Search

Introduction: Evolutionary traits acquired in response to one type of disturbance will potentially confer resilience to other disturbances that have similar environmental impacts, even if the biota has no evolutionary history of such disturbances. In grassy ecosystems the environmental impacts of grazing have important similarities to those of fire through the removal of grass biomass, and we hypothesise that high resilience to frequent fire confers high resilience to grazing. Aims: We test this hypothesis by investigating the resilience of highly fire-resilient ant communities to grazing in a mesic Australian savanna, which has not historically experienced such high levels of mammalian grazing. Methods: We sampled ants using pitfall traps at Annaburroo Station in the Australian seasonal tropics using ten plot triplets, with each triplet representing no, low and heavy grazing. Grazing has had a major impact on the basal area of perennial grasses and the cover of bare ground. We considered large (> 4 mm) ants only, which tend to be particularly sensitive to disturbance. Results: We recorded 28 species of 'large' ants from 14 genera. Neither ant species richness nor overall composition varied significantly with grazing, and only one of the eight most common species responded to grazing. Discussion: Ant communities at Annaburoo Station are highly resilient to livestock grazing. The limited number of relevant studies suggest that ant communities in Australian savannas more generally have higher resilience than those in southern rangelands where fire frequency is relatively low. This supports our hypothesis that an evolutionary history of frequent fire confers resilience to grazing. Many more studies are required, but we suggest that resilience to grazing might be related more to evolutionary history in relation to fire, a more pervasive remover of plant biomass globally, than to grazing. Implications for insect conservation: Grazing by cattle is the dominant land-use in Australian savannas and the Australian savanna ant fauna is one of the richest on Earth; our findings of high resilience is therefore good news for insect conservation. Such good news is likely to have wide applicability to other fire-prone grassy ecosystems subject to livestock grazing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Superior mesenteric artery plexus (SMAP) injury is reported to cause postoperative intractable diarrhea after pancreatic/colonic surgery with extended lymphadenectomy. This study aims to describe the SMAP microanatomy and extent of injury after right colectomy with extended D3 mesenterectomy for cancer. Methods: Three groups (I) anatomical dissection, (II) postmortem histology, and (III) surgical specimen histology were included. Nerve count and area were compared between groups II and III and paravascular sheath thickness between groups I and II. 3D models were generated through 3D histology, nanoCT scanning, and finally through 3D printing. Results: A total of 21 specimens were included as follows: Group (I): 5 (3 females, 80–93 years), the SMAP is a complex mesh surrounding the superior mesenteric artery (SMA), branching out, following peripheral arteries and intertwining between them, (II): 7 (5 females, 71–86 years), nerve count: 53 ± 12.42 (38–68), and area: 1.84 ± 0.50 mm2 (1.16–2.29), and (III): 9 (5 females, 55–69 years), nerve count: 31.6 ± 6.74 (range 23–43), and area: 0.889 ± 0.45 mm2 (range 0.479–1.668). SMAP transection injury is 59% of nerve count and 48% of nerve area at middle colic artery origin level. The median values of paravascular sheath thickness decreased caudally from 2.05 to 1.04 mm (anatomical dissection) and from 2.65 to 1.17 mm (postmortem histology). 3D histology models present nerve fibers exclusively within the paravascular sheath, and lymph nodes were observed only outside. NanoCT-derived models reveal oblique nerve fiber trajectories with inclinations between 35° and 55°. Two 3D-printed models of the SMAP were also achieved in a 1:2 scale. Conclusion: SMAP surrounds the SMA and branches within the paravascular sheath, while bowel lymph nodes and vessels lie outside. Extent of SMAP injury on histological slides (transection only) was 48% nerve area and 59% nerve count. The 35°–55° inclination range of SMAP nerves possibly imply an even larger injury when plexus excision is performed (lymphadenectomy). Reasons for later improvement of bowel function in these patients can lie in the interarterial nerve fibers between SMA branches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tumour-associated macrophages (TAMs) support cancer cell survival and suppress anti-tumour immunity. Tumour infiltration by CD163pos TAMs is associated with poor outcome in several human malignancies, including multiple myeloma (MM). Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) is over-activated in human cancers, and specifically within TAMs activation of STAT3 may induce an immunosuppressive (M2-like) phenotype. Therefore, STAT3-inhibition in TAMs may be a future therapeutic strategy. We investigated TAM markers CD163, CD206, and activated STAT3 (pSTAT3) in patients with MGUS (n = 32) and MM (n = 45), as well as healthy controls (HCs, n = 13). Blood levels of the macrophage biomarkers sCD163 and sCD206, and circulating cytokines, as well as bone marrow mRNA expression of CD163 and CD206, were generally increased in MGUS and MM patients, compared to HCs, but to highly similar levels. By immunohistochemistry, bone marrow levels of pSTAT3 were increased specifically within CD163pos cells in both MGUS and MM patients. In conclusion, macrophage-related inflammatory changes, including activation of STAT3, were present already at the MGUS stage, at similar levels as in MM. Specific increase in pSTAT3 levels within CD163pos cells supports that the CD163 scavenger receptor may be a useful target for future delivery of STAT3-inhibitory drugs to TAMs in MM patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic anthropogenic disturbance (CAD) and climate change represent two of the major threats to biodiversity globally, but their combined effects are not well understood. Here we investigate the individual and interactive effects of increasing CAD and decreasing rainfall on the composition and taxonomic (TD), functional (FD) and phylogenetic diversity (PD) of plants possessing extrafloral nectaries (EFNs) in semi-arid Brazilian Caatinga. EFNs attract ants that protect plants against insect herbivore attack and are extremely prevalent in the Caatinga flora. EFN-bearing plants were censused along gradients of disturbance and rainfall in Catimbau National Park in north-eastern Brazil. We recorded a total of 2243 individuals belonging to 21 species. Taxonomic and functional composition varied along the rainfall gradient, but not along the disturbance gradient. There was a significant interaction between increasing disturbance and decreasing rainfall, with CAD leading to decreased TD, FD and PD in the most arid areas, and to increased TD, FD and PD in the wettest areas. We found a strong phylogenetic signal in the EFN traits we analysed, which explains the strong matching between patterns of FD and PD along the environmental