Population Study of the Golden Chicken Fern (Cibotium Barometz (L.) J. Sm. in Riau Province, Sumatra

Cibotium barometz (L.) J.Sm. (Cibotiaceae) is an important export commodity for both traditional and mod-ern medicine. Populations of this species in several countries have decreased rapidly due to the uncontrolled collection of the rhizome parts for medicinal purposes. Since 1976, this species has been included in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). This means that no export is allowed without a prior permit issued by the CITES committee. In order to utilize an endangered species sustainably, the global NDF (Non-Detriments Finding) system is applied for determining annual quotas. Therefore, monitoring and updating the inventory of C. barometz in its natural habitat should be carried out annually. A population study of C. barometz carried out in 2011 in Riau Province, Sumatra, is reported here. The aims of the study were: 1) to inventory C. barometz and determine its variation in Riau Province, Suma-tra, 2) to study the distribution and ecology of C. barometz, and 3) to assess the population size of this spe-cies by using random search methodology incorporating belt line transects. Two variants of C. barometz are recognized; they are the golden yellow and golden brown variants. C. barometz is distributed in eight loca-tions of Kampar District of Riau Province, in the secondary forest and rubber agroforest between 80 m and 600 m above sea level (asl). This species grows well in open to partially opened areas of secondary forest and rubber plantation in hills with a range of slope between 30° and 90°, with a relatively high humidity, 60 – 90%, in acid to nearly neutral soil, with a range of soil fertility from very poor to very humus rich soil. The average population density determined in our study was 20 plants per 100 square meter. The highest popula-tion size was in the secondary forest of Bukit Kuda Beban at 590 – 600 m asl., viz. 9405 plants with a popula-tion density of 47 plants per 100 square meter

A population study of gaseous exoplanets

We present here the analysis of 30 gaseous extrasolar planets, with temperatures between 600 and 2400 K and radii between 0.35 and 1.9 $R_\mathrm{Jup}$. The quality of the HST/WFC3 spatially scanned data combined with our specialized analysis tools allow us to study the largest and most self-consistent sample of exoplanetary transmission spectra to date and examine the collective behavior of warm and hot gaseous planets rather than isolated case-studies. We define a new metric, the Atmospheric Detectability Index (ADI) to evaluate the statistical significance of an atmospheric detection and find statistically significant atmospheres around 16 planets out of the 30 analysed. For most of the Jupiters in our sample, we find the detectability of their atmospheres to be dependent on the planetary radius but not on the planetary mass. This indicates that planetary gravity plays a secondary role in the state of gaseous planetary atmospheres. We detect the presence of water vapour in all of the statistically detectable atmospheres, and we cannot rule out its presence in the atmospheres of the others. In addition, TiO and/or VO signatures are detected with 4$\sigma$ confidence in WASP-76 b, and they are most likely present in WASP-121 b. We find no correlation between expected signal-to-noise and atmospheric detectability for most targets. This has important implications for future large-scale surveys.Comment: 14 pages, 12 figures, 3 tables, published in A

Classroom Activity: Population Study Game

This activity will help students to understand and graph population change over time according to habitat availability. Students will discover that many factors affect the ability of deer or other wildlife to survive over time. Weather conditions, disease, predators, pollution and habitat destruction are some examples. Habitat is the key to wildlife survival and population size. Habitat is defined as food, cover, and water. If any one of these is lacking or restricted in availability, wildlife numbers are reduced. In this exercise, students learn that organism numbers will be governed by the availability of habitat elements. Educational levels: High school, Middle school

A Preliminary Study Of Population Structure Of SIBBALDIOPSIS TRIDENTATA (AIT.) RYDG. (ROSACEAE) In The Eastern United States Using AFLP Markers

High-elevation habitats in the Appalachian Mountains of the United States have been shown to harbor many northern disjunct species. Prevailing theory is that populations in these habitats typically represent remnant-isolate populations from previously existing Quaternary communities. In this study I sought to develop a preliminary understanding of the basic populational and regional structuring in one of these northern disjunct species, in hopes of better understanding the relationships between population interactions and histories

Population-based patient care study for breast cancer

Background: Different approaches for an effective quality management are funded by the Ministry of Health to verify, to assess and, if necessary to optimize the quality of health care using the tracer diagnoses of breast, rectal, and lung cancer in eight regions in Germany. The conception of these observational studies and initial findings are shown here, using breast cancer in the region of Munich (population 2.4 million) as an example. Patients and Methods: The study started on April 1, 1996. The recruitment phase for all primary boast cancer patients in this region is planned for 2 years with a 3-5-year follow-up. Established documentation sheets are used to document basic medical information of each patient, along with the original reports (pathology: radiotherapy, doctors' reports, etc.), follow-up reports and quality of life questionnaires (QLQ, including the EORTC QLQ C30). Results: In 1996, the Munich region has a crude incidence of 125/100,000 women (world standard 71.5). After almost complete documentation the incidence is 10-15% higher. In the period from April 1 1996 to June 30, 1997 1,360 patients have been recruited into the study. 79% of the patients were 50 years of age or older. pT stages are distributed as follows: pTIS 5%, pT1 54%, pT2 32%, pT3 4%, pT4 6%. 4.5% had primary metastases. Breast-conserving therapy (BCT) was performed in 57% of patients. Five of the 46 departments involved recruited more than 50 patients each within these 14 months. These larger departments treat 59% of all patients. The proportion of older patients and pT4 stages is significantly higher in the smaller departments. BCT is performed significantly more often in the larger departments. First results of quality of life show dependencies on age, but no differences between mastectomy and BCT 3 months after operation. Not only the addressed patients (response rate to QLQ over 80%) but also almost all hospitals and many physicians are milling to support and to partake in quality assurance. 35 hospitals, 46 surgical departments. 80 heads of department and surgically: active general practioners, 330 general practioners. 7 radiotherapy departments, and 13 pathology departments have so far documented for this study. Conclusions: An effective quality management in oncology needs a modern cancer registry which uses documentation sheets as well as original reports and organizes the complicated infrastructure for an interdisciplinary cooperation. To be able to evaluate the health care reality it is necessary to carry out a data analysis and assess each individual case. A feedback of the results have to be available for each physician and each department. The cost of this information management is approximately 0.3% of the health care cost for this group of patients

