bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Response of the moss Racomitrium lanuginosum to changes in sheep grazing and snow‐lie due to a snow‐fence
Authors: Scott David , Welch David , van der Wal René , Elston David A. 
Published: July 2009

AbstractQuestion: What are the responses of Racomitrium lanuginosum moss to altered snow‐lie and sheep use?Location:
ACarexbigelowii‐Racomitrium lanuginosum heath on a Scottish montane plateau affected since 1986 by a fenced ski corridor.Methods: Permanent quadrats were set up along transects 45 m long perpendicular to the snow‐fence. Cover was assessed over a 12‐year period from 1990. Pellet‐group clearance counts provided data on sheep usage between 1990 and 1996. Snow‐lie was mapped in the springs of 1991–1996.Results: The snow‐fence created a gradient in sheep use and altered the duration of snow‐lie. At the start of monitoring Racomitrium cover was lower immediately adjacent to the fence, and after 12 years its cover was significantly reduced within 10 m of the fence. Further away from the fence Racomitrium cover was relatively stable. The loss of Racomitrium was correlated both with increased snow‐lie and heavier sheep usage. Grass cover increased near the fence and was related to sheep use. Dicranum fuscescens responded differently to Racomitrium, increasing significantly near the fence.Conclusions: We found that changes in snow‐lie and grazing pressure quickly brought about vegetation change in this montane ecosystem. Racomitrium was the most sensitive species to the changes in grazing and snow‐lie caused by the fence, having the biggest initial changes. Loss of Racomitrium permitted increases of species more resistant to grazing including Dicranum fuscescens and grasses.
What helps Opuntia stricta invade Kruger National Park, South Africa: Baboons or elephants?
Authors: Foxcroft L.C. , Rejmánek M. 
Published: July 2009

AbstractQuestion: Is Opuntia stricta more frequent, and its patches larger, under trees suitable for baboon roosting? If so, does it mean that baboons are major dispersal agents and that plants established under these trees are important foci of Opuntia stricta spread?Location: Skukuza, Kruger National Park, South Africa.Method: We surveyed an area invaded by Opuntia stricta in the Skukuza region of KNP. The survey included plots under potential baboon roosting trees,plots under trees unlikely to support baboons,and paired randomly located open sites.Results: The null hypothesis ‐tree‐Opuntia spatial independence – can be rejected for Acacia nilotica, but not for Spirostachys africana. Opuntia plants are positively associated with Acacia trees suitable for baboon roosting. However, there is no significant difference between frequency of Opuntia under Acacia trees suitable and unsuitable for baboon roosting.It appears that all Acacia trees can serve as nurse trees for Opuntia. Compared to plots under Acacia trees, frequencies of old and robust Opuntia plants are significantly higher in open areas and under dead trees.Conclusions: While baboons may be responsible for long distance Opuntia dispersal (over km),their role is not detectable at a local scale.On the other hand, elephants seem to contribute substantially to the local vegetative propagation of this species. Opuntia establishment and growth are more influenced by micro‐habitat than previously thought.
Flowering and seed production success along roads with different mowing regimes
Authors: Jantunen Juha , Saarinen Kimmo , Valtonen Ami , Saarnio Sanna 
Published: July 2009

AbstractQuestion: Which one of the two mainly used mowing regimes along road verges, mowing once or twice a year is a better option regarding flowering and seed‐producing success of grassland species and plant species in general?Location: Southeast Finland.Methods: Plant species composition, flowering and seed production success were studied in road verges (1) mown once in August and (2) mown at the end of June and August. Flowering shoots were counted and phenological phases were estimated four times during a growing season.Results: The numbers of flowering or seed‐producing species and shoots indicated that mowing once a year corresponding to the timing of traditional management was markedly better than mowing twice a year. The difference between the management groups was greatest at the end of July when the number of flowering species was 43% and the number of flowering and seed‐producing shoots 76% less after the first mowing than in the still unmown sites. The species avoided early cutting either through the timing of flowering or due to their growth form. Early season mowing had no effect on the occurrence and seed‐producing success of grassland species and the first flowering species. Seed production of grasses succeeded poorly in the verges mown twice.Conclusion: Mowing once in August resulted in higher seed production in general, but mowing twice a season might be a better way to manage young verges on nutrient‐rich soils. The useful qualities of the management options should be considered locally when planning road verge management.
On the importance of incorporating forest edge deposition for evaluating exceedance of critical pollutant loads
Authors: De Schrijver A. , Devlaeminck R. , Mertens J. , Wuyts K. , Hermy M. , Verheyen K. 
Published: July 2009

