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Sample records for determining successional stage

  1. Marine benthic faunal successional stages and related sedimentary activity

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    Rutger Rosenberg

    2001-12-01

    Full Text Available This paper is a brief review of successional stages and activity of benthic soft-bottom communities. Benthic communities was first described by Petersen in the 1910s and further developed by Molander, Thorson and Margalef. Successional stages of benthic communities chance in a predictable way in relation to environmental disturbance and food availability. Food supply to the bottom can occur as a vertical flux, but transport through lateral advection is more important in some areas. While at the bottom, the infauna processes the food in many different ways, and the feeding modes can be categorised into more than 20 functional groups, but fewer are present in brackish water. This categorisation is based on animal mobility and where and how they ingest the food. Animal activity in the sediment, bioturbation, has a significant effect on redox conditions and diagenetic processes. Structures in the sediment due to infaunal presence and activity can be observed in situ by sediment profile imaging, and the biogenic structures and redox conditions can be parameterised and have been shown to correlate to benthic community successional stages. The largest threat to benthic faunal biodiversity is the spread of near-bottom oxygen deficiency in many enclosed are stratified coastal areas.

  2. Evaluating the CONAMA 04/94 resolution to classify successional stages of rainforest fragments in Santa Catarina State

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    Fernando Andreacci

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available In the Atlantic Forest, land use and land-use change are partly determined based on a classification of the successional stages of forests. Different regeneration stages are limited to different amounts and types of use. The parameters used to define the successional stages of forests are described in specific resolutions for each of the states. CONAMA 04/94 is the resolution for the forests of Santa Catarina. The aim of this study was to evaluate the quantitative parameters in CONAMA 04/94 for classifying successional stages of forests in the northern coastal plains of the state. Six forest fragments with different soil types were evaluated using average DBH and average height of individuals, as well as basal area and indicator species. The results show that CONAMA 04/94 disregards certain phytophysiognomic characteristics of the northern coastal plains of the state. They also show that the CONAMA 04/94 text is incoherent regarding structural parameters and indicator species. The results suggest the urgent need to review the CONAMA 04/94 resolution because forest fragments could qualify for incorrect land uses according to what is defined in the current policy.

  3. Classification of Grassland Successional Stages Using Airborne Hyperspectral Imagery

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    Thomas Möckel

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available Plant communities differ in their species composition, and, thus, also in their functional trait composition, at different stages in the succession from arable fields to grazed grassland. We examine whether aerial hyperspectral (414–2501 nm remote sensing can be used to discriminate between grazed vegetation belonging to different grassland successional stages. Vascular plant species were recorded in 104.1 m2 plots on the island of Öland (Sweden and the functional properties of the plant species recorded in the plots were characterized in terms of the ground-cover of grasses, specific leaf area and Ellenberg indicator values. Plots were assigned to three different grassland age-classes, representing 5–15, 16–50 and >50 years of grazing management. Partial least squares discriminant analysis models were used to compare classifications based on aerial hyperspectral data with the age-class classification. The remote sensing data successfully classified the plots into age-classes: the overall classification accuracy was higher for a model based on a pre-selected set of wavebands (85%, Kappa statistic value = 0.77 than one using the full set of wavebands (77%, Kappa statistic value = 0.65. Our results show that nutrient availability and grass cover differences between grassland age-classes are detectable by spectral imaging. These techniques may potentially be used for mapping the spatial distribution of grassland habitats at different successional stages.

  4. Succession influences wild bees in a temperate forest landscape: the value of early successional stages in naturally regenerated and planted forests.

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    Taki, Hisatomo; Okochi, Isamu; Okabe, Kimiko; Inoue, Takenari; Goto, Hideaki; Matsumura, Takeshi; Makino, Shun'ichi

    2013-01-01

    In many temperate terrestrial forest ecosystems, both natural human disturbances drive the reestablishment of forests. Succession in plant communities, in addition to reforestation following the creation of open sites through harvesting or natural disturbances, can affect forest faunal assemblages. Wild bees perform an important ecosystem function in human-altered and natural or seminatural ecosystems, as they are essential pollinators for both crops and wild flowering plants. To maintain high abundance and species richness for pollination services, it is important to conserve and create seminatural and natural land cover with optimal successional stages for wild bees. We examined the effects of forest succession on wild bees. In particular, we evaluated the importance of early successional stages for bees, which has been suspected but not previously demonstrated. A range of successional stages, between 1 and 178 years old, were examined in naturally regenerated and planted forests. In total 4465 wild bee individuals, representing 113 species, were captured. Results for total bees, solitary bees, and cleptoparasitic bees in both naturally regenerated and planted conifer forests indicated a higher abundance and species richness in the early successional stages. However, higher abundance and species richness of social bees in naturally regenerated forest were observed as the successional stages progressed, whereas the abundance of social bees in conifer planted forest showed a concave-shaped relationship when plotted. The results suggest that early successional stages of both naturally regenerated and conifer planted forest maintain a high abundance and species richness of solitary bees and their cleptoparasitic bees, although social bees respond differently in the early successional stages. This may imply that, in some cases, active forest stand management policies, such as the clear-cutting of planted forests for timber production, would create early successional

  5. Succession influences wild bees in a temperate forest landscape: the value of early successional stages in naturally regenerated and planted forests.

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    Hisatomo Taki

    Full Text Available In many temperate terrestrial forest ecosystems, both natural human disturbances drive the reestablishment of forests. Succession in plant communities, in addition to reforestation following the creation of open sites through harvesting or natural disturbances, can affect forest faunal assemblages. Wild bees perform an important ecosystem function in human-altered and natural or seminatural ecosystems, as they are essential pollinators for both crops and wild flowering plants. To maintain high abundance and species richness for pollination services, it is important to conserve and create seminatural and natural land cover with optimal successional stages for wild bees. We examined the effects of forest succession on wild bees. In particular, we evaluated the importance of early successional stages for bees, which has been suspected but not previously demonstrated. A range of successional stages, between 1 and 178 years old, were examined in naturally regenerated and planted forests. In total 4465 wild bee individuals, representing 113 species, were captured. Results for total bees, solitary bees, and cleptoparasitic bees in both naturally regenerated and planted conifer forests indicated a higher abundance and species richness in the early successional stages. However, higher abundance and species richness of social bees in naturally regenerated forest were observed as the successional stages progressed, whereas the abundance of social bees in conifer planted forest showed a concave-shaped relationship when plotted. The results suggest that early successional stages of both naturally regenerated and conifer planted forest maintain a high abundance and species richness of solitary bees and their cleptoparasitic bees, although social bees respond differently in the early successional stages. This may imply that, in some cases, active forest stand management policies, such as the clear-cutting of planted forests for timber production, would create

  6. Carbon stocks and dynamics at different successional stages in an Afromontane tropical forest

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    Nyirambangutse, Brigitte; Zibera, Etienne; Uwizeye, Félicien K.; Nsabimana, Donat; Bizuru, Elias; Pleijel, Håkan; Uddling, Johan; Wallin, Göran

    2017-03-01

    As a result of different types of disturbance, forests are a mixture of stands at different stages of ecological succession. Successional stage is likely to influence forest productivity and carbon storage, linking the degree of forest disturbance to the global carbon cycle and climate. Although tropical montane forests are an important part of tropical forest ecosystems (ca. 8 %, elevation > 1000 m a.s.l.), there are still significant knowledge gaps regarding the carbon dynamics and stocks of these forests, and how these differ between early (ES) and late successional (LS) stages. This study examines the carbon (C) stock, relative growth rate (RGR) and net primary production (NPP) of ES and LS forest stands in an Afromontane tropical rainforest using data from inventories of quantitatively important ecosystem compartments in fifteen 0.5 ha plots in Nyungwe National Park in Rwanda. The total C stock was 35 % larger in LS compared to ES plots due to significantly larger above-ground biomass (AGB; 185 and 76 Mg C ha-1 in LS and ES plots), while the soil and root C stock (down to 45 cm depth in the mineral soil) did not significantly differ between the two successional stages (178 and 204 Mg C ha-1 in LS and ES plots). The main reasons for the difference in AGB were that ES trees had significantly lower stature and wood density compared to LS trees. However, ES and LS stands had similar total NPP (canopy, wood and roots of all plots ˜ 9.4 Mg C ha-1) due to counterbalancing effects of differences in AGB (higher in LS stands) and RGR (higher in ES stands). The AGB in the LS plots was considerably higher than the average value reported for old-growth tropical montane forest of south-east Asia and Central and South America at similar elevations and temperatures, and of the same magnitude as in tropical lowland forest of these regions. The results of this study highlight the importance of accounting for disturbance regimes and differences in wood density and allometry of

  7. Comparative hydraulic architecture of tropical tree species representing a range of successional stages and wood density.

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    McCulloh, Katherine A; Meinzer, Frederick C; Sperry, John S; Lachenbruch, Barbara; Voelker, Steven L; Woodruff, David R; Domec, Jean-Christophe

    2011-09-01

    Plant hydraulic architecture (PHA) has been linked to water transport sufficiency, photosynthetic rates, growth form and attendant carbon allocation. Despite its influence on traits central to conferring an overall competitive advantage in a given environment, few studies have examined whether key aspects of PHA are indicative of successional stage, especially within mature individuals. While it is well established that wood density (WD) tends to be lower in early versus late successional tree species, and that WD can influence other aspects of PHA, the interaction of WD, successional stage and the consequent implications for PHA have not been sufficiently explored. Here, we studied differences in PHA at the scales of wood anatomy to whole-tree hydraulic conductance in species in early versus late successional Panamanian tropical forests. Although the trunk WD was indistinguishable between the successional groups, the branch WD was lower in the early successional species. Across all species, WD correlated negatively with vessel diameter and positively with vessel packing density. The ratio of branch:trunk vessel diameter, branch sap flux and whole-tree leaf-specific conductance scaled negatively with branch WD across species. Pioneer species showed greater sap flux in branches than in trunks and a greater leaf-specific hydraulic conductance, suggesting that pioneer species can move greater quantities of water at a given tension gradient. In combination with the greater water storage capacitance associated with lower WD, these results suggest these pioneer species can save on the carbon expenditure needed to build safer xylem and instead allow more carbon to be allocated to rapid growth.

  8. Phyllostomid Bat Occurrence in Successional Stages of Neotropical Dry Forests

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    Avila-Cabadilla, Luis Daniel; Stoner, Kathryn Elizabeth; Nassar, Jafet M.; Espírito-Santo, Mario M.; Alvarez-Añorve, Mariana Yolotl; Aranguren, Carla I.; Henry, Mickael; González-Carcacía, José A.; Dolabela Falcão, Luiz A.; Sanchez-Azofeifa, Gerardo Arturo

    2014-01-01

    Tropical dry forests (TDFs) are highly endangered tropical ecosystems being replaced by a complex mosaic of patches of different successional stages, agricultural fields and pasturelands. In this context, it is urgent to understand how taxa playing critical ecosystem roles respond to habitat modification. Because Phyllostomid bats provide important ecosystem services (e.g. facilitate gene flow among plant populations and promote forest regeneration), in this study we aimed to identify potential patterns on their response to TDF transformation in sites representing four different successional stages (initial, early, intermediate and late) in three Neotropical regions: México, Venezuela and Brazil. We evaluated bat occurrence at the species, ensemble (abundance) and assemblage level (species richness and composition, guild composition). We also evaluated how bat occurrence was modulated by the marked seasonality of TDFs. In general, we found high seasonal and regional specificities in phyllostomid occurrence, driven by specificities at species and guild levels. For example, highest frugivore abundance occurred in the early stage of the moistest TDF, while highest nectarivore abundance occurred in the same stage of the driest TDF. The high regional specificity of phyllostomid responses could arise from: (1) the distinctive environmental conditions of each region, (2) the specific behavior and ecological requirements of the regional bat species, (3) the composition, structure and phenological patterns of plant assemblages in the different stages, and (4) the regional landscape composition and configuration. We conclude that, in tropical seasonal environments, it is imperative to perform long-term studies considering seasonal variations in environmental conditions and plant phenology, as well as the role of landscape attributes. This approach will allow us to identify potential patterns in bat responses to habitat modification, which constitute an invaluable tool for

  9. Phyllostomid bat occurrence in successional stages of neotropical dry forests.

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    Luis Daniel Avila-Cabadilla

    Full Text Available Tropical dry forests (TDFs are highly endangered tropical ecosystems being replaced by a complex mosaic of patches of different successional stages, agricultural fields and pasturelands. In this context, it is urgent to understand how taxa playing critical ecosystem roles respond to habitat modification. Because Phyllostomid bats provide important ecosystem services (e.g. facilitate gene flow among plant populations and promote forest regeneration, in this study we aimed to identify potential patterns on their response to TDF transformation in sites representing four different successional stages (initial, early, intermediate and late in three Neotropical regions: México, Venezuela and Brazil. We evaluated bat occurrence at the species, ensemble (abundance and assemblage level (species richness and composition, guild composition. We also evaluated how bat occurrence was modulated by the marked seasonality of TDFs. In general, we found high seasonal and regional specificities in phyllostomid occurrence, driven by specificities at species and guild levels. For example, highest frugivore abundance occurred in the early stage of the moistest TDF, while highest nectarivore abundance occurred in the same stage of the driest TDF. The high regional specificity of phyllostomid responses could arise from: (1 the distinctive environmental conditions of each region, (2 the specific behavior and ecological requirements of the regional bat species, (3 the composition, structure and phenological patterns of plant assemblages in the different stages, and (4 the regional landscape composition and configuration. We conclude that, in tropical seasonal environments, it is imperative to perform long-term studies considering seasonal variations in environmental conditions and plant phenology, as well as the role of landscape attributes. This approach will allow us to identify potential patterns in bat responses to habitat modification, which constitute an invaluable

  10. Hyperspectral reflectance of leaves and flowers of an outbreak species discriminates season and successional stage of vegetation

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    Carvalho, Sabrina; Schlerf, Martin; van der Putten, Wim H.; Skidmore, Andrew K.

    2013-10-01

    Spectral reflectance can be used to assess large-scale performances of plants in the field based on plant nutrient balance as well as composition of defence compounds. However, plant chemical composition is known to vary with season - due to its phenology - and it may even depend on the succession stage of its habitat. Here we investigate (i) how spectral reflectance could be used to discriminate successional and phenological stages of Jacobaea vulgaris in both leaf and flower organs and (ii) if chemical content estimation by reflectance is flower or leaf dependent. We used J. vulgaris, which is a natural outbreak plant species on abandoned arable fields in north-western Europe and studied this species in a chronosequence representing successional development during time since abandonment. The chemical content and reflectance between 400 and 2500 nm wavelengths of flowers and leaves were measured throughout the season in fields of different successional ages. The data were analyzed with multivariate statistics for temporal discrimination and estimation of chemical contents in both leaf and flower organs. Two main effects were revealed by spectral reflectance measurements: (i) both flower and leaf spectra show successional and seasonal changes, but the pattern is complex and organ specific (ii) flower head pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which are involved in plant defence against herbivores, can be detected through hyperspectral reflectance.We conclude that spectral reflectance of both leaves and flowers can provide information on plant performance during season and successional stages. As a result, remote sensing studies of plant performance in complex field situations will benefit from considering hyperspectral reflectance of different plant organs. This approach may enable more detailed studies on the link between spectral information and plant defence dynamics both aboveground and belowground.

  11. Net CO2 exchange rates in three different successional stages of the 'Dark Taiga' of central Siberia

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    Roeser, C.; Schulze, E.D.; Montagnani, L.

    2002-01-01

    The net ecosystem exchange (NEE) of successional stages of the Abies-dominated dark taiga was measured in central Siberia (61 deg N, 90 deg E) during the growing season of the year 2000 using the eddy covariance technique. Measurements started before snow melt and canopy activity in spring on day of year (DOY) 99 and lasted until a permanent snow cover had developed and respiration had ceased in autumn DOY 299. Three stands growing in close vicinity were investigated: 50 yr-old Betula pubescens ('Betula stand', an early successional stage after fire), 250 yr-old mixed boreal forest, representing the transition from Betula-dominated to Abies-dominated canopies, and 200-yr-old Abies sibirica ('Abies stand', representing a late successional stage following the mixed boreal forest). The mixed boreal forest had a multi-layered canopy with dense under story and trees of variable height and age below the main canopy, which was dominated by Abies sibirica, Picea obovata and few old Betula pubescens and Populus tremula trees. The Abies stand had a uniform canopy dominated by Abies sibirica. This stand appears to have established not after fire but after wind break or insect damage in a later successional stage. The stands differed with respect to the number of days with net CO 2 uptake (Betula stand 89 days, mixed boreal forest 109 days, and Abies stand 135 days), maximum measured LAI (Betula 2.6 m 2 /m 2 , mixed boreal forest 3.5 m 2 /m 2 and Abies stand 4.1 m 2 /m 2 ) and basal area (Betula stand 30.2 m 2 /ha, mixed boreal forest 35.7 m 2 /ha, and Abies stand 46.5 m 2 /ha). In the mixed boreal forest, many days with net daytime CO 2 release were observed in summer. Both other sites were almost permanent sinks in summer. Mean daytime CO 2 exchange rates in July were 8.45 mol/m 2 /s in the Betula stand, 4.65 mol/m 2 /s in the mixed boreal forest and 6.31 mol/m 2 /s in the Abies stand. Measured uptake for the growing season was 247.2 g C/m 2 in the Betula stand, 99.7 g C/m 2

  12. ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZAL FUNGI IN SUCCESSIONAL STAGES OF CAATINGA IN THE SEMI-ARID REGION OF BRAZIL

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    Carla da Silva Sousa

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available http://dx.doi.org/10.5902/1980509813331Caatinga is an exclusively Brazilian biome with areas in accentuated process of desertification. Arbuscularmycorrhizal fungi (AMF act in plant succession by favoring the establishment of plant species typical ofsuccessional stages and by accelerating recovery leading to a climax stage. The objective of the present workwas to evaluate the occurrence and diversity of AMF in successional stages of caatinga in the semi-aridregion of Paraíba State. Experimental plots (30 x 60 m were delimitated in 2007 in areas corresponding todifferent caatinga successional stages: early caatinga succession (natural revegetation during the previous15 years; intermediate (natural revegetation for about 35 years; late (mature caatinga with more than50 years without major disturbances; and also in pasture areas fenced and protected to represent the initialphase of succession. Plots of all four stages were implemented with three replicates. Soil and root sampleswere collected in the experimental plots, from the 0-15 cm soil layer in the dry and in the rainy seasons.All areas presented low infectivity potential suggesting that the introduction of mycorrhizal seedlings mayaccelerate the process of revegetation of degraded soils in this region. Except for the areas of late stage, theglomalin reservoirs increased along with the advancement of the succession process. Areas in the late stageof succession presented greater richness of AMF species, indicating that the establishment of the vegetationalso exerts a significant effect in the fungal community. Glomus and Acaulospora species were predominantin both seasons, possibly because they are well adapted to semi-arid conditions

  13. Comparative hydraulic architecture of tropical tree species representing a range of successional stages and wood density

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    Katherine A. McCulloh; Frederick C. Meinzer; John S. Sperry; Barbara Lachenbruch; Steven L. Voelker; David R. Woodruff; Jean-Christophe Domec

    2011-01-01

    Plant hydraulic architecture (PHA) has been linked to water transport sufficiency, photosynthetic rates, growth form and attendant carbon allocation. Despite its influence on traits central to conferring an overall competitive advantage in a given environment, few studies have examined whether key aspects of PHA are indicative of successional stage, especially within...

  14. Invasive Earthworms and Forest Successional Stage Interact to Impact Plant Litter Inputs and Particulate Organic Matter Chemistry

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    The landscapes colonized by invasive earthworms in the eastern U.S. are often patchworks of forest stands in various stages of successional development. We established six field sites in tulip poplar dominated forests in the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center Forest (SERC), MD, that span you...

  15. Species association in tropical montane rain forest at two successional stages in Diaoluo Mountain, Hainan

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Fude LIU; Wenjin WANG; Ming ZHANG; Jianwei ZHENG; Zhongsheng WANG; Shiting ZHANG; Wenjie YANG; Shuqing AN

    2008-01-01

    Species association is one of the basic concepts in community succession. There are different viewpoints on how species interaction changes with the progress of succession. In order to assess these relationships, we examined species associations in the tropical montane rain forest at early and late successional stages in Diaoluo Mountain, Hainan Island. Based on data from a 2 × 2 contingency table of species presence or absence, statist-ical methods including analysis of species association and χ2 tests were applied. The results show that: 1) an overall positive association was present among tree species in the communities during the two successional stages and were statistically significant at the late stage. The number of species pairs with positive and negative associations decreased throughout the process of succession, while the number with null associations was greatly increased. The same trend existed among the dominant and compan-ion species. The results indicate that the communities are developing towards a stable stage where the woody species coexist in harmony. 2) In the early-established and later invading species, all positive associations were not signifi-cant. Compared with positive and null associations, fewer negative associations were found. This implies that these species are inclined to coexist independently through por-tioning of resources. 3) Among the later invading species, positive associations were significant and no negative associations were found which suggest that these species have similar adaptive ability in the habitat and occupied overlapping niches in the community.

  16. Changing contributions of stochastic and deterministic processes in community assembly over a successional gradient.

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    Måren, Inger Elisabeth; Kapfer, Jutta; Aarrestad, Per Arild; Grytnes, John-Arvid; Vandvik, Vigdis

    2018-01-01

    Successional dynamics in plant community assembly may result from both deterministic and stochastic ecological processes. The relative importance of different ecological processes is expected to vary over the successional sequence, between different plant functional groups, and with the disturbance levels and land-use management regimes of the successional systems. We evaluate the relative importance of stochastic and deterministic processes in bryophyte and vascular plant community assembly after fire in grazed and ungrazed anthropogenic coastal heathlands in Northern Europe. A replicated series of post-fire successions (n = 12) were initiated under grazed and ungrazed conditions, and vegetation data were recorded in permanent plots over 13 years. We used redundancy analysis (RDA) to test for deterministic successional patterns in species composition repeated across the replicate successional series and analyses of co-occurrence to evaluate to what extent species respond synchronously along the successional gradient. Change in species co-occurrences over succession indicates stochastic successional dynamics at the species level (i.e., species equivalence), whereas constancy in co-occurrence indicates deterministic dynamics (successional niche differentiation). The RDA shows high and deterministic vascular plant community compositional change, especially early in succession. Co-occurrence analyses indicate stochastic species-level dynamics the first two years, which then give way to more deterministic replacements. Grazed and ungrazed successions are similar, but the early stage stochasticity is higher in ungrazed areas. Bryophyte communities in ungrazed successions resemble vascular plant communities. In contrast, bryophytes in grazed successions showed consistently high stochasticity and low determinism in both community composition and species co-occurrence. In conclusion, stochastic and individualistic species responses early in succession give way to more

  17. Presence and Expression of Microbial Genes Regulating Soil Nitrogen Dynamics Along the Tanana River Successional Sequence

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    Boone, R. D.; Rogers, S. L.

    2004-12-01

    We report on work to assess the functional gene sequences for soil microbiota that control nitrogen cycle pathways along the successional sequence (willow, alder, poplar, white spruce, black spruce) on the Tanana River floodplain, Interior Alaska. Microbial DNA and mRNA were extracted from soils (0-10 cm depth) for amoA (ammonium monooxygenase), nifH (nitrogenase reductase), napA (nitrate reductase), and nirS and nirK (nitrite reductase) genes. Gene presence was determined by amplification of a conserved sequence of each gene employing sequence specific oligonucleotide primers and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). Expression of the genes was measured via nested reverse transcriptase PCR amplification of the extracted mRNA. Amplified PCR products were visualized on agarose electrophoresis gels. All five successional stages show evidence for the presence and expression of microbial genes that regulate N fixation (free-living), nitrification, and nitrate reduction. We detected (1) nifH, napA, and nirK presence and amoA expression (mRNA production) for all five successional stages and (2) nirS and amoA presence and nifH, nirK, and napA expression for early successional stages (willow, alder, poplar). The results highlight that the existing body of previous process-level work has not sufficiently considered the microbial potential for a nitrate economy and free-living N fixation along the complete floodplain successional sequence.

  18. The carbon fluxes in different successional stages: modelling the dynamics of tropical montane forests in South Ecuador

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    Sebastian Paulick

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Background Tropical forests play an important role in the global carbon (C cycle. However, tropical montane forests have been studied less than tropical lowland forests, and their role in carbon storage is not well understood. Montane forests are highly endangered due to logging, land-use and climate change. Our objective was to analyse how the carbon balance changes during forest succession. Methods In this study, we used a method to estimate local carbon balances that combined forest inventory data with process-based forest models. We utilised such a forest model to study the carbon balance of a tropical montane forest in South Ecuador, comparing two topographical slope positions (ravines and lower slopes vs upper slopes and ridges. Results The simulation results showed that the forest acts as a carbon sink with a maximum net ecosystem exchange (NEE of 9.3 Mg C∙(ha∙yr−1 during its early successional stage (0–100 years. In the late successional stage, the simulated NEE fluctuated around zero and had a variation of 0.77 Mg C∙(ha∙yr –1. The simulated variability of the NEE was within the range of the field data. We discovered several forest attributes (e.g., basal area or the relative amount of pioneer trees that can serve as predictors for NEE for young forest stands (0–100 years but not for those in the late successional stage (500–1,000 years. In case of young forest stands these correlations are high, especially between stand basal area and NEE. Conclusion In this study, we used an Ecuadorian study site as an example of how to successfully link a forest model with forest inventory data, for estimating stem-diameter distributions, biomass and aboveground net primary productivity. To conclude, this study shows that process-based forest models can be used to investigate the carbon balance of tropical montane forests. With this model it is possible to find hidden relationships between forest attributes and forest carbon fluxes

  19. Synthesis of the conservation value of the early-successional stage in forests of eastern North America

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    David I. King; Scott. Schlossberg

    2014-01-01

    As a result of changes in natural and anthropogenic disturbance regimes, the extent of early-successional forest across much of eastern North American is near historic lows, and continues to decline. This has caused many scientists to identify the conservation of early-successional species as a high priority. In this synthesis, we discuss the conservation implications...

  20. Biological significance of dead biomass retention trait in Mediterranean Basin species: an analysis between different successional niches and regeneration strategies as functional groups.

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    Baeza, M J; Santana, V M

    2015-11-01

    Standing dead biomass retention is considered one of the most relevant fuel structural traits to affect plant flammability. However, very little is known about the biological significance of this trait and its distribution between different functional groups. Our aim was to analyse how the proportion of dead biomass produced in Mediterranean species is related to the successional niche of species (early-, mid- and late-successional stages) and the regeneration strategy of species (seeders and resprouters). We evaluated biomass distribution by size classes and standing dead biomass retention in nine dominant species from the Mediterranean Basin in different development stages (5, 9, 14 and 26 years since the last fire). The results revealed significant differences in the standing dead biomass retention of species that presented a distinct successional niche or regeneration strategy. These differences were restricted to the oldest ages studied (>9 years). Tree and small tree resprouters, typical in late-successional stages, presented slight variations with age and a less marked trend to retain dead biomass, while seeder shrubs and dwarf shrubs, characteristic of early-successional stages, showed high dead biomass loads. Our results suggest that the species that tend to retain more dead branches are colonising species that may promote fire in early-successional stages. © 2015 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

  1. Seasonal dynamics of the plant community and soil seed bank along a successional gradient in a subalpine meadow on the Tibetan Plateau.

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    Miaojun Ma

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Knowledge about how change the importance of soil seed bank and relationship between seed mass and abundance during vegetation succession is crucial for understanding vegetation dynamics. Many studies have been conducted, but their ecological mechanisms of community assembly are not fully understood. METHODOLOGY: We examined the seasonal dynamics of the vegetation and soil seed bank as well as seed size distribution along a successional gradient. We also explored the potential role of the soil seed bank in plant community regeneration, the relationship between seed mass and species abundance, and the relative importance of deterministic and stochastic processes along a successional gradient. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Species richness of seed bank increased (shallow layer and the total and seed density decreased (each layer and the total significantly with succession. Species richness and seed density differed significantly between different seasons and among soil depths. Seed mass showed a significant negative relationship with relative abundance in the earliest successional stage, but the relationships were not significant in later stages. Seed mass showed no relationship with relative abundance in the whole successional series in seed bank. Results were similar for both July 2005 and April 2006. CONCLUSIONS: The seed mass and abundance relationship was determined by a complex interaction between small and larger seeded species and environmental factors. Both stochastic processes and deterministic processes were important determinants of the structure of the earliest stage. The importance of seed bank decreased with succession. The restoration of abandoned farmed and grazed meadows to the species-rich subalpine meadow in Tibetan Plateau can be successfully achieved from the soil seed bank. However, at least 20 years are required to fully restore an abandoned agricultural meadow to a natural mature subalpine meadow.

  2. Metabolic patterns of 14C incorporation by selected vascular plants following field incubations with acetate-2-14C in two plant successional stages in Glacier Bay, Alaska

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    Wu, Pei-Hsing Lin

    1975-01-01

    Metabolic patterns of some vascular plants (Dryas sp., Vaccinium sp., Salix sp., Alnus sp., Epilobium sp.), occurring in successional habitats, following acetate-2- 14 C incubations in the field were demonstrated for the first time. Relative radioactivity within the alcoholic soluble fraction of each species reflects its distribution in successional communities. A high level of 14 C-sugars was present in the plants of the pioneer community; on the other hand a high level of 14 C-organic acids was present in the plants of the forest community. Three patterns, based on the relative activities of the sugar- and organic acid-pools were noted which correspond to the range and the frequency of occurrence of each species in the successional stages. Only two types of 14 C-amino acid levels were noted corresponding to the range of distribution. Plants having less than 10% relative radioactivity in amino acid-pools had a limited range of distribution and reside in only one habitat; plants having more than 10% radioactivity showed wider ranges of distribution occurring in at least two habitats. (auth.)

  3. A shift from arbuscular mycorrhizal to dark septate endophytic colonization in Deschampsia flexuosa roots occurs along primary successional gradient.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huusko, K; Ruotsalainen, A L; Markkola, A M

    2017-02-01

    Soil fungal community and dominant mycorrhizal types are known to shift along with plant community changes during primary succession. However, it is not well understood how and why root fungal symbionts and colonization types vary within the plant host when the host species is able to thrive both at young and at old successional stages with different light and nutrient resource availability. We asked (i) how root fungal colonization of Deschampsia flexuosa (Poaceae) by arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and dark septate endophytes (DSE) changes along a postglacial primary successional land uplift gradient. As neighboring vegetation may play a role in root fungal colonization, we also asked (ii) whether removal of the dominant neighbor, Empetrum nigrum ssp. hermaphroditum (Ericaceae), affects root fungal colonization of Deschampsia. We also studied whether (iii) foliar carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) concentration of Deschampsia is related to successional changes along a land uplift gradient. AM colonization decreased (-50 %), DSE colonization increased (+200 %), and foliar C declined in Deschampsia along with increasing successional age, whereas foliar N was not affected. Empetrum removal did not affect AM colonization but increased DSE sclerotial colonization especially at older successional stages. The observed decrease in foliar C coincides with an increase in canopy closure along with increasing successional age. We suggest that the shift from an AM-dominated to a DSE-dominated root fungal community in Deschampsia along a land uplift successional gradient may be related to different nutritional benefits gained through these root fungal groups.

  4. Possibilities of using soil microarthropods, with emphasis on mites (Arachnida, Acari, Mesostigmata, in assessment of successional stages in a reclaimed coal mine dump (Pszów, S Poland

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    MADEJ GRAŻYNA

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available The usefulness of 2 methods for biomonitoring of the effects of land rehabilitation were compared in Pszów (Upper Silesian Coal Basin, south of Poland. Thirty-one species of mesostigmatid mites were collected from 3 study plots representing different stages of restoration of the mine dump Wrzosy in Pszów and community structure of the mites was analysed. There was a general trend for mesostigmatid species richness, diversity, and density to increase with the development of vegetation. The dominant early successional mesostigmatid species was the phoretic Hypoapis claviger. During this study, 4616 specimens of soil microarthropods were extracted in total. They were classified according to the Biological Soil Quality Index (QBS. We tested the sensitivity and usefulness of this index for monitoring of soil quality and found its good relationship with successional stages in the reclaimed mine dump. Thus the QBS index seems to be an efficient index for monitoring the effects of restoration in mine dumps. It is a simpler, quicker, and cheaper bioindicator method than the earlier method based on community structure analysis of mesostigmatid mites.

  5. Benchmarking Successional Progress in a Quantitative Food Web

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boit, Alice; Gaedke, Ursula

    2014-01-01

    Central to ecology and ecosystem management, succession theory aims to mechanistically explain and predict the assembly and development of ecological communities. Yet processes at lower hierarchical levels, e.g. at the species and functional group level, are rarely mechanistically linked to the under-investigated system-level processes which drive changes in ecosystem properties and functioning and are comparable across ecosystems. As a model system for secondary succession, seasonal plankton succession during the growing season is readily observable and largely driven autogenically. We used a long-term dataset from large, deep Lake Constance comprising biomasses, auto- and heterotrophic production, food quality, functional diversity, and mass-balanced food webs of the energy and nutrient flows between functional guilds of plankton and partly fish. Extracting population- and system-level indices from this dataset, we tested current hypotheses about the directionality of successional progress which are rooted in ecosystem theory, the metabolic theory of ecology, quantitative food web theory, thermodynamics, and information theory. Our results indicate that successional progress in Lake Constance is quantifiable, passing through predictable stages. Mean body mass, functional diversity, predator-prey weight ratios, trophic positions, system residence times of carbon and nutrients, and the complexity of the energy flow patterns increased during succession. In contrast, both the mass-specific metabolic activity and the system export decreased, while the succession rate exhibited a bimodal pattern. The weighted connectance introduced here represents a suitable index for assessing the evenness and interconnectedness of energy flows during succession. Diverging from earlier predictions, ascendency and eco-exergy did not increase during succession. Linking aspects of functional diversity to metabolic theory and food web complexity, we reconcile previously disjoint bodies of

  6. Benchmarking successional progress in a quantitative food web.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alice Boit

    Full Text Available Central to ecology and ecosystem management, succession theory aims to mechanistically explain and predict the assembly and development of ecological communities. Yet processes at lower hierarchical levels, e.g. at the species and functional group level, are rarely mechanistically linked to the under-investigated system-level processes which drive changes in ecosystem properties and functioning and are comparable across ecosystems. As a model system for secondary succession, seasonal plankton succession during the growing season is readily observable and largely driven autogenically. We used a long-term dataset from large, deep Lake Constance comprising biomasses, auto- and heterotrophic production, food quality, functional diversity, and mass-balanced food webs of the energy and nutrient flows between functional guilds of plankton and partly fish. Extracting population- and system-level indices from this dataset, we tested current hypotheses about the directionality of successional progress which are rooted in ecosystem theory, the metabolic theory of ecology, quantitative food web theory, thermodynamics, and information theory. Our results indicate that successional progress in Lake Constance is quantifiable, passing through predictable stages. Mean body mass, functional diversity, predator-prey weight ratios, trophic positions, system residence times of carbon and nutrients, and the complexity of the energy flow patterns increased during succession. In contrast, both the mass-specific metabolic activity and the system export decreased, while the succession rate exhibited a bimodal pattern. The weighted connectance introduced here represents a suitable index for assessing the evenness and interconnectedness of energy flows during succession. Diverging from earlier predictions, ascendency and eco-exergy did not increase during succession. Linking aspects of functional diversity to metabolic theory and food web complexity, we reconcile

  7. Benchmarking successional progress in a quantitative food web.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boit, Alice; Gaedke, Ursula

    2014-01-01

    Central to ecology and ecosystem management, succession theory aims to mechanistically explain and predict the assembly and development of ecological communities. Yet processes at lower hierarchical levels, e.g. at the species and functional group level, are rarely mechanistically linked to the under-investigated system-level processes which drive changes in ecosystem properties and functioning and are comparable across ecosystems. As a model system for secondary succession, seasonal plankton succession during the growing season is readily observable and largely driven autogenically. We used a long-term dataset from large, deep Lake Constance comprising biomasses, auto- and heterotrophic production, food quality, functional diversity, and mass-balanced food webs of the energy and nutrient flows between functional guilds of plankton and partly fish. Extracting population- and system-level indices from this dataset, we tested current hypotheses about the directionality of successional progress which are rooted in ecosystem theory, the metabolic theory of ecology, quantitative food web theory, thermodynamics, and information theory. Our results indicate that successional progress in Lake Constance is quantifiable, passing through predictable stages. Mean body mass, functional diversity, predator-prey weight ratios, trophic positions, system residence times of carbon and nutrients, and the complexity of the energy flow patterns increased during succession. In contrast, both the mass-specific metabolic activity and the system export decreased, while the succession rate exhibited a bimodal pattern. The weighted connectance introduced here represents a suitable index for assessing the evenness and interconnectedness of energy flows during succession. Diverging from earlier predictions, ascendency and eco-exergy did not increase during succession. Linking aspects of functional diversity to metabolic theory and food web complexity, we reconcile previously disjoint bodies of

  8. Drought resistance in early and late secondary successional species from a tropical dry forest: the interplay between xylem resistance to embolism, sapwood water storage and leaf shedding

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fernando Pineda-Garcia; Horacio Paz; Frederick C. Meinzer

    2013-01-01

    The mechanisms of drought resistance that allow plants to successfully establish at different stages of secondary succession in tropical dry forests are not well understood. We characterized mechanisms of drought resistance in early and late-successional species and tested whether risk of drought differs across sites at different successional stages, and whether early...

  9. Floristic and vegetation successional processes within landslides in a Mediterranean environment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neto, Carlos; Cardigos, Patrícia; Oliveira, Sérgio Cruz; Zêzere, José Luís

    2017-01-01

    Floristic and vegetation analysis in seven Mediterranean landslides led to the understanding of the successional processes occurring in different landslide disturbed sectors. Our study showed that in landslides that occurred between 1996 and 2010 there is a clear differentiation between the three main landslide sectors (scarp, main body and foot) concerning floristic composition, vegetation structure, floristic richness, successional processes and plant functional type. Additional differences were found between landslide areas and undisturbed agricultural areas adjacent to landslides. In this study 48 floristic relevés were made using a stratified random sampling design. The main landslide body exhibits the highest floristic richness whereas the landslide scarp has the lowest coverage rate and the highest presence of characteristic species from ruderal and strongly perturbed habitats. Finally, the landslide foot shows a late stage in the succession (maquis or pre-forest stage) with a high dominance of vines. We further discuss the importance of landslides as reservoirs of biodiversity especially for Mediterranean orchids. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Drought resistance in early and late secondary successional species from a tropical dry forest: the interplay between xylem resistance to embolism, sapwood water storage and leaf shedding.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pineda-García, Fernando; Paz, Horacio; Meinzer, Frederick C

    2013-02-01

    The mechanisms of drought resistance that allow plants to successfully establish at different stages of secondary succession in tropical dry forests are not well understood. We characterized mechanisms of drought resistance in early and late-successional species and tested whether risk of drought differs across sites at different successional stages, and whether early and late-successional species differ in resistance to experimentally imposed soil drought. The microenvironment in early successional sites was warmer and drier than in mature forest. Nevertheless, successional groups did not differ in resistance to soil drought. Late-successional species resisted drought through two independent mechanisms: high resistance of xylem to embolism, or reliance on high stem water storage capacity. High sapwood water reserves delayed the effects of soil drying by transiently decoupling plant and soil water status. Resistance to soil drought resulted from the interplay between variations in xylem vulnerability to embolism, reliance on sapwood water reserves and leaf area reduction, leading to a tradeoff of avoidance against tolerance of soil drought, along which successional groups were not differentiated. Overall, our data suggest that ranking species' performance under soil drought based solely on xylem resistance to embolism may be misleading, especially for species with high sapwood water storage capacity. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  11. Utilization of lightflecks by seedlings of five dominant tree species of different subtropical forest successional stages under low-light growth conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Q; Chen, Y J; Song, L Y; Liu, N; Sun, L L; Peng, C L

    2012-05-01

    We selected five typical tree species, including one early-successional species (ES) Pinus massoniana Lamb., two mid-successional species (MS) Schima superba Gardn. et Champ. and Castanopsis fissa (Champ. ex Benth.) Rehd. et Wils. and two late-successional species (LS) Cryptocarya concinna Hance. and Acmena acuminatissima (BI.) Merr et Perry., which represent the plants at three successional periods in Dinghushan subtropical forest succession of southern China. Potted seedlings of the five species were grown under 12% of full sunlight for 36 months. The ES and MS showed the slowest and fastest responses to lightflecks, respectively, which correlated with the rate of stomatal opening. In contrast to P. massoniana and C. concinna, the other three species exhibited a high induction loss. Early-successional species showed the lowest specific leaf area and chlorophyll content, the highest photosynthetic capacity (A(max)) and respiratory carbon losses (R(d)). Compared with ES and MS, LS showed lower A(max) and R(d). The five tree species showed a similar chlorophyll a/b ratio after long-term low-light adaptations. On the other hand, LS had a relatively higher de-epoxidation state to protect themselves from excess light during lightflecks. Our results indicated that (i) slower responses to lightflecks could partially explain why ES species could not achieve seedling regeneration in low-light conditions; (ii) fast responses to lightflecks could partially explain why MS species could achieve seedling regeneration in low-light conditions; and (iii) smaller respiratory carbon losses might confer on the LS species a competitive advantage in low-light conditions.

  12. Dispersal limitation drives successional pathways in Central Siberian forests under current and intensified fire regimes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tautenhahn, Susanne; Lichstein, Jeremy W; Jung, Martin; Kattge, Jens; Bohlman, Stephanie A; Heilmeier, Hermann; Prokushkin, Anatoly; Kahl, Anja; Wirth, Christian

    2016-06-01

    Fire is a primary driver of boreal forest dynamics. Intensifying fire regimes due to climate change may cause a shift in boreal forest composition toward reduced dominance of conifers and greater abundance of deciduous hardwoods, with potential biogeochemical and biophysical feedbacks to regional and global climate. This shift has already been observed in some North American boreal forests and has been attributed to changes in site conditions. However, it is unknown if the mechanisms controlling fire-induced changes in deciduous hardwood cover are similar among different boreal forests, which differ in the ecological traits of the dominant tree species. To better understand the consequences of intensifying fire regimes in boreal forests, we studied postfire regeneration in five burns in the Central Siberian dark taiga, a vast but poorly studied boreal region. We combined field measurements, dendrochronological analysis, and seed-source maps derived from high-resolution satellite images to quantify the importance of site conditions (e.g., organic layer depth) vs. seed availability in shaping postfire regeneration. We show that dispersal limitation of evergreen conifers was the main factor determining postfire regeneration composition and density. Site conditions had significant but weaker effects. We used information on postfire regeneration to develop a classification scheme for successional pathways, representing the dominance of deciduous hardwoods vs. evergreen conifers at different successional stages. We estimated the spatial distribution of different successional pathways under alternative fire regime scenarios. Under intensified fire regimes, dispersal limitation of evergreen conifers is predicted to become more severe, primarily due to reduced abundance of surviving seed sources within burned areas. Increased dispersal limitation of evergreen conifers, in turn, is predicted to increase the prevalence of successional pathways dominated by deciduous hardwoods

  13. Identification and Mapping of Sagebrush/Grass Successional Stages with Landsat Thematic Mapper Data at Yakima Training Center, Washington

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Leedy, Craig

    2004-01-01

    .... This research attempted to identify and map successional changes on semiarid rangelands at Yakima Training Center, WA, using remote sensing techniques by developing a model derived from analysis...

  14. Dependence of Soil Respiration on Soil Temperature and Soil Moisture in Successional Forests in Southern China

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Xu-Li Tang; Guo-Yi Zhou; Shu-Guang Liu; De-Qiang Zhang; Shi-Zhong Liu; Jiong Li; Cun-Yu Zhou

    2006-01-01

    The spatial and temporal variations in soil respiration and its relationship with biophysical factors in forests near the Tropic of Cancer remain highly uncertain. To contribute towards an improvement of actual estimates, soil respiration rates, soil temperature, and soil moisture were measured in three successional subtropical forests at the Dinghushan Nature Reserve (DNR) in southern China from March 2003 to February 2005. The overall objective of the present study was to analyze the temporal variations of soil respiration and its biophysical dependence in these forests. The relationships between biophysical factors and soil respiration rates were compared in successional forests to test the hypothesis that these forests responded similarly to biophysical factors. The seasonality of soil respiration coincided with the seasonal climate pattern, with high respiration rates in the hot humid season (April-September) and with low rates in the cool dry season (October-March). Soil respiration measured at these forests showed a clear increasing trend with the progressive succession. Annual mean (± SD) soil respiration rate in the DNR forests was (9.0±4.6) Mg CO2-C/hm2 per year, ranging from (6.1±3.2) Mg CO2-C/hm2 per year in early successional forests to (10.7±4.9) Mg CO2-C/hm2 per year in advanced successional forests. Soil respiration was correlated with both soil temperature and moisture. The T/M model, where the two biophysical variables are driving factors, accounted for 74%-82% of soil respiration variation in DNR forests. Temperature sensitivity decreased along progressive succession stages, suggesting that advanced-successional forests have a good ability to adjust to temperature. In contrast, moisture increased with progressive succession processes. This increase is caused, in part, by abundant respirators in advanced-successional forest, where more soil moisture is needed to maintain their activities.

  15. Dependence of soil respiration on soil temperature and soil moisture in successional forests in Southern China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tang, X.-L.; Zhou, G.-Y.; Liu, S.-G.; Zhang, D.-Q.; Liu, S.-Z.; Li, Ji; Zhou, C.-Y.

    2006-01-01

    The spatial and temporal variations in soil respiration and its relationship with biophysical factors in forests near the Tropic of Cancer remain highly uncertain. To contribute towards an improvement of actual estimates, soil respiration rates, soil temperature, and soil moisture were measured in three successional subtropical forests at the Dinghushan Nature Reserve (DNR) in southern China from March 2003 to February 2005. The overall objective of the present study was to analyze the temporal variations of soil respiration and its biophysical dependence in these forests. The relationships between biophysical factors and soil respiration rates were compared in successional forests to test the hypothesis that these forests responded similarly to biophysical factors. The seasonality of soil respiration coincided with the seasonal climate pattern, with high respiration rates in the hot humid season (April-September) and with low rates in the cool dry season (October-March). Soil respiration measured at these forests showed a clear increasing trend with the progressive succession. Annual mean (±SD) soil respiration rate in the DNR forests was (9.0 ± 4.6) Mg CO2-C/hm2per year, ranging from (6.1 ± 3.2) Mg CO2-C/hm2per year in early successional forests to (10.7 ± 4.9) Mg CO2-C/hm2 per year in advanced successional forests. Soil respiration was correlated with both soil temperature and moisture. The T/M model, where the two biophysical variables are driving factors, accounted for 74%-82% of soil respiration variation in DNR forests. Temperature sensitivity decreased along progressive succession stages, suggesting that advanced-successional forests have a good ability to adjust to temperature. In contrast, moisture increased with progressive succession processes. This increase is caused, in part, by abundant respirators in advanced-successional forest, where more soil moisture is needed to maintain their activities.

  16. Successional dynamics in the seasonally forced diamond food web.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klausmeier, Christopher A; Litchman, Elena

    2012-07-01

    Plankton seasonal succession is a classic example of nonequilibrium community dynamics. Despite the fact that it has been well studied empirically, it lacks a general quantitative theory. Here we investigate a food web model that includes a resource, two phytoplankton, and a shared grazer-the diamond food web-in a seasonal environment. The model produces a number of successional trajectories that have been widely discussed in the context of the verbal Plankton Ecology Group model of succession, such as a spring bloom of a good competitor followed by a grazer-induced clear-water phase, setting the stage for the late-season dominance of a grazer-resistant species. It also predicts a novel, counterintuitive trajectory where the grazer-resistant species has both early- and late-season blooms. The model often generates regular annual cycles but sometimes produces multiyear cycles or chaos, even with identical forcing each year. Parameterizing the model, we show how the successional trajectory depends on nutrient supply and the length of the growing season, two key parameters that vary among water bodies. This model extends nonequilibrium theory to food webs and is a first step toward a quantitative theory of plankton seasonal succession.

  17. The effect of consumers and mutualists of Vaccinium membranaceum at Mount St. Helens: dependence on successional context.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Suann Yang

    Full Text Available In contrast to secondary succession, studies of terrestrial primary succession largely ignore the role of biotic interactions, other than plant facilitation and competition, despite the expectation that simplified interaction webs and propagule-dependent demographics may amplify the effects of consumers and mutualists. We investigated whether successional context determined the impact of consumers and mutualists by quantifying their effects on reproduction by the shrub Vaccinium membranaceum in primary and secondary successional sites at Mount St. Helens (Washington, USA, and used simulations to explore the effects of these interactions on colonization. Species interactions differed substantially between sites, and the combined effect of consumers and mutualists was much more strongly negative for primary successional plants. Because greater local control of propagule pressure is expected to increase successional rates, we evaluated the role of dispersal in the context of these interactions. Our simulations showed that even a small local seed source greatly increases population growth rates, thereby balancing strong consumer pressure. The prevalence of strong negative interactions in the primary successional site is a reminder that successional communities will not exhibit the distribution of interaction strengths characteristic of stable communities, and suggests the potential utility of modeling succession as the consequence of interaction strengths.

  18. Análise florística e estrutural de uma floresta em diferentes estágios sucessionais no município de Castanhal, Pará Floristic composition and structure of a forest in different successional stages in Castanhal, Pará

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roberta de Fátima Rodrigues Coelho

    2003-12-01

    Full Text Available O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar a sucessão florestal pela análise florística e estrutural de floresta em três estágios sucessionais (4, 8 e 12 anos, localizadas no município de Castanhal-PA. Consideraram-se duas classes de DAP: Classe I (DAP>1cm e classe II (DAPThe objective of this study is to understand secondary forest succession through florisitc and structural analysis of a forest in three successional stages (4, 8 and 12 years located in Castanhal in the state of Pará. This study considers wood species divided into two DBH classes: class I (DBH>1cm and class II (DBH<1cm. Class I individuals were measured in twelve 10m x 10m plots in the 12-year-old successional forest, and in four 10 x 10 m plots in the 4 and 8-year-old secondary forest stands. Class II individuals were measured in 48 subplots of 1m x 1m in the 12-year-old forest stand, and in 16 subplots in the 4 and 8-year-old forest stands. In Class I, 18, 30 and 73 species were identified; and were found 12, 18 and 21 individuals/ha in the 4, 8 and 12-year-old forests, respectively. In class II, 17, 21 and 62 species were identified; and were found 50, 26 and 47 individuals/m² in the 4, 8 and 12-year-old forests, respectively. For class I, Lacistema pubescens, Vismia guianensis and Myrcia sylvatica demonstrated the greatest abundance and relative dominance. In class II, Lacistema pubescens, Vismia guianensis, Miconia ciliata, Myrcia bracteata and Banara guianensis also displayed an elevated number of individuals. Myrcia sylvatica presented the greatest abundance in the three successional stages. Similarity among plots was approximately 60% for class I and 42% for class II. The results showed the forest with three stages of successional development: initiation phase (4 years, exclusion phase (8 years, and the beginning of the understory reinitiation phase (12 years.

  19. Determining the K coefficient to leaf area index estimations in a tropical dry forest

    Science.gov (United States)

    Magalhães, Sarah Freitas; Calvo-Rodriguez, Sofia; do Espírito Santo, Mário Marcos; Sánchez Azofeifa, Gerardo Arturo

    2018-03-01

    Vegetation indices are useful tools to remotely estimate several important parameters related to ecosystem functioning. However, improving and validating estimations for a wide range of vegetation types are necessary. In this study, we provide a methodology for the estimation of the leaf area index (LAI) in a tropical dry forest (TDF) using the light diffusion through the canopy as a function of the successional stage. For this purpose, we estimated the K coefficient, a parameter that relates the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) to LAI, based on photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and solar radiation. The study was conducted in the Mata Seca State Park, in southeastern Brazil, from 2012 to 2013. We defined four successional stages (very early, early, intermediate, and late) and established one optical phenology tower at one plot of 20 × 20 m per stage. Towers measured the incoming and reflected solar radiation and PAR for NDVI calculation. For each plot, we established 24 points for LAI sampling through hemispherical photographs. Because leaf cover is highly seasonal in TDFs, we determined ΔK (leaf growth phase) and K max (leaf maturity phase). We detected a strong correlation between NDVI and LAI, which is necessary for a reliable determination of the K coefficient. Both NDVI and LAI varied significantly between successional stages, indicating sensitivity to structural changes in forest regeneration. Furthermore, the K values differed between successional stages and correlated significantly with other environmental variables such as air temperature and humidity, fraction of absorbed PAR, and soil moisture. Thus, we established a model based on spectral properties of the vegetation coupled with biophysical characteristics in a TDF that makes possible to estimate LAI from NDVI values. The application of the K coefficient can improve remote estimations of forest primary productivity and gases and energy exchanges between vegetation and atmosphere

  20. Uma comunidade sucessional dominada por Pteridium aquilinum ( L. Kuhn. no município de Lavras, estado de Minas Gerais A successional stage community dominated by Pteridium aquilinum (L. Kuhn. in Lavras County, MG, Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G. de Martins

    1982-06-01

    Full Text Available Numa área situada no município de Lavras, MG, o desmatamento realizado há cerca de dez anos propiciou a formação de uma comunidade infestante dominada por Pteridium aquilium (L. Khun., te ndo como codominantes Imperara brasiliensis Trin. e Andropogon bicornis L.. Como fatores que mantém esta comu nidade devem ser considerados: a as queimadas intermiten te s; b a acidez do solo; c a alta percentagem de saturação de aluminio ; d a ação fitotóxica do próprio P. aquilinum; e a falta de palatabilidade das espécies dominantes.A forest was clearcutted about 10 years ago in Lavras county, MG, Brazil and today a natural successional stage community can be found. The dominant weed, in fitomass, coverage an hcight is the bracken-fern Pteridium aquilinum (L. Kuhn. The West Indian foxta il (Andropogon bicornis L. and the brazilian cogon grass (Imperata brasiliensis Trin. are the co-dominats weeds. Periodic burnings, soil acidity, high aluminium saturation and the phytotoxicity of the P. aquilinum itself are probably the factors which could explain the present community successional stage.

  1. Priority effects of early successional insects influence late successional fungi in dead wood.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jacobsen, Rannveig Margrete; Birkemoe, Tone; Sverdrup-Thygeson, Anne

    2015-11-01

    Community assembly is an integral process in all ecosystems, producing patterns of species distributions, biodiversity, and ecosystem functioning. Environmental filters and colonization history govern the assembly process, but their relative importance varies depending on the study system. Dead wood decomposition is a slow process, allowing decomposer communities to develop within a slowly changing substrate for decades. Despite this, there are few long-term studies of priority effects from colonization history in this ecosystem. In this study, we investigate the importance of insects in early succession of dead wood on the fungal community present one decade later. Sixty aspen trees were killed in two study landscapes, each tree producing one aspen high stump and log. Insects were sampled with flight interception traps during the first 4 years after tree death, and fungal fruiting bodies were registered in year twelve. We found positive priority effects of two fungivorous beetles, the sap beetle Glischrochilus quadripunctatus and the round fungus beetle Agathidium nigripenne, on the Artist's bracket (Ganoderma applanatum) and a positive priority effect of wood-boring beetles on the ascomycete Yellow fairy cup (Bisporella citrina). The Aspen bracket (Phellinus tremulae) did not respond to insects in early succession of the dead wood. Our results suggest that early successional insects can have significant, long-lasting effects on the late successional fungal community in dead wood. Also, the effect can be specific, with one fungus species depending on one or a few fungivorous beetle species. This has implications for decomposition and biodiversity in dead wood, as loss of early colonizing beetles may also affect the successional pathways they seem to initiate.

  2. Responses of reactive oxygen scavenging enzymes, proline and malondialdehyde to water deficits among six secondary successional seral species in Loess Plateau.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Feng Du

    Full Text Available Drought can impact local vegetation dynamics in a long term. In order to predict the possible successional pathway of local community under drought, the responses of some drought resistance indices of six successional seral species in the semi-arid Loss Hilly Region of China were illustrated and compared on three levels of soil water deficits along three growing months (7, 8 and 9. The results showed that: 1 the six species had significant differences in SOD, POD activities and MDA content. The rank correlations between SOD, POD activities and the successional niche positions of the six species were positive, and the correlation between MDA content and the niche positions was negative; 2 activities of SOD, CAT and POD, and content of proline and MDA had significant differences among the three months; 3 there existed significant interactions of SOD, CAT, POD activities and MDA content between months and species. With an exception, no interaction of proline was found. Proline in leaves had a general decline in reproductive month; 4 SOD, CAT, POD activities and proline content had negative correlations with MDA content. Among which, the correlation between SOD activity and MDA content was significant. The results implied that, in arid or semiarid region, the species at later successional stage tend to have strong drought resistance than those at early stage. Anti-drought indices can partially interpret the pathway of community succession in the drought impacted area. SOD activity is more distinct and important on the scope of protecting membrane damage through the scavenging of ROS on exposure to drought.

  3. Extinction Risk in Successional Landscapes Subject to Catastrophic Disturbances

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David Boughton

    2002-12-01

    Full Text Available We explore the thesis that stochasticity in successional-disturbance systems can be an agent of species extinction. The analysis uses a simple model of patch dynamics for seral stages in an idealized landscape; each seral stage is assumed to support a specialist biota. The landscape as a whole is characterized by a mean patch birth rate, mean patch size, and mean lifetime for each patch type. Stochasticity takes three forms: (1 patch stochasticity is randomness in the birth times and sizes of individual patches, (2 landscape stochasticity is variation in the annual means of birth rate and size, and (3 turnover mode is whether a patch is eliminated by disturbance or by successional change. Analytical and numerical analyses of the model suggest that landscape stochasticity is the most important agent. Landscape stochasticity increases the extinction risk to species by increasing the risk that the habitat will fluctuate to zero, by reducing the mean abundance of species, and by increasing the variance in species abundance. The highest risk was found to occur in species that inhabit patches with short lifetimes. The results of this general model suggest an important mechanism by which climate change threatens biodiversity: an increase in the frequency of extreme climate events will probably cause pulses of disturbance during some time periods; these in turn would cause wider fluctuations in annual disturbance rates and thus increase the overall level of landscape stochasticity. However, the model also suggests that humans can manipulate landscape stochasticity to reduce risk. In particular, if managed disturbances were more evenly distributed in time, attrition of the regional biota might be prevented. Other work on the connection between patch dynamics and extinction risk assumes the absence of landscape stochasticity and thus overlooks an important component of risk to biodiversity.

  4. Repeated burning of eastern tallgrass prairie increases richness and diversity, stabilizing late successional vegetation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bowles, Marlin L; Jones, Michael D

    2013-03-01

    Understanding temporal effects of fire frequency on plant species diversity and vegetation structure is critical for managing tallgrass prairie (TGP), which occupies a mid-continental longitudinal precipitation and productivity gradient. Eastern TGP has contributed little information toward understanding whether vegetation-fire interactions are uniform or change across this biome. We resampled 34 fire-managed mid- and late-successional ungrazed TGP remnants occurring across a dry to wet-mesic moisture gradient in the Chicago region of Illinois, USA. We compared hypotheses that burning acts either as a stabilizing force or causes change in diversity and structure, depending upon fire frequency and successional stage. Based on western TGP, we expected a unimodal species richness distribution across a cover-productivity gradient, variable functional group responses to fire frequency, and a negative relationship between fire frequency and species richness. Species diversity was unimodal across the cover gradient and was more strongly humpbacked in stands with greater fire frequency. In support of a stabilizing hypothesis, temporal similarity of late-successional vegetation had a logarithmic relationship with increasing fire frequency, while richness and evenness remained stable. Temporal similarity within mid-successional stands was not correlated with fire frequency, while richness increased and evenness decreased over time. Functional group responses to fire frequency were variable. Summer forb richness increased under high fire frequency, while C4 grasses, spring forbs, and nitrogen-fixing species decreased with fire exclusion. On mesic and wet-mesic sites, vegetation structure measured by the ratio of woody to graminoid species was negatively correlated with abundance of forbs and with fire frequency. Our findings that species richness responds unimodally to an environmental-productivity gradient, and that fire exclusion increases woody vegetation and leads to loss

  5. A comparison of seed banks across a sand dune successional gradient at Lake Michigan dunes (Indiana, USA)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leicht-Young, S. A.; Pavlovic, N.B.; Grundel, R.; Frohnapple, K.J.

    2009-01-01

    In habitats where disturbance is frequent, seed banks are important for the regeneration of vegetation. Sand dune systems are dynamic habitats in which sand movement provides intermittent disturbance. As succession proceeds from bare sand to forest, the disturbance decreases. At Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, we examined the seed banks of three habitat types across a successional gradient: foredunes, secondary dunes, and oak savanna. There were differences among the types of species that germinated from each of the habitats. The mean seed bank density increased across the successional gradient by habitat, from 376 to 433 to 968 seeds m-2, but with foredune and secondary dune seed bank densities being significantly lower than the savanna seed bank density. The number of seeds germinated was significantly correlated with soil organic carbon, demonstrating for this primary successional sequence that seed density increases with stage and age. The seed bank had much lower species richness than that of the aboveground vegetation across all habitats. Among sites within a habitat type, the similarity of species germinated from the seed banks was very low, illustrating the variability of the seed bank even in similar habitat types. These results suggest that restoration of these habitats cannot rely on seed banks alone. ?? 2008 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.

  6. Root colonization and spore abundance of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in distinct successional stages from an Atlantic rainforest biome in southern Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zangaro, Waldemar; Rostirola, Leila Vergal; de Souza, Priscila Bochi; de Almeida Alves, Ricardo; Lescano, Luiz Eduardo Azevedo Marques; Rondina, Artur Berbel Lírio; Nogueira, Marco Antonio; Carrenho, Rosilaine

    2013-04-01

    The influence of plant functional groups and moderate seasonality on arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal status (root colonization and spore density) was investigated during 13 consecutive months in a chronosequence of succession in southern Brazil, consisting of grassland field, scrub vegetation, secondary forest and mature forest, in a region of transition from tropical to subtropical zones. AM root colonization and spore density decreased with advancing succession and were highest in early successional sites with grassland and scrub vegetation, intermediary in the secondary forest and lowest in the mature forest. They were little influenced by soil properties, but were sufficiently influenced by the fine root nutrient status and fine root traits among different functional plant groups. AM root colonization and spore density were higher during the favourable plant growth season (spring and summer) than during the less favourable plant growth season (autumn and winter). Spore density displayed significant seasonal variation at all sites, whilst root colonization displayed significant seasonal variation in grassland, scrub and secondary forest, but not in mature forest. The data suggest that (1) different plant functional groups display different relationships with AM fungi, influencing their abundance differentially; (2) plant species from early successional phases are more susceptible to AM root colonization and maintain higher AM sporulation than late successional species; (3) fine root traits and nutrient status influence these AM fungal attributes; and (4) higher AM spore production and root colonization is associated with the season of higher light incidence and temperature, abundant water in soil and higher plant metabolic activity.

  7. Estudo fenológico em três fases sucessionais de uma floresta estacional decidual no município de Santa Tereza, RS, Brasil Phenology study in three successional stages of a seasonal deciduous forest in Santa Tereza, RS, Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cáren Andreis

    2005-02-01

    Full Text Available O presente estudo foi realizado em 40 parcelas de área fixa pertencentes a três estágios sucessionais, denominados: Capoeirão, Floresta Secundária e Floresta Madura, em uma Floresta Estacional Decidual no município de Santa Tereza, RS. Foram realizadas observações fenológicas quinzenais em 53 espécies arbóreas, numa média de 8,4 indivíduos por espécie, durante o período de 16 de novembro de 2001 a 10 de novembro de 2002. As fenofases observadas foram floração, frutificação e mudança foliar. Os resultados indicaram que a atividade reprodutiva manteve uma porcentagem relativamente baixa nos três estágios sucessionais durante o período observado, com tendências em ser menor durante a estação de inverno. A quantidade total de folhas na árvore, não se distinguindo estágio sucessional, diminuiu de aproximadamente 85% no período de maior atividade vegetativa para até 35% no inverno, período de repouso, sendo a Floresta Madura a subsere, que manteve os maiores porcentuais de folhas durante o período estudado.The present study was accomplished in forty permanent plots belonging to three forest successional stages, denominated: Brush Forest, Secondary Forest and Mature Forest, in a seasonal deciduous forest in the municipal district of Santa Tereza, RS, Brazil. Phenologic observations were accomplished fortnightly for 53 arboreal species, in an average of 8,4 individuals per species, during the period of November 2001 to November 2002. The stages observed were flowering, fruiting and foliage change. The results indicate that the reproductive activity remained relatively low for three successional stages during the observed period, with a tendency to be even lower during winter. The total amount of leaves on the trees, regardless of the successional stage, decreased from approximately 85%, in the period of higher vegetative activity, to 35% in the winter, resting season. The Mature Forest maintained the largest percentage

  8. Associations among arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and seedlings are predicted to change with tree successional status.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bachelot, Benedicte; Uriarte, María; Muscarella, Robert; Forero-Montaña, Jimena; Thompson, Jill; McGuire, Krista; Zimmerman, Jess; Swenson, Nathan G; Clark, James S

    2018-03-01

    Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi in the soil may influence tropical tree dynamics and forest succession. The mechanisms are poorly understood, because the functional characteristics and abundances of tree species and AM fungi are likely to be codependent. We used generalized joint attribute modeling to evaluate if AM fungi are associated with three forest community metrics for a sub-tropical montane forest in Puerto Rico. The metrics chosen to reflect changes during forest succession are the abundance of seedlings of different successional status, the amount of foliar damage on seedlings of different successional status, and community-weighted mean functional trait values (adult specific leaf area [SLA], adult wood density, and seed mass). We used high-throughput DNA sequencing to identify fungal operational taxonomic units (OTUs) in the soil. Model predictions showed that seedlings of mid- and late-successional species had less leaf damage when the 12 most common AM fungi were abundant compared to when these fungi were absent. We also found that seedlings of mid-successional species were predicted to be more abundant when the 12 most common AM fungi were abundant compared to when these fungi were absent. In contrast, early-successional tree seedlings were predicted to be less abundant when the 12 most common AM fungi were abundant compared to when these fungi were absent. Finally, we showed that, among the 12 most common AM fungi, different AM fungi were correlated with functional trait characteristics of early- or late-successional species. Together, these results suggest that early-successional species might not rely as much as mid- and late-successional species on AM fungi, and AM fungi might accelerate forest succession. © 2017 by the Ecological Society of America.

  9. Caracterização e dinâmica de duas fases sucessionais em floresta secundária da mata atlântica Characterization and dynamics of two successional stages of secondary atlantic forest

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ademir Roberto Ruschel

    2009-02-01

    Full Text Available Em Santa Catarina, foi observado aumento da cobertura florestal nas últimas décadas, o que vem construindo uma paisagem florestal retalhada por um grande mosaico de fragmentos de vários estádios sucessionais. Neste trabalho, buscou-se avaliar o dinamismo do processo sucessional de dois diferentes estádios sucessionais. Em área florestal de 40 ha localizada no Município de São Pedro de Alcântara, SC, abandonada pelo uso agropecuário em meados de 1970, foram estabelecidas aleatoriamente parcelas permanentes (50 x 50 m, duas em estádio florestal secundário médio (SM e quatro em estádio secundário avançado (SA. As avaliações anuais durante o período de 1994 a 2000 de todas as plantas arbóreas com DAP >5 cm revelaram que no SM os valores da densidade de plantas, residentes, recrutadas, mortas e ramificadas foram superiores em relação aos no SA. No entanto, a riqueza de espécies, área basal e distribuição diamétrica foram superiores no SA. Botanicamente, foram observadas com muita clareza as espécies e as famílias dominantes de cada estádio e igualmente o dinamismo sucessional desse grupo de espécies, aumento explosivo e posterior declínio e substituição, evidenciando-se perfeitamente a funcionalidade dos grupos ecológicos nessa tipologia florestal. Por fim, destacou-se que a densidade de plantas ramificadas é notadamente superior em estádios florestais secundários iniciais, embora as taxas de incremento corrente anual fossem similares. As avaliações florísticas mostraram, ainda, que as florestas no litoral catarinense se encontravam em dinâmica sucessional, em que espécies climáxicas vêm substituindo paulatinamente o grupo de espécies pioneiras, elevando a diversidade de espécies e a biomassa florestal.In Santa Catarina State, the forested area of the Atlantic Forest increased in the last decade, forming a landscape which is characterized by a mosaic of fragments of distinct successional stages. This

  10. Bryophyte-dominated biological soil crusts mitigate soil erosion in an early successional Chinese subtropical forest

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. Seitz

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available This study investigated the development of biological soil crusts (biocrusts in an early successional subtropical forest plantation and their impact on soil erosion. Within a biodiversity and ecosystem functioning experiment in southeast China (biodiversity and ecosystem functioning (BEF China, the effect of these biocrusts on sediment delivery and runoff was assessed within micro-scale runoff plots under natural rainfall, and biocrust cover was surveyed over a 5-year period. Results showed that biocrusts occurred widely in the experimental forest ecosystem and developed from initial light cyanobacteria- and algae-dominated crusts to later-stage bryophyte-dominated crusts within only 3 years. Biocrust cover was still increasing after 6 years of tree growth. Within later-stage crusts, 25 bryophyte species were determined. Surrounding vegetation cover and terrain attributes significantly influenced the development of biocrusts. Besides high crown cover and leaf area index, the development of biocrusts was favoured by low slope gradients, slope orientations towards the incident sunlight and the altitude of the research plots. Measurements showed that bryophyte-dominated biocrusts strongly decreased soil erosion, being more effective than abiotic soil surface cover. Hence, their significant role in mitigating sediment delivery and runoff generation in mesic forest environments and their ability to quickly colonise soil surfaces after disturbance are of particular interest for soil erosion control in early-stage forest plantations.

  11. Bryophyte-dominated biological soil crusts mitigate soil erosion in an early successional Chinese subtropical forest

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seitz, Steffen; Nebel, Martin; Goebes, Philipp; Käppeler, Kathrin; Schmidt, Karsten; Shi, Xuezheng; Song, Zhengshan; Webber, Carla L.; Weber, Bettina; Scholten, Thomas

    2017-12-01

    This study investigated the development of biological soil crusts (biocrusts) in an early successional subtropical forest plantation and their impact on soil erosion. Within a biodiversity and ecosystem functioning experiment in southeast China (biodiversity and ecosystem functioning (BEF) China), the effect of these biocrusts on sediment delivery and runoff was assessed within micro-scale runoff plots under natural rainfall, and biocrust cover was surveyed over a 5-year period. Results showed that biocrusts occurred widely in the experimental forest ecosystem and developed from initial light cyanobacteria- and algae-dominated crusts to later-stage bryophyte-dominated crusts within only 3 years. Biocrust cover was still increasing after 6 years of tree growth. Within later-stage crusts, 25 bryophyte species were determined. Surrounding vegetation cover and terrain attributes significantly influenced the development of biocrusts. Besides high crown cover and leaf area index, the development of biocrusts was favoured by low slope gradients, slope orientations towards the incident sunlight and the altitude of the research plots. Measurements showed that bryophyte-dominated biocrusts strongly decreased soil erosion, being more effective than abiotic soil surface cover. Hence, their significant role in mitigating sediment delivery and runoff generation in mesic forest environments and their ability to quickly colonise soil surfaces after disturbance are of particular interest for soil erosion control in early-stage forest plantations.

  12. Influence of gap-scale disturbance on developmental and successional pathways in Quercus-Pinus stands

    Science.gov (United States)

    T.A. Weber; J.L. Hart; C. Schweitzer; D.C. Dey

    2014-01-01

    Quercus-Pinus forests of the eastern USA cover millions of hectares and span a variety of ecoregions. Understanding the influence of natural disturbance on developmental and successional pathways is important for managers that wish to sustain Pinus spp. in these mixtures. Quantifying developmental and successional patterns in this...

