bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Residential irrigation as a driver of urban bird communities
Authors: Schleder Bradley , Katti Madhusudan , Wallace Sarah 
Published: August 2009

Abstract
*Background/Question/Methods*
The demand for fresh water has largely outpaced supply both globally and locally with current water management policies unable to meet the needs of urban, agricultural, and industrial activities. Irrigation is one of the many anthropogenic uses of water and is arguably the most important maintenance factor in a landscape. This is particularly true in an arid climate, such as the Central Valley of California. Urban residents' decisions about the design and maintenance of their landscapes affect bird species richness. Published research indicates that these decisions are also affected by the residents' socioeconomic status. However, the driver of this relationship remains unknown. This paper uses data from the Fresno Bird Count, a citizen science organization, to test the hypothesis that neighborhood socioeconomic status influences residential irrigation regimes, which influences plant cover, in turn influencing bird diversity and abundance. A random sampling grid containing 460 points are used as locations for five minute point counts for the Fresno Bird Count ("fresnobirds.org":http://fresnobirds.org/). Socioeconomic data has been obtained from the U.S. Census and irrigation regimes from the city of Fresno. Aerial imagery and ground sampling on point count locations are used for characterizing habitat.

*Results/Conclusions*
Preliminary analysis of the first year of data (2008) supports this hypothesis and reveals a north/south gradient of bird diversity paralleling the socioeconomic gradient of Fresno. This paper will present results from a more comprehensive analysis of data including the spring 2009 bird census. Policies in the U.S. regarding the distribution and cost of water are changing in response to increased water demands, and the city of Fresno is about to undergo such a change. In 2013 a policy of metered water is scheduled to begin, which is predicted to increase water conservation by residents due to an increase in it overall cost. In addition to examining coupled socio-ecological drivers of urban diversity, this study will be the first part of a Before After Control Impact experiment taking advantage of the planned implementation of metering the cost of water use. The results can help guide the city in improving its management of urban habitat and biodiversity.
Root production and methane dynamics: Impact of wetland functional group diversity and composition
Authors: Schultz Rachel , Bouchard Virginie , Frey Serita 
Published: August 2009

Abstract
Background/Question/Methods
The loss of biodiversity worldwide has prompted a close investigation of the link between diversity and ecosystem functions. Most experimental studies have looked at the relationship between grassland plant diversity and aboveground productivity. Less is known about other ecosystems or how diversity affects belowground processes. Our objective was to investigate the link between plant community (diversity and composition) and key belowground processes such as root biomass production and CH4 dynamics in wetland ecosystems. We hypothesized that 1) root biomass would increase with functional group diversity due to complementarity and 2) the sediment pool of CH4 would decrease with diversity due to increased CH4 oxidation facilitated by root biomass. Four plant functional groups (facultative annuals, obligate annuals, reeds and tussocks) were planted in controlled mesocosms to represent five levels of functional diversity and every combination of functional groups at each diversity level. Unplanted mesocosms served as the zero diversity treatment. At peak biomass in 2007, porewater samplers were used to extract water at 5, 15, and 25 cm. The samples were frozen prior to headspace analysis of CH4 and CO2. Porewater was also analyzed for DOC. Afterward, we took soil cores from each mesocosm at 0-10 cm, 10-20 cm and 20-30 cm to determine the root biomass in each depth.

