Implications of Manipulations of Soil Quality on the Growth of European Buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) in a Greenhouse

European buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica L.) is an invasive shrub that is capable of changing the nitrogen content of a soil through the deposition of its nitrogen rich leaf litter. This change creates conditions that may favor recolonizing by buckthorn and negatively affect the growth of native plants. In this greenhouse experiment, we examined the effect of altering soil quality by adding mulch comprised of buckthorn wood on above and belowground biomass, stem length and leaf production of buckthorn saplings. We found that buckthorn saplings planted in buckthorn mulch had reduced stem length and leaf production compared to growth in control sites. Extrapolating from these results we suggest that amending soils in sites set aside for biodiversity conservation and restoration may result in reduced growth of this invasive shrub

Rooted In Soil

https://via.library.depaul.edu/museum-publications/1013/thumbnail.jp

Climate of Uncertainty

https://via.library.depaul.edu/museum-publications/1008/thumbnail.jp

Pharmaceutical companies' policies on access to trial data, results, and methods: audit study.

Objectives To identify the policies of major pharmaceutical companies on transparency of trials, to extract structured data detailing each companies' commitments, and to assess concordance with ethical and professional guidance.Design Structured audit.Setting Pharmaceutical companies, worldwide.Participants 42 pharmaceutical companies.Main outcome measures Companies' commitments on sharing summary results, clinical study reports (CSRs), individual patient data (IPD), and trial registration, for prospective and retrospective trials.Results Policies were highly variable. Of 23 companies eligible from the top 25 companies by revenue, 21 (91%) committed to register all trials and 22 (96%) committed to share summary results; however, policies commonly lacked timelines for disclosure, and trials on unlicensed medicines and off-label uses were only included in six (26%). 17 companies (74%) committed to share the summary results of past trials. The median start date for this commitment was 2005. 22 companies (96%) had a policy on sharing CSRs, mostly on request: two committed to share only synopses and only two policies included unlicensed treatments. 22 companies (96%) had a policy to share IPD; 14 included phase IV trials (one included trials on unlicensed medicines and off-label uses). Policies in the exploratory group of smaller companies made fewer transparency commitments. Two companies fell short of industry body commitments on registration, three on summary results. Examples of contradictory and ambiguous language were documented and summarised by theme. 23/42 companies (55%) responded to feedback; 7/1806 scored policy elements were revised in light of feedback from companies (0.4%). Several companies committed to changing policy; some made changes immediately.Conclusions The commitments made by companies to transparency of trials were highly variable. Other than journal submission for all trials within 12 months, all elements of best practice were met by at least one company, showing that these commitments are realistic targets

The Nature Drawings of Peter Karklins

https://via.library.depaul.edu/museum-publications/1010/thumbnail.jp

Earthworm invasion into previously earthworm-free temperate and boreal forests

Earthworms are keystone detritivores that can influence primary producers by changing seedbed conditions, soil characteristics, flow of water, nutrients and carbon, and plant–herbivore interactions. The invasion of European earthworms into previously earthworm-free temperate and boreal forests of North America dominated by Acer, Quercus, Betula, Pinus and Populus has provided ample opportunity to observe how earthworms engineer ecosystems. Impacts vary with soil parent material, land use history, and assemblage of invading earthworm species. Earthworms reduce the thickness of organic layers, increase the bulk density of soils and incorporate litter and humus materials into deeper horizons of the soil profile, thereby affecting the whole soil food web and the above ground plant community. Mixing of organic and mineral materials turns mor into mull humus which significantly changes the distribution and community composition of the soil microflora and seedbed conditions for vascular plants. In some forests earthworm invasion leads to reduced availability and increased leaching of N and P in soil horizons where most fine roots are concentrated. Earthworms can contribute to a forest decline syndrome, and forest herbs in the genera Aralia, Botrychium, Osmorhiza, Trillium, Uvularia, and Viola are reduced in abundance during earthworm invasion. The degree of plant recovery after invasion varies greatly among sites and depends on complex interactions with soil processes and herbivores. These changes are likely to alter competitive relationships among plant species, possibly facilitating invasion of exotic plant species such as Rhamnus cathartica into North American forests, leading to as yet unknown changes in successional trajectory