gradients. The interactive effects of disturbance and rainfall revealed by our study indicate that the decreased rainfall forecast for Caatinga under climate change will increase the sensitivity of EFN-bearing plants to anthropogenic disturbance. This has important implications for the availability of a key food resource, which would likely have cascading effects on higher trophic levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To determine if "medial to lateral" (ML) dissection with devascularization first is superior to "lateral to medial" (LM) dissection regarding numbers of lymph node micro metastases (MM) and isolated tumor cells (ITC) as well as 5-year disease-free (5YDFS) and 5-year overall survival (5YOS) in stage I/II right-sided colon cancer. Methods: Two datasets are used. ML group consists of consecutive stage I/II patients from a prospective trial. LM group is the original dataset from a previous publication. All harvested lymph nodes are examined with monoclonal antibody CAM 5.2 (immunohistochemically). Lymph node harvest and 5YOS/5YDFS were compared between ML/LM groups, stage I/II tumors and MM/ITC presence/absence. Results: 117 patients included ML:51, LM:66. MM/ITC positive in ML 37.3% (19/51), LM 31.8% (21/66) p = 0.54. The 5YDFS for patients in ML 70.6% and LM 69.7%, p = 0.99, 5YOS: 74.5% ML and 71.2% LM (p = 0.73). No difference in 5YDFS/5YOS between groups for Stage I/II tumors; however, LM group had an excess of early tumors (16) when compared to ML group, while lymph node harvest was significantly higher in ML group (p < 0.01) 15.1 vs 26.7. 5YDFS and 5YOS stratified by MM/ITC presence/absence was 67.5%/71.4%, p = 0.63, and 75.0%/71.4%, p = 0.72, respectively. Death due to recurrence in MM/ITC positive was significantly higher than MM/ITC negative (p = 0.012). Conclusion: Surgical technique does not influence numbers of MM/ITC or 5YDFS/5YOS. Presence of MM/ITC does not affect 5YOS/5YDFS but can be a potential prognostic factor for death due to recurrence. Clinical trial: Safe Radical D3 Right Hemicolectomy for Cancer through Preoperative Biphasic Multi-Detector Computed Tomography (MDCT) Angiography" registered at http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01351714. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a bidding method for the participation of combined heat and power (CHP) units in the day-ahead electricity market. More specifically, we consider a district heating system where heat can be produced by CHP units or heat-only units, e.g., gas or wood chip boilers. We use a mixed-integer linear program to determine the optimal operation of the portfolio of production units and storages on a daily basis. Based on the optimal production of subsets of units, we can derive the bidding prices and amounts of electricity offered by the CHP units for the day-ahead market. The novelty about our approach is that the prices are derived by iteratively replacing the production of heat-only units through CHP production. This results in an algorithm with a robust bidding strategy that does not increase the system costs even if the bids are not won. We analyze our method on a small realistic test case to illustrate our method and compare it with other bidding strategies from literature, which consider CHP units individually. The analysis shows that considering a portfolio of units in a district heating system and determining bids based on replacement of heat production of other units leads to better results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The subset distribution and immunophenotype of circulating immune cells ("peripheral blood immune cell profile") may reflect tumor development and response to cancer treatment. In order to use the peripheral blood immune cell profile as biomarker to monitor patients over time, it is crucial to know how immune cell subsets respond to therapeutic interventions. In this study, we investigated the effects of tumor resection and adjuvant therapy on the peripheral blood immune cell profile in patients with colon carcinoma (CC). Methods: The subset distribution and immunophenotype of T cells (CD3+CD56−), CD56dim NK cells (CD3−CD56dim), CD56bright NK cells (CD3−CD56bright) and NKT-like cells (CD3+CD56+) were studied in preoperative and postoperative peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) samples of 24 patients with CC by multiparameter flow cytometry. Changes in immunophenotype of circulating immune cells after tumor resection were studied in patients treated with and without (capecitabine-based) adjuvant therapy. Results: The NKT-like cell (% of total PBMCs) and CD8+ T cell (% of total T cells) populations expanded in the peripheral blood of non-adjuvant-treated CC patients after surgery. NK- and NKT-like cells showed upregulation of activating receptors and downregulation of inhibitory receptors in non-adjuvant-treated CC patients after surgery. These changes were not observed in the peripheral blood of adjuvant-treated CC patients. Conclusions: Our results suggest tumor-induced suppression of NK- and NKT-like cells in CC patients, an effect that could not be detected after tumor resection. In contrast, adjuvant therapy maintained tumor-induced immunosuppression of NK- and NKT-like cells in CC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With increasing union dissolution and changing gender behaviour, questions have emerged about possible links between gender equality and union stability. The aim of this article is to examine whether and how early fathers' involvement in child-rearing is associated with union dissolution in three Nordic countries. All three countries have reserved part of their parental leave to be used by one parent in order to promote fathers' engagement in child-rearing. Our analysis uses fathers' parental leave as a proxy for his involvement, and we distinguish between fathers who take no leave ("non-conforming fathers"), fathers who take only the reserved part ("policy-conforming fathers") and fathers who take more than the reserved part ("gender-egalitarian-oriented fathers"). We find that couples in which the father uses parental leave have a lower risk of union dissolution than couples in which the father takes no leave. The pattern is consistent for all countries, for the whole study period 1993–2011, and for cohabiting and married couples. However, we do not find support for asserting that the couples with greatest gender equality, in which fathers take longer leave than the policy reserves, are the most stable unions, as the pattern is not uniform in the three countries. We attribute this to the fact that gender equality within the family in the Nordic countries is still an ongoing process, and the relationship between gender behaviour and union stability is still in flux. