Variability of the start of the growing season in Fennoscandia, 1982–2002

Fennoscandia is characterized by a large degree of climatic diversity. Vegetation phenology may respond differently to climate change according to the climatic gradients within the region. To map the annual and spatial variability of the start of the growing season (SOS) in Fennoscandia, the twice-monthly GIMMS-NDVI satellite dataset was used. The data set has an 8 × 8 km² spatial resolution and covers the period from 1982 to 2002. The mapping was done by applying pixel-specific threshold values to the NDVI data. These threshold values were determined form surface phenology data on birch (Betula sp.). Then, we produced NDVI based maps of SOS for each of the 21 years. Finally, the time differences between the SOS and the last day of snow cover, as well as dates of passing different temperatures, were analyzed for 21 meteorological stations. The analyses showed that 1985 was the most extreme year in terms of late SOS. In terms of early SOS, the year 1990 was by far the most extreme. Locally, the SOS has an average range of 1 month between the earliest and latest recorded SOS, with a trend towards a bigger range in the oceanic parts. The results indicate that a 1°C increase in spring temperatures in general corresponds to an advancement of 5–6 days in SOS. However, there is a clear trend according to the degree of oceanity, with a 1°C increase in the most oceanic parts corresponding roughly to 7–9 days earlier SOS, compared to less than 5 days earlier in the continental parts.     

Unravelling the past 1,000 years of history of human–climate–landscape interactions at the Lindu plain,Sulawesi, Indonesia

The Lindu plain, located in the northern mountainous region of the Lore Lindu National Park in Sulawesi, Indonesia, provides many ecosystem services for the population inhabiting the area and harbours a unique biodiversity. Palynological, charcoal and diatom analyses of a lake sediment core from Lake Lindu (Danau Lindu) reveal that during the last 1,000 years the Lindu plain has been modified by human activities. Evidence of frequent burning and possible shifting cultivation from an earlier phase from ca. ad 1000 to 1200 might be related to the metal age population which erected the megaliths in the province of Central Sulawesi. From ca. ad 1200–1700 there followed 500 years of wetter climate conditions, corresponding to the southward movement of the Intertropical Convergence Zone. At the same time, decreases of macro-charcoal concentrations and pioneer vegetation indicators show that the use of the landscape of Lindu plain had become more permanent. Following a phase of forest recovery from ca. ad 1730 to 1910, the most recent part of the Lake Lindu record shows a trend towards deforestation that started in the late 20th century, lasting until now. The lake level started to fall at the beginning of the 20th century, as shown by the increase of sedimentation rate and supported by low pollen concentration and palaeomagnetic data. Such a change was unprecedented for the last 1,000 years covered by the record, and it has no link to the climate variability as reconstructed for the last hundred years. If deforestation increases and a larger amount of water is channelled away from the lake for irrigation purposes, the lake level will continue to fall. This suggests that there is a need for better management of the forests surrounding the plain and of the irrigation systems in the area open for cultivation.     

Proceedings of the XVIII Congress of the International Primatological Society Adelaide,Australia, January 7–12, 2001

International Journal of Primatology -     

Accomplishments of the Trustees and laboratory staff of the Biological Stain Commission, 2002–2013

During the 12 years from 2002 to 2013, the Trustees and laboratory personnel of the Biological Stain Commission (BSC) can claim many accomplishments. These accomplishments are itemized under 11 categories: continuous publication of the official journal, Biotechnic & Histochemistry; production of four special issues of Biotechnic & Histochemistry devoted to specific dyes or stains; standardization of staining and dye purity; mechanisms of staining and prediction of dye behavior; publication of books or book chapters; effects of fixation and processing on staining; cancer research; immunohistochemistry; BSC Laboratory activities; miscellaneous publications; and administrative accomplishments.     

Evolution of the Global Use of Unsafe Medical Injections, 2000–2010

Objective

Since 1999, substantial efforts have been made by the international community to reduce the risks associated with unsafe injections, through ministries of health, international donors, the World Health Organization and the Safe Injection Global Network. The present study attempted to measure the progress, or lack thereof, made over the 2000–2010 decade in reducing unsafe injections in ten regions of the world corresponding to developing and transitional economies.

Methods

Data about the number of injections per person per year and the proportion of re-use of syringes and needles were obtained for 2010, mainly from population surveys, and compared with previous estimates for 2000 which had used various sources of information including injection safety assessments, population surveys and published studies on injection practices.

Results

From 2000 to 2010, in developing countries and transitional economies, the average number of injections per person per year decreased from 3.40 to 2.88, while the proportion of re-use of injection devices dropped from 39.8% to 5.5%. Combining both factors the number of unsafe injections per person per year decreased from 1.35 to 0.16. Even if substantial progress has been made, the Eastern Mediterranean region remains problematic, with 0.57 unsafe injections per person per year. In sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America, people now receive on average only 0.04–0.05 unsafe injections per year.

