bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Aged pesticide residues are detrimental to agrobiont spiders (Araneae)
Authors: Pekár S. , Beneš J. 
Published: May 2008

AbstractSpiders are among the most abundant arthropods in agroecosystems, playing an important role as natural enemies of various pests. In this study we evaluated residual activity of selected pesticides on the mortality and behaviour of four spider species (Dictyna uncinata, Pardosa palustris, Philodromus cespitum and Theridion impressum). We used three pesticides: a herbicide Command (clomazone), and insecticides Decis (deltamethrin) and Nurelle (chlorpyrifos and cypermethrin). Mortality was recorded after exposure of spiders to fresh (2‐h), 5, 10, 15 and 20‐day‐old residues. For each residue mortality was evaluated after 24–72 h. Residual effect differed between preparations and, in some cases, between spiders. All of the Nurelle residues (fresh to 20‐day‐old) caused 100% mortality in all spider species. Residues of Command were rather harmless (causing <20% mortality) to all spider species as the herbicide activity declined with age. Residues of Decis had species‐specific effects as the mortality varied between 0 and 90%. In Dictyna the mortality gradually declined with the age of residues, while in Pardosa the mortality increased. In Philodromus and Theridion the mortality declined up to 10‐day‐old residues and then increased so that 20‐day‐old residues caused almost as high mortality as the new ones. Exposure to pesticide residues immediately affected the movement of Pardosa spiders. Residues of Decis and Nurelle decreased spider locomotion, while those of Command increased locomotion in comparison with the control. In another experiment, we studied repellence of fresh pesticide residues to Pardosa spiders. In comparison with the control, spiders stayed a similar time on the surface treated with Command, but four times less on Decis and nine times less on Nurelle‐treated surfaces, respectively. In conclusion, aged insecticide residues possess a high activity and can cause long‐term decline in the abundance and prolonged behavioural disturbance of spiders in agroecosystems.
Association of Lipoxygenase Response with Resistance of Various Cotton Genotypes to the Bacterial Blight Disease
Authors: Sayegh‐Alhamdia M. , Marmey P. , Jalloul A. , Champion A. , Petitot A. S. , Clerivet A. , Nicole M. 
Published: May 2008

AbstractIn cotton plants (Gossypium hirsutum L.), the interaction with the bacterial pathogen Xanthomonas campestris pv. malvacearum (Xcm) is governed by the gene‐for‐gene concept. The interaction between the cultivar Réba B50 and the race 18 of Xcm leads to an hypersensitive reaction (HR); this cultivar is, however, susceptible to the race 20, with the death of the plant as a consequence. Previous work showed that the induced HR was correlated with 9S‐lipoxygenase (LOX) activity responsible for lipid peroxidation. A LOX gene (GhLOX1) whose activity is involved in cell death during HR was characterized. In this study, we investigated whether the lipoxygenase response could be related to cotton resistance in different cotton Xcm combinations. Various combinations of R – avr genes were selected to assess whether the GhLOX1 gene transcription and LOX activity could be correlated with the resistance phenotype. Cotton genotypes with the B2B3, B2b6 or B12 genes, or cotton near‐isogenic lines containing single B genes (B2, b6) were infected by race 1, 18 or 20 of Xcm. Phenotypes were analysed for all interactions tested. For incompatible interactions, the LOX response appears to be concomitantly triggered during cotton resistance strengthening the previous evidence that this reaction is a key event of hypersensitive cell death.
Antifungal Activities of Chelidonium majus Extract on Botrytis cinerea in vitro and Ultrastructural Changes in its Conidia
Authors: Pârvu Marcel , Pârvu Alina Elena , Crăciun Constantin , Barbu‐Tudoran Lucian , Tămaş Mircea 
Published: May 2008

AbstractThe extract from the aboveground parts of Chelidonium majus reduced the mycelial growth of Botrytis cinerea on Czapek agar medium. In minimum fungicidal concentration (60 μl/ml), the extract induced irreversible ultrastructural changes in B. cinerea conidia.
Response of soil bacterial community structure to successive perturbations of different types and intensities
Authors: Bressan Mélanie , Mougel Christophe , Dequiedt Samuel , Maron Pierre‐Alain , Lemanceau P , Ranjard Lionel 
Published: May 2008

SummaryIn soil, genetic structure modifications of indigenous bacterial community consecutively to a severe stress (mercury contamination) were delayed when the community was pre‐exposed to various minor perturbations (heat, copper and atrazine). Such minor perturbations induced transitory community structure modifications leading to an increase of community stability towards a severe mercury stress. These results illustrated well the short‐term pre‐adaptation process for bacterial community hypothesizing that community submitted to perturbations become more resistant to withstand another stress.
Enrichment and characterization of marine anammox bacteria associated with global nitrogen gas production
Authors: Van De Vossenberg Jack , Rattray Jayne E. , Geerts Wim , Kartal Boran , Van Niftrik Laura , Van Donselaar Elly G. , Sinninghe Damsté Jaap S. , Strous Marc , Jetten Mike S. M. 
Published: May 2008

