Long-term bird colonization and turnover in restored woodlands

The long-term effectiveness of restored areas for biodiversity is poorly known for the majority of restored ecosystems worldwide. We quantified temporal changes in bird occurrence in restoration plantings of different ages and geometries, and compared observed patterns with a reference dataset from woodland remnants on the same farms as our plantings. Over time, bird species richness remained unchanged in spring but exhibited modest increases in winter. We found that wider plantings supported significantly greater bird species richness in spring and winter than narrow plantings. There was no evidence of a significant interaction between planting width and time. We recorded major temporal changes in the occurrence of a range of individual species that indicated a clear turnover of species as plantings matured. Our results further revealed marked differences in individual species occurrence between plantings and woodland remnants. Life-history attributes associated with temporal changes in the bird assemblage were most apparent in winter survey data, and included diet, foraging and nesting patterns, movement behaviour (e.g. migratory vs. dispersive), and body size. Differences in bird assemblages between plantings of different ages suggest that it is important that farms support a range of age classes of planted woodland, if the aim is to maximize the number of native bird species in restored areas. Our data also suggest that changes in the bird species occupying plantings of different ages can be anticipated in a broadly predictable way based on planting geometry (especially width) and key life-history attributes, particularly movement patterns and habitat and diet specialisation.     

Who owns sturgeon in the Caspian? New theoretical model of social responses towards state conservation policy

This article explores responses to the implementation of Russian sturgeon conservation policy in three fishing communities (in Dagestan, Kalmykia and the Volga River delta areas), along the Western and Northern coasts of the Caspian Sea. Enforcement of regulatory measures has led to complex socio-cultural responses. We show how social responses to conservation policy generate various forms of poaching. An analytical model of ‘soft’ and ‘hard’ forms of poaching is analyzed against three regulatory measures: introduction of specially designated fishing areas in Russia’s Caspian fisheries, border zone expansion and the ban on sturgeon fishing. We explain why in Kalmykia the policy led people to stop practicing hard forms of sturgeon fishing, while fishermen in Dagestan responded in a more complex manner by displaying resistance towards the new policies.     

Toll-like receptor 4 deficiency: Smaller infarcts,but nogain in function

Backgound  

It has been reported that Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) deficiency reduces infarct size after myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (MI/R). However, measurement of MI/R injury was limited and did not include cardiac function. In a chronic closed-chest model we assessed whether cardiac function is preserved in TLR4-deficient mice (C3H/HeJ) following MI/R, and whether myocardial and systemic cytokine expression differed compared to wild type (WT).     

Crystallographic characterization of two novel crystal forms of human insulin induced by chaotropic agents and a shift in pH

Background  

Insulin is a therapeutic protein that is widely used for the treatment of diabetes. Its biological function was discovered more than 80 years ago and it has since then been characterized extensively. Crystallization of the insulin molecule has always been a key activity since the protein is often administered by subcutaneous injections of crystalline insulin formulations. Over the years, insulin has been crystallized and characterized in a number of crystal systems.     

Influence of Particle Size and Concentration on Rheological Behaviour of Reconstituted Apple Purees

This work investigates the impact of structural parameters on the rheological behaviour of apple purees. Reconstructed apple purees from 0 g/100 g up to 2.32 g/100 g of insoluble solids content and varying in particle size were prepared. Three different particle size distributions were obtained by mechanical treatment only, to modify both size and morphology of the particles without modifying the intrinsic rigidity of the cell walls. Rheological measurements showed that the insoluble solids content have a first order effect on the rheological behaviour of the suspensions: three concentrations domains were observed in both dynamic and flow measurements. A model is proposed for each domain. The existence of a weak network between particles is clearly shown over a critical concentration of insoluble solids (cell walls) depending on particle size distribution (semi-diluted domain). In a concentrated domain, particles are on close packing conditions and their apparent volume begin to shrink. Particle size and shape also play an important role on the rheological behaviour of reconstructed apple puree. Due to their irregular shape, cell clusters clog the medium at lower concentration compared to individual cells.     