Conclusion

Substantial progress has been made in reducing the number of unsafe injections in developing countries and transitional economies, essentially through a reduction in the re-use of injection devices. In some regions, elimination of unsafe injections might become a reasonable goal.     

Mathematical modeling of cancer–immune system,considering the role of antibodies

A mathematical model for the quantitative analysis of cancer–immune interaction, considering the role of antibodies has been proposed in this paper. The model is based on the clinical evidence, which states that antibodies can directly kill cancerous cells (Ivano et al. in J Clin Investig 119(8):2143–2159, 2009). The existence of transcritical bifurcation, which has been proved using Sotomayor theorem, provides strong biological implications. Through numerical simulations, it has been illustrated that under certain therapy (like monoclonal antibody therapy), which is capable of altering the parameters of the system, cancer-free state can be obtained.     

Anticoagulant, Fibrinolytic, and Antithrombotic Effects of the Heparin–Insulin Complex

Formation of heparin–insulin complex at the 1 : 10 molar ratio of the components has been demonstrated by spectral methods. The derived complex had anticoagulant, antithrombotic, and fibrinolytic properties of nonenzymatic nature in vitro. Intravenous injection of the complex in the animals (rats) increased anticoagulant and fibrinolytic background and at the same time decreased the plasma coagulation factors fibrinogen and factor XIIIa in the bloodstream. We propose the heparin–insulin complex as a promising antithrombotic drug.     

Calculation of the Three-Dimensional Structures of Two Antigenic Sequences, Pro–Pro–Pro–Pro–Asn–Pro–Asn–Asp–Pro and Pro–Pro–Pro–Pro–Asn–Pro–Asn–Asp–Pro–Pro–Pro, of the Circumsporozoite Protein From a Malaria-Causing Plasmodium

Using the chain build-up procedure based on the program ECEPP, we have computed the lowest energy structures for two terminally blocked subsequences from the antigenic circumsporozoite protein of Plasmodium berghei, that is known to cause malaria in animals. The full antigenic sequence is an octapeptide proline-rich tandem repeat, (Pro–Pro–Pro–Pro–Asn–Pro–Asn–Asp)₂. We computed the structures for the first octapeptide plus one Pro from the second octapeptide, terminally blocked CH₃CO–Pro–Pro–Pro–Pro–Asn–Pro–Asn–Asp–Pro–NHCH₃ as well as the first octpeptide with an additional three Pro residues from the adjoining unit, i.e., CH₃CO–Pro–Pro–Pro–Pro–Asn–Pro–Asn–Asp–Pro–Pro–Pro–NHCH₃. We find that the first sequence adopts a number of different low energy structures, the most probable of which has a probability of occurrence of 56 %. Addition of two more Pro residues results in the adoption a single, unique lowest energy structure that has a probability of occurrence of over 95 % without solvation effects and 86 % when solvation effects are included in the calculations. We predict that this structure may be the one recognized as a major antigenic determinant.     

Annual variation of airborne pollen in the city of Palencia,Spain, 1990–1992

The aim of this work is to present the atmospheric pollen concentrations of Palencia, Spain. Data were collected for three consecutive years (1990–92). An active volumetric pollen trap, type CAP2, was used. During this time, 88 different pollen types were identified, of which 27 occured at more than 0.15% of the total pollen recorded annually. These types formed the main pollen spectrum of this sampling station. Pollen coming from herbs (Poaceae, Chenopodiaceae, Plantago Urticaceae, etc.) was predominant (53.79%); arboreal pollen (Quercus, Populus Cupressaceae, etc.) represented 42.11%, and pollen from shrubs (Ericaceae, Sambucus etc.) only 4.10%.

May and June was the time of the year with maximum pollen emission to the air. This was due to the quantities of pollen coming from Poaceae and Quercus which together represent 47.25% of the pollen recorded over the three‐year sampling period. Herbaceous pollen appeared throughout the year with maximum concentrations recorded in the spring, coinciding with the maximum levels of arboreal pollen in the atmosphere.

An analysis of multiple regression and one‐way anova test between pollen concentrations and selected meteorological parameters show that relative humidity and average temperature are the meteorological factors most correlated with the concentrations of specific pollen types (Plantago, Ligustrum, Sambucus, Carex). In the same way, when the winds are predominantly from the northeast (second quadrant), there are higher pollen concentrations of Sambucus Ericaceae and Mercurialis.     

