The extent of grazing release from epiphytism for Sargassum muticum (Phaeophyceae) within the invaded range

The overall biotic pressure on a newly introduced species may be less than that experienced within its native range, facilitating invasion. The brown alga Sargassum muticum (Yendo) Fensholt is a conspicuous and successful invasive species originally from Japan and China. We compared S. muticum and native macroalgae with respect to the biotic pressures of mesoherbivore grazing and ectocarpoid fouling. In Strangford Lough, Northern Ireland, S. muticum thalli were as heavily overgrown with seasonal blooms of epiphytic algae as native macroalgal species were. The herbivorous amphipod Dexamine spinosa was much more abundant on S. muticum than on any native macroalga. When cultured with this amphipod, S. muticum lost more tissue than three native macroalgae, Saccharina latissima (Linnaeus) Lane et al., Halidrys siliquosa (Linnaeus) Lyngbye and Fucus serratus Linnaeus. Sargassum muticum cultured with both ectocarpoid fouling and amphipods showed a severe impact, consistent with our previous findings of large declines in the density of S. muticum observed in the field during the peak of fouling. Despite being a recent introduction into the macroalgal community in Strangford Lough, S. muticum appears to be under biotic pressure at least equal to that on native species, suggesting that release from grazing and epiphytism does not contribute to the invasiveness of this species in Strangford Lough.

Functional management of ankle sprains: what volume and intensity of walking is undertaken in the first week postinjury:what volume and intensity of walking is undertaken in the first week postinjury

BACKGROUND: Acute ankle sprains are usually managed functionally, with advice to undertake progressive weight-bearing and walking. Mechanical loading is an important modular of tissue repair; therefore, the clinical effectiveness of walking after ankle sprain may be dose dependent. The intensity, magnitude and duration of load associated with current functional treatments for ankle sprain are unclear.

AIM: To describe physical activity (PA) in the first week after ankle sprain and to compare results with a healthy control group.

METHODS: Participants (16-65 years) with an acute ankle sprain were randomised into two groups (standard or exercise). Both groups were advised to apply ice and compression, and walk within the limits of pain. The exercise group undertook additional therapeutic exercises. PA was measured using an activPAL accelerometer, worn for 7 days after injury. Comparisons were made with a non-injured control group.

RESULTS: The standard group were significantly less active (1.2 ± 0.4 h activity/day; 5621 ± 2294 steps/day) than the exercise (1.7 ± 0 .7 h/day, p=0.04; 7886 ± 3075 steps/day, p=0.03) and non-injured control groups (1.7 ± 0.4 h/day, p=0.02; 8844 ± 2185 steps/day, p=0.002). Also, compared with the non-injured control group, the standard and exercise groups spent less time in moderate (38.3 ± 12.7 min/day vs 14.5 ± 11.4 min/day, p=0.001 and 22.5 ± 15.9 min/day, p=0.003) and high-intensity activity (4.1 ± 6.9 min/day vs 0.1 ± 0.1 min/day, p=0.001 and 0.62 ± 1.0 min/day p=0.005).

CONCLUSION: PA patterns are reduced in the first week after ankle sprain, which is partly ameliorated with addition of therapeutic exercises. This study represents the first step towards developing evidence-based walking prescription after acute ankle sprain.

THE IMPACT OF GRAZING ON COMMUNITIES OF GROUND-DWELLING SPIDERS (ARANEAE) IN UPLAND VEGETATION TYPES

Adult spider communities were sampled by pitfall trapping over a 24-month period in plots subjected to a range of grazing regimes on five vegetation types on a hill farm in County Antrim, north-east Ireland. Spider community composition was influenced by vegetation type and grazing regime. Variation in the number of individuals and species diversity was also apparent between vegetation types and grazing regime. Plots grazed by all herbivores were characterised by the predominance of species characteristic of disturbed land. Inbye land and areas where grazing had ceased had characteristic coloniser species. The spiders Erigone dentipalpis, Allomengea scopigera and Centromerita bicolor were trapped with greater success in vegetation types where grass species dominated.

Weighing China’s export basket: The domestic content and technology intensity of Chinese exports

In this paper we use new, detailed, and comprehensive linked firm-transaction data to measure the domestic content and technology intensity of Chinese exports over the period 2000–2007. We evaluate the extent of value-added in China’s exports, using a modification of a method proposed by Hummels et al. (2001) which takes into account the prevalence of processing firms. In addition, we provide new estimates of the skill-and technology-intensity of China’s exports. Our estimates of value-added suggest that the domestic content of China’s exports increased from only 53% to about 60% over the period 2003–2006. Our cross-firm analysis reveals that processing exporters have value-added shares approximately 50% lower than non-processing exporters, even after accounting for ownership, location, and industry. We also show that Chinese exports have become increasingly sophisticated, largely driven by skill and technology improvement within industries.