U-Shaped Photonic Crystal Fiber Based Surface Plasmon Resonance Sensors

A surface plasmon resonance sensor based on a U-shaped photonic crystal fiber with a rectangular lattice has been designed through finite element method. The U-shaped fiber exhibits not only stronger mechanical strength but also better sensor performance than our previous scheme. The upper detection limit extends to higher analyze refractive index, 1.384, for phase interrogation. We introduce a ratio to evaluate the impact of higher order plasmonic mode. For wavelength modulation scheme, the parameter to describe the performance of a sensor is chosen to be the figure of merit, which can be up to 533.8[RIU^?1] around complete coupling condition.     

Investigating the effect of increasing robot group sizes on the human psychophysiological state in the context of human–swarm interaction

We study the psychophysiological state of humans when exposed to robot groups of varying sizes. In our experiments, 24 participants are exposed sequentially to groups of robots made up of 1, 3 and 24 robots. We measure both objective physiological metrics (skin conductance level and heart rate), and subjective self-reported metrics (from a psychological questionnaire). These measures allow us to analyse the psychophysiological state (stress, anxiety, happiness) of our participants. Our results show that the number of robots to which a human is exposed has a significant impact on the psychophysiological state of the human and that higher numbers of robots provoke a stronger response.     

A multifunctional green infrastructure design to protect and improve native biodiversity in Rio de Janeiro

The city of Rio de Janeiro now covers what was formerly coastal Atlantic rainforest. Native biodiversity has been lost from most of the metropolitan area due to changes in land use, introduction of exotic species, and influence of foreign designs in public and private parks and gardens. This paper presents a multifunctional green infrastructure planning proposal to protect and regenerate native biodiversity in the last remaining natural ecosystem fragments in a watershed within the city’s limits. The proposal is based on social–ecological assessments and analyses. The watershed contains an extensive mangrove remnant surrounded by a protected massif partially covered by coastal Atlantic rainforest and is one of the very last productive landscapes where residents experience a strong sense of place. The strategy is to reconcile urban development with environmental achievements to conserve existing ecosystem patches, which will be connected by way of riparian corridors and other open spaces, such as streets, private yards and public areas, by using native species and ecological design. The green infrastructure framework is planned at the watershed scale. On a neighborhood and local scale, the plan is to promote public participation, develop new ecological aesthetics, encourage the planting of native species, and establish an innovative circulation system within a low-impact design framework to achieve various abiotic, biotic, and cultural goals. In addition to the economic benefits, accessible food production, rural tourism and ecotourism have the potential to unite people and nature within the city.     

Characterization of the chromophores of pyoverdins and related siderophores by electrospray tandem mass spectrometry

Characteristic fragment ions of the various chromophores of the pyoverdin siderophore family obtained by collision activated dissociation of the [M+2H]²⁺ ions are reported allowing unambiguous identification. Tandem mass spectrometrical studies revealed the existence of the first example of a ferribactin with a succinamide side chain, and they add some information to the problem in which way a malic acid side chain is attached to the chromophore.     

The other side of phenotypic plasticity: a developmental system that generates an invariant phenotype despite environmental variation

Understanding how the environment impacts development is of central interest in developmental and evolutionary biology. On the one hand, we would like to understand how the environment induces phenotypic changes (the study of phenotypic plasticity). On the other hand, we may ask how a development system maintains a stable and precise phenotypic output despite the presence of environmental variation. We study such developmental robustness to environmental variation using vulval cell fate patterning in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as a study system. Here we review both mechanistic and evolutionary aspects of these studies, focusing on recently obtained experimental results. First, we present evidence indicating that vulval formation is under stabilizing selection. Second, we discusss quantitative data on the precision and variability in the output of the vulval developmental system in different environments and different genetic backgrounds. Third, we illustrate how environmental and genetic variation modulate the cellular and molecular processes underlying the formation of the vulva. Fourth, we discuss the evolutionary significance of environmental sensitivity of this developmental system.