  13. PCR-DGGE fingerprints of microbial successional changes during ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    PCR-DGGE fingerprints of microbial successional changes during fermentation of cereal-legume weaning foods. ... African Journal of Biotechnology ... Phenotypic identification and monitoring of the dynamics of naturally occurring microbial community responsible for the spontaneous fermentation of different cereal-legume ...

  14. Late-successional forests and northern spotted owls: how effective is the Northwest Forest Plan?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miles Hemstrom; Martin G. Raphael

    2000-01-01

    This paper describes the late-successional and old-growth forest and the northern spotted owl effectiveness monitoring plans for the Northwest Forest Plan. The effectiveness monitoring plan for late-successional and old-growth forests will track changes in forest spatial distribution, and within-stand structure and composition, and it will predict future trends.

  15. Exploiting water versus tolerating drought: water-use strategies of trees in a secondary successional tropical dry forest.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pineda-García, Fernando; Paz, Horacio; Meinzer, Frederick C; Angeles, Guillermo

    2016-02-01

    In seasonal plant communities where water availability changes dramatically both between and within seasons, understanding the mechanisms that enable plants to exploit water pulses and to survive drought periods is crucial. By measuring rates of physiological processes, we examined the trade-off between water exploitation and drought tolerance among seedlings of trees of a tropical dry forest, and identified biophysical traits most closely associated with plant water-use strategies. We also explored whether early and late secondary successional species occupy different portions of trade-off axes. As predicted, species that maintained carbon capture, hydraulic function and leaf area at higher plant water deficits during drought had low photosynthetic rates, xylem hydraulic conductivity and growth rate under non-limiting water supply. Drought tolerance was associated with more dense leaf, stem and root tissues, whereas rapid resource acquisition was associated with greater stem water storage, larger vessel diameter and larger leaf area per mass invested. We offer evidence that the water exploitation versus drought tolerance trade-off drives species differentiation in the ability of tropical dry forest trees to deal with alternating water-drought pulses. However, we detected no evidence of strong functional differentiation between early and late successional species along the proposed trade-off axes, suggesting that the environmental gradient of water availability across secondary successional habitats in the dry tropics does not filter out physiological strategies of water use among species, at least at the seedling stage. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  16. Nitrogen use strategies of seedlings from neotropical tree species of distinct successional groups.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oliveira, Halley Caixeta; da Silva, Ligia Maria Inocêncio; de Freitas, Letícia Dias; Debiasi, Tatiane Viegas; Marchiori, Nidia Mara; Aidar, Marcos Pereira Marinho; Bianchini, Edmilson; Pimenta, José Antonio; Stolf-Moreira, Renata

    2017-05-01

    Few studies have analyzed the strategies of neotropical tree seedlings for absorbing, translocating and assimilating the nitrogen. Here, we compared the nitrogen use strategies of seedlings from six tree species that are native to the Brazilian Atlantic Forest and that belong to different successional groups: Trema micrantha, Heliocarpus popayanensis and Cecropia pachystachya (pioneers), Cariniana estrellensis, Eugenia brasiliensis and Guarea kunthiana (non-pioneers). The effects of cultivating seedlings with nitrate or ammonium on the growth, physiology and nitrogen metabolism were analyzed. Nitrate-grown pioneer species had much higher leaf nitrate reductase activity than non-pioneer ones, but non-pioneer seedlings were also able to use nitrate as a nitrogen source. In addition to this remarkable difference between the groups in the capacity for leaf nitrate assimilation, substantial variations in the nitrogen use strategies were observed within the successional classes. Differently from the other non-pioneers, the canopy species C. estrellensis seemed to assimilate nitrate mainly in the leaves. Morphophysiological analyses showed a gradient of ammonium toxicity response, with E. brasiliensis as the most tolerant species, and T. micrantha and H. popayanensis as the most sensitive ones. Guarea kunthiana showed a relatively low tolerance to ammonium and an unusual high translocation of this cation in the xylem sap. In contrast to the other pioneers, C. pachystachya had a high plasticity in the use of nitrogen sources. Overall, these results suggest that nitrogen use strategies of neotropical tree seedlings were not determined solely by their successional position. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  17. Early successional forest habitats and water resources

    Science.gov (United States)

    James Vose; Chelcy Ford

    2011-01-01

    Tree harvests that create early successional habitats have direct and indirect impacts on water resources in forests of the Central Hardwood Region. Streamflow increases substantially immediately after timber harvest, but increases decline as leaf area recovers and biomass aggrades. Post-harvest increases in stormflow of 10–20%, generally do not contribute to...

  18. Phylogenetic constraints do not explain the rarity of nitrogen-fixing trees in late-successional temperate forests.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Menge, Duncan N L; DeNoyer, Jeanne L; Lichstein, Jeremy W

    2010-08-06

    Symbiotic nitrogen (N)-fixing trees are rare in late-successional temperate forests, even though these forests are often N limited. Two hypotheses could explain this paradox. The 'phylogenetic constraints hypothesis' states that no late-successional tree taxa in temperate forests belong to clades that are predisposed to N fixation. Conversely, the 'selective constraints hypothesis' states that such taxa are present, but N-fixing symbioses would lower their fitness. Here we test the phylogenetic constraints hypothesis. Using U.S. forest inventory data, we derived successional indices related to shade tolerance and stand age for N-fixing trees, non-fixing trees in the 'potentially N-fixing clade' (smallest angiosperm clade that includes all N fixers), and non-fixing trees outside this clade. We then used phylogenetically independent contrasts (PICs) to test for associations between these successional indices and N fixation. Four results stand out from our analysis of U.S. trees. First, N fixers are less shade-tolerant than non-fixers both inside and outside of the potentially N-fixing clade. Second, N fixers tend to occur in younger stands in a given geographical region than non-fixers both inside and outside of the potentially N-fixing clade. Third, the potentially N-fixing clade contains numerous late-successional non-fixers. Fourth, although the N fixation trait is evolutionarily conserved, the successional traits are relatively labile. These results suggest that selective constraints, not phylogenetic constraints, explain the rarity of late-successional N-fixing trees in temperate forests. Because N-fixing trees could overcome N limitation to net primary production if they were abundant, this study helps to understand the maintenance of N limitation in temperate forests, and therefore the capacity of this biome to sequester carbon.

  19. Effects of Habitat Structure, Plant Cover, and Successional Stage on the Bat Assemblage of a Tropical Dry Forest at Different Spatial Scales

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luiz A. D. Falcão

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Bats play a fundamental role in ecosystem functioning since they are responsible for several ecological services such as seed dispersal and pollination. Therefore, assessing the effects of habitat structure at different scales on the bat assemblage is extremely important for supporting conservation strategies. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effects of habitat structure at multiple spatial scales on the bat assemblages and their variation along a gradient of secondary succession in a Brazilian tropical dry forest. Our results suggest that bat abundance is higher in areas close to mature forests, which shows the important role of those habitats as refuges for the regional bat fauna (in a fragmented landscape and for the maintenance of ecosystem services provided by this group in tropical dry forests in a landscape context. In addition, bat abundance was lower in protected areas whose surroundings were better preserved (greater forest extension. This unexpected finding could result from an altered behavior in areas under a strong influence of a fruit crop matrix. Finally, we showed that the effects of the surroundings depend on the successional stage of the area under analysis. Late forests are more susceptible to variations in the forest cover in their surroundings, which show the higher fragility of these environments.

  20. Soil macroinvertebrates along a successional gradient in central Florida

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Frouz, Jan; Ali, A.

    2004-01-01

    Roč. 87, č. 3 (2004), s. 386-390 ISSN 0015-4040 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z6066911 Keywords : soil macroinvertebrates * successional gradient * central Florida Subject RIV: EH - Ecology, Behaviour Impact factor: 0.786, year: 2004

  1. Nestedness and successional trajectories of macroinvertebrate assemblages in man-made wetlands.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruhí, Albert; Boix, Dani; Gascón, Stéphanie; Sala, Jordi; Quintana, Xavier D

    2013-02-01

    Current successional models, primarily those based on floral succession, propose several distinct trajectories based on the integration of two key hypotheses from succession theory: convergence versus divergence in species composition among successional sites, and progression towards versus deviation from a desired reference state. We applied this framework to faunal succession, including differential colonization between active and passive dispersers, and the nested patterns generated as a consequence of this peculiarity. Nine man-made wetlands located in three different areas, from 0-3 years from wetland creation, were assessed. In addition, 91 wetlands distributed throughout the region were used as references for natural macroinvertebrate communities. We predicted the following: (1) highly nested structures in pioneering assemblages will decrease to lower mid-term values due to a shift from active pioneering taxa to passive disperser ones; (2) passive idiosyncratic taxa will elicit divergent successional trajectories among areas; (3) the divergent trajectories will provoke lower local and higher regional diversity values in the mid-term assemblages than in pioneer assemblages. Our results were largely congruent with hypotheses (1) and (2), diverging from the anticipated patterns only in the case of the temporary wetlands area. However, overall diversity trends based on hypothesis (3) did not follow the expected pattern. The divergent successional trajectories did not compensate for regional biodiversity losses that occurred as a consequence of pioneering colonizer decline over time. Consequently, we suggest reconsidering wetland construction for mitigation purposes within mid-term time frames (≤ 3 years). Wetlands may not offset, within this temporal scenario, regional biodiversity loss because the ecosystem may not support idiosyncratic taxa from natural wetlands.

  2. Changes in early-successional hardwood forest area in four bird conservation regions across four decades

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sonja N. Oswalt; Kathleen E. Franzreb; David A. Buehler

    2012-01-01

    Early successional hardwood forests constitute important breeding habitat for many migratory songbirds. Declines in populations of these species suggest changes in habitat availability either on the species’ wintering grounds or on their early successional breeding grounds. We used Forest Inventory and Analysis data from 11 states across four decades to examine changes...

  3. Trait-mediated assembly processes predict successional changes in community diversity of tropical forests.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lasky, Jesse R; Uriarte, María; Boukili, Vanessa K; Chazdon, Robin L

    2014-04-15

    Interspecific differences in relative fitness can cause local dominance by a single species. However, stabilizing interspecific niche differences can promote local diversity. Understanding these mechanisms requires that we simultaneously quantify their effects on demography and link these effects to community dynamics. Successional forests are ideal systems for testing assembly theory because they exhibit rapid community assembly. Here, we leverage functional trait and long-term demographic data to build spatially explicit models of successional community dynamics of lowland rainforests in Costa Rica. First, we ask what the effects and relative importance of four trait-mediated community assembly processes are on tree survival, a major component of fitness. We model trait correlations with relative fitness differences that are both density-independent and -dependent in addition to trait correlations with stabilizing niche differences. Second, we ask how the relative importance of these trait-mediated processes relates to successional changes in functional diversity. Tree dynamics were more strongly influenced by trait-related interspecific variation in average survival than trait-related responses to neighbors, with wood specific gravity (WSG) positively correlated with greater survival. Our findings also suggest that competition was mediated by stabilizing niche differences associated with specific leaf area (SLA) and leaf dry matter content (LDMC). These drivers of individual-level survival were reflected in successional shifts to higher SLA and LDMC diversity but lower WSG diversity. Our study makes significant advances to identifying the links between individual tree performance, species functional traits, and mechanisms of tropical forest succession.

  4. Facilitative and Inhibitory Effect of Litter on Seedling Emergence and Early Growth of Six Herbaceous Species in an Early Successional Old Field Ecosystem

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qiang Li

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available In the current study, a field experiment was conducted to examine effects of litter on seedling emergence and early growth of four dominant weed species from the early successional stages of old field ecosystem and two perennial grassland species in late successional stages. Our results showed that increased litter cover decreased soil temperature and temperature variability over time and improved soil moisture status. Surface soil electrical conductivity increased as litter increased. The increased litter delayed seedling emergence time and rate. The emergence percentage of seedlings and establishment success rate firstly increased then decreased as litter cover increased. When litter biomass was below 600 g m−2, litter increased seedlings emergence and establishment success in all species. With litter increasing, the basal diameter of seedling decreased, but seedling height increased. Increasing amounts of litter tended to increase seedling dry weight and stem leaf ratio. Different species responded differently to the increase of litter. Puccinellia tenuiflora and Chloris virgata will acquire more emergence benefits under high litter amount. It is predicted that Chloris virgata will dominate further in this natural succession old field ecosystem with litter accumulation. Artificial P. tenuiflora seeds addition may be required to accelerate old field succession toward matured grassland.

  5. Facilitative and inhibitory effect of litter on seedling emergence and early growth of six herbaceous species in an early successional old field ecosystem.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Qiang; Yu, Pujia; Chen, Xiaoying; Li, Guangdi; Zhou, Daowei; Zheng, Wei

    2014-01-01

    In the current study, a field experiment was conducted to examine effects of litter on seedling emergence and early growth of four dominant weed species from the early successional stages of old field ecosystem and two perennial grassland species in late successional stages. Our results showed that increased litter cover decreased soil temperature and temperature variability over time and improved soil moisture status. Surface soil electrical conductivity increased as litter increased. The increased litter delayed seedling emergence time and rate. The emergence percentage of seedlings and establishment success rate firstly increased then decreased as litter cover increased. When litter biomass was below 600 g m(-2), litter increased seedlings emergence and establishment success in all species. With litter increasing, the basal diameter of seedling decreased, but seedling height increased. Increasing amounts of litter tended to increase seedling dry weight and stem leaf ratio. Different species responded differently to the increase of litter. Puccinellia tenuiflora and Chloris virgata will acquire more emergence benefits under high litter amount. It is predicted that Chloris virgata will dominate further in this natural succession old field ecosystem with litter accumulation. Artificial P. tenuiflora seeds addition may be required to accelerate old field succession toward matured grassland.

  6. Ecological and financial assessment of late-successional reserve management.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Susan Stevens Hummel; R. James Barbour; Paul F. Hessburg; John F. Lehmkuhl

    2001-01-01

    This paper documents methods for assessing the potential effects of variable-intensity management in late-successional reserves (LSRs) and provides an example (the Gotchen LSR) from the Cascade Range in eastern Washington. The Gotchen LSR study investigates changes in forest vegetation associated with silvicultural treatments, and how different treatment combinations...

  7. Family richness and biomass of understory invertebrates in early and late successional habitats of northern New Hampshire

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matthew K. Wilson; Winsor H. Lowe; Keith Nislow

    2014-01-01

    In the northeastern United States, many vertebrate species rely on early successional forest habitats (ESHs). ESHs may also support higher invertebrate diversity and abundance than late successional habitats (LSHs). We assessed the differences in family-level richness and biomass of understory terrestrial invertebrates during the summer season in paired ESH (3-7 years...

  8. Species-driven phases and increasing structure in early-successional plant communities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zaplata, Markus K; Winter, Susanne; Fischer, Anton; Kollmann, Johannes; Ulrich, Werner

    2013-01-01

    Successional phases describe changes in ecological communities that proceed in steps rather than continuously. Despite their importance for the understanding of ecosystem development, there still exists no reliable definition of phases and no quantitative measure of phase transitions. In order to obtain these data, we investigated primary succession in an artificial catchment (6 ha) in eastern Germany over a period of 6 years. The data set consists of records of plant species and their cover values, and initial substrate properties, both from plots in a regular grid (20 m × 20 m) suitable for spatial data analysis. Community assembly was studied by analyses of species co-occurrence and nestedness. Additionally, we correlated lognormal and log series distributions of species abundance to each community. We here introduce a new general method for detection of successional phases based on the degree of transient spatial homogeneity in the study system. Spatially coherent vegetation patterns revealed nonoverlapping partitions within this sequence of primary succession and were characterized as two distinct ecological phases. Patterns of species co-occurrence were increasingly less random, and hence the importance of demographic stochasticity and neutral community assembly decreased during the study period. Our findings highlight the spatial dimension of successional phases and quantify the degree of change between these steps. They are an element for advancing a more reliable terminology of ecological successions.

  9. Sustaining Young Forest Communities: Ecology and Management of Early Successional Habitats in the Central Hardwood Region, USA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cathryn H. Greenberg; Beverly S. Collins; Frank R. Thompson III

    2011-01-01

    There is a rising concern among natural resource scientists and managers about decline of the many plant and animal species associated with early ­successional habitats. There is no concise definition of early successional habitats. However, all have a well developed ground cover or shrub and young tree component, lack a closed, mature tree canopy, and are created or...

  10. Developing desired future conditions with the landscape management system: A case study of the Gotchen Late Successional Reserve

    Science.gov (United States)

    R. Mendez-Treneman; S. Hummel; G. Porterie; C. D. Oliver

    2001-01-01

    Changing public values have led to federal land management direction like the Northwest Forest Plan with major land allocations for late successional forest habitat. Restoration silviculture is a tool for maintaining optimum habitat despite risk of catastrophic disturbance due to the combined impact of fire, insects and disease. The Gotchen Late Successional Reserve (...

  11. Introduction: what are early successional habitats, why are they important, and how can they be sustained? Chapter 1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cathryn H. Greenberg; Beverly S. Collins; Frank R., III Thompson; William H. McNab

    2011-01-01

    There is a rising concern among natural resource scientists and managers about decline of the many plant and animal species associated with early successional habitats. There is no concise definition of early successional habitats. However, all have a well developed ground cover or shrub and young tree component, lack a closed, mature tree canopy, and are created or...

  12. Hydrological cycle and water use efficiency of veld in different ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Hydraulic non-floating lysimeters were used to determine the evapotranspiration (Et) and water use efficiency (W.U.E.) of veld in different successional stages for the period September 1978 to June 1979. In addition runoff of the various successional stages was recorded on runoff plots.Averages of 1,018 litres, 1,258 litres ...

  13. Ecophysiological characterization of early successional biological soil crusts in heavily human-impacted areas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Szyja, Michelle; Büdel, Burkhard; Colesie, Claudia

    2018-04-01

    Ecophysiological characterizations of photoautotrophic communities are not only necessary to identify the response of carbon fixation related to different climatic factors, but also to evaluate risks connected to changing environments. In biological soil crusts (BSCs), the description of ecophysiological features is difficult, due to the high variability in taxonomic composition and variable methodologies applied. Especially for BSCs in early successional stages, the available datasets are rare or focused on individual constituents, although these crusts may represent the only photoautotrophic component in many heavily disturbed ruderal areas, such as parking lots or building areas with increasing surface area worldwide. We analyzed the response of photosynthesis and respiration to changing BSC water contents (WCs), temperature and light in two early successional BSCs. We investigated whether the response of these parameters was different between intact BSC and the isolated dominating components. BSCs dominated by the cyanobacterium Nostoc commune and dominated by the green alga Zygogonium ericetorum were examined. A major divergence between the two BSCs was their absolute carbon fixation rate on a chlorophyll basis, which was significantly higher for the cyanobacterial crust. Nevertheless, independent of species composition, both crust types and their isolated organisms had convergent features such as high light acclimatization and a minor and very late-occurring depression in carbon uptake at water suprasaturation. This particular setup of ecophysiological features may enable these communities to cope with a high variety of climatic stresses and may therefore be a reason for their success in heavily disturbed areas with ongoing human impact. However, the shape of the response was different for intact BSC compared to separated organisms, especially in absolute net photosynthesis (NP) rates. This emphasizes the importance of measuring intact BSCs under natural

  14. Soil amino acid composition across a boreal forest successional sequence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nancy R. Werdin-Pfisterer; Knut Kielland; Richard D. Boone

    2009-01-01

    Soil amino acids are important sources of organic nitrogen for plant nutrition, yet few studies have examined which amino acids are most prevalent in the soil. In this study, we examined the composition, concentration, and seasonal patterns of soil amino acids across a primary successional sequence encompassing a natural gradient of plant productivity and soil...

  15. Comparisons between field- and LiDAR-based measures of stand structrual complexity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van R. Kane; Robert J. McGaughey; Jonathan D. Bakker; Rolf F. Gersonde; James A. Lutz; Jerry F. Franklin

    2010-01-01

    Forest structure, as measured by the physical arrangement of trees and their crowns, is a fundamental attribute of forest ecosystems that changes as forests progress through successional stages. We examined whether LiDAR data could be used to directly assess the successional stage of forests by determining the degree to which the LiDAR data would show the same relative...

  16. Receding Water Line and Interspecific Competition Determines Plant Community Composition and Diversity in Wetlands in Beijing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Zhengjun; Gong, Huili; Zhang, Jing

    2015-01-01

    Climate and human-induced wetland degradation has accelerated in recent years, not only resulting in reduced ecosystem services but also greatly affecting the composition and diversity of wetland plant communities. To date, the knowledge of the differences in community parameters and their successional trends in degraded wetlands remains scarce. Here based on remote sensing images, geographic information system technology, and statistical methods, we produced a successional gradient map of the Yeyahu Wetland Nature Reserve in Beijing, which has experienced a steady decline in water level in recent decades. In addition, we analyzed community composition and diversity along with each identified gradient. The results showed that community diversity decreases while dominance increases with the progress of succession, with the highest diversity occurring during the early stage of succession. Moreover, the community demonstrates greater similarity among subareas during later successional stages, and the similarity coefficients calculated from the important value (IV) of each species are more accurate. Correlation analysis showed that the impact of soil factors on diversity was not significant at a subarea scale, although these nutrients showed an increasing trend with the community succession. Furthermore, the IVs of the dominant species had a particularly significant impact on diversity, showing a significantly negative correlation with diversity indices and a significantly positive correlation with dominance indices. Further analysis showed that the retreat of water level resulted from sustained drought and local human activities was a major extrinsic driving force resulting in observed differences in the community successional stages, which resulted in differences in community composition and diversity. On the other hand, interspecific competition was the main intrinsic mechanism, which significantly influenced the IVs of the dominant species and community diversity

  17. Effects of vegetation, corridor width and regional land use on early successional birds on powerline corridors.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Robert A Askins

    Full Text Available Powerline rights-of-way (ROWs often provide habitat for early successional bird species that have suffered long-term population declines in eastern North America. To determine how the abundance of shrubland birds varies with habitat within ROW corridors and with land use patterns surrounding corridors, we ran Poisson regression models on data from 93 plots on ROWs and compared regression coefficients. We also determined nest success rates on a 1-km stretch of ROW. Seven species of shrubland birds were common in powerline corridors. However, the nest success rates for prairie warbler (Dendroica discolor and field sparrow (Spizella pusilla were <21%, which is too low to compensate for estimated annual mortality. Some shrubland bird species were more abundant on narrower ROWs or at sites with lower vegetation or particular types of vegetation, indicating that vegetation management could be refined to favor species of high conservation priority. Also, several species were more abundant in ROWs traversing unfragmented forest than those near residential areas or farmland, indicating that corridors in heavily forested regions may provide better habitat for these species. In the area where we monitored nests, brood parasitism by brown-headed cowbirds (Molothrus ater occurred more frequently close to a residential area. Although ROWs support dense populations of shrubland birds, those in more heavily developed landscapes may constitute sink habitat. ROWs in extensive forests may contribute more to sustaining populations of early successional birds, and thus may be the best targets for habitat management.

  18. Evidence of Facilitation Cascade Processes as Drivers of Successional Patterns of Ecosystem Engineers at the Upper Altitudinal Limit of the Dry Puna.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Malatesta, Luca; Tardella, Federico Maria; Piermarteri, Karina; Catorci, Andrea

    2016-01-01

    Facilitation processes constitute basic elements of vegetation dynamics in harsh systems. Recent studies in tropical alpine environments demonstrated how pioneer plant species defined as "ecosystem engineers" are capable of enhancing landscape-level richness by adding new species to the community through the modification of microhabitats, and also provided hints about the alternation of different ecosystem engineers over time. Nevertheless, most of the existing works analysed different ecosystem engineers separately, without considering the interaction of different ecosystem engineers. Focusing on the altitudinal limit of Peruvian Dry Puna vegetation, we hypothesized that positive interactions structure plant communities by facilitation cascades involving different ecosystem engineers, determining the evolution of the microhabitat patches in terms of abiotic resources and beneficiary species hosted. To analyze successional mechanisms, we used a "space-for-time" substitution to account for changes over time, and analyzed data on soil texture, composition, and temperature, facilitated species and their interaction with nurse species, and surface area of engineered patches by means of chemical analyses, indicator species analysis, and rarefaction curves. A successional process, resulting from the dynamic interaction of different ecosystem engineers, which determined a progressive amelioration of soil conditions (e.g. nitrogen and organic matter content, and temperature), was the main driver of species assemblage at the community scale, enhancing species richness. Cushion plants act as pioneers, by starting the successional processes that continue with shrubs and tussocks. Tussock grasses have sometimes been found to be capable of creating microhabitat patches independently. The dynamics of species assemblage seem to follow the nested assemblage mechanism, in which the first foundation species to colonize a habitat provides a novel substrate for colonization by other

  19. Demography of Symbiotic Nitrogen-Fixing Trees Explains Their Rarity and Successional Decline in Temperate Forests in the United States.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liao, Wenying; Menge, Duncan N L

    2016-01-01

    Symbiotic nitrogen (N) fixation is the major N input to many ecosystems. Although temperate forests are commonly N limited, symbiotic N-fixing trees ("N fixers") are rare and decline in abundance as succession proceeds-a challenging paradox that remains unexplained. Understanding demographic processes that underlie N fixers' rarity and successional decline would provide a proximate answer to the paradox. Do N fixers grow slower, die more frequently, or recruit less in temperate forests? We quantified demographic rates of N-fixing and non-fixing trees across succession using U.S. forest inventory data. We used an individual-based model to evaluate the relative contribution of each demographic process to community dynamics. Compared to non-fixers, N fixers had lower growth rates, higher mortality rates, and lower recruitment rates throughout succession. The mortality effect contributed more than the growth effect to N fixers' successional decline. Canopy and understory N fixers experienced these demographic disadvantages, indicating that factors in addition to light limitation likely contribute to N fixers' successional decline. We show that the rarity and successional decline of N-fixing trees in temperate forests is due more to their survival disadvantage than their growth disadvantage, and a recruitment disadvantage might also play a large role.

  20. Evidence of Facilitation Cascade Processes as Drivers of Successional Patterns of Ecosystem Engineers at the Upper Altitudinal Limit of the Dry Puna.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luca Malatesta

    Full Text Available Facilitation processes constitute basic elements of vegetation dynamics in harsh systems. Recent studies in tropical alpine environments demonstrated how pioneer plant species defined as "ecosystem engineers" are capable of enhancing landscape-level richness by adding new species to the community through the modification of microhabitats, and also provided hints about the alternation of different ecosystem engineers over time. Nevertheless, most of the existing works analysed different ecosystem engineers separately, without considering the interaction of different ecosystem engineers. Focusing on the altitudinal limit of Peruvian Dry Puna vegetation, we hypothesized that positive interactions structure plant communities by facilitation cascades involving different ecosystem engineers, determining the evolution of the microhabitat patches in terms of abiotic resources and beneficiary species hosted. To analyze successional mechanisms, we used a "space-for-time" substitution to account for changes over time, and analyzed data on soil texture, composition, and temperature, facilitated species and their interaction with nurse species, and surface area of engineered patches by means of chemical analyses, indicator species analysis, and rarefaction curves. A successional process, resulting from the dynamic interaction of different ecosystem engineers, which determined a progressive amelioration of soil conditions (e.g. nitrogen and organic matter content, and temperature, was the main driver of species assemblage at the community scale, enhancing species richness. Cushion plants act as pioneers, by starting the successional processes that continue with shrubs and tussocks. Tussock grasses have sometimes been found to be capable of creating microhabitat patches independently. The dynamics of species assemblage seem to follow the nested assemblage mechanism, in which the first foundation species to colonize a habitat provides a novel substrate for

  1. Effects of structural factors on upwelling fouling community, Southeast Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bruno Pereira Masi

    Full Text Available Abstract To assess the successional pattern of fouling organisms three hypotheses were tested: 1 a thermocline is caused by seasonal upwelling events, and therefore, depth influences the successional trajectory of the fouling community; 2 a reduction in the intensity of natural light of the substrate influences the fouling composition and the successional trajectory; 3 fish predation influences the community composition and its successional trajectory. During one year, up-facing and down-facing PVC panels on open, partially caged or fully caged, and placed at depths of 1.5 and 3.5 meters were monthly sampled by digital photograph to determine the community composition and by contact point to estimate the percent coverage of organisms. The upwelling impact provided different water masses, and light intensity was also a determining factor of the overall successional trajectory of the fouling community. After the installation of full and partial cages, differences were identified in the respective successional trajectories. The results of this study suggest that each physical factor or biological process can change the successional trajectory of the community, and the successional model (e.g., convergent, divergent, parallel, or cyclic depends on the magnitudes of the determinants that act on the community at each stage of its trajectory.

  2. Climatic sensitivity of dryland soil CO2 fluxes differs dramatically with biological soil crust successional state

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tucker, Colin; Ferrenberg, Scott; Reed, Sasha C.

    2018-01-01

    Arid and semiarid ecosystems make up approximately 41% of Earth’s terrestrial surface and are suggested to regulate the trend and interannual variability of the global terrestrial carbon (C) sink. Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) are common dryland soil surface communities of bryophytes, lichens, and/or cyanobacteria that bind the soil surface together and that may play an important role in regulating the climatic sensitivity of the dryland C cycle. Major uncertainties exist in our understanding of the interacting effects of changing temperature and moisture on CO2 uptake (photosynthesis) and loss (respiration) from biocrust and sub-crust soil, particularly as related to biocrust successional state. Here, we used a mesocosm approach to assess how biocrust successional states related to climate treatments. We subjected bare soil (Bare), early successional lightly pigmented cyanobacterial biocrust (Early), and late successional darkly pigmented moss-lichen biocrust (Late) to either ambient or + 5°C above ambient soil temperature for 84 days. Under ambient temperatures, Late biocrust mesocosms showed frequent net uptake of CO2, whereas Bare soil, Early biocrust, and warmed Late biocrust mesocosms mostly lost CO2 to the atmosphere. The inhibiting effect of warming on CO2 exchange was a result of accelerated drying of biocrust and soil. We used these data to parameterize, via Bayesian methods, a model of ecosystem CO2 fluxes, and evaluated the model with data from an autochamber CO2 system at our field site on the Colorado Plateau in SE Utah. In the context of the field experiment, the data underscore the negative effect of warming on fluxes both biocrust CO2 uptake and loss—which, because biocrusts are a dominant land cover type in this ecosystem, may extend to ecosystem-scale C cycling.

  3. Spatial characteristics of early successional habitat across the Upper Great Lakes states

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brian G. Tavernia; Mark D. Nelson; James D. Garner; Charles H. (Hobie) Perry

    2016-01-01

    Creation and management of early successional forest (ESF) is needed to halt and reverse declines of bird species dependent on pioneering plant species or young forests. ESF-dependent bird species require specific structural forest classes and are sensitive to forest age (a surrogate for forest structure), patch size, proximity to patch edges, and the juxtaposition of...

  4. Successional changes in trophic interactions support a mechanistic model of post-fire population dynamics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Annabel L

    2018-01-01

    Models based on functional traits have limited power in predicting how animal populations respond to disturbance because they do not capture the range of demographic and biological factors that drive population dynamics, including variation in trophic interactions. I tested the hypothesis that successional changes in vegetation structure, which affected invertebrate abundance, would influence growth rates and body condition in the early-successional, insectivorous gecko Nephrurus stellatus. I captured geckos at 17 woodland sites spanning a succession gradient from 2 to 48 years post-fire. Body condition and growth rates were analysed as a function of the best-fitting fire-related predictor (invertebrate abundance or time since fire) with different combinations of the co-variates age, sex and location. Body condition in the whole population was positively affected by increasing invertebrate abundance and, in the adult population, this effect was most pronounced for females. There was strong support for a decline in growth rates in weight with time since fire. The results suggest that increased early-successional invertebrate abundance has filtered through to a higher trophic level with physiological benefits for insectivorous geckos. I integrated the new findings about trophic interactions into a general conceptual model of mechanisms underlying post-fire population dynamics based on a long-term research programme. The model highlights how greater food availability during early succession could drive rapid population growth by contributing to previously reported enhanced reproduction and dispersal. This study provides a framework to understand links between ecological and physiological traits underlying post-fire population dynamics.

  5. Determining aboveground biomass of the forest successional chronosequence in a test-site of Brazilian Amazon through X- and L-band data analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santos, João. R.; Silva, Camila V. d. J.; Galvão, Lênio S.; Treuhaft, Robert; Mura, José C.; Madsen, Soren; Gonçalves, Fábio G.; Keller, Michael M.

    2014-08-01

    Secondary succession is an important process in the Amazonian region with implications for the global carbon cycle and for the sustainable regional agricultural and pasture activities. In order to better discriminate the secondary succession and to characterize and estimate the aboveground biomass (AGB), backscatter and interferometric SAR data generally have been analyzed through empirical-based statistical modeling. The objective of this study is to verify the capability of the full polarimetric PALSAR/ALOS (L-band) attributes, when combined with the interferometric (InSAR) coherence from the TanDEM-X (X-band), to improve the AGB estimates of the succession chronosequence located in the Brazilian Tapajós region. In order to perform this study, we carried out multivariate regression using radar attributes and biophysical parameters acquired during a field inventory. A previous floristic-structural analysis was performed to establish the chronosequence in three stages: initial vegetation regrowth, intermediate, and advanced regrowth. The relationship between PALSAR data and AGB was significant (p<0.001) and results suggested that the "volumetric scattering" (Pv) and "anisotropy" (A) attributes were important to explain the biomass content of the successional chronosequence (R2adjusted = 0.67; RMSE = 32.29 Mg.ha-1). By adding the TanDEM-derived interferometric coherence (Υi) into the regression modeling, better results were obtained (R2adjusted = 0.75; RMSE = 28.78Mg.ha-1). When we used both the L- and X-band attributes, the stock density prediction improved to 10.8 % for the secondary succession stands.

  6. Beyond ectomycorrhizal bipartite networks: projected networks demonstrate contrasted patterns between early- and late-successional plants in Corsica.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adrien eTaudiere

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available The ectomycorrhizal (ECM symbiosis connects mutualistic plants and fungal species into bipartite networks. While links between one focal ECM plant and its fungal symbionts have been widely documented, systemic views of ECM networks are lacking, in particular, concerning the ability of fungal species to mediate indirect ecological interactions between ECM plant species (projected-ECM networks. We assembled a large dataset of plant-fungi associations at the species level and at the scale of Corsica using molecular data and unambiguously host-assigned records to: (i examine the correlation between the number of fungal symbionts of a plant species and the average specialization of these fungal species, (ii explore the structure of the plant-plant projected network and (iii compare plant association patterns in regard to their position along the ecological succession. Our analysis reveals no trade-off between specialization of plants and specialization of their partners and a saturation of the plant projected network. Moreover, there is a significantly lower-than-expected sharing of partners between early- and late-successional plant species, with fewer fungal partners for early-successional ones and similar average specialization of symbionts of early- and late-successional plants. Our work paves the way for ecological readings of Mediterranean landscapes that include the astonishing diversity of below-ground interactions.

  7. Successional position of dry Andean dwarf forest species as a basis for restoration trials

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Groenendijk, J.P.; Duivenvoorden, J.F.; Cleef, A.M.; Rietman, N.

    2005-01-01

    The successional affinity of nine woody species was inferred from the structure, diversity and disturbance history of the vegetation where these occurred. This was done in order to obtain a basis for a restoration experiment, currently in execution, in the dry Andean dwarf forest zone on the edge of

  8. The effect of local and landscape-level characteristics on the abundance of forest birds in early-successional habitats during the post-fledging season in western Massachusetts.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michelle A Labbe

    Full Text Available Many species of mature forest-nesting birds ("forest birds" undergo a pronounced shift in habitat use during the post-fledging period and move from their forest nesting sites into areas of early-successional vegetation. Mortality is high during this period, thus understanding the resource requirements of post-fledging birds has implications for conservation. Efforts to identify predictors of abundance of forest birds in patches of early-successional habitats have so far been equivocal, yet these previous studies have primarily focused on contiguously forested landscapes and the potential for landscape-scale influences in more fragmented and modified landscapes is largely unknown. Landscape composition can have a strong influence on the abundance and productivity of forest birds during the nesting period, and could therefore affect the number of forest birds in the landscape available to colonize early-successional habitats during the post-fledging period. Therefore, the inclusion of landscape characteristics should increase the explanatory power of models of forest bird abundance in early-successional habitat patches during the post-fledging period. We examined forest bird abundance and body condition in relation to landscape and habitat characteristics of 15 early-successional sites during the post-fledging season in Massachusetts. The abundance of forest birds was influenced by within-patch habitat characteristics, however the explanatory power of these models was significantly increased by the inclusion of landscape fragmentation and the abundance of forest birds in adjacent forest during the nesting period for some species and age groups. Our findings show that including factors beyond the patch scale can explain additional variation in the abundance of forest birds in early-successional habitats during the post-fledging period. We conclude that landscape composition should be considered when siting early-successional habitat to maximize its

  9. The Effect of Local and Landscape-Level Characteristics on the Abundance of Forest Birds in Early-Successional Habitats during the Post-Fledging Season in Western Massachusetts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Labbe, Michelle A.; King, David I.

    2014-01-01

    Many species of mature forest-nesting birds (“forest birds”) undergo a pronounced shift in habitat use during the post-fledging period and move from their forest nesting sites into areas of early-successional vegetation. Mortality is high during this period, thus understanding the resource requirements of post-fledging birds has implications for conservation. Efforts to identify predictors of abundance of forest birds in patches of early-successional habitats have so far been equivocal, yet these previous studies have primarily focused on contiguously forested landscapes and the potential for landscape-scale influences in more fragmented and modified landscapes is largely unknown. Landscape composition can have a strong influence on the abundance and productivity of forest birds during the nesting period, and could therefore affect the number of forest birds in the landscape available to colonize early-successional habitats during the post-fledging period. Therefore, the inclusion of landscape characteristics should increase the explanatory power of models of forest bird abundance in early-successional habitat patches during the post-fledging period. We examined forest bird abundance and body condition in relation to landscape and habitat characteristics of 15 early-successional sites during the post-fledging season in Massachusetts. The abundance of forest birds was influenced by within-patch habitat characteristics, however the explanatory power of these models was significantly increased by the inclusion of landscape fragmentation and the abundance of forest birds in adjacent forest during the nesting period for some species and age groups. Our findings show that including factors beyond the patch scale can explain additional variation in the abundance of forest birds in early-successional habitats during the post-fledging period. We conclude that landscape composition should be considered when siting early-successional habitat to maximize its benefit to

  10. Relating LANDSAT ETM+ and forest inventory data for mapping successional stages in a tropical wet forest / Relacionando LANDSAT ETM+ e dados de inventário florestal para mapeamento estádios sucessionais em uma floresta tropical úmida

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fábio G. Gonçalves

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available AbstractIn this study, we test whether an existing classification technique based on the integration of LANDSAT ETM+ and forest inventory data enables detailed characterization of successional stages in a tropical wet forest site. The specific objectives were: (1 to map forest age classes across the La Selva Biological Station in Costa Rica; and (2 to quantify uncertainties in the proposed approach in relation to field data and existing vegetation maps. Although significant relationships between vegetation hight entropy (a surrogate for forest age and ETM+ data were detected, the classification scheme tested in this study was not suitable for characterizing spatial variation in age at La Selva, as evidenced by the error matrix and the low Kappa coefficient (0.129. Factors affecting the performance of the classification at this particular study site include the smooth transition in vegetation structure between intermediate and late successional stages, and the low sensitivity of NDVI to variations in vertical structure at high biomass levels. ResumoNesse estudo, testamos se uma técnica de classificação existente, baseada na integração de imagens LANDSAT ETM+ e os dados de inventário florestal, permite a caracterização detalhada dos estádios sucessionais em uma área de floresta tropical úmida. Os objetivos específicos foram: (1 mapear classes de idade florestal na Estação Biológica La Selva, na Costa Rica, e (2 quantificar as incertezas da abordagem proposta em relação aos dados de campo e mapas de vegetação existente. Apesar de terem sido detectadas relações significativas entre dados ETM+ e medidas de entropia da altura da vegetação (um substituto para a idade florestal o sistema de classificação testados nesse estudo não se demonstrou adequado para caracterizar a variação espacial em idade em La Selva, como evidenciado pela matriz de erro e o baixo coeficiente Kappa (0,129. Fatores que afetam o desempenho da

  11. Measuring and Modeling the Effects of Alternate Post-Fire Successional Trajectories on Boreal Forest Carbon Dynamics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Loranty, M. M.; Goetz, S. J.; Mack, M. C.; Alexander, H. D.; Beck, P. S.

    2011-12-01

    High latitude ecosystems are experiencing amplified climate warming, and recent evidence suggests concurrent intensification of fire disturbance regimes. In central Alaskan boreal forests, severe burns consume more of the soil organic layer, resulting in increased establishment of deciduous seedlings and altered post-fire stand composition with increased deciduous dominance. Quantifying differences in ecosystem carbon (C) dynamics between forest successional trajectories in response to burn severity is essential for understanding potential changes in regional or global feedbacks between boreal forests and climate. We used the Biome BioGeochemical Cycling model (Biome-BGC) to quantify differences in C stocks and fluxes associated with alternate post-fire successional trajectories related to fire severity. A version of Biome-BGC that allows alternate competing vegetation types was calibrated against a series of aboveground biomass observations from chronosequences of stands with differing post-fire successional trajectories characterized by the proportion of deciduous biomass. The model was able to reproduce observed patterns of biomass accumulation after fire, with stands dominated by deciduous species sequestering more C at a faster rate than stands dominated by conifers. Modeled C fluxes suggest that stands dominated by deciduous species are a stronger sink of atmospheric C soon after disturbance than coniferous stands. These results agree with the few available C flux observations. We use a historic database in conjunction with a map of deciduous canopy cover to explore the consequences of ongoing and potential future changes in the fire regime on central Alaskan C balance.

  12. Tropical forest biomass and successional age class relationships to a vegetation index derived from Landsat TM data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sader, Steven A.; Waide, Robert B.; Lawrence, William T.; Joyce, Armond T.

    1989-01-01

    Forest stand structure and biomass data were collected using conventional forest inventory techniques in tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate forest biomes. The feasibility of detecting tropical forest successional age class and total biomass differences using Landsat-Thematic mapper (TM) data, was evaluated. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) calculated from Landsat-TM data were not significantly correlated with forest regeneration age classes in the mountain terrain of the Luquillo Experimental Forest, Puerto Rico. The low sun angle and shadows cast on steep north and west facing slopes reduced spectral reflectance values recorded by TM orbital altitude. The NDVI, calculated from low altitude aircraft scanner data, was significatly correlated with forest age classes. However, analysis of variance suggested that NDVI differences were not detectable for successional forests older than approximately 15-20 years. Also, biomass differences in young successional tropical forest were not detectable using the NDVI. The vegetation index does not appear to be a good predictor of stand structure variables (e.g., height, diameter of main stem) or total biomass in uneven age, mixed broadleaf forest. Good correlation between the vegetation index and low biomass in even age pine plantations were achieved for a warm temperate study site. The implications of the study for the use of NDVI for forest structure and biomass estimation are discussed.

  13. Successional and seasonal variations in soil and litter microbial community structure and function during tropical postagricultural forest regeneration: a multiyear study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, A Peyton; Marín-Spiotta, Erika; Balser, Teri

    2015-09-01

    Soil microorganisms regulate fundamental biochemical processes in plant litter decomposition and soil organic matter (SOM) transformations. Understanding how microbial communities respond to changes in vegetation is critical for improving predictions of how land-cover change affects belowground carbon storage and nutrient availability. We measured intra- and interannual variability in soil and forest litter microbial community composition and activity via phospholipid fatty acid analysis (PLFA) and extracellular enzyme activity across a well-replicated, long-term chronosequence of secondary forests growing on abandoned pastures in the wet subtropical forest life zone of Puerto Rico. Microbial community PLFA structure differed between young secondary forests and older secondary and primary forests, following successional shifts in tree species composition. These successional patterns held across seasons, but the microbial groups driving these patterns differed over time. Microbial community composition from the forest litter differed greatly from those in the soil, but did not show the same successional trends. Extracellular enzyme activity did not differ with forest succession, but varied by season with greater rates of potential activity in the dry seasons. We found few robust significant relationships among microbial community parameters and soil pH, moisture, carbon, and nitrogen concentrations. Observed inter- and intrannual variability in microbial community structure and activity reveal the importance of a multiple, temporal sampling strategy when investigating microbial community dynamics with land-use change. Successional control over microbial composition with forest recovery suggests strong links between above and belowground communities. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  14. Mycorrhizal status of plants in two successional stages on spoil heaps from fireloam mining in Lower Silesia (SW Poland

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dorota Kasowska

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The mycorrhizal status of two plant communities representing an initial stage (1-2 year-old and a 8-9-year-old stage of succession on spoil heaps from fireloam mining in Lower Silesia, Poland, was determined. In the initial stage, the mycorrhizal structures were not observed in 39% of the investigated species; they were members of the Polygonaceae, Chenopodiaceae and Poaceae families. The relative cover of non-mycorrhizal plants exceeded 50% and the major role was played by the Polygonum aviculare population, which predominated the whole community. Mycorrhizal species (arbuscular mycorrhizae contributed to 61 % of the composition of the initial phyto-coenosis. The most numerous taxa were those with 20-40% of the root length colonized, with a small number of arbuscules (0.2-3.1% of the root length containig arbuscules and no vesicles. In the advanced stage of succession, mycorrhizal plants definitely dominated and the major role was played by the Tussilago farfara population. Compared with the initial stage, the later one also harboured more plants with mycorrhizas occupied >40% of the root length, as well as containing numerous arbuscules (>20% of the root length and vesicles. The non-mycorrhizal species, i.e., Equisetum arvense and Poa compressa, represented 11 % o': the community composition and their relative cover amounted to 3%. Despite the relatively frequent occurrence of the arbuscular mycorrhizae in the initial stage of succession, the qualitative properties of the colonization indicated a low effectiveness of symbiosis. This could be caused by the lack of adaptation of the fungal symbiont to the edaphic conditions which were changed after disturbance.

  15. Anthropogenic Habitats Facilitate Dispersal of an Early Successional Obligate: Implications for Restoration of an Endangered Ecosystem.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Katrina E Amaral

    Full Text Available Landscape modification and habitat fragmentation disrupt the connectivity of natural landscapes, with major consequences for biodiversity. Species that require patchily distributed habitats, such as those that specialize on early successional ecosystems, must disperse through a landscape matrix with unsuitable habitat types. We evaluated landscape effects on dispersal of an early successional obligate, the New England cottontail (Sylvilagus transitionalis. Using a landscape genetics approach, we identified barriers and facilitators of gene flow and connectivity corridors for a population of cottontails in the northeastern United States. We modeled dispersal in relation to landscape structure and composition and tested hypotheses about the influence of habitat fragmentation on gene flow. Anthropogenic and natural shrubland habitats facilitated gene flow, while the remainder of the matrix, particularly development and forest, impeded gene flow. The relative influence of matrix habitats differed between study areas in relation to a fragmentation gradient. Barrier features had higher explanatory power in the more fragmented site, while facilitating features were important in the less fragmented site. Landscape models that included a simultaneous barrier and facilitating effect of roads had higher explanatory power than models that considered either effect separately, supporting the hypothesis that roads act as both barriers and facilitators at all spatial scales. The inclusion of LiDAR-identified shrubland habitat improved the fit of our facilitator models. Corridor analyses using circuit and least cost path approaches revealed the importance of anthropogenic, linear features for restoring connectivity between the study areas. In fragmented landscapes, human-modified habitats may enhance functional connectivity by providing suitable dispersal conduits for early successional specialists.

  16. Comparative diversity of ammonia oxidizer 16S rRNA gene sequences in native, tilled, and successional soils

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bruns, M.A.; Stephen, J.R.; Kowalchuk, G.A.; Prosser, J.I.; Paul, E.A.

    1999-01-01

    Autotrophic ammonia oxidizer (AAO) populations in soils from native, tilled, and successional treatments at the Kellogg Biological Station Long-Term Ecological Research site in southwestern Michigan were compared to assess effects of disturbance on these bacteria. N fertilization effects on AAO

  17. DIFFICULTIES IN DETERMINING THE STAGE OF PROSTATE CANCER

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    I. V. Lukianov

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available The choice of a technique of treatment of prostate cancer depends on the age of the patient, accompanying diseases and prevalence of tumoral process. The basic methods at an inspection stage at which the cancer stage is defined are: definition of prostate specific membrane antigen, rectal examination, results of the rectal ultrasound guided biopsy, prostate imaging methods and an estimation of a grade of a tumor. Nowadays one of the main directions of determining the treatment for various stages of tumor is the development of prognostic models based on the analysis of predictors for tumor expansion.

  18. Patterns of tree species diversity and composition in old-field successional forests in central Illinois

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scott M. Bretthauer; George Z. Gertner; Gary L. Rolfe; Jeffery O. Dawson

    2003-01-01

    Tree species diversity increases and dominance decreases with proximity to forest border in two 60-year-old successional forest stands developed on abandoned agricultural land in Piatt County, Illinois. A regression equation allowed us to quantify an increase in diversity with closeness to forest border for one of the forest stands. Shingle oak is the most dominant...

  19. Direct and Indirect Drivers of Moss Community Structure, Function, and Associated Microfauna Across a Successional Gradient

    Science.gov (United States)

    Micael Jonsson; Paul Kardol; Michael J. Gundale; Sheel Bansal; Marie-Charlotte Nilsson; Daniel B. Metcalfe; David A. Wardle

    2015-01-01

    Relative to vascular plants, little is known about what factors control bryophyte communities or how they respond to successional and environmental changes. Bryophytes are abundant in boreal forests, thus changes in moss community composition and functional traits (for example, moisture and nutrient content; rates of photosynthesis and respiration) may have important...

  20. Landscape- vs gap-level controls on the abundance of a fire-sensitive, late-successional tree species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Michael C. Wimberly; Thomas A. Spies

    2002-01-01

    Tsuga heterophylla (western hemlock), a fire-sensitive, late-successional tree species, is an important component of old-growth forests in the Pacific Northwest, USA. In the Oregon Coast Range, however, T. heterophylla occurs at low densities in or is completely absent from many conifer stands. We used a cellular automata-based...

  1. Biodiversity and functional regeneration during secondary succession in a tropical dry forest: from microorganisms to mammals

    Science.gov (United States)

    do Espírito Santo, M. M.; Neves, F. S.; Valério, H. M.; Leite, L. O.; Falcão, L. A.; Borges, M.; Beirão, M.; Reis, R., Jr.; Berbara, R.; Nunes, Y. R.; Silva, A.; Silva, L. F.; Siqueira, P. R.

    2015-12-01

    In this study, we aimed to determine the changes on soil traits, forest structure and species richness and composition of multiple groups of organisms along secondary succession in a tropical dry forest (TDF) in southeastern Brazil. We defined three successional stages based in forest vertical and horizontal structure and age: early (18-25 years), intermediate (50-60 years) and late (no records of clearing). Five plots of 50 x 20 m were established per stage, and the following groups were sampled using specific techniques: rhizobacteria, mycorrhiza, trees and lianas, butterflies, ants, dung beetles, mosquitoes (Culicidae), birds and bats. We also determined soil chemical and physical characteristics and forest structure (tree height, density and basal area). Soil fertility increased along the successional gradient, and the same pattern was observed for all the forest structure variables. However, species richness and composition showed mixed results depending on the organism group. Three groups usually considered as good bioindicators of habitat quality did not differ in species richness and composition between stages: butterflies, ants and dung beetles. On the other hand, rizhobacteria and mycorrhiza differed both in species richness and composition between stages and may be more sensitive to changes in environmental conditions in TDFs. The other five groups differed either in species richness or composition between one or two pairs of successional stages. Although changes in abiotic conditions and forest structure match the predictions of classical successional models, the response of each group of organism is idiosyncratic in terms of diversity and ecological function, as a consequence of specific resource requirements and life-history traits. In general, diversity increased and functional groups changed mostly from early to intermediate-late stages, strengthening the importance of secondary forests to the maintenance of ecosystem integrity of TDFs.

  2. Competition under high and low nutrient levels among three grassland species occupying different positions in a successional sequence

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Schippers, P.; Snoeijing, I.; Kropff, M.J.

    1999-01-01

    To clarify the role of seasonal change, competitive response and nutrient availability in the competitive asymmetry of grassland species a competition experiment was conducted on Holcus lanatus, Anthoxanthum odoratum and Festuca ovina, which represent a successional sequence of decreasing nutrient

  3. Ingresso e mortalidade em uma floresta em diferentes estágios sucessionais no município de Castanhal, Pará Recruitment and mortality in a forest in different successional stages in Castanhal, Pará

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roberta de Fátima Rodrigues Coelho

    2003-12-01

    Full Text Available O presente trabalho descreve o ingresso e a mortalidade em uma floresta em diferentes estágios sucessionais, no município de Castanhal, Pará. A área de estudo está localizada na Estação Experimental da Universidade Federal Rural da Amazônia. As parcelas foram implantadas em áreas de florestas sucessionais de diferentes idades (4, 8 e 12 anos. Nas florestas sucessionais de 4 e 8 anos foram utilizadas quatro parcelas de 10m x 10m e na floresta de 12 anos foram, 12 parcelas de 10m x 10m. Realizaram duas medições de todos os indivíduos com DAP>1cm, em intervalos de 12 meses, nas florestas sucessionais de 4 e 8 anos; e intervalo de 18 meses na floresta de 12 anos. Foram calculadas as taxas de ingresso e de mortalidade. Na floresta de 4 anos o ingresso foi maior que a mortalidade. Nas florestas sucessionais de 8 e 12 anos as densidades diminuíram, perdendo mais indivíduos por mortalidade do que ganhando por ingresso. Lacistema pubescens, Myrcia silvatica, Vismia guianensis, Rollinia exsucca e Miconia ciliata apresentaram muitos indivíduos mortos nas florestas estudadas.The present work describe recruitment and mortality in a forest in different successional stages in Castanhal, Pará. The study area is located at the Experimental Research Station of the Universidade Federal Rural da Amazônia. Twelve 10m x 10m study plots were established in a 12-year-old secondary forest, and four 10m x 10m study plots were demarcated in a 4-year-old and an 8-year-old secondary forest. We measured diameter and height of all individuals with DBH>1cm at a 12-month interval in the 4 and 8-year-old stands, and an 18-month interval in the 12-year-old stand. Using this inventory data we calculated recruitment and mortality rates. In the 4-year-old forest, recruitment was greater than mortality, while in the 8 and 12-year-old forests experienced net mortality, as density declined over the measurement interval. Lacistema pubescens, Myrcia sylvatica, Vismia

  4. Ant-diaspore interactions during secondary succession in the Atlantic forest of Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Victor P Zwiener

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Animal-plant interactions are important for the recovery of diversity and processes in secondary forests, which increasingly dominate the tropical landscape. We used a combination of observational and experimental approaches to study the interactions of ants with diaspores across a successional gradient of forests in Southern Brazil, from August 2007 to April 2008. In addition to diaspore removal rates, we assessed the species richness, diversity and behaviour of ants interacting with diaspores, in three replicated sites of four successional stages of forests. We recorded 22 ant species interacting with diaspores (an estimated 15% of the total species pool in the region. Species richness and diversity did not differ among successional stages but the behaviour of ants towards diaspores changed with the age of secondary forests. In old successional stages the removal of entire diaspores was more common than in young successional stages of forests. Concordantly, diaspore removal rates were lowest in the youngest successional stage of secondary forests and increased with the age of forests. These results indicate that ant-diaspore interactions in secondary forests are disturbed and lower removal rates in secondary forests are likely to constrain the recruitment of plant populations during secondary succession. Rev. Biol. Trop. 60 (2: 933-942. Epub 2012 June 01.

  5. Soil microbial community successional patterns during forest ecosystem restoration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Banning, Natasha C; Gleeson, Deirdre B; Grigg, Andrew H; Grant, Carl D; Andersen, Gary L; Brodie, Eoin L; Murphy, D V

    2011-09-01

    Soil microbial community characterization is increasingly being used to determine the responses of soils to stress and disturbances and to assess ecosystem sustainability. However, there is little experimental evidence to indicate that predictable patterns in microbial community structure or composition occur during secondary succession or ecosystem restoration. This study utilized a chronosequence of developing jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) forest ecosystems, rehabilitated after bauxite mining (up to 18 years old), to examine changes in soil bacterial and fungal community structures (by automated ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis [ARISA]) and changes in specific soil bacterial phyla by 16S rRNA gene microarray analysis. This study demonstrated that mining in these ecosystems significantly altered soil bacterial and fungal community structures. The hypothesis that the soil microbial community structures would become more similar to those of the surrounding nonmined forest with rehabilitation age was broadly supported by shifts in the bacterial but not the fungal community. Microarray analysis enabled the identification of clear successional trends in the bacterial community at the phylum level and supported the finding of an increase in similarity to nonmined forest soil with rehabilitation age. Changes in soil microbial community structure were significantly related to the size of the microbial biomass as well as numerous edaphic variables (including pH and C, N, and P nutrient concentrations). These findings suggest that soil bacterial community dynamics follow a pattern in developing ecosystems that may be predictable and can be conceptualized as providing an integrated assessment of numerous edaphic variables.

  6. A Prospectus on Restoring Late Successional Forest Structure to Eastside Pine Ecosystems Through Large-Scale, Interdisciplinary Research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steve Zack; William F. Laudenslayer; Luke George; Carl Skinner; William Oliver

    1999-01-01

    At two different locations in northeast California, an interdisciplinary team of scientists is initiating long-term studies to quantify the effects of forest manipulations intended to accelerate andlor enhance late-successional structure of eastside pine forest ecosystems. One study, at Blacks Mountain Experimental Forest, uses a split-plot, factorial, randomized block...

  7. Floodplain forest succession reveals fluvial processes: A hydrogeomorphic model for temperate riparian woodlands.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Egger, Gregory; Politti, Emilio; Lautsch, Erwin; Benjankar, Rohan; Gill, Karen M; Rood, Stewart B

    2015-09-15

    River valley floodplains are physically-dynamic environments where fluvial processes determine habitat gradients for riparian vegetation. These zones support trees and shrubs whose life stages are adapted to specific habitat types and consequently forest composition and successional stage reflect the underlying hydrogeomorphic processes and history. In this study we investigated woodland vegetation composition, successional stage and habitat properties, and compared these with physically-based indicators of hydraulic processes. We thus sought to develop a hydrogeomorphic model to evaluate riparian woodland condition based on the spatial mosaic of successional phases of the floodplain forest. The study investigated free-flowing and dam-impacted reaches of the Kootenai and Flathead Rivers, in Idaho and Montana, USA and British Columbia, Canada. The analyses revealed strong correspondence between vegetation assessments and metrics of fluvial processes indicating morphodynamics (erosion and shear stress), inundation and depth to groundwater. The results indicated that common successional stages generally occupied similar hydraulic environments along the different river segments. Comparison of the spatial patterns between the free-flowing and regulated reaches revealed greater deviation from the natural condition for the braided channel segment than for the meandering segment. This demonstrates the utility of the hydrogeomorphic approach and suggests that riparian woodlands along braided channels could have lower resilience than those along meandering channels and might be more vulnerable to influences such as from river damming or climate change. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Oribatid mite (Acari: Oribatida) and Chironomid (Diptera: Chironomidae) communities from a high-Andean cushion peatland in Peru (14°S) and their use for palaeoenvironmental reconstruction during the Nasca cultural period

    OpenAIRE

    Hense, Jonathan Boray

    2016-01-01

    The edaphic Oribatid mites and Chironomid larvae of five different successional stages of a high-Andean cushion peatland in southern Peru (14°S) were investigated. In total, 17 Oribatid mite taxa, belonging to eight families could be identified. Taxonomic remarks for the species found and an analysis of community structures are provided. The investigation shows significantly higher Oribatid mite densities in the early and medium successional stages in comparison to the successional climax eco...

  9. N2 fixing alder (Alnus viridis spp.fruticosa) effects on soil properties across a secondary successional chronosequence in interior Alaska

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jennifer S. Mitchell; Roger W. Ruess

    2009-01-01

    Green alder (Alnus viridis ssp. fruticosa) is a dominant understory shrub during secondary successional development of upland forests throughout interior Alaska, where it contributes substantially to the nitrogen (N) economy through atmospheric N2 fixation. Across a replicated 200+ year old vegetation...

  10. Lepidoptera outbreaks in response to successional changes after the passage of Hurricane Hugo in Puerto Rico Rico

    Science.gov (United States)

    J.A. Torres

    1992-01-01

    Fifteen species of Lepidoptera occurred in large numbers in spring and early summer after the passage of Hurricane Hugo over the north-east of Puerto Rico. Spodoptera eridania (Noctuidae) was the most common of the larvae and fed on 56 plant species belonging to 31 families. All the Lepidoptera fed on early successional vegetation. Some of the plants represent new host...

  11. Development of bacterial communities in biological soil crusts along a revegetation chronosequence in the Tengger Desert, northwest China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Lichao; Liu, Yubing; Zhang, Peng; Song, Guang; Hui, Rong; Wang, Zengru; Wang, Jin

    2017-08-01

    Knowledge of structure and function of microbial communities in different successional stages of biological soil crusts (BSCs) is still scarce for desert areas. In this study, Illumina MiSeq sequencing was used to assess the compositional changes of bacterial communities in different ages of BSCs in the revegetation of Shapotou in the Tengger Desert. The most dominant phyla of bacterial communities shifted with the changed types of BSCs in the successional stages, from Firmicutes in mobile sand and physical crusts to Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria in BSCs, and the most dominant genera shifted from Bacillus, Enterococcus and Lactococcus to RB41_norank and JG34-KF-361_norank. Alpha diversity and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis indicated that bacterial richness and abundance reached their highest levels after 15 years of BSC development. Redundancy analysis showed that silt + clay content and total K were the prime determinants of the bacterial communities of BSCs. The results suggested that bacterial communities of BSCs recovered quickly with the improved soil physicochemical properties in the early stages of BSC succession. Changes in the bacterial community structure may be an important indicator in the biogeochemical cycling and nutrient storage in early successional stages of BSCs in desert ecosystems.

  12. Emulating natural disturbances for declining late-successional species: A case study of the consequences for Cerulean Warblers (Setophaga cerulea)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boves, Than J.; Buehler, David A.; Sheehan, James; Wood, Petra Bohall; Rodewald, Amanda D.; Larkin, Jeffrey L.; Keyser, Patrick D.; Newell, Felicity L.; George, Gregory A.; Bakermans, Marja H.; Evans, Andrea; Beachy, Tiffany A.; McDermott, Molly E.; Perkins, Kelly A.; White, Matthew; Wigley, T. Bently

    2013-01-01

    Forest cover in the eastern United States has increased over the past century and while some late-successional species have benefited from this process as expected, others have experienced population declines. These declines may be in part related to contemporary reductions in small-scale forest interior disturbances such as fire, windthrow, and treefalls. To mitigate the negative impacts of disturbance alteration and suppression on some late-successional species, strategies that emulate natural disturbance regimes are often advocated, but large-scale evaluations of these practices are rare. Here, we assessed the consequences of experimental disturbance (using partial timber harvest) on a severely declining late-successional species, the cerulean warbler (Setophaga cerulea), across the core of its breeding range in the Appalachian Mountains. We measured numerical (density), physiological (body condition), and demographic (age structure and reproduction) responses to three levels of disturbance and explored the potential impacts of disturbance on source-sink dynamics. Breeding densities of warblers increased one to four years after all canopy disturbances (vs. controls) and males occupying territories on treatment plots were in better condition than those on control plots. However, these beneficial effects of disturbance did not correspond to improvements in reproduction; nest success was lower on all treatment plots than on control plots in the southern region and marginally lower on light disturbance plots in the northern region. Our data suggest that only habitats in the southern region acted as sources, and interior disturbances in this region have the potential to create ecological traps at a local scale, but sources when viewed at broader scales. Thus, cerulean warblers would likely benefit from management that strikes a landscape-level balance between emulating natural disturbances in order to attract individuals into areas where current structure is

  13. Maximally efficient two-stage screening: Determining intellectual disability in Taiwanese military conscripts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chien, Chia-Chang; Huang, Shu-Fen; Lung, For-Wey

    2009-01-27

    The purpose of this study was to apply a two-stage screening method for the large-scale intelligence screening of military conscripts. We collected 99 conscripted soldiers whose educational levels were senior high school level or lower to be the participants. Every participant was required to take the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R) assessments. Logistic regression analysis showed the conceptual level responses (CLR) index of the WCST was the most significant index for determining intellectual disability (ID; FIQ ≤ 84). We used the receiver operating characteristic curve to determine the optimum cut-off point of CLR. The optimum one cut-off point of CLR was 66; the two cut-off points were 49 and 66. Comparing the two-stage window screening with the two-stage positive screening, the area under the curve and the positive predictive value increased. Moreover, the cost of the two-stage window screening decreased by 59%. The two-stage window screening is more accurate and economical than the two-stage positive screening. Our results provide an example for the use of two-stage screening and the possibility of the WCST to replace WAIS-R in large-scale screenings for ID in the future.

  14. Modeling seasonal surface temperature variations in secondary tropical dry forests

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, Sen; Sanchez-Azofeifa, Arturo

    2017-10-01

    Secondary tropical dry forests (TDFs) provide important ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, biodiversity conservation, and nutrient cycle regulation. However, their biogeophysical processes at the canopy-atmosphere interface remain unknown, limiting our understanding of how this endangered ecosystem influences, and responds to the ongoing global warming. To facilitate future development of conservation policies, this study characterized the seasonal land surface temperature (LST) behavior of three successional stages (early, intermediate, and late) of a TDF, at the Santa Rosa National Park (SRNP), Costa Rica. A total of 38 Landsat-8 Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS) data and the Surface Reflectance (SR) product were utilized to model LST time series from July 2013 to July 2016 using a radiative transfer equation (RTE) algorithm. We further related the LST time series to seven vegetation indices which reflect different properties of TDFs, and soil moisture data obtained from a Wireless Sensor Network (WSN). Results showed that the LST in the dry season was 15-20 K higher than in the wet season at SRNP. We found that the early successional stages were about 6-8 K warmer than the intermediate successional stages and were 9-10 K warmer than the late successional stages in the middle of the dry season; meanwhile, a minimum LST difference (0-1 K) was observed at the end of the wet season. Leaf phenology and canopy architecture explained most LST variations in both dry and wet seasons. However, our analysis revealed that it is precipitation that ultimately determines the LST variations through both biogeochemical (leaf phenology) and biogeophysical processes (evapotranspiration) of the plants. Results of this study could help physiological modeling studies in secondary TDFs.

  15. Plant Communities Rather than Soil Properties Structure Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungal Communities along Primary Succession on a Mine Spoil

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krüger, Claudia; Kohout, Petr; Janoušková, Martina; Püschel, David; Frouz, Jan; Rydlová, Jana

    2017-01-01

    Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) community assembly during primary succession has so far received little attention. It remains therefore unclear, which of the factors, driving AMF community composition, are important during ecosystem development. We addressed this question on a large spoil heap, which provides a mosaic of sites in different successional stages under different managements. We selected 24 sites of c. 12, 20, 30, or 50 years in age, including sites with spontaneously developing vegetation and sites reclaimed by alder plantations. On each site, we sampled twice a year roots of the perennial rhizomatous grass Calamagrostis epigejos (Poaceae) to determine AMF root colonization and diversity (using 454-sequencing), determined the soil chemical properties and composition of plant communities. AMF taxa richness was unaffected by site age, but AMF composition variation increased along the chronosequences. AMF communities were unaffected by soil chemistry, but related to the composition of neighboring plant communities of the sampled C. epigejos plants. In contrast, the plant communities of the sites were more distinctively structured than the AMF communities along the four successional stages. We conclude that AMF and plant community successions respond to different factors. AMF communities seem to be influenced by biotic rather than by abiotic factors and to diverge with successional age. PMID:28473828

  16. Lidar-derived estimate and uncertainty of carbon sink in successional phases of woody encroachment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sankey, Temuulen; Shrestha, Rupesh; Sankey, Joel B.; Hardgree, Stuart; Strand, Eva

    2013-01-01

    Woody encroachment is a globally occurring phenomenon that contributes to the global carbon sink. The magnitude of this contribution needs to be estimated at regional and local scales to address uncertainties present in the global- and continental-scale estimates, and guide regional policy and management in balancing restoration activities, including removal of woody plants, with greenhouse gas mitigation goals. The objective of this study was to estimate carbon stored in various successional phases of woody encroachment. Using lidar measurements of individual trees, we present high-resolution estimates of aboveground carbon storage in juniper woodlands. Segmentation analysis of lidar point cloud data identified a total of 60,628 juniper tree crowns across four watersheds. Tree heights, canopy cover, and density derived from lidar were strongly correlated with field measurements of 2613 juniper stems measured in 85 plots (30 × 30 m). Aboveground total biomass of individual trees was estimated using a regression model with lidar-derived height and crown area as predictors (Adj. R2 = 0.76, p 2. Uncertainty in carbon storage estimates was examined with a Monte Carlo approach that addressed major error sources. Ranges predicted with uncertainty analysis in the mean, individual tree, aboveground woody C, and associated standard deviation were 0.35 – 143.6 kg and 0.5 – 1.25 kg, respectively. Later successional phases of woody encroachment had, on average, twice the aboveground carbon relative to earlier phases. Woody encroachment might be more successfully managed and balanced with carbon storage goals by identifying priority areas in earlier phases of encroachment where intensive treatments are most effective.

  17. Understanding landowner intentions to create early successional forest habitat in the northeastern United States

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dayer, Ashley A.; Stedman, Richard C.; Allred, Shorna B.; Rosenberg, Kenneth V.; Fuller, Angela K.

    2016-01-01

    Early successional forest habitat (ESH) and associated wildlife species in the northeastern United States are in decline. One way to help create early successional forest conditions is engaging private forest landowners in even-aged forest management because their limited participation may have contributed to declines in ESH for wildlife species of high conservation concern. We applied the reasoned action approach from social psychology to predict intentions of landowners in the 13-county Southern Tier of New York State, USA, to conduct patch-cuts, which is a type of even-aged forest management. We tested the predictive ability of the model using data from a mail survey of landowners conducted from November 2010 to January 2011. Landowner intention to conduct patch-cuts was high (55% of respondents), with attitude being the strongest direct predictor of behavioral intention. Our results suggest that patch-cutting intentions are most likely expressed by landowners who think the behavior is good for their land and wildlife, believe in positive outcomes of land and wildlife management, belong to a game wildlife organization, and have conducted patch-cuts in the past. Strategies to engage more landowners in ESH management will have the highest likelihood of success if outreach efforts focus on influencing behavioral beliefs and subsequently attitudes, possibly working with game wildlife organizations to communicate a unified message for habitat conservation, including the importance of maintaining and creating ESH. Our results demonstrate the importance of social science research to increase the likelihood that conservation targets for declining wildlife species are met. Published 2015. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

  18. Acer negundo invasion along a successional gradient: early direct facilitation by native pioneers and late indirect facilitation by conspecifics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saccone, Patrick; Pagès, Jean-Philippe; Girel, Jacky; Brun, Jean-Jacques; Michalet, Richard

    2010-08-01

    *Here, we analysed the role of direct and indirect plant interactions in the invasion process of Acer negundo along a natural successional gradient in the Middle Rhone floodplain (France). We addressed two questions: What are the responses of the invasive Acer seedlings to native communities' effects along the successional gradient? What are the effects of the invasive Acer adult trees on the native communities? *In the three communities (Salix, Acer and Fraxinus stands) we transplanted juveniles of the invasive and juveniles of the natives within the forest and in experimental gaps, and with and without the herb layer. We also quantified changes in understory functional composition, light, nitrogen and moisture among treatments. *Acer seedlings were directly facilitated for survival in the Salix and Acer communities and indirectly facilitated for growth by adult Acer through the reduction of the abundance of highly competitive herbaceous competitors. *We conclude that direct facilitation by the tree canopy of the native pioneer Salix is very likely the main biotic process that induced colonization of the invasive Acer in the floodplain and that indirect facilitation by adult conspecifics contributed to population establishment.

