Landscape context and elevation affect pollinator communities in intensive apple orchards

Although an extensive research has been done on the contribution of wild insects to apple pollination, most of these studies did not evaluate the effect of the surrounding landscape context on local pollinator communities. Our aim was to compare communities of wild bees in 31 equally managed apple orchards located in three contrasting landscape types (either dominated by apple, forest, or grasslands) and along an elevation gradient and to test a potential interaction between landscape context and elevation. The study was carried out in 2009 in Trentino (NE Italy), one of the major apple growing areas of Europe with ～12,000 ha of commercial orchards distributed between 150 and 950 m a.s.l. We found that apple-dominated landscapes drastically reduced wild bee species richness and abundance in the orchard compared to landscapes dominated by either grassland or forest. Forest-dominated landscapes benefited local species richness more than grassland-dominated landscapes, while abundance did not differ between grassland and forest. Total species richness and abundance further declined with increasing elevation, while no interactive effect was found between temperature and landscape context. The abundance of Apis mellifera in the apple-dominated landscapes was two to four times higher than in the landscapes dominated by forest and grasslands, respectively. Measures to restore natural pollinator communities by providing suitable habitats around the orchard would not only benefit conservation of general biodiversity, but would probably also contribute to reduce the dependence of apple pollination on managed honey bees.     

Health related virtual communities and electronic support groups: systematic review of the effects of online peer to peer interactions

Objective To compile and evaluate the evidence on the effects on health and social outcomes of computer based peer to peer communities and electronic self support groups, used by people to discuss health related issues remotely.Design and data sources Analysis of studies identified from Medline, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Evidence Based Medicine Reviews, Electronics and Communications Abstracts, Computer and Information Systems Abstracts, ERIC, LISA, ProQuest Digital Dissertations, Web of Science.Selection of studies We searched for before and after studies, interrupted time series, cohort studies, or studies with control groups; evaluating health or social outcomes of virtual peer to peer communities, either as stand alone interventions or in the context of more complex systems with peer to peer components.Main outcome measures Peer to peer interventions and co-interventions studied, general characteristics of studies, outcome measures used, and study results.Results 45 publications describing 38 distinct studies met our inclusion criteria: 20 randomised trials, three meta-analyses of n of 1 trials, three non-randomised controlled trials, one cohort study, and 11 before and after studies. Only six of these evaluated “pure” peer to peer communities, and one had a factorial design with a “peer to peer only” arm, whereas 31 studies evaluated complex interventions, which often included psychoeducational programmes or one to one communication with healthcare professionals, making it impossible to attribute intervention effects to the peer to peer community component. The outcomes measured most often were depression and social support measures; most studies did not show an effect. We found no evidence to support concerns over virtual communities harming people.Conclusions No robust evidence exists of consumer led peer to peer communities, partly because most peer to peer communities have been evaluated only in conjunction with more complex interventions or involvement with health professionals. Given the abundance of unmoderated peer to peer groups on the internet, research is required to evaluate under which conditions and for whom electronic support groups are effective and how effectiveness in delivering social support electronically can be maximised.     

The context and long-term impacts of multiple birth loss: a peer support network perspective.

Following my own experience with the death of a twin baby, I founded the Center for Loss in Multiple Birth (CLIMB) Inc. During the last 13 years I have worked with nearly 7000 bereaved parents of twins, triplets or other high multiples throughout the US and worldwide. The role of a peer support organisation and the range of families with multiples who have contacted it is described. They come from diverse backgrounds with many forms of bereavement: death during pregnancy, at birth or after of both or all babies, of one twin, of one or more higher order multiples; multifetal pregnancy reduction or selective fetocide; the death of one or more multiples in childhood. Some have had more than one multiple pregnancy and loss. Many are concerned for the surviving children. A peer support organisation has an important role to play in increasing public awareness of the needs of these families as well as influencing policy on infertility treatments that carry a high risk of producing multiple pregnancies with the associated risk of death and disability for one or more of the babies.     

Maternal factors and infant and child mortality in Bangladesh

Using data from The World Fertility Survey, this study shows that the length of the preceding birth interval was the most important maternal factor influencing infant and child mortality risks in Bangladesh. This was such a crucial factor that its effects remain unaltered whether or not the influences of mother's age at birth and birth order are controlled. Infant and child mortality in Bangladesh can be expected to decline considerably if successive births can be spaced by an interval of at least 1.5 years. Child spacing seems to be the major factor requiring program attention. The effects of mother's education and place of residence on infant and child mortality are independent of the effects of maternal age at birth, birth order, and the preceding birth interval. The higher survival chances of children of educated mothers resulted neither through the age at which childbearing started nor through birth spacing but are likely to be related to their smaller family size and to other non-maternal proximate determinants of early mortality.     