SummaryMicrobiological investigation of anaerobic ammonium oxidizing (anammox) bacteria has until now been restricted to wastewater species. The present study describes the enrichment and characterization of two marine Scalindua species, the anammox genus that dominates almost all natural habitats investigated so far. The species were enriched from a marine sediment in the Gullmar Fjord (Sweden) using a medium based on Red Sea salt. Anammox cells comprised about 90% of the enrichment culture after 10 months. The enriched Scalindua bacteria displayed all typical features known for anammox bacteria, including turnover of hydrazine, the presence of ladderane lipids, and a compartmentalized cellular ultrastructure. The Scalindua species also showed a nitrate‐dependent use of formate, acetate and propionate, and performed a formate‐dependent reduction of nitrate, Fe(III) and Mn(IV). This versatile metabolism may be the basis for the global distribution and substantial contribution of the marine Scalindua anammox bacteria to the nitrogen loss from oxygen‐limited marine ecosystems.
Corporate governance and disclosures on the transition to International Financial Reporting Standards
Authors: Kent Pamela , Stewart Jenny 
Published: May 2008

AbstractFor reporting periods ending on or after 30 June 2004, Australian companies were required to disclose the expected impact of applying Australian equivalents of International Financial Reporting Standards effective from 1 January 2005. The objective of this paper is to examine the association between the level of disclosure and corporate governance quality. Using a sample of listed companies with 30 June balance dates, we find that the quantity of disclosure was positively related to some aspects of superior corporate governance, such as the frequency of board and audit committee meetings and the choice of auditor.
Why size counts: children's spatial reorientation in large and small enclosures
Authors: Learmonth Amy E. , Newcombe Nora S. , Sheridan Natalie , Jones Meredith 
Published: May 2008

Abstract When mobile organisms are spatially disoriented, for instance by rapid repetitive movement, they must re‐establish orientation. Past research has shown that the geometry of enclosing spaces is consistently used for reorientation by a wide variety of species, but that non‐geometric features are not always used. Based on these findings, some investigators have postulated a species‐universal ‘geometric module’ that is transcended by the acquisition of spatial language at 6 years. This conclusion has been challenged, however, by findings that children as young as 18 months actually do use features to reorient in larger enclosures than those used in the original experiments. The reason for the room size effect is explored here in five experiments. Collectively, the data on age at which features are first used point to the importance of both restriction of movement in the small space and the fact that features are closer in the small space. In addition, success is seen at younger ages when the target object is adjacent to the feature. These results favor an adaptive combination model of spatial reorientation over a ‘module‐plus‐language’ view.
Cohesion as a constraint on object persistence in infancy
Authors: Cheries Erik W. , Mitroff Stephen R. , Wynn Karen , Scholl Brian J. 
Published: May 2008

Abstract A critical challenge for visual perception is to represent objects as the same persisting individuals over time and motion. Across several areas of cognitive science, researchers have identified cohesion as among the most important theoretical principles of object persistence: An object must maintain a single bounded contour over time. Drawing inspiration from recent work in adult visual cognition, the present study tested the power of cohesion as a constraint as it operates early in development. In particular, we tested whether the most minimal cohesion violation – a single object splitting into two – would destroy infants’ ability to represent a quantity of objects over occlusion. In a forced‐choice crawling paradigm, 10‐ and 12‐month‐old infants witnessed crackers being sequentially placed into containers, and typically crawled toward the container with the greater cracker quantity. When one of the crackers was visibly split in half, however, infants failed to represent the relative quantities, despite controls for the overall quantities and the motions involved. This result helps to characterize the fidelity and specificity of cohesion as a fundamental principle of object persistence, suggesting that even the simplest possible cohesion violation can dramatically impair infants’ object representations and influence their overt behavior.
Monetary Policy and Exchange Rate Interactions in a Small Open Economy
Authors: Bjørnland Hilde C. 
Published: May 2008

AbstractThe transmission mechanisms of monetary policy in a small open economy like Norway are analysed through structural VARs, with special emphasis on the interdependence between monetary policy and exchange rate movements. By imposing a long‐run neutrality restriction on the real exchange rate, thereby allowing the interest rate and the exchange rate to react simultaneously to news, I find considerable interdependence between monetary policy and the exchange rate. In particular, following a contractionary monetary policy shock, the real exchange rate immediately appreciates, after which it gradually depreciates back to the baseline. The results are found to be consistent with findings from an “event study”.
Modeling population viability of captive elephants in Myanmar (Burma): implications for wild populations
Authors: Leimgruber P. , Senior B. , Uga  , Aung Myint , Songer M. A. , Mueller T. , Wemmer C. , Ballou J. D. 
Published: May 2008