Population Synthesis of Hot Subdwarfs: A Parameter Study

Binaries that contain a hot subdwarf (sdB) star and a main sequence companion may have interacted in the past. This binary population has historically helped determine our understanding of binary stellar evolution. We have computed a grid of binary population synthesis models using different assumptions about the minimum core mass for helium ignition, the envelope binding energy, the common envelope ejection efficiency, the amount of mass and angular momentum lost during stable mass transfer, and the criteria for stable mass transfer on the red giant branch and in the Hertzsprung gap. These parameters separately and together can significantly change the entire predicted population of sdBs. Nonetheless, several different parameter sets can reproduce the observed subpopulation of sdB + white dwarf and sdB + M dwarf binaries, which has been used to constrain these parameters in previous studies. The period distribution of sdB + early F dwarf binaries offers a better test of different mass transfer scenarios for stars that fill their Roche lobes on the red giant branch.Comment: 21 pages, 15 figures, accepted for publication in Ap

Outcomes following childhood head injury : a population study

Objectives: To identify outcomes following head injury (HI) amongst a population of children admitted to one hospital centre and compare outcomes between different severity groups. Methods:A postal follow-up of children admitted with HI to one NHS Trust, between 1992-1998, was carried out. Children were aged 5-15 years at injury (mean 9.8), followed-up at a mean of 2.2 years post-injury. Parents of 526 injured children (419 mild, 58 moderate, 49 severe) and 45 controls completed questionnaires. Outcomes were assessed using the King’s Outcome Scale for Childhood Head Injury (KOSCHI). Results:Frequent behavioural, emotional, memory and attentional problems were reported by one third of the severe group, one quarter of the moderate, and 10-18% of the mild. Personality change since HI was reported for 148 children (28%) (21% mild HI, 46% moderate, 69% severe). There was a significant relationship between injury severity and KOSCHI outcomes. Following the HI, 252(48%) had moderate disability (43% mild HI, 64% moderate, 69% severe), 270(51%) made a good recovery (57% mild HI, 36% moderate, 22% severe). There was a significant association between social deprivation and poor outcome (p=0.002). Only 30%(158) of children received hospital follow-up after the HI. All children with severe disability received appropriate follow-up, but 64% of children with moderate disability received none. No evidence was found to suggest a threshold of injury severity below which the risk of late sequelae could be safely discounted. Conclusions:Children admitted with mild HI may be at risk of poor outcomes, but often do not receive routine hospital follow-up. A postal questionnaire combined with the KOSCHI to assess outcomes after HI may be used to identify children who would benefit from clinical assessment. Further research is needed to identify factors which place children with mild HI at risk of late morbidity

Inequalities in maternal health care utilization in Benin : a population based cross-sectional study

Background Ensuring equitable access to maternal health care including antenatal, delivery, postnatal services and fertility control methods, is one of the most critical challenges for public health sector. There are significant disparities in maternal health care indicators across many geographical locations, maternal, economic, socio-demographic factors in many countries in sub-Sahara Africa. In this study, we comparatively explored the utilization level of maternal health care, and examined disparities in the determinants of major maternal health outcomes. Methods This paper used data from two rounds of Benin Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS) to examine the utilization and disparities in factors of maternal health care indicators using logistic regression models. Participants were 17,794 and 16,599 women aged between15–49 years in 2006 and 2012 respectively. Women’s characteristics were reported in percentage, mean and standard deviation. Results Mean (±SD) age of the participants was 29.0 (±9.0) in both surveys. The percentage of at least 4 ANC visits was approximately 61% without any change between the two rounds of surveys, facility based delivery was 93.5% in 2012, with 4.9% increase from 2006; postnatal care was currently 18.4% and contraceptive use was estimated below one-fifth. The results of multivariable logistic regression models showed disparities in maternal health care service utilization, including antenatal care, facility-based delivery, postnatal care and contraceptive use across selected maternal factors. The current BHDS showed age, region, religion were significantly associated with maternal health care services. Educated women, those from households of high wealth index and women currently working were more likely to utilize maternal health care services, compared to women with no formal education, from poorest households or not currently employed. Women who watch television (TV) were 1.31 (OR = 1.31; 95% CI = 1.13–1.52), 1.69 (OR = 1.69; 95% CI = 1.20–2.37) and 1.38 (OR = 1.38; 95% CI = 1.16–1.65) times as likely to utilize maternal health care services after adjusting for other covariates. Conclusion The findings would guide stakeholders to address inequalities in maternal health care services. More so, health care programmes and policies should be strengthened to enhance accessibility as well as improve the utilization of maternal care services, especially for the disadvantaged, uneducated and those who live in hard-to-reach rural areas in Benin. The Benin government needs to create strategies that cover both the supply and demand side factors at attain the universal health coverage