Exploring the influence of shrubs on herbaceous communities in a Mediterranean climatic context of two spatial scales

Communities of plants determine nonrandom spatial patterns defined by the intervention of abiotic and biotic factors acting at different spatial scales. We consider the influence of shrubs as one of the most important factors (biotic) affecting these spatial patterns at microscale. The macroclimate could be considered one of the most important factors (abiotic) at regional scale. To study the role and the floristic implications of each factor on the global patterns of herbaceous communities, we have developed a stratified sampling design that integrates both micro and macroscale on a 100 Km-long transect (east–west) in western central Spain. The results suggest that macroclimate could be one of the most important factors in determining herbaceous spatial patterns. Moreover, shrubs create a microspatial environmental heterogeneity that could alter such global climate patterns, modifying the spatial affinities established among species. This implies that environmental heterogeneity related to microhabitat could play a key role in spatial patterns at broad spatial scales, and consequently in the dynamics of the distribution and establishment of herbaceous species.     

Translating global recommendations on HIV and infant feeding to the local context: the development of culturally sensitive counselling tools in the Kilimanjaro Region, Tanzania

Background

This paper describes the process used to develop an integrated set of culturally sensitive, evidence-based counselling tools (job aids) by using qualitative participatory research. The aim of the intervention was to contribute to improving infant feeding counselling services for HIV positive women in the Kilimanjaro Region of Tanzania.

Methods

Formative research using a combination of qualitative methods preceded the development of the intervention and mapped existing practices, perceptions and attitudes towards HIV and infant feeding (HIV/IF) among mothers, counsellors and community members. Intervention Mapping (IM) protocol guided the development of the overall intervention strategy. Theories of behaviour change, a review of the international HIV/IF guidelines and formative research findings contributed to the definition of performance and learning objectives. Key communication messages and colourful graphic illustrations related to infant feeding in the context of HIV were then developed and/or adapted from existing generic materials. Draft materials were field tested with intended audiences and subjected to stakeholder technical review.

Results

An integrated set of infant feeding counselling tools, referred to as 'job aids', was developed and included brochures on feeding methods that were found to be socially and culturally acceptable, a Question and Answer Guide for counsellors, a counselling card on the risk of transmission of HIV, and an infant feeding toolbox for demonstration. Each brochure describes the steps to ensure safer infant feeding using simple language and images based on local ideas and resources. The brochures are meant to serve as both a reference material during infant feeding counselling in the ongoing prevention of mother to child transmission (pMTCT) of HIV programme and as take home material for the mother.

Conclusion

The study underscores the importance of formative research and a systematic theory based approach to developing an intervention aimed at improving counselling and changing customary feeding practices. The identification of perceived barriers and facilitators for change contributed to developing the key counselling messages and graphics, reflecting the socio-economic reality, cultural beliefs and norms of mothers and their significant others.     

Patterns of dominance and imitation in an infant peer group

The present study explored whether model choice in infant peer imitation is related to peer social dominance. Twelve 11–16-month old infants in a stable infant daycare group were videotaped systematically over a two-week period, providing six 20-minute focal individual samples of free social activity each. Dominance-related peer encounters and peer imitation were identified in the videotaped samples, then coded in behavioral terms. Both rights of possession and agonism influenced dominance. Group dominance structures of high, mid, and low rank subgroups were identified. Dominance was related to peer imitation: Infants preferred higher rank over lower rank models. Possible processes underlying this pattern are discussed. Results show that model choice is one way in which peer experience could influence development; they also highlight the interconnectedness rather than the independence of individual dimensions of infant peer experience.     