  19. Soil Microbial Community Successional Patterns during Forest Ecosystem Restoration ▿†

    Science.gov (United States)

    Banning, Natasha C.; Gleeson, Deirdre B.; Grigg, Andrew H.; Grant, Carl D.; Andersen, Gary L.; Brodie, Eoin L.; Murphy, D. V.

    2011-01-01

    Soil microbial community characterization is increasingly being used to determine the responses of soils to stress and disturbances and to assess ecosystem sustainability. However, there is little experimental evidence to indicate that predictable patterns in microbial community structure or composition occur during secondary succession or ecosystem restoration. This study utilized a chronosequence of developing jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) forest ecosystems, rehabilitated after bauxite mining (up to 18 years old), to examine changes in soil bacterial and fungal community structures (by automated ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis [ARISA]) and changes in specific soil bacterial phyla by 16S rRNA gene microarray analysis. This study demonstrated that mining in these ecosystems significantly altered soil bacterial and fungal community structures. The hypothesis that the soil microbial community structures would become more similar to those of the surrounding nonmined forest with rehabilitation age was broadly supported by shifts in the bacterial but not the fungal community. Microarray analysis enabled the identification of clear successional trends in the bacterial community at the phylum level and supported the finding of an increase in similarity to nonmined forest soil with rehabilitation age. Changes in soil microbial community structure were significantly related to the size of the microbial biomass as well as numerous edaphic variables (including pH and C, N, and P nutrient concentrations). These findings suggest that soil bacterial community dynamics follow a pattern in developing ecosystems that may be predictable and can be conceptualized as providing an integrated assessment of numerous edaphic variables. PMID:21724890

  20. Photosynthetic capacities of mature tropical forest trees in Rwanda are linked to successional group identity rather than to leaf nutrient content

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dusenge, Mirindi Eric; Wallin, Göran; Gårdesten, Johanna; Adolfsson, Lisa; Niyonzima, Felix; Nsabimana, Donat; Uddling, Johan

    2014-05-01

    Tropical forests are crucial in the global carbon balance, yet information required to estimate how much carbon that enter these ecosystems through photosynthesis is very limited, in particular for Africa and for tropical montane forests. In order to increases the knowledge of natural variability of photosynthetic capacities in tropical tree species in tropical Africa, measurements of leaf traits and gas exchange were conducted on sun and shade leaves of ten tree species growing in two tropical forests in Rwanda in central Africa. Seven species were studied in Ruhande Arboretum, a forest plantation at mid altitude (1700 m), and six species in Nyungwe National Park, a cooler and higher altitude (at 2500 m) montane rainforest. Three species were common to both sites. At Nyungwe, three species each belonged to the successional groups pioneer and climax species. Climax species had considerably lower maximum rates of photosynthetic carboxylation (Vcmax) and electron transport (Jmax) than pioneer species. This difference was not related to leaf nutrient content, but rather seemed to be caused by differences in within-leaf N allocation between the two successional groups. With respect to N, leaves of climax species invested less N into photosynthetic enzymes (as judged by lower Vcmax and Jmax values) and more N into chlorophyll (as judged by higher SPAD values). Photosynthetic capacities, (i.e., Jmax and Vcmax), Jmax to Vcmax ratio and P content were significantly higher in Nyungwe than in Arboretum. Sun leaves had higher photosynthetic capacities and nutrient content than shade leaves. Across the entire dataset, variation in photosynthetic capacities among species was not related to leaf nutrient content, although significant relationships were found within individual species. This study contributes critical tropical data for global carbon models and suggests that, for montane rainforest trees of different functional types, successional group identity is a better

  1. Maximally efficient two-stage screening: Determining intellectual disability in Taiwanese military conscripts

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chia-Chang Chien

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Chia-Chang Chien1, Shu-Fen Huang1,2,3,4, For-Wey Lung1,2,3,41Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Armed Forces General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; 2Graduate Institute of Behavioral Sciences, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; 3Department of Psychiatry, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan; 4Calo Psychiatric Center, Pingtung County, TaiwanObjective: The purpose of this study was to apply a two-stage screening method for the large-scale intelligence screening of military conscripts.Methods: We collected 99 conscripted soldiers whose educational levels were senior high school level or lower to be the participants. Every participant was required to take the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R assessments.Results: Logistic regression analysis showed the conceptual level responses (CLR index of the WCST was the most significant index for determining intellectual disability (ID; FIQ ≤ 84. We used the receiver operating characteristic curve to determine the optimum cut-off point of CLR. The optimum one cut-off point of CLR was 66; the two cut-off points were 49 and 66. Comparing the two-stage window screening with the two-stage positive screening, the area under the curve and the positive predictive value increased. Moreover, the cost of the two-stage window screening decreased by 59%.Conclusion: The two-stage window screening is more accurate and economical than the two-stage positive screening. Our results provide an example for the use of two-stage screening and the possibility of the WCST to replace WAIS-R in large-scale screenings for ID in the future.Keywords: intellectual disability, intelligence screening, two-stage positive screening, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised

  2. Indicators of early successional trends in environmental condition and community function in constructed wetlands of the Athabasca Oilsands region

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ciborowski, J.; Kovalenko, K. [Windsor Univ., ON (Canada); Dixon, G.; Farwell, A. [Waterloo Univ., ON (Canada); Foote, L.; Mollard, F.; Roy, M. [Alberta Univ., Edmonton, AB (Canada); Smits, J.; Turcotte, D. [Saskatchewan Univ., Saskatoon, SK (Canada)

    2010-07-01

    This presentation reported on a study that compared interannual environmental variation in post-mining Athabasca oil sands landscapes. In particular, it compared biological, ecotoxicological and carbon dynamic aspects of sixteen 5 to 30 year old wetlands with different ages, reclamation materials and stockpiled surface materials such as peat. In addition to determining carbon fluxes, standing stocks of hydrocarbons were measured along with organic substrate, bacterioplankton, phytoplankton, biofilm, macrophytes, litter, zoobenthos, and aquatic insect emergence. Gas fluxes, microbial, plant, zoobenthic, amphibian, and tree swallow nestling production, and stable isotope signatures were used to determine carbon pathways, fluxes and budgets. Coarse taxon richness in reference wetlands reached an asymptote in 5 to 7 years. Richness, composition and emergent plant cover of oilsands-affected wetlands converged over a 15 to 20 year period with reference wetland patterns. The development of emergent but not submergent plant cover and associated biota accelerated with the addition of peat. Water chemistry was found to be more important than sediment in terms of regulating submergent biological properties. The study showed that the most important regulator of community composition may be residual salinity. Compared to more temperate biomes, the successional trends were slower.

  3. Indicators of early successional trends in environmental condition and community function in constructed wetlands of the Athabasca Oilsands region

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ciborowski, J.; Kovalenko, K.; Dixon, G.; Farwell, A.; Foote, L.; Mollard, F.; Roy, M.; Smits, J.; Turcotte, D.

    2010-01-01

    This presentation reported on a study that compared interannual environmental variation in post-mining Athabasca oil sands landscapes. In particular, it compared biological, ecotoxicological and carbon dynamic aspects of sixteen 5 to 30 year old wetlands with different ages, reclamation materials and stockpiled surface materials such as peat. In addition to determining carbon fluxes, standing stocks of hydrocarbons were measured along with organic substrate, bacterioplankton, phytoplankton, biofilm, macrophytes, litter, zoobenthos, and aquatic insect emergence. Gas fluxes, microbial, plant, zoobenthic, amphibian, and tree swallow nestling production, and stable isotope signatures were used to determine carbon pathways, fluxes and budgets. Coarse taxon richness in reference wetlands reached an asymptote in 5 to 7 years. Richness, composition and emergent plant cover of oilsands-affected wetlands converged over a 15 to 20 year period with reference wetland patterns. The development of emergent but not submergent plant cover and associated biota accelerated with the addition of peat. Water chemistry was found to be more important than sediment in terms of regulating submergent biological properties. The study showed that the most important regulator of community composition may be residual salinity. Compared to more temperate biomes, the successional trends were slower.

  4. Lidar-derived estimate and uncertainty of carbon sink in successional phases of woody encroachment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sankey, Temuulen; Shrestha, Rupesh; Sankey, Joel B.; Hardegree, Stuart; Strand, Eva

    2013-07-01

    encroachment is a globally occurring phenomenon that contributes to the global carbon sink. The magnitude of this contribution needs to be estimated at regional and local scales to address uncertainties present in the global- and continental-scale estimates, and guide regional policy and management in balancing restoration activities, including removal of woody plants, with greenhouse gas mitigation goals. The objective of this study was to estimate carbon stored in various successional phases of woody encroachment. Using lidar measurements of individual trees, we present high-resolution estimates of aboveground carbon storage in juniper woodlands. Segmentation analysis of lidar point cloud data identified a total of 60,628 juniper tree crowns across four watersheds. Tree heights, canopy cover, and density derived from lidar were strongly correlated with field measurements of 2613 juniper stems measured in 85 plots (30 × 30 m). Aboveground total biomass of individual trees was estimated using a regression model with lidar-derived height and crown area as predictors (Adj. R2 = 0.76, p < 0.001, RMSE = 0.58 kg). The predicted mean aboveground woody carbon storage for the study area was 677 g/m2. Uncertainty in carbon storage estimates was examined with a Monte Carlo approach that addressed major error sources. Ranges predicted with uncertainty analysis in the mean, individual tree, aboveground woody C, and associated standard deviation were 0.35 - 143.6 kg and 0.5 - 1.25 kg, respectively. Later successional phases of woody encroachment had, on average, twice the aboveground carbon relative to earlier phases. Woody encroachment might be more successfully managed and balanced with carbon storage goals by identifying priority areas in earlier phases of encroachment where intensive treatments are most effective.

  5. Ocean acidification alters early successional coral reef communities and their rates of community metabolism.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sam H C Noonan

    Full Text Available Ocean acidification is expected to alter community composition on coral reefs, but its effects on reef community metabolism are poorly understood. Here we document how early successional benthic coral reef communities change in situ along gradients of carbon dioxide (CO2, and the consequences of these changes on rates of community photosynthesis, respiration, and light and dark calcification. Ninety standardised benthic communities were grown on PVC tiles deployed at two shallow-water volcanic CO2 seeps and two adjacent control sites in Papua New Guinea. Along the CO2 gradient, both the upward facing phototrophic and the downward facing cryptic communities changed in their composition. Under ambient CO2, both communities were dominated by calcifying algae, but with increasing CO2 they were gradually replaced by non-calcifying algae (predominantly green filamentous algae, cyanobacteria and macroalgae, which increased from ~30% to ~80% cover. Responses were weaker in the invertebrate communities, however ascidians and tube-forming polychaetes declined with increasing CO2. Differences in the carbonate chemistry explained a far greater amount of change in communities than differences between the two reefs and successional changes from five to 13 months, suggesting community successions are established early and are under strong chemical control. As pH declined from 8.0 to 7.8, rates of gross photosynthesis and dark respiration of the 13-month old reef communities (upper and cryptic surfaces combined significantly increased by 10% and 20%, respectively, in response to altered community composition. As a consequence, net production remained constant. Light and dark calcification rates both gradually declined by 20%, and low or negative daily net calcification rates were observed at an aragonite saturation state of <2.3. The study demonstrates that ocean acidification as predicted for the end of this century will strongly alter reef communities, and

  6. [Structural recovering in Andean successional forests from Porce (Antioquia, Colombia)].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yepes, Adriana P; del Valle, Jorge I; Jaramillo, Sandra L; Orrego, Sergio A

    2010-03-01

    Places subjected to natural or human disturbance can recover forest through an ecological process called secondary succession. Tropical succession is affected by factors such as disturbances, distance from original forest, surface configuration and local climate. These factors determine the composition of species and the time trend of the succession itself. We studied succession in soils used for cattle ranching over various decades in the Porce Region of Colombia (Andean Colombian forests). A set of twenty five permanent plots was measured, including nine plots (20 x 50 m) in primary forests and sixteen (20 x 25 m) in secondary forests. All trees with diameter > or =1.0 cm were measured. We analyzed stem density, basal area, above-ground biomass and species richness, in a successional process of ca. 43 years, and in primary forests. The secondary forests' age was estimated in previous studies, using radiocarbon dating, aerial photographs and a high-resolution satellite image analysis (7 to >43 years). In total, 1,143 and 1,766 stems were measured in primary and secondary forests, respectively. Basal area (5.7 to 85.4 m2 ha(-1)), above-ground biomass (19.1 to 1,011.5 t ha(-1)) and species richness (4 to 69) directly increased with site age, while steam density decreased (3,180 to 590). Diametric distributions were "J-inverted" for primary forests and even-aged size-class structures for secondary forests. Three species of palms were abundant and exclusive in old secondary forests and primary forests: Oenocarpus mapora, Euterpe precatoria and Oenocarpus bataua. These palms happened in cohorts after forest disturbances. Secondary forest structure was 40% in more than 43 years of forest succession and indicate that many factors are interacting and affecting the forests succession in the area (e.g. agriculture, cattle ranching, mining, etc.).

  7. Determination of combinations of the attributes of sales promotion for different loyalty stages' customers

    OpenAIRE

    Pilelienė, Lina

    2010-01-01

    The peculiarities of the usage of sales promotion according to customer loyalty stage are being analyzed in the article. The main assumption here is that customers being on different loyalty stages have distinct needs and expectations with the sales promotion offerings. To be effective, sales promotion has to correspond to specific needs of a customer loyalty stage. On purpose to determine combination of attributes of sales promotion best suitable to customers being on different loyalty stage...

  8. Spatio-Temporal Distribution of Bark and Ambrosia Beetles in a Brazilian Tropical Dry Forest.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Macedo-Reis, Luiz Eduardo; Novais, Samuel Matos Antunes de; Monteiro, Graziela França; Flechtmann, Carlos Alberto Hector; Faria, Maurício Lopes de; Neves, Frederico de Siqueira

    2016-01-01

    Bark and the ambrosia beetles dig into host plants and live most of their lives in concealed tunnels. We assessed beetle community dynamics in tropical dry forest sites in early, intermediate, and late successional stages, evaluating the influence of resource availability and seasonal variations in guild structure. We collected a total of 763 beetles from 23 species, including 14 bark beetle species, and 9 ambrosia beetle species. Local richness of bark and ambrosia beetles was estimated at 31 species. Bark and ambrosia composition was similar over the successional stages gradient, and beta diversity among sites was primarily determined by species turnover, mainly in the bark beetle community. Bark beetle richness and abundance were higher at intermediate stages; availability of wood was the main spatial mechanism. Climate factors were effectively non-seasonal. Ambrosia beetles were not influenced by successional stages, however the increase in wood resulted in increased abundance. We found higher richness at the end of the dry and wet seasons, and abundance increased with air moisture and decreased with higher temperatures and greater rainfall. In summary, bark beetle species accumulation was higher at sites with better wood production, while the needs of fungi (host and air moisture), resulted in a favorable conditions for species accumulation of ambrosia. The overall biological pattern among guilds differed from tropical rain forests, showing patterns similar to dry forest areas. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Entomological Society of America.

  9. Successional colonization of temporary streams: An experimental approach using aquatic insects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Godoy, Bruno Spacek; Queiroz, Luciano Lopes; Lodi, Sara; Nascimento de Jesus, Jhonathan Diego; Oliveira, Leandro Gonçalves

    2016-11-01

    The metacommunity concept studies the processes that structure communities on local and regional scales. This concept is useful to assess spatial variability. However, temporal patterns (e.g., ecological succession and colonization) are neglected in metacommunity studies, since such patterns require temporally extensive, and hard to execute studies. We used experimental habitats in temporary streams located within the Brazilian Cerrado to evaluate the importance of succession for the aquatic insect metacommunity. Five artificial habitats consisting of wrapped crushed rock were set transversally to the water flow in five streams. The habitats were sampled weekly to assess community composition, and replaced after sampling to identify new potential colonizers. We analyzed the accumulation of new colonizers after each week using a logistic model. We selected pairs of experimental habitats and estimated the Bray-Curtis dissimilarity index to assess the community composition trajectory during the experiment. We used the dissimilarity values in ANOVA tests, identifying the importance of time and space for the community. The number of new taxa stabilized in the third week, and we estimated a weekly increase of 1.61 new taxa in the community after stabilization. The overall pattern was a small change on community composition, but one stream had a higher weekly turnover. Our results showed a relevant influence of time in the initial communities of aquatic insects of temporary streams. However, we must observe the temporal pattern in a spatial context, once different streams have different successional history regarding number of taxa and community turnover. We highlight the importance of aerial dispersal and movement to seek oviposition sites as an important factor in determining colonization patterns.

  10. Effects of litter manipulation on litter decomposition in a successional gradients of tropical forests in southern China

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Chen, Hao; Gurmesa, Geshere A.; Liu, Lei

    2014-01-01

    Global changes such as increasing CO2, rising temperature, and land-use change are likely to drive shifts in litter inputs to forest floors, but the effects of such changes on litter decomposition remain largely unknown. We initiated a litter manipulation experiment to test the response of litter...... decomposition to litter removal/addition in three successional forests in southern China, namely masson pine forest (MPF), mixed coniferous and broadleaved forest (MF) and monsoon evergreen broadleaved forest (MEBF). Results showed that litter removal decreased litter decomposition rates by 27%, 10% and 8...

  11. Determining skeletal maturation stage using cervical vertebrae: evaluation of three diagnostic methods

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luci Mara Fachardo Jaqueira

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available The aim of the present study was to compare the use of three cervical vertebral evaluation methods (Hassel-Farman, Baccetti et al., and Seedat-Forsberg for determinating skeletal maturation stage in orthodontic patients. Twenty-three radiographs were randomly selected from a private orthodontic practice. Each radiograph was analyzed on three separate occasions by four evaluators (one radiologist and three orthodontists, who determined the skeletal maturation stage using the references established by each of the three methods. Intraevaluator and interevaluator comparisons were performed, and the degree of agreement was established using the weighted Kappa coefficient (95% CI. Good agreement (Kappa between 0.61 and 0.80 was observed between the determinations of most of the evaluators. The three methods demonstrated clinical applicability. However, the method proposed by Baccetti et al. achieved the best results, followed by the Hassel-Farman and the Seedat-Forsberg methods.

  12. Post-Hurricane Successional Dynamics in Abundance and Diversity of Canopy Arthropods in a Tropical Rainforest.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schowalter, T D; Willig, M R; Presley, S J

    2017-02-01

    We quantified long-term successional trajectories of canopy arthropods on six tree species in a tropical rainforest ecosystem in the Luquillo Mountains of Puerto Rico that experienced repeated hurricane-induced disturbances during the 19-yr study (1991-2009). We expected: 1) differential performances of arthropod species to result in taxon- or guild-specific responses; 2) differences in initial conditions to result in distinct successional responses to each hurricane; and 3) the legacy of hurricane-created gaps to persist despite subsequent disturbances. At least one significant effect of gap, time after hurricane, or their interaction occurred for 53 of 116 analyses of taxon abundance, 31 of 84 analyses of guild abundance, and 21 of 60 analyses of biodiversity (e.g., richness, evenness, dominance, and rarity). Significant responses were ∼60% more common for time after hurricane than for gap creation, indicating that temporal changes in habitat during recovery were of primary importance. Both increases and decreases in abundance or diversity occurred in response to each factor. Guild-level responses were probably driven by changes in the abundance of resources on which they rely. For example, detritivores were most abundant soon after hurricanes when litter resources were elevated, whereas sap-suckers were most abundant in gaps where new foliage growth was the greatest. The legacy of canopy gaps created by Hurricane Hugo persisted for at least 19 yr, despite droughts and other hurricanes of various intensities that caused forest damage. This reinforces the need to consider historical legacies when seeking to understand responses to disturbance. © The Authors 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  13. Patch dynamics and metapopulation theory: the case of successional species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amarasekare, P; Possingham, H

    2001-04-07

    We present a mathematical framework that combines extinction-colonization dynamics with the dynamics of patch succession. We draw an analogy between the epidemiological categorization of individuals (infected, susceptible, latent and resistant) and the patch structure of a spatially heterogeneous landscape (occupied-suitable, empty-suitable, occupied-unsuitable and empty-unsuitable). This approach allows one to consider life-history attributes that influence persistence in patchy environments (e.g., longevity, colonization ability) in concert with extrinsic processes (e.g., disturbances, succession) that lead to spatial heterogeneity in patch suitability. It also allows the incorporation of seed banks and other dormant life forms, thus broadening patch occupancy dynamics to include sink habitats. We use the model to investigate how equilibrium patch occupancy is influenced by four critical parameters: colonization rate, extinction rate, disturbance frequency and the rate of habitat succession. This analysis leads to general predictions about how the temporal scaling of patch succession and extinction-colonization dynamics influences long-term persistence. We apply the model to herbaceous, early-successional species that inhabit open patches created by periodic disturbances. We predict the minimum disturbance frequency required for viable management of such species in the Florida scrub ecosystem. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.

  14. Bacterial diversity and community along the succession of biological soil crusts in the Gurbantunggut Desert, Northern China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Bingchang; Kong, Weidong; Wu, Nan; Zhang, Yuanming

    2016-06-01

    Biological soil crusts (BSCs) are common and play critical roles in semi-arid and arid ecosystems. Bacteria, as an important community in BSCs, play critical roles in biochemical processes. However, how bacterial diversity and community change in different successional stages of BSCs is still unknown. We used 454 pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA to investigate the bacterial composition and community, and the relationships between bacterial composition and environmental factors were also explored. In different successional stages of BSCs, the number of bacteria operational taxonomic units (OTUs) detected in each sample ranged from 2572 to 3157. Proteobacteria, Cyanobacteria, Bacteroidetes were dominant in BSCs, followed by Firmicutes, Acidobacteria, and Actinobacteria. At the successional stages of BSCs, bacterial communities, OTU composition and their relative abundance notably differentiated, and Cyanobacteria, especially Microcoleus vaginatus, dominated algal crust and lichen crust, and were the main C-fixing bacteria in BSCs. Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes increased with the development of BSCs. OTUs related to Planomicrobium Chinese, Desulfobulbus sp., Desulfomicrobium sp., Arthrobacter sp., and Ahhaerbacter sp. showed higher relative abundance in bare sand than other successional stages of BSCs, while relative abundance of Sphingomonas sp. Niastella sp., Pedobacter, Candidatus solobacter, and Streptophyta increased with the development of BSCs. In successional stages of BSCs, bacterial OTUs composition demonstrated strong correlations with soil nutrients, soil salts, and soil enzymes. Additionally, variation of bacterial composition led to different ecological function. In bare sand, some species were related with mineral metabolism or promoting plant growth, and in algal crust and lichen crust, C-fixing bacteria increased and accumulated C to the desert soil. In later developed stage of BSCs, bacteria related with decomposition of organic matter, such as

  15. Determination of male strobilus developmental stages by cytological and gene expression analyses in Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsubomura, Miyoko; Kurita, Manabu; Watanabe, Atsushi

    2016-05-01

    The molecular mechanisms that control male strobilus development in conifers are largely unknown because the developmental stages and related genes have not yet been characterized. The determination of male strobilus developmental stages will contribute to genetic research and reproductive biology in conifers. Our objectives in this study were to determine the developmental stages of male strobili by cytological and transcriptome analysis, and to determine the stages at which aberrant morphology is observed in a male-sterile mutant of Cryptomeria japonica D. Don to better understand the molecular mechanisms that control male strobilus and pollen development. Male strobilus development was observed for 8 months, from initiation to pollen dispersal. A set of 19,209 expressed sequence tags (ESTs) collected from a male reproductive library and a pollen library was used for microarray analysis. We divided male strobilus development into 10 stages by cytological and transcriptome analysis. Eight clusters (7324 ESTs) exhibited major changes in transcriptome profiles during male strobili and pollen development in C. japonica Two clusters showed a gradual increase and decline in transcript abundance, respectively, while the other six clusters exhibited stage-specific changes. The stages at which the male sterility trait of Sosyun was expressed were identified using information on male strobilus and pollen developmental stages and gene expression profiles. Aberrant morphology was observed cytologically at Stage 6 (microspore stage), and differences in expression patterns compared with wild type were observed at Stage 4 (tetrad stage). © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  16. Determinants of the incidence of childhood asthma: a two-stage case-control study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martel, Marie-Josée; Rey, Evelyne; Malo, Jean-Luc; Perreault, Sylvie; Beauchesne, Marie-France; Forget, Amélie; Blais, Lucie

    2009-01-15

    Extensive literature exists on potential risk factors for childhood asthma. To the authors' knowledge, no investigators have yet attempted to disentangle the effects of those determinants within a single study setting. The authors aimed to evaluate the independent effects of 47 potential determinants (from the prenatal, perinatal, and childhood periods) of asthma development in children within the first 10 years of life. From a Canadian birth cohort of 26,265 children (1990-2002), a 2-stage case-control study was conducted. In the first stage, 20 controls per case were selected from 3 administrative databases. In the second stage, selected mothers were mailed questionnaires for assessment of additional determinants. Increased risks of childhood asthma were found for > or =1 previous diagnosis of bronchopulmonary disease and atopic dermatitis in the child, oxygen administration after birth, prescription of antibiotics within the first 6 months of life, male gender, asthma during pregnancy, use of antibiotics during pregnancy, maternal receipt of social aid, paternal asthma, and asthma in siblings. Protective effects included use of intranasal corticosteroids during pregnancy, having a wood-burning fireplace, having pets in the home prior to the index date, breastfeeding, and day-care attendance. This study allowed the authors to identify, within a single setting, the most influential determinants of childhood asthma among 47 predictors assessed for the prenatal, perinatal, and childhood periods.

  17. Soil carbon and nitrogen pools in mid- to late-successional forest stands of the northwestern United States: Potential impact of fire

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deborah S. Page-Dumroese; Martin F. Jurgensen

    2006-01-01

    When sampling woody residue (WR) and organic matter (OM) present in forest floor, soil wood, and surface mineral soil (0­30 cm) in 14 mid- to late-successional stands across a wide variety of soil types and climatic regimes in the northwestern USA, we found that 44%-84% of carbon (C) was in WR and surface OM, whereas >80% of nitrogen (N) was in the mineral soil. In...

  18. Phylogenetic turnover during subtropical forest succession across environmental and phylogenetic scales.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Purschke, Oliver; Michalski, Stefan G; Bruelheide, Helge; Durka, Walter

    2017-12-01

    Although spatial and temporal patterns of phylogenetic community structure during succession are inherently interlinked and assembly processes vary with environmental and phylogenetic scales, successional studies of community assembly have yet to integrate spatial and temporal components of community structure, while accounting for scaling issues. To gain insight into the processes that generate biodiversity after disturbance, we combine analyses of spatial and temporal phylogenetic turnover across phylogenetic scales, accounting for covariation with environmental differences. We compared phylogenetic turnover, at the species- and individual-level, within and between five successional stages, representing woody plant communities in a subtropical forest chronosequence. We decomposed turnover at different phylogenetic depths and assessed its covariation with between-plot abiotic differences. Phylogenetic turnover between stages was low relative to species turnover and was not explained by abiotic differences. However, within the late-successional stages, there was high presence-/absence-based turnover (clustering) that occurred deep in the phylogeny and covaried with environmental differentiation. Our results support a deterministic model of community assembly where (i) phylogenetic composition is constrained through successional time, but (ii) toward late succession, species sorting into preferred habitats according to niche traits that are conserved deep in phylogeny, becomes increasingly important.

  19. Landscape composition influences abundance patterns and habitat use of three ungulate species in fragmented secondary deciduous tropical forests, Mexico

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G. García-Marmolejo

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Secondary forests are extensive in the tropics. Currently, these plant communities are the available habitats for wildlife and in the future they will possibly be some of the most wide-spread ecosystems world-wide. To understand the potential role of secondary forests for wildlife conservation, three ungulate species were studied: Mazama temama, Odocoileus virginianus and Pecari tajacu. We analyzed their relative abundance and habitat use at two spatial scales: (1 Local, where three different successional stages of tropical deciduous forest were compared, and (2 Landscape, where available habitats were compared in terms of landscape composition (proportion of forests, pastures and croplands within 113 ha. To determine the most important habitat-related environmental factors influencing the Sign Encounter Rate (SER of the three ungulate species, 11 physical, anthropogenic and vegetation variables were simultaneously analyzed through model selection using Akaike’s Information Criterion. We found, that P. tajacu and O. virginianus mainly used early successional stages, while M. temama used all successional stages in similar proportions. The latter species, however, used early vegetation stages only when they were located in landscapes mainly covered by forest (97%. P. tajacu and O. virginianus also selected landscapes covered essentially by forests, although they required smaller percentages of forest (86%. All ungulate species avoided landscape fragments covered by pastures. For all three species, landscape composition and human activities were the variables that best explained SER. We concluded that landscape is the fundamental scale for ungulate management, and that secondary forests are potentially important landscape elements for ungulate conservation.

  20. Hot-stage microscopy for determination of API particles in a formulated tablet.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simek, Michal; Grünwaldová, Veronika; Kratochvíl, Bohumil

    2014-01-01

    Although methods exist to readily determine the particle size distribution (PSD) of an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) before its formulation into a final product, the primary challenge is to develop a method to determine the PSD of APIs in a finished tablet. To address the limitations of existing PSD methods, we used hot-stage microscopy to observe tablet disintegration during temperature change and, thus, reveal the API particles in a tablet. Both mechanical and liquid disintegration were evaluated after we had identified optimum milling time for mechanical disintegration and optimum volume of water for liquid disintegration. In each case, hot-stage micrographs, taken before and after the API melting point, were compared with image analysis software to obtain the PSDs. Then, the PSDs of the APIs from the disintegrated tablets were compared with the PSDs of raw APIs. Good agreement was obtained, thereby confirming the robustness of our methodology. The availability of such a method equips pharmaceutical scientists with an in vitro assessment method that will more reliably determine the PSD of active substances in finished tablets.

  1. Hot-Stage Microscopy for Determination of API Particles in a Formulated Tablet

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michal Šimek

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Although methods exist to readily determine the particle size distribution (PSD of an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API before its formulation into a final product, the primary challenge is to develop a method to determine the PSD of APIs in a finished tablet. To address the limitations of existing PSD methods, we used hot-stage microscopy to observe tablet disintegration during temperature change and, thus, reveal the API particles in a tablet. Both mechanical and liquid disintegration were evaluated after we had identified optimum milling time for mechanical disintegration and optimum volume of water for liquid disintegration. In each case, hot-stage micrographs, taken before and after the API melting point, were compared with image analysis software to obtain the PSDs. Then, the PSDs of the APIs from the disintegrated tablets were compared with the PSDs of raw APIs. Good agreement was obtained, thereby confirming the robustness of our methodology. The availability of such a method equips pharmaceutical scientists with an in vitro assessment method that will more reliably determine the PSD of active substances in finished tablets.

  2. 76 FR 31920 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; 90-Day Finding on a Petition To List the Golden...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-06-02

    ... , or you may make an appointment during normal business hours at the Wisconsin Ecological Field Office... loss, wetland drainage, and habitat succession (Buehler et al. 2010, p. 35). In Canada (Manitoba... successional to late successional stages (Confer et al. 2003, p. 142). This advancement in forest succession is...

  3. Assembly patterns of soil-dwelling lichens after glacier retreat in the European Alps.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nascimbene, Juri; Mayrhofer, Helmut; Dainese, Matteo; Bilovitz, Peter Othmar

    2017-06-01

    To assess the spatial-temporal dynamics of primary succession following deglaciation in soil-dwelling lichen communities. European Alps (Austria, Switzerland and Italy). Five glacier forelands subjected to relevant glacier retreat during the last century were investigated. In each glacier foreland, three successional stages were selected at increasing distance from the glacier, corresponding to a gradient of time since deglaciation between 25 and 160 years. In each successional stage, soil-dwelling lichens were surveyed within five 1 × 1 m plots. In addition to a classical ecological framework, based on species richness and composition, we applied a functional approach to better elucidate community assembly mechanisms. A positive relationship was found between species richness and time since deglaciation indicating that richer lichen communities can be found at increasing terrain ageing. This pattern was associated with compositional shifts, suggesting that different community assemblages can be found along the successional stages. The analysis of β-diversity revealed a significant nested pattern of species assemblages along the gradient (i.e. earlier successional stages hosted a subset of the species already established in older successional stages), while the turnover component was less relevant. Considering functional groups, we found contrasting patterns in relation to time since deglaciation: the incidence of species with a cyanobacterial photobiont and those reproducing by spores decreased, while that of species reproducing by vegetative propagules increased. This study reveals that community assembly patterns of soil-dwelling lichens in alpine glacier forelands are ruled by mechanisms of directional species accumulation and trait selection that involve a trade-off between different functional strategies. Functional traits that reflect the dispersal and adaptation capability of the species underpin the colonization success of soil-dwelling lichens in

  4. Psychosocial determinants of HIV testing across stages of change in Spanish population: a cross-sectional national survey

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria Jose Fuster-RuizdeApodaca

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The goal of this research is to study the psychosocial determinants of HIV-testing as a function of the decision or change stage concerning this health behavior. The determinants considered in the major ongoing health models and the stages contemplated in the Precaution Adoption Process Model are analysed. Methods A cross-sectional survey was administered to 1,554 people over 16 years of age living in Spain by a computer-assisted telephone interview (CATI. The sample design was randomised, with quotas of sex and age. The survey measured various psychosocial determinants of health behaviors considered in the main cognitive theories, the interviewees' stage of change concerning HIV-testing (lack of awareness, decision not to act, decision to act, action, maintenance, and abandonment, and the signal for the action of getting tested or the perceived barriers to being tested. Results Approximately two thirds of the population had not ever had the HIV test. The predominant stage was lack of awareness. The most frequently perceived barriers to testing were related to the health system and to the stigma. We also found that the psychosocial determinants studied differed depending on the respondents' stage of change. Perception of risk, perceived self-efficacy, proximity to people who had been tested, perceived benefits of knowing the diagnosis, and a positive instrumental and emotional attitude were positively associated with the decision and maintenance of testing behavior. However, unrealistic underestimation of the risk of HIV infection, stereotypes about the infection, and the perceived severity of HIV were associated with the decision not to be tested. Conclusions There are various sociocognitive and motivational profiles depending on people’s decision stage concerning HIV-testing. Knowing this profile may allow us to design interventions to influence the psychosocial determinants that characterise each stage of change.

  5. Psychosocial determinants of HIV testing across stages of change in Spanish population: a cross-sectional national survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fuster-RuizdeApodaca, Maria Jose; Laguia, Ana; Molero, Fernando; Toledo, Javier; Arrillaga, Arantxa; Jaen, Angeles

    2017-03-07

    The goal of this research is to study the psychosocial determinants of HIV-testing as a function of the decision or change stage concerning this health behavior. The determinants considered in the major ongoing health models and the stages contemplated in the Precaution Adoption Process Model are analysed. A cross-sectional survey was administered to 1,554 people over 16 years of age living in Spain by a computer-assisted telephone interview (CATI). The sample design was randomised, with quotas of sex and age. The survey measured various psychosocial determinants of health behaviors considered in the main cognitive theories, the interviewees' stage of change concerning HIV-testing (lack of awareness, decision not to act, decision to act, action, maintenance, and abandonment), and the signal for the action of getting tested or the perceived barriers to being tested. Approximately two thirds of the population had not ever had the HIV test. The predominant stage was lack of awareness. The most frequently perceived barriers to testing were related to the health system and to the stigma. We also found that the psychosocial determinants studied differed depending on the respondents' stage of change. Perception of risk, perceived self-efficacy, proximity to people who had been tested, perceived benefits of knowing the diagnosis, and a positive instrumental and emotional attitude were positively associated with the decision and maintenance of testing behavior. However, unrealistic underestimation of the risk of HIV infection, stereotypes about the infection, and the perceived severity of HIV were associated with the decision not to be tested. There are various sociocognitive and motivational profiles depending on people's decision stage concerning HIV-testing. Knowing this profile may allow us to design interventions to influence the psychosocial determinants that characterise each stage of change.

  6. Successional pattern of phytoplankton (>55μm in Lekki lagoon, Nigeria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Taofikat Abosede Adesalu

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Lagoons are dominant features along large stretches of the West Africa coast. These freshwater environments are very valuable areas where phytoplankton constitute the basis of aquatic food webs. In order to know the effects of environmental variables on phytoplankton, a study of the successional pattern of phytoplankton in Lekki lagoon was carried out monthly for two years (June 2003-May 2005. Phytoplankton samples were collected from 12 stations using a plankton net of 55μm mesh, and samples preserved in 4% unbuffered formalin. Besides, surface water samples were taken for physico-chemical analysis. For each year, the seasonal distribution and succession of dominant phytoplankton followed different patterns. Phytoplankton abundance was higher during the dry season (November-April for the two annual cycles. The diatoms (Aulacoseira granulate and A. granulata var angustissima and blue green algaes, Microcystis aeruginosa, Merismopedia tennuissima and Trichodesmium lacustre showed this trend by being the abundant species in some of these months. For the rainy season, the green alga Mougeotia sp. dominated. The replacement of one form by another throughout seasonal cycles was probably controlled by the changes in environmental variables such as rainfall, nitratenitrogen and phosphate-phosphorus.

  7. Reproductive effort of some annual and perennial plant species: impact of successional sequence, habitat conditions and plant size

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shaukat, S.; Khan, M.A.; Zaidi, S.; Siddiqui, M.F.; Khan, N.; Zafar, H.

    2013-01-01

    The reproductive effort of some annual and perennial plant species was investigated with respect to successional sequence, habitat conditions and plant size. in the psammosere succession (dune succession), the reproductive effort (RE) of Cressa cretica and A triplex griffithii was significantly greater in the early stage compared to that in late succession. Likewise, in relation to lithosere succession, Sporobolus arabicus. Pluchea lanceolata and Vernonia cenerescens all showed high reproductive effort in early part of succession compared to that of late succession. The annuals (S. arabicus and P lance/ala) exhibited greater reproductive effort compared to the perennial species Vernonia cinerescens. Examination of the Impact of site differences on reproductive effort showed that four grasses including Selaria intermedia, Chioris harbata, Cenchrus hiflorus, and Eragroslis pilosa were found to have significantly (P<0.05) greater reproductive effort in site 1 (near cultivated field), compared to site 2 (a vacant lot), which had low nutrient level compared to site 1. The reproductive effort of Sonclius asper (a composite) did not exhibit significant difference between sites. The investigation of relationships between plant size (volume) and reproductive effort of Solanuin forskalii, Senna holosericea and Heliolropium ophioglossum showed positive correlations between plant size and reproductive effort. Solanum forskalii and Senna holosericca, in particular, exhibited a close association in this respect. It is concluded that: 1) RE is greater in early compared to late succession, 2) RE changes with the habitat and 3) there seems to be a direct relationship between RE and plant size. (author)

  8. Dynamics, chemical properties and bioavailability of DOC in an early successional catchment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    U. Risse-Buhl

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available The dynamics of dissolved organic carbon (DOC have been intensively studied in mature ecosystems, but little is known about DOC dynamics and the significance of DOC as a substrate for microbial activity in early-successional catchments. We determined the concentration, chemical composition, source, radiocarbon age, and bioavailability of DOC along the hydrological flow path from soil solution to a downstream pond in a recently constructed catchment (Chicken Creek Catchment, Germany. Soil solution, upwelling ground water, stream water, subsurface water in an alluvial fan, and pond water all had high DOC concentrations (averages: 6.0–11.6 mg DOC L–1, despite small carbon stocks in both vegetation and soil of the catchment. Solid-state CPMAS 13C NMR of DOC in upwelling ground water revealed a higher proportion of aromatic compounds (32% and a lower proportion of carbohydrates (33% than in pond water (18% and 45%, respectively. The average 14C age of DOC in upwelling ground water was 2600 to 2900 yr, while organic matter of the Quaternary substrate of the catchment had a 14C age of 3000 to 16 000 yr. Both the 14C age data and 13C NMR spectra suggest that DOC partly derived from organic matter of the Quaternary substrate (about 40 to 90% of the C in the DOC, indicating that both recent and old C of the DOC can support microbial activity during early ecosystem succession. However, in a 70 day incubation experiment, only about 11% of the total DOC was found to be bioavailable. This proportion was irrespective of the water type. Origin of the microbial communities within the catchment (enriched from soil, stream sediment or pond water also had only a marginal effect on overall DOC utilization.

  9. Response of Vegetation on Gravel Bars to Management Measures and Floods: Case Study From the Czech Republic

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eremiášová Renata

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available This article investigates response of vegetation on gravel bars to management measures and floods. The management measures consisted of the partial removal of gravel and vegetation cover, and were applied to six gravel bars on the Ostravice River, Czech Republic. Unexpected floods occu-rred in 2010, with the amplitude of 5- to 50-year repetition. Research of vegetation on the gravel bars consisted of vegetation survey before the management works; the monitoring of vegetation development over the following year and the verification of the relationships of species diversity, successional stages and the biotope conditions with the help of multivariate analysis (detrended correspondence analysis. Vegetation on the gravel bars was at different successional stages, and had higher diversity and vegetation cover before the management measures and floods. The mul-tivariate analysis revealed a shift toward initial successional stages with high demand on moisture, temperature and light after both management measures and floods.

  10. What Determines the Growth Ambition of Dutch Early-Stage Entrepreneurs?

    OpenAIRE

    Ingrid Verheul; Linda van Mil

    2008-01-01

    This paper investigates the determinants of the ambition to grow among Dutch early-stage entrepreneurs (nascents and young business owners). We use Adult Population Survey data of the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) for the Netherlands. Merging cross-sectional data of the years 2002 to 2007, we arrive at a sample of 409 nascents and 336 young business owners. Growth ambition is measured by asking the respondent which statement fits him or her best: (1) I want my company to be as large a...

  11. Comparison of renal dynamic imaging and modified MDRD equation in determining the stage of chronic kidney disease patients

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xie Peng; Liu Xiaomei; Huang Jianmin; Zhang Fang; Pan Liping; Wu Weijie; Gao Jianqing

    2013-01-01

    Objective: To compare the accuracy of 99 Tc m -diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid ( 99 Tc m -DTPA) renal dynamic imaging and modified modification of diet in renal disease trail (MDRD) equation in determining the stage of the chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients in clinical practice. Methods: A total of 169 patients were enrolled whose glomerular filtration rate (GFR) were determined simultaneously by 3 methods: dual plasma sample clearance method, renal dynamic imaging and modified MDRD equation. The dual plasma sample clearance method was employed as the reference method. The accuracy of the other methods in determining the stage of CKD patients was compared and the comparison was repeated based on the different stages. Results: The accuracy of renal dynamic imaging and modified MDRD equation was 56.80% and 68.64%, respectively (P=0.019<0.05). And only in the stage of uremia, the difference of the above-mentioned two method reached statistical significance (P=0.012<0.05), while in other stages they showed similar performance (P=0.180, 0.424, 0.629 and 0.754, all P>0.05). Conclusion: Modified MDRD equation showed better performance than renal dynamic imaging or as good as the second one in determining the stage of CKD patients and the former one should be the first choice in clinical practice because of its simplicity and economy. (authors)

  12. Hot-stage microscopy for determination of API fragmentation: comparison with other methods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Šimek, Michal; Grünwaldová, Veronika; Kratochvíl, Bohumil

    2016-08-01

    Although the fragmentation of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) is a phenomenon that is mentioned in many literature sources, no well-suited analytical tools for its investigation are currently known. We used the hot-stage microscopy method, already presented in our previous work, and studied the real fragmentation of the tadalafil particles in model tablets which were prepared under different compaction pressures. The morphology, spectral imaging and evaluation of plastic and elastic energies were also analyzed to support the hot-stage method. The prepared blend of tadalafil and excipients was compacted under a several forces from 5 to 35 kN to reveal the trend of fragmentation. The exact fragmentation of tadalafil with increased compaction pressure was revealed by the hot-stage microscopic method and it was in good agreement with plastic and elastic energies. Conversely, spectral imaging, which is being used for this analysis, was considered to be inaccurate methodology as mainly agglomerates, not individual particles, were measured. The availability of the hot-stage microscopic method equips pharmaceutical scientists with an in vitro assessment technique that will more reliably determine the fragmentation of the API in finished tablets and the behavior of the particles when compacted.

  13. Lacandon Maya ecosystem management: sustainable design for subsistence and environmental restoration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Diemont, Stewart A W; Martin, Jay F

    2009-01-01

    Indigenous groups have designed and managed their ecosystems for generations, resulting in biodiversity protection while producing for their family's needs. Here we describe the agroecosystem of the Lacandon Maya, an indigenous group who live in Chiapas, Mexico. The Lacandon practice a form of swidden agriculture that conserves the surrounding rain forest ecosystem while cycling the majority of their land through five successional stages. These stages include an herbaceous stage, two shrub stages, and two forest stages. A portion of their land is kept in primary forest. This study presents the Lacandon traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) for agroforestry and quantitatively describes the plant community and the associated soil ecology of each successional stage. Also documented is the knowledge of the Lacandon regarding the immediate use of plant species and plant species useful for soil fertility enhancement. Woody plant diversity increases during the successional stages of the Lacandon system, and by the beginning of the first forest stage, the diversity is similar to that of the primary forest. In all stages, Lacandon use 60% of the available plant species for food, medicine, and raw materials. Approximately 45% of the woody plant species present in each fallow stage were thought by the Lacandon to enhance soil fertility. Total soil nitrogen and soil organic matter increased with successional stage and with time from intentional burn. Nutrient and soil nematode dynamics in shrub stages related to the presence of introduced and managed plants, indicating engineered soil enhancement by the Lacandon. The effects on biodiversity and soil ecology coupled with productivity for agricultural subsistence indicate that Lacandon TEK may offer tools for environmental conservation that would provide for a family's basic needs while maintaining a biodiverse rain forest ecosystem. Tools such as these may offer options for regional restoration and conservation efforts such as

  14. Do forest soil microbes have the potential to resist plant invasion? A case study in Dinghushan Biosphere Reserve (South China)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Bao-Ming; Li, Song; Liao, Hui-Xuan; Peng, Shao-Lin

    2017-05-01

    Successful invaders must overcome biotic resistance, which is defined as the reduction in invasion success caused by the resident community. Soil microbes are an important source of community resistance to plant invasions, and understanding their role in this process requires urgent investigation. Therefore, three forest communities along successional stages and four exotic invasive plant species were selected to test the role of soil microbes of three forest communities in resisting the exotic invasive plant. Our results showed that soil microbes from a monsoon evergreen broadleaf forest (MEBF) (late-successional stage) had the greatest resistance to the invasive plants. Only the invasive species Ipomoea triloba was not sensitive to the three successional forest soils. Mycorrhizal fungi in early successional forest Pinus massonina forest (PMF) or mid-successional forest pine-broadleaf mixed forest (PBMF) soil promoted the growth of Mikania micrantha and Eupatorium catarium, but mycorrhizal fungi in MEBF soil had no significant effects on their growth. Pathogens plus other non-mycorrhizal microbes in MEBF soil inhibited the growth of M. micrantha and E. catarium significantly, and only inhibited root growth of E. catarium when compared with those with mycorrhizal fungi addition. The study suggest that soil mycorrhizal fungi of early-mid-successional forests benefit invasive species M. micrantha and E. catarium, while soil pathogens of late-successional forest may play an important role in resisting M. micrantha and E. catarium. The benefit and resistance of the soil microbes are dependent on invasive species and related to forest succession. The study gives a possible clue to control invasive plants by regulating soil microbes of forest community to resist plant invasion.

  15. Age versus size determination of radial variation in wood specific gravity : lessons from eccentrics

    Science.gov (United States)

    G. Bruce Williamson; Michael C. Wiemann

    2011-01-01

    Radial increases in wood specific gravity have been shown to characterize early successional trees from tropical forests. Here, we develop and apply a novel method to test whether radial increases are determined by tree age or tree size. The method compares the slopes of specific gravity changes across a short radius and a long radius of trees with eccentric trunks. If...

  16. Feasibility of Classifying Life Stages and Searching for the Determinants: Results from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey 1996-2011.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chao, Yi-Sheng; Wu, Hau-Tieng; Wu, Chao-Jung

    2017-01-01

    Life stages are not clearly defined and significant determinants for the identification of stages are not discussed. This study aims to test a data-driven approach to define stages and to identify the major determinants. This study analyzed the data on the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey interviewees from 1996 to 2011 in the United States. This study first selected features with the Spearman's correlation to remove redundant variables and to increase computational feasibility. The retained 430 variables were log transformed, if applicable. Sixty-four nominal variables were replaced with 164 binominal variables. This led to 525 variables that were available for principal component analysis (PCA). Life stages were proposed to be periods of ages with significantly different values of principal components (PCs). After retaining subjects followed throughout the panels, 244,089 were eligible for PCA, and the number of civilians was estimated to be 4.6 billion. The age ranged from 0 to 90 years old (mean = 35.88, 95% CI = 35.67-36.09). The values of the first PC were not significant from age of 6 to 13, 30 to 41, 46 to 60, and 76 to 90 years (adjusted p  > 0.5), and the major determinants were related to functional status, employment, and poverty. Important stages and their major determinants, including the status of functionality and cognition, income, and marital status, can be identified. Identifying stages of stability or transition will be important for research that relies on a research population with similar characteristics to draw samples for observation or intervention. This study sets an example of defining stages of transition and stability across ages with social and health data. Among all available variables, cognitive limitations, income, and poverty are important determinants of these stages.

  17. Application of multispectral imaging to determine quality attributes and ripeness stage in strawberry fruit.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Changhong Liu

    Full Text Available Multispectral imaging with 19 wavelengths in the range of 405-970 nm has been evaluated for nondestructive determination of firmness, total soluble solids (TSS content and ripeness stage in strawberry fruit. Several analysis approaches, including partial least squares (PLS, support vector machine (SVM and back propagation neural network (BPNN, were applied to develop theoretical models for predicting the firmness and TSS of intact strawberry fruit. Compared with PLS and SVM, BPNN considerably improved the performance of multispectral imaging for predicting firmness and total soluble solids content with the correlation coefficient (r of 0.94 and 0.83, SEP of 0.375 and 0.573, and bias of 0.035 and 0.056, respectively. Subsequently, the ability of multispectral imaging technology to classify fruit based on ripeness stage was tested using SVM and principal component analysis-back propagation neural network (PCA-BPNN models. The higher classification accuracy of 100% was achieved using SVM model. Moreover, the results of all these models demonstrated that the VIS parts of the spectra were the main contributor to the determination of firmness, TSS content estimation and classification of ripeness stage in strawberry fruit. These results suggest that multispectral imaging, together with suitable analysis model, is a promising technology for rapid estimation of quality attributes and classification of ripeness stage in strawberry fruit.

  18. Temporal dynamics and leaf trait variability in Neotropical dry forests

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hesketh, Michael Sean

    This thesis explores the variability of leaf traits resulting from changes in season, ecosystem successional stage, and site characteristics. In chapter two, I present a review of the use of remote sensing analysis for the evaluation of Neotropical dry forests. Here, I stress the conclusion, drawn from studies on land cover characterization, biodiversity assessment, and evaluation of forest structural characteristics, that addressing temporal variability in spectral properties is an essential element in the monitoring of these ecosystems. Chapter three describes the effect of wet-dry seasonality on spectral classification of tree and liana species. Highly accurate classification (> 80%) was possible using data from either the wet or dry season. However, this accuracy decreased by a factor of ten when data from the wet season was classified using an algorithm trained on the dry, or vice versa. I also address the potential creation of a spectral taxonomy of species, but found that any clustering based on spectral properties resulted in markedly different arrangements in the wet and dry seasons. In chapter 4, I address the variation present in both physical and spectral leaf traits according to changes in forest successional stage at dry forest sites in Mexico and Costa Rica. I found significant differences in leaf traits between successional stages, but more strongly so in Costa Rica. This variability deceased the accuracy of spectral classification of tree species by a factor of four when classifying data using an algorithm trained on a different successional stage. Chapter 5 shows the influence of seasonality and succession on trait variability in Mexico. Differences in leaf traits between successional stages were found to be greater during the dry season, but were sufficient in both seasons to negatively influence spectral classification of tree species. Throughout this thesis, I show clear and unambiguous evidence of the variability of key physical and spectral

  19. Response of Tridens flavus (L.) A. S. Hitchc. to soil nutrients and disturbance in an early successional old field

    Science.gov (United States)

    Honu, Y.A.K.; Gibson, D.J.; Middleton, B.A.

    2006-01-01

    Soil nutrients and disturbance are two of the main abiotic factors that influence plant dominance (canopy cover), density, and fecundity in early successional old field plant communities. The manner in which the dominant species in old field successional systems respond to the interaction of nutrients and disturbance is poorly known. We examined the dominance, density of flowering tillers, and reproductive output of Tridens flavus, a perennial, warm-season bunchgrass that is important in old field succession, to varying soil nutrient and disturbance regimes. We tested the hypothesis that the interaction between nutrients and disturbance would influence the performance (cover, density, fecundity) of T. flavus. To test this hypothesis, we subjected 25 m2 experimental plots to various combinations of fertilizer and mowing treatments for eight years after initially plowing the field. The performance of T. flavus was measured by estimating percent cover for 8 years (1996-2003) and both density of flowering tillers and reproductive output (panicle length and number of branches per panicle) for three years (2001-2003). The pattern of canopy cover of T. flavus over the first eight years of succession varied over time depending on mowing regime. Dominance was significantly higher in plots that were fertilized only in years one and five than in annually fertilized and unfertilized control plots. The length of panicles and density of flowering tillers were both significantly greater in annually mowed plots than in unmowed plots. In the absence of mowing in particular, T. flavus became overtopped by woody species and declined in this old field community. Therefore, disturbances such as mowing and fertilization may be important in maintaining grasses such as Tridens flavus in old fields.

  20. Hazardous Waste Code Determination for First/Second-Stage Sludge Waste Stream (IDCs 001, 002, 800)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Arbon, R.E.

    2001-01-01

    This document, Hazardous Waste Code Determination for the First/Second-Stage Sludge Waste Stream, summarizes the efforts performed at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) to make a hazardous waste code determination on Item Description Codes (IDCs) 001, 002, and 800 drums. This characterization effort included a thorough review of acceptable knowledge (AK), physical characterization, waste form sampling, chemical analyses, and headspace gas data. This effort included an assessment of pre-Waste Analysis Plan (WAP) solidified sampling and analysis data (referred to as preliminary data). Seventy-five First/Second-Stage Sludge Drums, provided in Table 1-1, have been subjected to core sampling and analysis using the requirements defined in the Quality Assurance Program Plan (QAPP). Based on WAP defined statistical reduction, of preliminary data, a sample size of five was calculated. That is, five additional drums should be core sampled and analyzed. A total of seven drums were sampled, analyzed, and validated in compliance with the WAP criteria. The pre-WAP data (taken under the QAPP) correlated very well with the WAP compliant drum data. As a result, no additional sampling is required. Based upon the information summarized in this document, an accurate hazardous waste determination has been made for the First/Second-Stage Sludge Waste Stream

  1. Population dynamics along a primary succession gradient: do alpine species fit into demographic succession theory?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marcante, Silvia; Winkler, Eckart; Erschbamer, Brigitta

    2009-05-01

    Understanding processes and mechanisms governing changes in plant species along primary successions has been of major importance in ecology. However, to date hardly any studies have focused on the complete life cycle of species along a successional gradient, comparing pioneer, early and late-successional species. In this study it is hypothesized that pioneer species should initially have a population growth rate, lambda, greater than one with high fecundity rates, and declining growth rates when they are replaced by late-successional species. Populations of late-successional species should also start, at the mid-successional stage (when pioneer species are declining), with growth rates greater than one and arrive at rates equal to one at the late successional stage, mainly due to higher survival rates that allow these species to persist for a long time. The demography of pioneer- (Saxifraga aizoides), early (Artemisia genipi) and late-successional species (Anthyllis vulneraria ssp. alpicola) was investigated together with that of a ubiquitous species (Poa alpina) along the Rotmoos glacier foreland (2300-2400 m a.s.l., Central Alps, Austria) over 3 years. A matrix modelling approach was used to compare the main demographic parameters. Elasticity values were plotted in a demographic triangle using fecundity, individual growth and survival as vital rates contributing to the population growth rates. The results largely confirmed the predictions for population growth rates during succession. However, high survival rates of larger adults characterized all species, regardless of where they were growing along the succession. At the pioneer site, high mortality rates of seedlings, plantlets and young individuals were recorded. Fecundity was found to be of minor relevance everywhere, but it was nevertheless sufficient to increase or maintain the population sizes. Demographically, all the species over all sites behaved like late-successional or climax species in secondary

  2. Functional patterns of microbial communities of rhizospheric soils across the development stages of a young mangrove in French Guiana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luglia, Mathieu; Criquet, Stéven; Sarrazin, Max; Ziarelli, Fabio; Guiral, Daniel

    2014-02-01

    The functional patterns of microbial communities (microbial respiration, enzyme activities, functional diversity) and the relevant physico-chemical characteristics of rhizospheric soils were studied during the process of mudflat colonization by mangrove. The study site is a fringe mangrove stand located in Montabo Bay at Cayenne (French Guiana). It is characterized by different vegetation development stages dominated by an assemblage of Avicennia germinans and Laguncularia racemosa. Rhizospheric and surface soils were collected from three stations based on successional stages of mangrove colonization: pioneer (P), coppice (C), and young forest (F). The microbial functional patterns showed significant progressive shifts along the mangrove vegetation profile. The P stages, those most influenced by tide currents, were macroscopically characterized by hydro-sedimentary instability and micro-phytobenthic colonization of mudflat. This stage, characterized by low total organic carbon (TOC) content and quality, showed the lowest extracellular enzymatic activities and the highest functional metabolic diversities. TOC quality analyses by (13)C CPMAS NMR provided evidence of progressive TOC enrichment and an increasing imprint of aboveground vegetation on C quality as succession occurs. These differences in the origin, amount, and quality of soil organic matter (SOM) of older stages exerted both a quantitative and qualitative control over microbial functional responses. This indicated the enhancement of aboveground-belowground functional linkages, leading to the expression of high decomposition activities and a functional loss and specialization of rhizospheric microbial communities.

  3. Determination of minimum flood flow for regeneration of floodplain forest from inundated forest width-stage curve

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Song-hao Shang

    2010-09-01

    Full Text Available Floods are essential for the regeneration and growth of floodplain forests in arid and semiarid regions. However, river flows, and especially flood flows, have decreased greatly with the increase of water diversion from rivers and/or reservoir regulation, resulting in severe deterioration of floodplain ecosystems. Estimation of the flood stage that will inundate the floodplain forest is necessary for the forest's restoration or protection. To balance water use for economic purposes and floodplain forest protection, the inundated forest width method is proposed for estimating the minimum flood stage for floodplain forests from the inundated forest width-stage curve. The minimum flood stage is defined as the breakpoint of the inundated forest width-stage curve, and is determined directly or analytically from the curve. For the analytical approach, the problem under consideration is described by a multi-objective optimization model, which can be solved by the ideal point method. Then, the flood flow at the minimum flood stage (minimum flood flow, which is useful for flow regulation, can be calculated from the stage-discharge curve. In order to protect the forest in a river floodplain in a semiarid area in Xinjiang subject to reservoir regulation upstream, the proposed method was used to determine the minimum flood stage and flow for the forest. Field survey of hydrology, topography, and forest distribution was carried out at typical cross sections in the floodplain. Based on the survey results, minimum flood flows for six typical cross sections were estimated to be between 306 m3/s and 393 m3/s. Their maximum, 393 m3/s, was considered the minimum flood flow for the study river reach. This provides an appropriate flood flow for the protection of floodplain forest and can be used in the regulation of the upstream reservoir.

  4. Local and landscape factors determining occurrence of phyllostomid bats in tropical secondary forests.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luis Daniel Avila-Cabadilla

    Full Text Available Neotropical forests are being increasingly replaced by a mosaic of patches of different successional stages, agricultural fields and pasture lands. Consequently, the identification of factors shaping the performance of taxa in anthropogenic landscapes is gaining importance, especially for taxa playing critical roles in ecosystem functioning. As phyllostomid bats provide important ecological services through seed dispersal, pollination and control of animal populations, in this study we assessed the relationships between phyllostomid occurrence and the variation in local and landscape level habitat attributes caused by disturbance. We mist-netted phyllostomids in 12 sites representing 4 successional stages of a tropical dry forest (initial, early, intermediate and late. We also quantitatively characterized the habitat attributes at the local (vegetation structure complexity and the landscape level (forest cover, area and diversity of patches. Two focal scales were considered for landscape characterization: 500 and 1000 m. During 142 sampling nights, we captured 606 individuals representing 15 species and 4 broad guilds. Variation in phyllostomid assemblages, ensembles and populations was associated with variation in local and landscape habitat attributes, and this association was scale-dependent. Specifically, we found a marked guild-specific response, where the abundance of nectarivores tended to be negatively associated with the mean area of dry forest patches, while the abundance of frugivores was positively associated with the percentage of riparian forest. These results are explained by the prevalence of chiropterophilic species in the dry forest and of chiropterochorous species in the riparian forest. Our results indicate that different vegetation classes, as well as a multi-spatial scale approach must be considered for evaluating bat response to variation in landscape attributes. Moreover, for the long-term conservation of phyllostomids in

  5. Local and landscape factors determining occurrence of phyllostomid bats in tropical secondary forests.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Avila-Cabadilla, Luis Daniel; Sanchez-Azofeifa, Gerardo Arturo; Stoner, Kathryn Elizabeth; Alvarez-Añorve, Mariana Yolotl; Quesada, Mauricio; Portillo-Quintero, Carlos Alonso

    2012-01-01

    Neotropical forests are being increasingly replaced by a mosaic of patches of different successional stages, agricultural fields and pasture lands. Consequently, the identification of factors shaping the performance of taxa in anthropogenic landscapes is gaining importance, especially for taxa playing critical roles in ecosystem functioning. As phyllostomid bats provide important ecological services through seed dispersal, pollination and control of animal populations, in this study we assessed the relationships between phyllostomid occurrence and the variation in local and landscape level habitat attributes caused by disturbance. We mist-netted phyllostomids in 12 sites representing 4 successional stages of a tropical dry forest (initial, early, intermediate and late). We also quantitatively characterized the habitat attributes at the local (vegetation structure complexity) and the landscape level (forest cover, area and diversity of patches). Two focal scales were considered for landscape characterization: 500 and 1000 m. During 142 sampling nights, we captured 606 individuals representing 15 species and 4 broad guilds. Variation in phyllostomid assemblages, ensembles and populations was associated with variation in local and landscape habitat attributes, and this association was scale-dependent. Specifically, we found a marked guild-specific response, where the abundance of nectarivores tended to be negatively associated with the mean area of dry forest patches, while the abundance of frugivores was positively associated with the percentage of riparian forest. These results are explained by the prevalence of chiropterophilic species in the dry forest and of chiropterochorous species in the riparian forest. Our results indicate that different vegetation classes, as well as a multi-spatial scale approach must be considered for evaluating bat response to variation in landscape attributes. Moreover, for the long-term conservation of phyllostomids in anthropogenic

  6. Effect of acute. gamma. irradiation on phytocenoses (of grasslands and planktonic)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hernandez-Bermejo, J E [Universidad Politecnica de Madrid (Spain). Departamento de Biologia y Fisiologia Vegetal de la Escuela T.S. de Ingenieros Agronomos

    1977-04-01

    The effects of acute ..gamma.. irradiation on two models of phytocenoses - natural polyphytic grasslands and freshwater phytoplankton communities developed in artificial cultures - have been studied. A retardation of the successional process and a simplification of community structure was observed. This included a reduction in biomass and degree of complexity. A selection favouring weeds and other species which are usually present in young successional stages was also apparent. To a large extent, the overall effects of ..gamma..-radiation depended upon the degree of ecological stability and maturity. Radiation-induced disturbances seemed to be buffered in advanced successional stages. The model of response to ..gamma..- radiation was similar to that produced by other factors of ecological exploitation or perturbation. Synecological parameters such as diversity, similarity and stability were also studied for acute phytocenoses. Low radiation levels produced some clear stimulation effects, the possible significance of which is discussed.

  7. Species Turnover across Different Life Stages from Seedlings to Canopy Trees in Swamp Forests of Central Brazil

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    Clarissa G. Fontes

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Processes driving the assembly of swamp forest communities have been poorly explored. We analyzed natural regeneration and adult tree communities data of a swamp gallery forest in Central Brazil to discuss the role of ecological filters in shaping plant species turnover in a successional gradient. Species data of 120 plots were used to assess species turnover between natural regeneration and adult tree communities. Our analyses were based on 4995 individuals belonging to 72 species. Community patterns were discerned using ordination analyses. A clear floristic turnover among plant life stages was distinguished. Regeneration community of swamp forests was richer in species composition than the adult community. Tree species commonly found in nonflooded gallery forests were present in the regeneration plots but not in the adult community. Differences in the floristic composition of these two strata suggest that not all species in the seedling stage can stand permanent flooding conditions and only a few tolerant species survive to become adult trees. We propose that natural disturbances play an important role by altering limiting resources, allowing seeds of nonflooded forest species to germinate. This paper elucidates the turnover between plant life stages in swamp forests and suggests mechanisms that may shape these communities.

  8. STRUCTURE AND COMPOSITION OF THE REGENERATION STRATUM AND ASSOCIATED VEGETATION OF DIFFERENT SUCCESSION STAGES IN EAST OF PARANÁ STATE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marco Antonio Gomes Souto

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available In recent decades, the human activities caused the overall decline in biodiversity and, to understand the impacts on plant communities, it is necessary to analyze the regenerative potential of the forest. Studies on the floristic composition and the structure of the guild of seedlings in different succession stages and historical conditions can describe the patterns of species replacement and help understand the forest dynamics. Thus, the objective of this study was to compare floristic and structural layer of the regeneration and associated vegetation in two succession stages of two areas with different historical uses located in the city of Campina Grande do Sul, in Paraná state. Seedlings were collected in two fragments of the secondary forest at the initial and at the intermediate stages, with historical use of clear and selective cuts, respectively. One-hundred and six plots of 0,16 m² were delimited and all individual plants with up to 10 - 50 cm high were collected, identified, quantified and divided into two groups: seedlings of tree species and species associated for the phytosociological analysis. The species were also classified according to their habits, dispersion mode and succession stages and the floristic similarity between areas was established by Sorensen’s, Bray & Curtis’ and Morisita-Horn’s indices. The analysis suggests a possible influence of historical use and the successional stages of regeneration and the associated vegetation. The analysis of similarity indicates a gradient of regeneration, in which the intermediate stage of the clear cut area is similar to the early stage of the selective cutting area.

  9. Breeding bird response to juniper woodland expansion

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosenstock, Steven S.; van Riper, Charles

    2001-01-01

    In recent times, pinyon (Pinus spp.)-juniper (Juniperus spp.) woodlands have expanded into large portions of the Southwest historically occupied by grassland vegetation. From 1997-1998, we studied responses of breeding birds to one-seed juniper (J. monosperma) woodland expansion at 2 grassland study areas in northern Arizona. We sampled breeding birds in 3 successional stages along a grassland-woodland gradient: un-invaded grassland, grassland undergoing early stages of juniper establishment, and developing woodland. Species composition varied greatly among successional stages and was most different between endpoints of the gradient. Ground-nesting grassland species predominated in uninvaded grassland but declined dramatically as tree density increased. Tree- and cavity-nesting species increased with tree density and were most abundant in developing woodland. Restoration of juniper-invaded grasslands will benefit grassland-obligate birds and other wildlife.

  10. Relationships between Community Level Functional Traits of Trees and Seedlings during Secondary Succession in a Tropical Lowland Rainforest.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, XingHui; Zang, RunGuo; Huang, JiHong

    2015-01-01

    Most of the previous studies on functional traits focus exclusively on either seedlings or trees. Little knowledge exists on the relationships between community level functional traits of trees and seedlings during succession. Here, we examine variations of the community-level functional traits for trees and seedlings and their correlations along a secondary successional and environmental gradient in a tropical lowland rainforest after shifting cultivation. The results showed that the dynamic patterns in community level functional traits of seedlings were generally consistent with those of the trees during secondary succession. Compared with seedlings, community level traits for trees were less affected by abiotic factors during secondary succession. Correlations between community level functional traits of trees and seedlings were significant for: leaf dry matter content and leaf nitrogen concentration in the 18-year-old fallow; leaf chlorophyll content in the 30-year-old fallow; specific leaf area, leaf dry matter content and leaf nitrogen concentration in the 60-year-old fallow; and leaf nitrogen concentration in old growth. However, these traits except specific leaf area for the tree and seedling communities were all significantly correlated if all the successional stages were combined. Our results suggest that the correlations between community level functional traits of trees and those of seedlings depend on the actual traits and the successional stages examined. However, if all the four successional stages are combined, then four out of five of the community level functional traits for trees could be well predicted by those of the seedlings in the tropical lowland rain forest.

  11. Succession of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in a deflation hollow of the Słowiński National Park, Poland

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    Mariusz Tadych

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available In the years 1994-1995, the occurrence of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF and arbuscular mycorrhizae (AM in eight successional stages of vegetation of a deflation hollow no. 12 of the Łeba Bar, Poland, was investigated. Early successional stages were colonized by members of the families Gramineae and Juncaceae, being gradually replaced by ericaceous plants in the middle and later stages and by trees in the most advanced stage corresponding to the Empetro nigri-Pinetum plant association. From the 96 soil samples collected, 21 species in three genera of AMF were recovered. The fungi most frequently found were members of the genus Acaulospora. The overall spore abundance, the species_ richness of AMF and the level of AM colonisation increased from stage 1 to reach a maximum in the middle stages and then gradually declined, being lowest in the forested stage 8. The values of the overall spore abundance and those of the abundances of the most frequently occurring AMF species strongly evidenced functioning in nature of the process of host-dependent differentiation of AMF communities. Of the five most numerously represented AMF species, the early colonizer and quickly diminishing in later successional stages was Glomus 107. The mid-late successor was A. koskei, and the latest - Glomus aggregatum. All measures of AMF presence negatively correlated with the content of organic C in the soil and most of them were negatively correlated with soil N-NO3 and P concentrations. In contrast, the occurrence of AMY and AM generally was positively correlated with soil pH and the K content of the soil.

  12. Disentangling the environmental heterogeneity, floristic distinctiveness and current threats of tropical dry forests in Colombia

    Science.gov (United States)

    González-M, Roy; García, Hernando; Isaacs, Paola; Cuadros, Hermes; López-Camacho, René; Rodríguez, Nelly; Pérez, Karen; Mijares, Francisco; Castaño-Naranjo, Alejandro; Jurado, Rubén; Idárraga-Piedrahíta, Álvaro; Rojas, Alicia; Vergara, Hernando; Pizano, Camila

    2018-04-01

    Tropical dry forests (TDFs) have been defined as a single biome occurring mostly in the lowlands where there is a marked period of drought during the year. In the Neotropics, dry forests occur across contrasting biogeographical regions that contain high beta diversity and endemism, but also strong anthropogenic pressures that threaten their biodiversity and ecological integrity. In Colombia, TDFs occur across six regions with contrasting soils, climate, and anthropogenic pressures, therefore being ideal for studying how these variables relate to dry forest species composition, successional stage and conservation status. Here, we explore the variation in climate and soil conditions, floristic composition, forest fragment size and shape, successional stage and anthropogenic pressures in 571 dry forest fragments across Colombia. We found that TDFs should not be classified solely on rainfall seasonality, as high variation in precipitation and temperature were correlated with soil characteristics. In fact, based on environmental factors and floristic composition, the dry forests of Colombia are clustered in three distinctive groups, with high species turnover across and within regions, as reported for other TDF regions of the Neotropics. Widely distributed TDF species were found to be generalists favored by forest disturbance and the early successional stages of dry forests. On the other hand, TDF fragments were not only small in size, but highly irregular in shape in all regions, and comprising mostly early and intermediate successional stages, with very little mature forest left at the national level. At all sites, we detected at least seven anthropogenic disturbances with agriculture, cattle ranching and human infrastructure being the most pressing disturbances throughout the country. Thus, although environmental factors and floristic composition of dry forests vary across regions at the national level, dry forests are equally threatened by deforestation, degradation

  13. A two-stage stochastic rule-based model to determine pre-assembly buffer content

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gunay, Elif Elcin; Kula, Ufuk

    2018-01-01

    This study considers instant decision-making needs of the automobile manufactures for resequencing vehicles before final assembly (FA). We propose a rule-based two-stage stochastic model to determine the number of spare vehicles that should be kept in the pre-assembly buffer to restore the altered sequence due to paint defects and upstream department constraints. First stage of the model decides the spare vehicle quantities, where the second stage model recovers the scrambled sequence respect to pre-defined rules. The problem is solved by sample average approximation (SAA) algorithm. We conduct a numerical study to compare the solutions of heuristic model with optimal ones and provide following insights: (i) as the mismatch between paint entrance and scheduled sequence decreases, the rule-based heuristic model recovers the scrambled sequence as good as the optimal resequencing model, (ii) the rule-based model is more sensitive to the mismatch between the paint entrance and scheduled sequences for recovering the scrambled sequence, (iii) as the defect rate increases, the difference in recovery effectiveness between rule-based heuristic and optimal solutions increases, (iv) as buffer capacity increases, the recovery effectiveness of the optimization model outperforms heuristic model, (v) as expected the rule-based model holds more inventory than the optimization model.