AbstractCaptive Asian elephantsElephas maximus, used as work animals, constitute up to 22–30% of remaining Asian elephants. Myanmar has the largest captive population worldwide (∼6000), maintained at this level for over a century. We used published demographic data to assess the viability of this captive population. We tested how this population can be self‐sustained, how many elephants must be supplemented from the wild to maintain it, and what consequences live capture may have for Myanmar's wild population. Our results demonstrate that the current captive population is not self‐sustaining because mortality is too high and birth rates are too low. Our models also suggest ∼100 elephants year−1have been captured in the wild to supplement the captive population. Such supplementation cannot be supported by a wild population of fewer than 4000 elephants. Given the most recent expert estimate of ∼2000 wild elephants remaining in Myanmar, a harvest of 100 elephants year−1could result in extinction of the wild population in 31 years. Continued live capture threatens the survival of wild and captive populations and must stop. In addition, captive breeding should be increased. These measures are essential to slow the decline and extinction of all of Myanmar's elephants.
Fecal glucocorticoid metabolite analysis as an indicator of stress during translocation and acclimation in an endangered large mammal, the Grevy's zebra
Authors: Franceschini M. D. , Rubenstein D. I. , Low B. , Romero L. M. 
Published: May 2008

AbstractFecal glucocorticoid metabolite (FGM) analysis provides a non‐invasive method for studying the physiological response of wildlife to a variety of stressors and is a ground‐breaking monitoring technique in wildlife management and conservation. The conservation benefits of successful wildlife translocation restocking efforts are significant but understandably stressful for the animals being captured, removed from familiar habitat, held in captivity in many cases and subsequently released into an unfamiliar environment. It is imperative that we identify non‐invasive methods for evaluating stress in translocated animals, especially in endangered species. Twenty Grevy's zebra Equus grevyi were translocated to Meru National Park as part of a Kenya Wildlife Service re‐population initiative. FGMs were monitored from the time of capture, during captivity and post‐release as an indicator of the stress of translocation and acclimation to the new environment. FGMs from representative non‐translocated zebra were used as a further control. When held in pens at Meru Park 3–4 and 5–6 weeks after capture, the zebra had higher FGMs (25.1±1.2 and 23.4±1.3 ng g−1) than either at the time of capture (14.6±2.1 ng g−1) or non‐translocated controls (16.2±1.2 ng g−1). This suggests that the stress of captivity elevated FGMs. FGM concentrations returned to pre‐capture concentrations c. 11–18 weeks after the zebra were released into Meru Park. The return of FGM concentrations to baseline suggests successful acclimation to the new environment. This study supports the use of FGM analysis as an assessment technique in wildlife management projects involving the movement of endangered large mammals with application for monitoring stress in a wide array of conservation projects involving translocation, reintroduction and rehabilitation.
Assessing the mechanisms behind successful surrogates for biodiversity in conservation planning
Authors: Lawler J. J. , White D. 
Published: May 2008

AbstractLimited by the availability of data, conservation planners must use surrogates for biodiversity when selecting conservation areas. Although several methods have been proposed for selecting surrogates, no clear set of species attributes have been described that allow for the efficienta prioriselection of surrogate groups. We used a database of 1449 species in two regions of the United States to (1) examine the consistency in the performance of simple taxonomic‐based surrogates of biodiversity and (2) test five hypotheses proposed to explain surrogate performance. First, we compared the ability of sites selected to protect members of seven surrogate groups to protect non‐surrogate species in the north‐western United States and in the Middle‐Atlantic region of the eastern United States. Then, in a separate analysis, we tested whether surrogate performance could be explained by (1) taxonomic diversity; (2) nested species distributions; (3) hotspots of biodiversity; (4) species range sizes; (5) environmental diversity. Our first analysis revealed little consistency in the performance of surrogates in the two different study regions. For example, butterflies provided protection for 76% of all other species in the north‐western United States but only 56% of all other species in the eastern United States. Our second analysis revealed only weak associations between species characteristics and surrogate performance. Furthermore, these associations proved inadequate for selecting successful surrogates across study regions. Overall, our results suggest that in lieu of searching for optimal surrogate groups, research efforts will be better spent by developing alternative methods for assessing conservation value in areas where data on species distributions are limited.
Microclimate of daytime den sites in a tropical possum: implications for the conservation of tropical arboreal marsupials
Authors: Isaac J. L. , De Gabriel J. L. , Goodman B. A. 
Published: May 2008