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Gruppe. Interaktion. Organisation: Zeitschrift für Angewandte Organisationspsychologie (GIO) is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objectives: Administrative register data offer an opportunity to increase the range and nature of experimental evaluations. In addition to providing a range of offending and non-crime outcome data, the uniformity, longevity, and scope of registers support a broader conceptualization of policy assessments. Although found in several countries, the Scandinavian registers provide a unique opportunity to conduct innovative and impactful randomized studies. Here, and with a focus on Norway, these prospects are explored in detail. Methods: We rely on official information and policies on national-level administrative data, as well as data retrieved from Norwegian registers, to explore the possibilities and difficulties in using these unique sources of information within an experimental framework. We provide a descriptive analysis of two groups of offenders in Norway to both support these assumptions and illustrate the potential value-added. Results: Employing Norwegian register data in a between-group comparison illustrates that register data would be particularly useful for several key areas of an RCT, including as a source of pilot data, to expand the range of variables on which between-group equivalence can be demonstrated, to increase the length of the observation period, to expand the number and type of individual-level outcomes available for consideration, in addition to providing a foundation for more theoretical, universal policy assessments. Conclusions: Overall, this overview suggests that there is a significant and underutilized potential for the use of administrative register data to develop experimental tests of criminal justice and social welfare programming. Value is added to RCTs by increasing the quality of data available and reducing costs, relative to primary data collection, associated with such efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a pressing need to develop simplified sampling protocols that allow invertebrates to be routinely incorporated into terrestrial faunal surveys for informing conservation planning. This study assesses the usefulness of sampling invertebrate by-catch from standard vertebrate bucket pitfall traps for documenting spatial patterns of terrestrial invertebrates. We compare among-site (N = 78) patterns of species richness and composition of ten invertebrate families (comprising ants, beetles and spiders) captured in vertebrate bucket traps with those captured in two different arrays of invertebrate-specific pitfall traps. For three families (Formicidae, Carabidae and Lycosidae) patterns of richness and composition captured in the vertebrate traps were comparable with those captured in the invertebrate-specific trap arrays. Thus, in some cases, vertebrate traps appeared to be as useful in detecting patterns of invertebrate diversity as were invertebrate-specific traps. Our findings show that sampling invertebrate by-catch from vertebrate bucket traps can be a reliable and robust simplified protocol for documenting biodiversity patterns for some key groups of terrestrial invertebrates. This simplified protocol can take terrestrial invertebrates out of the 'too-hard basket' for biodiversity assessment and monitoring, breaking the positive-feedback loop that currently maintains ignorance of invertebrate diversity and distribution and that prevents their inclusion in conservation planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: As the development and progression of colorectal cancer (CRC) are known to be affected by the immune system, cell subsets such as T cells, natural killer (NK) cells, and natural killer T (NKT) cells are considered interesting targets for immunotherapy and clinical biomarker research. Until now, the role of systemic immune profiles in tumor progression remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to characterize the immunophenotype of circulating T cells, NK cells, and NKT-like cells in patients with CRC, and to subsequently correlate these immunophenotypes to clinical follow-up data. Methods: Using multiparameter flow cytometry, the subset distribution and immunophenotype of T cells (CD3+CD56−), CD56dim NK cells (CD3−CD56dim), CD56bright NK cells (CD3−CD56bright), and NKT-like (CD3+CD56+) cells were investigated in peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) samples from 71 CRC patients and 19 healthy donors. Results: CRC patients showed profound differences in immune cell subset distribution and their immunophenotype compared to healthy donors, as characterized by increased percentage of regulatory T cells, and reduced expression level of the natural cytotoxicity receptors NKp44 and NKp46 on both CD56dim NK cells and NKT-like cells. Finally, we showed in a multivariate analysis that above-median percentage of CD16+ NKT-like cells was independently associated with shorter disease-free survival in CRC patients. Conclusion: The altered phenotype of circulating immune cell subsets in CRC and its association with clinical outcome highlight the potential use of PBMC subsets as prognostic biomarkers in CRC, thereby contributing to better insight into the role of systemic immune profiles in tumor progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resource-ratio theory predicts that consumers should achieve optimal ratios of complementary nutrients. Accordingly, different trophic groups are expected to vary in their N-limitation depending on the extent to which they feed primarily on carbohydrate (CHO) or protein. Among arboreal ants, N-limitation ranges from high (for trophobiont tenders), intermediate (leaf foragers) and low (predators). We report results from a manipulative field experiment in a Brazilian savanna that tests the differential attractiveness of nitrogen and CHO to arboreal ants, as well as experimentally examines changes in broader ant foraging patterns in response to protein and CHO supplementation. Every tree within 32 20 × 20 m plots were supplemented with either protein, CHO; protein + CHO or a water control (n = 8 in each case) for a 7-day period in each of the wet and dry seasons. As predicted, different trophic groups responded differentially to supplementation treatment according to the extent of their N-limitation. The richness and abundance of the most N-limited group (trophobiont tenders) was highest at protein supplements, whereas less N-limited trophic groups showed highest species richness (leaf foragers) or abundance (predators) at CHO supplements. Protein supplementation markedly increased the general foraging abundance of trophobiont tenders, but decreased the abundance of leaf foragers. We attribute the latter to increased competition from behaviorally dominant trophobiont tenders. Our study provides experimental evidence that nutrient availability is a major factor influencing arboreal ant communities, both directly through the provision of different resources, and indirectly through increased competitive pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Terrestrial ectotherms are likely to be especially sensitive to rising temperatures over coming decades. Thermal limits are used to measure climatic tolerances that potentially affect ectotherm distribution. While there is a strong relationship between the critical thermal maximum (CTmax) of insects and their latitudinal ranges, the nature of this relationship across elevation is less clear. Here we investigated the combined relationships between CTmax, elevation and ant body mass, given