Ecotones in a changing environment: Workshop on ecotones and global change

The Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment (SCOPE) has organized an international project to synthesize and advance current theory on the influence of ecotones, or transition zones between ecosystems, on biodiversity and flows of energy, nutrients, water, and project is other materials between ecosystems. In particular, the entire project is designed to evaluate the influence of global climate change and land-use practices on biodiversity and ecological flows associated with ecotones, and will assess the feasibility of monitoring ecotones as early indicators of global change. The later stages of the project will recommend landscape management strategies for ecotones that produce desirable patterns of biodiversity and ecological flows. The result of the project--a comprehensive body of information on the theory and management of biodiversity and ecological flows associated with ecotones--will be part of the planning for research to be carried out under the International Geosphere-Biosphere Program

Illinois Natural History Survey Annual Report: Highlights 1983-1984

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Interpreting forest and grassland biome productivity utilizing nested scales of image resolution and biogeographical analysis

Several hardware, software, and data collection problems encountered were conquered. The Geographic Information System (GIS) data from other systems were converted to ERDAS format for incorporation with the image data. Statistical analysis of the relationship between spectral values and productivity is being pursued. Several project sites, including Jackson, Pope, Boulder, Smokies, and Huntington Forest are evolving as the most intensively studied areas, primarily due to availability of data and time. Progress with data acquisition and quality checking, more details on experimental sites, and brief summarizations of research results and future plans are discussed. Material on personnel, collaborators, facilities, site background, and meetings and publications of the investigators are included

Heterocyst placement strategies to maximize growth of cyanobacterial filaments

Under conditions of limited fixed-nitrogen, some filamentous cyanobacteria develop a regular pattern of heterocyst cells that fix nitrogen for the remaining vegetative cells. We examine three different heterocyst placement strategies by quantitatively modelling filament growth while varying both external fixed-nitrogen and leakage from the filament. We find that there is an optimum heterocyst frequency which maximizes the growth rate of the filament; the optimum frequency decreases as the external fixed-nitrogen concentration increases but increases as the leakage increases. In the presence of leakage, filaments implementing a local heterocyst placement strategy grow significantly faster than filaments implementing random heterocyst placement strategies. With no extracellular fixed-nitrogen, consistent with recent experimental studies of Anabaena sp. PCC 7120, the modelled heterocyst spacing distribution using our local heterocyst placement strategy is qualitatively similar to experimentally observed patterns. As external fixed-nitrogen is increased, the spacing distribution for our local placement strategy retains the same shape while the average spacing between heterocysts continuously increases.Comment: This is an author-created, un-copyedited version of an article accepted for publication in Physical Biology. IOP Publishing Ltd is not responsible for any errors or omissions in this version of the manuscript or any version derived from it. The definitive publisher-authenticated version will be available onlin

Estimation of the ratio of the pn -> pn pi0 pi0/pn -> d pi0 pi0 cross sections

Evidence has recently been presented for the existence of a dibaryon of mass 2380 MeV/c^2 and width 70 MeV/c^2, which decays strongly into the d pi0 pi0 channel [M. Bashkanov et al., Phys.Rev.Lett. 102 (2009) 052301; P. Adlarson et al., arXiv:1104.0123]. The decay rate of such a hypothesised dibaryon into the {pn}_{I=0} pi0 pi0 channel is estimated in a weakly model-dependent way by using final state interaction theory. It is shown that, if the resonance exists, it should then show up as strongly in this channel as in d pi0 pi0. The sum of the two decay modes would saturate most of the inelasticity predicted in the relevant partial waves in the 2380 MeV/c^2 region.Comment: Four pages plus three postscript figure

The International Long Term Ecological Research Network: a platform for collaboration

Many scientists around the world became interested in the U.S. Long Term Ecological Research (U.S. LTER) Network\u27s research model during the 1990s and began to develop LTER and Long Term Socio-ecological Research networks in their own countries. These local networks, including the U.S. LTER Network, were loosely federated in 1993 to form the International Long Term Ecological Research (ILTER) Network, a “network of networks.” Although the first 10 yr of ILTER Network activities were largely supported by funds from the U.S. National Science Foundation, the ILTER Network had transformed into a robust, self-sustaining entity by 2006 following a two-year strategic planning process. The goal of the ILTER Network is to improve understanding of how pressures such as climate change and land use affect global ecosystems in order to inform solutions to current and future environmental problems. To fulfill this mission, the ILTER Network fosters collaborations among member scientists to extend the scope of their research across disciplinary boundaries and across more of the ILTER\u27s 600+ research sites. The ILTER Network also has many long-term data sets that are freely available for use by students, scientists, and policymakers all over the world. In this collection of papers, we consider how the ILTER Network has been, and will be, leveraged by U.S. researchers to advance understanding of ecological and socio-ecological systems around the globe

Interpreting forest and grassland biome productivity utilizing nested scales of image resolution and biogeographical analysis