Obesity in adults: a 2022 adapted clinical practice guideline for Ireland

This Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) for the management of obesity in adults in Ireland, adapted from the Canadian CPG, defines obesity as a complex chronic disease characterised by excess or dysfunctional adiposity that impairs health. The guideline reflects substantial advances in the understanding of the determinants, pathophysiology, assessment, and treatment of obesity. It shifts the focus of obesity management toward improving patient-centred health outcomes, functional outcomes, and social and economic participation, rather than weight loss alone. It gives recommendations for care that are underpinned by evidence-based principles of chronic disease management; validate patients' lived experiences; move beyond simplistic approaches of "eat less, move more" and address the root drivers of obesity. People living with obesity face substantial bias and stigma, which contribute to increased morbidity and mortality independent of body weight. Education is needed for all healthcare professionals in Ireland to address the gap in skills, increase knowledge of evidence-based practice, and eliminate bias and stigma in healthcare settings. We call for people living with obesity in Ireland to have access to evidence-informed care, including medical, medical nutrition therapy, physical activity and physical rehabilitation interventions, psychological interventions, pharmacotherapy, and bariatric surgery. This can be best achieved by resourcing and fully implementing the Model of Care for the Management of Adult Overweight and Obesity. To address health inequalities, we also call for the inclusion of obesity in the Structured Chronic Disease Management Programme and for pharmacotherapy reimbursement, to ensure equal access to treatment based on health-need rather than ability to pay

Data from: Below-ground causes and consequences of woodland shrub invasions: a novel paired-point framework reveals new insights

1. Confirming the impacts of invasive plants is essential for prioritizing management efforts, but is challenging, especially if impacts occur below ground and over long periods as hypothesized for woodland shrub invasions. 2. For this reason, we developed a novel “paired-point” framework capable of detecting the below-ground impacts of slow-growing invasive plants from short-term datasets in an investigation into the below-ground consequences of European buckthorn Rhamnus cathartica L. (hereafter buckthorn) invasions into Chicago-area woodlands. We measured differences between the members of 97 pairs of buckthorn-invaded and buckthorn-free points in ten below-ground response variables (RVs) that buckthorn is hypothesized to alter (listed below). We then modelled these differences (ΔRVs) in response to the severity of the invasion found at each invaded point. A relationship (linear or non-linear) between a ΔRV and severity, i.e. slope ≠ 0, suggests a buckthorn-induced change. An intercept (value of ΔRV where severity = 0) different from zero suggests a pre-existing difference. 3. Relating differences to an invasion gradient rather than simply noting their presence provided evidence that the higher levels of moisture, pH, total C, total N, NH4+-N, and Ca2+ in invaded soils pre-date and possibly promote invasion (particularly Ca2+), and that neither earthworm biomass nor soil C:N ratios are associated with buckthorn invasion, all of which suggest buckthorn to be less of a “driver” of below-ground change than hypothesized. We did, however, find evidence that buckthorn establishes in areas having greater leaf-litter mass and higher rates of decomposition, and then proceeds to accelerate decomposition further and to alter spring soil NO3--N levels. 4. Synthesis and applications. Our findings suggest that decisions regarding regional buckthorn management should be less driven by concerns about buckthorn's below-ground impacts, and that greater consideration of how variation in below-ground factors relates to invader establishment is needed, rather than simply assuming this variation to be invader-induced. This latter consideration can help to design better-targeted monitoring programs, limiting the further spread of woodland invaders. These insights illustrate the utility of the paired-point framework both for investigating below-ground causes and consequences of slow-growing invasive plants and for guiding the management of these invasions

European Buckthorn {Rhamnus cathartica) and its Effects on Some Ecosystem Properties in

suggests that successful woodland restoration following buckthorn removal may require soil amelioration. The proliferation of invasive species and their effects on local diversity has emerged as a priority issue in ecological conservation (Mooney and Hobbs 2000). Akhouqh the majority of invasive species remain minor components of the invaded assemblages, some species become dominant members and may, as a consequence, substantially modify both the composition and the function of ecosystems {Williamst)n 1996). Researchers have paid increasing attention to the potential of invasive species to alter aspects of ecosystem function {D'Antonio and Vitousek 1992, Lodge 1993, Williamson 1996). but only recently have quantitative data been available about the indirect effects ofthe.s