AbstractThe concept of critical load (CL) was defined to express the tolerance of natural and semi‐natural habitats for anthropogenic air pollution. Correct evaluation of the exceedance of critical loads is fundamental for the long‐term protection of ecosystems by limiting emissions of potential acidifying and eutrophying pollutants. For forest ecosystems, the exceedance of critical loads is often calculated using deposition data measured in the forest interior. However, several studies report forest edges acting as ‘hotspots’ of acidifying and nitrogen deposition, showing up to fourfold increases in atmospheric deposition compared to the forest interior. This paper estimates the relevance of considering the higher deposition load in forest edges for calculating exceedance of critical loads for nitrogen and potential acidifying deposition. If measures to control and reduce atmospheric deposition are based on mean deposition fluxes within forest stands, deposition reductions will not be enough for preventing adverse effects. In fact, emission reductions should be adjusted to deposition values at the forest edge, since these zones are most threatened. We thus conclude that there is an urgent need to reconsider the calculation of exceedance of critical loads, taking into account edge enhancement of deposition. This is an issue of high relevance, particularly in highly fragmented regions, such as Flanders (Belgium).
Plant responsiveness to variation in precipitation and nitrogen is consistent across the compositional diversity of a California annual grassland
Authors: St. Clair Samuel B. , Sudderth Erika A. , Castanha Cristina , Torn Margaret S. , Ackerly David D. 
Published: July 2009

AbstractQuestion: How does responsiveness to water and Nitrogen (N) availability vary across the compositional and functional diversity that exists in a mesic California annual grassland plant community?Location: Northern California annual grassland.Methods: A mesocosm system was used to simulate average annual precipitation totals and dry and wet year extremes observed in northern California mesic grasslands. The effects of precipitation and N availability on biomass and fecundity were measured on three different vegetation types, a mixed grass forb community, and a forb and a grass monoculture. The treatment effects on plant community composition were examined in the mixed species community.Results: While growth and seed production of the three vegetation types was inherently different, their responses to variation in precipitation and N were statistically similar. Plant density, shoot biomass, and seed production tended to increase with greater water availability in all vegetation types, with the exception of a consistent growth reduction in high precipitation (1245 mm) plots in the first year of the study. Shoot biomass responded positively to N addition, an effect that increased with greater water availability. Nitrogen addition had little effect on plant density or seed production. In the mixed grass‐forb community, biomass responsiveness to water and N treatments were consistently driven by the shoot growth of Avena barbata, the dominant grass species.Conclusions: Vegetation responses to changes in precipitation and N availability were consistent across a range of composition and structural diversity in this study. Plant growth and seed production were sensitive to both increased and decreased precipitation totals, and the magnitude of these responses to N availability varied depending on soil moisture conditions. Our results suggest the impacts of changing precipitation regimes and N deposition on annual productivity of California grasslands may be predictable under different climate scenarios across a range of plant communities.
Fire and regeneration: the role of seed banks in the dynamics of northern heathlands
Authors: Måren Inger E. , Vandvik Vigdis 
Published: July 2009