The Evolution of the idea of homeostasis: Determinism,stochastics, and chaos–self-organization

Homeostasis is a basic concept in investigating all living systems. Homeostasis and life are synonyms to a certain extent. The concept of homeostasis has been studied and developed for more than 150 years; however, only the 21st century brought us close to understanding homeostasis as a state of a biosystem and a continuous process. The chaos and self-organization theory (CSOT) proves that the conventional views based on determinism (functional analysis) or stochastics (when stochastic uncertainty or certainty occurs) cannot describe homeostasis as defined by W.B. Cannon and his followers. The new CSOT shows a clear boundary between determinism, stochastics (and deterministic chaos), and third-type systems, which have five special properties (principles of self-organization) and can be described in terms of quasiattractors. Kinematics is understood as the motion of quasi-attractors in the phase spaces of states. Complexity is introduced as the rate of evolution of complex biological systems, differing from the definition by Prigogine–Glansdorff. At the same time, concepts of uncertainty of the first and second types and an analog of the Heisenberg calculus are introduced for complexity. According to these concepts, complex biosystems are transferred from the area of traditional science to a new area of the theory of chaos and self-organization.     

Strontium stratigraphy of the Oligocene–Early Miocene shellbeds of the Kutch Basin,western India,and its implications

The Kutch Basin is unique among the western Indian sedimentary basins because of its near-complete sequence of post-Palaeozoic rocks. Due to extensive marine influence, the Oligocene–Early Miocene formations of the basin, namely Maniyara Fort, Khari Nadi and Chhasra, contain numerous shellbeds. Although age assignments of these formations exist based on foraminiferal biostratigraphy, detailed numerical age of the lithounits are yet to be established. We have identified a total of eleven distinct shellbeds (oldest SB 01 to youngest SB11) from this interval primarily containing bivalve fossils. Using ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr of selected oyster and pectinid shells with pristine shell characteristics, we report the age of four shellbeds. The ages of SB 01, SB 04, SB 06 and SB 10 are 24.37, 17.31, 16.85 and 15.38 Ma, respectively. Our dates suggest a Chattian (24.37 Ma) age for SB 01 from the Bermoti Member, validating the previous biostratigraphical estimates from the Maniyara Fort Formation. The Chhasra Formation, however, shows a younger range of ages (17.31–15.38 Ma) characterized by a transition from the Burdigalian (SB 04–SB 06) to the Langhian (SB 10) stages. These dates have important implications in the study of sequence stratigraphy, Palaeobiogeography and tectonic history of the Kutch Basin. A surface with subaerial exposure is found in SB 08 (between 16.85 and 15.38 Ma) that corresponds to a global eustatic sea-level decrease (Mi2). Our new dates will also help evaluate the response of marine fauna to the closure of the Tethyan seaway around 19 Ma due to the formation of ‘Gomphotherium Landbridge’. The dated shellbeds enable us to identify pre- and post-closure fauna and assess the effect of biogeographical separation on these fauna. These dates have important implications in evaluating the regional geological record of western India in the context of various global events.     

Projection of the Mexican National Labor Force, 1980–2005

Abstract

Mexico has a large and rapidly growing labor force. This paper projects the Mexican national labor force from 1980 to 2005, with varying assumptions of vital rates, economic activity, and international migration. Projections are also made for the urban and rural components of the Mexican population, assuming inter‐component migration flows. Results indicate that the Mexican labor force will grow over the projection period at an average annual rate of 907,000 to 1,183,000 workers; will age slightly; and will have a much higher proportion female. Implications are discussed in terms of Mexican‐U.S. migration, possible agreements on free trade, and global trends in workforce.     

Modifiers of the temperature–mortality association in Shanghai, China

Various factors can modify the health effects of temperature. Prior findings about modifiers are inconsistent, and such studies have been conducted mostly in developed countries. We conducted a time-series analysis to examine the modifying effect of gender, age and education on the association between temperature and daily mortality in Shanghai, China, using 4 years (2001–2004) of daily data. A natural spline model was used to analyze the data. Elderly subjects were found to be more vulnerable to temperature health effects compared with younger people. We observed no significant modifying effect of gender or education level. These findings may provide useful information for local governments seeking to take steps to protect vulnerable sub-populations.     

Mesoscale transect sampling of trees in the lomako–yekokora interfluvium, democratic republic of the Congo

We conducted a mesoscale transect sampling of trees 10cm DBH in the Lomako–Yekokora interfluvial forest, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Our objective was to characterize the forest landscape contained between the Lomako and Yekokora rivers in terms of its floristic composition and to investigate how representative the Lomako study site, the location of a long-term study of primates, was of the entire forest block. Fifteen transects were laid out at seven sample stations placed approximately 10km apart and alongside a 70km trail running from the Lomako study site to the margins of the Yekokora river. Three transects totaling 3.65ha were laid out at the Lomako study site and two transects totaling 2ha at each of the remaining six sample stations, amounting to 15.65ha in total. Average DBH, tree density, tree species richness and floristic composition were determined for each transect. There were 5353 trees 10cm DBH in the total sample, representing 150 species in 35 families. Caesalpinoideae trees dominated the sample followed by Olacaceae and Annonaceae. Four forest types were identified: mixed primary (57% of the sampled plots), secondary forest (9%), Gilbertiodendron (22%), and swamp (12%). The seven sample stations differed from each other in average DBH, tree density, tree species richness and floristic composition. Most of the difference, however, was due to the fact that the four forest types were not equally represented at each sample station. When forest types were contrasted independently, a marked difference in average DBH, tree density, tree species richness and floristic composition was recorded. Conversely, when only mixed primary forest was analyzed across the sample stations, no significant difference was detected except for average DBH. Thus the Lomako study site is representative of the forest landscape contained between the Lomako and Yekokora rivers only when the different forest types are treated separately. The sample stations (including Lomako) differ from each other, however, in the proportional contribution of each forest type.     

