A partnership project for a new Red List of the Italian Flora

Abstract

The IUCN Red Lists assessment provides an internationally accepted system to verify the extinction risk of species. Working Groups of the Italian Botanical Society have recently discussed the importance of producing a reliable list of species at the national level. This list could be the starting point for future in situ and ex situ plant conservation activities.     

Integrating GIS and expert judgment in a multi-criteria analysis to map and develop a habitat suitability index: A case study of large mammals on the Malayan Peninsula

Many habitat patches in tropical landscapes have become less suitable for wildlife due to an increase in anthropogenic disturbances. An index of habitat suitability based on the ecological factors that collectively determine the suitability of an organism's habitat is important for conservation planning. However, a widely accepted and comprehensive multi-criteria habitat suitability index for umbrella species is still lacking, particularly in areas where information related to the biology and ecology of the species of interest is not available. Therefore we develop preliminary habitat maps and measure the degree of habitat suitability for large mammals, focusing on four umbrella species in the State of Selangor, Peninsular Malaysia: Panthera tigris jacksoni (Malayan tiger), Tapirus indicus (Malayan tapir), Helarctos malayanus malayanus (Malayan sun bear), and Rusa unicolor cambojensis (sambar deer). The former two are endangered and the latter two are vulnerable according to the IUCN Red List. The suitability of habitat patches for each species was measured across the entire study area as well as in nine wildlife protected areas by integrating GIS data and expert opinion. Expert opinions were used as the source of information regarding the stresses faced by the species because there was insufficient information available from ground surveys.We developed an index and maps of habitat suitability for each species, which were then integrated to represent a combined index (ranging from 0 to 27) and spatially explicit maps of the area's habitat suitability for large mammals. The average large mammal habitat suitability index value of the State of Selangor (9) indicates that many habitat patches have become unsuitable for such species. Of the nine wildlife protected areas, Fraser's Hill (22), Sungai Dusun (22), and Bukit Kutu (21) are very suitable; Klang Gate (20) and Templers Park (17) are suitable; and the remaining four are unsuitable for large mammals. We assume that this preliminary habitat suitability index and mapping are useful for conservation planning of wildlife habitats at both landscape and regional scales, as well as providing an initial foundation for revision by future research with significant new information.     

Upward ant distribution shift corresponds with minimum,not maximum,temperature tolerance

Rapid climate change may prompt species distribution shifts upward and poleward, but species movement in itself is not sufficient to establish climate causation. Other dynamics, such as disturbance history, may prompt species distribution shifts resembling those expected from rapid climate change. Links between species distributions, regional climate trends and physiological mechanism are needed to convincingly establish climate‐induced species shifts. We examine a 38‐year shift (1974–2012) in an elevation ecotone between two closely related ant species, Aphaenogaster picea and A. rudis. Even though A. picea and A. rudis are closely related with North American distributions that sometimes overlap, they also exhibit local‐ and regional‐scale differences in temperature requirements so that A. rudis is more southerly and inhabits lower elevations whereas A. picea is more northerly and inhabits high elevations. We find considerable movement by the warm‐habitat species upward in elevation between 1974 and 2012 with A. rudis, replacing the cold‐habitat species, A. picea, along the southern edge of the Appalachian Mountain chain in north Georgia, USA. Concomitant with the distribution shifts, regional mean and maximum temperatures remain steady (1974–2012), but minimum temperatures increase. We collect individuals from the study sites and subject them to thermal tolerance testing in a controlled setting and find that maximum and minimum temperature acclimatization occurs along the elevation gradient in both species, but A. rudis consistently becomes physiologically incapacitated at minimum and maximum temperatures 2 °C higher than A. picea. These results indicate that rising minimum temperatures allow A. rudis to move upward in elevation and displace A. picea. Given that Aphaenogaster ants are the dominant woodland seed dispersers in eastern deciduous forests, and that their thermal tolerances drive distinct differences in temperature‐cued synchrony with early blooming plants, these climate responses not only impact ant‐ant interactions, but might have wide implications for ant‐plant interactions.     

Prehospital Thrombolysis: A Manual from Berlin

In acute ischemic stroke, time from symptom onset to intervention is a decisive prognostic factor. In order to reduce this time, prehospital thrombolysis at the emergency site would be preferable. However, apart from neurological expertise and laboratory investigations a computed tomography (CT) scan is necessary to exclude hemorrhagic stroke prior to thrombolysis. Therefore, a specialized ambulance equipped with a CT scanner and point-of-care laboratory was designed and constructed. Further, a new stroke identifying interview algorithm was developed and implemented in the Berlin emergency medical services. Since February 2011 the identification of suspected stroke in the dispatch center of the Berlin Fire Brigade prompts the deployment of this ambulance, a stroke emergency mobile (STEMO). On arrival, a neurologist, experienced in stroke care and with additional training in emergency medicine, takes a neurological examination. If stroke is suspected a CT scan excludes intracranial hemorrhage. The CT-scans are telemetrically transmitted to the neuroradiologist on-call. If coagulation status of the patient is normal and patient''s medical history reveals no contraindication, prehospital thrombolysis is applied according to current guidelines (intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen activator, iv rtPA, alteplase, Actilyse).Thereafter patients are transported to the nearest hospital with a certified stroke unit for further treatment and assessment of strokeaetiology. After a pilot-phase, weeks were randomized into blocks either with or without STEMO care. Primary end-point of this study is time from alarm to the initiation of thrombolysis. We hypothesized that alarm-to-treatment time can be reduced by at least 20 min compared to regular care.     