  14. Evolutionary Stages of e-Tailors and Retailers: Firm Value Determinants Model

    OpenAIRE

    Jae K. Lee; Heegoo Kang; Hoe K. Lee; Han S. Lee

    2002-01-01

    We have studied the evolutionary stages of pure e-tailers, click & mortar (C&M) and brick & mortar (B&M) retailers for three points of time: June 1999, June 2000, and June 2001. To evaluate the dynamic stages of e-tailing business as an innovative venture, we propose four stages: exploration, breakeven, growth, and maturity. The stages are measured by the impact of revenue and income on the firm value, and a regression model is adopted to formulate the model. To empirically examine the stages...

  15. Identifying tropical dry forests extent and succession via the use of machine learning techniques

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Wei; Cao, Sen; Campos-Vargas, Carlos; Sanchez-Azofeifa, Arturo

    2017-12-01

    Information on ecosystem services as a function of the successional stage for secondary tropical dry forests (TDFs) is scarce and limited. Secondary TDFs succession is defined as regrowth following a complete forest clearance for cattle growth or agriculture activities. In the context of large conservation initiatives, the identification of the extent, structure and composition of secondary TDFs can serve as key elements to estimate the effectiveness of such activities. As such, in this study we evaluate the use of a Hyperspectral MAPper (HyMap) dataset and a waveform LIDAR dataset for characterization of different levels of intra-secondary forests stages at the Santa Rosa National Park (SRNP) Environmental Monitoring Super Site located in Costa Rica. Specifically, a multi-task learning based machine learning classifier (MLC-MTL) is employed on the first shortwave infrared (SWIR1) of HyMap in order to identify the variability of aboveground biomass of secondary TDFs along a successional gradient. Our paper recognizes that the process of ecological succession is not deterministic but a combination of transitional forests types along a stochastic path that depends on ecological, edaphic, land use, and micro-meteorological conditions, and our results provide a new way to obtain the spatial distribution of three main types of TDFs successional stages.

  16. Optical contrast spectra studies for determining thickness of stage-1 graphene-FeCl{sub 3} intercalation compounds

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Han, Wen-Peng, E-mail: han-wenpeng@163.com, E-mail: yunze.long@163.com; Yan, Xu; Zhao, Hui [College of Physics, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071 (China); Li, Qiao-Qiao; Lu, Yan [State Key Laboratory for Superlattices and Microstructures, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100083 (China); Long, Yun-Ze, E-mail: han-wenpeng@163.com, E-mail: yunze.long@163.com [College of Physics, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071 (China); Collaborative Innovation Center for Low-Dimensional Nanomaterials and Optoelectronic Devices, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071 (China)

    2016-07-15

    Because of novel features in their structural, electronic, magnetic and optical properties, especially potential applications in nanoelectronics, the few-layer graphene intercalation compounds (FLGICs) have been intensively studied recently. In this work, the dielectric constant of the doped graphene of stage-1 FeCl{sub 3}-GIC is obtained by fitting the optical contrast spectra. And fully intercalated stage-1 FeCl{sub 3}-FLGICs were prepared by micromechanical cleavage method from graphite intercalation compounds (GICs) for the first time. Finally, we demonstrated that the thickness of stage-1 FeCl{sub 3}-GICs by micromechanical cleavage can be determined by optical contrast spectra. This method also can be used to other FLGICs, such as SbCl{sub 5}-FLGICs and AuCl{sub 5}-FLGICs, etc.

  17. Evaluating Potential of MODIS-based Indices in Determining “Snow Gone” Stage over Forest-dominant Regions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Navdeep S. Sekhon

    2010-05-01

    Full Text Available “Snow gone” (SGN stage is one of the critical variables that describe the start of the official forest fire season in the Canadian Province of Alberta. In this paper, our objective is to evaluate the potential of MODIS-based indices for determining the SGN stage. Those included: (i enhanced vegetation index (EVI, (ii normalized difference water index (NDWI using the shortwave infrared (SWIR spectral bands centered at 1.64 µm (NDWI1.64µm and at 2.13 µm (NDWI2.13µm, and (iii normalized difference snow index (NDSI. These were calculated using the 500 m 8-day gridded MODIS-based composites of surface reflectance data (i.e., MOD09A1 v.005 for the period 2006–08. We performed a qualitative evaluation of these indices over two forest fire prone natural subregions in Alberta (i.e., central mixedwood and lower boreal highlands. In the process, we generated and compared the natural subregion-specific lookout tower sites average: (i temporal trends for each of the indices, and (ii SGN stage using the ground-based observations available from Alberta Sustainable Resource Development. The EVI-values were found to have large uncertainty at the onset of the spring and unable to predict the SGN stages precisely. In terms of NDSI, it showed earlier prediction capabilities. On the contrary, both of the NDWI’s showed distinct pattern (i.e., reached a minimum value before started to increase again during the spring in relation to observed SGN stages. Thus further analysis was carried out to determine the best predictor by comparing the NDWI’s predicted SGN stages with the ground-based observations at all of the individual lookout tower sites (approximately 120 in total across the study area. It revealed that NDWI2.13µm demonstrated better prediction capabilities (i.e., on an average approximately 90% of the observations fell within ±2 periods or ±16 days of deviation in comparison to NDWI1.64µm (i.e., on an average approximately 73% of the

  18. Neighbourhood structure and light availability influence the variations in plant design of shrubs in two cloud forests of different successional status.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guzmán Q, J Antonio; Cordero, Roberto A

    2016-07-01

    Plant design refers to the construction of the plant body or its constituent parts in terms of form and function. Although neighbourhood structure is recognized as a factor that limits plant survival and species coexistence, its relative importance in plant design is not well understood. We conducted field research to analyse how the surrounding environment of neighbourhood structure and related effects on light availability are associated with changes in plant design in two understorey plants (Palicourea padifolia and Psychotria elata) within two successional stages of a cloud forest in Costa Rica. Features of plant neighbourhood physical structure and light availability, estimated using hemispherical photographs, were used as variables that reflect the surrounding environment. Measures of plant biomechanics, allometry, branching and plant slenderness were used as functional plant attributes that reflect plant design. We propose a framework using a partial least squares path model and used it to test this association. The multidimensional response of plant design of these species suggests that decreases in the height-based factor of safety and increases in mechanical load and developmental stability are influenced by increases in maximum height of neighbours and a distance-dependence interference index more than neighbourhood plant density or neighbour aggregation. Changes in plant branching and slenderness are associated positively with light availability and negatively with canopy cover. Although it has been proposed that plant design varies according to plant density and light availability, we found that neighbour size and distance-dependence interference are associated with changes in biomechanics, allometry and branching, and they must be considered as key factors that contribute to the adaptation and coexistence of these plants in this highly diverse forest community. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany

  19. Comparing MODIS and near-surface vegetation indexes for monitoring tropical dry forest phenology along a successional gradient using optical phenology towers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rankine, C.; Sánchez-Azofeifa, G. A.; Guzmán, J. Antonio; Espirito-Santo, M. M.; Sharp, Iain

    2017-10-01

    Tropical dry forests (TDFs) present strong seasonal greenness signals ideal for tracking phenology and primary productivity using remote sensing techniques. The tightly synchronized relationship these ecosystems have with water availability offer a valuable natural experiment for observing the complex interactions between the atmosphere and the biosphere in the tropics. To investigate how well the MODIS vegetation indices (normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and the enhanced vegetation index (EVI)) represented the phenology of different successional stages of naturally regenerating TDFs, within a widely conserved forest fragment in the semi-arid southeast of Brazil, we installed several canopy towers with radiometric sensors to produce high temporal resolution near-surface vegetation greenness indices. Direct comparison of several years of ground measurements with a combined Aqua/Terra 8 day satellite product showed similar broad temporal trends, but MODIS often suffered from cloud contamination during the onset of the growing season and occasionally during the peak growing season. The strength of the in-situ and MODIS linear relationship was greater for NDVI than for EVI across sites but varied with forest stand age. Furthermore, we describe the onset dates and duration of canopy development phases for three years of in-situ monitoring. A seasonality analysis revealed significant discrepancies between tower and MODIS phenology transitions dates, with up to five weeks differences in growing season length estimation. Our results indicate that 8 and 16 day MODIS satellite vegetation monitoring products are suitable for tracking general patterns of tropical dry forest phenology in this region but are not temporally sufficient to characterize inter-annual differences in phenology phase onset dates or changes in productivity due to mid-season droughts. Such rapid transitions in canopy greenness are important indicators of climate change sensitivity of these

  20. The methodological basis for determining individual characteristics of volleyball players at the stage of basic training specialist.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kozina Zh.L.

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Purpose of work - to form and methodologically ground conception of individualization of training process in the playing types of sport. The algorithm of determination of individual features is presented in the structure of preparedness of skilled volley-ballers. In research 20 volley-ballers took part on the stage of the specialized base preparation. The stages of determination of command and individual factor structure of preparedness of sportswomen are presented. It is exposed that individual descriptions of volley-ballers and their line of business not always are related exceptionally to anthropometric information. Descriptions also depend and from the row of other physiological and психофизиологических indexes. These indexes for certain differentiate for the players of different line of role.

  1. Determination of ripeness stages of Mazafati variety of date fruit by Raman spectroscopy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R Khodabakhshian

    2016-04-01

    study was to evaluate the feasibility of a nondestructive method based on FT-Raman spectroscopy in distinction of Mazafati date fruits according to four mentioned ripeness stages. Materials and Methods: Sample preparation: Mazafati variety of date fruit was used for this study. During the harvest seasons of 2012 (July-August, the samples from each four stages of ripening namely Kimri, Khalal, Rutab and Tamr were collected from two different orchards in Bam, Kerman province, Iran. A number of 100 date samples were tested in this study, and the external features of the four stages are exemplified in Fig.1. To characterize the physical properties of studied samples, the selected physical properties such as initial moisture content, mass, geometric mean diameter, sphericity and density of studied samples were measured using represented methods by Mohsenin (1896, Jahromi et al. (2008 and Shakeri and Khodabakhshian (2011. At least, the samples were kept at 5C in a refrigerator for 7 days to distribute the moisture uniformly throughout the sample. Before spectral acquisition, the required quantities of date fruits in each ripeness stage was taken out of the frig and allowed to warm with room temperature for approximately 2 hr (Khodabakhshian et al., 2012. Chemical properties measurements: Tissue samples were cut from each fruit separately and were macerated with a commercial juice extractor, filtered and centrifuged. The supernatant juice was used for the determination of sugar content with a manual refractometer, and expressed as percent Brix in the juice. Dry weight percentage of samples (Between 3-5 g was determined by weighing them first, then dried them at 105ºC in a forced-air oven for 4 h and finally reweighed. PH value of date fruits was determined by a pH meter. Raman spectroscopic set-up: FT-Raman spectra on the whole fruits in the region 200-2500 cm-1 were recorded using a Thermo Nicolet NEXUS 870 spectrometer (Thermo Electron Corp, Madison, Wis., U.S.A equipped

  2. Análise estrutural e considerações sobre a dinâmica sucessional de dois fragmentos florestais semideciduais do Jardim Botânico Municipal de Bauru, SP, Brasil Structural analysis and considerations on the successional dynamic of two semideciduous forest fragments at the Municipal Botanical Garden of Bauru, SP, Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marcelo Henrique Ongaro Pinheiro

    2009-12-01

    forest of the JBMB is at an intermediate successional stage, and that, although it used to be periodically burnt, some of its populations are able to renew themselves.

  3. Food abundance does not determine bird use of early-successional habitat.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Champlin, Tracey B.; Kilgo, John C.; Moorman, Christopher E.

    2009-06-01

    Abstract. Few attempts have been made to experimentally address the extent to which temporal or spatial variation in food availability influences avian habitat use. We used an experimental approach to investigate whether bird use differed between treated (arthropods reduced through insecticide application) and control (untreated) forest canopy gaps within a bottomland hardwood forest in the Upper Coastal Plain of South Carolina, USA. Gaps were two- to three-year-old group selection timber harvest openings of three sizes (0.13, 0.26, and 0.50 ha). Our study was conducted during four bird use periods (spring migration, breeding, post-breeding, and fall migration) in 2002 and 2003. Arthropods were reduced in treated gaps by 68% in 2002 and 73% in 2003. We used mist-netting captures and foraging attack rates to assess the influence of arthropod abundance on avian habitat use. Evidence that birds responded to arthropod abundance was limited and inconsistent. In 2002, we generally captured more birds in treated gaps of the smallest size (0.13 ha) and fewer birds in treated gaps of the larger sizes. In 2003, we recorded few differences in the number of captures in treated and control gaps. Foraging attack rates generally were lower in treated than in control gaps, indicating that birds were able to adapt to the reduced food availability and remain in treated gaps. We conclude that arthropod abundance was not a proximate factor controlling whether forest birds used our gaps. The abundance of food resources may not be as important in determining avian habitat selection as previous research has indicated, at least for passerines in temperate subtropical regions.

  4. Direct lymphography and lower mesentericography - possibilities and limits in determining the localization, stage and operability of rectal cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Viyachki, I.; Todorova, L.

    1976-01-01

    The indications for direct lymphography and lower mesentericography in determining the localization, stage and operability of rectal cancer are discussed in detail. Direct lymphography was attempted in 23 and lower selective mesentericography in 12 patients with rectal cancer. Essential is only the positive result, although it indicates an advanced malignant process. Lower mesentericography, especially the selective one, furnishes valuable information on the localization and stage of rectal cancer, and hence on its operability. Major importance is attached to the combined use of the two methods. They may thus complement one another in the diagnosis of the early stages of rectal cancer and may be helpful in the search of early recurrences after radical treatment. (author)

  5. Determination Bounds for Intermediate Products in a Two-Stage Network DEA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hadi Bagherzadeh Valami

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available The internal structure of decision making unit (DMU is the key element at extension of network DEA. In general considering internal performance evaluation of system is a better criterion than the conventional DEA-models, essentially based on the initial inputs and final outputs of the system. The internal performance of a system is dependent on the relation between sub-DMUs and intermediate products. Since the intermediate measures are consumed by some sub-DMUs produced by the others, it is possible to produce systems; the role of intermediate production is twice output and input. That's why they can be analyzed based on conventional mathematical modeling. In this paper we introduce a new method for determining bounds for intermediate product in a two stage network DEA structure.

  6. Light Diffusion in the Tropical Dry Forest of Costa Rica

    Science.gov (United States)

    Calvo-Rodriguez, S.; Sanchez-Azofeifa, G. A.

    2016-06-01

    Leaf Area Index (LAI) has been defined as the total leaf area (one-sided) in relation to the ground. LAI has an impact on tree growth and recruitment through the interception of light, which in turn affects primary productivity. Even though many instruments exist for estimating LAI from ground, they are often laborious and costly to run continuously. Measurements of LAI from the field using traditional sensors (e.g., LAI-2000) require multiple visits to the field under very specific sky conditions, making them unsuitable to operate in inaccessible areas and forests with dense vegetation, as well as areas where persistent sunny conditions are the norm like tropical dry forests. With this context, we proposed a methodology to characterize light diffusion based on NDVI and LAI measurements taken from the field in two successional stages in the tropical dry forest of Santa Rosa National Park in Costa Rica. We estimate a "K" coefficient to characterize light diffusion by the canopy, based on field NDVI measurements derived from optical phenology instruments and MODIS NDVI. From the coefficients determined, we estimated LAI values and compared them with ground measurements of LAI. In both successional stages ground measurements of LAI had no significant difference to the tower-derived LAI and the estimated LAI from MODIS NDVI.

  7. Black Willow

    Science.gov (United States)

    R. M. Krinard

    1980-01-01

    Black willow and other species of Salix together comprise a majority of the stocking. Cottonwood is the chief associate, particularly in the early stages, but green ash, sycamore, pecan, persimmon, waterlocust, American elm, baldcypress, red maple, sugarberry, box-elder, and in some areas, silver maple are invaders preceding the next successional stage.

  8. Determinants of stage at diagnosis of breast cancer in Nigerian women: sociodemographic, breast cancer awareness, health care access and clinical factors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jedy-Agba, Elima; McCormack, Valerie; Olaomi, Oluwole; Badejo, Wunmi; Yilkudi, Monday; Yawe, Terna; Ezeome, Emmanuel; Salu, Iliya; Miner, Elijah; Anosike, Ikechukwu; Adebamowo, Sally N; Achusi, Benjamin; Dos-Santos-Silva, Isabel; Adebamowo, Clement

    2017-07-01

    Advanced stage at diagnosis is a common feature of breast cancer in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), contributing to poor survival rates. Understanding its determinants is key to preventing deaths from this cancer in SSA. Within the Nigerian Integrative Epidemiology of Breast Cancer Study, a multicentred case-control study on breast cancer, we studied factors affecting stage at diagnosis of cases, i.e. women diagnosed with histologically confirmed invasive breast cancer between January 2014 and July 2016 at six secondary and tertiary hospitals in Nigeria. Stage was assessed using clinical and imaging methods. Ordinal logistic regression was used to examine associations of sociodemographic, breast cancer awareness, health care access and clinical factors with odds of later stage (I, II, III or IV) at diagnosis. A total of 316 women were included, with a mean age (SD) of 45.4 (11.4) years. Of these, 94.9% had stage information: 5 (1.7%), 92 (30.7%), 157 (52.4%) and 46 (15.3%) were diagnosed at stages I, II, III and IV, respectively. In multivariate analyses, lower educational level (odds ratio (OR) 2.35, 95% confidence interval: 1.04, 5.29), not believing in a cure for breast cancer (1.81: 1.09, 3.01), and living in a rural area (2.18: 1.05, 4.51) were strongly associated with later stage, whilst age at diagnosis, tumour grade and oestrogen receptor status were not. Being Muslim (vs. Christian) was associated with lower odds of later stage disease (0.46: 0.22, 0.94). Our findings suggest that factors that are amenable to intervention concerning breast cancer awareness and health care access, rather than intrinsic tumour characteristics, are the strongest determinants of stage at diagnosis in Nigerian women.

  9. Determination of Partition coefficients for a Mixture of Volatile Organic Compounds in Rats and Humans at Different Life Stages

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Mahle, Deidre A; Gearhart, Jeffrey M; Godfrey, Richard J; Mattie, David R; Cook, Robert S; Grisby, Claude C

    2004-01-01

    .... Partition coefficients (PCs) are an integral component of pharmacokinetic models and determining differences in tissue partitioning of volatile organic chemicals across life stages can help reduce the uncertainty in risk assessment...

  10. Important predictors of response determined by surgical staging prior to triple modality therapy for esophageal cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suntharalingam, M.; Vines, E.; Slawson, R.; Doyle, A.; Schuetz, J.; Greenwald, B.; Sonnet, J.; Krasna, M.

    1997-01-01

    Purpose/Objective: Since 1992, the University of Maryland has routinely performed preoperative surgical staging including thoracoscopy and laparoscopy on patients undergoing concurrent chemoradiation followed by surgical resection for esophageal carcinoma. We have performed an analysis of the pathologic pretreatment data in an attempt to identify possible predictors of response and outcome. Materials: Patients underwent thoracoscopy and laparoscopy in order to determine resectability of the primary lesion and pathologic nodal status prior to therapy. To date, 32 patients have completed triple modality therapy (28 men, 4 women, median age 59). Patients received 50.4 Gy in 1.8 Gy fractions in conjunction with two cycles of 5-FU (1 gm/m2) and Cisplatin (100 mg/m2) on days 1 and 28. Radiotherapy fields were determined by the extent of disease discovered at time of surgical staging. Ivor Lewis esophagectomy was performed 4 to 6 weeks after completion of chemo/RT. The median follow up is 24.8 months (range 4-49 mo.) Sixteen patients had squamous cell ca and 16 had adenocarcinoma. Univariate and multivariate analysis was performed in order to determine the influence of age, KPS, T stage, Lymph Nodes status and histology, on the likelihood of achieving a pathologic complete response and disease free survival. Results: Twenty-eight have undergone preoperative staging (2 refused, 2 medical contraindications.) All 32 patients are valuable for response to therapy and are included in the analysis. The three year cause specific and disease free survival is 46% and 41% respectively with a median CSS of 23 months and DFS of 19 months. The overall complete response rate assessed by histologic and immunohistologic evaluation at the time of esophagectomy is 31%. The DFS at 32 months is 72% (median not reached) for these patients versus 24% for those with residual disease at the time of surgery. The most significant predictor for the likelihood of achieving a pathologic CR was the

  11. Temporal species richness-biomass relationships along successional gradients

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Q.

    2003-01-01

    Diversity-biomass relationships are frequently reported to be hump-shaped over space at a given time. However, it is not yet clear how diversity and biomass change simultaneously and how they are related to each other over time (e.g. in succession) at one locality. This study develops a temporal model based on the projected changes of various community variables in a generalized terrestrial environment after fire and uses post-fire succession data on Santa Monica Mountains of southern California and other published succession data to examine the temporal diversity-biomass relationships. The results indicate that in the early stages of succession, both diversity and biomass increase and a positive relationship appears, while in the late stages of succession, biomass continued to increase but diversity usually declines; thus a negative relationship may be observed. When the scales of measurement become sufficiently large so that the measured diversity and biomass cross various stages of succession, a 'hump-shaped' relationship can emerge. The diversity-biomass relationship appears to be concordant in space and time when appropriate scales are used. Formerly proposed explanations for spatial patterns may well apply to the temporal patterns (particularly colonization, facilitation and competitive exclusion).

  12. Determining the satisfaction levels of the family members of patients with advanced-stage cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ozcelik, Hanife; Cakmak, Deniz Ezgi; Fadiloglu, Cicek; Yildirim, Yasemin; Uslu, Ruchan

    2015-06-01

    The objective of our study was to determine the satisfaction levels of family members of patients with advanced-stage cancer. This descriptive study was conducted in the palliative care and medical oncology clinics of a university hospital in the province of Izmir between April of 2011 and January of 2012. The study sample consisted of a total of 145 family members, who were selected from among the family members of patients with advanced-stage cancer receiving palliative treatment. The study data were obtained using the Patient Description Form and Family Satisfaction Scale during face-to-face interviews with patients. Some 67% of patients were female and 33% male, 70% were married, 35% were high school graduates, and 34.5% were housewives. The average total family satisfaction score was 76.87 ± 1.14, and the average scores for the component variables were as follows: information giving 74.37 ± 1.28, availability of care 78.40 ± 1.17, physical care 78.99 ± 1.09, and psychosocial care 74.52 ± 1.30. We found a relationship between the level of satisfaction of family members and (1) gender, (2) occupation, (3) presence of someone supporting the care, and (4) possession of sufficient information about the patient (p Satisfaction levels of participants were determined to be high. We found that family member satisfaction levels were affected by gender and occupation, the existence of someone supporting the care, and possession of sufficient information about the patient.

  13. Is knowledge translation adequate? A quality assurance study of staging investigations in early stage breast cancer patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Dolly; Hogeveen, Sophie; Sweet Goldstein, Miriam; George, Ralph; Brezden-Masley, Christine; Hoch, Jeffrey; Haq, Rashida; Simmons, Christine E

    2012-02-01

    After primary surgery, patients diagnosed with early stage breast cancer undergo radiological investigations based on pathologic stage of disease to rule out distant metastases. Published guidelines can aid clinicians in determining which tests are appropriate based on stage of disease. We wished to assess the consistency of radiological staging in an academic community oncology setting with standard guidelines and to determine the overall impact of non-adherence to these guidelines. A retrospective cohort study was conducted for new breast cancer patients seen at a single institution between January 2009 and April 2010. Patients were included if initial diagnosis and primary surgery was at this institution. Pathologic stage and radiological tests completed were recorded. A literature review was performed and the results were compared with those from this study to determine overall adherence rates. Subsequently, a cost analysis was performed to determine the financial impact at this centre. 231 patients met eligibility criteria for inclusion in this study. A large proportion of patients were over-staged with 129 patients (55%) undergoing unnecessary investigations according to guidelines. Specifically, 59% of stage I patients and 58% of stage II patients were over-investigated. Distant metastases at the time of diagnosis were found in three patients, all of whom had stage III disease (1.3%). The literature reviewed revealed similar non-adherence rates in other centres. The estimated cost of such non-adherence is in the range of $78 (CDN) per new early stage breast cancer patient seen at this centre. This oncology centre has a low adherence to practice guidelines for staging investigations in breast cancer patients, with 55% of patients undergoing unnecessary tests. Very few patients had metastases at diagnosis, and all had pathological stage III disease. Efforts may need to focus on improving knowledge translation across clinical oncology settings to increase

  14. Persistent Acacia savannas replace Mediterranean sclerophyllous forests in South America

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wouw, van de P.; Echeverria, C.; Rey-Benayas, J.M.; Holmgren, M.

    2011-01-01

    Mediterranean ecosystems are global hotspots of biodiversity threaten by human disturbances. Growing evidence indicates that regeneration of Mediterranean forests can be halted under certain circumstances and that successional stages can become notoriously persistent. The Mediterranean

  15. Estrutura do componente arbustivo-arbóreo de dois estádios sucessionais de floresta estacional semidecidual na Reserva Florestal Mata do Paraíso, Viçosa, MG, Brasil Structure of the tree-shrub component in two successional stages of semideciduous forest in the Mata do Paraíso Forest Reserve, Viçosa, MG, Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sheila Isabel do Carmo Pinto

    2007-10-01

    Full Text Available Realizou-se o estudo das variações estruturais do componente arbustivo- arbóreo em dois estádios sucessionais - inicial e madura - de Floresta Estacional Semidecidual, na Reserva Florestal Mata do Paraíso, em Viçosa, MG, Brasil. A Reserva Florestal está situada nas coordenadas 20º45'S e 42º55'W e a uma altitude média de 689 m. O clima da região é classificado como Cwb pelo sistema de Köppen. As espécies arbustivo-arbóreas foram amostradas dentro de 20 parcelas de 10 x 30 m, sendo 10 parcelas em cada estádio sucessional, sendo considerados apenas os indivíduos com diâmetro a 1,30 m do solo (DAP > 4,8 cm. Na floresta inicial foram amostrados 399 indivíduos, distribuídos em 27 famílias e 55 espécies. As espécies com maior valor de importância (VI foram Piptadenia gonoacantha, Vernonanthura diffusa, Miconia cinnamomifolia, Piptocarpha macropoda e Luehea grandiflora. O índice de diversidade de Shannon (H' foi de 3,31 nat.ind.-1 e a equabilidade de Pielou (J', igual a 0,83. No estádio floresta madura foram amostrados 623 indivíduos, distribuídos em 31 famílias e 78 espécies. As espécies com maior valor de importância (VI foram Euterpe edulis, Piptadenia gonoacantha, Nectandra lanceolata, Myrcia sphaerocarpa e Guapira opposita. O índice de diversidade de Shannon (H' foi de 3,46 nat.ind.-1 e a equabilidade de Pielou (J', igual a 0,79. As distribuições diamétricas das quatro espécies mais abundantes em cada estádio sucessional apresentaram padrões distintos, aparentemente relacionados ao estádio sucessional.The study of the floristic and structural variations of the tree-shrub component was carried out in two successional stages of Semideciduous Forest, initial and mature, located in the Mata do Paraíso Forest Reserve, in Viçosa, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. The Forest Reserve is located at 20º45'S and 42º55'W, with average altitude of 689 m. The regional climate is classified as Cwb by the Köppen system

  16. Area Determination of Diabetic Foot Ulcer Images Using a Cascaded Two-Stage SVM-Based Classification.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Lei; Pedersen, Peder C; Agu, Emmanuel; Strong, Diane M; Tulu, Bengisu

    2017-09-01

    The standard chronic wound assessment method based on visual examination is potentially inaccurate and also represents a significant clinical workload. Hence, computer-based systems providing quantitative wound assessment may be valuable for accurately monitoring wound healing status, with the wound area the best suited for automated analysis. Here, we present a novel approach, using support vector machines (SVM) to determine the wound boundaries on foot ulcer images captured with an image capture box, which provides controlled lighting and range. After superpixel segmentation, a cascaded two-stage classifier operates as follows: in the first stage, a set of k binary SVM classifiers are trained and applied to different subsets of the entire training images dataset, and incorrectly classified instances are collected. In the second stage, another binary SVM classifier is trained on the incorrectly classified set. We extracted various color and texture descriptors from superpixels that are used as input for each stage in the classifier training. Specifically, color and bag-of-word representations of local dense scale invariant feature transformation features are descriptors for ruling out irrelevant regions, and color and wavelet-based features are descriptors for distinguishing healthy tissue from wound regions. Finally, the detected wound boundary is refined by applying the conditional random field method. We have implemented the wound classification on a Nexus 5 smartphone platform, except for training which was done offline. Results are compared with other classifiers and show that our approach provides high global performance rates (average sensitivity = 73.3%, specificity = 94.6%) and is sufficiently efficient for a smartphone-based image analysis.

  17. Ecological status of species on grazing gradients on the shallow ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Ecological status of species on grazing gradients on the shallow soils of the western ... Open Access DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT ... Vegetation data were gathered in such a way that those of different successional stages could be identified.

  18. Determination of specific growth stages of plant cell suspension cultures by monitoring conductivity changes in the medium.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hahlbrock, K; Ebel, J; Oaks, A; Auden, J; Liersch, M

    1974-03-01

    Conductivity changes in the medium of cultured soybean (Glycine max L.) cells were shown to be strictly correlated with nitrate uptake and growth of the cultures. A continuous record of the conductivity was used as a simple and reliable method of determining specific growth stages and concomitant peaks in the activities of nitrate reductase and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase.

  19. CARBON STORAGE AND FLUXES IN PONDEROSA PINE AT DIFFERENT SUCCESSIONAL STAGES

    Science.gov (United States)

    We compared carbon storage and fluxes in young and old ponderosa pine stands in Oregon, including plant and soil storage, net primary productivity, respiration fluxes, and eddy flux estimates of net ecosystem exchange. The young site (Y site) was previously an old-growth pondero...

  20. Dental and Chronological Ages as Determinants of Peak Growth Period and Its Relationship with Dental Calcification Stages.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Litsas, George; Lucchese, Alessandra

    2016-01-01

    To investigate the relationship between dental, chronological, and cervical vertebral maturation growth in the peak growth period, as well as to study the association between the dental calcification phases and the skeletal maturity stages during the same growth period. Subjects were selected from orthodontic pre-treatment cohorts consisting of 420 subjects where 255 were identified and enrolled into the study, comprising 145 girls and 110 boys. The lateral cephalometric and panoramic radiographs were examined from the archives of the Department of Orthodontics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece. Dental age was assessed according to the method of Demirjian, and skeletal maturation according to the Cervical Vertebral Maturation Method. Statistical elaboration included Spearman Brown formula, descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation coefficient and regression analysis, paired samples t-test, and Spearman's rho correlation coefficient. Chronological and dental age showed a high correlation for both gender(r =0.741 for boys, r = 0.770 for girls, pStage IV for both males (r=0.554) and females (r=0.68). The lowest correlation was for the CVM Stage III in males (r=0.433, pStage II in females (r=0.393, p>0.001). The t-test revealed statistically significant differences between these variables (pstages was determined. The second molars showed the highest correlation with CVM stages (CVMS) (r= 0.65 for boys, r = 0.72 for girls). Dental age was more advanced than chronological for both boys and girls for all CVMS. During the peak period these differences were more pronounced. Moreover, all correlations between skeletal and dental stages were statistically significant. The second molars showed the highest correlation whereas the canines showed the lowest correlation for both gender.

  1. Two decades of prairie restoration at Fermilab, Batavia, Illinois

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Betz, R.F. [Northeastern Illinois Univ., Chicago, IL (United States); Lootens, R.J.; Becker, M.K. [Fermi National Accelerator Lab., Batavia, IL (United States)

    1996-12-31

    Successional Restoration is the method being used to restore the prairie at Fermilab on the former agricultural fields. This involves an initial planting, using aggressive species that have wide ecological tolerances which will grow well on abandoned agricultural fields. Collectively, these species are designated as the prairie matrix. The species used for this prairie matrix compete with and eventually eliminate most weedy species. They also provide an adequate fuel load capable of sustaining a fire within a few years after a site has been initially planted. Associated changes in the biological and physical structure of the soil help prepare the way for the successful introduction of plants of the later successional species. Only after the species of the prairie matrix are well established, is the species diversity increased by introducing species with narrower ecological tolerances. These species are thus characteristic of the later successional stages.

  2. Tropical secondary forest management influences frugivorous bat composition, abundance and fruit consumption in Chiapas, Mexico

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vleut, I.; Levy-Tacher, S.I.; Boer, de W.F.; Galindo-Gonzalez, J.

    2013-01-01

    Most studies on frugivorous bat assemblages in secondary forests have concentrated on differences among successional stages, and have disregarded the effect of forest management. Secondary forest management practices alter the vegetation structure and fruit availability, important factors associated

  3. Guidelines Determine the Stage of the Life Cycle of the Organizational Culture of Trade

    OpenAIRE

    Gayday Yuliya V.

    2013-01-01

    In the article the guidelines definition stage of the life cycle of the organizational culture of trade is investigated. The main trends of forming the organizational culture of trade is defined. The basic approaches to the formation of the matrix determine the stage of the life cycle of the organizational culture of trade are grounded.В статье рассмотрены методические рекомендации определения стадии жизненного цикла организационной культуры предприятий торговли, выявлены основные тенденции ф...

  4. Metapopulation responses to patch connectivity and quality are masked by successional habitat dynamics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hodgson, Jenny A; Moilanen, Atte; Thomas, Chris D

    2009-06-01

    Many species have to track changes in the spatial distribution of suitable habitat from generation to generation. Understanding the dynamics of such species will likely require spatially explicit models, and patch-based metapopulation models are potentially appropriate. However, relatively little attention has been paid to developing metapopulation models that include habitat dynamics, and very little to testing the predictions of these models. We tested three predictions from theory about the differences between dynamic habitat metapopulations and their static counterparts using long-term survey data from two metapopulations of the butterfly Plebejus argus. As predicted, we showed first that the metapopulation inhabiting dynamic habitat had a lower level of habitat occupancy, which could not be accounted for by other differences between the metapopulations. Secondly, we found that patch occupancy did not significantly increase with increasing patch connectivity in dynamic habitat, whereas there was a strong positive connectivity-occupancy relationship in static habitat. Thirdly, we found no significant relationship between patch occupancy and patch quality in dynamic habitat, whereas there was a strong, positive quality-occupancy relationship in static habitat. Modeling confirmed that the differences in mean patch occupancy and connectivity-occupancy slope could arise without changing the species' metapopulation parameters-importantly, without changing the dependence of colonization upon connectivity. We found that, for a range of landscape scenarios, successional simulations always produced a lower connectivity-occupancy slope than comparable simulations with static patches, whether compared like-for-like or controlling for mean occupancy. We conclude that landscape-scale studies may often underestimate the importance of connectivity for species occurrence and persistence because habitat turnover can obscure the connectivity-occupancy relationship in commonly

  5. MR staging accuracy for endometrial cancer based on the new FIGO stage

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shin, Kyung Eun; Park, Byung Kwan; Kim, Chan Kyo; Bae, Duk Soo; Song, Sang Yong; Kim, Bohyun

    2011-01-01

    Background: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been frequently used to determine a preoperative treatment plan for gynecologic cancers. However, the MR accuracy for staging an endometrial cancer is not satisfactory based on the old FIGO staging system. Purpose: To evaluate MR accuracy for staging endometrial cancer using the new FIGO staging system. Material and Methods: Between January 2005 and May 2009, 199 women underwent surgery due to endometrial cancer. In each patient, an endometrial cancer was staged using MR findings based on the old FIGO staging system and then repeated according to the new FIGO staging system for comparison. Histopathologic findings were used as a standard of reference. Results: The accuracy of MRI in the staging of endometrial carcinoma stage I, II, III, and IV using the old FIGO staging system were 80% (159/199), 89% (178/199), 90% (179/199), and 99% (198/199), respectively, compared to 87% (174/199), 97% (193/199), 90% (179/199), and 99% (198/199), respectively, when using the new FIGO staging criteria. The overall MR accuracy of the old and new staging systems were 51% (101/199) and 81% (161/199), respectively. Conclusion: MRI has become a more useful tool in the preoperative staging of endometrial cancers using the new FIGO staging system compared to the old one with increased accuracy

  6. Nitrogen, phosphorus, and cation use efficiency in stands of regenerating tropical dry forest.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Waring, Bonnie G; Becknell, Justin M; Powers, Jennifer S

    2015-07-01

    Plants on infertile soils exhibit physiological and morphological traits that support conservative internal nutrient cycling. However, potential trade-offs among use efficiencies for N, P, and cations are not well explored in species-rich habitats where multiple elements may limit plant production. We examined uptake efficiency and use efficiency of N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Al, and Na in plots of regenerating tropical dry forests spanning a gradient of soil fertility. Our aim was to determine whether plant responses to multiple elements are correlated, or whether there are trade-offs among exploitation strategies across stands varying in community composition, soil quality, and successional stage. For all elements, both uptake efficiency and use efficiency decreased as availability of the corresponding element increased. Plant responses to N, Na, and Al were uncoupled from uptake and use efficiencies for P and essential base cations, which were tightly correlated. N and P use efficiencies were associated with shifts in plant species composition along the soil fertility gradient, and there was also a trend towards increasing N use efficiency with stand age. N uptake efficiency was positively correlated with the abundance of tree species that associate with ectomycorrhizal fungi. Taken together, our results suggest that successional processes and local species composition interact to regulate plant responses to availability of multiple resources. Successional tropical dry forests appear to employ different strategies to maximize response to N vs. P and K.

  7. Climate- and successional-related changes in functional composition of European forests are strongly driven by tree mortality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruiz-Benito, Paloma; Ratcliffe, Sophia; Zavala, Miguel A; Martínez-Vilalta, Jordi; Vilà-Cabrera, Albert; Lloret, Francisco; Madrigal-González, Jaime; Wirth, Christian; Greenwood, Sarah; Kändler, Gerald; Lehtonen, Aleksi; Kattge, Jens; Dahlgren, Jonas; Jump, Alistair S

    2017-10-01

    Intense droughts combined with increased temperatures are one of the major threats to forest persistence in the 21st century. Despite the direct impact of climate change on forest growth and shifts in species abundance, the effect of altered demography on changes in the composition of functional traits is not well known. We sought to (1) quantify the recent changes in functional composition of European forests; (2) identify the relative importance of climate change, mean climate and forest development for changes in functional composition; and (3) analyse the roles of tree mortality and growth underlying any functional changes in different forest types. We quantified changes in functional composition from the 1980s to the 2000s across Europe by two dimensions of functional trait variation: the first dimension was mainly related to changes in leaf mass per area and wood density (partially related to the trait differences between angiosperms and gymnosperms), and the second dimension was related to changes in maximum tree height. Our results indicate that climate change and mean climatic effects strongly interacted with forest development and it was not possible to completely disentangle their effects. Where recent climate change was not too extreme, the patterns of functional change generally followed the expected patterns under secondary succession (e.g. towards late-successional short-statured hardwoods in Mediterranean forests and taller gymnosperms in boreal forests) and latitudinal gradients (e.g. larger proportion of gymnosperm-like strategies at low water availability in forests formerly dominated by broad-leaved deciduous species). Recent climate change generally favoured the dominance of angiosperm-like related traits under increased temperature and intense droughts. Our results show functional composition changes over relatively short time scales in European forests. These changes are largely determined by tree mortality, which should be further

  8. From Formation to Ecosystem: Tansley's Response to Clements' Climax.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van der Valk, Arnold G

    2014-01-01

    Arthur G. Tansley never accepted Frederic E. Clements' view that succession is a developmental process whose final stage, the climax formation, is determined primarily by regional climate and that all other types of vegetation are some kind of successional stage or arrested successional stage. Tansley was convinced that in a given region a variety of environmental factors could produce different kinds of climax formations. At the heart of their dispute was Clements' organicist view of succession, i.e., the formation was a complex organism with an ontogeny and phylogeny. As early as 1905, Tansley offered an alternative to Clements' complex organism, the quasi-organism, but Clements in private and public rejected this compromise. Tansley and other plant ecologists continued to criticize Clements' theories for the next 20 years, but with no impact on Clements. John Phillips, a South African plant ecologist who was a follower of Clements, published a series of papers in 1934 and 1935 defending Clementsian ecology. These papers were triggered by the publication of a letter by another ecologist working in Africa who claimed that there was a strong correlation between soils and various kinds of climax vegetation, which was contrary to what was predicted by Phillips and Clements. In 1935, Tansley published an attack on Phillips and Clements and their developmental theory of succession. In it, he proposed the concept of the ecosystem as a way to get around Clements' monoclimax theory by making the physical environment (e.g., soil chemistry, soil texture, soil moisture) as important a factor as climate, plants and other organisms in determining the composition and characteristics of ecological entities, i.e., ecosystems. Tansley's ecosystem concept quickly replaced Clements' monoclimax theory as a dominant paradigm in ecology.

  9. Determining lethal dose of gamma radiation on different stages of Tribolium Cosmonauts H b s t

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zolfagharieh, H.R.; Majd, F.; Torshyzie, M.; Babaie, M.

    1992-10-01

    Pest infestation causes great losses to stored grain through out the world. This is specially true in developing countries where the technology is less advanced, and climatic conditions are extremely favourable for the development of pests. Irradiation is on approved method of direct control for stored-product insect in wheat and wheat flour in many countries, and in dictation are that it will soon be approved for all grain, grain products and other dry food commodities. Radiation doses required to kill or sterilized the most important storage pests in all stages are known. However irradiation is very effective in preventing insect development and in producing sterility. A detailed analysis of the radiosensitivity of stored-product insects shows the different groups of pests have very different sensitivities and quarantine doses can be tailored to kill or sterilize the species of quarantine concern. The effect of irradiation on insects are many, and varied, depending primarily on the species, stage, age and physical factors. The aim is to survey the effect of gamma radiation on stored pest, which can categorized under following classes: 1-The effect of gamma radiation on different stages grow of tribolium castaneum (H B S T); 2-Determination of lethal doses.; 3-The study of gamma radiation on products. In summary these information indicated that fairly low dosages of gamma radiation could be used on commodities such as bulk grain in which some infestation by insect stages of irradiation would be required on products such package foods where hundred percent mortality must be obtain. (author)

  10. Disentangling mechanisms that mediate the balance between stochastic and deterministic processes in microbial succession.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dini-Andreote, Francisco; Stegen, James C; van Elsas, Jan Dirk; Salles, Joana Falcão

    2015-03-17

    Ecological succession and the balance between stochastic and deterministic processes are two major themes within microbial ecology, but these conceptual domains have mostly developed independent of each other. Here we provide a framework that integrates shifts in community assembly processes with microbial primary succession to better understand mechanisms governing the stochastic/deterministic balance. Synthesizing previous work, we devised a conceptual model that links ecosystem development to alternative hypotheses related to shifts in ecological assembly processes. Conceptual model hypotheses were tested by coupling spatiotemporal data on soil bacterial communities with environmental conditions in a salt marsh chronosequence spanning 105 years of succession. Analyses within successional stages showed community composition to be initially governed by stochasticity, but as succession proceeded, there was a progressive increase in deterministic selection correlated with increasing sodium concentration. Analyses of community turnover among successional stages--which provide a larger spatiotemporal scale relative to within stage analyses--revealed that changes in the concentration of soil organic matter were the main predictor of the type and relative influence of determinism. Taken together, these results suggest scale-dependency in the mechanisms underlying selection. To better understand mechanisms governing these patterns, we developed an ecological simulation model that revealed how changes in selective environments cause shifts in the stochastic/deterministic balance. Finally, we propose an extended--and experimentally testable--conceptual model integrating ecological assembly processes with primary and secondary succession. This framework provides a priori hypotheses for future experiments, thereby facilitating a systematic approach to understand assembly and succession in microbial communities across ecosystems.

  11. Mycorrhizal associations as Salix repens L. communities in succession of dune ecosystems II Mycorrhizal dynamics and interactions of ectomycorrhizal and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Heijden, van der E.W.; Vosatka, M.

    2000-01-01

    Ectomycorrhizal (EcM) and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) associations of Salix repens were studied at 16 sites in different successional stages of dune ecosystems (calcareous-acidic, dry-wet) in the Netherlands. High EcM colonization, low AM colonization, and lack of differences between habitats

  12. Selection criteria for forested natural areas in New England, USA

    Science.gov (United States)

    William B. Leak; Mariko Yamasaki; Marie-Louise Smith; David T. Funk

    1994-01-01

    The selection of forested natural areas for research and educational purposes is discussed. Five factors are important: sufficient size; representation of typical communities and sites; documented disturbance histories; acceptable current condition in terms of age, tree size, and successional stage; and administrative feasibility.

  13. Ecosystem development in roadside grasslands: biotic control, plant–soil interactions and dispersal limitations

    Science.gov (United States)

    García-Palacios, Pablo; Bowker, Matthew A.; Maestre, Fernando T.; Soliveres, Santiago; Valladares, Fernando; Papadopoulos, Jorge; Escudero, Adrián

    2015-01-01

    Roadside grasslands undergoing secondary succession are abundant, and represent ecologically meaningful examples of novel, human-created ecosystems. Interactions between plant and soil communities (hereafter plant–soil interactions) are of major importance in understanding the role of biotic control in ecosystem functioning, but little is known about these links in the context of ecosystem restoration and succession. The assessment of the key biotic communities and interactions driving ecosystem development will help practitioners to better allocate the limited resources devoted to roadside grassland restoration. We surveyed roadside grasslands from three successional stages (0–2, 7–9 and > 20 years) in two Mediterranean regions of Spain. Structural equation modeling was used to evaluate how interactions between plants, biological soil crusts [BSCs], and soil microbial functional diversity [soil microorganisms] affect indicators of ecosystem development and restoration: plant similarity to the reference ecosystem, erosion control and soil C storage and N accumulation. Changes in plant community composition along the successional gradient exerted the strongest influence on these indicators. High BSC cover was associated with high soil stability, and high soil microbial functional diversity from late-successional stages was associated with high soil fertility. Contrary to our expectations, the indirect effects of plants, mediated by either BSCs or soil microorganisms, were very weak in both regions, suggesting a minor role for plant–soil interactions upon ecosystem development indicators over long periods. Our results suggest that natural vegetation dynamics effectively improved ecosystem development within a time frame of 20 years in the grasslands evaluated. They also indicate that this time could be shortened if management actions focus on: 1) maintain well-conserved natural areas close to roadsides to enhance plant compositional changes towards late-successional

  14. Ecosystem development in roadside grasslands: Biotic control, plant-soil interactions, and dispersal limitations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garcia-Palacios, P.; Bowker, M.A.; Maestre, F.T.; Soliveres, S.; Valladares, F.; Papadopoulos, J.; Escudero, A.

    2011-01-01

    Roadside grasslands undergoing secondary succession are abundant, and represent ecologically meaningful examples of novel, human-created ecosystems. Interactions between plant and soil communities (hereafter plant-soil interactions) are of major importance in understanding the role of biotic control in ecosystem functioning, but little is known about these links in the context of ecosystem restoration and succession. The assessment of the key biotic communities and interactions driving ecosystem development will help practitioners to better allocate the limited resources devoted to roadside grassland restoration. We surveyed roadside grasslands from three successional stages (0-2, 7-9, and > 20 years) in two Mediterranean regions of Spain. Structural equation modeling was used to evaluate how interactions between plants, biological soil crusts (BSCs), and soil microbial functional diversity (soil microorganisms) affect indicators of ecosystem development and restoration: plant similarity to the reference ecosystem, erosion control, and soil C storage and N accumulation. Changes in plant community composition along the successional gradient exerted the strongest influence on these indicators. High BSC cover was associated with high soil stability, and high soil microbial functional diversity from late-successional stages was associated with high soil fertility. Contrary to our expectations, the indirect effects of plants, mediated by either BSCs or soil microorganisms, were very weak in both regions, suggesting a minor role for plant-soil interactions upon ecosystem development indicators over long periods. Our results suggest that natural vegetation dynamics effectively improved ecosystem development within a time frame of 20 years in the grasslands evaluated. They also indicate that this time could be shortened if management actions focus on: (1) maintaining wellconserved natural areas close to roadsides to enhance plant compositional changes towards late-successional

  15. Vegetation series, curve numbers and soil water availabilities. Application to forest restoration in dry lands; Series de vegetacion, numeros de curva y disponibilidades hidricas. Aplicacion a la restauracion forestal en zonas secas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mongil, J.; Martin, L.; Navarro, J.; Martinez de Azagra, A.

    2012-11-01

    Vegetation series related with plants succession in the ecosystems are associated to hydrologic properties of the land such as runoff curve numbers, runoff thresholds and soil water availability. The most evolved vegetation stages in a successional series usually present better soil and hydrologic conditions. In this way curve numbers decrease meanwhile runoff thresholds increase, and therefore water availability grows in the ecosystem. These postulates are analyzed in this paper using field data (7 sampling points) and a hydrologic model (MODIPE). One vegetation series (specifically: Guadarramico-Iberica (supra-meso) holm oak siliceous series) and its successional stages have been chosen to find out its associated curve numbers and ecosystem water availability using MODIPE model. The objective is to apply these items to hydrologic planning and forest restoration in dry lands, where water floods and water scarcity control urban and ecosystem development and restoration measures. (Author) 37 refs.

  16. Nutrient fluxes in litterfall of a secondary successional alluvial rain forest in Southern Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maurício Bergamini Scheer

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available During forest succession, litterfall nutrient fluxes increase significantly. The higher inputs of organic matter and nutrients through litterfall affects positively soil fertility and the species composition, which are essential components in forest restoration and management programs. In the present study, the input of nutrients to the forest soil via litterfall components was estimated for two sites of different development stages, in an early successional alluvial rain forest in Brazil. Litterfall returned to the soil, in kg/ha, ca. 93 N, 79 Ca, 24 K, 15 Mg, 6 P, 1.7 Mn, 0.94 Fe, 0.18 Zn, 0.09 Cu and 11.2 Al, in the site where trees were more abundant and had higher values of basal area. In the other area, where trees where less abundant and values of basal area were comparatively low, litterfall returned Durante la sucesión secundaria forestal, el flujo de nutrientes en la hojarasca se incrementa significativamente. Los altos ingresos de materia orgánica y nutrientes a través de la hojarasca afecta positivamente la fertilidad del suelo y la composición de especies, las cuales son componentes esenciales para programas de restauración forestal y de manejo. En el presente estudio, el ingreso de nutrientes a través de la hojarasca y sus componentes fueron estimados para dos sitios de una selva lluviosa atlántica aluvial en sucesión temprana. La cantidad anual de elementos que ingresan al suelo desde la vegetación más desarrollada (sitios con alta área basal y abundancia de árboles fueron (en kg/ha: 93 N, 79 Ca, 24 K, 15 Mg, 6 P, 1.7 Mn, 0.94 Fe, 0.18 Zn, 0.09 Cu y 11.2 Al. Menos de la mitad de esas cantidades fueron aportadas por la vegetación menos desarrollada, excepto para el Al. La cantidad de Al aportada a este sitio fue similar a la contribución de la vegetación más desarrollada, debido a la contribución de: Tibouchina pulchra (82% de todo el Al aportado. La eficiencia en el uso de nutrientes de la hojarasca

  17. Bee Diversity (Hymenoptera: Apoidea in a Tropical Rainforest Succession

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Allan Smith-Pardo

    2007-01-01

    15.356 specimens were collected, belonging to four families and 287 species, representing 62% of all bee species found in Colombia. About 50% of all individuals sampled were stingless social bees (Apidae, Meliponini. Trigona (Trigona fulviventris was the most abundant species (~10% in the survey. Augochlora and Megachile were the most specious genera. The pasture and secondary forest showed high values of diversity and richness and were significantly higher than those of the mature forest and low shrubs. In all successional stages, except in the mature forest, the number of new species collected in each sample period approached zero and the species accumulation curves tended to stabilize as time and sampling area increased. The net was the most efficient method in all successional stages, except in the forest, where most bee species and individuals were collected with the Van Somer trap. However, a higher percentage (50% of rare species was collected with the Malaise trap. The number of new species collected in each sampled period and the species accumulation curves suggest that our survey was nearly sufficient to estimate the bee diversity in these early successional stages, but insufficient to study the mature forest apifauna. Due to the high efficiency of the Van Somer trap to attract bees in the forest, this trap should be used regularly in additional bee surveys in tropical rain forests. We also summarize the bee surveys in Colombia and highlight the importance of using other less common sampling methods to study bees from tropical ecosystems.

  18. Registrar Staging Assistant (SEER*RSA) - SEER

    Science.gov (United States)

    Use this site for cases diagnosed 2018 and forward to code Extent of Disease 2018, Summary Stage 2018, Site-Specific Data Items, and Grade. Use it for 2016 and 2017 cases to determine UICC TNM 7th edition stage, Collaborative Stage v.02.05.50, and Site-Specific predictive and prognostic factors.

  19. Quantification of litter and nutrients on an Atlantic Rain Forest/ Quantificação de serapilheira e de nutrientes em uma Floresta Ombrófila Densa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rafaelo Balbinot

    2008-08-01

    Full Text Available No matter what kind of forest it is, the litter production represents the first stage of nutrients and energy transfer from the vegetation to the soil, because most of the nutrients absorbed by the plants comes back to the forest ground through the fall of the litter or leaves wash. The aim of this study was to quantify the production of accumulated litter and nutrient contents on three successional stages of Atlantic Rain Forest, Blumenau/SC - Brazil. For the collections of the accumulated litter five rectangular samples units (SU of 10 m x 20 m were used in each successional stage, in a total of 15 SUs. In each SU the collections of material in an aleatory way was made with the aid of a metal frame of 0.25 m x 0.25 m, with five replications per SU every 30 days (75 samples/month, that is to say, 25 samples/successional stage. The average production of accumulated litter in twenty two months in the collected data was, in a decreasing order, stage III (5.28 Mg ha-1 > stage II (5.02 Mg ha-1 > stage I (4.47 Mg ha-1. The total macronutrient contents on accumulated litter of successional stages I and II, in decreasing order were: N > Ca > Mg > K > S > P, and on stage III: N > Ca > Mg > S > K > P. The forest presented total content of micronutrients on accumulated litter of three successional stages in the following decreasing order: Fe > Mn > Zn > B > Cu. For the total organic carbon content on accumulated litter, the sequence was: stage II (1.65 Mg ha-1 > stage III (1.50 Mg ha-1 > stage I (1.47 Mg ha-1.Seja qual for o tipo de floresta, a produção de serapilheira representa o primeiro estágio de transferência de nutrientes e energia da vegetação para o solo, pois a maior parte dos nutrientes absorvidos pelas plantas retorna ao piso florestal através da queda de serapilheira ou lavagem foliar. O objetivo desse estudo foi quantificar a produção de serapilheira acumulada e o conteúdo de nutrientes em três estádios sucessionais da Floresta

  20. 75 FR 39038 - Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge and Wetland Management District, Minnesota

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-07

    ... since the mid-1990s. Emphasis will be on maintaining relationships with existing landowners and... years directs management of habitats to focus on maintaining and using ecological processes that shaped... maintain early and mid-successional stages. Wetlands are actively managed to benefit migratory birds...

  1. Examining the patterns and dynamics of species abundance distributions in succession of forest communities by model selection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luo, Shao-Ming; Chen, Ping; He, Xiao; Guo, Wei; Li, Bailian

    2018-01-01

    There are a few common species and many rare species in a biological community or a multi-species collection in given space and time. This hollow distribution curve is called species abundance distribution (SAD). Few studies have examined the patterns and dynamics of SADs during the succession of forest communities by model selection. This study explored whether the communities in different successional stages followed different SAD models and whether there existed a best SAD model to reveal their intrinsic quantitative features of structure and dynamics in succession. The abundance (the number of individuals) of each vascular plant was surveyed by quadrat sampling method from the tree, shrub and herb layers in two typical communities (i.e., the evergreen needle- and broad-leaved mixed forest and the monsoon evergreen broad-leaved forest) in southern subtropical Dinghushan Biosphere Reserve, South China. The sites of two forest communities in different successional stages are both 1 ha in area. We collected seven widely representative SAD models with obviously different function forms and transformed them into the same octave (log2) scale. These models are simultaneously confronted with eight datasets from four layers of two communities, and their goodness-of-fits to the data were evaluated by the chi-squared test, the adjusted coefficient of determination and the information criteria. The results indicated that: (1) the logCauchy model followed all the datasets and was the best among seven models; (2) the fitness of each model to the data was not directly related to the successional stage of forest community; (3) according to the SAD curves predicted by the best model (i.e., the logCauchy), the proportion of rare species decreased but that of common ones increased in the upper layers with succession, while the reverse was true in the lower layers; and (4) the difference of the SADs increased between the upper and the lower layers with succession. We concluded that

  2. Staging of laser-plasma accelerators

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Steinke, S., E-mail: ssteinke@lbl.gov; Tilborg, J. van; Benedetti, C.; Geddes, C. G. R.; Gonsalves, A. J.; Nakamura, K.; Schroeder, C. B.; Esarey, E. [Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720 (United States); Daniels, J. [Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720 (United States); Eindhoven University of Technology, PO Box 513, 5600MB Eindhoven (Netherlands); Swanson, K. K.; Shaw, B. H.; Leemans, W. P. [Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720 (United States); University of California, Berkeley, California 94720 (United States)

    2016-05-15

    We present results of an experiment where two laser-plasma-accelerator stages are coupled at a short distance by a plasma mirror. Stable electron beams from the first stage were used to longitudinally probe the dark-current-free, quasi-linear wakefield excited by the laser of the second stage. Changing the arrival time of the electron beam with respect to the second stage laser pulse allowed reconstruction of the temporal wakefield structure, determination of the plasma density, and inference of the length of the electron beam. The first stage electron beam could be focused by an active plasma lens to a spot size smaller than the transverse wake size at the entrance of the second stage. This permitted electron beam trapping, verified by a 100 MeV energy gain.

  3. DINÂMICA DA CHUVA DE SEMENTES EM REMANESCENTE DE FLORESTA ESTACIONAL SUBTROPICAL

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marta Silvana Volpato Sccoti

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to evaluate the dynamics of the seed rain in two Floristic groups formed in a remnant of Subtropical Seasonal Forest. The clusters were characterized by successional stage of the forest, namely group I (Secondary Forest in Intermediate Stage-FSEM, with a predominance of early secondary species, and group II (Secondary Forest in Advanced Stage-FSEA, with a predominance of late secondary species. Seed rain was evaluated in 70 collectors of 1 m², randomly distributed in the two groups, whereas in group I were installed 15 collectors and in group II, due to its greater area, 55 collectors. The deposited material was collected monthly from October 2008 to October 2010. The dynamics of seed rain was assessed by the density of seeds of each species of dispersal and seasonal production. We used the nonparametric Test of Wilcoxon Sum of Orders (W to determine statistical differences in the mean density of seeds in each year of assessment for each patch of forest. Seed rain in the remaining studied during three years of study, was represented by 114 species and higher seed production occurred in 2008 (1632-seeds.m-2 in group I and 1270-seeds.m-2 in group II, mainly due to the occurrence of high production Chusquea ramosissima Lindm., Dasyphyllum spinescens (Less. Cabrera, Vernonanthura discolor (Spreng. H.Rob. Only in the second year (2009 observed statistical differences in mean density between the two groups (FSEM=565.6 seeds.m-2 and FSEA=274 seeds.m-2; Z=1.96 and tabulated; W FSEM x FSEA =2.248. Zoochorous species predominated in the study area, and periods of increased seed production were the winter and spring. The seed rain proved important mechanism for natural regeneration of remnant forest and is affected by climate conditions and successional stage of the forest.

  4. Effect of exogenous estradiol applied at different embryonic stages on sex determination, growth, and mortality in the leopard gecko (Eublepharis macularius).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tousignant, A; Crews, D

    1994-01-01

    Temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD) occurs in three orders of reptiles. Several studies have examined the ability of estradiol to produce female hatchlings incubated at a male-producing temperature. The results of these experiments support the idea that estradiol could be used as a powerful tool in the conservation of endangered species with TSD by manipulating hatchling sex ratios. However, these experiments have concentrated on the mechanism of determination. This experiment was designed to test the efficacy of various dosages of estradiol applied at two different stages to alter the hatchling sex ratio as well as determining the potential use of such manipulation for conservation efforts by monitoring egg mortality and hatchling growth. The leopard gecko (Eublepharis macularius) exhibits TSD and reaches reproductive maturity in less than one year, making it an excellent model for evaluating the long-term effects of estradiol. The results demonstrate that estradiol has a dose-dependent effect on the hatchling sex ratio while only high dosages applied at the later stage of development showed increased mortality. Estrogen-determined females grew at the same rate as temperature-determined females and have produced viable hatchlings. Estradiol treatment of eggs from endangered species may provide a method of insuring female offspring when the TSD pattern is unknown or equipment for controlled incubation is unavailable.

  5. Optimal dynamic performance for high-precision actuators/stages

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Preissner, C.; Lee, S.-H.; Royston, T. J.; Shu, D.

    2002-01-01

    System dynamic performance of actuator/stage groups, such as those found in optical instrument positioning systems and other high-precision applications, is dependent upon both individual component behavior and the system configuration. Experimental modal analysis techniques were implemented to determine the six degree of freedom stiffnesses and damping for individual actuator components. These experimental data were then used in a multibody dynamic computer model to investigate the effect of stage group configuration. Running the computer model through the possible stage configurations and observing the predicted vibratory response determined the optimal stage group configuration. Configuration optimization can be performed for any group of stages, provided there is stiffness and damping data available for the constituent pieces

  6. Determining the stages of tillering stage, initiation of primordia, flowering and maturity in the rice plant, with the system S, V and R correlated with the thermal sum at the time

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jennifer Velázquez

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Temperature is one of the major climatic factors that affect growth, development and yield of the rice crop, and also can reduce the time of change of phenological stages. The beginning stages of tillering, initiation of primordia, flowering and harvest maturity were determined with the S, V and R system recently proposed by Counce et ál. (2000; it consists on counting the number of fully developed leaves; in addition, a correlation was made with accumulated degree days that the plant had at that time, in order to estimate with how many degree days the plant began a phenological stage; this parameter is related to the average daily temperature and a base temperature of 10ºC. For the start of tillering the plant needed 140.9 degree days; for primordium start, 1268.9; for bloom 1746; and completed its cycle with a total of 2333.2 degree days. This allows to conclude that, for a variety of long cycle (130-135 days, when the accumulation of degree days is equal or similar to the previous data, the plant initiates one of the above-mentioned phenological stages; however, each one of the varieties in use by farmers must be calibrated, because there are differences in crop cycle length among them.

  7. Microbe-mediated plant-soil feedback in pioneer stages of secondary succession causes long-lasting historical contingency effects in plant community composition.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kardol, P.; Bezemer, T.M.; Putten, van der W.H.

    2006-01-01

    Soil microbes and soil fauna have been assumed to play a key role in interspecific plant competition and successional community development. It has been suggested that plants can influence their performance by changing the composition of their associated soil communities. Such feedback effects may

  8. Effect of copper on multiple successional stages of a marine fouling assemblage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McElroy, David J; Hochuli, Dieter F; Doblin, Martina A; Murphy, Richard J; Blackburn, Robert J; Coleman, Ross A

    2017-11-01

    Copper based paints are used to prevent fouling on the hulls of ships. The widely documented effect of copper on hull assemblages may be primarily due to direct effects on the invertebrates themselves or indirect effects from copper absorbed into the microbial biofilm before settlement has commenced. Artificial units of habitat were exposed to varied regimes of copper to examine (1) the photosynthetic efficiency and pigments of early-colonising biofilms, and (2) subsequent macroinvertebrate assemblage change in response to the different regimes of copper. Macroinvertebrate assemblages were found to be less sensitive to the direct effects of copper than indirect effects as delivered through biofilms that have been historically exposed to copper, with some species more tolerant than others. This raises further concern for the efficacy of copper as a universal antifoulant on the hulls of ships, which may continue to assist the invasion of copper-tolerant invertebrate species.

  9. Staging for vulvar cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hacker, Neville F; Barlow, Ellen L

    2015-08-01

    Vulvar cancer has been staged by the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) since 1969, and the original staging system was based on clinical findings only. This system provided a very good spread of prognostic groupings. Because vulvar cancer is virtually always treated surgically, the status of the lymph nodes is the most important prognostic factor and this can only be determined with certainty by histological examination of resected lymph nodes, FIGO introduced a surgical staging system in 1988. This was modified in 1994 to include a category of microinvasive vulvar cancer (stage IA), because such patients have virtually no risk of lymph node metastases. This system did not give a reasonably even spread of prognostic groupings. In addition, patients with stage III disease were shown to be a heterogeneous group prognostically, and the number of positive nodes and the morphology of those nodes were not taken into account. A new surgical staging system for vulvar cancer was introduced by FIGO in 2009. Initial retrospective analyses have suggested that this new staging system has overcome the major deficiencies in the 1994 system. Crown Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Changes in forest biomass and tree species distribution under climate change in the northeastern United States

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wen J. Wang; Hong S. He; Frank R. Thompson; Jacob S. Fraser; William D. Dijak

    2016-01-01

    Context. Forests in the northeastern United States are currently in early- and mid-successional stages recovering from historical land use. Climate change will affect forest distribution and structure and have important implications for biodiversity, carbon dynamics, and human well-being. Objective. We addressed how aboveground biomass (AGB) and...

  11. Soil loss and run-off measurements form natural veld with a rainfall ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    off from natural veld in different successional stages and different slopes. Run-off as much as 94,34% of the applied volume of water and soil loss of 5,74t/ha were recorded from a pioneer grass cover with a 2,42% slope. Of all the variables ...

  12. Accuracy of the One-Stage and Two-Stage Impression Techniques: A Comparative Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jamshidy, Ladan; Mozaffari, Hamid Reza; Faraji, Payam; Sharifi, Roohollah

    2016-01-01

    Introduction . One of the main steps of impression is the selection and preparation of an appropriate tray. Hence, the present study aimed to analyze and compare the accuracy of one- and two-stage impression techniques. Materials and Methods . A resin laboratory-made model, as the first molar, was prepared by standard method for full crowns with processed preparation finish line of 1 mm depth and convergence angle of 3-4°. Impression was made 20 times with one-stage technique and 20 times with two-stage technique using an appropriate tray. To measure the marginal gap, the distance between the restoration margin and preparation finish line of plaster dies was vertically determined in mid mesial, distal, buccal, and lingual (MDBL) regions by a stereomicroscope using a standard method. Results . The results of independent test showed that the mean value of the marginal gap obtained by one-stage impression technique was higher than that of two-stage impression technique. Further, there was no significant difference between one- and two-stage impression techniques in mid buccal region, but a significant difference was reported between the two impression techniques in MDL regions and in general. Conclusion . The findings of the present study indicated higher accuracy for two-stage impression technique than for the one-stage impression technique.

  13. White Matter Deterioration May Foreshadow Impairment of Emotional Valence Determination in Early-Stage Dementia of the Alzheimer Type.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rajmohan, Ravi; Anderson, Ronald C; Fang, Dan; Meyer, Austin G; Laengvejkal, Pavis; Julayanont, Parunyou; Hannabas, Greg; Linton, Kitten; Culberson, John; Khan, Hafiz M R; De Toledo, John; Reddy, P Hemachandra; O'Boyle, Michael

    2017-01-01

    In Alzheimer Disease (AD), non-verbal skills often remain intact for far longer than verbally mediated processes. Four (1 female, 3 males) participants with early-stage Clinically Diagnosed Dementia of the Alzheimer Type (CDDAT) and eight neurotypicals (NTs; 4 females, 4 males) completed the emotional valence determination test (EVDT) while undergoing BOLD functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). We expected CDDAT participants to perform just as well as NTs on the EVDT, and to display increased activity within the bilateral amygdala and right anterior cingulate cortex (r-ACC). We hypothesized that such activity would reflect an increased reliance on these structures to compensate for on-going neuronal loss in frontoparietal regions due to the disease. We used diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to determine if white matter (WM) damage had occurred in frontoparietal regions as well. CDDAT participants had similar behavioral performance and no differences were observed in brain activity or connectivity patterns within the amygdalae or r-ACC. Decreased fractional anisotropy (FA) values were noted, however, for the bilateral superior longitudinal fasciculi and posterior cingulate cortex (PCC). We interpret these findings to suggest that emotional valence determination and non-verbal skill sets are largely intact at this stage of the disease, but signs foreshadowing future decline were revealed by possible WM deterioration. Understanding how non-verbal skill sets are altered, while remaining largely intact, offers new insights into how non-verbal communication may be more successfully implemented in the care of AD patients and highlights the potential role of DTI as a presymptomatic biomarker.

  14. Changes of endocrine and ultrasound markers as ovarian aging in modifying the Stages of Reproductive Aging Workshop (STRAW) staging system with subclassification of mid reproductive age stage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ding, Ting; Luo, Aiyue; Jiang, Jingjing; Du, Xiaofang; Yang, Shuhong; Lai, Zhiwen; Shen, Wei; Lu, Yunping; Ma, Ding; Wang, Shixuan

    2013-01-01

    To demonstrate the changes of ovarian aging markers across the Stages of Reproductive Aging Workshop (STRAW) stages and modify it with subclassification of mid reproductive age stage (MR). Healthy females were classified according to the STRAW system. Serum basal FSH, LH, E2, and anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) were detected, FSH/LH ratio calculated, and antral follicle counts (AFCs) determined in follicular phase. Progression through the whole STRAW stages under MR stage subdivided is associated with elevations in FSH, LH, FSH/LH ratio and decreases in E2, AMH and AFCs (p age in MR stage. 0.982 ng/ml AMH and 3 antral follicles (low level of MR 25-30 years) were set as cutoffs to distinguish MR stage into early mid reproductive age (EMR) and late mid reproductive age (LMR) stages. The women in EMR stage compared with LMR could retrieve more oocytes in IVF treatment (p stage, demonstrating disparate reproductive aging period with reduced ovarian reserve in young age across the STRAW stages.

  15. The Stages of Implementing the Accounting Outsourcing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Liakhovych Halyna I.

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available The article is aimed at substantiating the procedure for implementing the accounting outsourcing, determining its stages and phases, and to address the problematic issues that arise through the main phases. The general sequence of outsourcing of accounting functions has been disclosed. It has been proposed to allocate preparatory, technological and performance stages in the course of the accounting outsourcing process. It has been found that determining the procedure and organization of the transition to accounting outsourcing is crucial in ensuring its efficiency, so that greater emphasis is placed on the first stage. A sequence of actions in the substantiation of choice for outsourcing as a form of accounting organization has been determined. The list of criteria of choice from the enterprises-outsourcers for accounting record-keeping has been clarified.

  16. Multiple stage miniature stepping motor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Niven, W.A.; Shikany, S.D.; Shira, M.L.