AbstractQuestions: How do species composition and abundance of soil seed bank and standing vegetation vary over the course of a post‐fire succession in northern heathlands? What is the role of seed banks – do they act as a refuge for early successional species or can they simply be seen as a spillover from the extant local vegetation?Location: Coastal Calluna heathlands, Western Norway.Methods: We analysed vegetation and seed bank along a 24‐year post‐fire chronosequence. Patterns in community composition, similarity and abundances were tested using multivariate analyses, Sørensen's index of similarity, vegetation cover (%) and seedling counts.Results: The total diversity of vegetation and seed bank were 60 and 54 vascular plant taxa, respectively, with 39 shared species, resulting in 68% similarity overall. Over 24 years, the heathland community progressed from open newly burned ground via species rich graminoid‐ and herb‐dominated vegetation to mature Calluna heath. Post‐fire succession was not reflected in the seed bank. The 10 most abundant species constituted 98% of the germinated seeds. The most abundant were Calluna vulgaris (49%; 12 018 seeds m−2) and Erica tetralix (34%; 8 414 seeds m−2). Calluna showed significantly higher germination the first 2 years following fire.Conclusions: Vegetation species richness, ranging from 23 to 46 species yr−1, showed a unimodal pattern over the post‐fire succession. In contrast, the seed bank species richness, ranging from 21 to 31 species yr−1, showed no trend. This suggests that the seed bank act as a refuge; providing a constant source of recruits for species that colonise newly burned areas. The traditional management regime has not depleted or destroyed the seed banks and continued management is needed to ensure sustainability of northern heathlands.
Italian Multicenter Study on Low‐Density Lipoprotein Apheresis: Retrospective Analysis (2007)
Authors: Stefanutti Claudia ,   the Italian Multicenter Study on Low‐density Lipoprotein Apheresis Working Group
Published: July 2009

AbstractA retrospective study—the Italian Multicenter Study on Low‐density Lipoprotein Apheresis (IMS‐LDLa)—was carried out, which involved 19 centers for LDLa in Italy, distributed all over the country—in the north, center, south, and the major islands. The survey was conducted through two consecutive questionnaires, which can be downloaded online from a dedicated site. The total number of procedures performed until 2007 was 31 012, and the number of patients undergoing treatment until 2007 were 229. The treated patients still surviving consisted of 136 (74 males and 62 females); those surviving but not treated numbered 95, and those deceased numbered 14. The techniques utilized, listed by frequency of use, were the following: dextran sulfate cellulose adsorption, direct adsorption of lipids (DALI), heparin extracorporeal LDL precipitation, immunoadsorption, plasma‐exchange, cascade filtration, and Lipocollect 200. The mean treated plasma and blood volumes per session were 3916.5 mL and 8735.1 mL, respectively. The most frequently utilized vascular access points were: venous 84.4% and arteriovenous fistula 15.5%. Hematoma by venipuncture (230 episodes), low outlet flow (125 episodes), and circuit coagulation (44 episodes) were reported as to be the most frequent side effects. In the second questionnaire (filled in by 19 centers) the centers were asked to report their data on: quality diagnosis of dyslipidemia and referents for genetic‐molecular and clinical diagnosis, cholesterol‐lowering drugs and dosages, typology of cardiovascular check‐ups at the beginning of treatment and in follow‐up, non‐cholesterol‐lowering drugs with priority for cardiologic drugs, including oral anti‐coagulants, and, lastly, information related to the appropriateness of curing patients still under treatment with LDLa and, where possible, news on patients no longer under treatment.
Liver Transplantation Avoided in Patients With Fulminant Hepatic Failure Who Received Albumin Dialysis With the Molecular Adsorbent Recirculating System While on the Waiting List: Impact of the Duration of Therapy
Authors: Camus Christophe , Lavoué Sylvain , Gacouin Arnaud , Compagnon Philippe , Boudjéma Karim , Jacquelinet Christian , Thomas Rémi , Le Tulzo Yves 
Published: July 2009

