A Comparison of the Forest Floras along the Des Moines and Missouri Rivers

A cursory examination of the deciduous forest of eastern North America, at intervals from its center (14) in the Ohio River basin westward, discloses changes in the structure of the forest characterized chiefly by a reduction in number of species and in the abundance and size of the component trees. Beyond the Mississippi river in Iowa and eastern Nebraska the forest flora is concentrated chiefly along streams flowing diagonally southeastward. Bordering these streams the deciduous forest extends into the prairie

Effect of Burning on Seedstalk Production of Native Prairie Grasses

This study was conducted on the Hayden prairie, located in northeastern Iowa and involved a further investigation of the effects of burning on the growth of certain native prairie grasses as to relative production of various plant parts. The measurements are of plants taken from an upland prairie area burned in 1956 and an adjacent unburned area

Association of respiratory symptoms and lung function with occupation in the multinational Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease (BOLD) study

Background Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease has been associated with exposures in the workplace. We aimed to assess the association of respiratory symptoms and lung function with occupation in the Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease study. Methods We analysed cross-sectional data from 28 823 adults (≥40 years) in 34 countries. We considered 11 occupations and grouped them by likelihood of exposure to organic dusts, inorganic dusts and fumes. The association of chronic cough, chronic phlegm, wheeze, dyspnoea, forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1)/FVC with occupation was assessed, per study site, using multivariable regression. These estimates were then meta-analysed. Sensitivity analyses explored differences between sexes and gross national income. Results Overall, working in settings with potentially high exposure to dusts or fumes was associated with respiratory symptoms but not lung function differences. The most common occupation was farming. Compared to people not working in any of the 11 considered occupations, those who were farmers for ≥20 years were more likely to have chronic cough (OR 1.52, 95% CI 1.19–1.94), wheeze (OR 1.37, 95% CI 1.16–1.63) and dyspnoea (OR 1.83, 95% CI 1.53–2.20), but not lower FVC (β=0.02 L, 95% CI −0.02–0.06 L) or lower FEV1/FVC (β=0.04%, 95% CI −0.49–0.58%). Some findings differed by sex and gross national income. Conclusion At a population level, the occupational exposures considered in this study do not appear to be major determinants of differences in lung function, although they are associated with more respiratory symptoms. Because not all work settings were included in this study, respiratory surveillance should still be encouraged among high-risk dusty and fume job workers, especially in low- and middle-income countries.publishedVersio

Cohort Profile: Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease (BOLD) study

The Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease (BOLD) study was established to assess the prevalence of chronic airflow obstruction, a key characteristic of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and its risk factors in adults (≥40 years) from general populations across the world. The baseline study was conducted between 2003 and 2016, in 41 sites across Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, the Caribbean and Oceania, and collected high-quality pre- and post-bronchodilator spirometry from 28 828 participants. The follow-up study was conducted between 2019 and 2021, in 18 sites across Africa, Asia, Europe and the Caribbean. At baseline, there were in these sites 12 502 participants with high-quality spirometry. A total of 6452 were followed up, with 5936 completing the study core questionnaire. Of these, 4044 also provided high-quality pre- and post-bronchodilator spirometry. On both occasions, the core questionnaire covered information on respiratory symptoms, doctor diagnoses, health care use, medication use and ealth status, as well as potential risk factors. Information on occupation, environmental exposures and diet was also collected

Distribution and Structure of the Forests of Eastern Nebraska

This paper is a study of the distribution and structure of the forests of extreme eastern Nebraska. The Missouri river, which forms the eastern boundary of the state, has so greatly modified the climate, that along its course an arm of the deciduous forest extends far into the grassland. Most of the trees and shrubs composing this forest are at the extreme western limit of their range. The range, grouping, and behavior of the several dominants and subdominants, under the environmental conditions imposed upon them, and the transition of forest to grassland are the subjects of this investigation. This region has been of interest to botanists since the time of the earliest explorations of the nineteenth century. The explorers (Lewis and Clark, 1803-1806; Nuttall and Bradbury, 1808; the Nicollet expedition, 1843; Warren, 1857) usually confined their activities to the woodlands along the natural highways, the streams; excursions into the prairie beyond being infrequent. Systematic investigation of the flora of Nebraska was begun in 1884 by Bessey. This resulted in the publication of numerous preliminary papers. Of these there may be mentioned the studies of the distribution of certain woody species (1887) and notes on the age and circumference of different trees planted in the prairie. A final list of the forest trees of Nebraska based on herbarium specimens was published in 1898. Bates (1894) in his notes on trees and shrubs of northern Nebraska discussed their distribution, and Pool (1919) in his handbook of Nebraska trees also gives their distribution in the state. Pound and Clements (1900) divided the state into regions based upon the natural vegetation. The woodlands were subdivided into types. The formulation of the developmental system of classification of plant communities and an increased knowledge of plant succession (Clements, 1916), together with the development of modern methods of quantitative ecology, make possible a thorough and exact study of the environment and the distribution of forest communities

Rethinking the Relationship between Christianity and World Religions, and Exploring Its Implications for Doing Christian Mission in Asia

This essay explores the relationship between Christianity and other world religions, and considers its implications for doing Christian mission in Asia. It seeks to respond to the question of how Asian Christians are being challenged to formulate their understanding of the relationship between Christianity and other world religions. It also reflects upon the implications of this relationship for doing Christian mission in Asia in the midst of the resurgence and renewed vitality o f indigenous religions in postcolonial Asia