    1981-01-01

    A stepping motor comprising a plurality of stages which may be selectively activated to effect stepping movement of the motor, and which are mounted along a common rotor shaft to achieve considerable reduction in motor size and minimum diameter, whereby sequential activation of the stages results in successive rotor steps with direction being determined by the particular activating sequence followed

  17. Viniční terasy jako refugia pro výskyt xerotermních druhů pavouků (Araneae) a jejich bioindikační využití v hodnocení kvality životního prostředí a úrovně biodiverzity

    OpenAIRE

    Košulič, Ondřej

    2014-01-01

    The large-scale decline of traditionally managed early-successional habitats caused by the joint effects of agricultural intensification and abandonment of marginal lands has resulted in a critical reduction of xerophilous arthopods throughout Europe. The question is whether newly generated early-successional sites of human-made habitats (in this case vineyard terraces) may partially compensate this habitat loss. My research, therefore, focusses on spiders as model organisms to determine the ...

  18. The Distribution of Surgical-Pathologic Risk Factors in Relation to Stage in Patients with Early Stage Cervical Carcinoma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Süha Özer

    2008-04-01

    CONCLUSION: Stage did not clearly predict surgical pathologic risk factors, a result of uncertainty of clinical staging. Without surgery, it is impossible to determine the actual limits of the disease with the tests available at this time.

  19. Egg hatchability in high Arctic breeding wader species Charadriiformes is not affected by determining incubation stage using the egg flotation technique

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hansen, Jannik; Schmidt, Niels Martin; Reneerkens, Jeroen

    2011-01-01

    Capsule By following the fate of both floated and non-floated eggs from individual clutches of four Arctic wader (shorebird) species, we show that the use of the flotation method for determining incubation stage of eggs (which involves both the submersion and handling of eggs) does not negatively

  20. Ponderosa pine, mixed conifer, and spruce-fir forests [Chapter 2

    Science.gov (United States)

    Michael A. Battaglia; Wayne D. Shepperd

    2007-01-01

    Before European settlement of the interior west of the United States, coniferous forests of this region were influenced by many disturbance regimes, primarily fires, insects, diseases, and herbivory, which maintained a diversity of successional stages and vegetative types across landscapes. Activities after settlement, such as fire suppression, grazing, and logging...

  1. Turbulence considerations for comparing ecosystem exchange over old-growth and clear-cut stands for limited fetch and complex canopy flow conditions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sonia Wharton; Matt Schroeder; Kyaw Tha Paw U; Matthias Falk; Ken Bible

    2009-01-01

    Carbon dioxide (CO2), water vapor, and energy fluxes were measured using eddy covariance (EC) methodology over three adjacent evergreen forests in southern Washington State to identify stand-level age-effects on ecosystem exchange. The sites represent Douglas-fir forest ecosystems at two contrasting successional stages: old-growth (OG) and early...

  2. The influence of nitrate and ammonia nitrogen on the photosynthetic ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    A study has been made on the influence of nitrate and ammonia nitrogen on the carbon dioxide compensation point (T), carboxylating enzymes and growth of highveld grasses found at the primary, secondary and climax successional stages. The results obtained are discussed in relation to the influence of nitrogen on ...

  3. Accuracy of the One-Stage and Two-Stage Impression Techniques: A Comparative Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ladan Jamshidy

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction. One of the main steps of impression is the selection and preparation of an appropriate tray. Hence, the present study aimed to analyze and compare the accuracy of one- and two-stage impression techniques. Materials and Methods. A resin laboratory-made model, as the first molar, was prepared by standard method for full crowns with processed preparation finish line of 1 mm depth and convergence angle of 3-4°. Impression was made 20 times with one-stage technique and 20 times with two-stage technique using an appropriate tray. To measure the marginal gap, the distance between the restoration margin and preparation finish line of plaster dies was vertically determined in mid mesial, distal, buccal, and lingual (MDBL regions by a stereomicroscope using a standard method. Results. The results of independent test showed that the mean value of the marginal gap obtained by one-stage impression technique was higher than that of two-stage impression technique. Further, there was no significant difference between one- and two-stage impression techniques in mid buccal region, but a significant difference was reported between the two impression techniques in MDL regions and in general. Conclusion. The findings of the present study indicated higher accuracy for two-stage impression technique than for the one-stage impression technique.

  4. Myiarchus flycatchers are the primary seed dispersers of Bursera longipes in a Mexican dry forest

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R. Carlos Almazán-Núñez

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available We evaluated the seed dispersal of Bursera longipes by birds along a successional gradient of tropical dry forest (TDF in southwestern Mexico. B. longipes is an endemic tree to the TDF in the Balsas basin. The relative abundance of frugivorous birds, their frequency of visits to B. longipes and the number of removed fruits were recorded at three study sites with different stages of forest succession (early, intermediate and mature characterized by distinct floristic and structural elements. Flycatchers of the Myiarchus and Tyrannus genera removed the majority of fruits at each site. Overall, visits to B. longipes were less frequent at the early successional site. Birds that function as legitimate dispersers by consuming whole seeds and regurgitating or defecating intact seeds in the process also remove the pseudoaril from seeds, thereby facilitating the germination process. The highest germination percentages were recorded for seeds that passed through the digestive system of two migratory flycatchers: M. cinerascens and M. nutingii. Perch plants, mainly composed of legumes (e.g., Eysenhardtia polystachya, Acacia cochliacantha, Calliandra eryophylla, Mimosa polyantha, serve also as nurse plants since the number of young individuals recruited from B. longipes was higher under these than expected by chance. This study shows that Myiarchus flycatchers are the most efficient seed dispersers of B. longipes across all successional stages. This suggests a close mutualistic relationship derived from adaptive processes and local specializations throughout the distribution of both taxa, as supported by the geographic mosaic theory of coevolution.

  5. Body condition and stage of seasonal anestrus interact to determine the ovulatory response after male biostimulation in anovulatory Criollo × Nubian goats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vera-Avila, Hector R; Urrutia-Morales, Jorge; Espinosa-Martinez, Mario A; Gamez-Vazquez, Hector G; Jimenez-Severiano, Hector; Villagomez-Amezcua, Eugenio

    2017-06-01

    The effect of goat nutritional condition on the response to biostimulation with sexually active males during different stages of anestrus was determined. Fifty-eight Criollo × Nubian females on high and low body mass index (BMI) diets were used. Each BMI group was divided into two for biostimulation with sexually active males during May (mid-anestrus) or July (transition period). Ovulatory responses to biostimulation were characterized from serum progesterone, as well as the delay for response (first and second ovulations followed by a normal length luteal phase, O-WNLP). The percentage of goats showing one O-WNLP was greater in the high BMI group than in the low BMI group and greater during the transition period than in the mid-anestrus. However, the interaction between factors revealed that the difference between BMI groups was only significant in the transition period and the difference between stages was only significant in goats with high BMI. Occurrence of a second O-WNLP tended to be greater in the high BMI group than in the low BMI group. Response delay was shorter in the transition period than in mid-anestrus. In conclusion, female nutritional status interacting with the stage of anestrus determined the ovulatory response to male biostimulation in crossbred Criollo goats. © 2016 Japanese Society of Animal Science.

  6. A comparison of tumor motion characteristics between early stage and locally advanced stage lung cancers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yu, Z. Henry; Lin, Steven H.; Balter, Peter; Zhang Lifei; Dong Lei

    2012-01-01

    Purpose: With the increasing use of conformal radiation therapy methods for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), it is necessary to accurately determine respiratory-induced tumor motion. The purpose of this study is to analyze and compare the motion characteristics of early and locally advanced stage NSCLC tumors in a large population and correlate tumor motion with position, volume, and diaphragm motion. Methods and materials: A total of 191 (94 early stage, 97 locally advanced) non-small cell lung tumors were analyzed for this study. Each patient received a four-dimensional CT scan prior to receiving radiation treatment. A soft-tissue-based rigid registration algorithm was used to track the tumor motion. Tumor volumes were determined based on the gross tumor volume delineated by physicians in the end of expiration phase. Tumor motion characteristics were correlated with their standardized tumor locations, lobe location, and clinical staging. Diaphragm motion was calculated by subtracting the diaphragm location between the expiration and the inspiration phases. Results: Median, max, and 95th percentile of tumor motion for early stage tumors were 5.9 mm, 31.0 mm, and 20.0 mm, which were 1.2 mm, 12 mm, and 7 mm more than those in locally advanced NSCLC, respectively. The range of motion at 95th percentile is more than 50% larger in early stage lung cancer group than in the locally advanced lung cancer group. Early stage tumors in the lower lobe showed the largest motion with a median motion of 9.2 mm, while upper/mid-lobe tumors exhibited a median motion of 3.3 mm. Tumor volumes were not correlated with motion. Conclusion: The range of tumor motion differs depending on tumor location and staging of NSCLC. Early stage tumors are more mobile than locally advanced stage NSCLC. These factors should be considered for general motion management strategies when 4D simulation is not performed on individual basis.

  7. Homogenization of northern U.S. Great Lakes forests due to land use

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lisa A. Schulte; David J. Mladenoff; Thomas R. Crow; Laura C. Merrick; David T. Cleland

    2007-01-01

    Human land use of forested regions has intensified worldwide in recent decades, threatening long-term sustainability. Primary effects include conversion of land cover or reversion to an earlier stage of successional development. Both types of change can have cascading effects through ecosystems; however, the longterm effects where forests are allowed to regrow are...

  8. Engineer pioneer plants respond to and affect geomorphic constraints similarly along water–terrestrial interfaces world-wide

    OpenAIRE

    Corenblit, D.; Baas, A.; Balke, T.; Bouma, T.J.; Fromard, F.; Garófano-Gómez, V.; González, E.; Gurnell, A.M.; Hortobágyi, B.; Julien, F.; Kim, D.; Lambs, L.; Stallins, J.A.; Steiger, J.; Tabacchi, E.

    2015-01-01

    Aim Within fluvial and coastal ecosystems world-wide, flows of water, wind and sediment generate a shifting landscape mosaic composed of bare substrate and pioneer and mature vegetation successional stages. Pioneer plant species that colonize these ecosystems at the land–water interface have developed specific traits in response to environmental constraints (response...

  9. Determination and Variation of Core Bacterial Community in a Two-Stage Full-Scale Anaerobic Reactor Treating High-Strength Pharmaceutical Wastewater.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Haijun; Ye, Lin; Hu, Haidong; Zhang, Lulu; Ding, Lili; Ren, Hongqiang

    2017-10-28

    Knowledge on the functional characteristics and temporal variation of anaerobic bacterial populations is important for better understanding of the microbial process of two-stage anaerobic reactors. However, owing to the high diversity of anaerobic bacteria, close attention should be prioritized to the frequently abundant bacteria that were defined as core bacteria and putatively functionally important. In this study, using MiSeq sequencing technology, the core bacterial community of 98 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) was determined in a two-stage upflow blanket filter reactor treating pharmaceutical wastewater. The core bacterial community accounted for 61.66% of the total sequences and accurately predicted the sample location in the principal coordinates analysis scatter plot as the total bacterial OTUs did. The core bacterial community in the first-stage (FS) and second-stage (SS) reactors were generally distinct, in that the FS core bacterial community was indicated to be more related to a higher-level fermentation process, and the SS core bacterial community contained more microbes in syntrophic cooperation with methanogens. Moreover, the different responses of the FS and SS core bacterial communities to the temperature shock and influent disturbance caused by solid contamination were fully investigated. Co-occurring analysis at the Order level implied that Bacteroidales, Selenomonadales, Anaerolineales, Syneristales, and Thermotogales might play key roles in anaerobic digestion due to their high abundance and tight correlation with other microbes. These findings advance our knowledge about the core bacterial community and its temporal variability for future comparative research and improvement of the two-stage anaerobic system operation.

  10. Comparing growth phenology of co-occurring deciduous and evergreen conifers exposed to drought

    OpenAIRE

    Swidrak, Irene; Schuster, Roman; Oberhuber, Walter

    2013-01-01

    Plant phenological events are influenced by climate factors such as temperature and rainfall. To evaluate phenological responses to water availability in a Spring Heath-Pine wood (Erico-Pinetum typicum), the focus of this study was to determine intra-annual dynamics of apical and lateral growth of co-occurring early successional Larix decidua and Pinus sylvestris and late successional Picea abies exposed to drought. The effect of reduced plant water availability on growth phenology was invest...

  11. Evaluation of lymph node numbers for adequate staging of Stage II and III colon cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bumpers Harvey L

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Although evaluation of at least 12 lymph nodes (LNs is recommended as the minimum number of nodes required for accurate staging of colon cancer patients, there is disagreement on what constitutes an adequate identification of such LNs. Methods To evaluate the minimum number of LNs for adequate staging of Stage II and III colon cancer, 490 patients were categorized into groups based on 1-6, 7-11, 12-19, and ≥ 20 LNs collected. Results For patients with Stage II or III disease, examination of 12 LNs was not significantly associated with recurrence or mortality. For Stage II (HR = 0.33; 95% CI, 0.12-0.91, but not for Stage III patients (HR = 1.59; 95% CI, 0.54-4.64, examination of ≥20 LNs was associated with a reduced risk of recurrence within 2 years. However, examination of ≥20 LNs had a 55% (Stage II, HR = 0.45; 95% CI, 0.23-0.87 and a 31% (Stage III, HR = 0.69; 95% CI, 0.38-1.26 decreased risk of mortality, respectively. For each six additional LNs examined from Stage III patients, there was a 19% increased probability of finding a positive LN (parameter estimate = 0.18510, p Conclusions Thus, the 12 LN cut-off point cannot be supported as requisite in determining adequate staging of colon cancer based on current data. However, a minimum of 6 LNs should be examined for adequate staging of Stage II and III colon cancer patients.

  12. Soil organic matter formation and sequestration across a forested floodplain chronosequence

    Science.gov (United States)

    John D. Wigginton; B. Graeme Lockaby; Carl C. Trettin

    2000-01-01

    Successional changes in soil organic matter formation and carbon sequestration across a forested floodplain chronosequence were studied at the Savannah river site, National Environmental Research Park, SC, US. Four floodplain sites were selected for study, three of which are in various stages of recovery from impact due to thermal effluent discharge. The fourth is a...

  13. Stages of proceedings in violation of customs regulations cases

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    С. А. Дуженко

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available This article contains the analyze of scientific points of view regarding the structure of proceedings in administrative cases, particularly about determining the number of its stages. It has been proposed new criterion to determine the stages in proceedings in violation of customs regulations cases, as a kind of proceedings in administrative cases.

  14. Comparative effectiveness of one-stage versus two-stage basilic vein transposition arteriovenous fistulas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghaffarian, Amir A; Griffin, Claire L; Kraiss, Larry W; Sarfati, Mark R; Brooke, Benjamin S

    2018-02-01

    Basilic vein transposition (BVT) fistulas may be performed as either a one-stage or two-stage operation, although there is debate as to which technique is superior. This study was designed to evaluate the comparative clinical efficacy and cost-effectiveness of one-stage vs two-stage BVT. We identified all patients at a single large academic hospital who had undergone creation of either a one-stage or two-stage BVT between January 2007 and January 2015. Data evaluated included patient demographics, comorbidities, medication use, reasons for abandonment, and interventions performed to maintain patency. Costs were derived from the literature, and effectiveness was expressed in quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs). We analyzed primary and secondary functional patency outcomes as well as survival during follow-up between one-stage and two-stage BVT procedures using multivariate Cox proportional hazards models and Kaplan-Meier analysis with log-rank tests. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was used to determine cost savings. We identified 131 patients in whom 57 (44%) one-stage BVT and 74 (56%) two-stage BVT fistulas were created among 8 different vascular surgeons during the study period that each performed both procedures. There was no significant difference in the mean age, male gender, white race, diabetes, coronary disease, or medication profile among patients undergoing one- vs two-stage BVT. After fistula transposition, the median follow-up time was 8.3 months (interquartile range, 3-21 months). Primary patency rates of one-stage BVT were 56% at 12-month follow-up, whereas primary patency rates of two-stage BVT were 72% at 12-month follow-up. Patients undergoing two-stage BVT also had significantly higher rates of secondary functional patency at 12 months (57% for one-stage BVT vs 80% for two-stage BVT) and 24 months (44% for one-stage BVT vs 73% for two-stage BVT) of follow-up (P < .001 using log-rank test). However, there was no significant difference

  15. Assessment of Growth Using Mandibular Canine Calcification Stages and Its Correlation with Modified MP3 Stages.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nayak, Reshma; Nayak, Us Krishna; Hegde, Gautam

    2010-01-01

    Orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning for growing children must involve growth prediction, especially in the treatment of skeletal problems. Studies have shown that a strong association exists between skeletal maturity and dental calcification stages. The present study was therefore taken up to provide a simple and practical method for assessing skeletal maturity using a dental periapical film and standard dental X-ray machine, to compare the developmental stages of the mandibular canine with that of developmental stages of modified MP3 and to find out if any correlation exists, to determine if the developmental stages of the mandibular canine alone can be used as a reliable indicator for assessment of skeletal maturity. A total of 160 periapical radiographs (80 males and 80 females), of the mandibular right canine and the MP3 region was taken and assessed according to the Dermirjian's stages of dental calcification and the modified MP3 stages. The correlation between the developmental stages of MP3 and the mandibular right canine in male and female groups, is of high statistical significance (p = 0.001). The correlation coefficient between MP3 stages and developmental stages of mandibular canine and chronological age in male and females was found to be not significant. The correlation between the mandibular canine calcification stages and MP3 stages was found to be significant. The developmental stages of the mandibular canine could be used very reliably as a sole indicator for assessment of skeletal maturity.

  16. Stage of urinary bladder cancer at first presentation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    AlBazzaz Pishtewan H

    2009-01-01

    The stage of urinary bladder cancer is an important factor in determining prognosis of the disease. This prospective study was performed to determine the stage of bladder cancer at first presentation at the Rizgary Hospital in the Erbil governorate in Iraqi Kurdistan. We evaluated 72 patients with bladder cancer. The grades and stages of bladder cancer of these patients were determined through physical examination and investigations. We found that 47.2% of patients had superficial cancer, 19.4% had tumor with invasion into the lamina propria and 30.6% of patients had tumor with invasion to muscle wall. Regional or distant metastases were found in 2.8% of patients. Well differentiated tumor was seen in 44.4% of the patients, moderately differentiated tumor was found in 38.9% and poorly differentiated tumor was found in 16.7% of the patients. Our study suggests that bladder cancer is diagnosed at a relatively early stage in the Erbil governorate. However, the situation can be further improved by adopting proper screening programs and performing appropriate investigations. (author)

  17. Stage of urinary bladder cancer at first presentation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Al-Bazzaz Pishtewan

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available The stage of urinary bladder cancer is an important factor in determining prognosis of the disease. This prospective study was performed to determine the stage of bladder cancer at first presentation at the Rizgary Hospital in the Erbil governorate in Iraqi Kurdistan. We evaluated 72 patients with bladder cancer. The grades and stages of bladder cancer of these patients were determined through physical examination and investigations. We found that 47.2% of patients had superficial cancer, 19.4% had tumor with invasion into the lamina propria and 30.6% of patients had tumor with invasion to muscle wall. Regional or distant metastases were found in 2.8% of patients. Well differentiated tumor was seen in 44.4% of the patients, moderately differentiated tumor was found in 38.9% and poorly differentiated tumor was found in 16.7% of the patients. Our study suggests that bladder cancer is diagnosed at a relatively early stage in the Erbil governorate. However, the situation can be further improved by adopting proper screening programs and performing appropriate investigations.

  18. Sleep staging with movement-related signals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jansen, B H; Shankar, K

    1993-05-01

    Body movement related signals (i.e., activity due to postural changes and the ballistocardiac effort) were recorded from six normal volunteers using the static-charge-sensitive bed (SCSB). Visual sleep staging was performed on the basis of simultaneously recorded EEG, EMG and EOG signals. A statistical classification technique was used to determine if reliable sleep staging could be performed using only the SCSB signal. A classification rate of between 52% and 75% was obtained for sleep staging in the five conventional sleep stages and the awake state. These rates improved from 78% to 89% for classification between awake, REM and non-REM sleep and from 86% to 98% for awake versus asleep classification.

  19. Spatial pattern of Baccharis platypoda shrub as determined by sex and life stages

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fonseca, Darliana da Costa; de Oliveira, Marcio Leles Romarco; Pereira, Israel Marinho; Gonzaga, Anne Priscila Dias; de Moura, Cristiane Coelho; Machado, Evandro Luiz Mendonça

    2017-11-01

    Spatial patterns of dioecious species can be determined by their nutritional requirements and intraspecific competition, apart from being a response to environmental heterogeneity. The aim of the study was to evaluate the spatial pattern of populations of a dioecious shrub reporting to sex and reproductive stage patterns of individuals. Sampling was carried out in three areas located in the meridional portion of Serra do Espinhaço, where in individuals of the studied species were mapped. The spatial pattern was determined through O-ring analysis and Ripley's K-function and the distribution of individuals' frequencies was verified through x2 test. Populations in two areas showed an aggregate spatial pattern tending towards random or uniform according to the observed scale. Male and female adults presented an aggregate pattern at smaller scales, while random and uniform patterns were verified above 20 m for individuals of both sexes of the areas A2 and A3. Young individuals presented an aggregate pattern in all areas and spatial independence in relation to adult individuals, especially female plants. The interactions between individuals of both genders presented spatial independence with respect to spatial distribution. Baccharis platypoda showed characteristics in accordance with the spatial distribution of savannic and dioecious species, whereas the population was aggregated tending towards random at greater spatial scales. Young individuals showed an aggregated pattern at different scales compared to adults, without positive association between them. Female and male adult individuals presented similar characteristics, confirming that adult individuals at greater scales are randomly distributed despite their distinct preferences for environments with moisture variation.

  20. Interannual Variations in Ecosystem Oxidative Ratio in Croplands, Deciduous Forest, Coniferous Forest, and Early Successional Forest Ecosystems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Masiello, C. A.; Hockaday, W. C.; Gallagher, M. E.; Calligan, L.

    2009-12-01

    Ecosystem net primary productivity (NPP) can vary significantly with annual variations in precipitation and temperature. These climate variations can also drive changes in plant carbon allocation patterns. Shifting allocation patterns can lead to variation in net ecosystem biochemical stocks (e.g. kg cellulose, lignin, protein, and lipid/ha), which can in turn lead to shifts in ecosystem oxidative ratio (OR). OR is the molar ratio of O2 released : CO2 fixed during biosynthesis. Major plant biochemicals vary substantially in oxidative ratio, ranging from average organic acid OR values of 0.75 to average lipid OR values of 1.37 (Masiello et al., 2008). OR is a basic property of ecosystem biochemistry, and is also an essential variable needed to constrain the size of the terrestrial biospheric carbon sink (Keeling et al., 1996). OR is commonly assumed to be 1.10 (e.g. Prentice et al., 2001), but small variations in net ecosystem OR can drive large errors in estimates of the size of the terrestrial carbon sink (Randerson et al., 2006). We hypothesized that interannual changes in climate may drive interannual variation in ecosystem OR values. Working at Kellogg Biological Station NSF LTER, we measured the annual average OR of coniferous and deciduous forests, an early successional forest, and croplands under both corn and soy. There are clear distinctions between individual ecosystems (e.g., the soy crops have a higher OR than the corn crops, and the coniferous forests have a higher OR than the deciduous forests), but the ecosystems themselves retained remarkably constant annual OR values between 1998 and 2008.

  1. Photosynthetic capacity of tropical montane tree species in relation to leaf nutrients, successional strategy and growth temperature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dusenge, Mirindi Eric; Wallin, Göran; Gårdesten, Johanna; Niyonzima, Felix; Adolfsson, Lisa; Nsabimana, Donat; Uddling, Johan

    2015-04-01

    Photosynthetic capacity of tree leaves is typically positively related to nutrient content and little affected by changes in growth temperature. These relationships are, however, often poorly supported for tropical trees, for which interspecific differences may be more strongly controlled by within-leaf nutrient allocation than by absolute leaf nutrient content, and little is known regarding photosynthetic acclimation to temperature. To explore the influence of leaf nutrient status, successional strategy and growth temperature on the photosynthetic capacity of tropical trees, we collected data on photosynthetic, chemical and morphological leaf traits of ten tree species in Rwanda. Seven species were studied in a forest plantation at mid-altitude (~1,700 m), whereas six species were studied in a cooler montane rainforest at higher altitude (~2,500 m). Three species were common to both sites, and, in the montane rainforest, three pioneer species and three climax species were investigated. Across species, interspecific variation in photosynthetic capacity was not related to leaf nutrient content. Instead, this variation was related to differences in within-leaf nitrogen allocation, with a tradeoff between investments into compounds related to photosynthetic capacity (higher in pioneer species) versus light-harvesting compounds (higher in climax species). Photosynthetic capacity was significantly lower at the warmer site at 1,700 m altitude. We conclude that (1) within-leaf nutrient allocation is more important than leaf nutrient content per se in controlling interspecific variation in photosynthetic capacity among tree species in tropical Rwanda, and that (2) tropical montane rainforest species exhibit decreased photosynthetic capacity when grown in a warmer environment.

  2. Determination of Process Parameters in Multi-Stage Hydro-Mechanical Deep Drawing by FE Simulation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar, D. Ravi; Manohar, M.

    2017-09-01

    In this work, analysis has been carried to simulate manufacturing of a near hemispherical bottom part with large depth by hydro-mechanical deep drawing with an aim to reduce the number of forming steps and to reduce the extent of thinning in the dome region. Inconel 718 has been considered as the material due to its importance in aerospace industry. It is a Ni-based super alloy and it is one of the most widely used of all super alloys primarily due to large-scale applications in aircraft engines. Using Finite Element Method (FEM), numerical simulations have been carried out for multi-stage hydro-mechanical deep drawing by using the same draw ratios and design parameters as in the case of conventional deep drawing in four stages. The results showed that the minimum thickness in the final part can be increased significantly when compared to conventional deep drawing. It has been found that the part could be deep drawn to the desired height (after trimming at the final stage) without any severe wrinkling. Blank holding force (BHF) and peak counter pressure have been found to have a strong influence on thinning in the component. Decreasing the coefficient of friction has marginally increased the minimum thickness in the final component. By increasing the draw ratio and optimizing BHF, counter pressure and die corner radius in the simulations, it has been found that it is possible to draw the final part in three stages. It has been found that thinning can be further reduced by decreasing the initial blank size without any reduction in the final height. This reduced the draw ratio at every stage and optimum combination of BHF and counter pressure have been found for the 3-stage process also.

  3. Dental Age Estimation (DAE): Data management for tooth development stages including the third molar. Appropriate censoring of Stage H, the final stage of tooth development.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roberts, Graham J; McDonald, Fraser; Andiappan, Manoharan; Lucas, Victoria S

    2015-11-01

    The final stage of dental development of third molars is usually helpful to indicate whether or not a subject is aged over 18 years. A complexity is that the final stage of development is unlimited in its upper border. Investigators usually select an inappropriate upper age limit or censor point for this tooth development stage. The literature was searched for appropriate data sets for dental age estimation and those that provided the count (n), the mean (x¯), and the standard deviation (sd) for each of the tooth development stages. The Demirjian G and Demirjian H were used for this study. Upper and lower limits of the Stage G and Stage H data were calculated limiting the data to plus or minus three standard deviations from the mean. The upper border of Stage H was limited by appropriate censoring at the maximum value for Stage G. The maximum age at attainment from published data, for Stage H, ranged from 22.60 years to 34.50 years. These data were explored to demonstrate how censoring provides an estimate for the correct maximum age for the final stage of Stage H as 21.64 years for UK Caucasians. This study shows that confining the data array of individual tooth developments stages to ± 3sd provides a reliable and logical way of censoring the data for tooth development stages with a Normal distribution of data. For Stage H this is inappropriate as it is unbounded in its upper limit. The use of a censored data array for Stage H using Percentile values is appropriate. This increases the reliability of using third molar Stage H alone to determine whether or not an individual is over 18 years old. For Stage H, individual ancestral groups should be censored using the same technique. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

  4. Plant physiological responses to hydrologically mediated changes in nitrogen supply on a boreal forest floodplain: a mechanism explaining the discrepancy in nitrogen demand and supply

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lina Koyama; Knut. Kielland

    2011-01-01

    A discrepancy between plant demand and soil supply of nitrogen (N) has been observed in early successional stages of riparian vegetation in interior Alaska. We hypothesized that a hydrologically mediated N supply serves as a mechanism to balance this apparent deficiency of plant N supply. To test this hypothesis, we conducted a tracer experiment and measured the...

  5. Nitrogen alters carbon dynamics during early succession in boreal forest

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steven D. Allison; Tracy B. Gartner; Michelle C. Mack; Krista McGuire; Kathleen. Treseder

    2010-01-01

    Boreal forests are an important source of wood products, and fertilizers could be used to improve forest yields, especially in nutrient poor regions of the boreal zone. With climate change, fire frequencies may increase, resulting in a larger fraction of the boreal landscape present in early successional stages. Since most fertilization studies have focused on mature...

  6. Attainability and minimum energy of multiple-stage cascade membrane Systems

    KAUST Repository

    Alshehri, Ali

    2015-08-12

    Process design and simulation of multi-stage membrane systems have been widely studied in many gas separation systems. However, general guidelines have not been developed yet for the attainability and the minimum energy consumption of a multi-stage membrane system. Such information is important for conceptual process design and thus it is the topic of this work. Using a well-mixed membrane model, it was determined that the attainability curve of multi-stage systems is defined by the pressure ratio and membrane selectivity. Using the constant recycle ratio scheme, the recycle ratio can shift the attainability behavior between single-stage and multi-stage membrane systems. When the recycle ratio is zero, all of the multi-stage membrane processes will decay to a single-stage membrane process. When the recycle ratio approaches infinity, the required selectivity and pressure ratio reach their absolute minimum values, which have a simple relationship with that of a single-stage membrane process, as follows: View the MathML sourceSn=S1, View the MathML sourceγn=γ1, where n is the number of stages. The minimum energy consumption of a multi-stage membrane process is primarily determined by the membrane selectivity and recycle ratio. A low recycle ratio can significantly reduce the required membrane selectivity without substantial energy penalty. The energy envelope curve can provide a guideline from an energy perspective to determine the minimum required membrane selectivity in membrane process designs to compete with conventional separation processes, such as distillation.

  7. Applying artificial intelligence to disease staging: Deep learning for improved staging of diabetic retinopathy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takahashi, Hidenori; Tampo, Hironobu; Arai, Yusuke; Inoue, Yuji; Kawashima, Hidetoshi

    2017-01-01

    Disease staging involves the assessment of disease severity or progression and is used for treatment selection. In diabetic retinopathy, disease staging using a wide area is more desirable than that using a limited area. We investigated if deep learning artificial intelligence (AI) could be used to grade diabetic retinopathy and determine treatment and prognosis. The retrospective study analyzed 9,939 posterior pole photographs of 2,740 patients with diabetes. Nonmydriatic 45° field color fundus photographs were taken of four fields in each eye annually at Jichi Medical University between May 2011 and June 2015. A modified fully randomly initialized GoogLeNet deep learning neural network was trained on 95% of the photographs using manual modified Davis grading of three additional adjacent photographs. We graded 4,709 of the 9,939 posterior pole fundus photographs using real prognoses. In addition, 95% of the photographs were learned by the modified GoogLeNet. Main outcome measures were prevalence and bias-adjusted Fleiss' kappa (PABAK) of AI staging of the remaining 5% of the photographs. The PABAK to modified Davis grading was 0.64 (accuracy, 81%; correct answer in 402 of 496 photographs). The PABAK to real prognosis grading was 0.37 (accuracy, 96%). We propose a novel AI disease-staging system for grading diabetic retinopathy that involves a retinal area not typically visualized on fundoscopy and another AI that directly suggests treatments and determines prognoses.

  8. A review of the stages of work hardening

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rollett, A.D.; Kocks, U.F.

    1993-07-01

    Stages of work hardening are reviewed with emphasis on links between each stage. Simple quantitative descriptions are given for each stage. Similarities between stage I, easy glide, and stage IV, large strain hardening, are pointed out both in terms of magnitude of the hardening rate and of the underlying mechanism of dislocation debris accumulation. Stage II is described as an athermal hardening stage that occurs when statistical variations in the dislocation ``forest`` lead to geometrical storage of dislocations. The steadily decreasing hardening rate observed in stage III is characterized by the increasing rate of loss of dislocation density due to dynamic recovery. Stage III appears to have an asymptote to a saturation stress which is determined by the characteristics of the dislocation tangles, or cell walls. The imperfect nature of the dynamic recovery process, however, leads to the accumulation of dislocation debris and this, by analogy with stage 1, causes the apparent saturation stress to rise, thus causing stage IV.

  9. Market-stage analysis enhances strategic planning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McDonald, R B

    1998-07-01

    Changing market conditions are challenging healthcare organizations to determine how to allocate resources and make operational planning decisions to prepare for future changes. A vital part of meeting these challenges is understanding the impact of market stages, and using that knowledge to build effective business strategies. Financial modeling that includes market-stage information provides insight into market opportunities and presents a clearer picture of the organizational changes that will need to be implemented at each stage. Effective strategic action should take into account critical success factors in market responsiveness, organizational responsiveness, operational effectiveness, and financial strength.

  10. Uranium Determination in Samples from Decommissioning of Nuclear facilities Related to the First Stage of Nuclear Fuel Cycle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alvarez, A.; Correa, E.; Navarro, N.; Sancho, C.; Angeles, A.

    2000-01-01

    An adequate workplace monitoring must be carried out during the decommissioning activities, to ensure the protection of workers involved in these tasks. In addition, a large amount of waste materials are generated during the decommissioning of nuclear facilities. Clearance levels are established by regulatory authorities and are normally quite low. The determination of those activity concentration levels become more difficult when it is necessary to quantify alpha emitters such as uranium, especially when complex matrices are involved. Several methods for uranium determination in samples obtained during the decommissioning of a facility related to the first stage of the nuclear fuel cycle are presented in this work. Measurements were carried out by laboratory techniques. In situ gamma spectrometry was also used to perform measurements on site. A comparison among the different techniques was also done by analysing the results obtained in some practical applications. (Author)

  11. Good daily habits during the early stages of life determine success throughout life

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jun Kohyama

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available This paper assesses hypothesis that sufficient sleep duration and proper circadian rhythms during the early stages of life are indispensable to a successful life. Successful life was defined according to the famous cohort studies of Mischel's and Dunedin. To assess the hypothesis, neuronal elements presumably affecting early daily habits and successful life are reviewed. The effect of sufficient sleep duration and proper circadian rhythms during early stages of life on the development of the prefrontal cortex has been found to be the key issue to verify the hypothesis. Socioeconomic status is found to be another issue to be studied.

  12. Good daily habits during the early stages of life determine success throughout life.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kohyama, Jun

    2016-01-01

    This paper assesses hypothesis that sufficient sleep duration and proper circadian rhythms during the early stages of life are indispensable to a successful life. Successful life was defined according to the famous cohort studies of Mischel's and Dunedin. To assess the hypothesis, neuronal elements presumably affecting early daily habits and successful life are reviewed. The effect of sufficient sleep duration and proper circadian rhythms during early stages of life on the development of the prefrontal cortex has been found to be the key issue to verify the hypothesis. Socioeconomic status is found to be another issue to be studied.

  13. Validation of the Mayo Clinic Staging System in Determining Prognoses of Patients With Perihilar Cholangiocarcinoma

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Coelen, Robert J. S.; Gaspersz, Marcia P.; Labeur, Tim A.; van Vugt, Jeroen L. A.; van Dieren, Susan; Willemssen, François E. J. A.; Nio, Chung Y.; Ijzermans, Jan N. M.; Klümpen, Heinz-Josef; Groot Koerkamp, Bas; van Gulik, Thomas M.

    2017-01-01

    BACKGROUND & AIMS: Most systems for staging perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (PHC) have been developed for the minority of patients with resectable disease. The recently developed Mayo Clinic system for staging PHC requires only clinical and radiologic variables, but has not yet been validated. We

  14. Properties of native plant communities do not determine exotic success during early forest succession

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aldo Compagnoni; Charles B. Halpern

    2009-01-01

    Considerable research has been devoted to understanding how plant invasions are influenced by properties of the native community and to the traits of exotic species that contribute to successful invasion. Studies of invasibility are common in successionally stable grasslands, but rare in recently disturbed or seral forests. We used 16 years of species richness and...

  15. The social determinants of health for people with type 1 diabetes that progress to end-stage renal disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hill, Kathleen E; Gleadle, Jonathan M; Pulvirenti, Mariastella; McNaughton, Darlene A

    2015-12-01

    Self-management of type 1 diabetes over a lifetime is complex and challenging even in the best of circumstances, and the social environment can be a powerful determinant of health behaviours and outcomes. The aim of this study was to identify how social determinants of health can impact on the capacity of young people to manage their glycaemic control. The findings emerged from a constructivist grounded theory approach through an in-depth examination of life course events that were recounted through qualitative interviews. The rich descriptive detail obtained from this enquiry locates common experiences and the context in which concordance with therapies occurs and health behaviours develop. This qualitative study of young people with type 1 diabetes who have developed end-stage renal disease demonstrates that there are many factors beyond individual control that can contribute to health outcomes. The social determinants of childhood environment, education, socio-economic status, gender and the culture of public health can contribute to disengagement from treatment regimens and the health-care system and to the development of microvascular complications at a comparatively young age. These findings challenge the assumptions of health-care practitioners about individual responsibility and highlight the importance of considering how social determinants can shape lives, behaviours and health. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  16. Principal determinants of species and functional diversity of carabid beetle assemblages during succession at post-industrial sites.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sipos, J; Hodecek, J; Kuras, T; Dolny, A

    2017-08-01

    Although ecological succession is one of the principal focuses of recent restoration ecology research, it is still unclear which factors drive this process and positively influence species richness and functional diversity. In this study we sought to elucidate how species traits and functional diversity change during forest succession, and to identify important factors that determine the species in the observed assemblages. We analyzed species richness and functional diversity of ground beetle assemblages in relation to succession on post-industrial localities after habitat deterioration caused by spoil deposition. We selected ground beetles as they are known to be sensitive to landscape changes (with a large range of responses), and their taxonomy and ecology are generally well-known. Ground beetles were sampled on the spoil heaps during the last 30 years when spontaneous succession occurred. To calculate functional diversity, we used traits related to habitat and trophic niche, i.e. food specialization, wing morphology, trophic level, and bio-indication value. Ground beetle species were found to be distributed non-randomly in the assemblages in the late phase of succession. Ordination analyses revealed that the ground beetle assemblage was significantly associated with the proportion of forested area. Environmental heterogeneity generated assemblages that contained over-dispersed species traits. Our findings indicated that environmental conditions at late successional stages supported less mobile carnivorous species. Overall, we conclude that the decline in species richness and functional diversity in the middle of the studied succession gradient indicated that the assemblages of open habitats had been replaced by species typical of forest ecosystems.

  17. A two-stage procedure for determining unsaturated hydraulic characteristics using a syringe pump and outflow observations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wildenschild, Dorthe; Jensen, Karsten Høgh; Hollenbeck, Karl-Josef

    1997-01-01

    A fast two-stage methodology for determining unsaturated flow characteristics is presented. The procedure builds on direct measurement of the retention characteristic using a syringe pump technique, combined with inverse estimation of the hydraulic conductivity characteristic based on one......-step outflow experiments. The direct measurements are obtained with a commercial syringe pump, which continuously withdraws fluid from a soil sample at a very low and accurate how rate, thus providing the water content in the soil sample. The retention curve is then established by simultaneously monitoring......-step outflow data and the independently measured retention data are included in the objective function of a traditional least-squares minimization routine, providing unique estimates of the unsaturated hydraulic characteristics by means of numerical inversion of Richards equation. As opposed to what is often...

  18. Determinants of early-stage hearing loss among a cohort of young workers with 16-year follow-up.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marlenga, Barbara; Berg, Richard L; Linneman, James G; Wood, Douglas J; Kirkhorn, Steven R; Pickett, William

    2012-07-01

    The authors had a unique opportunity to study the early impacts of occupational and recreational exposures on the development of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) in a cohort of 392 young workers. The objectives of this study were to estimate strength of associations between occupational and recreational exposures and occurrence of early-stage NIHL and to determine the extent to which relationships between specific noise exposures and early-stage NIHL were mitigated through the use of hearing protection. Participants were young adults who agreed to participate in a follow-up of a randomised controlled trial. While the follow-up study was designed to observe long-term effects (up to 16 years) of a hearing conservation intervention for high school students, it also provided opportunity to study the potential aetiology of NIHL in this worker cohort. Study data were collected via exposure history questionnaires and clinical audiometric examinations. Over the 16-year study period, the authors documented changes to hearing acuity that exceeded 15 dB at high frequencies in 42.8% of men and 27.7% of women. Analyses of risk factors for NIHL were limited to men, who comprised 68% of the cohort, and showed that risks increased in association with higher levels of the most common recreational and occupational noise sources, as well as chemical exposures with ototoxic potential. Use of hearing protection and other safety measures, although not universal and sometimes modest, appeared to offer some protection. Early-stage NIHL can be detected in young workers by measuring high-frequency changes in hearing acuity. Hearing conservation programmes should focus on a broader range of exposures, whether in occupational or non-occupational settings. Priority exposures include gunshots, chainsaws, power tools, smoking and potentially some chemical exposures.

  19. Determination of suitable microspore stage and callus induction from anthers of kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ibrahim, Ahmed Mahmood; Kayat, Fatimah Binti; Hussin, Zeti Ermiena Surya Mat; Susanto, Dwi; Ariffulah, Mohammed

    2014-01-01

    Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) is one of the important species of Hibiscus cultivated for fiber. Availability of homozygous parent lines is prerequisite to the use of the heterosis effect reproducible in hybrid breeding. The production of haploid plants by anther culture followed by chromosome doubling can be achieved in short period compared with inbred lines by conventional method that requires self pollination of parent material. In this research, the effects of the microspore developmental stage, time of flower collection, various pretreatments, different combinations of hormones, and culture condition on anther culture of KB6 variety of Kenaf were studied. Young flower buds with immature anthers at the appropriate stage of microspore development were sterilized and the anthers were carefully dissected from the flower buds and subjected to various pretreatments and different combinations of hormones like NAA, 2,4-D, Kinetin, BAP, and TDZ to induce callus. The best microspore development stage of the flower buds was about 6-8 mm long collected 1-2 weeks after flower initiation. At that stage, the microspores were at the uninucleate stage which was suitable for culture. The best callus induction frequency was 90% in the optimized semisolid MS medium fortified with 3.0 mg/L BAP + 3.0 mg/L NAA.

  20. Determination of Suitable Microspore Stage and Callus Induction from Anthers of Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ahmed Mahmood Ibrahim

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L. is one of the important species of Hibiscus cultivated for fiber. Availability of homozygous parent lines is prerequisite to the use of the heterosis effect reproducible in hybrid breeding. The production of haploid plants by anther culture followed by chromosome doubling can be achieved in short period compared with inbred lines by conventional method that requires self pollination of parent material. In this research, the effects of the microspore developmental stage, time of flower collection, various pretreatments, different combinations of hormones, and culture condition on anther culture of KB6 variety of Kenaf were studied. Young flower buds with immature anthers at the appropriate stage of microspore development were sterilized and the anthers were carefully dissected from the flower buds and subjected to various pretreatments and different combinations of hormones like NAA, 2,4-D, Kinetin, BAP, and TDZ to induce callus. The best microspore development stage of the flower buds was about 6–8 mm long collected 1-2 weeks after flower initiation. At that stage, the microspores were at the uninucleate stage which was suitable for culture. The best callus induction frequency was 90% in the optimized semisolid MS medium fortified with 3.0 mg/L BAP + 3.0 mg/L NAA.

  1. Determination of Suitable Microspore Stage and Callus Induction from Anthers of Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Binti Kayat, Fatimah; Ermiena Surya Mat Hussin, Zeti; Susanto, Dwi; Ariffulah, Mohammed

    2014-01-01

    Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) is one of the important species of Hibiscus cultivated for fiber. Availability of homozygous parent lines is prerequisite to the use of the heterosis effect reproducible in hybrid breeding. The production of haploid plants by anther culture followed by chromosome doubling can be achieved in short period compared with inbred lines by conventional method that requires self pollination of parent material. In this research, the effects of the microspore developmental stage, time of flower collection, various pretreatments, different combinations of hormones, and culture condition on anther culture of KB6 variety of Kenaf were studied. Young flower buds with immature anthers at the appropriate stage of microspore development were sterilized and the anthers were carefully dissected from the flower buds and subjected to various pretreatments and different combinations of hormones like NAA, 2,4-D, Kinetin, BAP, and TDZ to induce callus. The best microspore development stage of the flower buds was about 6–8 mm long collected 1-2 weeks after flower initiation. At that stage, the microspores were at the uninucleate stage which was suitable for culture. The best callus induction frequency was 90% in the optimized semisolid MS medium fortified with 3.0 mg/L BAP + 3.0 mg/L NAA. PMID:24757416

  2. Structural imaging in the presymptomatic stage of genetically determined parkinsonism

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Reetz, Kathrin; Tadic, Vera; Kasten, Meike

    2010-01-01

    Several genes associated with monogenic forms of Parkinson's disease (PD) have been discovered, opening up new avenues for the investigation of presymptomatic stages of PD. Using voxel-based morphometry in 30 asymptomatic mutation carriers (MC) with mutations in four different genes for PD and 100....... The observed striatal GMV increase might be the common structural correlate of compensatory mechanisms due to the latent dopaminergic deficit, reflecting the different, but probably interrelated pathogenic pathways resulting in nigral cell death. Asymptomatic PINK1 and LRRK2 MC also revealed smaller GMV...

  3. Successional pattern of phytoplankton (>55μm in Lekki lagoon, Nigeria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Taofikat Abosede Adesalu

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Lagoons are dominant features along large stretches of the West Africa coast. These freshwater environments are very valuable areas where phytoplankton constitute the basis of aquatic food webs. In order to know the effects of environmental variables on phytoplankton, a study of the successional pattern of phytoplankton in Lekki lagoon was carried out monthly for two years (June 2003-May 2005. Phytoplankton samples were collected from 12 stations using a plankton net of 55μm mesh, and samples preserved in 4% unbuffered formalin. Besides, surface water samples were taken for physico-chemical analysis. For each year, the seasonal distribution and succession of dominant phytoplankton followed different patterns. Phytoplankton abundance was higher during the dry season (November-April for the two annual cycles. The diatoms (Aulacoseira granulate and A. granulata var angustissima and blue green algaes, Microcystis aeruginosa, Merismopedia tennuissima and Trichodesmium lacustre showed this trend by being the abundant species in some of these months. For the rainy season, the green alga Mougeotia sp. dominated. The replacement of one form by another throughout seasonal cycles was probably controlled by the changes in environmental variables such as rainfall, nitratenitrogen and phosphate-phosphorus.La costa oeste de África se caracteriza por la dominancia de lagunas, como ambientes de agua dulce tienen un gran valor, en donde el fitoplancton constituye la base de las cadenas tróficas acuáticas. Con el objetivo de conocer el efecto de las variables ambientales en el fitoplancton, se llevó a cabo un estudio sucesional mensual del fitoplancton, en la laguna Lekki, durante dos años (junio 2003-mayo 2005. En 12 estaciones, se obtuvieron muestras de fitoplancton mediante una red de plancton que tiene una malla de 55μm, que posteriormente fueron preservadas en formalina al 4%. Además, se tomaron muestras de agua superficial, para análisis f

  4. The importance of historical land use in the maintenance of early successional habitat for a threatened rattlesnake

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eric M. McCluskey

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Understanding how historic habitat changes have impacted species and searching the past for clues to better understand the current plight of threatened species can help inform and improve future conservation efforts. We coupled species distribution modeling with historical imagery analysis to assess how changes in land use/land cover have influenced the distribution of eastern massasauga rattlesnake (Sistrurus catenatus, a federally threatened species, and its habitat in northeastern Ohio over the past ∼75 years. We also examined land use/land cover changes throughout southern Michigan for a broader perspective on the influence of historical processes on contemporary habitat. There was a pronounced shift in northeastern Ohio land cover from 1938 to 2011 with forest cover becoming the predominant land cover type as agricultural fields were abandoned and succession occurred. Most known eastern massasauga locations in the area were at some point used for agriculture and higher habitat suitability values were associated with agricultural fields that were eventually abandoned. We observed more stable habitat conditions across southern Michigan populations indicating agricultural abandonment was not as necessary for habitat creation in this part of their range. We present a new approach for linking historical landscapes to present day habitat suitability models; permitting inferences on how prior land use/land cover states have influenced the current distribution of species and their habitats. We demonstrate how agricultural abandonment was an important source of early successional habitat for a species that requires an open canopy, a finding applicable to a broad array of species with similar habitat requirements. Keywords: Eastern massasauga, Agriculture, Aerial photography, Maxent

  5. Determinants of litter decomposition in a tropical forest: functional traits, phylogeny and ecological succession

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Szefer, Piotr; Carmona, C. S.; Chmel, Kryštof; Konečná, M.; Libra, Martin; Molem, K.; Novotný, Vojtěch; Segar, Simon Tristram; Švamberková, E.; Topliceanu, T.-S.; Lepš, Jan

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 126, č. 8 (2017), s. 1101-1111 ISSN 0030-1299 R&D Projects: GA ČR GB14-36098G Institutional support: RVO:60077344 Keywords : nitrogen content * successional status * plant resource-use strategy Subject RIV: EH - Ecology, Behaviour OBOR OECD: Ecology Impact factor: 4.030, year: 2016 http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/oik.03670/full

  6. APORTE E DECOMPOSIÇÃO DA SERAPILHEIRA E PRODUÇÃO DE BIOMASSA RADICULAR EM FLORESTAS COM DIFERENTES ESTÁGIOS SUCESSIONAIS EM PINHEIRAL, RJ

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carlos Eduardo Gabriel Menezes

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to evaluate litter input and decomposition and root biomass of three forest fragments at different successional stages (advanced, medium and initial in Pinheiral Municipality, in the state of RJ, Brazil. To evaluate litter input, 10 conic collectors were installed in each fragment. The root biomass was quantified by monolith method in two periods (wet and dry at depths of 0-10, 10-20 and 20- 30 cm, and 10 samples were collected in each area. To evaluate the decomposition rate in each area, 12 litter bags were distributed. No significant differences were observed for litter input between the areas, but there was a tendency to increase litter input with successional evolution. No significant differences were observed for seasonal litter input between areas during the year, but there was a small increase in the months of July and August. At the advanced stage, litter input could be grouped into two periods: February to July, with lower values; and August to January, with higher values. The leaf fractions and reproductive material input were reduced, while branch and other fractions increased with succession. For litter decomposition, the intermediate stage showed the lowest decomposition constant (k (0.0038 g g -1day-1 and the highest half life time (182 days , followed by the initial (0044 g g -1day-1 and 154 days and advanced (0.0064 g g -1day-1 and 108 days stages. The root biomass in different areas and depths for both two periods studied showed higher values in the advanced stage, followed by the intermediate stage and the lowest values were found in the initial stage. The seasonal root biomass difference occurred mainly in the intermediate stage, with higher values in June.

  7. Dynamics of the oral microbiota as a tool to estimate time since death.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adserias-Garriga, J; Quijada, N M; Hernandez, M; Rodríguez Lázaro, D; Steadman, D; Garcia-Gil, L J

    2017-06-27

    The oral cavity harbors one of the most diverse microbiomes in the human body. It has been shown to be the second most complex in the body after the gastrointestinal tract. Upon death, the indigenous microorganisms lead to the decomposition of the carcass. Therefore, the oral cavity and gastrointestinal tract microbiomes play a key role in human decomposition. The aim of the present study is to monitor the microbiome of decaying bodies on a daily basis and to identify signature bacterial taxa, that can improve postmortem interval estimation. Three individuals (one male and two female) donated to the University of Tennessee Forensic Anthropology Center for the W.M. Bass Donated Skeletal Collection were studied. Oral swab samples were taken daily throughout the different stages of cadaveric putrefaction. DNA was extracted and analyzed by next-generation sequencing techniques. The three cadavers showed similar overall successional changes during the decomposition process. Firmicutes and Actinobacteria are the predominant phyla in the fresh stage. The presence of Tenericutes corresponds to bloat stage. Firmicutes is the predominant phylum in advanced decay, but the Firmicutes community is a different one from the predominant Firmicutes of the fresh stage. This study depicts the thanatomicrobiome successional changes in the oral cavity, and highlights its potential use in forensic cases as a quantitative and objective approach to estimate postmortem interval, from an ecological rationale. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  8. Staging chronic pancreatitis with exocrine function tests: Are we better?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sperti, Cosimo; Moletta, Lucia

    2017-10-14

    Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is an inflammatory disease of the pancreas evolving in progressive fibrotic disruption of the gland with exocrine and endocrine pancreatic insufficiency. Although imaging features of CP are well known, their correlation with exocrine pancreatic function tests are not obvious, particularly in the early stage of the disease. There are many clinical classification of CP, all suggested for better distinguish and manage different forms based on etiological and clinical factors, and severity of the disease. Recently, a new classification of CP has been suggested: the M-ANNHEIM multiple risk factor classification that includes etiology, stage classification and degree of clinical severity. However, more accurate determination of clinical severity of CP requires a correct determination of exocrine function of the pancreas and fecal fat excretion. Recently, Kamath et al demonstrated that the evaluation of exocrine pancreatic function by acid steatocrit and fecal elastase-1 (EF-1) was helpful, but EF-1 was able to detect exocrine pancreatic insufficiency in more patients, upgrading some patients in higher stage of disease according to M-ANNHEIM classification. So, EF-1 is a more accurate test to determine exocrine pancreatic insufficiency and to stage chronic pancreatitis in the M-ANNHEIM classification. On the contrary, EF-1 determination shows low sensitivity in detecting exocrine pancreatic insufficiency in early stage of the disease.

  9. Evaluating outcomes of management targeting the recovery of a migratory songbird of conservation concern

    Science.gov (United States)

    Streby, Henry M.; Kramer, Gunnar R.; Peterson, Sean M.; Andersen, David

    2018-01-01

    Assessing outcomes of habitat management is critical for informing and adapting conservation plans. From 2013 – 2019, a multi-stage management initiative aims to create >25,000 ha of shrubland and early-successional vegetation to benefit Golden-winged Warblers (Vermivora chrysoptera) in managed forested landscapes of the western Great Lakes region. We studied a dense breeding population of Golden-winged Warblers at Rice Lake National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in Minnesota, USA, where shrubs and young trees were sheared during the winter of 2014-2015 in a single treatment supported in part by the American Bird Conservancy (ABC) and in part by other funding source(s) to benefit Golden-winged Warblers and other species associated with young forest [e.g., American Woodcock (Scalopax minor)] and as part of maintenance of early successional forest cover on the refuge.

  10. ESTIMATION OF LEAF AREA INDEX IN OPEN-CANOPY PONDEROSA PINE FORESTS AT DIFFERENT SUCCESSIONAL STAGES AND MANAGEMENT REGIMES IN OREGON. (R828309)

    Science.gov (United States)

    AbstractLeaf area and its spatial distribution are key parameters in describing canopy characteristics. They determine radiation regimes and influence mass and energy exchange with the atmosphere. The evaluation of leaf area in conifer stands is particularly challengi...

  11. Stages of tuberculous meningitis: a clinicoradiologic analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sher, K.; Firdaus, A.; Bullo, N.; Kumar, S.; Abbasi, A.

    2013-01-01

    Objective: To determine the frequencies and percentages of various clinicoradiologic variables of tuberculosis meningitis (TBM) with reference to British Medical Research Council (BMRC) staging of the disease. Study Design: A case series. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Neurology, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi, from October 2010 to September 2011. Methodology: The study included 93 adult patients with the diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis (TBM) at the study place. Patients were divided in three groups according to British Medical Research Council (BMRC) staging of TBM. Different clinical and radiological findings were analyzed at different stages of the disease. Data was analyzed using SPSS (Statistical Package of Social Sciences) version 11.0. Results: A majority of patients were found to be in stage-II disease at the time of admission. History of illness at the time of admission was more than 2 weeks in 50% of stage-I patients but around 80% in stage-II and stage-III patients. Neck stiffness was the most commonly reported finding in all stages. Cranial nerve palsies were higher in stage-III (75%) than in stage-II (43%) and in stage-I (24%) patients. Hydrocephalus and basal enhancement was the most frequently reported radiographic abnormalities. Conclusion: Duration of illness and cranial nerve palsies are important variables in the diagnosis of TBM stages and if TBM is suspected, empiric treatment should be started immediately without bacteriologic proof to prevent morbidity and mortality. (author)

  12. Food abundance does not determine bird use of early-successional habitat

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tracey B. Champlin; John C. Kilgo; Christopher E. Moorman

    2009-01-01

    Few attempts have been made to experimentally address the extent to which temporal or spatial variation in food availability influences avian habitat use. We used an experimental approach to investigate whether bird use differed between treated (arthropods reduced through insecticide application) and control (untreated) forest canopy gaps within a bottomland hardwood...

  13. A new system for assessment of growth using mandibular canine calcification stages and its correlation with modified MP3 stages.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hegde, Gautham; Hegde, Nanditha; Kumar, Anil; Keshavaraj

    2014-07-01

    Orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning for growing children must involve growth prediction, especially in the treatment of skeletal problems. Studies have shown that a strong association exists between skeletal maturity and dental calcification stages. The present study was therefore taken up to provide a simple and practical method for assessing skeletal maturity using a dental periapical film and standard dental X-ray machine, to compare the developmental stages of the mandibular canine with that of developmental stages of modified MP3 and to find out if any correlation exists, to determine if the developmental stages of the mandibular canine alone can be used as a reliable indicator for assessment of skeletal maturity. A total of 160 periapical radiographs, of the mandibular right canine and the MP3 region was taken and assessed according to the Dermirjian's stages of dental calcification and the modified MP3 stages. The correlation coefficient between MP3 stages and developmental stages of mandibular canine was found to be significant in both male and female groups. When the canine calcification stages were compared with the MP3 stages it was found that with the exception of the D stage of canine calcification the remaining stages showed a very high correlation with the modified MP3 stages. The correlation between the mandibular canine calcification stages, and the MP3 stages was found to be significant. The canine calcification could be used as a sole indicator for assessment of skeletal maturity.

  14. Mechanisms of stage-transcending protection following immunization of mice with late liver stage-arresting genetically attenuated malaria parasites.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Brandon K Sack

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Malaria, caused by Plasmodium parasite infection, continues to be one of the leading causes of worldwide morbidity and mortality. Development of an effective vaccine has been encumbered by the complex life cycle of the parasite that has distinct pre-erythrocytic and erythrocytic stages of infection in the mammalian host. Historically, malaria vaccine development efforts have targeted each stage in isolation. An ideal vaccine, however, would target multiple life cycle stages with multiple arms of the immune system and be capable of eliminating initial infection in the liver, the subsequent blood stage infection, and would prevent further parasite transmission. We have previously shown that immunization of mice with Plasmodium yoelii genetically attenuated parasites (GAP that arrest late in liver stage development elicits stage-transcending protection against both a sporozoite challenge and a direct blood stage challenge. Here, we show that this immunization strategy engenders both T- and B-cell responses that are essential for stage-transcending protection, but the relative importance of each is determined by the host genetic background. Furthermore, potent anti-blood stage antibodies elicited after GAP immunization rely heavily on FC-mediated functions including complement fixation and FC receptor binding. These protective antibodies recognize the merozoite surface but do not appear to recognize the immunodominant merozoite surface protein-1. The antigen(s targeted by stage-transcending immunity are present in both the late liver stages and blood stage parasites. The data clearly show that GAP-engendered protective immune responses can target shared antigens of pre-erythrocytic and erythrocytic parasite life cycle stages. As such, this model constitutes a powerful tool to identify novel, protective and stage-transcending T and B cell targets for incorporation into a multi-stage subunit vaccine.

  15. Development and optimization of a HPLC-RI method for the determination of major sugars in apple juice and evaluation of the effect of the ripening stage

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Acácio Antonio Ferreira Zielinski

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available The sugars in apple juice prove its authenticity and its sensory and nutritional properties. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a simple analytical method using high performance liquid chromatography with refractive index detection (HPLC-RI to determinate and quantify the sugars sucrose, D-glucose, D-fructose, and D-sorbitol polyol in apple juices, as well as to analyze the juices from the Fuji suprema and Lis Gala cultivars at three ripening stages. The analytical performance parameters evaluated indicated that the method was specific for the compounds analyzed, and the linearity of the calibration curves of sugars showed high correlation coefficients (close to 1.0. The limits of detection and quantification are consistent with recommendations available in the literature for this type of matrix. Sample preparation is simple and generates small amount of residues. Over 70% of the sugars were determined in the juices of apples at the pre-ripe stage, with an increase during senescence. This method is applicable for the determination of sugars in juices and evaluation of apple ripening.

  16. One-Stage and Two-Stage Schemes of High Performance Synchronous PWM with Smooth Pulses-Ratio Changing

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Oleschuk, V.; Blaabjerg, Frede

    2002-01-01

    This paper presents detailed description of one-stage and two-stage schemes of a novel method of synchronous, pulsewidth modulation (PWM) for voltage source inverters for ac drive application. The proposed control functions provide accurate realization of different versions of voltage space vector...... modulation with synchronization of the voltage waveform of the inverter and with smooth pulse-ratio changing. Voltage spectra do not contain even harmonic and sub-harmonics (combined harmonics) during the whole control range including the zone of overmodulation. Examples of determination of the basic control...

  17. Linking Above- and Belowground Dynamics in Tropical Urban Forests

    Science.gov (United States)

    Atkinson, E. E.; Marin-Spiotta, E.

    2013-12-01

    Secondary forests that emerge after a long history of agriculture can have altered plant community composition and relative abundances of different species. These forests can look and behave differently compared to pre-agricultural forests due changes in primary productivity, resource allocation, and phenology, which can significantly affect processes such as carbon accumulation and nutrient availability. Our research explores how alternative successional trajectories following intensive agricultural use affect linkages among the establishment of novel plant communities, soil nutrient availability and turnover, and soil microbial community composition and function. We hypothesize that different plant species composition due to differing land use legacies and successional trajectories would drive changes in soil microbial community structure and function, affecting soil C and N chemistry and turnover. We conducted this research in the subtropical dry forest life zone of St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands where island-wide abandonment of sugarcane resulted in a mosaic of sites in different stages of forest succession. We identified replicate sites with the following post-sugarcane trajectories: 1) natural forest regeneration, 2) low intensity pasture use, followed by reforestation with timber plantation, which are no longer being managed, 3) high intensity pasture use and recent natural forest regeneration, and 4) high intensity pasture use and current active grazing. During 2011-2013, we sampled soils seasonally (0-10 cm) and measured tree species composition. The successional trajectories showed distinct tree species composition. The first two trajectories yielded 40-year old mixed-species secondary forest, dominated by the dry forest tree species Melicoccus bijugatas, Guapira fragrans, Maniklara zapota, and Sideroxylon foetidissimum. The tree species Melicoccus bijugatas primarily drove differences between the first two trajectories (natural forest regeneration vs

  18. Effect of slope and plant cover on run-off, soil loss and water use ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    An average of 6,2t/ha soil loss and 80,6% run-off of the amount of water applied occurred from the pioneer veld (0,7% basal cover) on the steepest slope. In all the successional stages more run-off and less soil loss occurred from wet soil than from dry soil. Significant (P<0,01) relationships between basal and canopy cover ...

  19. Influence of Neuroblastoma Stage on Serum-Based Detection of MYCN Amplification

    Science.gov (United States)

    Combaret, Valerie; Hogarty, Michael D; London, Wendy B; McGrady, Patrick; Iacono, Isabelle; Brejon, Stephanie; Swerts, Katrien; Noguera, Rosa; Gross, Nicole; Rousseau, Raphael; Puisieux, Alain

    2010-01-01

    Background MYCN oncogene amplification has been defined as the most important prognostic factor for neuroblastoma, the most common solid extracranial neoplasm in children. High copy numbers are strongly associated with rapid tumor progression and poor outcome, independently of tumor stage or patient age, and this has become an important factor in treatment stratification. Procedure By Real Time Quantitative PCR analysis, we evaluated the clinical relevance of circulating MYCN DNA of 267 patients with locoregional or metastatic neuroblastoma in children less than 18 months of age. Results For patients in this age group with INSS stage 4 or 4S NB and stage 3 patients, serum-based determination of MYCN DNA sequences had good sensitivity (85%, 83% and 75% respectively) and high specificity (100%) when compared to direct tumor gene determination. In contrast, the approach showed low sensitivity patients with stage 1 and 2 disease. Conclusion Our results show that the sensitivity of the serum-based MYCN DNA sequence determination depends on the stage of the disease. However, this simple, reproducible assay may represent a reasonably sensitive and very specific tool to assess tumor MYCN status in cases with stage 3 and metastatic disease for whom a wait and see strategy is often recommended. PMID:19301388

  20. Evidence of Ash Tree (Fraxinus spp. Specific Associations with Soil Bacterial Community Structure and Functional Capacity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael P. Ricketts

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available The spread of the invasive emerald ash borer (EAB across North America has had enormous impacts on temperate forest ecosystems. The selective removal of ash trees (Fraxinus spp. has resulted in abnormally large inputs of coarse woody debris and altered forest tree community composition, ultimately affecting a variety of ecosystem processes. The goal of this study was to determine if the presence of ash trees influences soil bacterial communities and/or functions to better understand the impacts of EAB on forest successional dynamics and biogeochemical cycling. Using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing of soil DNA collected from ash and non-ash plots in central Ohio during the early stages of EAB infestation, we found that bacterial communities in plots with ash differed from those without ash. These differences were largely driven by Acidobacteria, which had a greater relative abundance in non-ash plots. Functional genes required for sulfur cycling, phosphorus cycling, and carbohydrate metabolism (specifically those which breakdown complex sugars to glucose were estimated to be more abundant in non-ash plots, while nitrogen cycling gene abundance did not differ. This ash-soil microbiome association implies that EAB-induced ash decline may promote belowground successional shifts, altering carbon and nutrient cycling and changing soil properties beyond the effects of litter additions caused by ash mortality.

  1. Microscopic investigation to determine the effect of Beauveria bassiana (Bals.) Vuill. and Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf. treatment on different life stages of Musca domestica (L.).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mishra, Sapna; Kumar, Peeyush; Malik, Anushree

    2017-06-01

    Microscopic investigation was done to determine the effect of entomopathogenic fungi, Beauveria bassiana and essential oil of Cymbopogon citratus on different life stages of Musca domestica . Scanning electron microscopy investigation of fungal infected larvae showed sluggish movement, rigor, and failure of body to balance in water. Treated larvae also revealed varied level of cuticle shrinkage and extreme dehydration. Surface of B. bassiana infected pupae showed varied stage of mycelial growth, while the cadaver of adult fly was observed to have extensive fungal growth covering their entire body surface. The application of C. citratus oils on M. domestica larvae resulted in skin shrinkage, spinous cells proliferation and bleb formation, while the treated pupae showed high incidence of incomplete emergence and malformation in emerged adult flies. The current study establishes effect of C. citratus essential oil and B. bassiana infection on different life stages of M. domestica .

  2. A new system for assessment of growth using mandibular canine calcification stages and its correlation with modified MP3 stages

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gautham Hegde

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective: Orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning for growing children must involve growth prediction, especially in the treatment of skeletal problems. Studies have shown that a strong association exists between skeletal maturity and dental calcification stages. The present study was therefore taken up to provide a simple and practical method for assessing skeletal maturity using a dental periapical film and standard dental X-ray machine, to compare the developmental stages of the mandibular canine with that of developmental stages of modified MP3 and to find out if any correlation exists, to determine if the developmental stages of the mandibular canine alone can be used as a reliable indicator for assessment of skeletal maturity. Materials and Methods: A total of 160 periapical radiographs, of the mandibular right canine and the MP3 region was taken and assessed according to the Dermirjian′s stages of dental calcification and the modified MP3 stages. Results and Discussion: The correlation coefficient between MP3 stages and developmental stages of mandibular canine was found to be significant in both male and female groups. When the canine calcification stages were compared with the MP3 stages it was found that with the exception of the D stage of canine calcification the remaining stages showed a very high correlation with the modified MP3 stages. Conclusion: The correlation between the mandibular canine calcification stages, and the MP3 stages was found to be significant. The canine calcification could be used as a sole indicator for assessment of skeletal maturity.

  3. Differential responses of dinitrogen fixation, diazotrophic cyanobacteria and ammonia oxidation reveal a potential warming-induced imbalance of the N-cycle in biological soil crusts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Xiaobing; Smith, Hilda J.; Giraldo Silva, Ana; Belnap, Jayne; Garcia-Pichel, Ferran

    2017-01-01

    N2 fixation and ammonia oxidation (AO) are the two most important processes in the nitrogen (N) cycle of biological soil crusts (BSCs). We studied the short-term response of acetylene reduction assay (ARA) rates, an indicator of potential N2 fixation, and AO rates to temperature (T, -5°C to 35°C) in BSC of different successional stages along the BSC ecological succession and geographic origin (hot Chihuahuan and cooler Great Basin deserts). ARA in all BSCs increased with T until saturation occurred between 15 and 20°C, and declined at 30–35°C. Culture studies using cyanobacteria isolated from these crusts indicated that the saturating effect was traceable to their inability to grow well diazotrophically within the high temperature range. Below saturation, temperature response was exponential, with Q10 significantly different in the two areas (~ 5 for Great Basin BSCs; 2–3 for Chihuahuan BSCs), but similar between the two successional stages. However, in contrast to ARA, AO showed a steady increase to 30–35°C in Great Basin, and Chihuhuan BSCs showed no inhibition at any tested temperature. The T response of AO also differed significantly between Great Basin (Q10 of 4.5–4.8) and Chihuahuan (Q10 of 2.4–2.6) BSCs, but not between successional stages. Response of ARA rates to T did not differ from that of AO in either desert. Thus, while both processes scaled to T in unison until 20°C, they separated to an increasing degree at higher temperature. As future warming is likely to occur in the regions where BSCs are often the dominant living cover, this predicted decoupling is expected to result in higher proportion of nitrates in soil relative to ammonium. As nitrate is more easily lost as leachate or to be reduced to gaseous forms, this could mean a depletion of soil N over large landscapes globally.

  4. Differential Responses of Dinitrogen Fixation, Diazotrophic Cyanobacteria and Ammonia Oxidation Reveal a Potential Warming-Induced Imbalance of the N-Cycle in Biological Soil Crusts.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaobing Zhou

    Full Text Available N2 fixation and ammonia oxidation (AO are the two most important processes in the nitrogen (N cycle of biological soil crusts (BSCs. We studied the short-term response of acetylene reduction assay (ARA rates, an indicator of potential N2 fixation, and AO rates to temperature (T, -5°C to 35°C in BSC of different successional stages along the BSC ecological succession and geographic origin (hot Chihuahuan and cooler Great Basin deserts. ARA in all BSCs increased with T until saturation occurred between 15 and 20°C, and declined at 30-35°C. Culture studies using cyanobacteria isolated from these crusts indicated that the saturating effect was traceable to their inability to grow well diazotrophically within the high temperature range. Below saturation, temperature response was exponential, with Q10 significantly different in the two areas (~ 5 for Great Basin BSCs; 2-3 for Chihuahuan BSCs, but similar between the two successional stages. However, in contrast to ARA, AO showed a steady increase to 30-35°C in Great Basin, and Chihuhuan BSCs showed no inhibition at any tested temperature. The T response of AO also differed significantly between Great Basin (Q10 of 4.5-4.8 and Chihuahuan (Q10 of 2.4-2.6 BSCs, but not between successional stages. Response of ARA rates to T did not differ from that of AO in either desert. Thus, while both processes scaled to T in unison until 20°C, they separated to an increasing degree at higher temperature. As future warming is likely to occur in the regions where BSCs are often the dominant living cover, this predicted decoupling is expected to result in higher proportion of nitrates in soil relative to ammonium. As nitrate is more easily lost as leachate or to be reduced to gaseous forms, this could mean a depletion of soil N over large landscapes globally.