Morningness-eveningness preferences,learning approach and academic achievement of undergraduate medical students

ABSTRACT

Several studies have focused on determining the effect of chronotype and learning approach on academic achievement separately indicating that morning types have an academic advantage over the evening types and so have the deep learners over the surface learners. But, surprisingly none have assessed the possible relationship between chronotype and learning approach. So, the current study aimed to evaluate this association and their individual influence on academic performance as indicated by the Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) as well as the effect of their interaction on academic performance. The study included 345 undergraduate medical students who responded to reduced Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire and Biggs Revised Two-Factor Study Process Questionnaire. Morning types indulged in deep learning while evening types in surface learning. Morning and evening types did not differ on academic performance but deep learners had better academic outcomes than their counterparts. The interaction between chronotype and learning approach was significant on determining academic achievement. Our findings gave the impression that chronotype could have an impact on academic performance not directly but indirectly through learning approaches.     

Political mobilization of a regional minority: Han Chinese settlers in Xinjiang

The tumultuous events of summer 2009 have brought Uighur protests and minority mobilization in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region (XUAR) to the forefront. But this focus overlooks similar protests organized by various groups of Han Chinese settlers over the years. This paper contributes to the body of literature on minority mobilization and ethnic relations in Xinjiang by illustrating how the political mobilization of a group that is simultaneously a national majority and a regional minority differs substantially from ‘traditional’ minority mobilization. Reviewing the main instances of Han Chinese political mobilization since the XUAR was created in 1955, I argue that two factors are particularly important in enabling their mobilization: the Han Chinese's subjective perception of discrimination and their close ethnic ties to the state. This paper concludes with a discussion on the presence of a cycle of protests between Han settlers and the Uighurs in Xinjiang.     

The politics of a new legal order for fisheries

Illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) Fishing is considered a major threat to high seas fish stocks. Each of the the international regional fishery management organizations (RFMOs) are combating some form of IUU fishing and this led the Food and Agriculture Oranization of the United Nations (FAO) to adopt the International Plan of Action to Deter, Prevent and Eliminate IUU Fishing (IPOA-IUU). This article will analyze the issues involved with IUU fishing, examine the recommendations in the IPOA, and consider examples of successful management and enforcement measures in use by states and RFMOs. Finally, recent developments in China will be viewed as an example of how international cooperation is contagious.     

Dietary Modifications of Phospholipid Composition and Biophysical Properties of the Brush Border Membrane Along the Trout Intestine

Brush border membranes (BBM) are isolated from middle and posterior intestine of trout fed either an essential fatty acid-rich diet or a saturated one. The different phospholipid classes are separated, and their fatty acid composition is determined. Fluorescence anisotropy studies are performed using two lipid fluorophores, namely diphenylhexatriene (DPH) and trimethyl-aminodiphenylhexatriene (TMA-DPH). The results indicate that the usual parameters affecting the lipid fluidity such as the phospholipid:protein (PL:PROT), cholesterol:phospholipid (CHOL:PL), and sphingomyelin:phosphatidylcholine (SP:PC) ratios and the unsaturation of the acyl chains are sufficient to explain the fluidity values determined using DPH, but not those obtained with TMA-DPH as a probe. This fluorophore is assessed to be localized only in the external leaflet of the membrane. Hence, it will be affected by the composition of the major phospholipids of this leaflet, sphingomyelin and phosphatidylcholine.     

门诊患者医疗服务感受度影响因素研究

??????? 目的 了解门诊患者对就医服务感受度影响因素,以期提高患者满意度。 方法 现场问卷调查法、专家访谈法。 结果 患者在门诊过程中最为关注的就诊流程、等候时间、就医环境、医德医风四个因素,非常看重医护人员服务规范,服务流程便捷流畅。病情不同患者对等候时间要求不同,对医院熟悉程度与就诊环境感受度不同。结论 在门诊服务中为患者提供便捷流畅、规范化的服务,同时应注重患者的不同服务需求。     

Climatic effects in Central Europe on the frequency of medical treatments of dairy cows

In the present study, the relationship between the temperature–humidity index (THI) and the incidence of medical treatments in lactating dairy cows in Lower Saxony, Germany, was investigated. Records of all veterinary-treated cases over 2 years (2003 and 2005) from eight Holstein–Friesian dairy herds raised in loose-housing systems (55 to 170 cows per herd) were evaluated. After exclusion of management-dependent and climate-independent cases, a total of 5547 treatments were analyzed. Treatments were clustered into the following groups: metabolism, fertility, udder and foot/leg. Meteorological data were compiled from the nearest weather station (average distance ± s.d. 39 ± 13 km). Hourly temperatures and relative humidity values were used to calculate the THI, which was divided into classes. Out of the total number of treatments, 37.4%, 32.9%, 21.6% and 8.1% belonged to metabolism, udder, fertility and foot/leg, respectively. Data were analyzed with a mixed model that included THI class, season and year as fixed effects and farm as random effect. In general, incidences were neither affected by the year (P > 0.05) and season (P > 0.05) nor by THI classes (P > 0.05). In tendency, incidences of metabolic treatments increased with increasing THI and incidences of udder treatments increased with decreasing THI. In conclusion, indications of moderate heat stress during summer months in Central Europe were found in the present study, although THI and season did not affect the different disease complexes significantly.