Nutrition, infant feeding and post-partum amenorrhoea in rural Bangladesh

The extent to which differences in the duration of postpartum amenorrhea among chronically malnourished women in rural Bangladesh are related to seasonal patterns of food supply, maternal nutrition, education, and patterns of infant feeding was investigated by application of multivariate hazards models with time-varying covariates. The data were derived from the Birth Interval Dynamics study in Matlab and covered close to 1800 births. Parity, education, season of birth, maternal weight, and infant supplementation all were found to affect the duration of postpartum amenorrhea among these women. Education of 5 or more years had a positive effect on the resumption of menses. Higher parity women, who were older, had longer periods of amenorrhea, as did women who gave birth in October-December. As a measure of nutritional status, the woman's weight at pregnancy termination showed a highly significant positive coefficient, indicating that improved maternal nutrition increased the likelihood of resuming menstruation. Food supplementation, which tends to decrease breastfeeding, also significantly increased the risk of resuming menstruation and had an effect independent of the other variables. When the data were analyzed by season, the most striking finding was the strong influence of education on children born during October-December (who are too young to be directly affected by the larger food supply at birth during the harvest season). The other seasons showed weaker effects of education and a stronger effect of supplementation, perhaps because these infants are older during the harvest season and thus can benefit from supplements.     

Evaluation of a peer counselling programme to sustain breastfeeding practice in Hong Kong

Background

Peer counselling is reported to increase breastfeeding rates. We evaluated an intervention consisting of mainly telephone contact peer counselling programme on breastfeeding duration and exclusivity.

Methods

Peer counsellors (PCs) were mothers who had successfully breastfed and had received formal training. Following a postnatal visit, they provided scheduled telephone consultations (Days 1, 4, 7, Weeks 2, 4, 8, and Month 4) to PC group mothers (n = 100) who continued breastfeeding their infants after discharge. Control group mothers (n = 100) received routine care.

Results

After adjusting for mothers' previous breastfeeding experiences, mothers' working status and breastfeeding problems, no statistical differences in mothers' feeding methods (exclusive, almost exclusive or predominant breastfeeding) were noted at the three follow-up times for intervention and control mothers respectively (Day 5: 37%/38%, 46%/53%, 57%/63%; Month 3: 10%/9%, 17%/23%, 20%/26%; Month 6: 2%/1%, 18%/18%, 18%/19%). All differences between the groups were not significant. Also, there was no evidence to suggest that PC intervention prolonged breastfeeding duration.

Conclusion

The lack of effect of our PC intervention may reflect the low baseline breastfeeding rate and low value placed on breastfeeding in our population, the type of PC intervention or group allocation biases.

Trial registration

ISRCTN93605280.     

Engineering the plant microbiota in the context of the theory of ecological communities

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Neighbor effects on germination, survival, and growth in two arctic tundra plant communities

In relatively harsh environments such as arctic tundra, abiotic factors have traditionally been considered the primary determinants of community structure, overwhelming any effects of biotic interactions such as competition. Two common low arctic tundra types that differ in soil properties, moist acidic and moist non-acidic tussock tundra (MAT and MNT, respectively), occur in close proximity in northern Alaska. Several plant species occur in both communities with different relative abundance, while others are restricted to one. This study experimentally examined how neighboring vegetation affects germination, survival, and growth of species in these two communities that differ in soil pH, cation availability, and other characteristics. Germination of sown seeds was greater than background levels suggesting seed limitation may restrict recruitment of these clonal, perennial species. Germination of sown seeds was greater at both sites when both mosses and vascular plants had been removed compared to plots with intact vegetation. However, neighbors had almost no effect on survival and growth of adult transplants. Patterns of germination, survival and growth of several species differed depending on the community of origin and the community of destination of the seeds or transplanted adults. For example, transplants of the sedge Eriophorum vaginatum grew better if they were from MAT, and this species germinated better when sown at MNT. Although of relatively short duration (three growing seasons), this study suggests that biotic interactions may affect local species composition by restricting germination and establishment in these two communities, but have less of an effect on adult plants. Not surprisingly, site-specific abiotic conditions also exhibit control over species occurrence and relative abundance. Without disturbance to clear bare ground for recruitment of new individuals, these populations for the most part must rely on clonal growth to persist.     

Nutritional support of children in the intensive care unit.

Nutritional support is an integral and essential part of the management of 5-10 percent of hospitalized children. Children in the intensive care unit are particularly likely to develop malnutrition because of the nature and duration of their illness, and their inability to eat by mouth. This article reviews the physiology of starvation and the development of malnutrition in children. A method of estimating the nutritional requirements of children is presented. The techniques of nutritional support, including enteral, peripheral, and central parenteral nutrition are discussed in detail. Appropriate formulas are given for different age groups. Electrolyte, vitamin, and mineral supplements are discussed. Guidelines are provided for choosing between peripheral and central total parenteral nutrition. A monitoring protocol is suggested and complications of nutritional therapy are reviewed. Safe and effective nutritional support requires considerable investment of time and effort by members of the nutrition team.     