Functional management of ankle sprains: what volume and intensity of walking is undertaken in the first week

BACKGROUND:
Acute ankle sprains are usually managed functionally, with advice to undertake progressive weight-bearing and walking. Mechanical loading is an important modular of tissue repair; therefore, the clinical effectiveness of walking after ankle sprain may be dose dependent. The intensity, magnitude and duration of load associated with current functional treatments for ankle sprain are unclear.
AIM:
To describe physical activity (PA) in the first week after ankle sprain and to compare results with a healthy control group.
METHODS:
Participants (16-65 years) with an acute ankle sprain were randomised into two groups (standard or exercise). Both groups were advised to apply ice and compression, and walk within the limits of pain. The exercise group undertook additional therapeutic exercises. PA was measured using an activPAL accelerometer, worn for 7 days after injury. Comparisons were made with a non-injured control group.
RESULTS:
The standard group were significantly less active (1.2 ± 0.4 h activity/day; 5621 ± 2294 steps/day) than the exercise (1.7 ± 0 .7 h/day, p=0.04; 7886 ± 3075 steps/day, p=0.03) and non-injured control groups (1.7 ± 0.4 h/day, p=0.02; 8844 ± 2185 steps/day, p=0.002). Also, compared with the non-injured control group, the standard and exercise groups spent less time in moderate (38.3 ± 12.7 min/day vs 14.5 ± 11.4 min/day, p=0.001 and 22.5 ± 15.9 min/day, p=0.003) and high-intensity activity (4.1 ± 6.9 min/day vs 0.1 ± 0.1 min/day, p=0.001 and 0.62 ± 1.0 min/day p=0.005).
CONCLUSION:
PA patterns are reduced in the first week after ankle sprain, which is partly ameliorated with addition of therapeutic exercises. This study represents the first step towards developing evidence-based walking prescription after acute ankle sprain.

Can we characterise ‘openness’ in the Holocene palaeoenvironmental record? Modern analogue studies of insect faunas and pollen spectra from Dunham Massey deer park and Epping Forest, England

This paper examines the degree to which tree-associated Coleoptera (beetles) and pollen could be used to predict the degree of ‘openness’ in woodland. The results from two modern insect and pollen analogue studies from ponds at Dunham Massey, Cheshire and Epping Forest, Greater London are presented. We explore the reliability of modern pollen rain and sub-fossil beetle assemblages to represent varying degrees of canopy cover for up to 1000m from a sampling site. Modern woodland canopy structure around the study sites has been assessed using GIS-based mapping at increasing radial distances as an independent check on the modern insect and pollen data sets. These preliminary results suggest that it is possible to use tree-associated Coleoptera to assess the degree of local vegetation openness. Additionally, it appears that insect remains may indicate the relative intensity of land use by grazing animals. Our results also suggest most insects are collected from within a 100m to 200m radius of the sampling site. The pollen results suggest that local vegetation and density of woodland in the immediate area of the sampling site can have a strong role in determining the pollen signal.

Configuration-interaction effects in and intensity dependence of F- multiphoton detachment

Two- and three-photon detachment rates have been obtained for F- using several expansions in the R-matrix Floquet approach. These rates are compared with other theoretical and experimental results. The use of Hartree-Fock wavefunctions for the ground state of F with addition of continuum electrons does not lead to agreement with experiment for two- and three-photon detachment. By adding correlation terms, agreement with experiment and other theoretical results is improved considerably, demonstrating the importance of electron correlation effects. However, convergence with respect to the wavefunction expansion cannot be established, we also study the intensity dependence of multiphoton detachment rates for F- at the Nd-YAG frequency. Due to the ponderomotive shift the three-photon detachment channel closes at an intensity of 8.5 x 10(11) W cm(-2) and the influence of this channel closure on the multiphoton detachment peaks is illustrated by determining the heights of the excess-photon peaks obtained using a Gaussian laser pulse.

An investigation into the role of Bcl-2 in neuroendocrine differentiation

INTRODUCTION: In addition to its role in apoptosis suppression, Bcl-2 has been reported to be co-expressed with neuroendocrine markers in several tissues, leading to speculation that this oncoprotein may promote neuroendocrine differentiation. AIM: This study investigated whether Bcl-2 modulated neuroendocrine biopeptide expression. METHODS: Levels of chromogranin A, neurone specific enolase, protein gene peptide 9.5, pancreatic polypeptide, and the chromogranin-derived peptides, intervening peptide and vasostatin-1 were examined by immunocytochemistry in rat phaeochromocytoma (PC12) cell lines genetically engineered to over-express Bcl-2 and their mock-transfected controls. Intensity of fluorescence was graded using a semi-quantitative scale from (-) indicating negative expression to (+++) indicating intense positivity. RESULTS: Mann-Whitney U analysis indicated that no significant differences in expression existed between control and Bcl2 over-expressing cell lines for any of the six peptides examined. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study do not support the hypothesis that Bcl-2 promotes the acquisition of a neuroendocrine phenotype.

Testing solar forcing of pervasive Holocene climate cycles

The temporal and spatial extent of Holocene climate change is an area of considerable uncertainty, with solar forcing recently proposed to be the origin of cycles identified in the North Atlantic region. To address these issues we have developed an annually resolved record of changes in Irish bog tree populations over the last 7468 years which, together with radiocarbon-dated bog and lake-edge populations, extend the dataset back to 9000 yr ago. The Irish trees underpin the internationally accepted radiocarbon calibration curve, used to derive a proxy of solar activity, and allow us to test solar forcing of Holocene climate change. Tree populations and age structures provide unambiguous evidence of major shifts in Holocene surface moisture, with a dominant cyclicity of 800 yr, similar to marine cycles in the North Atlantic, indicating significant changes in the latitude and intensity of zonal atmospheric circulation across the region. The cycles, however, are not coherent with changes in solar activity (both being on the same absolute timescale), indicating that Holocene North Atlantic climate variability at the millennial and centennial scale is not driven by a linear response to changes in solar activity.