that CTmax can also be influenced by body mass, in the World Heritage-listed rainforests of the Australian Wet Tropics. We measured the CTmax and body mass of 20 ant species across an elevational gradient from 350 to 1000 m a.s.l. Community CTmax did not vary systematically with increasing elevation and there was no correlation between elevation and elevational ranges of species. However, body mass significantly decreased at higher elevations. Despite the negative correlation between CTmax and body mass at the community level, there was no significant difference in CTmax of different-sized ants within a species. These findings are not consistent with either the climatic variability hypothesis, Rapoport’s rule or Bergmann’s rule. Models indicated that elevation and body mass had limited influences on CTmax. Our results suggest that the distribution of most montane ants in the region is not strongly driven by thermal limitation, and climate change will likely impact ant species differently. This is likely to occur primarily through changes in rainfall via its effects on vegetation structure and therefore thermal microhabitats, rather than through direct temperature changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gorillas are humans' closest living relatives after chimpanzees, and are of comparable importance for the study of human origins and evolution. Here we present the assembly and analysis of a genome sequence for the western lowland gorilla, and compare the whole genomes of all extant great ape genera. We propose a synthesis of genetic and fossil evidence consistent with placing the human-chimpanzee and human-chimpanzee-gorilla speciation events at approximately 6 and 10 million years ago. In 30% of the genome, gorilla is closer to human or chimpanzee than the latter are to each other; this is rarer around coding genes, indicating pervasive selection throughout great ape evolution, and has functional consequences in gene expression. A comparison of protein coding genes reveals approximately 500 genes showing accelerated evolution on each of the gorilla, human and chimpanzee lineages, and evidence for parallel acceleration, particularly of genes involved in hearing. We also compare the western and eastern gorilla species, estimating an average sequence divergence time 1.75 million years ago, but with evidence for more recent genetic exchange and a population bottleneck in the eastern species. The use of the genome sequence in these and future analyses will promote a deeper understanding of great ape biology and evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemical repellents are promoted as a method to reduce ungulate--vehicle collisions and ungulate browsing damages to agricultural and forestry resources. We tested the effectiveness of two odour repellents (Mota FL and Wolf Urine) on the foraging behaviour and area avoidance of free-ranging roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and red deer (Cervus elaphus). The effects of the repellents were assessed by comparing deer visitation rates to sand arenas before and after application of repellents and visitation rates to control arenas. Neither of the tested products reduced deer visitation rates. Rapid habituation to olfactory stimuli and lack of sensitivity to predator odours may explain the ineffectiveness of the repellents to alter the behaviour of the deer. The results indicate that the tested products have no effects on roe deer and red deer behaviour and suggest that the effectiveness of the chemical area repellents as a measure to reduce deer--vehicle collision risk and browsing damages is questionable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of competitive exclusion is problematic in highly diverse ant communities where exceptional species richness occurs in the face of exceptionally high levels of behavioural dominance. A possible non-niche-based explanation is that the abundance of behaviourally dominant ants is highly patchy at fine spatial scales, and subordinate species act as insinuators by preferentially occupying these gaps-we refer to this as the interstitial hypothesis. To test this hypothesis, we examined fine-scale patterns of ant abundance and richness according to a three-tiered competition hierarchy (dominants, subdominants and subordinates) in an Australian tropical savanna using pitfall traps spaced at 2 m intervals. Despite the presence of gaps in the fine-scale abundance of individual species, the combined abundance of dominant ants (species of Iridomyrmex, Papyirus and Oecophylla) was relatively uniform. There was therefore little or no opportunity for subordinate species to preferentially occupy gaps in the foraging ranges of dominant species, and we found no relationship between the abundance of dominant ants and nondominant species richness at fine spatial scales. However, we found a negative relationship between subdominant and subordinate ants, a negative relationship between dominant and subdominant ants, and a positive relationship between dominant and subordinate ants. These results suggest that dominant species actually promote species richness by neutralizing the effects of subdominant species on subordinate species. Such indirect interactions have very close parallels with three-tiered trophic cascades in food webs, and we propose a 'competition cascade' where the interactions are through a competition rather than trophic hierarchy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent advances in genome technologies and the ensuing outpouring of genomic information related to cancer have accelerated the convergence of discovery science and clinical medicine. Successful examples of translating cancer genomics into therapeutics and diagnostics reinforce its potential to make possible personalized cancer medicine. However, the bottlenecks along the path of converting a genome discovery into a tangible clinical endpoint are numerous and formidable. In this Perspective, we emphasize the importance of establishing the biological relevance of a cancer genomic discovery in realizing its clinical potential and discuss some of the major obstacles to moving from the bench to the bedside. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the first systematic description of the ant fauna of the dominant savanna landscapes of the remote northern Kimberley region of far northwestern Australia, an area of extremely high conservation value for other taxa. These conservation values are threatened by inappropriate fire regimes and invasion by the introduced cane toad Bufo marinus. Ants were sampled at 16 sites in the Mitchell Falls area, eight each on laterite and sandstone substrates, representing the two regionally dominant landforms. At each site, ants were sampled using 40 pitfall traps during the middle of the dry season (June/July) 2007, and a wide range of environmental variables was measured, covering vegetation and ground-layer structure, soil texture and chemistry, and time since fire. A total of 166 species from 33 genera were collected, with sample species richness ranging from 35 to 59 (mean 45.5) across the sites. The richest genera were Camponotus (21 species), Monomorium (20), Pheidole (14), Melophorus (14), Rhytidoponera (13), Meranoplus (12), Iridomyrmex (12), Polyrhachis (10) and Tetramorium (9). The dominant functional groups were Dominant Dolichoderinae (mostly species of Iridomyrmex) and Generalised Myrmicinae (mostly species of Monomorium and Pheidole), which together represented a relatively constant 80% of all ants at each site. The regional fauna is composed primarily of Torresian (tropical) and Eyrean (arid) taxa, which each contributed 42% of total species. The distributional range of individual species showed a strongly bimodal pattern, with about a third of total species known only from the Mitchell Falls area, and another third occurring throughout monsoonal northern Australia. Laterite and sandstone sites supported markedly different ant faunas. Ant distributions were only weakly related to time since fire. The overall functional group and biogeographical structure of the northern Kimberley ant fauna is similar to that of climatically comparable regions elsewhere in monsoonal northern Australia. However, the fauna is an especially significant one due to a high degree of regional endemism, which is attributed to the region's unusually high rainfall. Our findings indicate that the high conservation values attributed to the flora and vertebrate fauna of the northern Kimberley also apply to the region's insect fauna. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a case study which describes the management of Aboriginal fire in the wetlands of the World Heritage-listed Kakadu National Park in Kakadu, Northern Territory (N.T.). The study is undertaken through burning the wetlands and documenting its impacts through the use high-resolution, satellite remote sensing related to ground-truthing of vegetation cover. Results show that traditional fire management enhances biodiversity.

The use of indicator taxa as biodiversity surrogates has received widespread attention in conservation planning, but remains a highly contentious issue. Here we assess biodiversity surrogacy in the two most important biomes of tropical northeastern Brazil, Atlantic forest and Caatinga. We examine the extent to which species richness is correlated among taxonomic groups, and assess relationships between the richness of individual groups, and combinations of groups and total species richness. We introduce a new approach to dealing with autocorrelation between focal taxon richness and total species richness, using standardized data such that each taxon is given equal weight. Our Atlantic forest data covered seven taxa (bryophytes, pteridophytes, trees, ants, euglosine bees, birds, and mammals; total of 768 species) sampled from 12 sites; in Caatinga it was four taxa (trees, spiders, beetles and ants; total of 184 species) from 25 sites. Our results showed that: (1) in nearly all cases the species richnesses of individual taxa were significantly correlated with each other; (2) the species richnesses of most individual taxa were significantly correlated with total species richness in both biomes; (3) only two taxa were required for excellent ( R > 80%) surrogacy of total species richness in both biomes; and (4) the same two taxa (trees and ants) can provide reasonable ( R > 60%) surrogacy for total richness in these contrasting biomes. Our findings therefore suggest that the 'shopping basket of taxa' required for effective biodiversity surrogacy may not only need to be very small (two taxa), but may also be very limited in composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although it is common for ant surveys to uncover previously uncollected species, a recent study of subterranean ants in Amazonian Ecuador has indicated that an entire ant fauna may remain largely undiscovered. Here we report on the first systematic investigation of subterranean ants in northern Australia, in order to assess the extent to which the high abundance and diversity of subterranean ants in Amazonia is apparent in tropical Australia. We use a novel sampling technique that combines elements of an attractant bait and a pitfall trap, and allows many traps to be deployed simultaneously. Our main study was conducted at three closely approximated sites in Darwin, where the local ant fauna has been intensively surveyed using conventional (above-ground) sampling techniques. The 720 traps deployed resulted in 421 species records, representing 29 species from 17 genera. Sixteen of these species have cryptobiotic morphology, with four recorded here for the first time. Remarkably, one of these four (a blind species of Solenopsis) was the second most frequently caught species in subterranean traps, with 70 records. Ant abundance, species richness and composition varied markedly between sites, despite site similarity in soils and vegetation. Total ant records were greater in the middle compared with start of the wet season, declined with depth, and were greater after 4 days than one. Sampling at six sites in the Mitchell Falls area of the northern Kimberley region, 1,200 km southwest of Darwin, also revealed several cryptobiotic species new to science, including a new genus record ( Pseudolasius) for Western Australia. Our underground sampling has therefore revealed an abundant and diverse subterranean ant fauna in northern Australia, containing many cryptobiotic species not previously collected. We use our results to provide methodological guidelines for most effectively sampling this fauna. Combined with the Amazonian study, our findings indicate that a specialist subterranean ant fauna, including numerous species remaining to be discovered, might be a feature of tropical landscapes throughout the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar gravity modes (or g modes)—oscillations of the solar interior on which buoyancy acts as the restoring force—have the potential to provide unprecedented inference on the structure and dynamics of the solar core, inference that is not possible with the well-observed acoustic modes (or p modes). The relative high amplitude of the g-mode eigenfunctions in the core and the evanesence of the modes in the convection zone make the modes particularly sensitive to the physical and dynamical conditions in the core. Owing to the existence of the convection zone, the g modes have very low amplitudes at photospheric levels, which makes the modes extremely hard to detect. In this article, we review the current state of play regarding attempts to detect g modes. We review the theory of g modes, including theoretical estimation of the g-mode frequencies, amplitudes and damping rates. Then we go on to discuss the techniques that have been used to try to detect g modes. We review results in the literature, and finish by looking to the future, and the potential advances that can be made—from both data and data-analysis perspectives—to give unambiguous detections of individual g modes. The review ends by concluding that, at the time of writing, there is indeed a consensus amongst the authors that there is currently no undisputed detection of solar g modes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Constitutive activation of one or more kinase signaling pathways is a hallmark of many cancers. Here we extend the previously described mass spectrometry–based