AbstractEighteen patients with fulminant hepatic failure due to various medical causes were listed for emergency liver transplantation and treated with extracorporeal albumin dialysis sessions using the molecular adsorbent recirculating system (MARS) at our center over a 74‐month period. Due to improvement of liver function, transplantation could be avoided in 9 patients (50%, 95% confidence interval 29% to 71%) who fully recovered afterwards. This improvement rate was higher than the rate of improvement in the French cohort of fulminant hepatic failure patients with similar etiologies (19.3%, 95% confidence interval 14.9% to 24.6%, P = 0.002). In our 18 patients, there were no statistically significant differences in any baseline characteristics or in the time with liver failure meeting transplant criteria between the patients who improved while waiting and those who did not. However, the patients who improved received a greater number of sessions and a longer total duration of MARS therapy (all P < 0.001). In the whole study population, a MARS therapy duration ≥15 h was significantly associated with improvement of liver function without transplantation (adjusted adds ratio [OR] 65.76, 2.48–1743.11, P = 0.01). Tolerance of therapy was acceptable. These results suggest that MARS therapy could contribute to native liver recovery and is safe in patients on the waiting list for fulminant hepatic failure. A minimum duration of therapy (≥15 h) could be necessary to expect significant liver function improvement.
REDUCTION OF ROASTED PEANUT LIPID OXIDATIVE RANCIDITY BY POWER ULTRASOUND AND EDIBLE COATINGS CONTAINING NATURAL EXTRACTS
Authors: WAMBURA PETER , YANG WADE , MWAKATAGE NASSON 
Published: July 2009

ABSTRACT The antioxidative potential of jujube extract, pomegranate extract and tocopherol mixed into carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) solution then coated on roasted and roasted–sonicated peanuts was investigated. The concentration of jujube and pomegranate extracts added into the CMC solution was 1,000 ppm, while synthetic tocopherol was 250 ppm. Antioxidant effect was determined by the measurement of oxidative stability index. After 12 weeks of storage at 35C, the reduction in oxidation was 14.5 and 19.7% for samples roasted–coated with CMC added with extracts of jujube and pomegranate extract, respectively, as compared to uncoated sample (R as a control). Meanwhile, the oxidative stability of samples roasted–sonicated coated with CMC added with extracts of jujube and pomegranate was significantly (P < 0.05) improved by 24.8 and 31.8%, respectively, in relation to the control. However, it was observed that samples with tocopherol did not have any improvement in oxidative stability of the roasted peanuts. Sonication treatment beyond coating improved the storage stability of the samples mixed with jujube extract, pomegranate extract and tocopherol by 10.3, 12.1 and 3.2%, respectively. It is concluded that jujube and pomegranate extracts can control roasted peanut lipid oxidation during storage.PRACTICAL APPLICATIONSThis study showed that a combination of power ultrasound treatment and an edible coating of carboxymethyl cellulose mixed with natural plant extracts can be used for delaying the oxidation of roasted peanuts. The delaying development of oxidation compounds in roasted peanuts is very useful to the peanut industry. This process can be used for the preparation of shelf‐stable peanut products for the purpose of reaching distant markets, to be used during extended storage period. Likewise, the peanuts can be packed without the need to modify the packaging atmosphere or use of expensive packages.
AIR IMPINGEMENT DRYING CHARACTERISTICS AND QUALITY OF CARROT CUBES
Authors: XIAO HONG‐WEI , GAO ZHEN‐JIANG , LIN HAI , YANG WEN‐XIA 
Published: July 2009

ABSTRACT The effects of air temperature (40, 50 and 60C), air velocity (3.0, 8.0 and 13.0 m/s) and air relative humidity (10, 20 and 40%) on air impingement drying characteristics of carrot cubes and the quality of dried carrots were investigated. The drying experiments were carried out according to orthogonal design method on the air impingement dryer. Results indicated that drying time of carrot cubes was more affected by drying air temperature, followed by air relative humidity and air velocity. The moisture effective diffusivity calculated from the second Fick's law of diffusion ranged from 0.265 × 10−9to 1.052 × 10−9 m2/s. The activation energy determined from the slope of the Arrhenius plot, ln(Deff) versus 1/(T + 273.15), was 20.17 kJ/mol. The color values L (white/dark), a (red/green) and b (yellow/blue) of the samples decreased from 50.02 to 32.71, 32.49 to 14.34 and 35.52 to 16.38 separately when the drying temperature increased from 40 to 60C. Rehydration experiments demonstrated that the rehydration ratio of dried carrot cubes was significantly affected by drying air temperature and air relative humidity. The surface microstructures of dried carrot cubes were observed using a scanning electron microscope, which showed that the outer layers of the samples dried at 60C drying temperature and 10% air relative humidity had more consolidated rigid and denser structure than the samples dried at 40C drying temperature and 40% air relative humidity.PRACTICAL APPLICATIONSAir impingement drying is used for food and agricultural product processing. But, it is a complicated process. Many factors such as drying temperature, air velocity and relative humidity can influence its drying characteristics and quality. Carrot is a typical vegetable, which is sensitive to microbial spoilage and deterioration reactions. Using drying technology can prolong its shelf life. Investigating air impingement drying characteristics and quality of carrots can help to understand its drying process and the effect of drying parameters on drying quality. This research was done to provide enough information to build a commercial impingement drying system.
Inter‐conversion of catalytic abilities in a bifunctional carboxyl/feruloyl‐esterase from earthworm gut metagenome
Authors: Vieites José María , Ghazi Azam , Beloqui Ana , Polaina Julio , Andreu José M. , Golyshina Olga V. , Nechitaylo Taras Y. , Waliczek Agnes , Yakimov Michail M. , Golyshin Peter N. , Ferrer Manuel 
Published: July 2009