The composition,structure, and dynamics of the nekton of the upper epipelagic layer in the Aleutian and Commander basins,western Bering Sea,in the fall seasons of 2002–2013

The data on the composition and abundance of nekton species and their interannual variations within the upper epipelagic layer (0–50 m) in the Aleutian and Commander basins in the western Bering Sea that are considered in the article were collected during complex surveys that were conducted by the Pacific Research Fisheries Center in September and October of 2002–2013. The core species structures of the nekton communities in these two areas were similar: the chum salmon Oncorhynchus keta and the boreopacific gonate squid Boreoteuthis borealis were the most abundant species. Simpson’s dominance index varied synchronously in both areas, with higher values in the Aleutian Basin, until 2009. In the subsequent years, the values of the index for the studied areas became equal and varied asynchronously. An analysis of abundance showed that two types of species structure most often prevailed (with the dominance of either chum salmon or squid); in some years the species structure differed from that in other years. Species of the low-boreal and low-boreal-subtropical complexes were more abundant in the Commander Basin, reaching particularly high proportions in 2006, 2008, and 2012. Certain species showed similarity in the year-to-year dynamics of their abundance; however, these coincidences were frequently accidental. After the climate regime shift in 2006–2007, the total biomass of nekton in the Aleutian Basin decreased from 3241 to 1736 kg/km² (46%); in the Komandorskiye Basin it decreased from 2459 to 1976 kg/km² (20%).     

Survival of Colonizing Wolves in the Northern Rocky Mountains of the United States, 1982–2004

Abstract: After roughly a 60-year absence, wolves (Canis lupus) immigrated (1979) and were reintroduced (1995-1996) into the northern Rocky Mountains (NRM), USA, where wolves are protected under the Endangered Species Act. The wolf recovery goal is to restore an equitably distributed metapopulation of ≥30 breeding pairs and 300 wolves in Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming, while minimizing damage to livestock; ultimately, the objective is to establish state-managed conservation programs for wolf populations in NRM. Previously, wolves were eradicated from the NRM because of excessive human killing. We used Andersen–Gill hazard models to assess biological, habitat, and anthropogenic factors contributing to current wolf mortality risk and whether federal protection was adequate to provide acceptably low hazards. We radiocollared 711 wolves in Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming (e.g., NRM region of the United States) from 1982 to 2004 and recorded 363 mortalities. Overall, annual survival rate of wolves in the recovery areas was 0.750 (95% CI = 0.728-0.772), which is generally considered adequate for wolf population sustainability and thereby allowed the NRM wolf population to increase. Contrary to our prediction, wolf mortality risk was higher in the northwest Montana (NWMT) recovery area, likely due to less abundant public land being secure wolf habitat compared to other recovery areas. In contrast, lower hazards in the Greater Yellowstone Area (GYA) and central Idaho (CID) likely were due to larger core areas that offered stronger wolf protection. We also found that wolves collared for damage management purposes (targeted sample) had substantially lower survival than those collared for monitoring purposes (representative sample) because most mortality was due to human factors (e.g., illegal take, control). This difference in survival underscores the importance of human-caused mortality in this recovering NRM population. Other factors contributing to increased mortality risk were pup and yearling age class, or dispersing status, which was related to younger age cohorts. When we included habitat variables in our analysis, we found that wolves having abundant agricultural and private land as well as livestock in their territory had higher mortality risk. Wolf survival was higher in areas with increased wolf density, implying that secure core habitat, particularly in GYA and CID, is important for wolf protection. We failed to detect changes in wolf hazards according to either gender or season. Maintaining wolves in NWMT will require greater attention to human harvest, conflict resolution, and illegal mortality than in either CID or GYA; however, if human access increases in the future in either of the latter 2 areas hazards to wolves also may increase. Indeed, because overall suitable habitat is more fragmented and the NRM has higher human access than many places where wolves roam freely and are subject to harvest (e.g., Canada and AK), monitoring of wolf vital rates, along with concomitant conservation and management strategies directed at wolves, their habitat, and humans, will be important for ensuring long-term viability of wolves in the region.