KAYAK approach by monitoring kinase activities from multiple signaling pathways simultaneously. This improved single-reaction strategy, which quantifies the phosphorylation of 90 synthetic peptides in a single mass spectrometry run, is compatible with nanogram to microgram amounts of cell lysate. Furthermore, the approach enhances kinase monospecificity through substrate competition effects, faithfully reporting the signatures of many signaling pathways after mitogen stimulation or of basal pathway activation differences across a panel of well-studied cancer cell lines. Hierarchical clustering of activities from related experiments groups peptides phosphorylated by similar kinases together and, when combined with pathway alteration using pharmacological inhibitors, distinguishes underlying differences in potency, off-target effects and genetic backgrounds. Finally, we introduce a strategy to identify the kinase, and even associated protein complex members, responsible for phosphorylation events of interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of partial root-zone drying (PRD) as compared with deficit irrigation (DI) and full irrigation (FI) on nitrogen (N) uptake and partitioning in potato ( Solanum tuberosum L.) were investigated. Potato plants were grown in split-root pots and were exposed to FI, PRD, and DI treatments at tuber bulking stage. Just before onset of the irrigation treatment, each plant received 0.6 g N (in the form of urea) with 5% of which was 15N-labeled. After 4 weeks of irrigation treatments (i.e., one drying/wetting cycles completed in the PRD treatment), the plants were harvested and plant dry mass and N content were determined. The results showed that although the plant dry mass was not affected by the irrigation treatments, due to a reduced water use by the plant, both the PRD and DI treatments significantly increased crop water use efficiency. Compared with the FI and DI plants, PRD plants had significantly higher N contents in the leaves, stems and tubers; whereas, the 15N content in the plant organs was similar for the FI, PRD, and DI plants. It is suggested that not the root N uptake efficiency but the soil N availability was enhanced by the PRD treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myrmecochory (seed dispersal by ants) is a prominent dispersal mechanism in many environments, and can play a key role in local vegetation dynamics. Here we investigate its interaction with another key process in vegetation dynamics—fire. We examine ant dispersal of seeds immediately before and after experimental burning in an Australian tropical savanna, one of the world’s most fire-prone ecosystems. Specifically, our study addressed the effects of burning on: (1) the composition of ants removing seeds, (2) number of seed removals, and (3) distance of seed dispersal. Fire led to higher rates of seed removal post-fire when compared with unburnt habitat, and markedly altered dispersal distance, with mean dispersal distance increasing more than twofold (from 1.6 to 3.8 m), and many distance dispersal events greater than the pre-fire maximum (7.55 m) being recorded. These changes were due primarily to longer foraging ranges of species of Iridomyrmex, most likely in response to the simplification of their foraging landscape. The significance of enhanced seed-removal rates and distance dispersal for seedling establishment is unclear because the benefits to plants in having their seeds dispersed by ants in northern Australia are poorly known. However, an enhanced removal rate would enhance any benefit of reduced predation by rodents. Similarly, the broader range of dispersal distances would appear to benefit plants in terms of reduced parent–offspring conflict and sibling competition, and the location of favourable seedling microsites. Given the high frequency of fire in Australian tropical savannas, enhanced benefits of seed dispersal by ants would apply for much of the year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For decades, silicon has been the material of choice for mass fabrication of electronics. This is in contrast to photonics, where passive optical components in silicon have only recently been realized. The slow progress within silicon optoelectronics, where electronic and optical functionalities can be integrated into monolithic components based on the versatile silicon platform, is due to the limited active optical properties of silicon. Recently, however, a continuous-wave Raman silicon laser was demonstrated; if an effective modulator could also be realized in silicon, data processing and transmission could potentially be performed by all-silicon electronic and optical components. Here we have discovered that a significant linear electro-optic effect is induced in silicon by breaking the crystal symmetry. The symmetry is broken by depositing a straining layer on top of a silicon waveguide, and the induced nonlinear coefficient, χ(2) ≈ 15 pm V-1, makes it possible to realize a silicon electro-optic modulator. The strain-induced linear electro-optic effect may be used to remove a bottleneck in modern computers by replacing the electronic bus with a much faster optical alternative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Field trials were established at three European sites (Denmark, Eastern France, South-West France) of genetically modified maize ( Zea mays L.) expressing the CryIAb Bacillus thuringiensis toxin (Bt), the near-isogenic non-Bt cultivar, another conventional maize cultivar and grass. Soil from Denmark was sampled at sowing (May) and harvest (October) over two years (2002, 2003); from E France at harvest 2002, sowing and harvest 2003; and from SW France at sowing and harvest 2003. Samples were analysed for microbial community structure (2003 samples only) by community-level physiological-profiling (CLPP) and phospholipid fatty acid analysis (PLFA), and protozoa and nematodes in all samples. Individual differences within a site resulted from: greater nematode numbers under grass than maize on three occasions; different nematode populations under the conventional maize cultivars once; and two occasions when there was a reduced protozoan population under Bt maize compared to non-Bt maize. Microbial community structure within the sites only varied with grass compared to maize, with one occurrence of CLPP varying between maize cultivars (Bt versus a conventional cultivar). An overall comparison of Bt versus non-Bt maize across all three sites only revealed differences for nematodes, with a smaller population under the Bt maize. Nematode community structure was different at each site and the Bt effect was not confined to specific nematode taxa. The effect of the Bt maize was small and within the normal variation expected in these agricultural systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The second messenger hydrogen peroxide is required for optimal activation of numerous signal transduction pathways, particularly those mediated by protein tyrosine kinases[SUP1-6]. One mechanism by which hydrogen peroxide regulates cellular processes is the transient inhibition of protein tyrosine phosphatases through the reversible oxidization of their catalytic cysteine, which suppresses protein dephosphorylation[SUP7-9]. Here we describe a structural analysis of the redox-dependent regulation of protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B), which is reversibly inhibited by oxidation after cells are stimulated with insulin[SUP8] and epidermal growth factor[SUP9]. The sulphenic acid intermediate produced in response to PTP1B oxidation is rapidly converted into a previously unknown sulphenyl-amide species, in which the sulphur atom of the catalytic cysteine is covalently linked to the main chain nitrogen of an adjacent residue. Oxidation of PTP1B to the sulphenyl-amide form is accompanied by large conformational changes in the catalytic site that inhibit substrate binding. We propose that this unusual protein modification both protects the active-site cysteine residue of PTP1B from irreversible oxidation to sulphonic acid and permits redox regulation of the enzyme by promoting its reversible reduction by thiols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