Environmental,health and economic conditions perceived by 50 rural communities in Bangladesh

For randomly selected 50 villages in Bangladesh, an interview survey with a structured questionnaire was conducted to reveal their perception on the environmental, health and economic conditions at present and for the past 10-year change. The eight following items were analyzed in this paper: air pollution and water pollution, which represent environmental conditions with close relation to health conditions, soil degradation and deforestation, which represent environmental conditions with close relation to economic conditions, epidemic diseases and malnutrition, which represent health conditions, and poverty and jobless, which represent economic conditions. Among the 50 villages, deforestation was most frequently perceived serious at present and worsened in the past 10 years. Of the remaining seven items, those related to economic conditions were more seriously perceived than those related to health and environmental conditions. As revealed by the cluster analysis for the inter-item relations, epidemic diseases, which formed the same cluster with the environmental items, were recognized less serious whereas malnutrition, which formed the same cluster with the economic items, was recognized more serious. These findings are useful not only for rural development programs but also for mitigation programs toward health and environmental hazards in Bangladesh.     

Teenage motherhood and infant mortality in Bangladesh: maternal age-dependent effect of parity one

Nuptiality norms in rural Bangladesh favour birth during the teenage years. An appreciable proportion of teenage births are, in fact, second births. This study examines the relationship between teenage fertility and high infant mortality. It is hypothesized that if physiological immaturity is responsible, then the younger the mother, the higher would be the mortality risk, and the effect of mother's 'teenage' on mortality in infancy, particularly in the neonatal period, would be higher for the second than the first births. Vital events recorded by the longitudinal demographic surveillance system in Matlab, Bangladesh, in 1990-92 were used. Logistic regression was used to estimate the effects on early and late neonatal (0-3 days and 4-28 days respectively) and post-neonatal mortality of the following variables: mother's age at birth, parity, education and religion, sex of the child, household economic status and exposure to a health intervention programme. The younger the mother, the higher were the odds of her child dying as a neonate, and the odds were higher for second children than first children of teenage mothers. First-born children were at higher odds of dying in infancy than second births if mothers were in their twenties. Unfavourable mother's socioeconomic conditions were weakly, but significantly, associated with higher odds of dying during late neonatal and post-neonatal periods. The results suggest that physical immaturity may be of major importance in determining the relationship between teenage fertility and high neonatal mortality.     

Diet, growth and recruitment of wild zebrafish in Bangladesh

The diet of zebrafish Danio rerio in Bangladesh consisted primarily of zooplankton and insects. Zebrafish was an annual species, with the main period of reproduction commencing just before the onset of the monsoon season. Growth rates varied with age and season, with the period of most rapid growth in early life during the monsoon months.     

Plasmid incidence in the subgroups of two bacterial communities

The plasmid incidence of two bacterial communities from soil and freshwater was determined by endogenous plasmid isolation. The overall plasmid incidence for the communities was about 10%, while the frequency of plasmid-containing members in different subgroups ranged from 0% to 100%. Both communities included a minor population where all members contained several plasmids.     

Niche partitioning in the cestode communities of two elasmobranchs

Several randomization methods have been used to investigate the influence of competitive interactions in shaping parasite community structure. Marine fish parasite communities have often been regarded as unstructured assemblages with little or no resource limitation and, therefore, not prone to competitive influences. In this study, null models were used to assess the niche overlap of cestode communities of two distinct but closely related elasmobranch hosts: the round stingray, Urobatis halleri , Cooper (1863) and the skate, Leucoraja naevus , Muller and Henle (1841). Cestode species distributions were analyzed for randomness with respect to two niche axes: host size class and location within host spiral intestine. Niche overlap of cestode species was calculated for each niche type using MacArthur and Levins' and Pianka's indices, and compared to overlap values obtained from randomly generated communities. Cestodes of both host species were distributed heterogeneously among valves and host size-classes. The majority of parasite species (including all common ones) within U. halleri and all species within L. naevus had significantly nonrandom distributions with respect to at least one niche category. Cestode species pairs tended to overlap significantly less than expected in spiral intestine valves and significantly more than expected among host size classes. We conclude that cestode communities are structured deterministically in a way consistent with expectations based on competition.     

Local context and connectivity determine the response of zooplankton communities to salt contamination

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