Effects of patch size and density on flower visitation and seed set of wild plants: a pan-European approach

1. Habitat fragmentation can affect pollinator and plant population structure in terms of species composition, abundance, area covered and density of flowering plants. This, in turn, may affect pollinator visitation frequency, pollen deposition, seed set and plant fitness. 2. A reduction in the quantity of flower visits can be coupled with a reduction in the quality of pollination service and hence the plants’ overall reproductive success and long-term survival. Understanding the relationship between plant population size and⁄ or isolation and pollination limitation is of fundamental importance for plant conservation. 3. Weexamined flower visitation and seed set of 10 different plant species fromfive European countries to investigate the general effects of plant populations size and density, both within (patch level) and between populations (population level), on seed set and pollination limitation. 4. Wefound evidence that the effects of area and density of flowering plant assemblages were generally more pronounced at the patch level than at the population level. We also found that patch and population level together influenced flower visitation and seed set, and the latter increased with increasing patch area and density, but this effect was only apparent in small populations. 5. Synthesis. By using an extensive pan-European data set on flower visitation and seed set we have identified a general pattern in the interplay between the attractiveness of flowering plant patches for pollinators and density dependence of flower visitation, and also a strong plant species-specific response to habitat fragmentation effects. This can guide efforts to conserve plant–pollinator interactions, ecosystem functioning and plant fitness in fragmented habitats.

Analysis of Pan-European attitudes to the eradication and control of bovine viral diarrhoea

At present, national-level policies concerning the eradication and control of bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) differ widely across Europe. Some Scandinavian countries have enacted strong regulatory frameworks to eradicate the disease, whereas other countries have few formal policies. To examine these differences, the attitudes of stakeholders and policy makers in 17 European countries were investigated. A web-based questionnaire was sent to policy makers, government and private sector veterinarians, and representatives of farmers' organisations. On total, 131 individuals responded to the questionnaire and their responses were analysed by applying a method used in sociolinguistics: frame analysis. The results showed that the different attitudes of countries that applied compulsory or voluntary frameworks were associated with different views about the attribution or blame for BVD and the roles ascribed to farmers and other stakeholders in its eradication and control.

Preparation of nanomagnetic absorbent for partition coefficient measurement

In this paper, we report a new method based on supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO(2)) to fill and distribute the porous magnetic nanoparticles with n-octanol in a homogeneous manner. The high solubility of n-octanol in scCO(2) and high diffusivity and permeability of the fluid allow efficient delivery of n-octanol into the porous magnetic nanoparticles. Thus, the n-octanol-loaded magnetic nanoparticles can be readily dispersed into aqueous buffer (pH 7.40) to form a homogenous suspension consisting of nano-sized n-octanol droplets. We refer this suspension as the n-octanol stock solution. The n-octanol stock solution is then mixed with bulk aqueous phase (pH 7.40) containing an organic compound prior to magnetic separation. The small-size of the particles and the efficient mixing enable a rapid establishment of the partition equilibrium of the organic compound between the solid supported n-octanol nano-droplets and the bulk aqueous phase. UV-vis spectrophotometry is then applied to determine the concentration of the organic compound in the aqueous phase both before and after partitioning (after magnetic separation). As a result, log D values of organic compounds of pharmaceutical interest determined by this modified method are found to be in excellent agreement with the literature data. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Does genotype and equol-production status affect response to isoflavones? Data from a pan-European study on the effects of isoflavones on cardiovascular risk markers in post-menopausal women

The increase in CVD incidence following the menopause is associated with oestrogen loss. Dietary isoflavones are thought to be cardioprotective via their oestrogenic and oestrogen receptor-independent effects, but evidence to support this role is scarce. Individual variation in response to diet may be considerable and can obscure potential beneficial effects in a sample population; in particular, the response to isoflavone treatment may vary according to genotype and equol-production status. The effects of isoflavone supplementation (50hairspmg/d) on a range of established and novel biomarkers of CVD, including markers of lipid and glucose metabolism and inflammatory biomarkers, have been investigated in a placebo-controlled 2x8-week randomised cross-over study in 117 healthy post-menopausal women. Responsiveness to isoflavone supplementation according to (1) single nucleotide polymorphisms in a range of key CVD genes, including oestrogen receptor (ER) alpha and beta and (2) equol-production status has been examined. Isoflavones supplementation was found to have no effect on markers of lipids and glucose metabolism. Isoflavones improve C-reactive protein concentrations but do not affect other plasma inflammatory markers. There are no differences in response to isoflavones according to equol-production status. However, differences in HDL-cholesterol and vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 response to isoflavones v. placebo are evident with specific ER beta genotypes. In conclusion, isoflavones have beneficial effects on C-reactive protein, but not other cardiovascular risk markers. However, specific ER beta gene polymorphic subgroups may benefit from isoflavone supplementation.