Data acquisition, initial site characterization, image and geographic information methods available, and brief evaluations of first-year for NASA's Thematic Mapper (TM) working group are presented. The TM and other spectral data are examined in order to relate local, intensive ecosystem research findings to estimates of carbon cycling rates over wide geographic regions. The effort is to span environments ranging from dry to moist climates and from good to poor site quality using the TM capability, with and without the inclusion of geographic information system (GIS) data, and thus to interpret the local spatial pattern of factors conditioning biomass or productivity. Twenty-eight TM data sets were acquired, archived, and evaluated. The ERDAS image processing and GIS system were installed on the microcomputer (PC-AT) and its capabilities are being investigated. The TM coverage of seven study areas were exported via ELAS software on the Prime to the ERDAS system. Statistical analysis procedures to be used on the spectral data are being identified

Influence of temporal lobe epilepsy and temporal lobe resection on olfaction

Although temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) and resection (TLR) impact olfactory eloquent brain structures, their influences on olfaction remain enigmatic. We sought to more definitively assess the influences of TLE and TLR using three well-validated olfactory tests and the tests’ associations with the volume of numerous temporal lobe brain structures. The University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test and an odor detection threshold test were administered to 71 TLE patients and 71 age- and sex-matched controls; 69 TLE patients and controls received an odor discrimination/ memory test. Fifty-seven patients and 57 controls were tested on odor identification and threshold before and after TLR; 27 patients and 27 controls were similarly tested for odor detection/discrimination. Scores were compared using analysis of variance and correlated with pre- and post-operative volumes of the target brain structures. TLE was associated with bilateral deficits in all test measures. TLR further decreased function on the side ipsilateral to resection. The hippocampus and other structures were smaller on the focus side of the TLE subjects. Although post-operative volumetric decreases were evident in most measured brain structures, modest contralateral volumetric increases were observed in some cases. No meaningful correlations were evident pre- or post-operatively between the olfactory test scores and the structural volumes. In conclusion, we demonstrate that smell dysfunction is clearly a key element of both TLE and TLR, impacting odor identification, detection, and discrimination/memory. Whether our novel finding of significant post-operative increases in the volume of brain structures contralateral to the resection side reflects plasticity and compensatory processes requires further study

Mechanistic illustration: How newly‐formed blood vessels stopped by the mineral blocks of bone substitutes can be avoided by using innovative combined therapeutics

One major limitation for the vascularization of bone substitutes used for filling is the presence of mineral blocks. The newly-formed blood vessels are stopped or have to circumvent the mineral blocks, resulting in inefficient delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the implant. This leads to necrosis within the implant and to poor engraftment of the bone substitute. The aim of the present study is to provide a bone substitute currently used in the clinic with suitably guided vascularization properties. This therapeutic hybrid bone filling, containing a mineral and a polymeric component, is fortified with pro-angiogenic smart nano-therapeutics that allow the release of angiogenic molecules. Our data showed that the improved vasculature within the implant promoted new bone formation and that the newly-formed bone swapped the mineral blocks of the bone substitutes much more efficiently than in non-functionalized bone substitutes. Therefore, we demonstrated that our therapeutic bone substitute is an advanced therapeutical medicinal product, with great potential to recuperate and guide vascularization that is stopped by mineral blocks, and can improve the regeneration of critical-sized bone defects. We have also elucidated the mechanism to understand how the newly-formed vessels can no longer encounter mineral blocks and pursue their course of vasculature, giving our advanced therapeutical bone filling great potential to be used in many applications, by combining filling and nano-regenerative medicine that currently fall short because of problems related to the lack of oxygen and nutrients

Evaluation of early and late presentation of patients with ocular mucous membrane pemphigoid to two major tertiary referral hospitals in the United Kingdom

PURPOSE: Ocular mucous membrane pemphigoid (OcMMP) is a sight-threatening autoimmune disease in which referral to specialists units for further management is a common practise. This study aims to describe referral patterns, disease phenotype and management strategies in patients who present with either early or established disease to two large tertiary care hospitals in the United Kingdom.\ud \ud PATIENTS AND METHODS: In all, 54 consecutive patients with a documented history of OcMMP were followed for 24 months. Two groups were defined: (i) early-onset disease (EOD:<3 years, n=26, 51 eyes) and (ii) established disease (EstD:>5 years, n=24, 48 eyes). Data were captured at first clinic visit, and at 12 and 24 months follow-up. Information regarding duration, activity and stage of disease, visual acuity (VA), therapeutic strategies and clinical outcome were analysed.\ud \ud RESULTS: Patients with EOD were younger and had more severe conjunctival inflammation (76% of inflamed eyes) than the EstD group, who had poorer VA (26.7%=VA<3/60, P<0.01) and more advanced disease. Although 40% of patients were on existing immunosuppression, 48% required initiation or switch to more potent immunotherapy. In all, 28% (14) were referred back to the originating hospitals for continued care. Although inflammation had resolved in 78% (60/77) at 12 months, persistence of inflammation and progression did not differ between the two phenotypes. Importantly, 42% demonstrated disease progression in the absence of clinically detectable inflammation.\ud \ud CONCLUSIONS: These data highlight that irrespective of OcMMP phenotype, initiation or escalation of potent immunosuppression is required at tertiary hospitals. Moreover, the conjunctival scarring progresses even when the eye remains clinically quiescent. Early referral to tertiary centres is recommended to optimise immunosuppression and limit long-term ocular damage.\ud \u