  5. Staging of gastric adenocarcinoma using two-phase spiral CT: correlation with pathologic staging

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Seo, Tae Seok; Lee, Dong Ho; Ko, Young Tae; Lim, Joo Won

    1998-01-01

    To correlate the preoperative staging of gastric adenocarcinoma using two-phase spiral CT with pathologic staging. One hundred and eighty patients with gastric cancers confirmed during surgery underwent two-phase spiral CT, and were evaluated retrospectively. CT scans were obtained in the prone position after ingestion of water. Scans were performed 35 and 80 seconds after the start of infusion of 120mL of non-ionic contrast material with the speed of 3mL/sec. Five mm collimation, 7mm/sec table feed and 5mm reconstruction interval were used. T-and N-stage were determined using spiral CT images, without knowledge of the pathologic results. Pathologic staging was later compared with CT staging. Pathologic T-stage was T1 in 70 cases(38.9%), T2 in 33(18.3%), T3 in 73(40.6%), and T4 in 4(2.2%). Type-I or IIa elevated lesions accouted for 10 of 70 T1 cases(14.3%) and flat or depressed lesions(type IIb, IIc, or III) for 60(85.7%). Pathologic N-stage was NO in 85 cases(47.2%), N1 in 42(23.3%), N2 in 31(17.2%), and N3 in 22(12,2%). The detection rate of early gastric cancer using two-phase spiral CT was 100.0%(10 of 10 cases) among elevated lesions and 78.3%(47 of 60 cases) among flat or depressed lesions. With regard to T-stage, there was good correlation between CT image and pathology in 86 of 180 cases(47.8%). Overstaging occurred in 23.3%(42 of 180 cases) and understaging in 28.9%(52 of 180 cases). With regard to N-stage, good correlation between CT image and pathology was noted in 94 of 180 cases(52.2%). The rate of understaging(31.7%, 57 of 180 cases) was higher than that of overstaging(16.1%, 29 of 180 cases)(p<0.001). The detection rate of early gastric cancer using two-phase spiral CT was 81.4%, and there was no significant difference in detectability between elevated and depressed lesions. Two-phase spiral CT for determing the T-and N-stage of gastric cancer was not effective;it was accurate in abont 50% of cases understaging tended to occur.=20

  6. Diagnostic performance of 64-section CT using CT gastrography in preoperative T staging of gastric cancer according to 7th edition of AJCC cancer staging manual

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Jin Woong; Shin, Sang Soo; Heo, Suk Hee; Lim, Hyo Soon; Jeong, Yong Yeon; Kang, Heoung Keun; Choi, Yoo Duk; Park, Young Kyu; Park, Chang Hwan

    2012-01-01

    To evaluate the accuracy of 64-section multidetector CT with CT gastrography for determining the depth of mural invasion in patients with gastric cancer according to the 7th edition of the AJCC cancer staging manual. A total of 127 patients with gastric cancer and who had undergone both esophago-gastro-duodenoscopy and 64-section CT were included in this study. Two radiologists independently reviewed the preoperative CT images with respect to the detectability and T-staging of the gastric cancers. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy and overall accuracy of each reviewer for the T staging of gastric cancer were calculated. Overall, gastric cancer was detected in 123 (96.9%) of the 127 cancers on the CT images. Reviewer 1 correctly staged 98 gastric cancers, and reviewer 2 correctly classified 105 gastric cancers. The overall diagnostic accuracy of the T staging was 77.2% (98/127) for reviewer 1 and 82.7% (105/127) for reviewer 2. 64-section CT using CT gastrography showed a reasonable diagnostic performance for determining the T staging in patients with gastric cancer according to the 7th edition of the AJCC cancer staging manual. (orig.)

  7. Impact of biocrust succession on water retention and repellency on open-cast lignite mining sites under reclamation in Lower Lusatia, NE-Germany

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gypser, Stella; Fischer, Thomas; Lange, Philipp; Veste, Maik

    2016-04-01

    Mining activities can strongly affect ecosystem properties by destruction of naturally developed soils and removal of vegetation. The unstructured substrates show high bulk densities, compaction, low water infiltration rates, reduced water holding capacities and higher susceptibility to wind and water erosion. In the initial stage of the ecosystem development, the post-mining sites are open areas without or with a low cover of higher vegetation. It is well-known that biocrusts are able to colonize the soil surface under such extreme conditions without human support and affect soil hydrological processes such as water infiltration, run-off or re-distribution. Investigations were conducted on two former lignite open-cast mining sites, an artificial sand dune on the reclaimed watershed Welzow "Neuer Lugteich" and a reforestation area in Schlabendorf (Brandenburg, north-east Germany). The aim was to relate the hydrological characteristics of the topsoil to successional stages of biological soil crusts on reclaimed soils and their influence on repellency index and water holding capacity compared to pure mining substrate. Our study emphasized the influence of changing successional stages and species composition of biological soil crusts, forming a small-scale crust pattern, on water repellency and retention on sandy soils in temperate climate. Different successional stages of soil crusts were identified from initial scattered green algae crusts, dominated by Zygogonium spec. and Ulothrix spec., and more developed soil crusts containing mosses such as Ceratodon purpureus and Polytrichum piliferum. Lichens of the Genus Cladonia were more pronouncedly contributed to biocrusts at later and mature stages of development. The repellency index on the one hand increased due to the cross-linking of sand particles by the filamentous green algae Zygogonium spec. which resulted in clogging of pores, and on the other hand decreased with the occurrence of moss plants due to absorption

  8. Mediterranean coastal dune vegetation: Are disturbance and stress the key selective forces that drive the psammophilous succession?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ciccarelli, Daniela

    2015-11-01

    Plant communities of coastal dunes are distributed along a characteristic sea-inland gradient. Generally, there is a shift from annual and short height species with small leaves in the initial successional stages to perennial tall shrubs with tough leaves in later phases. Assessing the community-weighted mean (CWM) trait values is used in plant ecology to describe ecosystem properties especially during succession. In particular, CSR (Competitive, Stress-tolerant, and Ruderal strategy) classification allows us to explore community functional shifts in terms of disturbance, stress and competition selective forces. The functional basis of the psammophilous succession was studied based on the following questions: (1) Can we circumscribe different functional types among plant species of Mediterranean coastal dunes? (2) How do CWM trait values vary along the environmental sea-inland gradient? (3) What is the relative importance of competition, stress and disturbance in the processes of plant community assembling? (4) Can we postulate that along primary successions there is generally a shift from ruderality to stress-tolerance? An explorative analysis of functional groups was performed by Non-Metric Multidimensional Scaling (NMDS) analysing nine morpho-functional traits measured for 45 taxa from 880 dune plots localised in Tuscany (central Italy, Europe). NMDS ordination showed a scattered distribution of psammophytes that could not be delimited in precise plant functional types. The first NMDS axis has been interpreted as a leaf economics axis because it was correlated to leaf area (LA) and leaf dry matter content (LDMC), while the second one was a plant size axis because of its correlation with canopy height. Along the sea-inland gradient, pioneer plant communities of upper beach were dominated by ruderals (with the lowest values of LDMC and specific leaf area - SLA), well-adapted to the harsh environmental conditions of coastal dunes. More distant from the sea, where

  9. Analysing growth and development of plants jointly using developmental growth stages.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dambreville, Anaëlle; Lauri, Pierre-Éric; Normand, Frédéric; Guédon, Yann

    2015-01-01

    Plant growth, the increase of organ dimensions over time, and development, the change in plant structure, are often studied as two separate processes. However, there is structural and functional evidence that these two processes are strongly related. The aim of this study was to investigate the co-ordination between growth and development using mango trees, which have well-defined developmental stages. Developmental stages, determined in an expert way, and organ sizes, determined from objective measurements, were collected during the vegetative growth and flowering phases of two cultivars of mango, Mangifera indica. For a given cultivar and growth unit type (either vegetative or flowering), a multistage model based on absolute growth rate sequences deduced from the measurements was first built, and then growth stages deduced from the model were compared with developmental stages. Strong matches were obtained between growth stages and developmental stages, leading to a consistent definition of integrative developmental growth stages. The growth stages highlighted growth asynchronisms between two topologically connected organs, namely the vegetative axis and its leaves. Integrative developmental growth stages emphasize that developmental stages are closely related to organ growth rates. The results are discussed in terms of the possible physiological processes underlying these stages, including plant hydraulics, biomechanics and carbohydrate partitioning. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  10. POPULATION STRUCTURE AND SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION OF Bauhinia cheilantha (Bong. Steud. IN TWO FRAGMENTS AT DIFFERENT REGENERATION STAGES IN THE CAATINGA, IN SERGIPE, BRAZIL

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana Cecília da Cruz Silva

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available ABSTRACTThis study aimed to analyze the vertical and diameter structure and the spatial distribution pattern of Bauhinia cheilantha in two Caatinga fragments in Sergipe, Brazil, at different regeneration stages. Thirty plots were demarcated in area I (Canindé de São Francisco and Poço Redondo, which has vegetation regeneration, and 25 plots in area II (Porto da Folha with preserved vegetation, both having 400 m2. All B. cheilanthaindividuals had their height and circumference (circumference at breast height > 6 cm measured. Possible differences in height and diameter at breast height were tested in the two populations by using Student’s T-test. The distribution pattern of species was calculated through Payandeh’s index. We sampled 154 B. cheilantha individuals, equivalent to 33.3% of the plots in area I and in 1,027 individuals in area II, totaling 100% frequency. Height and the diameter of the two populations were statistically different, where AI achieved all values lower than AII. The spatial distribution pattern of B. cheilantha found in both areas was aggregate, with values of 11.85 and 9.00, respectively. Thus, it became clear that the population in AII is at a more advanced successional status than AI, due to its longer conservation time.

  11. Trees as Ecosystem Engineers Driving Vegetational Restoration/Retrogradation of Industrial Deposits in Cultural Landscape

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Romana Prausová

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Industrial processes are marked with various deposits of wastes in landscapes. They are typically characterized by high pollution levels in all their ecosystem components, including soil, water and air. Even more than natural ecosystems, artificial ash and mine tailings containments or industrial dumps are disconnected from nature or agricultural surroundings by their construction geometry. This combination of factors directs such patches of landscape to the isolation (island effect and hihglighting of land-surface fragmentation. What is the most proper tool serving efficiently for support of sharp boundaries dissolution and comeback of the habitat close to natural one? In the European climatic conditions, trees function as reliable ecosystem engineers under the conditions of keeping sites without human interventions. However, spontaneous colonization and succession include vegetational phases of both increased species diversity (advanced successional stages and secondary species diversity reduction (successional retrogradation, usually in dependence on the soil-substrate development.

  12. Risk Factors for Complications Differ Between Stages of Tissue-Expander Breast Reconstruction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lovecchio, Francis; Jordan, Sumanas W; Lim, Seokchun; Fine, Neil A; Kim, John Y S

    2015-09-01

    Tissue-expander (TE) placement followed by implant exchange is currently the most popular method of breast reconstruction. There is a relative paucity of data demonstrating patient factors that predict complications specifically by stage of surgery. The present study attempts to determine what complications are most likely to occur at each stage and how the risk factors for complications vary by stage of reconstruction. A retrospective chart review was performed on all 1275 patients who had TEs placed by the 2 senior authors between 2004 and 2013. Complication rates were determined at each stage of reconstruction, and these rates were further compared between patients who had pre-stage I radiation, post-stage I radiation, and no radiation exposure. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify independent predictors of complications at each stage of reconstruction. A total of 1639 consecutive TEs were placed by the senior authors during the study period. The overall rate for experiencing a complication at any stage of surgery was 17%. Complications occurred at uniformly higher rates during stage I for all complications (92% stage I vs 7% stage II vs 1% stage III, P higher intraoperative percent fill (OR, 3.3; 95% CI, 1.7-6.3). Post-stage I radiation was the only independent risk factor for a stage II complication (OR, 4.5; 95% CI, 1.4-15.2). Complications occur at higher rates after stage I than after stage II, and as expected, stage III complications are exceedingly rare. Risk factors for stage I complications are different from risk factors for stage II complications. Body mass index and smoking are associated with complications at stage I, but do not predict complications at stage II surgery. The stratification of risk factors by stage of surgery will help surgeons and patients better manage both risk and expectations.

  13. Are stage IV vestibular schwannomas preoperatively different from other stages?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tringali, Stéphane; Dubreuil, Christian; Zaouche, Sandra; Ferber-Viart, Chantal

    2008-01-01

    The aim of this study was to focus on the clinical and paraclinical symptoms of patients suffering from Stage IV vestibular schwannomas (VSs). In this prospective study, we included 734 patients who have VS and candidates for operation. Patients were classified as having Stage I, II, III, or IV tumors according to Tos criteria as evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging. PREOPERATIVE CLINICAL EVALUATION: We recorded the occurrence of complaints (%) and duration (yr) of hearing loss, tinnitus, and balance disorder. Preoperative paraclinical evaluation included pure-tone (PTA) and speech audiometry, auditory brainstem response (ABR) patterns, and vestibular deficit at videonystamography (VNG). Continuous variables were compared between Stage IV and other stages using analysis of variance. Qualitative variables expressed as a percentage of presence were compared between Stage IV and other stages using percentage comparison. Quantitative Parameters. Patients with Stage IV VS were significantly younger as compared with patients with other stages. Stage IV hearing loss was greater compared with other stages at 250 and 500 Hz but smaller at 2,000 and 8,000 Hz. We found no difference in the loss of PTA between Stage IV and the other stages. Speech discriminancy score was smaller in Stage IV. The durations of hearing loss, tinnitus, and balance disorders were similar whatever the tumor stage. Auditory brainstem response patterns showed no difference in Wave III latency between Stage IV VS and other stages, whereas Wave V latency and V-I interval were higher in Stage IV. Both ABR threshold and VNG caloric deficit were higher in Stage IV VS compared with other stages. Qualitative Parameters. The percentage of patients with Stage IV was lower than that with Stages II and III. The percentage of men and women was similar in all stages. The occurrence of hearing loss was similar in all stages, whereas that of tinnitus was lower in Stage IV compared with Stages I and II. In

  14. A novel three-stage distance-based consensus ranking method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aghayi, Nazila; Tavana, Madjid

    2018-05-01

    In this study, we propose a three-stage weighted sum method for identifying the group ranks of alternatives. In the first stage, a rank matrix, similar to the cross-efficiency matrix, is obtained by computing the individual rank position of each alternative based on importance weights. In the second stage, a secondary goal is defined to limit the vector of weights since the vector of weights obtained in the first stage is not unique. Finally, in the third stage, the group rank position of alternatives is obtained based on a distance of individual rank positions. The third stage determines a consensus solution for the group so that the ranks obtained have a minimum distance from the ranks acquired by each alternative in the previous stage. A numerical example is presented to demonstrate the applicability and exhibit the efficacy of the proposed method and algorithms.

  15. Situational variation in moral judgment: In a stage or on a stage?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carpendale, J I; Krebs, D L

    1992-04-01

    Two issues were examined in this study-the consistency of moral judgment across different types of dilemma and different social contexts, and the relationship between the structure (stage) of moral judgment and the content of moral decisions. Forty subjects were given two hypothetical dilemmas about business decisions and two standard Kohlberg dilemmas. Half the subjects directed their responses to a business audience, half to a philosophical audience. Responses to the moral dilemmas were scored in accordance with the Colby and Kohlberg (1987) scoring manual. Stage of moral reasoning was found to be significantly higher on the Kohlberg dilemmas than on the business dilemmas. A significant interaction between type of dilemma and audience was attributed to the tendency of subjects directing their responses to a business audience to interpret one of the business dilemmas in terms of the moral order of business, but for subjects directing their responses to a philosophy audience to treat it as a philosophical dilemma. The other business dilemma evoked uniformly low-level moral judgments. The amount of selfishness intrinsic in subjects' moral choices on the business dilemmas was significantly negatively correlated with moral maturity on the business dilemmas, but not with their moral maturity on Kohlberg's test. These results are interpreted as more consistent with models of moral development such as those advanced by C. G. Levine ([1979] "Stage Acquisition and Stage Use: An Appraisal of Stage Displacement Explanations of Variation in Moral Reasoning, " Human Development, Vol. 22, pp. 145-164), J. Rest ([1983] "Morality," in: P. H. Mussen [ed.], J. H. Flavell and E. Markman [Vol. eds.], Handbook of Child Psychology [Vol. 3, 4th ed.], John Wiley & Sons, New York), and R. Harré ([1984]) Personal Being: A Theory for Individual Psychology, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts), which posit a relatively wide range of within-person stage use and emphasize the

  16. Insights into the biological features of the antigenic determinants recognized by four monoclonal antibodies in redia and adult stages of the liver fluke Fasciola hepatica.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alba, Annia; Sánchez, Jorge; Hernández, Hilda; Mosqueda, Maryani; Rodríguez, Suanel Y; Capó, Virginia; Otero, Oscar; Alfonso, Carlos; Marcet, Ricardo; Sarracent, Jorge

    2016-09-01

    Fasciola hepatica is a digenean trematode which infects a wide variety of domestic animals and also humans. Previous studies have demonstrated that four monoclonal antibodies (Mabs) against the total extract of F. hepatica redia (named as 1E4, 6G11, 4E5 and 4G11) also recognized the excretion - secretion antigens (ES Ag) of adult parasites, which is a biologically-relevant mixture of molecules with functional roles during infection and immune evasion on definitive hosts. In the present report we describe the partial characterization of the epitopes recognized by these Mabs by heat treatment, mercaptoethanol reduction, pronase proteolysis and sodium peryodate oxidation, which suggested their predominant protein and conformational nature. Also, a comparative study using immunodetection assays on crude extracts and on histological sections of both rediae and adults of F. hepatica were performed to explore the expression pattern of the antigenic determinants in these developmental stages. From these experiments it was found that the Mabs reacted most likely with the same proteins of approximately 64 and 105 kDa present on both rediae and adult's extracts. However, the 1E4, 6G11 and 4E5 Mabs also recognized other molecules of the total extract of F. hepatica adults, a fact that constitutes an evidence of the antigenic variation between both stages and points at a certain biological relevance of the recognized antigenic determinants. Immunolocalization studies on histological sections revealed that all Mabs reacted with the tegument of F. hepatica in both rediae and adults stages, while the epitopes recognized by 1E4, 6G11 and 4E5 antibodies were also preferentially localized in the intestinal caeca and in different organs of the reproductive system of adult specimens. The immunogenicity of these antigenic determinants, their conserved status among different stages of the life cycle of F. hepatica and their presence in both tegument and ES Ag of adult parasites

  17. Efficiency of Staging Work-Ups in the Evaluation of Carcinoma of the Uterine Cervix

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Jae Sung; Ha, Sung Whan

    1991-01-01

    A series of 510 patients with carcinoma of the uterine cervix given the curative radiation therapy from March 1979 through December 1986 was evaluated to determine the value of intravenous pyelography(IVP), cystoscopy, sigmoidoscopy, and abdomino-pelvic CT as staging work-up prior to treatment. On IVP and cystoscopy, 10.7%(49/456) and 5/3%(24/452) showed abnormality, respectively, but only 0.7% (3/413) did on signoidoscopy. As a result of these work-ups prerequisite to FIGO staging, twenty six (5.1%) out of 510 patients were upstaged from the stage determined by the findings of physical examination alone. The proportions of upstaging in each stage were as follows none in stage IB(35), IIA (89) and IIIA(8), 7.9%(20/252) in stage IIB(14 patients to FIGO Stage IIIB, 6 patients to FIGO stage IVA), and 4.8% (6/126) in stage IIIB (all to FIGO stage IVA). Positive findings of staging work-ups were found only in patients with advanced stages of stage IIB or over determined by physical examination alone but not in those with earlier stages. CT was performed in 337 patients. CT detected pelvic lymph node (LN) enlargement in 25.2% (85/337) and paraaortic LN enlargement in 7.4% (25/337). Pelvic LN positivity was well correlated with increasing stage but paraaortic LN positivity was not. In the evaluation of parametrial involvement, CT findings were in accordance with those of physical examination only in 65.6%(442/674). When compared with endoscopic studies, CT had much lower positive predictive value than negative predictive value in the evaluation of adjacent organ invasion. The staging work-ups should be individualized by the disease extent of each patient, and then the efficiency of work-ups may be increased without compromising the appropriate FIGO staging and treatment

  18. Breast Cancer Basics and You: Staging and Treatment | NIH MedlinePlus the Magazine

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... of this page please turn Javascript on. Feature: Breast Cancer Breast Cancer Basics and You: Staging and Treatment Past Issues / ... Table of Contents Staging The extent (stage) of breast cancer needs to be determined to help choose the ...

  19. One-stage vs two-stage cartilage repair: a current review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel Meyerkort

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available Daniel Meyerkort, David Wood, Ming-Hao ZhengCenter for Orthopaedic Research, School of Surgery and Pathology, University of Western Australia, Perth, AustraliaIntroduction: Articular cartilage has a poor capacity for regeneration if damaged. Various methods have been used to restore the articular surface, improve pain, function, and slow progression to osteoarthritis.Method: A PubMed review was performed on 18 March, 2010. Search terms included “autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI” and “microfracture” or “mosaicplasty”. The aim of this review was to determine if 1-stage or 2-stage procedures for cartilage repair produced different functional outcomes.Results: The main procedures currently used are ACI and microfracture. Both first-generation ACI and microfracture result in clinical and functional improvement with no significant differences. A significant increase in functional outcome has been observed in second-generation procedures such as Hyalograft C, matrix-induced ACI, and ChondroCelect compared with microfracture. ACI results in a higher percentage of patients with clinical improvement than mosaicplasty; however, these results may take longer to achieve.Conclusion: Clinical and functional improvements have been demonstrated with ACI, microfracture, mosaicplasty, and synthetic cartilage constructs. Heterogeneous products and lack of good-quality randomized-control trials make product comparison difficult. Future developments involve scaffolds, gene therapy, growth factors, and stem cells to create a single-stage procedure that results in hyaline articular cartilage.Keywords: autologous chondrocyte implantation, microfracture, cartilage repair

  20. Chemotherapy Toxicity On Quality of Life in Older Patients With Stage I, Stage II, Stage III, or Stage IV Ovarian Epithelial, Primary Peritoneal Cavity, or Fallopian Tube Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-05-03

    Stage I Ovarian Cancer; Stage IA Fallopian Tube Cancer; Stage IB Fallopian Tube Cancer; Stage IC Fallopian Tube Cancer; Stage II Ovarian Cancer; Stage IIA Fallopian Tube Cancer; Stage IIB Fallopian Tube Cancer; Stage IIC Fallopian Tube Cancer; Stage III Ovarian Cancer; Stage III Primary Peritoneal Cancer; Stage IIIA Fallopian Tube Cancer; Stage IIIB Fallopian Tube Cancer; Stage IIIC Fallopian Tube Cancer; Stage IV Fallopian Tube Cancer; Stage IV Ovarian Cancer; Stage IV Primary Peritoneal Cancer

  1. Validity And Reliability Of The Stages Cycling Power Meter.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Granier, Cyril; Hausswirth, Christophe; Dorel, Sylvain; Yann, Le Meur

    2017-09-06

    This study aimed to determine the validity and the reliability of the Stages power meter crank system (Boulder, United States) during several laboratory cycling tasks. Eleven trained participants completed laboratory cycling trials on an indoor cycle fitted with SRM Professional and Stages systems. The trials consisted of an incremental test at 100W, 200W, 300W, 400W and four 7s sprints. The level of pedaling asymmetry was determined for each cycling intensity during a similar protocol completed on a Lode Excalibur Sport ergometer. The reliability of Stages and SRM power meters was compared by repeating the incremental test during a test-retest protocol on a Cyclus 2 ergometer. Over power ranges of 100-1250W the Stages system produced trivial to small differences compared to the SRM (standardized typical error values of 0.06, 0.24 and 0.08 for the incremental, sprint and combined trials, respectively). A large correlation was reported between the difference in power output (PO) between the two systems and the level of pedaling asymmetry (r=0.58, p system according to the level of pedaling asymmetry provided only marginal improvements in PO measures. The reliability of the Stages power meter at the sub-maximal intensities was similar to the SRM Professional model (coefficient of variation: 2.1 and 1.3% for Stages and SRM, respectively). The Stages system is a suitable device for PO measurements, except when a typical error of measurement power ranges of 100-1250W is expected.

  2. Fate of the Molar Dental Lamina in the Monophyodont Mouse

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dosedělová, Hana; Dumková, Jana; Lesot, Hervé; Glocová, Kristýna; Kunová, Michaela; Tucker, Abigail S.; Veselá, Iva; Krejčí, Pavel; Tichý, František; Hampl, Aleš; Buchtová, Marcela

    2015-01-01

    The successional dental lamina (SDL) plays an essential role in the development of replacement teeth in diphyodont and polyphyodont animals. A morphologically similar structure, the rudimental successional dental lamina (RSDL), has been described in monophyodont (only one tooth generation) lizards on the lingual side of the developing functional tooth. This rudimentary lamina regresses, which has been proposed to play a role in preventing the formation of future generations of teeth. A similar rudimentary lingual structure has been reported associated with the first molar in the monophyodont mouse, and we show that this structure is common to all murine molars. Intriguingly, a lingual lamina is also observed on the non-replacing molars of other diphyodont mammals (pig and hedgehog), initially appearing very similar to the successional dental lamina on the replacing teeth. We have analyzed the morphological as well as ultrastructural changes that occur during the development and loss of this molar lamina in the mouse, from its initiation at late embryonic stages to its disappearance at postnatal stages. We show that loss appears to be driven by a reduction in cell proliferation, down-regulation of the progenitor marker Sox2, with only a small number of cells undergoing programmed cell death. The lingual lamina was associated with the dental stalk, a short epithelial connection between the tooth germ and the oral epithelium. The dental stalk remained in contact with the oral epithelium throughout tooth development up to eruption when connective tissue and numerous capillaries progressively invaded the dental stalk. The buccal side of the dental stalk underwent keratinisation and became part of the gingival epithelium, while most of the lingual cells underwent programmed cell death and the tissue directly above the erupting tooth was shed into the oral cavity. PMID:26010446

  3. Disturbance, complexity, and succession of net ecosystem production in North America’s temperate deciduous forests

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gough, Christopher; Curtis, Peter; Hardiman, Brady; Scheuermann, Cynthia; Bond-Lamberty, Benjamin

    2016-06-29

    Century-old forests in the U.S. upper Midwest and Northeast power much of North Amer- ica’s terrestrial carbon (C) sink, but these forests’ production and C sequestration capacity are expected to soon decline as fast-growing early successional species die and are replaced by slower growing late successional species. But will this really happen? Here we marshal empirical data and ecological theory to argue that substantial declines in net ecosystem production (NEP) owing to reduced forest growth, or net primary production (NPP), are not imminent in regrown temperate deciduous forests over the next several decades. Forest age and production data for temperate deciduous forests, synthesized from published literature, suggest slight declines in NEP and increasing or stable NPP during middle successional stages. We revisit long-held hypotheses by EP Odum and others that suggest low-severity, high-frequency disturbances occurring in the region’s aging forests will, against intuition, maintain NEP at higher-than- expected rates by increasing ecosystem complexity, sustaining or enhancing NPP to a level that largely o sets rising C losses as heterotrophic respiration increases. This theoretical model is also supported by biological evidence and observations from the Forest Accelerated Succession Experiment in Michigan, USA. Ecosystems that experience high-severity disturbances that simplify ecosystem complexity can exhibit substantial declines in production during middle stages of succession. However, observations from these ecosystems have exerted a disproportionate in uence on assumptions regarding the trajectory and magnitude of age-related declines in forest production. We conclude that there is a wide ecological space for forests to maintain NPP and, in doing so, lessens the declines in NEP, with signi cant implications for the future of the North American carbon sink. Our intellectual frameworks for understanding forest C cycle dynamics and resilience need to

  4. The igapó of the Negro River in central Amazonia: Linking late-successional inundation forest with fluvial geomorphology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Montero, Juan Carlos; Latrubesse, Edgardo M.

    2013-10-01

    Despite important progress on Amazonian floodplain research, the flooded forest of the Negro River "igapó" has been little investigated. In particular, no study has previously focused the linkage between fluvial geomorphology and the floristic variation across the course of the river. In this paper we describe and interpret relations between igapó forest, fluvial geomorphology and the spatial evolution of the igapó forest through the Holocene. Therefore, we investigate the effect of geomorphological units of the floodplain and channel patterns on tree diversity, composition and structural parameters of the late-successional igapó forest. Our results show that sites sharing almost identical flooding regime, exhibit variable tree assemblages, species richness and structural parameters such as basal area, tree density and tree heights, indicating a trend in which the geomorphologic styles seem to partially control the organization of igapó's tree communities. This can be also explained by the high variability of well-developed geomorphologic units in short distances and concentrated in small areas. In this dynamic the inputs from the species pool of tributary rivers play a crucial role, but also the depositional and erosional processes associated with the evolution of the floodplain during the Holocene may control floristic and structural components of the igapó forests. These results suggest that a comprehensive approach integrating floristic and geomorphologic methods is needed to understand the distribution of the complex vegetation patterns in complex floodplains such as the igapó of the Negro River. This combination of approaches may introduce a better comprehension of the temporal and spatial evolutionary analysis and a logic rationale to understand the vegetation distribution and variability in function of major landforms, soil distributions and hydrology. Thus, by integrating the past into macroecological analyses will sharpen our understanding of the

  5. The use of remote sensors to relate biological and physical indicators to environmental and public health problems

    Science.gov (United States)

    1972-01-01

    Relationships between biological, ecological and botanical structures, and disease organisms and their vectors which might be detected and measured by remote sensing are determined. In addition to the use of trees as indicators of disease or potential disease, an attempt is made to identify environmental factors such as soil moisture and soil and water temperatures as they relate to disease or health problems and may be detected by remote sensing. The following three diseases and one major health problem are examined: Malaria, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Encephalitis and Red Tide. It is shown that no single species of vascular plant nor any one environmental factor can be used as the indicator of disease or health problems. Entire vegetation types, successional stages and combinations of factors must be used.

  6. Cervical vertebrae staging in pre-orthodontic patients in Benin City ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Method: The first six cervical vertebrae of 105 untreated orthodontic patients attending the clinic of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital were assessed on the cephalometric radiograph to determine the stages of maturation. Correlations between age, gender, type of malocclusion and skeletal maturation stages were ...

  7. Down-staging of breast cancer in the pre-screening era ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    We aimed to investigate the stage of breast cancer at first diagnosis and assess possible determinants of late-stage presentation. A consecutive series of women with newly diagnosed breast cancer at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital (CHBAH), Soweto, South Africa were analysed. We retrospectively reviewed ...

  8. The newly proposed clinical and post-neoadjuvant treatment staging classifications for gastric adenocarcinoma for the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    In, Haejin; Ravetch, Ethan; Langdon-Embry, Marisa; Palis, Bryan; Ajani, Jaffer A; Hofstetter, Wayne L; Kelsen, David P; Sano, Takeshi

    2018-01-01

    New stage grouping classifications for clinical (cStage) and post-neoadjuvant treatment (ypStage) stage for gastric adenocarcinoma have been proposed for the eighth edition of the AJCC manual. This article summarizes the analysis for these stages. Gastric adenocarcinoma patients diagnosed in 2004-2009 were identified from the National Cancer Database (NCDB). The cStage cohort included both surgical and nonsurgical cases, and the ypStage cohort included only patients who had chemotherapy or radiation therapy before surgery. Survival differences between the stage groups were determined by the log-rank test and prognostic accuracy was assessed by concordance index. Analysis was performed using SAS 9.4 (SAS, Cary, NC, USA). Five strata for cStage and four strata for ypStage were developed. The 5-year survival rates for cStages were 56.77%, 47.39%, 33.1%, 25.9%, and 5.0% for stages I, IIa, IIb, III, and IV, respectively, and the rates for ypStage were 74.2%, 46.3%, 19.2%, and 11.6% for stages I, II, III, and IV, respectively. The log-rank test showed that survival differences were well stratified and stage groupings were ordered and distinct (p < 0.0001). The proposed cStage and ypStage classification was sensitive and specific and had high prognostic accuracy (cStage: c index = 0.81, 95% CI, 0.79-0.83; ypStage: c index = 0.80, 95% CI, 0.73-0.87). The proposed eighth edition establishes two new staging schemata that provide essential prognostic data for patients before treatment and for patients who have undergone surgery following neoadjuvant therapy. These additions are a significant advance to the AJCC staging manual and will provide critical guidance to clinicians in making informed decisions throughout the treatment course.

  9. Combined Effects of Irrigation Regime, Genotype, and Harvest Stage Determine Tomato Fruit Quality and Aptitude for Processing into Puree.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arbex de Castro Vilas Boas, Alexandre; Page, David; Giovinazzo, Robert; Bertin, Nadia; Fanciullino, Anne-Laure

    2017-01-01

    Industry tomatoes are produced under a range of climatic conditions and practices which significantly impact on main quality traits of harvested fruits. However, the quality of tomato intended for processing is currently addressed on delivery through color and Brix only, whereas other traits are overlooked. Very few works provided an integrated view of the management of tomato puree quality throughout the chain. To gain insights into pre- and post-harvest interactions, four genotypes, two water regimes, three maturity stages, and two processes were investigated. Field and glasshouse experiments were conducted near Avignon, France, from May to August 2016. Two irrigation regimes were applied: control plants were irrigated in order to match 100% of evapotranspiration (ETP); water deficit (WD) plants were irrigated as control plants until anthesis of the first flowers, then irrigation was reduced to 60 and 50% ETP in field, and glasshouse respectively. Fruits were collected at three stages during ripening. Their color, fresh weight, dry matter content, and metabolite contents were determined before processing. Pericarp cell size was evaluated in glasshouse only. Two laboratory-scaled processing methods were applied before structural and biochemical analyses of the purees. Results outlined interactive effects between crop and process management. WD hardly reduced yield, but increased dry matter content in the field, in contrast to the glasshouse. The puree viscosity strongly depended on the genotype and the maturity stage, but it was disconnected from fruit dry matter content or Brix. The process impact on puree viscosity strongly depended on water supply during fruit production. Moreover, the lycopene content of fresh fruit may influence puree viscosity. This work opens new perspectives for managing puree quality in the field showing that it was possible to reduce water supply without affecting yield and to improve puree quality.

  10. Combined Effects of Irrigation Regime, Genotype, and Harvest Stage Determine Tomato Fruit Quality and Aptitude for Processing into Puree

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexandre Arbex de Castro Vilas Boas

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Industry tomatoes are produced under a range of climatic conditions and practices which significantly impact on main quality traits of harvested fruits. However, the quality of tomato intended for processing is currently addressed on delivery through color and Brix only, whereas other traits are overlooked. Very few works provided an integrated view of the management of tomato puree quality throughout the chain. To gain insights into pre- and post-harvest interactions, four genotypes, two water regimes, three maturity stages, and two processes were investigated. Field and glasshouse experiments were conducted near Avignon, France, from May to August 2016. Two irrigation regimes were applied: control plants were irrigated in order to match 100% of evapotranspiration (ETP; water deficit (WD plants were irrigated as control plants until anthesis of the first flowers, then irrigation was reduced to 60 and 50% ETP in field, and glasshouse respectively. Fruits were collected at three stages during ripening. Their color, fresh weight, dry matter content, and metabolite contents were determined before processing. Pericarp cell size was evaluated in glasshouse only. Two laboratory-scaled processing methods were applied before structural and biochemical analyses of the purees. Results outlined interactive effects between crop and process management. WD hardly reduced yield, but increased dry matter content in the field, in contrast to the glasshouse. The puree viscosity strongly depended on the genotype and the maturity stage, but it was disconnected from fruit dry matter content or Brix. The process impact on puree viscosity strongly depended on water supply during fruit production. Moreover, the lycopene content of fresh fruit may influence puree viscosity. This work opens new perspectives for managing puree quality in the field showing that it was possible to reduce water supply without affecting yield and to improve puree quality.

  11. Combined Effects of Irrigation Regime, Genotype, and Harvest Stage Determine Tomato Fruit Quality and Aptitude for Processing into Puree

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arbex de Castro Vilas Boas, Alexandre; Page, David; Giovinazzo, Robert; Bertin, Nadia; Fanciullino, Anne-Laure

    2017-01-01

    Industry tomatoes are produced under a range of climatic conditions and practices which significantly impact on main quality traits of harvested fruits. However, the quality of tomato intended for processing is currently addressed on delivery through color and Brix only, whereas other traits are overlooked. Very few works provided an integrated view of the management of tomato puree quality throughout the chain. To gain insights into pre- and post-harvest interactions, four genotypes, two water regimes, three maturity stages, and two processes were investigated. Field and glasshouse experiments were conducted near Avignon, France, from May to August 2016. Two irrigation regimes were applied: control plants were irrigated in order to match 100% of evapotranspiration (ETP); water deficit (WD) plants were irrigated as control plants until anthesis of the first flowers, then irrigation was reduced to 60 and 50% ETP in field, and glasshouse respectively. Fruits were collected at three stages during ripening. Their color, fresh weight, dry matter content, and metabolite contents were determined before processing. Pericarp cell size was evaluated in glasshouse only. Two laboratory-scaled processing methods were applied before structural and biochemical analyses of the purees. Results outlined interactive effects between crop and process management. WD hardly reduced yield, but increased dry matter content in the field, in contrast to the glasshouse. The puree viscosity strongly depended on the genotype and the maturity stage, but it was disconnected from fruit dry matter content or Brix. The process impact on puree viscosity strongly depended on water supply during fruit production. Moreover, the lycopene content of fresh fruit may influence puree viscosity. This work opens new perspectives for managing puree quality in the field showing that it was possible to reduce water supply without affecting yield and to improve puree quality. PMID:29051767

  12. Survival Advantage Associated with Decrease in Stage at Detection from Stage IIIC to Stage IIIA Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lefringhouse, Jason; Pavlik, Edward; Miller, Rachel; DeSimone, Christopher; Ueland, Frederick; Kryscio, Richard; van Nagell, J. R.

    2014-01-01

    Objective. The aim of this study was to document the survival advantage of lowering stage at detection from Stage IIIC to Stage IIIA epithelial ovarian cancer. Methods. Treatment outcomes and survival were evaluated in patients with Stage IIIA and Stage IIIC epithelial ovarian cancer treated from 2000 to 2009 at the University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center (UKMCC) and SEER institutions. Results. Cytoreduction to no visible disease (P < 0.0001) and complete response to platinum-based chemotherapy (P < 0.025) occurred more frequently in Stage IIIA than in Stage IIIC cases. Time to progression was shorter in patients with Stage IIIC ovarian cancer (17 ± 1 months) than in those with Stage II1A disease (36 ± 8 months). Five-year overall survival (OS) improved from 41% in Stage IIIC patients to 60% in Stage IIIA patients treated at UKMCC and from 37% to 56% in patients treated at SEER institutions for a survival advantage of 19% in both data sets. 53% of Stage IIIA and 14% of Stage IIIC patients had NED at last followup. Conclusions. Decreasing stage at detection from Stage IIIC to stage IIIA epithelial ovarian cancer is associated with a 5-year survival advantage of nearly 20% in patients treated by surgical tumor cytoreduction and platinum-based chemotherapy. PMID:25254047

  13. Energy demand in Portuguese manufacturing: a two-stage model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Borges, A.M.; Pereira, A.M.

    1992-01-01

    We use a two-stage model of factor demand to estimate the parameters determining energy demand in Portuguese manufacturing. In the first stage, a capital-labor-energy-materials framework is used to analyze the substitutability between energy as a whole and other factors of production. In the second stage, total energy demand is decomposed into oil, coal and electricity demands. The two stages are fully integrated since the energy composite used in the first stage and its price are obtained from the second stage energy sub-model. The estimates obtained indicate that energy demand in manufacturing responds significantly to price changes. In addition, estimation results suggest that there are important substitution possibilities among energy forms and between energy and other factors of production. The role of price changes in energy-demand forecasting, as well as in energy policy in general, is clearly established. (author)

  14. A Three-Stage Birandom Program for Unit Commitment with Wind Power Uncertainty

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Na Zhang

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The integration of large-scale wind power adds a significant uncertainty to power system planning and operating. The wind forecast error is decreased with the forecast horizon, particularly when it is from one day to several hours ahead. Integrating intraday unit commitment (UC adjustment process based on updated ultra-short term wind forecast information is one way to improve the dispatching results. A novel three-stage UC decision method, in which the day-ahead UC decisions are determined in the first stage, the intraday UC adjustment decisions of subfast start units are determined in the second stage, and the UC decisions of fast-start units and dispatching decisions are determined in the third stage is presented. Accordingly, a three-stage birandom UC model is presented, in which the intraday hours-ahead forecasted wind power is formulated as a birandom variable, and the intraday UC adjustment event is formulated as a birandom event. The equilibrium chance constraint is employed to ensure the reliability requirement. A birandom simulation based hybrid genetic algorithm is designed to solve the proposed model. Some computational results indicate that the proposed model provides UC decisions with lower expected total costs.

  15. Attainability and minimum energy of multiple-stage cascade membrane Systems

    KAUST Repository

    Alshehri, Ali; Lai, Zhiping

    2015-01-01

    : View the MathML sourceSn=S1, View the MathML sourceγn=γ1, where n is the number of stages. The minimum energy consumption of a multi-stage membrane process is primarily determined by the membrane selectivity and recycle ratio. A low recycle ratio can

  16. One-stage and two-stage penile buccal mucosa urethroplasty

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G. Barbagli

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available The paper provides the reader with the detailed description of current techniques of one-stage and two-stage penile buccal mucosa urethroplasty. The paper provides the reader with the preoperative patient evaluation paying attention to the use of diagnostic tools. The one-stage penile urethroplasty using buccal mucosa graft with the application of glue is preliminary showed and discussed. Two-stage penile urethroplasty is then reported. A detailed description of first-stage urethroplasty according Johanson technique is reported. A second-stage urethroplasty using buccal mucosa graft and glue is presented. Finally postoperative course and follow-up are addressed.

  17. Maturity Stages of Pink Shrimp Farfantepenaeus notialis (Penaeidae in the Colombian Caribbean

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel Giovanny Pérez Ferro

    2014-05-01

    shrimp commercial vessels in the Colombian Caribbean. The females of F. notialiswere identified and preserved for the histologic analysis and some gonads were fixed. Data of size, weight and sex were taken. The gonadal stages were determined from the morphology and coloration of gonad and to microscopic determination were carried out histologic cut from samples of thirty gonads from all stages. A total of 3019 females were obtained from F. notialis, to which five stages of gonadal development    ESTADIOS DE MADUREZ DEL CAMARÓN ROSADO Farfantepenaeus notialis (PENAEIDAE EN EL CARIBE COLOMBIANO

  18. Seed bank composition in a secondary forest in the Lower Delta of the Paraná River (Argentina

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fábio Kalesnik

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available The native forests once occupying the coastal levees of the Lower Delta islands of the Paraná River (in Argentina have been replaced by commercial forests. Many of those forests have been abandoned, resulting in secondary forest formation that is subject to numerous invasive exotic species. A priori observations suggest that successional trends do not lead to recovery of the original forest. The aim of the present study was to analyze the role of invasive exotic species in these environments and the likelihood of recovery of the original forest cover. Therefore, we examined the composition of the seed bank and of the standing vegetation, as well as the population structure of tree species. Secondary forests are described as being in an intermediate successional stage, with few exotic species (mainly trees but with a high abundance of standing vegetation and seed banks. These exotic species will likely continue to successfully predominate in different forest strata over the next stages. Because of the low density of native tree species, it is difficult to predict their future persistence. In conclusion, ecological restoration strategies will be needed in order to increase native tree species richness and biodiversity of the forests in the Lower Delta of the Paraná River.

  19. Multifractal spatial patterns and diversity in an ecological succession.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leonardo Ariel Saravia

    Full Text Available We analyzed the relationship between biodiversity and spatial biomass heterogeneity along an ecological succession developed in the laboratory. Periphyton (attached microalgae biomass spatial patterns at several successional stages were obtained using digital image analysis and at the same time we estimated the species composition and abundance. We show that the spatial pattern was self-similar and as the community developed in an homogeneous environment the pattern is self-organized. To characterize it we estimated the multifractal spectrum of generalized dimensions D(q. Using D(q we analyze the existence of cycles of heterogeneity during succession and the use of the information dimension D(1 as an index of successional stage. We did not find cycles but the values of D(1 showed an increasing trend as the succession developed and the biomass was higher. D(1 was also negatively correlated with Shannon's diversity. Several studies have found this relationship in different ecosystems but here we prove that the community self-organizes and generates its own spatial heterogeneity influencing diversity. If this is confirmed with more experimental and theoretical evidence D(1 could be used as an index, easily calculated from remote sensing data, to detect high or low diversity areas.

  20. CT staging of renal cell carcinoma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Spina, Juan C.; Garcia, Adriana T.; Rogondino, Jose; Spina, Juan C. h; Vidales, Valeria; Troiani, Guillermo; Iotti, Alejandro; Venditti, Julio

    2002-01-01

    Objective: To assess the usefulness of computerized tomography (CT) in the characterization of renal masses, in order to stage them, determine their prognosis and their appropriate clinical and/or surgical management. Material and Methods: Between 1988 and 2001, we selected 63 patients with renal tumors that had been examined by pathology. Patient's ages ranged from 16 to 88 years (25 women, 38 men). The studies were performed with a sequential helical CT, using 5 mm thickness sections every 5mm evaluating the cortico medullar and nephrographic phases. Renal tumors were characterized and staged without any knowledge about the pathological findings; subsequently the tomographic characteristics were compared to such findings. The following characteristics were evaluated: 1) mixed solid-cystic nature; 2) size; 3) borders; 4) enhancement; 5) necrosis; 6) hemorrhage; 7) central scar; 8) presence of fat; 9) collecting system; 10) capsular invasion; 11) perirenal fat invasion; 12) vessels; 13) Gerota's fascia; 14) lymph nodes; and 15) local and/or distant metastases. Results: Of the 63 tumors, 2 were complicated cysts; of the 61 remaining tumors, 10 were angiomyolipomas, 1 was a renal lymphoma, 1 was a focal xantogranulomatose pyelonephritis, 1 was a metanephric adenoma, 3 papillary renal cell carcinoma (RCC), 4 transitional cell tumors, 4 oncocytomas, 37 clear cell renal carcinoma. The CT could correctly characterize the 2 cystic tumors as such, as well as the 9 angiomyolipomas and the 4 transitional cell tumors. The 48 other tumors (1 angiomyolipoma, 1 lymphoma, 1 focal xantogranulomatose pyelonephritis, 1 metanephric adenoma, 3 papillary RCC, 4 oncocytomas, and 37 cell renal carcinomas) remaining were characterized as renal adenocarcinomas and CT staged. Conclusion: CT is a useful method to characterize renal masses since it determines their solid-cystic or fatty structure; aiding in many cases to define a surgical treatment. For the CT staging of renal tumors, the

  1. Novel clinical staging for patients with end-stage gastrointestinal carcinoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yasuda, Naokuni; Nakashima, Osamu; Ohnaka, Toru; Kamisaka, Koji; Tsunoda, Akira; Kusano, Mitsuo

    2006-01-01

    We created a new clinical staging system for end-stage gastrointestinal (GI) carcinoma to clarify the therapeutic goals for these patients. Data were obtained from a retrospective review of medical charts. Based on daily clinical observation of 144 patients with end-stage GI carcinoma, we classified the terminal stages as A, B, C, and D. The mean durations of terminal stages A, B, C, and D were 19, 16.6, 6.6, and 1.8 days, respectively, in patients with end-stage gastric cancer and 28.5, 9.1, 5.4, and 1.9 days, respectively, in patients with colorectal cancer. Moreover, 88.0% of patients with gastric carcinoma and 82.6% of patients with colorectal carcinoma passed through terminal stages A, B, C, and D sequentially. The patients in terminal stage B experienced temporary relief of symptoms, but those in terminal stage C did not (P terminal stages can easily be judged by clinical observation and may be an effective new tool with which to manage patients with end-stage GI carcinoma and their families.

  2. Disentangling phylogenetic constraints from selective forces in the evolution of trematode transmission stages

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Koehler, A.V.; Brown, B.; Poulin, R.; Thieltges, D.W.; Fredensborg, B.L.

    2012-01-01

    The transmission stages of parasites are key determinants of parasite fitness, but they also incur huge mortality. Yet the selective forces shaping the sizes of transmission stages remain poorly understood. We ran a comparative analysis of interspecific variation in the size of transmission stages

  3. Radiologic techniques in staging malignant lymphoma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Strijk, S.P.

    1987-01-01

    The main subject of this thesis is the evaluation of radiologic techniques in staging patients with newly diagnosed and untreated malignant lymphoma, or restaging patients with recurrent disease after a period of complete remission. Lymphography and, more recently, CT are available to examine the infradiaphragmatic nodes. CT also offers the possibility to examine other organ systems in the abdomen, and to visualize more lymph-node regions than lymphography. In ch. 2 and 4 the diagnostic performance of CT and lymphography in HD and NHL respectively are discussed. Literature data are summarized, and own results are given. The main goal is to determine whether the two methods are overlapping, competitive or complementary, and to answer the question what would be required for optimal staging. Staging laparotomy showed the unreliability of non-invasive examination methods for determining the presence or absence of lymphoma in the spleen. In ch. 3 and 5 the results of CT-based estimations of size of the spleen in relation to its histologic state, in patients with HD and NHL respectively are presented. The chest can be examined for lymphoma by conventional radiography, conventional tomography or computed tomography (CT). In ch. 6 the literature is reviewed, and the results with our patients are presented. The diagnostic performance of each examination is evaluated, and the results are analysed to define the most desirable approach in the examination of the chest for staging purposes. In ch. 7 the uncommon radiologic observation of calcification in lymph nodes, afflicted with HD and NHL is described. The literature is reviewed, and the clinical significance is indicated. 180 refs.; 22 figs.; 24 tabs

  4. Maximally efficient two-stage screening: Determining intellectual disability in Taiwanese military conscripts

    OpenAIRE

    Chien, Chia-Chang; Huang, Shu-Fen; Lung, For-Wey

    2009-01-01

    Chia-Chang Chien1, Shu-Fen Huang1,2,3,4, For-Wey Lung1,2,3,41Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Armed Forces General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; 2Graduate Institute of Behavioral Sciences, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; 3Department of Psychiatry, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan; 4Calo Psychiatric Center, Pingtung County, TaiwanObjective: The purpose of this study was to apply a two-stage screening method for the large-scale intelligence screening of militar...

  5. A stage is a stage is a stage: a direct comparison of two scoring systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dawson, Theo L

    2003-09-01

    L. Kohlberg (1969) argued that his moral stages captured a developmental sequence specific to the moral domain. To explore that contention, the author compared stage assignments obtained with the Standard Issue Scoring System (A. Colby & L. Kohlberg, 1987a, 1987b) and those obtained with a generalized content-independent stage-scoring system called the Hierarchical Complexity Scoring System (T. L. Dawson, 2002a), on 637 moral judgment interviews (participants' ages ranged from 5 to 86 years). The correlation between stage scores produced with the 2 systems was .88. Although standard issue scoring and hierarchical complexity scoring often awarded different scores up to Kohlberg's Moral Stage 2/3, from his Moral Stage 3 onward, scores awarded with the two systems predominantly agreed. The author explores the implications for developmental research.

  6. Exploring Teacher Pedagogy, Stages of Concern and Accessibility as Determinants of Technology Adoption

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burke, Paul F.; Schuck, Sandy; Aubusson, Peter; Kearney, Matthew; Frischknecht, Bart

    2018-01-01

    This research examines how the pedagogical orientations of teachers affect technology adoption in the classroom. At the same time, the authors account for the stage of concern that teachers are experiencing regarding the use of the technology, their access to the technology and the level of schooling at which they teach.The authors' investigation…

  7. A Two-Stage Method to Determine Optimal Product Sampling considering Dynamic Potential Market

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Zhineng; Lu, Wei; Han, Bing

    2015-01-01

    This paper develops an optimization model for the diffusion effects of free samples under dynamic changes in potential market based on the characteristics of independent product and presents a two-stage method to figure out the sampling level. The impact analysis of the key factors on the sampling level shows that the increase of the external coefficient or internal coefficient has a negative influence on the sampling level. And the changing rate of the potential market has no significant influence on the sampling level whereas the repeat purchase has a positive one. Using logistic analysis and regression analysis, the global sensitivity analysis gives a whole analysis of the interaction of all parameters, which provides a two-stage method to estimate the impact of the relevant parameters in the case of inaccuracy of the parameters and to be able to construct a 95% confidence interval for the predicted sampling level. Finally, the paper provides the operational steps to improve the accuracy of the parameter estimation and an innovational way to estimate the sampling level. PMID:25821847

  8. The impact of herbivores on nitrogen mineralization rate: consequences for salt-marsh succession.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Wijnen, Harm J; van der Wal, René; Bakker, Jan P

    1999-02-01

    Soil net N-mineralization rate was measured along a successional gradient in salt-marsh sites that were grazed by vertebrate herbivores, and in 5-year-old exclosures from which the animals were excluded. Mineralization rate was significantly higher at ungrazed than at grazed sites. In the absence of grazing, mineralization rate increased over the course of succession, whereas it remained relatively low when sites were grazed. The largest differences in mineralization rate between grazed and ungrazed sites were found at late successional stages where grazing pressure was lowest. The amount of plant litter was significantly lower at grazed sites. In addition, the amount of litter and potential litter (non-woody, live shoots) was linearly related to net N-mineralization rate. This implies that herbivores reduced mineralization rate by preventing litter accumulation. Bulk density was higher at grazed salt-marsh sites than at ungrazed sites. This factor may also have contributed to the differences in net N-mineralization rate between grazed and ungrazed sites.

  9. Succession of ephemeral secondary forests and their limited role for the conservation of floristic diversity in a human-modified tropical landscape.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michiel van Breugel

    Full Text Available Both local- and landscape-scale processes drive succession of secondary forests in human-modified tropical landscapes. Nonetheless, until recently successional changes in composition and diversity have been predominantly studied at the patch level. Here, we used a unique dataset with 45 randomly selected sites across a mixed-use tropical landscape in central Panama to study forest succession simultaneously on local and landscape scales and across both life stages (seedling, sapling, juvenile and adult trees and life forms (shrubs, trees, lianas, and palms. To understand the potential of these secondary forests to conserve tree species diversity, we also evaluated the diversity of species that can persist as viable metapopulations in a dynamic patchwork of short-lived successional forests, using different assumptions about the average relative size at reproductive maturity. We found a deterministic shift in the diversity and composition of the local plant communities as well as the metacommunity, driven by variation in the rate at which species recruited into and disappeared from the secondary forests across the landscape. Our results indicate that dispersal limitation and the successional niche operate simultaneously and shape successional dynamics of the metacommunity of these early secondary forests. A high diversity of plant species across the metacommunity of early secondary forests shows a potential for restoration of diverse forests through natural succession, when trees and fragments of older forests are maintained in the agricultural matrix and land is abandoned or set aside for a long period of time. On the other hand, during the first 32 years the number of species with mature-sized individuals was a relatively small and strongly biased sub-sample of the total species pool. This implies that ephemeral secondary forests have a limited role in the long-term conservation of tree species diversity in human-modified tropical landscapes.

  10. Staging laser plasma accelerators for increased beam energy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Panasenko, Dmitriy; Shu, Anthony; Schroeder, Carl; Gonsalves, Anthony; Nakamura, Kei; Matlis, Nicholas; Cormier-Michel, Estelle; Plateau, Guillaume; Lin, Chen; Toth, Csaba; Geddes, Cameron; Esarey, Eric; Leemans, Wim

    2008-01-01

    Staging laser plasma accelerators is an efficient way of mitigating laser pump depletion in laser driven accelerators and necessary for reaching high energies with compact laser systems. The concept of staging includes coupling of additional laser energy and transporting the electron beam from one accelerating module to another. Due to laser damage threshold constraints, in-coupling laser energy with conventional optics requires distances between the accelerating modules of the order of 10m, resulting in decreased average accelerating gradient and complicated e-beam transport. In this paper we use basic scaling laws to show that the total length of future laser plasma accelerators will be determined by staging technology. We also propose using a liquid jet plasma mirror for in-coupling the laser beam and show that it has the potential to reduce distance between stages to the cm-scale.

  11. Saturn V First Stage Leaves the Dynamic Test Stand

    Science.gov (United States)

    1967-01-01

    This photo shows the Saturn V first stage being lowered to the ground following a successful test to determine the effects of continual vibrations simulating the effects of an actual launch. The towering 363-foot Saturn V was a multi-stage, multi-engine launch vehicle standing taller than the Statue of Liberty. Altogether, the Saturn V engines produced as much power as 85 Hoover Dams.

  12. Automatic age-related macular degeneration detection and staging

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Grinsven, Mark J. J. P.; Lechanteur, Yara T. E.; van de Ven, Johannes P. H.; van Ginneken, Bram; Theelen, Thomas; Sánchez, Clara I.

    2013-03-01

    Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a degenerative disorder of the central part of the retina, which mainly affects older people and leads to permanent loss of vision in advanced stages of the disease. AMD grading of non-advanced AMD patients allows risk assessment for the development of advanced AMD and enables timely treatment of patients, to prevent vision loss. AMD grading is currently performed manually on color fundus images, which is time consuming and expensive. In this paper, we propose a supervised classification method to distinguish patients at high risk to develop advanced AMD from low risk patients and provide an exact AMD stage determination. The method is based on the analysis of the number and size of drusen on color fundus images, as drusen are the early characteristics of AMD. An automatic drusen detection algorithm is used to detect all drusen. A weighted histogram of the detected drusen is constructed to summarize the drusen extension and size and fed into a random forest classifier in order to separate low risk from high risk patients and to allow exact AMD stage determination. Experiments showed that the proposed method achieved similar performance as human observers in distinguishing low risk from high risk AMD patients, obtaining areas under the Receiver Operating Characteristic curve of 0.929 and 0.934. A weighted kappa agreement of 0.641 and 0.622 versus two observers were obtained for AMD stage evaluation. Our method allows for quick and reliable AMD staging at low costs.

  13. Stage-dependent hierarchy of criteria in multiobjective multistage decision processes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tadeusz Trzaskalik

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper will consider a multiobjective, multistage discrete dynamic process with a changeable, state-dependent hierarchy of stage criteria determined by the decision maker. The goal of this paper is to answer the question of how to control a multistage process while taking into account both the tendency to achieve multiobjective optimization of the entire process and the time-varying hierarchy of stage criteria. We consider in detail possible situations, where the hierarchy of stage criteria changes over time in individual stages and is stage dependent. We present an interactive proposal to solving the problem, where the decision maker actively participates in finding the final realization of the process. The algorithm proposed is illustrated using a numerical example.

  14. Comparison of ultrasound and computed tomography in staging of bladder cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suyama, Bunzo

    1982-01-01

    Preoperative staging of bladder cancer is very important for decision of treating methods and prognostication. The present author used ultrasound via the abdominal wall in the diagnosis of 83 patients with bladder cancer. I estimated the extent of bladder tumor infiltration by ultrasound via the abdominal wall according to Shiraishi's criteria. Ultrasound scans, pelvic angiograms and CT scans were reviewed to determine their accuracy in staging of bladder tumors. Ultrasound scans were excellent in staging of non-infiltrated bladder tumors, while pelvic angiograms and CT scans were excellent in staging of infiltrated bladder tumors. (author)

  15. Staging laparoscopy improves treatment decision-making for advanced gastric cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Yan-Feng; Deng, Zhen-Wei; Liu, Hao; Mou, Ting-Yu; Chen, Tao; Lu, Xin; Wang, Da; Yu, Jiang; Li, Guo-Xin

    2016-02-07

    To evaluate the clinical value of staging laparoscopy in treatment decision-making for advanced gastric cancer (GC). Clinical data of 582 patients with advanced GC were retrospectively analyzed. All patients underwent staging laparoscopy. The strength of agreement between computed tomography (CT) stage, endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) stage, laparoscopic stage, and final stage were determined by weighted Kappa statistic (Kw). The number of patients with treatment decision-changes was counted. A χ(2) test was used to analyze the correlation between peritoneal metastasis or positive cytology and clinical characteristics. Among the 582 patients, the distributions of pathological T classifications were T2/3 (153, 26.3%), T4a (262, 45.0%), and T4b (167, 28.7%). Treatment plans for 211 (36.3%) patients were changed after staging laparoscopy was performed. Two (10.5%) of 19 patients in M1 regained the opportunity for potential radical resection by staging laparoscopy. Unnecessary laparotomy was avoided in 71 (12.2%) patients. The strength of agreement between preoperative T stage and final T stage was in almost perfect agreement (Kw = 0.838; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.803-0.872; P advanced GC and decrease unnecessary exploratory laparotomy.

  16. Scout fourth stage attitude and velocity control (AVC) system feasibility study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Byars, L. B.

    1975-01-01

    The feasibility of incorporating a guidance system in the Scout fourth stage to achieve a significant improvement in expected payload delivery accuracy is studied. The technical investigations included the determination of the AVC equipment performance requirements, establishment of qualification and acceptance test levels, generation of layouts illustrating design approaches for the upper D and payload transition sections to incorporate the hardware, and the preparation of a vendor bid package. Correction concepts, utilizing inertial velocity and attitude, were identified and evaluated. Fourth stage attitude adjustments as determined from inertial velocity variation through the first three stages and a final velocity correction based upon the measured in-plane component errors at injection were employed. Results show radical reductions in apogee-perigee deviations.

  17. Stage design

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shacter, J.

    1975-01-01

    A method is described of cycling gases through a plurality of diffusion stages comprising the steps of admitting the diffused gases from a first diffusion stage into an axial compressor, simultaneously admitting the undiffused gases from a second diffusion stage into an intermediate pressure zone of said compressor corresponding in pressure to the pressure of said undiffused gases, and then admitting the resulting compressed mixture of diffused and undiffused gases into a third diffusion stage

  18. The role of the computed tomography in head and neck cancer: Comparison of CT staging with clinical staging in oral cavity, oropharynx and larynx cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chang, Kee Hyun; Lee, Yul; Han, Man Chung

    1985-01-01

    Thirty-six patients (24 with oral cavity or oropharynx cancers and 12 larynx cancers) were prospectively examined with computed tomography (CT) to determine its value in staging the primary tumor and to compare with the clinical staging. The CT staging agreed with the clinical staging in 50% (12/24) of the oral cavity or oropharynx cancers and in 67% (8/12) of the larynx cancers. The CT upgraded the clinical staging in 29% (7/24) of the oral cavity or oropharynx tumors and in 33% (4/12) of the larynx cancers, whereas the CT downgrade the clinical staging in 21% (5/24) of the oral cavity or oropharynx cancers. There is no downgrade on CT in larynx cancer. The post-surgical confirmation was not made in most of the cases. The possible causes of disagreement between the CT and the clinical staging, and the diagnostic value of the CT in evaluation of the primary tumor in oral cavity, oropharynx and larynx were discussed

  19. Influence of the selection from incremental stages on lactate minimum intensity: a pilot study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Willian Eiji Miyagi

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available The purposes of this study were to assess the influence of stage selection from the incremental phase and the use of peak lactate after hyperlactatemia induction on the determination of the lactate minimum intensity (iLACmin. Twelve moderately active university students (23±5 years, 78.3±14.1 kg, 175.3±5.1 cm performed a maximal incremental test to determine the respiratory compensation point (RCP (initial intensity at 70 W and increments of 17.5 W every 2 minutes and a lactate minimum test (induction with the Wingate test, the incremental test started at 30 W below RCP with increments of 10 W every 3 minutes on a cycle ergometer. The iLACmin was determined using second order polynomial adjustment applying five exercise stage selection: 1 using all stages (iLACmin P; 2 using all stages below and two stages above iLACminP (iLACminA; 3 using two stages below and all stages above iLACminP (iLACminB; 4 using the largest and same possible number of stages below and above the iLACminP (iLACminI; 5 using all stages and peak lactate after hyperlactatemia induction (iLACminD. No differences were found between the iLACminP (138.2±30.2 W, iLACminA (139.1±29.1 W, iLACminB (135.3±14.2 W, iLACminI (138.6±20.5 W and iLACmiD (136.7±28.5 W protocols, and a high level of agreement between these intensities and iLACminP was observed. Oxygen uptake, heart rate, rating of perceived exertion and lactate corresponding to these intensities was not different and was strongly correlated. However, the iLACminB presented the lowest success rate (66.7%. In conclusion, stage selection did not influence the determination of iLACmin but modified the success rate

  20. Four stages of a scientific discipline; four types of scientist.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shneider, Alexander M

    2009-05-01

    In this article I propose the classification of the evolutionary stages that a scientific discipline evolves through and the type of scientists that are the most productive at each stage. I believe that each scientific discipline evolves sequentially through four stages. Scientists at stage one introduce new objects and phenomena as subject matter for a new scientific discipline. To do this they have to introduce a new language adequately describing the subject matter. At stage two, scientists develop a toolbox of methods and techniques for the new discipline. Owing to this advancement in methodology, the spectrum of objects and phenomena that fall into the realm of the new science are further understood at this stage. Most of the specific knowledge is generated at the third stage, at which the highest number of original research publications is generated. The majority of third-stage investigation is based on the initial application of new research methods to objects and/or phenomena. The purpose of the fourth stage is to maintain and pass on scientific knowledge generated during the first three stages. Groundbreaking new discoveries are not made at this stage. However, new ways to present scientific information are generated, and crucial revisions are often made of the role of the discipline within the constantly evolving scientific environment. The very nature of each stage determines the optimal psychological type and modus operandi of the scientist operating within it. Thus, it is not only the talent and devotion of scientists that determines whether they are capable of contributing substantially but, rather, whether they have the 'right type' of talent for the chosen scientific discipline at that time. Understanding the four different evolutionary stages of a scientific discipline might be instrumental for many scientists in optimizing their career path, in addition to being useful in assembling scientific teams, precluding conflicts and maximizing

  1. Overt hypoadrenalism is uncommon in patients with stage 3 and 4 ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Our study aimed to determine the prevalence of primary hypoadrenalism, as defined by a subnormal cortisol response to the 250 µg adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) stimulation test, in patients with stage 3 and 4 lung cancer. Methods. Thirty patients with stage 3 and 4 bronchogenic carcinoma were prospectively ...

  2. SOX9 Expression Predicts Relapse of Stage II Colon Cancer Patients

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Espersen, Maiken Lise Marcker; Linnemann, Dorte; Christensen, Ib Jarle

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate if the protein expression of Sex-determining region y-box 9 (SOX9) in primary tumors could predict relapse of stage II colon cancer patients.144 patients with stage II primary colon cancer were retrospectively enrolledin the study. SOX9 expression...

  3. Growth stage of Phalaris minor Retz. and wheat determines weed control and crop tolerance of four post-emergence herbicides

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rubia Rasool

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Phalaris minor Retz. has evolved multiple herbicide resistance in wheat growing areas in northwestern India. An understanding of the effect of growth stage on herbicide tolerance of wheat and control of P. minor will help in selecting the most appropriate herbicide for different situations. The weed control and crop safety of four commonly used wheat herbicides (sulfosulfuron, pinoxaden, fenoxaprop plus metribuzin and mesosulfuron plus iodosulfuron, each applied at four different wheat growth stages was investigated in field studies for two years. P. minor plants were at 1, 2-3, 3-4 and 7-8 leaf stages when the herbicides were applied at Zadok 12-Z12, Z13, Z21 and Z23 stages of wheat, respectively. Sulfosulfuron application at Z12 and Z13 wheat stages (before first irrigation, provided >80% control of P. minor and produced wheat grain yield (4.5-4.7 t/ha similar to the weed-free check (4.9 t/ha in both years. Pinoxaden, fenoxaprop plus metribuzin and mesosulfuron plus iodosulfuron application at Z12 and Z13 wheat stages recorded significantly lower wheat grain yield (3.62-3.95 t/ha due to poor weed control, crop toxicity or both. All the four herbicides were equally effective on P. minor when applied at Z21 wheat stage. At Z23 wheat stage, pinoxaden gave >90% control of P. minor and the highest wheat grain yield (4.82 t/ha. The results are expected to allow changes in the current recommendation of the timing of post-emergence herbicides for the management of P. minor in wheat.

  4. FDG-PET in the initial staging of squamous cell oesophageal carcinoma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Buchmann, I.; Schreckenberger, M.; Bartenstein, P.; Hansen, T.; Brochhausen, C.; Kneist, W.; Junginger, T.; Oberholzer, K.

    2006-01-01

    Squamous cell oesophageal carcinoma is the most common carcinoma of the oesophagus worldwide. The tumour stage as most important prognostic factor determines the clinical management. Aim of this study was to evaluate the value of FDG-PET 1. in imaging the primary tumour and 2. in N- and M-staging of squamous cell oesophogeal carcinoma. Patients, methods: in 20 patients with histological proven squamous cell carcinoma of the upper and middle oesophagus, FDG-PET was performed in standard technique prior to therapy. FDG uptake in the primary was determined by calculation of the SUVmax. NM-staging due to PET findings was performed as designated by the AJCC/UICC group classification and was compared with pathological and clinically based staging. Sensitivities, specificities and accuracies were calculated. Results: in 19 of 20 patients, primary squamous cell oesopohageal carcinoma was detected by FDG-PET findings with a maximum SUV of 12.5 (mean) ± 5.1 (median 11.5; range 4.8-23.8). One carcinoma in situ was missed. The sensitivity of FDG-PET in imaging the primary tumour was 96%. The sensitivities, specificities and accuracies were 20%, 100%, 58% for N-staging, and 60%, 86% and 93% for M-staging. PET findings caused changes of therapy in 5% (1 patient). Conclusions: FDG-PET was excellent in imaging the primary of squamous cell oesophageal carcinoma in stage T1-T4 and was efficient in M-staging. The low sensitivity in N-staging is of inferior clinical importance. The efficacy of FDG-PET seems to be not significantly be influenced by the histological subtype of oesophageal carcinoma. (orig.)

  5. A successional stage community dominated by Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn. in Lavras County, MG, Brazil

    OpenAIRE

    Martins, G. de; Carvalho, D.A. de

    1982-01-01

    Numa área situada no município de Lavras, MG, o desmatamento realizado há cerca de dez anos propiciou a formação de uma comunidade infestante dominada por Pteridium aquilium (L.) Khun., te ndo como codominantes Imperara brasiliensis Trin. e Andropogon bicornis L.. Como fatores que mantém esta comu nidade devem ser considerados: a) as queimadas intermiten te s; b) a acidez do solo; c) a alta percentagem de saturação de aluminio ; d) a ação fitotóxica do próprio P. aquilinum; e) a falta de pala...

  6. MR staging of pelvic endometriosis. Role of fat-suppression T1-weighted images

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oishi-Tanaka, Yumiko; Itai, Yuji; Anno, Izumi; Matsumoto, Kunihiko; Ebihara, Reiko; Nishida, Masato

    1996-01-01

    We examined whether MR can determine the stage of endometriosis according to the scoring system established and revised by the American Fertility Society (r-AFS), a system which is widely used by gynecologists. We also studied the utility of fat suppression T 1 -weighted images in improving accuracy. Seventeen patients with endometriosis examined by conventional MR were included in this study. All the patients had surgically proved stage III or IV disease. We determined the stage by MR using the following criteria according to the r-AFS system: adnexal masses without normal ovarian tissue were considered deep ovarian lesions, while those with normal tissue were considered superficial. A lack of fat between the lesion and surrounding structures was considered a dense adhesion, and hyperintense spots were considered peritoneal implants. The MR scores of patients with and without fat suppression were correlated with the surgical scores. MR staging corresponded to surgical staging in 15 of the 17 patients. In eight patients, peritoneal implants of less than 1.5 cm were depicted only by fat-suppression images. However, these lesions did not change the score significantly. MR imaging could determine the stage in advanced endometriosis. Fat-suppression could highlight smaller implants. These tiny lesions had little clinical meaning in these advanced cases; however, the clinical value of this technique should be evaluated in milder disease. (author)

  7. Staging Mobilities

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Ole B.

    and lived as people are “staging themselves” (from below). Staging mobilities is a dynamic process between “being staged” (for example, being stopped at traffic lights) and the “mobile staging” of interacting individuals (negotiating a passage on the pavement). Staging Mobilities is about the fact...