Results/Conclusions
Root biomass increased with functional diversity (F 3, 71 = 2.78, P < 0.05), however only the lowest diversity treatment had significantly lower root biomass than the highest diversity level; 150.6 ± 24.94 (SE) g DW m-2 and 307.2 ± 49.9 g DW m-2, respectively. At each depth, root biomass increased with diversity (P < 0.01), and root biomass at 0-10 cm >10-20 cm >20-30 cm. The facultative annual and obligate annual functional groups had significantly less root biomass than the other functional groups and combinations (P < 0.001). Porewater concentrations of CH4 did not significantly differ between functional group combinations or diversity levels (P > 0.05). However, CH4 was positively correlated with depth (F 1, 194 =19.75, P < 0.001), CO2 concentration (F 1, 194 = 42.94, P < 0.001) and DOC (F 1,194 = 4.98, P < 0.001) and was not correlated with root biomass (P > 0.05). Since this data is from the first year of sampling following mesocosm establishment, the insignificant relationship between root biomass and CH4 in the sediment pool may indicate that the microbial processes were influenced more by starting soil conditions than plant-mediated conditions.
Effects of habitat, microsite and seed density on recruitment limitation in native scrubland and scrub undergoing restoration
Authors: Stephens Elizabeth , Quintana-Ascencio Pedro , Beg Maliha 
Published: August 2009

Abstract
Background/Questions/Methods
Recruitment influences population and community dynamics by determining the replacement of older individuals, decreasing population expansion and reducing/excluding a species from a community. There is insufficient information on the relative importance of mechanisms affecting seed availability and how interactions between recruitment limitation, other life history stages and environmental variables affect plant demography. Seed availability is pertinent to restoration projects, in which the establishment of native plant populations is a priority. We hypothesize that seed and seedling dynamics are affected by seed production, predation, and microsite characteristics, which may differ among habitats with different human disturbance. We compared seed production, and will evaluate seed predation and seedling establishment of two opportunistic native herb species (Chamaecrista fasciculata, Balduina angustifolia) in disturbed scrub and native rosemary scrub. We predicted that these species would have higher seed production and seedling establishment in the disturbed scrub, and that seed removal may differ in the two areas due to contrasting suites of animal species. We expect seed density to further influence the extent of animal-mediated seed removal and germination success.

Results/Conclusions
B. angustifolia was found to produce significantly more seed heads in disturbed scrub than in native scrub, while there was no significant difference in C. fasciculata seed pod production between the habitat types. Preliminary evidence indicated that seedling number increases with seed density. However, lower observed germination probabilities compared to expected estimates (binomial probabilities) in locations with > 7 seeds suggested increasing density dependence with seed density for C. fasciculata. Germination for this species was not significantly different between habitats in our precursory trial. Our work suggests that seed dynamics affect population persistence and should be considered during management of Florida scrub.
Plant Impacts on Competition Between Tidal Marsh Microbes
Authors: Sutton-Grier Ariana , Bullock Allyson , Keller Jason , Gilmour Cindy , Megonigal Pat 
Published: August 2009

Abstract
Background/Question/Methods
Wetlands can store a lot of carbon in soils, but wetland microbial respiration also releases a great deal of carbon dioxide (CO~2~) and methane (CH~4~). These gases combined are responsible for ~80% of the radiative climate forcing. Understanding the controls on microbial respiration and the importance of different metabolic pathways has important climate change implications. Plants affect microbial respiration in wetlands by impacting the available soil carbon pool and the redoximorphic conditions of the soil environment. These plant impacts in turn affect microbial competition. In this study we were particularly interested in determining the role of soil carbon quality versus environmental factors in influencing the relative contributions of denitrification, iron reduction, sulfate reduction, and methanogenesis to overall microbial respiration in a freshwater tidal wetland (Jug Bay) and a brackish marsh (Jack Bay) on the Chesapeake Bay, USA. We collected soils from each site, homogenized them, and buried samples at their original location or at the opposite location. A year and a half later samples were collected (October, 2008) and analyzed for the amount of respiration contributed by different metabolic pathways.

