from cigarettes at 30 and 90 days postoperatively.

Results
Subject characteristics were similar between the two groups. Records from the designated quitline documented that 29 of 149 subjects (19.5%) in the quitline intervention group and 0 of 151 subjects in the control group completed the first full counseling session (P < 0.0001). There were no significant differences in the self-reported point-prevalent and continuous abstinence rates between groups at either 30 or 90 days postoperatively, although rates tended to be higher in the quitline intervention group.

Conclusions
Clinicians can effectively facilitate quitline use by surgical patients. Further work is necessary to evaluate the efficacy of this approach in terms of long-term abstinence from cigarette smoking.