  8. Liquidity, Technological Opportunities, and the Stage Distribution of Venture Capital Investments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lahr, Henry; Mina, Andrea

    2014-06-01

    This paper explores the determinants of the stage distribution of European venture capital investments from 1990 to 2011. Consistent with liquidity risk theory, we find that the likelihood of investing in earlier stages increases relative to all private equity investments during liquidity crisis years. While liquidity is the main driver of acquisition investments and, to some extent, of expansion financings, technological opportunities are overall the main driver of early and late stage venture capital investments. In contrast to the dotcom crash, the recent financial crisis negatively affected the relative likelihood of expansion investments, but not of early and late stage investments.

  9. Liquidity, Technological Opportunities, and the Stage Distribution of Venture Capital Investments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lahr, Henry; Mina, Andrea

    2014-01-01

    This paper explores the determinants of the stage distribution of European venture capital investments from 1990 to 2011. Consistent with liquidity risk theory, we find that the likelihood of investing in earlier stages increases relative to all private equity investments during liquidity crisis years. While liquidity is the main driver of acquisition investments and, to some extent, of expansion financings, technological opportunities are overall the main driver of early and late stage venture capital investments. In contrast to the dotcom crash, the recent financial crisis negatively affected the relative likelihood of expansion investments, but not of early and late stage investments. PMID:26166906

  10. Parenchymal neurocysticercosis: follow-up and staging by MRI

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dumas, J.L.; Visy, J.M.; Belin, C.; Gaston, A.; Goldlust, D.; Dumas, M.

    1997-01-01

    We describe the evolution of parenchymal cerebral cysticerci on MRI, to assess signs of early cyst degeneration. We studied 15 lesions in four treated and one untreated patient. MRI was performed before therapy and repeated in the 1st month after each course of anticysticercus drugs, every 4 months during the 1st year and then annually; the follow-up period was 8-48 months. Lesions were classified according to changes in four features: cyst content and capsule signal, gadolinium enhancement and oedema signal. We were able to recognise each of the pathological phases; five MRI stages were identified. Stage 1 showed oedema and/or nodular gadolinium enhancement in the tissue invasion phase; stage 2 was cerebrospinal fluid-like signal within a cyst in the vesicular phase; stage 3 showed a thick capsule with an impure liquid content signal and surrounding oedema, in the cystic phase; stage 4 showed the disappearance of the cyst fluid content signal in the degenerative phase; stage 5 showed a calcified lesion in the residual phase. Stage 1 lesions disappeared after therapy; the other progressed from one stage to another. Stage 4 indicated the end of viability of the parasite and determined the point after which treatment was useless. On T2-weighted images changes in the cyst content differed according to the history of the lesion; nodular low intensity followed the natural degeneration of the parasite and a mixed fluid signal with punctate low signal seemed to represent the specific result of therapy. MRI staging can help in the evaluation of indications for treatment and facilitate clinical therapeutic trials. (orig.). With 4 figs., 1 tab

  11. Parenchymal neurocysticercosis: follow-up and staging by MRI

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dumas, J.L. [Dept. of Radiology, Hopital Avicenne, Bobigny (France)]|[Inst. of Tropical Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Limoges (France); Visy, J.M. [Dept. of Neurology, Hopital Lariboisiere, Paris (France); Belin, C. [Dept. of Neurology, Hopital Avicenne, Bobigny (France); Gaston, A. [Dept. of Neuroradiology, Hopital Henri-Mondor, Creteil (France); Goldlust, D. [Dept. of Radiology, Hopital Avicenne, Bobigny (France); Dumas, M. [Inst. of Tropical Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Limoges (France)

    1997-01-01

    We describe the evolution of parenchymal cerebral cysticerci on MRI, to assess signs of early cyst degeneration. We studied 15 lesions in four treated and one untreated patient. MRI was performed before therapy and repeated in the 1st month after each course of anticysticercus drugs, every 4 months during the 1st year and then annually; the follow-up period was 8-48 months. Lesions were classified according to changes in four features: cyst content and capsule signal, gadolinium enhancement and oedema signal. We were able to recognise each of the pathological phases; five MRI stages were identified. Stage 1 showed oedema and/or nodular gadolinium enhancement in the tissue invasion phase; stage 2 was cerebrospinal fluid-like signal within a cyst in the vesicular phase; stage 3 showed a thick capsule with an impure liquid content signal and surrounding oedema, in the cystic phase; stage 4 showed the disappearance of the cyst fluid content signal in the degenerative phase; stage 5 showed a calcified lesion in the residual phase. Stage 1 lesions disappeared after therapy; the other progressed from one stage to another. Stage 4 indicated the end of viability of the parasite and determined the point after which treatment was useless. On T2-weighted images changes in the cyst content differed according to the history of the lesion; nodular low intensity followed the natural degeneration of the parasite and a mixed fluid signal with punctate low signal seemed to represent the specific result of therapy. MRI staging can help in the evaluation of indications for treatment and facilitate clinical therapeutic trials. (orig.). With 4 figs., 1 tab.

  12. Trading stages

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Steiner, Uli; Tuljapurkar, Shripad; Coulson, Tim

    2012-01-01

    Interest in stage-and age structured models has recently increased because they can describe quantitative traits such as size that are left out of age-only demography. Available methods for the analysis of effects of vital rates on lifespan in stage-structured models have not been widely applied ...... examples. Much of our approach relies on trading of time and mortality risk in one stage for time and risk in others. Our approach contributes to the new framework of the study of age- and stage-structured biodemography....

  13. Colorectal carcinoma: preoperative staging with water enema spiral CT

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guan Sheng; Gao Jianbo; Li Yintai; Chen Xuejun; Yang Xuehua; Yang Xiaopeng; Cheng Jingliang

    2001-01-01

    Objective: To determine the value and limitation of water enema spiral CT (WESCT) in staging of colorectal carcinoma. Methods: Forty-eight patients with histologically proven rectum or colon carcinoma were included in this study. All of them were examined by SCT, and the preoperative staging of TNM and Duke were used based on the findings of SCT. The results of WESCT were compared with those of surgical and pathological examination in all cases. Results: All lesions in the 47 cases were demonstrated clearly by WESCT and the sensitivity was 97.9%; 39 cases of 48 patients were correctly staged with TNM and 42 cases with Duke, the accuracy was 81.3% and 87.5% respectively, which were higher than the overall 50 % accuracy reported by references; (3) The accuracy of WESCT was 89.6% (43/48) in T stage and 81.3% (39/48) in N stage. Three cases in M stage were all diagnosed correctly; Conclusion: WESCT scan is a better method of depicting the colorectal carcinoma. It allows for accurate depiction and staging of colorectal carcinoma, especially detecting the invasion of adjacent tissues and distant metastasis. It is the best imaging method for staging the colorectal carcinoma . However the value of WESCT for early T staging in colorectal carcinoma and minute metastasis of lymph nodes or liver is limited

  14. Information and Analysis System Stages of Family Welfare in District Balong

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eka Arynda Ayu

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Badan Kependudukan dan Keluarga Berencana Nasional (BKKBN is a family that formed due to legal marriage, is able to meet the needs of the spiritual and the material that is decent, devoted to God Almighty, have a relationship that is harmonious and balanced between members and between families with the community and the environment. Every year the government to collect data on the status of a prosperous family stage where the purpose of the data collection is in the framework of development and poverty alleviation programs. Data collection process in the District Balong is still done manually so that the risk of error in determining the status of a family stage could happen. Information and analysis system of status stages of family welfare is designed to make web-based officers in the input data and determine the status of a prosperous family stages based on selected indicators of the sheet R/1/KS. Sample of data from Bulukidul village and sub-district village of Balong Ngraket 2014. Results of the system in the form of data reports the results of process steps and the results can be viewed in graphical form. Comparison chart to show the status of the highest percentage of poor welfare families stages. Instead lowest percentage shows the stages of a prosperous family able or rich. 

  15. Maturity stages of Pink Shrimp Farfantepenaeus notialis (Penaeidae) in the Colombian Caribbean

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Perez Ferro, Daniel Giovanny; Paramo Granados, Jorge Enrique

    2014-01-01

    The pink Shrimp Farfantepenaeus notialis is one resource of great socioeconomic importance in the Caribbean region. However, this species has been overexploited in the last decades and there is a lack of biological and fishery information. For such reason, the objective of the present study is to determine and characterize the maturity stages a macroscopic and microscopic level of the pink Shrimp (F. notialis) as input for its management. The samples were taking from June of 2012 and May 2013, on board shrimp commercial vessels in the Colombian Caribbean. The females of F. notialis were identified and preserved for the histologic analysis and some gonads were fixed. Data of size, weight and sex were taken. The gonadal stages were determined from the morphology and coloration of gonad and to microscopic determination were carried out histologic cut from samples of thirty gonads from all stages. A total of 3019 females were obtained from F. notialis, to which five stages of gonadal development were found and described. The macroscopic results were corroborated with the analysis ovocyte development a microscopic level. The development of ovocyte was coherent to that reported for F. brevirostris in the Colombian pacific and F. paulensis in the north coast of Brazil. These results are a contribution of the great scientific importance to the determination of maturity of F. notialis in the Colombian Caribbean.

  16. Determining quantitative road safety targets by applying statistical prediction techniques and a multi-stage adjustment procedure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wittenberg, P; Sever, K; Knoth, S; Sahin, N; Bondarenko, J

    2013-01-01

    Due to substantial progress made in road safety in the last ten years, the European Union (EU) renewed the ambitious agreement of halving the number of persons killed on the roads within the next decade. In this paper we develop a method that aims at finding an optimal target for each nation, in terms of being as achievable as possible, and with the cumulative EU target being reached. Targets as an important component in road safety policy are given as reduction rate or as absolute number of road traffic deaths. Determination of these quantitative road safety targets (QRST) is done by a top-down approach, formalized in a multi-stage adjustment procedure. Different QRST are derived under consideration of recent research. The paper presents a method to break the national target further down to regional targets in case of the German Federal States. Generalized linear models are fitted to data in the period 1991-2010. Our model selection procedure chooses various models for the EU and solely log-linear models for the German Federal States. If the proposed targets for the EU Member States are attained, the sum of fatalities should not exceed the total value of 15,465 per year by 2020. Both, the mean level and the range of mortality rates within the EU could be lowered from 28-113 in 2010 to 17-41 per million inhabitants in 2020. This study provides an alternative to the determination of safety targets by political commitments only, taking the history of road fatalities trends and population into consideration. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Comparison between computed tomography with oral oil-based contrast and laparotomy for gastric cancer staging

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Marco, S. F.; Garcia-Vila, J. H.; Cervera, J.; Gomez, R.; Piqueras, R. M.; Perona, I.; Escrig, J.; Salvador, J. L.

    2000-01-01

    To compare the utility of conventional computed tomography (CT) with oral oil-based contrast with that of laparotomy in the preoperative staging of gastric cancer. We prospectively studied 41 patients diagnosed as having gastric adenocarcinoma according to the results of endoscopy and biopsy. Applying the TNM classification for gastric cancer staging, we compared the findings in CT associated with oral oil-based contrast and intraoperative staging with definitive postoperative pathological staging. Definitive pathological studies demonstrated that there were 7 stage T1-T2 lesions, 26 stage T3 and 8 stage T4. The assessment of lymph node involvement showed that 10 patients presented stage N0 and 31 stage N1-N3. Ten patients had metastases. The diagnostic reliability for tumor staging according to CT was 56% versus 80% for laparotomy. In the determination of nodal involvement CT had a diagnostic yield of 71% versus 6% for laparotomy. Metastatic disease was correctly diagnosed by CT in 83% of cases versus 88% by laparotomy. There were no statistically significant differences between CT with oral oil-based contrast and laparotomy for the staging of nodal involvement and metastases. However, the CT diagnosis was significantly more reliable than laparotomy for the determination of tumor infiltration. (Author) 21 refs

  18. Factors affecting vegetable preference in adolescents: stages of change and social cognitive theory.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woo, Taejung; Lee, Kyung-Hea

    2017-08-01

    Despite the importance of consuming sufficient amounts of vegetables, daily vegetable intake among adolescents in Korea is lower than the current dietary recommendation. The objective of this study was to examine determinants affecting vegetable preference in order to suggest a stage-tailored education strategy that can promote vegetable consumption in adolescents. Adolescents (n = 400, aged 16-17 years) from two high schools participated in a cross-sectional study. Survey variables were vegetable preference, the social cognitive theory (SCT) and stages of change (SOC) constructs. Based on vegetable preference, subjects were classified into two groups: a low-preference group (LPG) and a high-preference group (HPG). SOC was subdivided into pre-action and action/maintenance stages. To compare SCT components and SOC related to vegetable preference, chi-squared and t-tests, along with stepwise multiple-regression analysis, were applied. In the LPG, a similar number of subjects were classified into each stage. Significant differences in self-efficacy, affective attitudes, and vegetable accessibility at home and school were detected among the stages. Subjects in the HPG were mainly at the maintenance stage (81%), and there were significant differences among the stages regarding self-efficacy, affective attitudes, and parenting practice. In the predictions of vegetable preference, self-efficacy and parenting practice had a significant effect in the "pre-action" stage. In the action/maintenance stage, outcome expectation, affective attitudes, and vegetable accessibility at school had significant predictive value. In predicting the vegetable preference for all subjects, 42.8% of the predictive variance was accounted for by affective attitudes, self-efficacy, and vegetable accessibility at school. The study revealed that different determinants affect adolescent vegetable preference in each stage. Self-efficacy and affective attitudes are important determinants affecting

  19. Design criteria tank farm storage and staging facility

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lott, D.T.

    1995-01-01

    Tank Farms Operations must store/stage material and equipment until work packages are ready to work. Consumable materials are also required to be stored for routine and emergency work. Safety issues based on poor housekeeping and material deterioration due to weather damage has resulted from inadequate storage space. It has been determined that a storage building in close proximity to the Tank Farm work force would be cost effective. This document provides the design criteria for the design of the storage and staging buildings near 272AW and 272WA buildings

  20. Effect of a dam on epilithic algal communities of a mountain stream: before-after dam construction comparison

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luciana Cibils Martina

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available In this study we evaluated the effect of a dam on epilithic algal communities by analyzing community response after dam construction and by comparing community composition, structure and biomass upstream and downstream of the dam. Samples of epilithic algae and environmental data were collected at each site during high and low water periods before and after dam construction in Achiras Stream (Córdoba, Argentina. Ordinations showed modifications in algal assemblages after dam construction and downstream of the dam. Ordinations also suggested a loss of seasonality at the downstream site since the assemblages were similar between hydrological periods after dam construction. Indicator species, obtained by the Indicator Value method, showed that, after dam construction, there could have been an increase in nutrient concentration and a release of plankton from the impoundment. Abundance, richness and diversity were altered after dam construction as assessed by ANOVAs derived from a modified BACI Design. Proportion of early-successional species was higher at the upstream site while late-successional species were dominant at the downstream site, as predicted. Lower fluctuations in discharge downstream of the dam may have helped succession advance, whereas at the upstream site, mainly during the high water period, floods could have caused sloughing of life forms from the outer layers of the biofilm, resetting the algal community to early successional stages. It may be concluded that the dam affected algal community and favored succession advance mainly by reducing current velocity and flow fluctuations.

  1. The Onset of Representation and Entry into Stage 6 of Object Permanence Development

    Science.gov (United States)

    Campos, Joseph J.; Ramsay, Douglas S.

    1978-01-01

    Attempts to determine whether infants' performance in two search tasks is related to their entry into Stage 6 of object permanence development (thereby testing Piaget's claim that only Stage 6 infants possess the capacity for representation). (BD)

  2. Problem solving stages in the five square problem.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fedor, Anna; Szathmáry, Eörs; Öllinger, Michael

    2015-01-01

    According to the restructuring hypothesis, insight problem solving typically progresses through consecutive stages of search, impasse, insight, and search again for someone, who solves the task. The order of these stages was determined through self-reports of problem solvers and has never been verified behaviorally. We asked whether individual analysis of problem solving attempts of participants revealed the same order of problem solving stages as defined by the theory and whether their subjective feelings corresponded to the problem solving stages they were in. Our participants tried to solve the Five-Square problem in an online task, while we recorded the time and trajectory of their stick movements. After the task they were asked about their feelings related to insight and some of them also had the possibility of reporting impasse while working on the task. We found that the majority of participants did not follow the classic four-stage model of insight, but had more complex sequences of problem solving stages, with search and impasse recurring several times. This means that the classic four-stage model is not sufficient to describe variability on the individual level. We revised the classic model and we provide a new model that can generate all sequences found. Solvers reported insight more often than non-solvers and non-solvers reported impasse more often than solvers, as expected; but participants did not report impasse more often during behaviorally defined impasse stages than during other stages. This shows that impasse reports might be unreliable indicators of impasse. Our study highlights the importance of individual analysis of problem solving behavior to verify insight theory.

  3. Problem solving stages in the five square problem

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anna eFedor

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available According to the restructuring hypothesis, insight problem solving typically progresses through consecutive stages of search, impasse, insight and search again for someone, who solves the task. The order of these stages was determined through self-reports of problem solvers and has never been verified behaviourally. We asked whether individual analysis of problem solving attempts of participants revealed the same order of problem solving stages as defined by the theory and whether their subjective feelings corresponded to the problem solving stages they were in. 101 participants tried to solve the Five-Square problem in an online task, while we recorded the time and trajectory of their stick movements. After the task they were asked about their feelings related to insight and 67 of them also had the possibility of reporting impasse while working on the task. We have found that 49% (19 out of 39 of the solvers and 13% (8 out of 62 of the non-solvers followed the classic four-stage model of insight. The rest of the participants had more complex sequences of problem solving stages, with search and impasse recurring several times. This means that the classic four-stage model must be extended to explain variability on the individual level. We provide a model that can generate all sequences found. Solvers reported insight more often than non-solvers and non-solvers reported impasse more often than solvers, as expected; but participants did not report impasse more often during behaviourally defined impasse stages than during other stages. This shows that impasse reports might be unreliable indicators of impasse. Our study highlights the importance of individual analysis of problem solving behaviour to verify insight theory.

  4. Embryo apoptosis identification: Oocyte grade or cleavage stage?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bakri, Noraina Mohd; Ibrahim, Siti Fatimah; Osman, Nurul Atikah; Hasan, Nurhaslina; Jaffar, Farah Hanan Fathihah; Rahman, Zulaiha Abdul; Osman, Khairul

    2015-01-01

    Apoptosis is a programed cell death that is vital for tissue homeostasis. However, embryo apoptosis had been known to be related to embryo fragmentation which should be avoided in in vitro fertilization (IVF). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship of embryo apoptosis with the grade of immature oocytes and cleavage stage of in vitro produced (IVP) cattle embryos. This study consisted of 345 oocytes collected through ovary slicing. Immature oocytes were graded as A, B and C. This grading was based on cumulus cell thickness and compactness. All oocytes then underwent an in vitro maturation (IVM) procedure. An IVF was done 24 h after IVM culture. Prior to staining, stage of cleaved embryos was determined and classified as either 2, 4, 8 or >8-cell embryo stage. Apoptosis status of cleaved IVP embryos was determined by using annexin V-FITC staining technique at 48 and 72 h post insemination (hpi). Apoptosis status for each embryo was classified as either early or late. The result showed that there was no significant difference (p > 0.05) of apoptosis status among grade A, B and C embryos. All grades of oocytes showed embryo apoptosis where 1.5% late apoptosis for grade A, 4.5% and 10.4% of early and late apoptosis for grade B and grade C. Early apoptosis was not seen in grade A embryo. We also noted no significant difference (p > 0.05) of apoptosis status between 2, 4, 8 and >8-cell embryo stage. Early apoptosis was also not seen in >8-cell stage. Even though there were no differences in apoptosis expression between the three classes, the cleavage rate of grade A oocytes was significantly higher (p < 0.01) than grade B and grade C. In conclusion, the apoptosis expression in the embryo can occur regardless of the oocyte quality and the cleavage stage of the embryo produced. PMID:26858565

  5. Forensic age estimation based on magnetic resonance imaging of third molars: converting 2D staging into 3D staging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Tobel, Jannick; Hillewig, Elke; Verstraete, Koenraad

    2017-03-01

    Established methods to stage development of third molars for forensic age estimation are based on the evaluation of radiographs, which show a 2D projection. It has not been investigated whether these methods require any adjustments in order to apply them to stage third molars on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which shows 3D information. To prospectively study root stage assessment of third molars in age estimation using 3 Tesla MRI and to compare this with panoramic radiographs, in order to provide considerations for converting 2D staging into 3D staging and to determine the decisive root. All third molars were evaluated in 52 healthy participants aged 14-26 years using MRI in three planes. Three staging methods were investigated by two observers. In sixteen of the participants, MRI findings were compared with findings on panoramic radiographs. Decisive roots were palatal in upper third molars and distal in lower third molars. Fifty-seven per cent of upper third molars were not assessable on the radiograph, while 96.9% were on MRI. Upper third molars were more difficult to evaluate on radiographs than on MRI (p third molars were equally assessable on both imaging techniques (93.8% MRI, 98.4% radiograph), with no difference in level of difficulty (p = .375). Inter- and intra-observer agreement for evaluation was higher in MRI than in radiographs. In both imaging techniques lower third molars showed greater inter- and intra-observer agreement compared to upper third molars. MR images in the sagittal plane proved to be essential for staging. In age estimation, 3T MRI of third molars could be valuable. Some considerations are, however, necessary to transfer known staging methods to this 3D technique.

  6. 2316-IJBCS-Article-Olusanya Olatunji A

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    hp

    method was used in this study to determine the species ... of the five plots. Figure 1: Map of the study area showing the sampling point. ..... of disturbance and successional age of forest do have effects in .... limiting factors in restoration. Biolo-.

  7. Comparisons of single-stage and two-stage approaches to genomic selection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schulz-Streeck, Torben; Ogutu, Joseph O; Piepho, Hans-Peter

    2013-01-01

    Genomic selection (GS) is a method for predicting breeding values of plants or animals using many molecular markers that is commonly implemented in two stages. In plant breeding the first stage usually involves computation of adjusted means for genotypes which are then used to predict genomic breeding values in the second stage. We compared two classical stage-wise approaches, which either ignore or approximate correlations among the means by a diagonal matrix, and a new method, to a single-stage analysis for GS using ridge regression best linear unbiased prediction (RR-BLUP). The new stage-wise method rotates (orthogonalizes) the adjusted means from the first stage before submitting them to the second stage. This makes the errors approximately independently and identically normally distributed, which is a prerequisite for many procedures that are potentially useful for GS such as machine learning methods (e.g. boosting) and regularized regression methods (e.g. lasso). This is illustrated in this paper using componentwise boosting. The componentwise boosting method minimizes squared error loss using least squares and iteratively and automatically selects markers that are most predictive of genomic breeding values. Results are compared with those of RR-BLUP using fivefold cross-validation. The new stage-wise approach with rotated means was slightly more similar to the single-stage analysis than the classical two-stage approaches based on non-rotated means for two unbalanced datasets. This suggests that rotation is a worthwhile pre-processing step in GS for the two-stage approaches for unbalanced datasets. Moreover, the predictive accuracy of stage-wise RR-BLUP was higher (5.0-6.1%) than that of componentwise boosting.

  8. Comorbidities and the Risk of Late-Stage Prostate Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Steven T. Fleming

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available The degree to which comorbidities affect the diagnosis of prostate cancer is not clear. The purpose of this study was to determine how comorbidities affect the stage at which prostate cancer is diagnosed in elderly white and black men. We obtained data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program of the National Cancer Institute merged with Medicare claims data. For each patient, we estimated associations between stage of disease at diagnosis and each of the 27 comorbidities. The sample included 2,489 black and 2,587 white men with staged prostate cancer. Coronary artery disease, benign hypertension, and dyslipidemia reduced the odds of late-stage prostate cancer. A prior diagnosis of peripheral vascular disease, severe renal disease, or substance abuse increased the odds of being diagnosed with late-stage disease. The study shows some effect modification by race, particularly among white men with substance abuse, cardiac conduction disorders, and other neurologic conditions. The strongest predictors of late-stage prostate cancer diagnosis for both white and black men were age at diagnosis of at least 80 years and lack of PSA screening. Comorbidities do affect stage at diagnosis, although in different ways. Four hypotheses are discussed to explain these findings.

  9. Staging of bronchogenic carcinoma by computerized tomography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sommer, B.; Bauer, W.M.; Rath, M.; Fenzl, G.; Stelter, W.J.; Lissner, J.

    1981-01-01

    It was possible to check the information obtained by CT scanning in 36 patients out of 49 who had been subjected to computerized tomography, in respect of the extension of the primary tumour (T stage), and in 25 patients in respect of the degree of mediastinal lymphatic node involvement (N stage). In all 49 patients, the presence of bronchogenic carcinoma had been safely established. In 97% of the cases, assessment of the extension of the primary tumour was found to be correct. Assessment of the N stage, however, is more problematic, since detection of mediastinal lymphatic nodes by computerized tomography does not necessarily tell us something about their metastatic involvement. If all recognizable lymphatic nodes are interpreted as potential metastases, we have no false negative but 61% false positive results because of the frequency of postinflammatory or anthracotic lymphatic nodes. In case of exclusive assessment of lymphatic node enlargement above 1 cm diameter, the rate of metastatic nodes increases considerably (83%). Computerized tomography is definitely superior to all roentgenological methods in assessing the stage of a bronchogenic carcinoma; hence, it could occupy a key position in determining the diagnostic and therapeutic approach in patients with this disease. (orig.) [de

  10. CHARACTERIZATION OF RIPENING STAGES OF MYRTLE FRUIT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    DYALLA RIBEIRO DE ARAUJO

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT The myrtle (Eugenia gracillima Kiaersk. is a native fruit species in the Chapada of Araripe, state of Pernambuco, Brazil. The fruits are collected from the wild and are consumed fresh or processed as pulp, juice, jelly, liquor or desserts. Myrtle fruit production is of significant socioeconomic value for the region and, therefore, the description of myrtle fruit ripening stages may contribute to the development of its production chain. As a result, the objective of the present study was to evaluate the physical, quality and ripening changes of myrtle fruits at different developmental stages. The fruits were picked at five distinctive stages and evaluated for longitudinal and transverse diameters; fresh, dry and water mass; water contents; soluble solids (SS; titratable acidity (TA; pH; SS/TA ratio; carbohydrates (starch, total, reducing and nonreducing sugars; ascorbic acid; total pectin, soluble pectins and percentage of pectin solubilization; polymeric, oligomeric and dimeric phenolics; total anthocyanins, carotenoids and chlorophyll; and yellow flavonoids. Along fruit ripening processes increases in SS, anthocyanins and carotenoids, in the SS/TA ratio and of percentages of pectin solubilization were determined. On the other hand, decreases in TA and total chlorophyll were observed. The ripening stage at which peel color is completely dark red (ripening stage 4 is most appropriate to harvest myrtle fruits for human consumption.

  11. Intertidal soft-sediment community does not respond to disturbance as postulated by the intermediate disturbance hypothesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gerwing, Travis G.; Allen Gerwing, Alyssa M.; Macdonald, Tara; Cox, Kieran; Juanes, Francis; Dudas, Sarah E.

    2017-11-01

    The Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis (IDH) predicts that disturbances of an intermediate frequency or intensity will maximize community biodiversity/richness. Once almost universally accepted, controversy now surrounds this hypothesis, and there have even been calls for its abandonment. Therefore, we experimentally evaluated if an infaunal community along the north coast of British Columbia, Canada, would respond to disturbances as predicted by the IDH. The characteristics of this soft-sediment intertidal mudflat (productivity, species pool, population growth rate) maximized our chances of finding evidence to support the IDH. More specifically, we tested if intermediate severities and frequencies of disturbance maximized infaunal community richness by mechanically disturbing sediment, and varying the intensity (0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% of the surface area of a plot disturbed) and frequency of sediment disturbance (never, once, twice, and every week during a four week period). No effect of frequency or intensity of sediment disturbance on community richness was observed. Further, none of our experimental treatments were statistically different than the controls. This is likely due to the subtle difference between successional stages in this soft-sediment habitat (difference of less than one taxa between treatments). Therefore, in habitats whose productivity, regional species pool, and population growth rates would otherwise suggest a response to disturbances as predicted by the IDH, minor differences between successional stages may result in richness patterns that deviate from those predicted by the IDH.

  12. MR staging of pelvic endometriosis. Role of fat-suppression T{sub 1}-weighted images

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Oishi-Tanaka, Yumiko; Itai, Yuji; Anno, Izumi; Matsumoto, Kunihiko; Ebihara, Reiko; Nishida, Masato [Tsukuba Univ., Ibaraki (Japan). Inst. of Clinical Medicine

    1996-05-01

    We examined whether MR can determine the stage of endometriosis according to the scoring system established and revised by the American Fertility Society (r-AFS), a system which is widely used by gynecologists. We also studied the utility of fat suppression T{sub 1}-weighted images in improving accuracy. Seventeen patients with endometriosis examined by conventional MR were included in this study. All the patients had surgically proved stage III or IV disease. We determined the stage by MR using the following criteria according to the r-AFS system: adnexal masses without normal ovarian tissue were considered deep ovarian lesions, while those with normal tissue were considered superficial. A lack of fat between the lesion and surrounding structures was considered a dense adhesion, and hyperintense spots were considered peritoneal implants. The MR scores of patients with and without fat suppression were correlated with the surgical scores. MR staging corresponded to surgical staging in 15 of the 17 patients. In eight patients, peritoneal implants of less than 1.5 cm were depicted only by fat-suppression images. However, these lesions did not change the score significantly. MR imaging could determine the stage in advanced endometriosis. Fat-suppression could highlight smaller implants. These tiny lesions had little clinical meaning in these advanced cases; however, the clinical value of this technique should be evaluated in milder disease. (author)

  13. Napoleon Bonaparte's gastric cancer: a clinicopathologic approach to staging, pathogenesis, and etiology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lugli, Alessandro; Zlobec, Inti; Singer, Gad; Kopp Lugli, Andrea; Terracciano, Luigi M; Genta, Robert M

    2007-01-01

    Numerous hypotheses on the cause of Napoleon Bonaparte's death have been proposed, including hereditary gastric cancer, arsenic poisoning, and inappropriate medical treatment. We aimed to determine the etiology and pathogenesis of Napoleon's illness by a comparison of historical information with current clinicopathologic knowledge. Evaluation of Napoleon's clinical history, original autopsy reports, and of historical documents. The clinicopathologic data from 135 gastric cancer patients were used for comparison with the data available on Napoleon. At least T3N1M0 (stage IIIA) gastric cancer. Napoleon's tumor extended from the cardia to the pylorus (>10 cm) without infiltration of adjacent structures, which provides strong evidence for at least stage T3. The N1 stage was determined by the presence of several enlarged and hardened regional (perigastric) lymph nodes, and the M0 stage by the absence of distant metastasis. Analysis of the available historical documents indicates that Napoleon's main risk factor might have been Helicobacter pylori infection rather than a familial predisposition. Our analysis suggests that Napoleon's illness was a sporadic gastric carcinoma of advanced stage. Patients with such tumors have a notoriously poor prognosis.

  14. Investigation of Intellectual Risk-Taking Abilities of Students According to Piaget's Stages of Cognitive Development and Education Grade

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arzu Derya DAŞCI

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study is to determine the cognitive development stages of students of 4-8th class and is to research the effect to ability of intellectual risk-taking of this periods and education grade. Survey method and clinical method are used in the study which practices for this purpose. In the study which 20 students from every grade, in total 100 students, 6 different activities which are improved and used by different researchers are applied to determine the cognitive development stages whose classification is made by Piaget with Intellectual Risk-Taking and Predictor Scale which was improved by Beghetto (2009. Activities that students made individualistically are marked with observation form and their cognitive development stages are determined according to responses of each. Cognitive development stages and intellectual risk-taking level of students are analyzed with descriptive statistics. In the research result it is seen that majority of students is in the transitional stage and as long as class level increases it is passed to formal operational stage from concrete operational stage. While it is seen that as long as education grade rise intellectual risk-taking abilities of students decreases, it is determined that cognitive development stages has not any effect on this ability. The research is completed with suggestions based on results.

  15. Estimation of legal age using calcification stages of third molars in living individuals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Streckbein, Philipp; Reichert, Isabelle; Verhoff, Marcel A; Bödeker, Rolf-Hasso; Kähling, Christopher; Wilbrand, Jan-Falco; Schaaf, Heidrun; Howaldt, Hans-Peter; May, Andreas

    2014-12-01

    The increased number of adolescents and young adults with unknown or inaccurately given date of birth is a current issue in justice and legal medicine. The objective of this study was to determine the extent to which third molar calcification stages assessed on panoramic X-rays could be useful as additional criteria for forensic age estimation in living individuals, focusing on the legally important ages 17 and 18. In a retrospective multi-center study, the developmental stage of each individual's third molar was analyzed using Demirjian's scale in 2360 cases. Additionally, sex, age and ancestry were assessed. Individuals with the lowest calcification stage of all present molars in stage H were ≥18 years with a likelihood of ≥99.05% in the female (n=388), and ≥99.24% in the male (n=482) population. The lowest calcification stage of all present third molars proved to be useful as an additional reliable criterion for the determination of an age ≥18 years. Copyright © 2014 Forensic Science Society. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Chemical defense of early life stages of benthic marine invertebrates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lindquist, Niels

    2002-10-01

    Accurate knowledge of factors affecting the survival of early life stages of marine invertebrates is critically important for understanding their population dynamics and the evolution of their diverse reproductive and life-history characteristics. Chemical defense is an important determinant of survival for adult stages of many sessile benthic invertebrates, yet relatively little consideration has been given to chemical defenses at the early life stages. This review examines the taxonomic breadth of early life-stage chemical defense in relation to various life-history and reproductive characteristics, as well as possible constraints on the expression of chemical defense at certain life stages. Data on the localization of defensive secondary metabolites in larvae and the fitness-related consequences of consuming even a small amount of toxic secondary metabolites underpin proposals regarding the potential for Müllerian and Batesian mimicry to occur among marine larvae. The involvement of microbial symbionts in the chemical defense of early life stages illustrates its complexity for some species. As our knowledge of chemical defenses in early life stages grows, we will be able to more rigorously examine connections among phylogeny, chemical defenses, and the evolution of reproductive and life-history characteristics among marine invertebrates.

  17. THE MAJOR STAGES OF THE FORMATION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Valentyna Papushyna

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available For successful formation of aesthetic culture of students, the author of the article suggests the following stages of work: diagnostic and motivational, cognitive linguocultural, personality-oriented, activity-practical. There have been shown the methods of studying the basic aesthetic knowledge and interests of students, their next task-oriented development in practice. The article deals with personality-oriented activities, self-inclusive and creative forms of activities and other innovative methods of the development of linguocultural and art knowledge while working with literary texts during class and extracurricular hours, their judicious usage at all above mentioned stages. It has beed determined that the textbook and methodical manuals created in the course of emphasis on aesthetic knowledge direct students’ activity and give clues in studying literature together with other art forms.

  18. Sleep Stage Transition Dynamics Reveal Specific Stage 2 Vulnerability in Insomnia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Yishul; Colombo, Michele A; Ramautar, Jennifer R; Blanken, Tessa F; van der Werf, Ysbrand D; Spiegelhalder, Kai; Feige, Bernd; Riemann, Dieter; Van Someren, Eus J W

    2017-09-01

    Objective sleep impairments in insomnia disorder (ID) are insufficiently understood. The present study evaluated whether whole-night sleep stage dynamics derived from polysomnography (PSG) differ between people with ID and matched controls and whether sleep stage dynamic features discriminate them better than conventional sleep parameters. Eighty-eight participants aged 21-70 years, including 46 with ID and 42 age- and sex-matched controls without sleep complaints, were recruited through www.sleepregistry.nl and completed two nights of laboratory PSG. Data of 100 people with ID and 100 age- and sex-matched controls from a previously reported study were used to validate the generalizability of findings. The second night was used to obtain, in addition to conventional sleep parameters, probabilities of transitions between stages and bout duration distributions of each stage. Group differences were evaluated with nonparametric tests. People with ID showed higher empirical probabilities to transition from stage N2 to the lighter sleep stage N1 or wakefulness and a faster decaying stage N2 bout survival function. The increased transition probability from stage N2 to stage N1 discriminated people with ID better than any of their deviations in conventional sleep parameters, including less total sleep time, less sleep efficiency, more stage N1, and more wake after sleep onset. Moreover, adding this transition probability significantly improved the discriminating power of a multiple logistic regression model based on conventional sleep parameters. Quantification of sleep stage dynamics revealed a particular vulnerability of stage N2 in insomnia. The feature characterizes insomnia better than-and independently of-any conventional sleep parameter. © Sleep Research Society 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Sleep Research Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail journals.permissions@oup.com.

  19. Second stage gasifier in staged gasification and integrated process

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Guohai; Vimalchand, Pannalal; Peng, Wan Wang

    2015-10-06

    A second stage gasification unit in a staged gasification integrated process flow scheme and operating methods are disclosed to gasify a wide range of low reactivity fuels. The inclusion of second stage gasification unit operating at high temperatures closer to ash fusion temperatures in the bed provides sufficient flexibility in unit configurations, operating conditions and methods to achieve an overall carbon conversion of over 95% for low reactivity materials such as bituminous and anthracite coals, petroleum residues and coke. The second stage gasification unit includes a stationary fluidized bed gasifier operating with a sufficiently turbulent bed of predefined inert bed material with lean char carbon content. The second stage gasifier fluidized bed is operated at relatively high temperatures up to 1400.degree. C. Steam and oxidant mixture can be injected to further increase the freeboard region operating temperature in the range of approximately from 50 to 100.degree. C. above the bed temperature.

  20. Performance of 8- and 12-dynode stage multianode photo-multipliers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bibby, J.H. [University of Oxford, Oxford (United Kingdom); Buckley, A. [Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge (United Kingdom); Chamonal, R.J.U. [University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh (United Kingdom)]. E-mail: chamonal@ph.ed.ac.uk; Easo, S. [CCLRC, Rutherford Aplleton Laboratory, Chilton, Didcot, Oxfordshire (United Kingdom); Eisenhardt, S. [University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh (United Kingdom); Gibson, V. [Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge (United Kingdom); Harnew, N. [University of Oxford, Oxford (United Kingdom); Muheim, F. [University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh (United Kingdom); Howard, A. [Imperial College, London (United Kingdom); Lawrence, J. [University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh (United Kingdom); Pickford, A. [University of Glasgow, Glasgow (United Kingdom); Plackett, R. [Imperial College, London (United Kingdom); Price, D.R. [Imperial College, London (United Kingdom); Rademacker, J. [University of Oxford, Oxford (United Kingdom); Smale, N. [University of Oxford, Oxford (United Kingdom); Soler, F.J.P. [University of Glasgow, Glasgow (United Kingdom); CCLRC, Rutherford Aplleton Laboratory, Chilton, Didcot, Oxfordshire (United Kingdom); Somerville, L. [University of Oxford, Oxford (United Kingdom); Storey, J. [Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge (United Kingdom); Websdale, D. [Imperial College, London (United Kingdom); Wotton, S. [Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge (United Kingdom)

    2006-11-01

    We report on studies of 64-channel Multianode Photo-Multiplier Tubes (MaPMTs) as photo-detectors for Ring Imaging CHerenkov (RICH) counters. The newly available 8-dynode stage MaPMT was tested in particle beams at CERN. The MaPMT signals were read out directly with the Beetle1.2 chip which was designed for the LHCb environment and operates at 40MHz. The photon yield and signal losses were determined for a cluster of 3x3 close-packed MaPMTs. The performance of the 8-dynode stage MaPMT was compared to that of the 12-dynode stage MaPMT which has a larger intrinsic gain.

  1. Determination of urea utilization of rice at different growth stages by 15N tracer technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Korkmaz, A.; Halitligil, M.B.; Torun, M.

    1991-01-01

    This study reported here examines the percent utilization of 15 N labelled urea by rice when it is broadcasted over the soil surface or mixed within 10 cm soil at different vegetative stages. The experimental plots were arranged in randomized block design and replicated 3 times. N was applied at a rate of 120 kg N/ha as single or split applications at four different times during the growing season. Labelled urea was applied to 0.5x0.5 m plots only in 1988, however in 1989 unlabelled urea was applied to all plots. Stover and seed samples from each plot were harvested, dried at 65 0 C, weighed and kilogram per hectare were calculated in 1988. Also, the yield surplus per kilogram N was calculated for each treatment and this was indicated as urea fertilizer efficiency coefficient. Total N and 15 N analysis for stover and seed were done. Significant differences (at 0.05 level) were observed in stover and seed yields, when 120 kg/ha urea was split applied at different growth stages. Similar yield responses were obtained in 1988 and 1989. Highest seed yields were obtained when half of urea was applied at planting and the other half was applied at one week before heading. The results also showed that the highest utilization of urea for seed plus stover was obtained from the second half of urea (60 kg N/ha) applied one week before heading. Percent utilization of urea by rice also differed according to the rate applied at each stage

  2. Impact of herbivore identity on algal succession and coral growth on a Caribbean reef.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Deron E Burkepile

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Herbivory is an important top-down force on coral reefs that regulates macroalgal abundance, mediates competitive interactions between macroalgae and corals, and provides resilience following disturbances such as hurricanes and coral bleaching. However, reductions in herbivore diversity and abundance via disease or over-fishing may harm corals directly and may indirectly increase coral susceptibility to other disturbances.In two experiments over two years, we enclosed equivalent densities and masses of either single-species or mixed-species of herbivorous fishes in replicate, 4 m(2 cages at a depth of 17 m on a reef in the Florida Keys, USA to evaluate the effects of herbivore identity and species richness on colonization and development of macroalgal communities and the cascading effects of algae on coral growth. In Year 1, we used the redband parrotfish (Sparisoma aurofrenatum and the ocean surgeonfish (Acanthurus bahianus; in Year 2, we used the redband parrotfish and the princess parrotfish (Scarus taeniopterus. On new substrates, rapid grazing by ocean surgeonfish and princess parrotfish kept communities in an early successional stage dominated by short, filamentous algae and crustose coralline algae that did not suppress coral growth. In contrast, feeding by redband parrotfish allowed an accumulation of tall filaments and later successional macroalgae that suppressed coral growth. These patterns contrast with patterns from established communities not undergoing primary succession; on established substrates redband parrotfish significantly reduced upright macroalgal cover while ocean surgeonfish and princess parrotfish allowed significant increases in late successional macroalgae.This study further highlights the importance of biodiversity in affecting ecosystem function in that different species of herbivorous fishes had very different impacts on reef communities depending on the developmental stage of the community. The species

  3. Two-stage agglomeration of fine-grained herbal nettle waste

    Science.gov (United States)

    Obidziński, Sławomir; Joka, Magdalena; Fijoł, Olga

    2017-10-01

    This paper compares the densification work necessary for the pressure agglomeration of fine-grained dusty nettle waste, with the densification work involved in two-stage agglomeration of the same material. In the first stage, the material was pre-densified through coating with a binder material in the form of a 5% potato starch solution, and then subjected to pressure agglomeration. A number of tests were conducted to determine the effect of the moisture content in the nettle waste (15, 18 and 21%), as well as the process temperature (50, 70, 90°C) on the values of densification work and the density of the obtained pellets. For pre-densified pellets from a mixture of nettle waste and a starch solution, the conducted tests determined the effect of pellet particle size (1, 2, and 3 mm) and the process temperature (50, 70, 90°C) on the same values. On the basis of the tests, we concluded that the introduction of a binder material and the use of two-stage agglomeration in nettle waste densification resulted in increased densification work (as compared to the densification of nettle waste alone) and increased pellet density.

  4. Stage-to-stage progression of chronic kidney disease in renal transplantation with chronic allograft dysfunction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Khalkhali H

    2009-11-01

    Full Text Available "n Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE AR-SA MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} Background: Although the short-term results of kidney transplantation have improved greatly during the past decades, the long-term results have not improved according. Graft loss due to chronic allograft dysfunction (CAD is a major concern in renal transplant recipients (RTRs. There is little data about disease progression in this patient population. In this paper, we investigated history of kidney function as the pattern, waiting time and rate of pass from intermediate stages in RTR with CAD."n"nMethods: In a single-center retrospective study, 214 RTRs with CAD investigated at the Urmia University Hospital urmia, Iran from 1997 to 2005. Kidney function at each visit assessed with GFR. We apply NKF and K/DOQI classification of chronic kidney disease (CKD staging system to determine pattern of disease progression per stage in this group of patients. "n"nResults: The pure death-censored graft loss was 26% with mean waiting time 81.7 months. 100% of RTRs passed from stage I to II in mean waiting time 26.3 months. The probability of prognostic factors transition from stage II to III was 88.9% with mean waiting time 25.5 months, transition from III to IV was 55.7% with mean waiting time of 24.9 months and transition for

  5. Prostate cancer staging

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... this page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000397.htm Prostate cancer staging To use the sharing features on this ... trials you may be able to join How Prostate Cancer Staging is Done Initial staging is based on ...

  6. Stages of physical dependence in New Zealand smokers: Prevalence and correlates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walton, Darren; Newcombe, Rhiannon; Li, Judy; Tu, Danny; DiFranza, Joseph R

    2016-12-01

    Physically dependent smokers experience symptoms of wanting, craving or needing to smoke when too much time has passed since the last cigarette. There is interest in whether wanting, craving and needing represent variations in the intensity of a single physiological parameter or whether multiple physiological processes may be involved in the developmental progression of physical dependence. Our aim was to determine how a population of cigarette smokers is distributed across the wanting, craving and needing stages of physical dependence. A nationwide survey of 2594 New Zealanders aged 15years and over was conducted in 2014. The stage of physical dependence was assessed using the Levels of Physical Dependence measure. Ordinal logistic regression analysis was used to assess relations between physical dependence and other variables. Among 590 current smokers (weighted 16.2% of the sample), 22.3% had no physical dependence, 23.5% were in the Wanting stage, 14.4% in the Craving stage, and 39.8% in the Needing stage. The stage of physical dependence was predicted by daily cigarette consumption, and the time to first cigarette, but not by age, gender, ethnicity or socioeconomic status. Fewer individuals were in the craving stage than either the wanting or needing stages. The resulting inverted U-shaped curve with concentrations at either extreme is difficult to explain as a variation of a single biological parameter. The data support an interpretation that progression through the stages of wanting, craving and needing may involve more than one physiological process. Physical dependence to tobacco develops through a characteristic sequence of wanting, craving and needing which correspond to changes in addiction pathways in the brain. It is important to neuroscience research to determine if the development of physical dependence involves changes in a single brain process, or multiple processes. Our data suggests that more than one physiologic process is involved in the

  7. Pulp Stone, Haemodialysis, End-stage Renal Disease, Carotid Atherosclerosis

    OpenAIRE

    Patil, Santosh; Sinha, Nidhi

    2013-01-01

    Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between the presence of pulp calcification and carotid artery calcification on the dental panoramic radiographs in End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) patients who were on haemodialysis.

  8. MRI in local staging of rectal cancer: an update

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tapan, Ümit; Özbayrak, Mustafa; Tatlı, Servet

    2014-01-01

    Preoperative imaging for staging of rectal cancer has become an important aspect of current approach to rectal cancer management, because it helps to select suitable patients for neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and determine the appropriate surgical technique. Imaging modalities such as endoscopic ultrasonography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) play an important role in assessing the depth of tumor penetration, lymph node involvement, mesorectal fascia and anal sphincter invasion, and presence of distant metastatic diseases. Currently, there is no consensus on a preferred imaging technique for preoperative staging of rectal cancer. However, high-resolution phased-array MRI is recommended as a standard imaging modality for preoperative local staging of rectal cancer, with excellent soft tissue contrast, multiplanar capability, and absence of ionizing radiation. This review will mainly focus on the role of MRI in preoperative local staging of rectal cancer and discuss recent advancements in MRI technique such as diffusion-weighted imaging and dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI. PMID:25010367

  9. Career Stage and Generational Differences in Psychological Contracts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hess, Narelle; Jepsen, Denise M.

    2009-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to determine how employees in different generational groups (or cohorts) and different career stages perceive their psychological contracts. Design/methodology/approach: A survey of 345 working adults included psychological contract obligations, incentives and importance and the cognitive responses of job…

  10. Determination of the best application time of 2,4-D 14C-labelled herbicides and 14C-labelled glyphosate for translocation to the root system of Glycyrrhiza Glabra vegetative growth stage

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ahari Mostafavi, H.; Fathollahi, H.; Naserian, B.; Majd, F.; Rahimian, H.; Ghanbari, A.; Minbashi, M.

    2002-01-01

    In this research work, four different growth stages of Glycyrrhiza Glabra were studied separately and under green house conditions, and in all of these stages the plants were treated by labelled herbicides 14 C-2,4-D and 14 C-Glyphosate through the ad axial surface with activity of 0.60μci up to 0.1018 μci (in each 10μLi of solution). The plants were harvested 72 hours after treatment. They were divided into treated leaf, leaves and stem above the treated leaf and leaves and stem below the treated leaf and root. The amount of radio labelled herbicides in each homo genus solution (produced from extraction of herbicides from plants samples) was quantified using liquid scintillation counter. The amount of herbicide mobility and transfer to different parts of Glycyrrhiza Glabra in each growth stage were determined. This study shows that the best application time of 2,4-D for translocation to the root system of the plant is at 6- leaf stage, and 2,4-D indicates more trans loc ability as compared with Glyphosate

  11. The steady-state mosaic of disturbance and succession across an old-growth Central Amazon forest landscape.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chambers, Jeffrey Q; Negron-Juarez, Robinson I; Marra, Daniel Magnabosco; Di Vittorio, Alan; Tews, Joerg; Roberts, Dar; Ribeiro, Gabriel H P M; Trumbore, Susan E; Higuchi, Niro

    2013-03-05

    Old-growth forest ecosystems comprise a mosaic of patches in different successional stages, with the fraction of the landscape in any particular state relatively constant over large temporal and spatial scales. The size distribution and return frequency of disturbance events, and subsequent recovery processes, determine to a large extent the spatial scale over which this old-growth steady state develops. Here, we characterize this mosaic for a Central Amazon forest by integrating field plot data, remote sensing disturbance probability distribution functions, and individual-based simulation modeling. Results demonstrate that a steady state of patches of varying successional age occurs over a relatively large spatial scale, with important implications for detecting temporal trends on plots that sample a small fraction of the landscape. Long highly significant stochastic runs averaging 1.0 Mg biomass⋅ha(-1)⋅y(-1) were often punctuated by episodic disturbance events, resulting in a sawtooth time series of hectare-scale tree biomass. To maximize the detection of temporal trends for this Central Amazon site (e.g., driven by CO2 fertilization), plots larger than 10 ha would provide the greatest sensitivity. A model-based analysis of fractional mortality across all gap sizes demonstrated that 9.1-16.9% of tree mortality was missing from plot-based approaches, underscoring the need to combine plot and remote-sensing methods for estimating net landscape carbon balance. Old-growth tropical forests can exhibit complex large-scale structure driven by disturbance and recovery cycles, with ecosystem and community attributes of hectare-scale plots exhibiting continuous dynamic departures from a steady-state condition.

  12. The influence of magnetic field strength in ionization stage on ion transport between two stages of a double stage Hall thruster

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yu Daren; Song Maojiang; Li Hong; Liu Hui; Han Ke

    2012-01-01

    It is futile for a double stage Hall thruster to design a special ionization stage if the ionized ions cannot enter the acceleration stage. Based on this viewpoint, the ion transport under different magnetic field strengths in the ionization stage is investigated, and the physical mechanisms affecting the ion transport are analyzed in this paper. With a combined experimental and particle-in-cell simulation study, it is found that the ion transport between two stages is chiefly affected by the potential well, the potential barrier, and the potential drop at the bottom of potential well. With the increase of magnetic field strength in the ionization stage, there is larger plasma density caused by larger potential well. Furthermore, the potential barrier near the intermediate electrode declines first and then rises up while the potential drop at the bottom of potential well rises up first and then declines as the magnetic field strength increases in the ionization stage. Consequently, both the ion current entering the acceleration stage and the total ion current ejected from the thruster rise up first and then decline as the magnetic field strength increases in the ionization stage. Therefore, there is an optimal magnetic field strength in the ionization stage to guide the ion transport between two stages.

  13. Habitat use of the European mudminnow Umbra krameri and association with other fish species in a disconnected Danube side arm.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sehr, M; Keckeis, H

    2017-10-01

    Fish assemblages along the longitudinal course of an old, disconnected and modified side arm of the Danube floodplain downstream of Vienna, Austria, as well as habitat structure, hydro-morphological and hydro-chemical factors, were investigated in order to analyse the key environmental determinants of the European mudminnow Umbra krameri. Generally, U. krameri was the most abundant species in the system. It occurred in disconnected ditches, ponds and pools with dense reed belts and comparatively low nutrient content, indicating its natural association with marsh habitats. At infrequently disturbed sites it was associated with a small group of stagnophilious and highly specialized species with adaptations to strong oxygen fluctuations. At frequently flooded sites, the species was absent or occurred in low abundances, indicating its adaptation to water bodies in older successional stages and its low competitive power in permanently connected floodplain habitats. © 2017 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

  14. Determining distances using asteroseismic methods

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Aguirre, Victor Silva; Casagrande, L.; Basu, Sarbina

    2013-01-01

    Asteroseismology has been extremely successful in determining the properties of stars in different evolutionary stages with a remarkable level of precision. However, to fully exploit its potential, robust methods for estimating stellar parameters are required and independent verification of the r......Asteroseismology has been extremely successful in determining the properties of stars in different evolutionary stages with a remarkable level of precision. However, to fully exploit its potential, robust methods for estimating stellar parameters are required and independent verification...... fluxes, and thus distances for field stars in a self-consistent manner. Applying our method to a sample of solar-like oscillators in the {\\it Kepler} field that have accurate {\\it Hipparcos} parallaxes, we find agreement in our distance determinations to better than 5%. Comparison with measurements...

  15. Optics of two-stage photovoltaic concentrators with dielectric second stages

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ning, Xiaohui; O'Gallagher, Joseph; Winston, Roland

    1987-04-01

    Two-stage photovoltaic concentrators with Fresnel lenses as primaries and dielectric totally internally reflecting nonimaging concentrators as secondaries are discussed. The general design principles of such two-stage systems are given. Their optical properties are studied and analyzed in detail using computer ray trace procedures. It is found that the two-stage concentrator offers not only a higher concentration or increased acceptance angle, but also a more uniform flux distribution on the photovoltaic cell than the point focusing Fresnel lens alone. Experimental measurements with a two-stage prototype module are presented and compared to the analytical predictions.

  16. Optics of two-stage photovoltaic concentrators with dielectric second stages.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ning, X; O'Gallagher, J; Winston, R

    1987-04-01

    Two-stage photovoltaic concentrators with Fresnel lenses as primaries and dielectric totally internally reflecting nonimaging concentrators as secondaries are discussed. The general design principles of such two-stage systems are given. Their optical properties are studied and analyzed in detail using computer ray trace procedures. It is found that the two-stage concentrator offers not only a higher concentration or increased acceptance angle, but also a more uniform flux distribution on the photovoltaic cell than the point focusing Fresnel lens alone. Experimental measurements with a two-stage prototype module are presented and compared to the analytical predictions.

  17. Multiple stage railgun

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aaland, K.; Hawke, R.S.; Scudder, J.K.

    1982-01-01

    A multiple stage magnetic railgun accelerator for accelerating a projectile by movement of a plasma arc along the rails. The railgun is divided into a plurality of successive rail stages which are sequentially energized by separate energy sources as the projectile moves through the bore of the railgun. Propagation of energy from an energized rail stage back towards the breech end of the railgun can be prevented by connection of the energy sources to the rails through isolation diodes. Propagation of energy from an energized rail stage back towards the breech end of the railgun can also be prevented by dividing the rails into electrically isolated rail sections. In such case means are used to extinguish the arc at the end of each energized stage and a fuse or laser device is used to initiate a new plasma arc in the next energized rail stage

  18. Early Contact Stage of Apoptosis: Its Morphological Features and Function

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Etheri Mikadze

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available Apoptosis has been a biological phenomenon of intense interest for 20 years, but the earlier morphological features of apoptosis have not been determined hitherto. Using the methods of semi- and ultrathin sections, the livers of intact embryos and young rats have been studied under the effect of cycloheximide to determine morphological features of an early stage of apoptosis. It is discovered that both in hepatoblasts and hepatocytes, apoptosis, besides the well-known stages, also includes an early contact stage, distinguishing features of which are agglutination of bound ribosomes (breaking of translation, elimination of the nucleolus, reduction of free polysomes (and in hepatocytes, reduction of cisterns of rough endoplasmic reticulum, formation of cytoplasmic excrescences, and cell shape changes. The early stage of apoptosis is characterized by close contact with neighboring cells. At a certain phase of the contact stage of apoptosis, the nucleolus reappears in the nucleus and the number of free polysomes in the cytoplasm increases, which suggests the renewal of synthesis of new RNA and proteins. Close contact of differentiating and mitotic hepatoblasts with apoptotic cells indicates a certain functional relationship between these cells that is realized not only by micropinocytosis, but through gap junctions as well. We assume that the apoptotic cell, besides proteolytic products, can contain newly synthesized, low-molecular substances, the relocation of which from apoptotic to neighboring cells may contribute to both functional activity and proliferation of adjacent hepatoblasts and, therefore, the function of apoptosis may not be limited only to the elimination of harmful, damaged, and unwanted cells.

  19. The protection motivation theory within the stages of the transtheoretical model - stage-specific interplay of variables and prediction of exercise stage transitions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lippke, Sonia; Plotnikoff, Ronald C

    2009-05-01

    Two different theories of health behaviour have been chosen with the aim of theory integration: a continuous theory (protection motivation theory, PMT) and a stage model (transtheoretical model, TTM). This is the first study to test whether the stages of the TTM moderate the interrelation of PMT-variables and the mediation of motivation, as well as PMT-variables' interactions in predicting stage transitions. Hypotheses were tested regarding (1) mean patterns, stage pair-comparisons and nonlinear trends using ANOVAs; (2) prediction-patterns for the different stage groups employing multi-group structural equation modelling (MSEM) and nested model analyses; and (3) stage transitions using binary logistic regression analyses. Adults (N=1,602) were assessed over a 6 month period on their physical activity stages, PMT-variables and subsequent behaviour. (1) Particular mean differences and nonlinear trends in all test variables were found. (2) The PMT adequately fitted the five stage groups. The MSEM revealed that covariances within threat appraisal and coping appraisal were invariant and all other constrains were stage-specific, i.e. stage was a moderator. Except for self-efficacy, motivation fully mediated the relationship between the social-cognitive variables and behaviour. (3) Predicting stage transitions with the PMT-variables underscored the importance of self-efficacy. Only when threat appraisal and coping appraisal were high, stage movement was more likely in the preparation stage. Results emphasize stage-specific differences of the PMT mechanisms, and hence, support the stage construct. The findings may guide further theory building and research integrating different theoretical approaches.

  20. Stages of Gender Education in Canadian Secondary Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhukovskyi, Vasyl; Kostiuk, Olha

    2015-01-01

    The article deals with the issue of educational preconditions of gender education formation and development in Canadian secondary schools. On the basis of conducted scientific and pedagogical literature analysis it has been determined that gender education has undergone three main stages and is currently developing during its fourth, modern…

  1. Design considerations for single-stage and two-stage pneumatic pellet injectors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gouge, M.J.; Combs, S.K.; Fisher, P.W.; Milora, S.L.

    1988-09-01

    Performance of single-stage pneumatic pellet injectors is compared with several models for one-dimensional, compressible fluid flow. Agreement is quite good for models that reflect actual breech chamber geometry and incorporate nonideal effects such as gas friction. Several methods of improving the performance of single-stage pneumatic pellet injectors in the near term are outlined. The design and performance of two-stage pneumatic pellet injectors are discussed, and initial data from the two-stage pneumatic pellet injector test facility at Oak Ridge National Laboratory are presented. Finally, a concept for a repeating two-stage pneumatic pellet injector is described. 27 refs., 8 figs., 3 tabs

  2. Theoretical and experimental investigations on the cooling capacity distributions at the stages in the thermally-coupled two-stage Stirling-type pulse tube cryocooler without external precooling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tan, Jun; Dang, Haizheng

    2017-03-01

    The two-stage Stirling-type pulse tube cryocooler (SPTC) has advantages in simultaneously providing the cooling powers at two different temperatures, and the capacity in distributing these cooling capacities between the stages is significant to its practical applications. In this paper, a theoretical model of the thermally-coupled two-stage SPTC without external precooling is established based on the electric circuit analogy with considering real gas effects, and the simulations of both the cooling performances and PV power distribution between stages are conducted. The results indicate that the PV power is inversely proportional to the acoustic impedance of each stage, and the cooling capacity distribution is determined by the cold finger cooling efficiency and the PV power into each stage together. The design methods of the cold fingers to achieve both the desired PV power and the cooling capacity distribution between the stages are summarized. The two-stage SPTC is developed and tested based on the above theoretical investigations, and the experimental results show that it can simultaneously achieve 0.69 W at 30 K and 3.1 W at 85 K with an electric input power of 330 W and a reject temperature of 300 K. The consistency between the simulated and the experimental results is observed and the theoretical investigations are experimentally verified.

  3. Role of computed tomography (CT scan in staging of cervical carcinoma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    T V Prasad

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Background & objectives: Staging of cervical carcinoma is done clinically using International Federation of Obstetrics and Gynecology (FIGO guidelines. It is based on physical examination findings and also includes results of biopsy, endoscopy and conventional radiological tests like chest radiograph, intravenous urography and barium enema. These conventional radiological investigations have largely been replaced by computed tomography (CT and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI at present. FIGO staging system does not consider CT and MRI mandatory; however, use of these modalities are encouraged. This prospective study was conducted to determine the role of CT in staging work up in women diagnosed with cervical carcinoma. Methods: Fifty three women diagnosed with cervical carcinoma were evaluated with contrast enhanced CT scan of abdomen and pelvis. CT scan images were especially evaluated to determine tumour size, invasion of parmetrium, pelvic walls, rectum, urinary bladder and ureters, pelvic or retroperitoneal lymphadenopathy and distant metastases. CT findings were associated with clinical findings and staging, including findings from cystoscopy and sigmoidoscopy. Results: There was a poor agreement between clinical and CT staging of cervical carcinoma. Primary tumour was demonstrated on CT in 36 (70% of 53 patients. CT underestimated the parametrial, vaginal and pelvic wall invasion when compared with physical examination. CT overestimated the urinary bladder and rectal invasion when compared with cysto-sigmoidoscopy, however, CT had 100 per cent negative predictive value (NPV to exclude bladder and rectal involvement. CT detection of lymph node enlargement and lung metastases influenced the management. Interpretation & conclusions: Our findings show that CT scan does not reliably correlate with clinical FIGO staging of cervical cancer. However, it can detect urinary obstruction as well as nodal or distant metastases and thus improves the

  4. LA TRANSMISSION DE L’HÉRITAGE DANS LE DROIT DE NOTRE PAYS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dumitru MACOVEI

    2005-09-01

    Full Text Available One of the most important issues relating to succession is "transferring the inheritance ", whose study is quite difficult because of the complex and varied problems in terms of quantity and quality. Succession transfer means total or partial transfer of the successional inheritance of a deceased physical person to one or more live persons. The correct assessing of the successional inheritance is a very important matter in practical terms; the successors put questions, with good reason, about the value of the assets of the successional inheritance in order to take the correct decision regarding the inheritance, which may be the acceptance or the refusal of it.The article examines according to the current legislation and the juridical practice in the recent years, transferring the successional active (its economic rights of cujus and the successional passive (it's heritage obligations of cujus, but also the transfer of sucessional possessions, by putting correctly into practice the adequate legal stipulations.

  5. ASSOCIATION BETWEEN DENTAL AND SKELETAL MATURATION STAGES IN CROATIAN SUBJECTS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Srkoc, Tamara; Mestrović, Senka; Anić-Milosević, Sandra; Slaj, Mladen

    2015-12-01

    This study investigated the relationships between the stages of calcification of teeth and cervical vertebral maturation. The sample consisted of 295 subjects (129 male and 166 female), mean age 13.36 ± 2.65 (range 7-18) years. Dental age was evaluated from panoramic radiographs according to the method of Demirjian. Cervical vertebral maturation was determined on lateral cephalometric radiographs using cervical vertebrae maturation stages (CVS). For assessing the relationship between cervical vertebral and dental maturation, percentage distributions of the stages of calcification for each studied tooth were calculated. Only in the first CVS stage, boys and girls were of the same age. In all other stages (CVS 2-CVS 6) girls were by 0.98 (range 0.23-1.86) younger than boys. Gender differences in the mineralization pattern were also observed. It was found that dental maturation was finished earlier in female subjects. The highest correlation coefficient between dental and skeletal maturity was found for second premolars. Mineralization pattern of second premolars could be considered as a guideline for prediction of the pubertal growth spurt. Dental maturation stages might be clinically useful as a reliable indicator of facial growth.

  6. Low Noise Research Fan Stage Design

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hobbs, David E.; Neubert, Robert J.; Malmborg, Eric W.; Philbrick, Daniel H.; Spear, David A.

    1995-01-01

    This report describes the design of a Low Noise ADP Research Fan stage. The fan is a variable pitch design which is designed at the cruise pitch condition. Relative to the cruise setting, the blade is closed at takeoff and opened for reverse thrust operation. The fan stage is a split flow design with fan exit guide vanes and core stators. This fan stage design was combined with a nacelle and engine core duct to form a powered fan/nacelle, subscale model. This model is intended for use in aerodynamic performance, acoustic and structural testing in a wind tunnel. The model has a 22-inch outer fan diameter and a hub-to-top ratio of 0.426 which permits the use of existing NASA fan and cowl force balance designs and rig drive system. The design parameters were selected to permit valid acoustic and aerodynamic comparisons with the PW 17-inch rig previously tested under NASA contract. The fan stage design is described in detail. The results of the design axisymmetric analysis at aerodynamic design condition are included. The structural analysis of the fan rotor and attachment is described including the material selections and stress analysis. The blade and attachment are predicted to have adequate low cycle fatigue life, and an acceptable operating range without resonant stress or flutter. The stage was acoustically designed with airfoil counts in the fan exit guide vane and core stator to minimize noise. A fan-FEGV tone analysis developed separately under NASA contract was used to determine these airfoil counts. The fan stage design was matched to a nacelle design to form a fan/nacelle model for wind tunnel testing. The nacelle design was developed under a separate NASA contract. The nacelle was designed with an axisymmetric inlet, cowl and nozzle for convenience in testing and fabrication. Aerodynamic analysis of the nacelle confirmed the required performance at various aircraft operating conditions.

  7. The role of multi-slice CT in preoperative staging of colonic tumors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Miao; Chen Kemin; Zhao Zehua; Ling Huawei

    2005-01-01

    Objective: To determine the accuracy of multi-slice CT pneumocolon in the staging of colonic carcinomas. Methods: Thirty-six patients, who were strongly suspected to have colonic disorders, underwent CT pneumocolon before and after intravenous injection of iodinated contrast agent. CTVE, MPR, SSD, and Raysum images were then obtained by using 4 different softwares in workstation (ADW3.1). 33 positive cases were staged preoperatively according to TNM standard. All cases were proved by surgical or colonoscopic histology. Sensitivity and accuracy of MSCT were determined for the detection of cancers, lymph nodes, and metastases. Results: MSCT pneumocolon examinations demonstrated 32 lesions, missing one case. Sensitivity and positive accuracy value for T staging were 96.97% (32/33) and 87.88% (29/33), respectively; Sensitivity and positive accuracy value for lymph node involvement were 73.91% (17/23) and 69.57% (16/23), respectively. The density of metastatic lymph node was higher than that of normal one. Five cases in M stage were all diagnosed correctly. Conclusion: MSCT pneumocolon is a better method of depicting the colorectal carcinoma. It allows for accurate staging of the colorectal carcinoma, especially detecting the invasion of adjacent tissues and distant metastasis. However the value for early T staging in colorectal carcinoma and minute metastasis of lymph nodes is limited. It is helpful to combine all the findings of lymph nodes, including the size, density, and location, to make a correct diagnosis. (authors)

  8. Validation of the Hong Kong Liver Cancer Staging System in Determining Prognosis of the North American Patients Following Intra-arterial Therapy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sohn, Jae Ho; Duran, Rafael; Zhao, Yan; Fleckenstein, Florian; Chapiro, Julius; Sahu, Sonia P.; Schernthaner, Rüdiger E.; Qian, Tianchen; Lee, Howard; Zhao, Li; Hamilton, James; Frangakis, Constantine; Lin, MingDe; Salem, Riad; Geschwind, Jean-Francois

    2018-01-01

    Background & Aims There is debate over the best way to stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We attempted to validate the prognostic and clinical utility of the recently developed Hong Kong Liver Cancer (HKLC) staging system, a hepatitis B-based model, and compared data with that from the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) staging system in a North American population who underwent intra-arterial therapy (IAT). Methods We performed a retrospective analysis of data from 1009 patients with HCC who underwent intra-arterial therapy from 2000 through 2014. Most patients had hepatitis C or unresectable tumors; all patients underwent IAT, with or without resection, transplantation, and/or systemic chemotherapy. We calculated HCC stage for each patient using 5-stage HKLC (HKLC-5) and 9-stage HKLC (HKLC-9) system classifications, as well as the BCLC system. Survival information was collected up until end of 2014 at which point living or unconfirmed patients were censored. We compared performance of the BCLC, HKLC-5, and HKLC-9 systems in predicting patient outcomes using Kaplan-Meier estimates, calibration plots, c-statistic, Akaike information criterion, and the likelihood ratio test. Results Median overall survival time, calculated from first IAT until date of death or censorship, for the entire cohort (all stages) was 9.8 months. The BCLC and HKLC staging systems predicted patient survival times with significance (P<.001). HKLC-5 and HKLC-9 each demonstrated good calibration. The HKLC-5 system outperformed the BCLC system in predicting patient survival times (HKLC c=0.71, Akaike information criterion=6242; BCLC c=0.64, Akaike information criterion=6320), reducing error in predicting survival time (HKLC reduced error by 14%, BCLC reduced error by 12%), and homogeneity (HKLC χ2=201; P<.001; BCLC χ2=119; P<.001) and monotonicity (HKLC linear trend χ2=193; P<.001; BCLC linear trend χ2=111; P<.001). Small proportions of patients with HCC of stages IV or V, according to

  9. Clinical Practice of Adjuvant Chemotherapy in Patients with Early-Stage Epithelial Ovarian Cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frielink, Lindy M J; Pijlman, Brenda M; Ezendam, Nicole P M; Pijnenborg, Johanna M A

    2016-01-01

    Adjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy improves survival in women with early-stage epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). Yet, there is a wide variety in clinical practice. All patients diagnosed with FIGO I and IIa EOC (2006-2010) in the south of the Netherlands were analyzed. The percentage of patients that received adjuvant chemotherapy was determined as well as the comprehensiveness of staging and outcome. Forty percent (54/135) of the patients with early-stage EOC received adjuvant chemotherapy. Treatment with adjuvant chemotherapy was associated with FIGO stage, clear-cell histology and nonoptimal staging. Optimal staging was achieved in 50%, and nonoptimal staging was associated with advanced age, comorbidity and treatment in a non-referral hospital. Overall, there was no difference in outcome between patients with and without adjuvant chemotherapy. Yet, in grade 3 tumors, adjuvant chemotherapy seems beneficial. Selective treatment of patients with early-stage EOC might reduce adjuvant chemotherapy without compromising outcome. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  10. Increased sensitivity to climate change in disturbed ecosystems

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kroël-Dulay, György; Ransijn, Johannes; Schmidt, Inger Kappel

    2015-01-01

    Human domination of the biosphere includes changes to disturbance regimes, which push many ecosystems towards early-successional states. Ecological theory predicts that early-successional ecosystems are more sensitive to perturbations than mature systems, but little evidence supports this relatio......Human domination of the biosphere includes changes to disturbance regimes, which push many ecosystems towards early-successional states. Ecological theory predicts that early-successional ecosystems are more sensitive to perturbations than mature systems, but little evidence supports...... this relationship for the perturbation of climate change. Here we show that vegetation (abundance, species richness and species composition) across seven European shrublands is quite resistant to moderate experimental warming and drought, and responsiveness is associated with the dynamic state of the ecosystem...