Results/Conclusions
Overall microbial respiration rates were higher in the soil with the higher carbon content (Jack Bay average soil organic matter = 54%; Jug Bay = 18%). However, when normalized to soil carbon content, respiration rates were actually higher for the soil with lower carbon content at both locations (Jack Bay soils total carbon respired = 4.4 umols per g soil C per day; Jug Bay soils = 7.4 umols per g soil C per day). These results suggest that carbon quality, more than quantity or environmental factors such as sulfate availability, drives microbial respiration rates. We conclude that plant carbon inputs to soils have a lasting legacy on microbial competition in wetlands.
Integration of microbial communities into large-scale ecosystem models
Authors: Allison Steven 
Published: August 2009

Abstract
Background/Question/Methods
Micro-organisms, including Bacteria, Archaea, and Fungi, control major processes throughout the Earth system. Recent advances in microbial ecology and microbiology have revealed an astounding level of genetic and metabolic diversity in microbial communities. However, a framework for interpreting the meaning of this diversity has lagged behind the initial discoveries. Microbial communities have yet to be included explicitly in any major biogeochemical models in terrestrial ecosystems, and have only recently broken into ocean models. Although simplification of microbial communities is essential in complex systems, omission of community parameters may seriously compromise model predictions of biogeochemical processes. Two key questions arise from this tradeoff: 1) When and where must microbial community parameters be included in biogeochemical models? 2) If microbial communities are important, how should they be simplified, aggregated, and parameterized in models? To address these questions, a literature survey was conducted to determine if microbial communities are sensitive to four environmental disturbances that are associated with global change.

*Results/Conclusions*
For all environmental perturbations, community composition changed significantly following disturbance. However, the implications for ecosystem function were unclear in most of the published studies. Therefore, I developed a simple model framework to illustrate the situations in which microbial community changes would affect rates of biogeochemical processes. These scenarios could be quite common, but powerful predictive models cannot be developed without much more information on the functions and disturbance responses of microbial taxa. Small-scale models that explicitly incorporate microbial communities also suggest that process rates strongly depend on microbial interactions and disturbance responses. The challenge is to scale up these models to make predictions at the ecosystem and global scales based on measurable parameters. Meeting this challenge will require a coordinated effort to develop a series of nested models at scales ranging from the micron to the globe in order to optimize the tradeoff between model realism and feasibility.
In silico analysis of neuregulin 1 evolution in vertebrates
Authors: Chou Chih-Fong , Ozaki Miwako 
Published: August 2009

NRG1 (neuregulin 1) belongs to the NRG family of EGF (epidermal growth factor)-like signalling molecules involved in cell–cell communication during development and disease. It plays important roles in the developing tissues of the nerves, heart and mammary glands. Particularly in neurobiology, NRG1 signalling is associated with synaptic transmission, myelination of Schwann cells and the human disease of schizophrenia. Many different isoforms of NRG1 make the molecule highly sophisticated in biological activities and a great diversity of in vivo functions. The nervous system is a common trait in all bilateria (higher animals), but based on the BLAST information from the currently available databases it appears that NRG1 orthologues can only be identified in vertebrates. The gene was analysed in silico for type I–IV CDSs (coding sequences) from ten vertebrate genomes. The gene loci, structures of coding-intronic sequences, ClustalW program analyses, phylogenetic trees and conserved motifs in ecto- and cyto-plasmic domains were analysed and compared. Here, we conclude that non-mammalian vertebrates mainly carry type I (may have evolved a spacer different from mammalian isoforms), II and III NRG1s. The type IV NRG1 N-terminal CDSs can be identified from most of the mammalian genomes studied; however, the corresponding rodent sequences lack the start codon. The evolutionary conservation of a CDS59-CDS24-CDS103 domain, intracellular phosphorylation sites and bipartite nuclear localization signals is of physiological significance.
The obstetric experience of women with factor XI deficiency
Authors: CHI CLAUDIA , KULKARNI ASHWINI , LEE CHRISTINE A. , KADIR REZAN A. 
Published: August 2009