: We here report on scleroderma renal crisis (SRC) appearing concurrently with isolated pulmonary hypertension (IPHT), that is, pulmonary hypertension without interstitial lung disease with fibrosis, in a patient with mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) and in one with overlap syndrome or undifferentiated connective tissue disease (UCTD). To the best of our knowledge there are only five previous reports on SRC in MCTD and UCTD. The unexpected appearance of SRC in the setting of concomitant IPHT and limited or absent scleroderma skin changes is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A kinetic enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for plasma tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1 was developed in order to examine the potential diagnostic and prognostic value of TIMP-1 measurements in cancer patients. The ELISA enabled specific detection of total TIMP-1 in EDTA, citrate and heparin plasma. The assay was rigorously tested and requirements of sensitivity, specificity, stability and good recovery were fulfilled. TIMP-1 levels measured in citrate plasma (mean 69.2 ±13.1 μg l[SUP-1]) correlated with TIMP-1 measured in EDTA plasma (mean 73.5±14.2 μg l[SUP-1]) from the same individuals in a set of 100 healthy blood donors (Spearman's rho = 0.62, P < 0.0001). The mean level of TIMP-1 in EDTA plasma from 143 patients with Dukes' stage D colorectal cancer was 240±145 μg l[SUP-1] and a Mann-Whitney test demonstrated a highly significant difference between TIMP-1 levels in healthy blood donors and colorectal cancer patients (P < 0.0001). Similar findings were obtained for 19 patients with advanced breast cancer (mean 292±331 μg l[SUP-1]). The results show that TIMP-1 is readily measured in plasma samples by ELISA and that increased levels of TIMP-1 are found in patients with advanced cancer. It is proposed that plasma measurements of TIMP-1 may have value in the management of cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pheidole megacephala is an exotic ant species that has severely affected native invertebrate biodiversity throughout the tropics. Its impacts have been documented extensively in relatively depauperate invertebrate communities, but not in species-rich habitats such as tropical rain forests. Here we describe the local distribution of P. megacephala and its impacts on native invertebrate assemblages in and around a rain forest patch at Howard Springs, in Australia's monsoonal tropics. P. megacephala was found to be confined to a single area of approximately 25 ha, with its distribution centered on drainage lines and the rain forest. Significant but weak correlations were found between its abundance and vegetative canopy cover (positive) and distance from the rain forest (negative). In the most heavily infested area within the rain forest, the abundance of P. megacephala was 37–110 times that of total native ant abundance found within uninfested plots, as measured by pitfall traps. The abundance and richness of native ants and other invertebrates were significantly reduced in litter samples, pitfall catches and foliage beats where P. megacephala was present, inversely relative to the abundance of P. megacephala. Only two individuals of a single native ant species were found within the most infested plot, with native ant richness being reduced to about half in the least infested plot. The most persistent functional groups of native ants in infested plots were Cryptic species, which forage primarily within soil and leaf litter, and Opportunists, which exhibit highly generalised foraging behaviour. The highest abundance of P. megacephala corresponded with a 42–85% decrease in the abundance of other native invertebrates. Insect larvae were totally absent from foliage beats collected at the most heavily infested plot. P. megacephala was found overall to be expanding its range, averaging 12 m range expansion in the dry season and contracting 7 m in the wet season. It is able to spread into surrounding savanna habitats by occupying relatively sheltered microsites, such as beneath logs and at the bases of trees. However, it is unlikely to attain high population densities in open savanna habitats because of its relative intolerance of desiccation, and the prevalence of behaviourally dominant native ant species. Howard Springs is currently the only rain forest patch in monsoonal Australia known to be infested by P. megacephala, but clearly this ant is a serious potential threat to the region's rain forest invertebrate fauna. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The last steps in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction are tensioning and fixation of the ligament. However, how much tension should be applied to the ligament in general or in each individual and in which position the ligament should be fixed remain unanswered questions. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of increasing ligament tension on the immediate postoperative kinematic state of the ACL-reconstructed knee. Nine cadaver knees were mounted in a mechanical measuring device based on a redesign of the Genucom knee testing system, so that the femur was fixed to a force plate and the moving tibia to a goniometer arm for registration of movement. The ligament was attached on the tibial side to a Kistler load cell and a turnbuckle for adjustment of ligament tension. The ligament was tensioned at 30° of flexion with 5, 33, 66, 99 and 132 N. The cadaver knees were tested with an intact ACL, after sacrifice of the ACL and after reconstruction of the ACL with an ABC ligament. Results showed that there was a significant decrease in knee motion when the tension was higher than 33 N. This resulted in an overconstrained knee with less anteroposterior translation, internal-external rotation and varus-valgus movement compared with the uninjured knee. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study deals with the influence of peroperative ligament tension on total tibial rotation at different knee flexion angles. Fourteen human cadaver knees with a mean age of 56 years (range 42–84 years) were examined. The cadaver knees were subjected to internal/external (i/e) rotational torque of 6 Nm, at 10, 30, 50, 70 and 90 deg of knee flexion. The mean total i/e rotation with the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) intact at 10 deg of knee flexion was 30.4 deg and after removing the ACL, 33.1 deg. At 10 and 30 deg of knee flexion, the increase in i/e rotation was significant, while there was no significant difference in mean values at greater knee flexion. Ligament reconstruction with a tension of 5 N at 30 deg of knee flexion using either the over the top or through the femoral condyle reconstructive procedure restored normal tibial rotation. With increased graft tension the knee motion was increasingly restricted at low angles of knee flexion. Our results indicate that the ACL does play a role in limiting axial rotation, and even minor tensioning forces introduced in any of the two ACL reconstructions used produced restricted knee motion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reviews the methodology and results of published studies concerned with tension in the natural and reconstructed anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). This also includes studies of fiber length changes with knee motion and the relationships between graft tunnel placements and isometricity. Little work has been done in vivo: in humans, length changes of the anterior ACL fibers have been measured at operation, while animal longitudinal studies have been few and have given conflicting results. Work in vitro has used many methods to study ACL tension directly or indirectly, via length changes in fibers, but many authors have reported variable results, caused partly by inter-specimen differences and lack of control of forces or kinematics. It seems likely that different grafts require different peroperative tensions to restore normal stability when measured immediately after application at one knee position. But graft placement and the angle at which tensioning is performed also matter. Over-tensioning constrains knees under load cycling. Similarly, it is difficult to measure and therefore also to decide how tension should be distributed between an ACL graft and and augmentation to the graft. It was concluded that the published studies provide many guidelines for the effects of different graft placements or tensioning protocols but, overall, there is little firm evidence on which to recommend any particular ACL reconstruction protocol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of International Orthopaedics is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Irrigation water salinity is one of the factors that reduces agricultural production. Guilan Province is one of the most important rice-producing areas in Iran where groundwater is used for irrigation. The temporal and spatial variations of groundwater salinity were studied in the coastal strip covering 4285 km2 of the province using data from 73 wells, as well as its estimated effect on the rice yield. Data on mean electrical conductivity (EC) for each 6-month period of 12 consecutive years, from the second half of 2002 until the end of 2014, were analyzed and resulted in 25 mean ECs. EC maps and maps of the probability of higher salinity areas were obtained by using ordinary kriging (OK) and indicator kriging (IK) in ArcGIS 9.3 software, respectively. Thereby, areas belonging to different salinity classes were outlined and places with higher salinity reducing the rice yield were identified. In addition, the Mann–Kendall test and Sen's slope were used to project future changes. The results indicated that due to the salinity of groundwater in the coastal strip area, the minimum and the maximum rice yields were 80% and 100%, respectively. Using the IK method, higher probability of groundwater salinity reducing the yield was found from the central parts toward the east. The Mann–Kendal test result showed significant temporal trends of the size of areas below the 100% yield (EC < 1 dS/m) and 90–100% yield (1 < EC < 1.34 dS/m) thresholds. The equations given by Sen's slope estimator indicated that the groundwater salinity will not be a limiting factor for achieving 100% rice yields from the year of 2021 onward in all of the Guilan coastal area. The trend of increasing precipitation in the area may be an important cause. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Systemic sclerosis (SSc or scleroderma) is an auto-immune disease characterized by skin fibrosis. While primary cells from patients are considered as a unique resource to better understand human disease biology, the effect of in vitro culture on these cells and their evaluation as a platform to identify disease regulators remain poorly characterized. The goal of our studies was to provide insights into the utility of SSc dermal fibroblast primary cells for therapeutic target discovery. The disease phenotypes of freshly isolated and in vitro cultured SSc dermal fibroblasts were characterized using whole transcriptome profiling, alpha smooth muscle actin (ASMA) expression and cell impedance. SSc dermal fibroblasts retained most of the molecular disease phenotype upon in vitro culture for at least four cell culture passages (approximatively 10 cell doublings). We validated an RNA interference high throughput assay that successfully identified genes affecting the myofibroblast phenotype of SSc skin fibroblasts. These genes included MKL1, RHOA and LOXL2 that were previously proposed as therapeutic anti-fibrotic target, and ITGA5, that has been less studied in fibrosis biology and may be a novel potential modifier of SSc fibroblast biology. Together our results demonstrated the value of carefully-phenotyped SSc dermal fibroblasts as a platform for SSc target and drug discovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CD163 is the macrophage receptor for uptake of hemoglobin-haptoglobin complexes. The human receptor can be shed from the macrophage surface owing to a cleavage site for the inflammation-inducible TACE/ADAM17 enzyme. Accordingly, plasma 'soluble CD163' (sCD163) has become a biomarker for macrophage activity and inflammation. The present study disclosed that 10% of sCD163 in healthy persons is actually extracellular vesicle (EV)-associated CD163 not being cleaved and shed. Endotoxin injection of human volunteers caused a selective increase in the ectodomain CD163, while septic patients exhibited high levels of both soluble ectodomain CD163 and extracellular vesicle (EV) CD163, the latter representing up 60% of total plasma CD163. A poor prognosis of septic patients measured as the sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score correlated with the increase in membrane-associated CD163. Our results show that soluble ectodomain CD163 and EV CD163 in plasma are part of separate macrophage response in the context of systemic inflammation. While that soluble ectodomain CD163 is released during the acute systemic inflammatory response, this is not the case for EV CD163 that instead may be released during a later phase of the inflammatory response. A separate measurement of the two forms of CD163 constituting 'soluble CD163' in plasma may therefore add to the diagnostic and prognostic value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]