  11. CT staging of renal cell carcinoma using the revised 1997 TNM staging criteria: in comparison with the previous one

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sung, Deuk Jae; Kim, Yun Hwan; Chung, Hwan Hoon; Chung, Kyoo Byung; Suh, Won Hyuck

    2001-01-01

    To assess the accuracy of preoperative CT staging of RCC and to compare the relationship between T stage and the incidence of metastasis on the basis of the old (1992) and the new (1997) UICC and AJCC tumor classification system. In 112 cases of surgically resected RCC, the stagings of preoperative CT scans were determined retrospectively by two radiologists and were compared with the results of pathologic examinations. In 70 cases which had been followed up over three years after surgery, the incidence of metastasis at initial diagnosis and during the follow-up period was assessed. All cases were reconsidered, and using the old and the new TNM classification, the incidence of metastasis was compared. According to the old TNM classification, 5 cases (4%) were staged at T1, 73(65%) at T2, 21(19%) at T3a, 9(8%) at T3b, 0 at T3c, and 4(4%) at T4. Using the new TNM classification, we also staged 54 cases (48%) at T1 and 24(21%) at T2. Overall, using this new classification, CT correctly staged 79% of patients (88/112) overstaged 15%(17/112) and understaged 6%(7/112). CT had a sensitivity of 84% and specificity of 91% in new T1 tumors, 71% and 95%, respectively, in new T2 tumors, 69% and 88% in T3a tumors, 78% and 98% in T3b tumors, and 75% and 99% in T4 tumors. CT had a sensitivity of 44% and a specificity of 99% in old T1 tumors, and 82% and 71%, respectively, in old T2 tumors. The incidence of metastasis in CT-staged (cT) tumors was 0% (0/4) in old cT1, 8% (3/39) in new cT1, 29% (4/14) in new cT2, 67% (6/9) in cT3a, and 75% (6/8) in cT3b. In the staging of T1 tumors, CT is more sensitive when the new TNM classification is used. Even though the cut off point between T1 and T2 tumors had been in creased from 2.5 to 7.0 cm, T1 tumors staged according to the new system did not show a significantly higher incidence of metastasis than those staged according to the old

  12. The renal arterial resistive index and stage of chronic kidney disease in patients with renal allograft

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Winther, Stine O; Thiesson, Helle C; Poulsen, Lene N

    2012-01-01

    The study investigated the optimal threshold value of renal arterial resistive index as assessed by Doppler ultrasonography determining chronic kidney disease stage 4 or higher in patients with renal allograft.......The study investigated the optimal threshold value of renal arterial resistive index as assessed by Doppler ultrasonography determining chronic kidney disease stage 4 or higher in patients with renal allograft....

  13. Transcriptional analysis of late ripening stages of grapevine berry

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-01-01

    Background The composition of grapevine berry at harvest is a major determinant of wine quality. Optimal oenological maturity of berries is characterized by a high sugar/acidity ratio, high anthocyanin content in the skin, and low astringency. However, harvest time is still mostly determined empirically, based on crude biochemical composition and berry tasting. In this context, it is interesting to identify genes that are expressed/repressed specifically at the late stages of ripening and which may be used as indicators of maturity. Results Whole bunches and berries sorted by density were collected in vineyard on Chardonnay (white cultivar) grapevines for two consecutive years at three stages of ripening (7-days before harvest (TH-7), harvest (TH), and 10-days after harvest (TH+10)). Microvinification and sensory analysis indicate that the quality of the wines made from the whole bunches collected at TH-7, TH and TH+10 differed, TH providing the highest quality wines. In parallel, gene expression was studied with Qiagen/Operon microarrays using two types of samples, i.e. whole bunches and berries sorted by density. Only 12 genes were consistently up- or down-regulated in whole bunches and density sorted berries for the two years studied in Chardonnay. 52 genes were differentially expressed between the TH-7 and TH samples. In order to determine whether these genes followed a similar pattern of expression during the late stages of berry ripening in a red cultivar, nine genes were selected for RT-PCR analysis with Cabernet Sauvignon grown under two different temperature regimes affecting the precocity of ripening. The expression profiles and their relationship to ripening were confirmed in Cabernet Sauvignon for seven genes, encoding a carotenoid cleavage dioxygenase, a galactinol synthase, a late embryogenesis abundant protein, a dirigent-like protein, a histidine kinase receptor, a valencene synthase and a putative S-adenosyl-L-methionine:salicylic acid carboxyl

  14. Transcriptional analysis of late ripening stages of grapevine berry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guillaumie Sabine

    2011-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The composition of grapevine berry at harvest is a major determinant of wine quality. Optimal oenological maturity of berries is characterized by a high sugar/acidity ratio, high anthocyanin content in the skin, and low astringency. However, harvest time is still mostly determined empirically, based on crude biochemical composition and berry tasting. In this context, it is interesting to identify genes that are expressed/repressed specifically at the late stages of ripening and which may be used as indicators of maturity. Results Whole bunches and berries sorted by density were collected in vineyard on Chardonnay (white cultivar grapevines for two consecutive years at three stages of ripening (7-days before harvest (TH-7, harvest (TH, and 10-days after harvest (TH+10. Microvinification and sensory analysis indicate that the quality of the wines made from the whole bunches collected at TH-7, TH and TH+10 differed, TH providing the highest quality wines. In parallel, gene expression was studied with Qiagen/Operon microarrays using two types of samples, i.e. whole bunches and berries sorted by density. Only 12 genes were consistently up- or down-regulated in whole bunches and density sorted berries for the two years studied in Chardonnay. 52 genes were differentially expressed between the TH-7 and TH samples. In order to determine whether these genes followed a similar pattern of expression during the late stages of berry ripening in a red cultivar, nine genes were selected for RT-PCR analysis with Cabernet Sauvignon grown under two different temperature regimes affecting the precocity of ripening. The expression profiles and their relationship to ripening were confirmed in Cabernet Sauvignon for seven genes, encoding a carotenoid cleavage dioxygenase, a galactinol synthase, a late embryogenesis abundant protein, a dirigent-like protein, a histidine kinase receptor, a valencene synthase and a putative S

  15. Turbine stage model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kazantsev, A.A.

    2009-01-01

    A model of turbine stage for calculations of NPP turbine department dynamics in real time was developed. The simulation results were compared with manufacturer calculations for NPP low-speed and fast turbines. The comparison results have shown that the model is valid for real time simulation of all modes of turbines operation. The model allows calculating turbine stage parameters with 1% accuracy. It was shown that the developed turbine stage model meets the accuracy requirements if the data of turbine blades setting angles for all turbine stages are available [ru

  16. Ontogenetic stage, plant vigor and sex mediate herbivory loads in a dioecious understory herb

    Science.gov (United States)

    Selaković, Sara; Vujić, Vukica; Stanisavljević, Nemanja; Jovanović, Živko; Radović, Svetlana; Cvetković, Dragana

    2017-11-01

    Plant-herbivore interactions can be mediated by plant apparency, defensive and nutritional quality traits that change through plant ontogeny, resulting in age-specific herbivory. In dioecious species, opposing allocation patterns in defense may lead to sex-biased herbivory. Here, we examine how onto stage and plant sex determine levels of herbivore damage in understory herb Mercurialis perennis under field conditions. We analyzed variation in plant size (height, total leaf area), physical (specific leaf area) and chemical (total phenolic and condensed tannins contents) defense, and nutritional quality (total water, soluble protein and nonstructural carbohydrate contents) during the shift from reproductive to post-reproductive stage. Furthermore, we explored correlations between the analyzed traits and levels of foliar damage. Post-reproductive plants had lower levels of chemical defense, and larger leaf area removed, in spite of having lower nutritive quality. Opposing patterns of intersexual differences were detected in protein and phenolic contents during reproductive stage, while in post-reproductive stage total leaf area was sexually dimorphic. Female-biased herbivory was apparent only after reproduction. Plant size parameters combined with condensed tannins content determined levels of foliar damage during post-reproductive stage, while the only trait covarying with herbivory in reproductive stage was total nonstructural carbohydrate content. Our results support claims of optimal defense theory - sensitive stage of reproduction was better defended. We conclude that different combinations of plant traits mediated interactions with herbivores in mature stages. Differences in reproductive allocation between the sexes may not immediately translate into different levels of damage, stressing the need for considering different ontogenetic stages when exploring sex bias in herbivory.

  17. Advanced Low-Noise Research Fan Stage Design

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neubert, Robert; Bock, Larry; Malmborg, Eric; Owen-Peer, William

    1997-01-01

    This report describes the design of the Advanced Low-Noise Research Fan stage. The fan is a variable pitch design, which is designed at the cruise pitch condition. Relative to the cruise setting, the blade is closed at takeoff and opened for reverse thrust operation. The fan stage is a split flow design with fan exit guide vanes (FEGVs) and core stators. The fan stage design is combined with a nacelle and engine core duct to form a powered fan/nacelle subscale model. This model is intended for use in combined aerodynamic, acoustic, and structural testing in a wind tunnel. The fan has an outer diameter of 22 in. and a hub-to-tip of 0.426 in., which allows the use of existing NASA fan and cowl force balance and rig drive systems. The design parameters were selected to permit valid acoustic and aerodynamic comparisons with the Pratt & Whitney (P&W) 17- and 22-in. rigs previously tested under NASA contract. The fan stage design is described in detail. The results of the design axisymmetric and Navier-Stokes aerodynamic analysis are presented at the critical design conditions. The structural analysis of the fan rotor and attachment is included. The blade and attachment are predicted to have adequate low-cycle fatigue life and an acceptable operating range without resonant stress or flutter. The stage was acoustically designed with airfoil counts in the FEGV and core stator to minimize noise. A fan/FEGV tone analysis developed separately under NASA contract was used to determine the optimum airfoil counts. The fan stage was matched to the existing nacelle, designed under the previous P&W low-noise contract, to form a fan/nacelle model for wind tunnel testing. It is an axisymmetric nacelle for convenience in testing and analysis. Previous testing confirmed that the nacelle performed as required at various aircraft operating conditions.

  18. Stages of change in audiology: comparison of three self-assessment measures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ingo, Elisabeth; Brännström, K Jonas; Andersson, Gerhard; Lunner, Thomas; Laplante-Lévesque, Ariane

    2017-07-01

    In a clinical setting, theories of health behaviour change could help audiologists and other hearing health care professionals understand the barriers that prevent people with hearing problems to seek audiological help. The transtheoretical (stages of change) model of health behaviour change is one of these theories. It describes a person's journey towards health behaviour change (e.g. seeking help or taking up rehabilitation) in separate stages: precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and, finally, maintenance. A short self-assessment measure of stages of change may guide the clinician and facilitate first appointments. This article describes correlations between three stages of change measures of different lengths, one 24-item and two one-item. Participants were recruited through an online hearing screening study. Adults who failed the speech-in-noise recognition screening test and who had never undergone a hearing aid fitting were invited to complete further questionnaires online, including the three stages of change measures. In total, 224 adults completed the three measures. A majority of the participants were categorised as being in one of the information- and help-seeking stage of change (contemplation or preparation). The three stages of change measures were significantly correlated. Conclusions Our results support further investigating the use of a one-item measure to determine stages of change in people with hearing impairment.

  19. Application of Cervical Vertebral Maturation Stages Index in Orthodontics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Z.Dalili

    2005-02-01

    Full Text Available Evaluation of skeletal age and determination of growth status had important and special roie in orthodontic treatment planning (such as functional orthopedic treatment and orthognatic surgery and also in stability of it. There were several biologic indicators for the detection of the peak in mandibular growth. Due to the limitations of biological indicators application, idea of new indicators was seemed importantly. Cervical vertebral maturation (CVM method is one of them. At first the detection of the peak in mandibular growth was based on the analysis of the second through sixth cervical vertebrae in six developmental stages. But a few improvements of the original CVM analysis were still needed. In this method, the peak in mandibular growth was determined based on the analysis of the second through fourth cervical vertebrae in five developmental stages. This method is easy, applicable and more valid than hand-wrist analysis method.

  20. Metabolomics Identifies Multiple Candidate Biomarkers to Diagnose and Stage Human African Trypanosomiasis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Isabel M Vincent

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Treatment for human African trypanosomiasis is dependent on the species of trypanosome causing the disease and the stage of the disease (stage 1 defined by parasites being present in blood and lymphatics whilst for stage 2, parasites are found beyond the blood-brain barrier in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF. Currently, staging relies upon detecting the very low number of parasites or elevated white blood cell numbers in CSF. Improved staging is desirable, as is the elimination of the need for lumbar puncture. Here we use metabolomics to probe samples of CSF, plasma and urine from 40 Angolan patients infected with Trypanosoma brucei gambiense, at different disease stages. Urine samples provided no robust markers indicative of infection or stage of infection due to inherent variability in urine concentrations. Biomarkers in CSF were able to distinguish patients at stage 1 or advanced stage 2 with absolute specificity. Eleven metabolites clearly distinguished the stage in most patients and two of these (neopterin and 5-hydroxytryptophan showed 100% specificity and sensitivity between our stage 1 and advanced stage 2 samples. Neopterin is an inflammatory biomarker previously shown in CSF of stage 2 but not stage 1 patients. 5-hydroxytryptophan is an important metabolite in the serotonin synthetic pathway, the key pathway in determining somnolence, thus offering a possible link to the eponymous symptoms of "sleeping sickness". Plasma also yielded several biomarkers clearly indicative of the presence (87% sensitivity and 95% specificity and stage of disease (92% sensitivity and 81% specificity. A logistic regression model including these metabolites showed clear separation of patients being either at stage 1 or advanced stage 2 or indeed diseased (both stages versus control.

  1. Computer Based Assessment of Cervical Vertebral Maturation Stages Using Digital Lateral Cephalograms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dzemidzic, Vildana; Sokic, Emir; Tiro, Alisa; Nakas, Enita

    2015-12-01

    This study was aimed to investigate the reliability of a computer application for assessment of the stages of cervical vertebra maturation in order to determine the stage of skeletal maturity. For this study, digital lateral cephalograms of 99 subjects (52 females and 47 males) were examined. The following selection criteria were used during the sample composition: age between 9 and 16 years, absence of anomalies of the vertebrae, good general health, no history of trauma at the cervical region. Subjects with lateral cephalograms of low quality were excluded from the study. For the purpose of this study a computer application Cephalometar HF V1 was developed. This application was used to mark the contours of the second, third and fourth cervical vertebrae on the digital lateral cephalograms, which enabled a computer to determine the stage of cervical vertebral maturation. The assessment of the stages of cervical vertebral maturation was carried out by an experienced orthodontist. The assessment was conducted according to the principles of the method proposed by authors Hassel and Farman. The degree of the agreement between the computer application and the researcher was analyzed using by statistical Cohen Kappa test. The results of this study showed the agreement between the computer assessment and the researcher assessment of the cervical vertebral maturation stages, where the value of the Cohen Kappa coefficient was 0.985. The computer application Cephalometar HF V1 proved to be a reliable method for assessing the stages of cervical vertebral maturation. This program could help the orthodontists to identify the stage of cervical vertebral maturation when planning the orthodontic treatment for the patients with skeletal disharmonies.

  2. [Initial stages of steel biocorrosion].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhigletsova, S K; Rodin, V B; Kobelev, V S; Aleksandrova, N V; Rasulova, G E; Kholodenko, V P

    2000-01-01

    Initial stages of corrosion of mild steel induced by Klebsiela rhinoscleromatis BO2 were studied in various media. The effect of the microorganism was detected 8-10 h after inoculation. The number of viable cells were virtually unchanged within one month in all media, but the corrosive activity of the strain decreased. The corrosive activity of microorganisms can be determined by spectrophotometry even only after incubation for 24 h. At a low level of organic substrate, even strong colonization with microorganisms does not inevitably result in a significant damage to metals.

  3. A simplified staging system based on the radiological findings in different stages of ochronotic spondyloarthropathy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jebaraj, Isaac; Chacko, Binita Riya; Chiramel, George Koshy; Matthai, Thomas; Parameswaran, Apurve

    2013-01-01

    This study describes a group of 26 patients with ochronotic spondyloarthropathy who were on regular treatment and follow-up at a tertiary level hospital and proposes a simplified staging system for ochronotic spondyloarthropathy based on radiographic findings seen in the thoracolumbar spine. This proposed classification makes it easy to identify the stage of the disease and start the appropriate management at an early stage. Four progressive stages are described: an inflammatory stage (stage 1), the stage of early discal calcification (stage 2), the stage of fibrous ankylosis (stage 3), and the stage of bony ankylosis (stage 4). To our knowledge, this is the largest reported series of radiological description of spinal ochronosis, and emphasizes the contribution of the spine radiograph in the diagnosis and staging of the disease

  4. A simplified staging system based on the radiological findings in different stages of ochronotic spondyloarthropathy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Isaac Jebaraj

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available This study describes a group of 26 patients with ochronotic spondyloarthropathy who were on regular treatment and follow-up at a tertiary level hospital and proposes a simplified staging system for ochronotic spondyloarthropathy based on radiographic findings seen in the thoracolumbar spine. This proposed classification makes it easy to identify the stage of the disease and start the appropriate management at an early stage. Four progressive stages are described: an inflammatory stage (stage 1, the stage of early discal calcification (stage 2, the stage of fibrous ankylosis (stage 3, and the stage of bony ankylosis (stage 4. To our knowledge, this is the largest reported series of radiological description of spinal ochronosis, and emphasizes the contribution of the spine radiograph in the diagnosis and staging of the disease.

  5. Summary Stage 2018 - SEER

    Science.gov (United States)

    Access this manual of codes and coding instructions for the summary stage field for cases diagnosed January 1, 2018 and forward. 2018 version applies to every site and/or histology combination, including lymphomas and leukemias. Historically, also called General Staging, California Staging, and SEER Staging.

  6. Second molar calcification stages to evaluate skeletal maturation: A cross-sectional radiographic study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    U H Vijayashree

    2014-01-01

    Conclusion: A highly positive correlation exists between DI of mandibular second molars and CVMI. Stage F of Demirjian index, with the root length equal to or greater than the crown height corresponds to stage 3 of CVMI indicating the start of peak in mandibular growth which would be appropriate time to plan for functional appliances. Therefore, mandibular second molar calcification stages are reliable skeletal maturity indicator, which can be used to predict the growth status in determining the optimal treatment timing.

  7. Computed tomography in the staging of esophageal carcinoma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Han, Kyung Min; Lee, Jong Tae; Yoo, Hyung Sik

    1986-01-01

    Computed Tomography (CT) was found to be highly accurate in predicting tumor size and assessing invasion of the surrounding structures and distant metastasis. Also CT played an important role for determination of operability of esophageal carcinoma. The CT findings with barium esophagogram in 21 patients with histologically proven esophageal carcinoma were reviewed from Feb. 1985 to Feb. 1986 at the department of Radiology, Yonsei University, College of Medicine. The results were as follows: 1. Number of patients in each stages were: 2 in stage 1, 6 in stage 2, 4 in stage 3, and 9 in stage 4. 2. Paek age distribution was in tis 6th decades as 9 patients (42.9%). Overall mean age was 60.8 years. Number of male patients were 19 and 2 of female. 3. Histologic types of esophageal carcinoma were 19 cases of epidermoid (90.5%) and 2 cases of adenocarcinoma (9.5%). 4. The tumor location was 1 case in upper, 14 cases (66.7%) in middle and 6 cases in lower one-third. 5. Various types of esophageal carcinoma were as follows: 3 cases of fungating, 4 cases of infiltrating, 5 cases of ulcerofungating, and 9 cases of ulceroinfiltrating type. 6. Average length of involvement in each stages were 4 cm in stage 1, 5.5 cm in stage 2, 8.8 cm stage 3, and 8.3 cm in stage 4. The involved length was longer in advanced cases. In 11 cases (52.4%), the involved length was between 4 and 8 cm. 7. Angle of periaortic fat plane obliteration of the aortic circumference were as follows: Below 45 (7 cases 33.3%), 45-90 (3 cases 14.3%), over 90 (11 cases, 52.4%). 8. Method of treatment of esophageal carcinoma were as follows: Only radiotherapy in 11 cases (52.4%), radiotherapy with operation in 5 cases, only operation on 1 case, and no treatment in 4 cases. 9. Distant metastatic sites were: brain in 1, pericardium in 5, liver in 5, trachea in 2, bronchus in 9, and distant lymph node in 5 cases.

  8. Between Stage and Screen

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Tornqvist, Egil

    1996-01-01

    Ingmar Bergman is worldwide known as a film and stage director. Yet no-one has attempted to compare his stage and screen activities. In Between stage and screen Egil Tornqvist examines formal and thematical correspondences and differences between a number of Bergman's stage, screen, and radio

  9. Tuning the operational parameters of the first microtron stage

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jahnke, Cristiane; Silva, Tiago F.; Martins, Marcos N.

    2013-01-01

    The Laboratório do Acelerador Linear is building a racetrack microtron electron accelerator. It has two acceleration stages: the booster and the main microtron. The aim of this work is to optimize the operation parameters of the booster stage by means of simulation tools. The accelerator admittances were determined successfuly and the results are presented. The injection beam has been characterized previously, and the available data were used to match the transverse beam emittances of the injector to the transverse beam admittances of the booster. Preliminary results showed that the simulations have a good agreement with the working parameters.

  10. Defining an abnormal first stage of labor based on maternal and neonatal outcomes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harper, Lorie M.; Caughey, Aaron B.; Roehl, Kimberly A.; Odibo, Anthony O.; Cahill, Alison G.

    2014-01-01

    OBJECTIVE The objective of the study was to determine the threshold for defining abnormal labor that is associated with adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. STUDY DESIGN This study consisted of a retrospective cohort of all consecutive women admitted at a gestation of 37.0 weeks or longer from 2004 to 2008 who reached the second stage of labor. The 90th, 95th, and 97th percentiles for progress in the first stage of labor were determined specific for parity and labor onset. Women with a first stage above and below each centile were compared. Maternal outcomes were cesarean delivery in the second stage, operative delivery, prolonged second stage, postpartum hemorrhage, and maternal fever. Neonatal outcomes were a composite of the following: admission to level 2 or 3 nursery, 5 minute Apgar less than 3, shoulder dystocia, arterial cord pH of less than 7.0, and a cord base excess of −12 or less. RESULTS Of the 5030 women, 4534 experienced first stage of less than the 90th percentile, 251 between the 90th and 94th percentiles, 102 between the 95th and 96th percentiles, and 143 at the 97th percentile or greater. Longer labors were associated with an increased risk of a prolonged second stage, maternal fever, the composite neonatal outcome, shoulder dystocia, and admission to a level 2 or 3 nursery (P dystocia. CONCLUSION Although women who experience labor dystocia may ultimately deliver vaginally, a longer first stage of labor is associated with adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes, in particular shoulder dystocia. This risk must be balanced against the risks of cesarean delivery for labor arrest. PMID:24361789

  11. Specific features of the flow structure in a reactive type turbine stage

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chernikov, V. A.; Semakina, E. Yu.

    2017-04-01

    The results of experimental studies of the gas dynamics for a reactive type turbine stage are presented. The objective of the studies is the measurement of the 3D flow fields in reference cross sections, experimental determination of the stage characteristics, and analysis of the flow structure for detecting the sources of kinetic energy losses. The integral characteristics of the studied stage are obtained by averaging the results of traversing the 3D flow over the area of the reference cross sections before and behind the stage. The averaging is performed using the conservation equations for mass, total energy flux, angular momentum with respect to the axis z of the turbine, entropy flow, and the radial projection of the momentum flux equation. The flow parameter distributions along the channel height behind the stage are obtained in the same way. More thorough analysis of the flow structure is performed after interpolation of the experimentally measured point parameter values and 3D flow velocities behind the stage. The obtained continuous velocity distributions in the absolute and relative coordinate systems are presented in the form of vector fields. The coordinates of the centers and the vectors of secondary vortices are determined using the results of point measurements of velocity vectors in the cross section behind the turbine stage and their subsequent interpolation. The approach to analysis of experimental data on aerodynamics of the turbine stage applied in this study allows one to find the detailed space structure of the working medium flow, including secondary coherent vortices at the root and peripheral regions of the air-gas part of the stage. The measured 3D flow parameter fields and their interpolation, on the one hand, point to possible sources of increased power losses, and, on the other hand, may serve as the basis for detailed testing of CFD models of the flow using both integral and local characteristics. The comparison of the numerical and

  12. Efficiency recovery determination of microorganisms in the assurance of the sterility in radioactive sterile porcine xenograft in the stage of microbiological counting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Besnier Joost, Camila

    2016-01-01

    Use of porcine xenografts as a temporary dressing for treating burns may generate a risk of infection in patients who require due to the transmission of pathogenic microorganisms. Porcine xenografts reach the Chilean Nuclear Energy Commission to be radiosterilized. To accomplish this, a process that ensures sterility of these tissues, called Test of sterility assurance, comprising several stages is performed. In this work the efficiency of its stages, which is the microbiological count (Bioburden) was measured. According to the protocols established by the ISO 1137 standard and the current conditions of the laboratory where this is done. Staphylococcus aureus strain was isolated from pig skins and confirmed in the laboratory of microbiology at the Santo Tomas University. A polluting inoculum to later make an artificial contamination of skin samples was performed previously radioesterilized pig. The bioburden count technique was used in 7 groups with 6 individual repetitions, and in parallel the BAM (Bacteriological Analytical Manual) method was performed to have a benchmark for the Bioburden. It was determined that the average concentration of contaminant inoculum was 4.35 ± 0.13 LOG (cfu/mL), with a recovery of 3.71 ± 0.1 LOG (cfu/g) by the method Bioburden, equivalent at an efficiency of 84 ± 3% recovery of microorganisms, falling within the optimal range for these tests established by the ISO 11137 standard (author)

  13. Down-staging of breast cancer in the pre-screening era ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    increased breast cancer profiles and an overall burden of disease.[2]. We aimed to investigate the stage of breast cancer at first diagnosis and assessed possible determinants of ..... opportunities for prevention. Cancer 2012;118:4372-4384.

  14. Focus on Merkel cell carcinoma: diagnosis and staging

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Grandhaye, Marion; Teixeira, Pedro Gondim; Blum, Alain; Henrot, Philippe; Morel, Olivier; Sirveaux, Francois; Verhaeghe, Jean-Luc

    2015-01-01

    Merkel cell carcinoma is a rare lymphophilic skin tumor of neuroendocrine origin with the potential for rapid progression. Small, localized lesions are diagnosed and treated clinically, but advanced tumors often undergo imaging evaluation. Due to its rarity, radiologists are unaware of evocative imaging features and usually do not consider Merkel cell carcinoma in the differential diagnosis of soft tissue tumors. Appropriate staging is important to determine appropriate treatment and has an impact on patient prognosis. Multimodality imaging is usually needed, and there is no consensus on the optimal imaging strategy. The purpose of this article is to review various aspects of Merkel cell carcinoma imaging and look in detail at how optimal multimodality staging should be carried out. (orig.)

  15. Focus on Merkel cell carcinoma: diagnosis and staging

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Grandhaye, Marion; Teixeira, Pedro Gondim; Blum, Alain [Imagerie Guilloz CHU de Nancy Hopital Central, Nancy (France); Henrot, Philippe [Service de Radiologie Institut de Cancerologie de Lorraine, Vandoeuvre les Nancy (France); Morel, Olivier [Medecine Nucleaire CHU Nancy Hopital Brabois, Vancoeuvre les Nancy (France); Sirveaux, Francois [Service de Chirurgie Centre chirurgical Emile Galle, Nancy (France); Verhaeghe, Jean-Luc [Service de Chirurgie Institut de Cancerologie de Lorraine, Vandoeuvre les Nancy (France)

    2015-06-01

    Merkel cell carcinoma is a rare lymphophilic skin tumor of neuroendocrine origin with the potential for rapid progression. Small, localized lesions are diagnosed and treated clinically, but advanced tumors often undergo imaging evaluation. Due to its rarity, radiologists are unaware of evocative imaging features and usually do not consider Merkel cell carcinoma in the differential diagnosis of soft tissue tumors. Appropriate staging is important to determine appropriate treatment and has an impact on patient prognosis. Multimodality imaging is usually needed, and there is no consensus on the optimal imaging strategy. The purpose of this article is to review various aspects of Merkel cell carcinoma imaging and look in detail at how optimal multimodality staging should be carried out. (orig.)

  16. Breast cancer stage at diagnosis: is travel time important?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Henry, Kevin A; Boscoe, Francis P; Johnson, Christopher J; Goldberg, Daniel W; Sherman, Recinda; Cockburn, Myles

    2011-12-01

    Recent studies have produced inconsistent results in their examination of the potential association between proximity to healthcare or mammography facilities and breast cancer stage at diagnosis. Using a multistate dataset, we re-examine this issue by investigating whether travel time to a patient's diagnosing facility or nearest mammography facility impacts breast cancer stage at diagnosis. We studied 161,619 women 40 years and older diagnosed with invasive breast cancer from ten state population based cancer registries in the United States. For each woman, we calculated travel time to their diagnosing facility and nearest mammography facility. Logistic multilevel models of late versus early stage were fitted, and odds ratios were calculated for travel times, controlling for age, race/ethnicity, census tract poverty, rural/urban residence, health insurance, and state random effects. Seventy-six percent of women in the study lived less than 20 min from their diagnosing facility, and 93 percent lived less than 20 min from the nearest mammography facility. Late stage at diagnosis was not associated with increasing travel time to diagnosing facility or nearest mammography facility. Diagnosis age under 50, Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Black race/ethnicity, high census tract poverty, and no health insurance were all significantly associated with late stage at diagnosis. Travel time to diagnosing facility or nearest mammography facility was not a determinant of late stage of breast cancer at diagnosis, and better geographic proximity did not assure more favorable stage distributions. Other factors beyond geographic proximity that can affect access should be evaluated more closely, including facility capacity, insurance acceptance, public transportation, and travel costs.

  17. Novel approaches of chemoradiotherapy in unresectable stage IIIA and stage IIIB non-small cell lung cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stinchcombe, Thomas E; Bogart, Jeffrey A

    2012-01-01

    Approximately one third of patients with non-small cell lung cancer have unresectable stage IIIA or stage IIIB disease, and appropriate patients are candidates for chemoradiotherapy with curative intent. The optimal treatment paradigm is currently undefined. Concurrent chemoradiotherapy, compared with sequential chemotherapy and thoracic radiation therapy (TRT), results in superior overall survival outcomes as a result of better locoregional control. Recent trials have revealed efficacy for newer chemotherapy combinations similar to that of older chemotherapy combinations with concurrent TRT and a lower rate of some toxicities. Ongoing phase III trials will determine the roles of cisplatin and pemetrexed concurrent with TRT in patients with nonsquamous histology, cetuximab, and the L-BLP25 vaccine. It is unlikely that bevacizumab will have a role in stage III disease because of its toxicity. Erlotinib, gefitinib, and crizotinib have not been evaluated in stage III patients selected based on molecular characteristics. The preliminary results of a phase III trial that compared conventionally fractionated standard-dose TRT (60 Gy) with high-dose TRT (74 Gy) revealed an inferior survival outcome among patients assigned to the high-dose arm. Hyperfractionation was investigated previously with promising results, but adoption has been limited because of logistical considerations. More recent trials have investigated hypofractionated TRT in chemoradiotherapy. Advances in tumor targeting and radiation treatment planning have made this approach more feasible and reduced the risk for normal tissue toxicity. Adaptive radiotherapy uses changes in tumor volume to adjust the TRT treatment plan during therapy, and trials using this strategy are ongoing. Ongoing trials with proton therapy will provide initial efficacy and safety data.

  18. MRI imaging and staging of atlantodental lesions in rheumatoid arthritis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kuroda, Mana

    1992-01-01

    Sixty-five patients with a 3 year or more history of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) underwent magentic resonance (MR) imaging to determine the atlantodental interval (ADI), space available for the spinal cord (SAC), intensity of dens, dense erosion, periodontoid masses, and atlantodental subluxation. These MR findings were classified into stages 0 to IV. Stenbroker stage, disease duration, clinical symptoms, and ADI were compared with MR stages. Gd-DTPA enhanced MR images of the craniovertebral junction were also obtained in 16 patients with obvious periodontal pannus to examine a relationship between uptake of Gd-DTPA and quantitative C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and the joint score as the marker of the activity. Steinbroker stage, disease duration, and clinical symptoms were not correlaed with MR stage of craniovertebral junction. MR imaging was capable of detecting periodontoid lesion even in the early stage. It was also superior to conventional plain film and tomography in depicting the retrodental pannus without ADI dilatation. Pannus having noticeable contrast enhancement was associated with an extremely increased CRP and ESR. When it had no increase in signal intensity, laboratory findings were various. MR enhancement pattern seemed to correlate with RA activity. The present MR classification of atlantodental lesions would contribute to the therapeutic decision and evaluation of treatment outcome. (N.K.)

  19. MRI imaging and staging of atlantodental lesions in rheumatoid arthritis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kuroda, Mana (Tokyo Medical Coll. (Japan))

    1992-03-01

    Sixty-five patients with a 3 year or more history of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) underwent magentic resonance (MR) imaging to determine the atlantodental interval (ADI), space available for the spinal cord (SAC), intensity of dens, dense erosion, periodontoid masses, and atlantodental subluxation. These MR findings were classified into stages 0 to IV. Stenbroker stage, disease duration, clinical symptoms, and ADI were compared with MR stages. Gd-DTPA enhanced MR images of the craniovertebral junction were also obtained in 16 patients with obvious periodontal pannus to examine a relationship between uptake of Gd-DTPA and quantitative C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and the joint score as the marker of the activity. Steinbroker stage, disease duration, and clinical symptoms were not correlaed with MR stage of craniovertebral junction. MR imaging was capable of detecting periodontoid lesion even in the early stage. It was also superior to conventional plain film and tomography in depicting the retrodental pannus without ADI dilatation. Pannus having noticeable contrast enhancement was associated with an extremely increased CRP and ESR. When it had no increase in signal intensity, laboratory findings were various. MR enhancement pattern seemed to correlate with RA activity. The present MR classification of atlantodental lesions would contribute to the therapeutic decision and evaluation of treatment outcome. (N.K.).

  20. Two-Stage Regularized Linear Discriminant Analysis for 2-D Data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Jianhua; Shi, Lei; Zhu, Ji

    2015-08-01

    Fisher linear discriminant analysis (LDA) involves within-class and between-class covariance matrices. For 2-D data such as images, regularized LDA (RLDA) can improve LDA due to the regularized eigenvalues of the estimated within-class matrix. However, it fails to consider the eigenvectors and the estimated between-class matrix. To improve these two matrices simultaneously, we propose in this paper a new two-stage method for 2-D data, namely a bidirectional LDA (BLDA) in the first stage and the RLDA in the second stage, where both BLDA and RLDA are based on the Fisher criterion that tackles correlation. BLDA performs the LDA under special separable covariance constraints that incorporate the row and column correlations inherent in 2-D data. The main novelty is that we propose a simple but effective statistical test to determine the subspace dimensionality in the first stage. As a result, the first stage reduces the dimensionality substantially while keeping the significant discriminant information in the data. This enables the second stage to perform RLDA in a much lower dimensional subspace, and thus improves the two estimated matrices simultaneously. Experiments on a number of 2-D synthetic and real-world data sets show that BLDA+RLDA outperforms several closely related competitors.

  1. Magnetic resonance imaging in the staging of renal cell carcinoma

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kishi, Hiroichi; Umeda, Takashi; Niijima, Tadao; Yashiro, Naobumi; Kawabe, Kazuki

    1987-07-01

    Eighteen patients with renal neoplasm underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using a 1.5 Tesla superconducting magnetic system and spin echo images were obtained by quick scan technique under holding breath. MR images were interpreted independently of the computerized tomography (CT) findings. The preoperative stagings of the 18 renal carcinomas, as judged by MRI, were compared with those obtained at laparotomy. The anatomic staging was correctly performed by MRI in 13 patients (72 %). In the patients who had intrarenal small tumor with normal renal contour, MRI demonstrated a solid mass clearly distinguishable from surrounding renal parenchyma using the paramagnetic contrast agent (gadolinium-DTPA). When compared with results of evaluation by CT in staging, MRI appeared to have several advantages in determination of whole mass; the detection of tumor thrombus into renal vein and inferior vena cava; and the evaluation of direct tumor invasion of adjacent organs. MRI should play an important role in the staging of renal cell carcinoma.

  2. Magnetic resonance imaging in the staging of renal cell carcinoma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kishi, Hiroichi; Umeda, Takashi; Niijima, Tadao; Yashiro, Naobumi; Kawabe, Kazuki

    1987-01-01

    Eighteen patients with renal neoplasm underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using a 1.5 Tesla superconducting magnetic system and spin echo images were obtained by quick scan technique under holding breath. MR images were interpreted independently of the computerized tomography (CT) findings. The preoperative stagings of the 18 renal carcinomas, as judged by MRI, were compared with those obtained at laparotomy. The anatomic staging was correctly performed by MRI in 13 patients (72 %). In the patients who had intrarenal small tumor with normal renal contour, MRI demonstrated a solid mass clearly distinguishable from surrounding renal parenchyma using the paramagnetic contrast agent (gadolinium-DTPA). When compared with results of evaluation by CT in staging, MRI appeared to have several advantages in determination of whole mass; the detection of tumor thrombus into renal vein and inferior vena cava; and the evaluation of direct tumor invasion of adjacent organs. MRI should play an important role in the staging of renal cell carcinoma. (author)

  3. On the formation of dense understory layers in forests worldwide: consequences and implications for forest dynamics, biodiversity, and succession

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alejandro A. Royo; Walter P. Carson

    2006-01-01

    The mechanistic basis underpinning forest succession is the gap-phase paradigm in which overstory disturbance interacts with seedling and sapling shade tolerance to determine successional trajectories. The theory, and ensuing simulation models, typically assume that understory plants have little impact on the advance regeneration layer's composition. We challenge...

  4. Fibonacci Identities via the Determinant Sum Property

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spivey, Michael

    2006-01-01

    We use the sum property for determinants of matrices to give a three-stage proof of an identity involving Fibonacci numbers. Cassini's and d'Ocagne's Fibonacci identities are obtained at the ends of stages one and two, respectively. Catalan's Fibonacci identity is also a special case.

  5. Hodgkin's disease: correlation of clinical characteristics with probabilities for negative lymphangiogram vs. negative laparotomy findings in patients with stage I supradiaphragmatic presentations vs. those in patients with stage II

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fuller, Lillian M.; Mirza, Nadeem Q.; Palmer, J. Lynn; Davis, Barry R.; Ha, Chul S.; Rodriguez, M. Alma; Hagemeister, Fredrick B.; Cabanillas, Fernando; McLaughlin, Peter; Butler, James J.; North, Luceil B.; Martin, Richard G.

    1998-01-01

    Purpose: At a time both when late complications and second malignancies have become a growing concern and when staging laparotomy has been largely abandoned and comparative studies for staging Hodgkin's disease by state of the art computed tomography (CT) vs. lymphangiography have revealed minimal differences in results for these procedures, our purpose for undertaking this study was twofold. Our initial reason was to determine and compare probabilities for negative abdominal findings for patients with Stage I presentations with those for patients with Stage II as determined by lymphangiography and subsequently by laparotomy for those patients who had negative lymphangiograms. Our second reason, being an extension of the first, was to create a resource that can be used in conjunction with other information for arriving at appropriate treatment decisions including giving either more or particularly less than standard institutional therapy and especially with respect to the abdomen. Methods and Materials: Data on 714 patients with prelymphangiogram Stage I-II upper torso presentations of Hodgkin's disease were entered prospectively in our database between 1968 and 1987. Twenty-eight with lymphocyte predominant disease, who had both negative lymphangiogram and negative laparotomy findings and 17 with questionable diagnoses of lymphocyte-depleted or unclassified disease were excluded from subsequent analyses of 669 patients with nodular sclerosis (NS) and mixed cellularity (MC) diagnoses. Results: Stage I: in final logistic models, negative lymphangiogram findings were associated strongly with a combination of no constitutional symptoms and nodular sclerosis histology, whereas negative laparotomy findings correlated strongly with a combination of no constitutional symptoms and female sex. Predicted probabilities depended on the ratios of favorable to unfavorable characteristics. Stage II: in final logistic models, negative lymphangiogram findings were associated

  6. PET/CT staging of T1-stage non-small cell lung cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Salman, K. A.; Steinmann, C. H.; Von Schulthess, G. K.; Steinert, H. C.; Sukumar, V. P.

    2009-01-01

    Full text:Purpose: To evaluate the value of PET/CT in detecting occult metastases in patients with T 1 -stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Method: Patients with proven NSCLC and T 1 -stage ( c m) were retrospectively analyzed. In all patients a whole-body 18 F-FDG PET/CT scan for initial staging was performed. The PET/CT findings were compared with all available clinical information, intra-operative findings and the histopathological results. Results: 95 patients (39 men, 56 women; age range, 19-85 years) were analyzed in our study. PET/CT in 68-95 patients correctly excluded mediastinal and distant metastases. In 17/95 patients (18%) mediastinal lymph-node metastases were proven (N 2 n=15; N 3 n=2). PET/CT correctly detected in 10/17 patients (58.8%) mediastinal nodal disease. The smallest mediastinal lymph-node metastasis detected by PET/CT had a size of 0.7 c m. In 7 patients PET/CT missed N 2 -stage. In three of these patients the SUVmax of the primary was c m. Only in one missed N 2 -stage metastasis was sized > 1.0 c m. The tumor histology (adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma) and location of the primary (central, periphery) did not influence the missed N 2 -stage by PET/CT. PET/CT diagnosed correctly N 3 -stage in 2 patients. 10/95 patients (10.5%) had distant metastases. PET/CT detected unknown M 1 -stage in 4/10 patients. In one patient a metastasis of the parietal pleura was missed by PET/CT. Conclusion: In our study, 28% patients with T 1 -stage NSCLC showed mediastinal or distant metastases. PET/CT was efficient in the detection of occult metastases. However, the sensitivity of PET/CT in mediastinal staging was only 64%.

  7. Stages of Agricultural Land Consolidation in Ukraine with Consideration for International Best Practices

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Popov Andriy S.

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available The aim of the article is to develop recommendations on defining stages of consolidation of agricultural land in Ukraine on the basis of the best international practices. The analysis, systematization and generalization of scientific works of domestic and foreign scientists made it possible to determine a possible order of land consolidation in Ukraine and provide a detailed description of each stage. As a result of the research, the following main stages of land consolidation were proposed: the initiation, inventory, planning, implementation and final one. Each of these stages is considered consistently with justification of its expediency, the list of necessary measures and land management documentation, presentation of practical examples from different countries of the world. It is determined that each stage of the land consolidation procedure should be conducted in compliance with the principle of openness, which ensures the involvement of the maximum number of landowners/land users and protection of their interests, creates a positive attitude of the society towards land consolidation. A structural and logical model of the procedure for consolidating agricultural land, which clearly reflects the stages and activities of its implementation, is drawn up. There presented recommendations on the need to introduce new land management documentation for land consolidation with a detailed description of their essence. The relevance of further studies of the procedure for the agricultural land consolidation is in bringing a flexible, simple, cost-effective and short-term approach to its implementation.

  8. Comparison of single-stage and temperature-phased two-stage anaerobic digestion of oily food waste

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wu, Li-Jie; Kobayashi, Takuro; Li, Yu-You; Xu, Kai-Qin

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • A single-stage and two two-stage anaerobic systems were synchronously operated. • Similar methane production 0.44 L/g VS_a_d_d_e_d from oily food waste was achieved. • The first stage of the two-stage process became inefficient due to serious pH drop. • Recycle favored the hythan production in the two-stage digestion. • The conversion of unsaturated fatty acids was enhanced by recycle introduction. - Abstract: Anaerobic digestion is an effective technology to recover energy from oily food waste. A single-stage system and temperature-phased two-stage systems with and without recycle for anaerobic digestion of oily food waste were constructed to compare the operation performances. The synchronous operation indicated the similar ability to produce methane in the three systems, with a methane yield of 0.44 L/g VS_a_d_d_e_d. The pH drop to less than 4.0 in the first stage of two-stage system without recycle resulted in poor hydrolysis, and methane or hydrogen was not produced in this stage. Alkalinity supplement from the second stage of two-stage system with recycle improved pH in the first stage to 5.4. Consequently, 35.3% of the particulate COD in the influent was reduced in the first stage of two-stage system with recycle according to a COD mass balance, and hydrogen was produced with a percentage of 31.7%, accordingly. Similar solids and organic matter were removed in the single-stage system and two-stage system without recycle. More lipid degradation and the conversion of long-chain fatty acids were achieved in the single-stage system. Recycling was proved to be effective in promoting the conversion of unsaturated long-chain fatty acids into saturated fatty acids in the two-stage system.

  9. The relationship between tree biodiversity and biomass dynamics changes with tropical forest succession.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lasky, Jesse R; Uriarte, María; Boukili, Vanessa K; Erickson, David L; John Kress, W; Chazdon, Robin L

    2014-09-01

    Theory predicts shifts in the magnitude and direction of biodiversity effects on ecosystem function (BEF) over succession, but this theory remains largely untested. We studied the relationship between aboveground tree biomass dynamics (Δbiomass) and multiple dimensions of biodiversity over 8-16 years in eight successional rainforests. We tested whether successional changes in diversity-Δbiomass correlations reflect predictions of niche theories. Diversity-Δbiomass correlations were positive early but weak later in succession, suggesting saturation of niche space with increasing diversity. Early in succession, phylogenetic diversity and functional diversity in two leaf traits exhibited the strongest positive correlations with Δbiomass, indicating complementarity or positive selection effects. In mid-successional stands, high biodiversity was associated with greater mortality-driven biomass loss, i.e. negative selection effects, suggesting successional niche trade-offs and loss of fast-growing pioneer species. Our results demonstrate that BEF relationships are dynamic across succession, thus successional context is essential to understanding BEF in a given system. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd/CNRS.

  10. Locally advanced breast cancer (stage III and stage IV)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baracat, F.F.; Grabert, H.; Lima, G.R. de; Pontes, M.; Ferraro, O.; Santana, A.; Brook, E.S.

    1987-01-01

    The results concerning to the treatment of 193 patients with locally advanced breast cancer-stage III and stage IV are analysed. All the patients were treated with radical radiotherapy plus total mastectomy about 6 weeks later; 53 pacients received also chemotherapy (CMF - 12 courses) and 52 were oophorectomized. (M.A.C) [pt

  11. Classifying stages of cirrus life-cycle evolution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Urbanek, Benedikt; Groß, Silke; Schäfler, Andreas; Wirth, Martin

    2018-04-01

    Airborne lidar backscatter data is used to determine in- and out-of-cloud regions. Lidar measurements of water vapor together with model temperature fields are used to calculate relative humidity over ice (RHi). Based on temperature and RHi we identify different stages of cirrus evolution: homogeneous and heterogeneous freezing, depositional growth, ice sublimation and sedimentation. We will present our classification scheme and first applications on mid-latitude cirrus clouds.

  12. Interspecific Plant Interactions Reflected in Soil Bacterial Community Structure and Nitrogen Cycling in Primary Succession.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Knelman, Joseph E; Graham, Emily B; Prevéy, Janet S; Robeson, Michael S; Kelly, Patrick; Hood, Eran; Schmidt, Steve K

    2018-01-01

    Past research demonstrating the importance plant-microbe interactions as drivers of ecosystem succession has focused on how plants condition soil microbial communities, impacting subsequent plant performance and plant community assembly. These studies, however, largely treat microbial communities as a black box. In this study, we sought to examine how emblematic shifts from early successional Alnus viridus ssp. sinuata (Sitka alder) to late successional Picea sitchensis (Sitka spruce) in primary succession may be reflected in specific belowground changes in bacterial community structure and nitrogen cycling related to the interaction of these two plants. We examined early successional alder-conditioned soils in a glacial forefield to delineate how alders alter the soil microbial community with increasing dominance. Further, we assessed the impact of late-successional spruce plants on these early successional alder-conditioned microbiomes and related nitrogen cycling through a leachate addition microcosm experiment. We show how increasingly abundant alder select for particular bacterial taxa. Additionally, we found that spruce leachate significantly alters the composition of these microbial communities in large part by driving declines in taxa that are enriched by alder, including bacterial symbionts. We found these effects to be spruce specific, beyond a general leachate effect. Our work also demonstrates a unique influence of spruce on ammonium availability. Such insights bolster theory relating the importance of plant-microbe interactions with late-successional plants and interspecific plant interactions more generally.

  13. Determination of Therapeutic Dose of I-131 for First High Dose Radioiodine Therapy in Patients with Differentiated Thyroid Cancer: Comparison of Usefulness between Pathological Staging, Serum Thyroglobulin Level and Finding of I-123 Whole Body Scan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jeong, Hwan Jeong; Lim, Seok Tae; Youn, Hyun Jo; Sohn, Myung-Hee

    2008-01-01

    Recently, a number of patients needed total thyroidectomy and high dose radioiodine therapy (HD-RAI) get increased more. The aim of this study is to evaluate whether pathological staging (PS) and serum thyroglobulin (sTG) level could replace the diagnostic I-123 scan for the determination of therapeutic dose of HD-RAI in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer. Fifty eight patients (M:F=13;45, age 44.5±11.5 yrs) who underwent total thyroidectomy and central or regional lymph node dissection due to differentiated thyroid cancer were enrolled. Diagnostic scan of I-123 and sTG assay were also performed on off state of thyroid hormone. The therapeutic doses of I-131 (TD) were determined by the extent of uptakes on diagnostic I-123 scan as a gold standard. PS was graded by the criteria recommended in 6th edition of AJCC cancer staging manual except consideration of age. For comparison of the determination of therapeutic doses, PS and sTG were compared with the results of I-123 scan. All patients were underwent HD-RAI. Among them, five patients (8.6%) were treated with 100 mCi of I-131, forty three (74.1%) with 150 mCi, six (10.3%) with 180 mCi, three (5.2%) with 200 mCi, and one (1.7%) with 250 mCi, respectively. On the assessment of PS, average TDs were 154±25 mCi in stage I (n=9), 175±50 mCi in stage II (n=4), 149±21 mCi in stage III (n=38), and 161±20 mCi in stage IV (n=7). The statistical significance was not shown between PS and TD (p=0.169). Among fifty two patients who had available sTG, 25 patients (48.1%) having below 2 ng/mL of sTG were treated with 149±26 mCi of I-131, 9 patients (17.3%) having 2≤ sTG <5 ng/mL with 156±17 mCi, 5 patients (9.6%) having 5≤ sTG <10 ng/mL with 156±13 mCi, 7 patients (13.5%) having 10≤ sTG <50 ng/mL with 147±24 mCi, and 6 patients (11.5%) having above 50 ng/mL with 175±42 mCi. The statistical significance between sTG level and TD (p=0.252) was not shown. In conclusion, PS and sTG could not replace the

  14. Invertebrates of The H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest, Western Cascades, Oregon: III. The Orthoptera (Grasshoppers and Crickets).

    Science.gov (United States)

    David C. Lightfoot

    1986-01-01

    An inventory of Orthoptera (grasshoppers and crickets) at the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest, near Blue River, Oregon, was conducted to determine the species present and ecological relationships. A key for identification and an annotated list are presented. From qualitative assessments of successional habitat relationships, generalized species associations of forest...

  15. Preoperative Prolapse Stage as Predictor of Failure of Sacrocolpopexy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aslam, Muhammad F; Osmundsen, Blake; Edwards, Sharon R; Matthews, Catherine; Gregory, William T

    2016-01-01

    Our aim was to determine if there was a correlation between the preoperative prolapse stage and postoperative recurrence of prolapse 1 year after sacrocolpopexy. Our null hypothesis is that the preoperative stage of prolapse does not increase the risk of recurrence. This is a multicenter cohort study from 3 centers. We included subjects who underwent robotic-assisted sacrocolpopexy and completed a standardized 1-year follow-up from 2009-2014. All subjects underwent a complete preoperative evaluation and completed 12 months of follow-up with the pelvic organ prolapse quantification examination. We compared those subjects who met the definition of recurrence with those who did not, analyzing the following covariates: stage of prolapse using International Continence Society (ICS) definitions, individual pelvic organ prolapse quantification points, age, body mass index, race, exogenous estrogen use, menopause, smoking, vaginal parity, cesarean section, and performance of concomitant procedures. We defined recurrence as any prolapse beyond the hymen. We had 125 women from 3 centers who met our criteria, with 23.2% of them having recurrence at 1 year. We found that recurrence increased as the preoperative ICS stage of prolapse increased (P = <0.001 in the univariate model). In the multivariate model, using logistic regression, we found that the risk of recurrence of pelvic organ prolapse increased as the presurgery clinical stage increased with an odds ratio of 3.8 (95% confidence interval, 1.5-9) when controlling for age, menopausal status, and genital hiatus (P = 0.004). Much like a higher stage of disease in oncology, we found that increasing stage of prolapse preoperatively increased the risk of recurrence at 1 year after sacrocolpopexy.

  16. MRI and endosonography in preoperative staging of advanced rectal carcinomas after hypothermoradiochemotherapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schroeder, R.J.; Pegios, W.; Huenerbein, M.; Vogl, T.J.; Hidajat, N.; Gellermann, J.; Wust, P.; Rau, B.; Schlag, P.; Felix, R.

    1997-01-01

    Purpose: Comparison of diagnostic accuracy of staging of endorectal sonography (ES) and body coil MRI after preoperative hyperthermoradiochemotherapy in patients with advanced rectal cancer. Methods: Prospective analysis of MRI and ES in 30 patients after hyperthermoradiochemotherapy and correlation with histopathological patterns. Results: T-staging by MRI was correct in 47% and by ES in 53% of the cases. Despite similar accuracy of staging in T 0 - and T 1 -tumours, we found different accuracies concerning T 2 -tumour staging about 63% versus 73% (MRI/ES), concerning perirectal infiltration 70% for both techniques, concerning invasion of adjacent organs 90% versus 87%, and concerning lymph node metastases without respect to the N-stage 63% versus 63%. Conclusion: Both imaging modalities provide useful information for operation planning despite limited accuracy after hyperthermoradiochemotherapy. The body coil MRI does not seem to be severely inferior to ES in posttherapeutic staging, despite better contour line imaging by ES. With respect to the determination of invasion of other organs, MRI seems to be more useful. (orig.) [de

  17. Determination of the separation efficiencies of a single-stage cryogenic distillation setup to remove krypton out of xenon by using a (83m)Kr tracer method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosendahl, S; Brown, E; Cristescu, I; Fieguth, A; Huhmann, C; Lebeda, O; Murra, M; Weinheimer, C

    2015-11-01

    The separation of krypton and xenon is of particular importance for the field of direct dark matter search with liquid xenon detectors. The intrinsic contamination of the xenon with radioactive (85)Kr makes a significant background for these kinds of low count-rate experiments and has to be removed beforehand. This can be achieved by cryogenic distillation, a technique widely used in industry, using the different vapor pressures of krypton and xenon. In this paper, we present an investigation on the separation performance of a single stage distillation system using a radioactive (83m)Kr-tracer method. The separation characteristics under different operation conditions are determined for very low concentrations of krypton in xenon at the level of (83m)Kr/Xe = 1.9 ⋅ 10(-15), demonstrating, that cryogenic distillation in this regime is working. The observed separation is in agreement with the expectation from the different volatilities of krypton and xenon. This cryogenic distillation station is the first step on the way to a multi-stage cryogenic distillation column for the next generation of direct dark matter experiment XENON1T.

  18. High rates of carbon storage in old deciduous forests: Emerging mechanisms from the Forest Accelerated Succession ExperimenT (FASET)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gough, C. M.; Nave, L. E.; Hardiman, B. S.; Bohrer, G.; Halperin, A.; Maurer, K.; Le Moine, J.; Nadelhoffer, K.; Vogel, C. S.; Curtis, P.; University Of Michigan Biological Station Forest Ecosystem Study (Umbs-Fest) Team

    2010-12-01

    Deciduous forests of the eastern US are broadly approaching an ecological threshold in which early successional dominant trees are senescing and giving way to later successional species, with unknown consequences for regional carbon (C) cycling. Though recent research demonstrates that forests may accumulate C for centuries, the mechanisms behind sustained rates of C storage in old, particularly deciduous, forests have not been identified. In a regionally representative forest at the University of Michigan Biological Station, we are combining observational and experimental C cycling studies to forecast how forest C storage responds to climate variation, disturbance, and succession. The Forest Accelerated Succession ExperimenT (FASET), in which >6,700 aspen and birch trees (~35 % LAI) were stem girdled within a 39 ha area, is testing the hypothesis that forest production will increase rather than decline with age, due to increases in nitrogen (N) availability, N allocation to the canopy, and the concurrent development of a more biologically and structurally complex canopy. Results thus far support our hypothesis that aging forests in the region may sustain high rates of C storage through shifts in N cycling and increased canopy complexity. Girdling-induced mortality of early successional species reduced soil respiration, accelerated fine root turnover, and prompted the redistribution of N from the foliage of early to later successional species. Nitrogen redistribution increased leaf area index (LAI) production by later successional species, offsetting declines in LAI from senescing early successional species. High rates of net primary production (NPP) were sustained in stands comprising a diverse assemblage of early and later successional species because later successional species, when already present in the canopy, rapidly compensated for declining growth of early successional species. Canopy structural complexity, which increased with forest age, was positively

  19. Magmatic activity stages of the El'brus volcanic center (Great Caucasus): isotope geochronological data

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chernyshev, I.V.; Lebedev, V.A.; Bubnov, S.N.; Arakelyants, M.M.; Gol'tsman, Yu.V.

    2001-01-01

    The age of volcanites in the Elbrus volcanic center was determined by the methods of K-Ar- and Rb-Sr-dating to ascertain stages of magmatic activity in the area. The data obtained suggest existence of at least two stages of magmatic activity: Middle Neopleistocene (225-180 thous. years) and Late Neopleistocene-Holocene ( [ru

  20. Serum Ionized Calcium Quantification for Staging Canine Periodontal Disease: A Preliminary Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miguel Carreira, L; Daniela, Dias; Pedro, Azevedo

    2015-06-01

    Periodontal diseases (PD) are infectious, inflammatory, progressive diseases of the oral cavity affecting people and dogs. PD takes 2 forms: gingivitis and periodontitis. Diagnosing or staging PD can be achieved only with dental x-rays and periodontal probing, both of which require the use of general anesthesia in dogs. This study aimed to determine whether serum ionized calcium ([iCa(2+)]) levels can be useful in preliminary PD staging in dogs. A sample of 40 dogs (n = 40) was divided into 4 groups (n = 10 each) based on the following PD stages: G1 (gingivitis), G2 (initial periodontitis), G3 (moderate periodontitis), and G4 (severe periodontitis). The groups were then subjected to [iCa(2+)] quantification. Statistically significant differences were observed between PD stages and [iCa(2+)] for all stages except G3 and G4. Therefore, this parameter can be used as an additional tool to establish and monitor preliminary PD status. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Fleet Planning Decision-Making: Two-Stage Optimization with Slot Purchase

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lay Eng Teoh

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Essentially, strategic fleet planning is vital for airlines to yield a higher profit margin while providing a desired service frequency to meet stochastic demand. In contrast to most studies that did not consider slot purchase which would affect the service frequency determination of airlines, this paper proposes a novel approach to solve the fleet planning problem subject to various operational constraints. A two-stage fleet planning model is formulated in which the first stage selects the individual operating route that requires slot purchase for network expansions while the second stage, in the form of probabilistic dynamic programming model, determines the quantity and type of aircraft (with the corresponding service frequency to meet the demand profitably. By analyzing an illustrative case study (with 38 international routes, the results show that the incorporation of slot purchase in fleet planning is beneficial to airlines in achieving economic and social sustainability. The developed model is practically viable for airlines not only to provide a better service quality (via a higher service frequency to meet more demand but also to obtain a higher revenue and profit margin, by making an optimal slot purchase and fleet planning decision throughout the long-term planning horizon.

  2. Use of artificial neural networks in chemical addiction stages detection of adolescents

    OpenAIRE

    Bardadymov, Vasiliy Anatolevich

    2012-01-01

    Today there is no unified approach to description of the stages of addiction and evolution of adolescent addiction formation. In this paper we consider two main points. At first we describe the different approaches to the selection stages of addictive behavior. The second point is the description of using the method of constructing artificial neural networks to determine the formation of chemical addiction. Also this article describes the theoretical approaches to the evolutio...

  3. Cervical Cancer Stage IA

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... historical Searches are case-insensitive Cervical Cancer Stage IA Add to My Pictures View /Download : Small: 720x576 ... Large: 3000x2400 View Download Title: Cervical Cancer Stage IA Description: Stage IA1 and IA2 cervical cancer; drawing ...

  4. Cervical Cancer Stage IIIA

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... hyphen, e.g. -historical Searches are case-insensitive Cervical Cancer Stage IIIA Add to My Pictures View /Download : ... 1275x1275 View Download Large: 2550x2550 View Download Title: Cervical Cancer Stage IIIA Description: Stage IIIA cervical cancer; drawing ...

  5. Cervical Cancer Stage IVA

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... hyphen, e.g. -historical Searches are case-insensitive Cervical Cancer Stage IVA Add to My Pictures View /Download : ... 1575x1200 View Download Large: 3150x2400 View Download Title: Cervical Cancer Stage IVA Description: Stage IVA cervical cancer; drawing ...

  6. Cervical Cancer Stage IVB

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... hyphen, e.g. -historical Searches are case-insensitive Cervical Cancer Stage IVB Add to My Pictures View /Download : ... 1200x1305 View Download Large: 2400x2610 View Download Title: Cervical Cancer Stage IVB Description: Stage IVB cervical cancer; drawing ...

  7. Late-Stage Caregiving

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Caregiving Middle-Stage Caregiving Late-Stage Caregiving Behaviors Aggression & Anger Anxiety & Agitation Depression Hallucinations Memory Loss & Confusion Repetition Sleep Issues & Sundowning Suspicion & Delusions Wandering Abuse Start Here What You Need to Know Online ...

  8. Stages and Behaviors

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Caregiving Middle-Stage Caregiving Late-Stage Caregiving Behaviors Aggression & Anger Anxiety & Agitation Depression Hallucinations Memory Loss & Confusion Repetition Sleep Issues & Sundowning Suspicion & Delusions Wandering Abuse Start Here What You Need to Know Online ...

  9. Early-Stage Caregiving

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Caregiving Middle-Stage Caregiving Late-Stage Caregiving Behaviors Aggression & Anger Anxiety & Agitation Depression Hallucinations Memory Loss & Confusion Repetition Sleep Issues & Sundowning Suspicion & Delusions Wandering Abuse Start Here What You Need to Know Online ...

  10. Higher survival drives the success of nitrogen-fixing trees through succession in Costa Rican rainforests.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Menge, Duncan N L; Chazdon, Robin L

    2016-02-01

    Trees capable of symbiotic nitrogen (N) fixation ('N fixers') are abundant in many tropical forests. In temperate forests, it is well known that N fixers specialize in early-successional niches, but in tropical forests, successional trends of N-fixing species are poorly understood. We used a long-term census study (1997-2013) of regenerating lowland wet tropical forests in Costa Rica to document successional patterns of N fixers vs non-fixers, and used an individual-based model to determine the demographic drivers of these trends. N fixers increased in relative basal area during succession. In the youngest forests, N fixers grew 2.5 times faster, recruited at a similar rate and were 15 times less likely to die as non-fixers. As succession proceeded, the growth and survival disparities decreased, whereas N fixer recruitment decreased relative to non-fixers. According to our individual-based model, high survival was the dominant driver of the increase in basal area of N fixers. Our data suggest that N fixers are successful throughout secondary succession in tropical rainforests of north-east Costa Rica, and that attempts to understand this success should focus on tree survival. © 2015 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2015 New Phytologist Trust.

  11. Staging of Lung Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... LUNG CANCER MINI-SERIES #2 Staging of Lung Cancer Once your lung cancer is diagnosed, staging tells you and your health care provider about ... at it under a microscope. The stages of lung cancer are listed as I, II, III, and IV ...

  12. Cervical Cancer Stage IB

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... hyphen, e.g. -historical Searches are case-insensitive Cervical Cancer Stage IB Add to My Pictures View /Download : ... 1613x1200 View Download Large: 3225x2400 View Download Title: Cervical Cancer Stage IB Description: Stage IB1 and IB2 cervical ...

  13. Meta-analysis of Gaussian individual patient data: Two-stage or not two-stage?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morris, Tim P; Fisher, David J; Kenward, Michael G; Carpenter, James R

    2018-04-30

    Quantitative evidence synthesis through meta-analysis is central to evidence-based medicine. For well-documented reasons, the meta-analysis of individual patient data is held in higher regard than aggregate data. With access to individual patient data, the analysis is not restricted to a "two-stage" approach (combining estimates and standard errors) but can estimate parameters of interest by fitting a single model to all of the data, a so-called "one-stage" analysis. There has been debate about the merits of one- and two-stage analysis. Arguments for one-stage analysis have typically noted that a wider range of models can be fitted and overall estimates may be more precise. The two-stage side has emphasised that the models that can be fitted in two stages are sufficient to answer the relevant questions, with less scope for mistakes because there are fewer modelling choices to be made in the two-stage approach. For Gaussian data, we consider the statistical arguments for flexibility and precision in small-sample settings. Regarding flexibility, several of the models that can be fitted only in one stage may not be of serious interest to most meta-analysis practitioners. Regarding precision, we consider fixed- and random-effects meta-analysis and see that, for a model making certain assumptions, the number of stages used to fit this model is irrelevant; the precision will be approximately equal. Meta-analysts should choose modelling assumptions carefully. Sometimes relevant models can only be fitted in one stage. Otherwise, meta-analysts are free to use whichever procedure is most convenient to fit the identified model. © 2018 The Authors. Statistics in Medicine Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  14. Spatiotemporal variation of surface shortwave forcing from fire-induced albedo change in interior Alaska

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Shengli; Dahal, Devendra; Liu, Heping; Jin, Suming; Young, Claudia J.; Liu, Shuang; Liu, Shu-Guang

    2015-01-01

    The albedo change caused by both fires and subsequent succession is spatially heterogeneous, leading to the need to assess the spatiotemporal variation of surface shortwave forcing (SSF) as a component to quantify the climate impacts of high-latitude fires. We used an image reconstruction approach to compare postfire albedo with the albedo assuming fires had not occurred. Combining the fire-caused albedo change from the 2001-2010 fires in interior Alaska and the monthly surface incoming solar radiation, we examined the spatiotemporal variation of SSF in the early successional stage of around 10 years. Our results showed that while postfire albedo generally increased in fall, winter, and spring, some burned areas could show an albedo decrease during these seasons. In summer, the albedo increased for several years and then declined again. The spring SSF distribution did not show a latitudinal decrease from south to north as previously reported. The results also indicated that although the SSF is usually largely negative in the early successional years, it may not be significant during the first postfire year. The annual 2005-2010 SSF for the 2004 fire scars was -1.30, -4.40, -3.31, -4.00, -3.42, and -2.47 Wm-2. The integrated annual SSF map showed significant spatial variation with a mean of -3.15 Wm-2 and a standard deviation of 3.26 Wm-2, 16% of burned areas having positive SSF. Our results suggest that boreal deciduous fires would be less positive for climate change than boreal evergreen fires. Future research is needed to comprehensively investigate the spatiotemporal radiative and non-radiative forcings to determine the effect of boreal fires on climate.

  15. Modelling of Two-Stage Methane Digestion With Pretreatment of Biomass

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dychko, A.; Remez, N.; Opolinskyi, I.; Kraychuk, S.; Ostapchuk, N.; Yevtieieva, L.

    2018-04-01

    Systems of anaerobic digestion should be used for processing of organic waste. Managing the process of anaerobic recycling of organic waste requires reliable predicting of biogas production. Development of mathematical model of process of organic waste digestion allows determining the rate of biogas output at the two-stage process of anaerobic digestion considering the first stage. Verification of Konto's model, based on the studied anaerobic processing of organic waste, is implemented. The dependencies of biogas output and its rate from time are set and may be used to predict the process of anaerobic processing of organic waste.

  16. Performance Enhancement in L-Band Edfa Through Dual Stage Technique

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. W. Harun and H. Ahmad

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available An experiment on gain enhancement in the long wavelength band erbium doped fiber amplifier (L-band EDFA is demonstrated. It uses a dual stage technique with dual forward pumping scheme. Compared to a conventional single stage amplifier, the small signal gain for 1580nm signal can be improved by 5.5dB without paying much noise figure penalty. The corresponding noise figure penalty was 0.3dB due to the insertion loss of the optical isolator. The optimum pump power ratio for the first pump is experimentally determined to be 33%. The maximum gain improvement of 8.3dB was obtained at a signal wavelength of 1568nm while signal and total pump powers were fixed at -30dBm and 92mW, respectively. The employment of dual stage amplifier system seems to play an important role in the development of practical L-band EDFA from the perspective of economical usage of pump power.Key Words:  erbium doped fibre; optical amplifier; L-band EDFA; dual stage EDFA; amplified spontaneous emission

  17. Ovarian Cancer Stage IIIC

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Stage IIIC Description: Drawing of stage IIIC shows cancer inside both ovaries that has spread to the omentum. The cancer ... lymph nodes behind the peritoneum. In stage IIIC, cancer is found in one or both ovaries or fallopian tubes and has spread to the ...

  18. Breast cancer staging

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... this page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000911.htm Breast cancer staging To use the sharing features on this ... Once your health care team knows you have breast cancer , they will do more tests to stage it. ...

  19. An Analysis of Kohlberg's "Stage 4 1/2" within an Enhanced Framework of Moral Stages.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Minnameier, Gerhard

    This paper discusses a well-known problem of stage categorization within Kohlberg's theory of moral stages (L. Kohlberg, 1973), that of "Stage 4 1/2." Some subjects previously scored at stage 4 in Kohlberg's framework took on some characteristics of stage 2 reasoning, which suggested the possibility of regression. To reconcile this…

  20. Roles of birds and bats in early tropical-forest restoration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de la Peña-Domene, Marinés; Martínez-Garza, Cristina; Palmas-Pérez, Sebastián; Rivas-Alonso, Edith; Howe, Henry F

    2014-01-01

    Restoration of tropical forest depended in large part on seed dispersal by fruit-eating animals that transported seeds into planted forest patches. We tested effectiveness of dispersal agents as revealed by established recruits of tree and shrub species that bore seeds dispersed by birds, bats, or both. We documented restoration of dispersal processes over the first 76 months of experimental restoration in southern Mexico. Mixed-model repeated-measures randomized-block ANOVAs of seedlings recruited into experimental controls and mixed-species plantings from late-secondary and mature forest indicated that bats and birds played different roles in the first years of a restoration process. Bats dispersed pioneer tree and shrub species to slowly regenerating grassy areas, while birds mediated recruitment of later-successional species into planted stands of trees and to a lesser extent into controls. Of species of pioneer trees and shrubs established in plots, seven were primarily dispersed by birds, three by bats and four by both birds and bats. Of later-successional species recruited past the seedling stage, 13 were of species primarily dispersed by birds, and six were of species dispersed by both birds and bats. No later-successional species primarily dispersed by bats established in control or planted plots. Establishment of recruited seedlings was ten-fold higher under cover of planted trees than in grassy controls. Even pre-reproductive trees drew fruit-eating birds and the seeds that they carried from nearby forest, and provided conditions for establishment of shade-tolerant tree species. Overall, after 76 months of cattle exclusion, 94% of the recruited shrubs and trees in experimental plots were of species that we did not plant.