AbstractObjectives. To assess the obstetric outcome in women with factor XI (FXI) deficiency. Design. Retrospective review of medical records. Setting. Tertiary referral university hospital. Population. Women with FXI deficiency. Method. Review of pregnancies over a 10‐year period (1997–2006). Main outcome measures. Pregnancy outcome, mode of delivery, changes in FXI levels during pregnancy, use of prophylaxis during labor and delivery, antepartum hemorrhage, and postpartum hemorrhage (PPH). Results. There were 61 pregnancies among 30 women with FXI deficiency (two severe, FXI level <15–20 IU/dL, and 28 partial, FXI level 20–70 IU/dL) resulting in 49 live births (two sets of twins), eight miscarriages, and six terminations of pregnancy. The modes of delivery included 38 spontaneous vaginal deliveries, three instrumental deliveries, and six cesarean sections (two emergency and four elective). No significant change in FXI levels was observed during pregnancy. Intrapartum prophylaxis with FXI concentrate or tranexamic acid was given in 19 deliveries where the mother had a positive bleeding history. Four women had excessive bleeding related to pregnancy loss and three experienced antepartum bleeding. All these women had a positive bleeding history. There were five (11%) primary and five (11%) secondary PPHs among seven women including four with a positive bleeding history. Conclusion. Women with FXI deficiency, particularly those with a positive bleeding history, are at risk of bleeding complications related to miscarriage or childbirth. The unpredictable nature of their bleeding tendency demands careful planning and close collaborations between obstetricians and hematologists.
The implementation and evaluation of a mandatory multi‐professional obstetric skills training program
Authors: SØRENSEN JETTE LED , LØKKEGAARD ELLEN , JOHANSEN MARIANNE , RINGSTED CHARLOTTE , KREINER SVEND , MCALEER SEAN 
Published: August 2009

AbstractObjective. To implement and evaluate a simulation‐based training program. Design. Descriptive. Study period: June 2003–June 2006. Setting. Obstetric Department, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark. Population. Two training sessions were provided for all health professionals including doctors, midwives, auxiliary nurses, and 147 out 156 participants (94%) took part in the first training session and 192 out possible 201 (96%) took part in the second session. Methods. An intervention study of the impact of simulation‐based training in management of postpartum bleeding, shoulder dystocia, basic neonatal resuscitation, and severe preeclampsia. Main outcome measures. Before, just after and 9–15 months following the training, data were collected on the confidence and stress levels relating to the carrying out of certain procedures. In addition, a written objective test on basic neonatal resuscitation was administered. Data on any changes in work‐routines experienced by the participants were obtained by open‐ended questions. Registry data from the Danish Medical Birth Registry and from the hospital administration were included in the analysis. Results. Ninety‐two percent of all respondents had a positive attitude toward the training program. They considered management of shoulder dystocia, preeclampsia, and neonatal resuscitation less stresful and less unpleasant to perform after training. Confidence scores for all the trained skills improved significantly. A significant association was found between confidence in neonatal resuscitation and numbers of correct answers in the objective test. More than 90% found the training to have had a positive influence on their work. The need for organizational changes in the department became evident and necessary changes were implemented. Sick leave amongst midwives diminished significantly during the study period. Conclusions. A comprehensive evaluation of a mandatory simulation‐based program, implemented in a obstetric department, demonstrated a positive impact at individual and organizational levels.
Serious doubts about school effectiveness
Authors: Gorard Stephen 
Published: August 2009

This paper considers the model of school effectiveness (SE) currently dominant in research, policy and practice in England (although the concerns it raises are international). It shows, principally through consideration of initial and propagated error, that SE results cannot be relied upon. By considering the residual difference between the predicted and obtained score for all pupils in any phase of education, SE calculations leave the results to be disproportionately made up of relative error terms. Adding contextual information confuses, but does not help this situation. Having shown and illustrated the sensitivity of SE to this propagation of initial errors, and therefore why it is unworkable, the paper considers some of the reasons why SE has become dominant, outlines the damage this dominant model causes and begins to shape alternative ways of considering what schools do.Numbers are like people; torture them enough and they will tell you anything.
Chromatic correction: a revolution in electron microscopy?
Authors: Zach J. 
Published: August 2009