SummaryCarboxyl esterases (CE) exhibit various reaction specificities despite of their overall structural similarity. In present study we have exploited functional metagenomics, saturation mutagenesis and experimental protein evolution to explore residues that have a significant role in substrate discrimination. We used an enzyme, designated 3A6, derived from the earthworm gut metagenome that exhibits CE and feruloyl esterase (FAE) activities with p‐nitrophenyl and cinnamate esters, respectively, with a [(kcat/Km)]CE/[(kcat/Km)]FAE factor of 17. Modelling‐guided saturation mutagenesis at specific hotspots (Lys281, Asp282, Asn316 and Lys317) situated close to the catalytic core (Ser143/Asp273/His305) and a deletion of a 34‐AA–long peptide fragment yielded mutants with the highest CE activity, while cinnamate ester bond hydrolysis was effectively abolished. Although, single to triple mutants with both improved activities (up to 180‐fold in kcat/Km values) and enzymes with inverted specificity ((kcat/Km)CE/(kcat/Km)FAE ratio of ∼0.4) were identified, no CE inactive variant was found. Screening of a large error‐prone PCR‐generated library yielded by far less mutants for substrate discrimination. We also found that no significant changes in CE activation energy occurs after any mutation (7.3 to −5.6 J mol−1), whereas a direct correlation between loss/gain of FAE function and activation energies (from 33.05 to −13.7 J mol−1) was found. Results suggest that the FAE activity in 3A6 may have evolved via introduction of a limited number of ‘hot spot’ mutations in a common CE ancestor, which may retain the original hydrolytic activity due to lower restrictive energy barriers but conveys a dynamic energetically favourable switch of a second hydrolytic reaction.
Complication following lower third molar surgery: myositis ossificans traumatica of the muscles of mastication
Authors: Seehra J. , Lloyd R. 
Published: July 2009

AbstractTrismus is a frequent post‐op sequelae of third molar surgery. A history of long‐standing post‐operative trismus warrants further investigation. Myositis ossificans traumatica (MOT), as its name implies, is ossification and bone formation within muscle following an episode of trauma. When it affects the muscles of mastication, it causes severe trismus. This rare disorder and its limited treatment options can potentially have debilitating effects to the patient's normal oral functioning and health. The following is a case report of a patient who developed MOT of the muscles of mastication following surgical exodontia of a lower wisdom tooth, the progress over a 15 year period and a review of the literature. This case demonstrates the long‐term difficulties in managing MOT of the muscles of mastication.
IgG4‐related sclerosing sialadenitis in bilateral submandibular glands
Authors: Kato K. , Kawashiri S. , Nakagawa K. , Yamamoto E. , Zen Y. 
Published: July 2009

AbstractChronic sclerosing sialadenitis (CSS) is a totally inflammatory lesion. In a 60‐year‐old male with CSS, serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentration was markedly increased and abundant infiltration of IgG4‐positive plasma cells was observed in the salivary glands. Autoimmune pancreatitis occurred during follow‐up. CSS and autoimmune pancreatitis would appear to show essentially the same pathophysiological mechanism. The abundance of IgG4‐positive plasma cells in the lesions would be useful for revealing other IgG4‐related disease in patients with CSS.