AbstractTree cavities are an important shelter site for a variety of vertebrate species, including birds, reptiles and mammals. Studies indicate that in most taxa favoured tree hollows are those in larger trees and higher from the ground, generally thought to be related to decreased predation risk and a more optimal thermal environment. However, neither of these ideas has been tested definitively. Here, we investigate the microclimate of daytime den sites in tree hollows of common brushtail possums in tropical northern Australia. We compare tree and hollow characteristics of dens known to be used by possums, and those not known to be used, to determine whether possums choose trees with microhabitats with a more favourable daytime microclimate. Possums chose to den in tree hollows which were on average 1.6 °C cooler during the day, and were more buffered from temperature extremes, than other potential den locations. Important factors explaining daytime temperatures between hollows included height of the hollow, entrance width and tree diameter. Tropical arboreal marsupials have been identified as being particularly vulnerable to climate change and there are calls to identify and preserve natural refuges, such as tree hollows, which could buffer them from extreme temperatures. Our results highlight the value of older, larger hollow‐bearing trees as refuges from extreme temperature, the importance of which may become critical for some temperature‐sensitive species under the combined effects of continuing habitat loss and climate change.
Setal morphology and cirral setation of thoracican barnacle cirri: adaptations and implications for thoracican evolution
Authors: Chan B. K. K. , Garm A. , Høeg J. T. 
Published: May 2008

AbstractThoracic cirripedes are sessile crustaceans that use six pairs of thoracic appendages (the cirri) to catch and handle food. We used scanning electron microscopy to examine the cirri, which include one to three pairs of maxillipeds in six species of thoracican barnacles, in search of correlations between cirral setation and feeding mode. The species studied comprise both pedunculate and sessile forms and represent a wide range of marine habitats as well as morphologies, viz., Ibla cumingi, Octolasmis warwickii, Capitulum mitella, Pollicipes polymerus, Tetraclita japonica japonica and Megabalanus volcano. Of the pedunculates, I. cumingi has the least complex setation pattern consisting of only serrulate types. This is consistent with its very simplified feeding mode and an apparent inability to discriminate between food items. Octolasmis warwickii is slightly more modified, while both P. polymerus and C. mitella have a more diversified setation. The balanomorphan species exhibit by far the most complex cirral setation. This is consistent with the several types of suspension feeding seen in these species, their ability to identify and sort captured food items and even to perform microfiltration in the mantle cavity using the setae on their three pairs of maxillipeds. Our results indicate that in thoracican barnacles, adaptations in feeding behaviour are associated with changes in the setation pattern of the cirri. In addition, the setal types and their distribution on the cirri are potential new characters in future morphology‐based analyses of the phylogeny of the Cirripedia Thoracica.
‘What's so special about family business?’ An exploratory study of UK and Irish consumer experiences of family businesses
Authors: Carrigan Marylyn , Buckley Joan 
Published: May 2008

AbstractWhile family‐owned businesses are considered to have specific advantages in customer relationships, limited research has been conducted into how these abilities are developed or understood by the public. Consumers may indeed perceive family businesses differently from non‐family businesses, but this aspect has received scant attention within the literature. This paper sets out exploratory work designed to gain an understanding of Irish and UK consumer perceptions of family‐owned businesses, within both urban and rural communities. The study provides insight into the meaning of ‘familiness’ in consumers' minds when linked to family businesses, and explores the relationships and experiences that respondents have of family firms. Emerging issues include family business heritage, community bonds and social stewardship, consumer loyalty and generational transfer, distinction, choice and retail heterogeneity. The findings of this exploratory study suggest that researchers should be paying more attention to the positive aspects of family businesses within communities, and concludes with suggestions for future research to further extend this area of study.
Pedagogy for interprofessional education – what do we know and how can we evaluate it?
Authors: Payler Jane , Meyer Edgar , Humphris Debra 
Published: May 2008

AbstractLocating this paper in the wider context of evaluations of interprofessional education (IPE), this review explores the knowledge base of the pedagogic processes for interprofessional education. The article concentrates on evidence for professionals in health, social care and education, the challenges involved in IPE and the challenges involved in evaluating IPE. Although IPE is widely discussed, detailed descriptions of the underlying pedagogy are scarce. The paper aims to provide a more detailed account of the approaches to learning and teaching in IPE. A literature review was undertaken to collate information on approaches to IPE, concentrating primarily on identifying descriptions of pedagogical features for pre‐ and post‐registration training and continuing professional development. The review identifies a number of pedagogical models and educational processes underpinning IPE. Although the findings indicate that social‐constructivist approaches, small group working and problem‐based learning are often referred to, evidence of pedagogical models used in IPE and ways of developing evidence of their effectiveness and usefulness are still limited. Based on the discussion of some challenges that face IPE in general and the evaluation of IPE in particular, the authors propose the need for a theoretical framework that conceptualizes learning by taking into account the wider context of learning and the pedagogy that is employed during IPE. Reference is made to a framework which would respond to evidence in the literature that evaluations of IPE need to take into consideration different, complimentary sources of data that go beyond traditional, often positivist evaluations.