When the development of correctors started in the 1970s, chromatic correction was already the main goal. The first corrector that could improve the resolution of an electron microscope was a chromatic corrector for a scanning electron microscope.
Within the last three decades, the development of transmission electron microscopes (TEMs) was to a large extent driven by the attempt to improve the resolution in the presence of chromatic aberration. The major technical developments were high acceleration voltages, highly excited objective lenses with short focal length and field emission guns.
Meanwhile, chromatic correction has reached the TEM world. Now, the question arises as to whether chromatic correction will make some of the aforementioned developments obsolete for high-resolution TEM, thereby opening up new imaging possibilities, which are nowadays prevented by instrument constraints. We show some examples for a 0.1 nm resolution TEM with unconventional microscope designs: very low voltages, far-field objective lenses and inexpensive electron guns.
African swine fever: how can global spread be prevented?
Authors: Costard Solenne , Wieland Barbara , de Glanville William , Jori Ferran , Rowlands Rebecca , Vosloo Wilna , Roger Francois , Pfeiffer Dirk U. , Dixon Linda K. 
Published: August 2009

African swine fever (ASF) is a devastating haemorrhagic fever of pigs with mortality rates approaching 100 per cent. It causes major economic losses, threatens food security and limits pig production in affected countries. ASF is caused by a large DNA virus, African swine fever virus (ASFV). There is no vaccine against ASFV and this limits the options for disease control. ASF has been confined mainly to sub-Saharan Africa, where it is maintained in a sylvatic cycle and/or among domestic pigs. Wildlife hosts include wild suids and arthropod vectors. The relatively small numbers of incursions to other continents have proven to be very difficult to eradicate. Thus, ASF remained endemic in the Iberian peninsula until the mid-1990s following its introductions in 1957 and 1960 and the disease has remained endemic in Sardinia since its introduction in 1982. ASF has continued to spread within Africa to previously uninfected countries, including recently the Indian Ocean islands of Madagascar and Mauritius. Given the continued occurrence of ASF in sub-Saharan Africa and increasing global movements of people and products, it is not surprising that further transcontinental transmission has occurred. The introduction of ASF to Georgia in the Caucasus in 2007 and dissemination to neighbouring countries emphasizes the global threat posed by ASF and further increases the risks to other countries.We review the mechanisms by which ASFV is maintained within wildlife and domestic pig populations and how it can be transmitted. We then consider the risks for global spread of ASFV and discuss possibilities of how disease can be prevented.
Plasmodium falciparum infection of the placenta impacts on the T helper type 1 (Th1)/Th2 balance of neonatal T cells through CD4+CD25+ forkhead box P3+ regulatory T cells and interleukin-10
Authors: Bisseye C , Van Der Sande M , Morgan W D , Holder A A , Pinder M , Ismaili J 
Published: August 2009

Summary
Placental malaria infection affects the T helper type 1 (Th1)/Th2 balance in neonatal children. We investigated a potential role of regulatory T cells in this balance by comparing T cell responses of cord blood mononuclear cells (CBMC) from parasitized and non-parasitized placenta of Gambian women. CBMC were depleted of CD4+CD25+ forkhead box P3 (FoxP3)+ regulatory T cells and analysed in vitro for their ability to produce interferon (IFN)-γ, sCD30 and interleukin (IL)-10 in response to phytohaemagglutinin (PHA), live Plasmodium falciparum, schizont extracts and the recombinant P. falciparum blood stage antigen merozoite surface protein 1 (MSP119). As expected, lower IFN-γ and higher sCD30 responses were observed for the cells from the parasitized group. In addition, higher IL-10 levels were produced by CBMC from the parasitized group. Depletion of regulatory T cells decreased IL-10 production, which resulted in a restoration of IFN-γ expression in response to all stimuli. The Th2 marker sCD30 remained significantly higher in the parasitized group in response to malaria protein antigens while similar levels were recovered between both groups in response to live P. falciparum. Similar effects were observed by adding an antibody that blocks IL-10 function. These results suggest that the impact of P. falciparum infection on Th1 differentiation of neonatal T cells can be ascribed to regulatory T cells through production of IL-10.