Part load operation coefficient of air-conditioning system of public building

IPLV overall coefficient, presented by Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI) of America, shows running/operation status of air-conditioning system host only. For overall operation coefficient, logical solution has not been developed, to reflect the whole air-conditioning system under part load. In this research undertaking, the running time proportions of air-conditioning systems under part load have been obtained through analysis on energy consumption data during practical operation in all public buildings in Chongqing. This was achieved by using analysis methods, based on the statistical energy consumption data distribution of public buildings month-by-month. Comparing with the weight number of IPLV, part load operation coefficient of air-conditioning system, based on this research, does not only show the status of system refrigerating host, but also reflects and calculate energy efficiency of the whole air-conditioning system. The coefficient results from the processing and analyzing of practical running data, shows the practical running status of area and building type (actual and objective) – not clear. The method is different from model analysis which gets IPLV weight number, in the sense that this method of coefficient results in both four equal proportions and also part load operation coefficient of air-conditioning system under any load rate as necessary.

Measuring departures from Hardy-Weinberg: a Markov chain Monte Carlo method for estimating the inbreeding coefficient

Many well-established statistical methods in genetics were developed in a climate of severe constraints on computational power. Recent advances in simulation methodology now bring modern, flexible statistical methods within the reach of scientists having access to a desktop workstation. We illustrate the potential advantages now available by considering the problem of assessing departures from Hardy-Weinberg (HW) equilibrium. Several hypothesis tests of HW have been established, as well as a variety of point estimation methods for the parameter which measures departures from HW under the inbreeding model. We propose a computational, Bayesian method for assessing departures from HW, which has a number of important advantages over existing approaches. The method incorporates the effects-of uncertainty about the nuisance parameters--the allele frequencies--as well as the boundary constraints on f (which are functions of the nuisance parameters). Results are naturally presented visually, exploiting the graphics capabilities of modern computer environments to allow straightforward interpretation. Perhaps most importantly, the method is founded on a flexible, likelihood-based modelling framework, which can incorporate the inbreeding model if appropriate, but also allows the assumptions of the model to he investigated and, if necessary, relaxed. Under appropriate conditions, information can be shared across loci and, possibly, across populations, leading to more precise estimation. The advantages of the method are illustrated by application both to simulated data and to data analysed by alternative methods in the recent literature.

Precision of quasi-optical null-balanced bridge techniques for transmission and reflection coefficient measurements

The precision of quasioptical null-balanced bridge instruments for transmission and reflection coefficient measurements at millimeter and submillimeter wavelengths is analyzed. A Jones matrix analysis is used to describe the amount of power reaching the detector as a function of grid angle orientation, sample transmittance/reflectance and phase delay. An analysis is performed of the errors involved in determining the complex transmission and reflection coefficient after taking into account the quantization error in the grid angle and micrometer readings, the transmission or reflection coefficient of the sample, the noise equivalent power of the detector, the source power and the post-detection bandwidth. For a system fitted with a rotating grid with resolution of 0.017 rad and a micrometer quantization error of 1 μm, a 1 mW source, and a detector with a noise equivalent power 5×10−9 W Hz−1/2, the maximum errors at an amplitude transmission or reflection coefficient of 0.5 are below ±0.025.

Modèle d'état à coefficient aléatoire: filtrage par densités approchées

Le filtrage de Bucy-Kalman s'applique au modèle d'état comprenant des équations linéaires bruitées, décrivant l'évolution de l'état et des équations linéaires bruitées d'observation . Ce filtrage consiste dans le cas gaussien, à calculer de façon récursive, la loi de probabilité, a posteriori, de l'état, au vu de l' observation actuelle et des observations passées . Le filtrage par densités approchées permet de traiter des équations d'état, non linéaires ou à bruits non Gaussiens. Pour un coefficient de rappel aléatoire, cas typique d'une situation de changements de modèles, l'article introduit une famille de lois de probabilité, paramétrées, bimodales servant, par ajustement des paramètres, à approcher les lois a posteriori de l'état aux divers instants . Les paramètres sont recalculés récursivement, lors des mises à jour et des prédictions.

Development of peptide-conjugated morpholino oligomers as pan-arenavirus inhibitors

Members of the Arenaviridae are a threat to public health and can cause meningitis and hemorrhagic fever, yet treatment options remain limited by a lack of effective antivirals. In this study, we found that peptide-conjugated phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomers (PPMO) complementary to viral genomic RNA were effective in reducing arenavirus replication in cell cultures and in vivo. PPMO complementary to the Junín virus genome were designed to interfere with viral RNA synthesis, translation, or both. However, only PPMO designed to potentially interfere with translation were effective in reducing virus replication. PPMO complementary to sequence that is highly conserved across arenaviruses and located at the 5’-termini of both genomic segments were effective against Junín, Tacaribe, Pichinde and Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis arenavirus-infected cell cultures, and suppressed viral titers in the livers of LCMV-infected mice. These results suggest that arenavirus 5’-genomic-termini represent promising targets for pan-arenavirus antiviral therapeutic development.

The death of Osama bin Laden - the end of Al-Qaeda's Pan-Islamic ambition?

This paper evaluates the implications of Osama bin Ladin’s death for the future of al-Qaeda’s global jihad. It critically examines the debate as to the make-up of the group and identifies bin Ladin’s primary role as chief ideologue advocating a defensive jihad to liberate the umma. The rationale and appeal of bin Ladin’s message and Muslims’ reaction to both his statements and al-Qaeda’s increasing use of sectarian violence are assessed in the context of Pan-Islam as political ideology. The paper concludes that while the ideal of Islamic unity and the sentiment of Muslim solidarity are unlikely to vanish, al-Qaeda’s violent jihad has not only failed to achieve these goals but has worked against it, thereby confining it to the political margins.