scholarly journals Strong pairwise ant-plant mutualism has limited spillover effects on an ant community

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marion L Donald ◽  
Tom Miller
Keyword(s):  
Spillover Effects ◽  
Density Variation ◽  
Pitfall Trapping ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Positive Feedbacks ◽  
Ant Community ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Term Data ◽  
Dominant Ant

Pairwise mutualisms are embedded within rich communities of co-occurring species. Mutualism by definition benefits partner species and theory predicts these effects can spill over into broader communities, with consequences for abundance, diversity, and composition. Specifically, positive feedbacks between partner species may shift competitive hierarchies and drive reductions in non-partner species. We used long-term monitoring data spanning 16 years to determine the ant partner species of tree cholla cacti (Cylindriopuntia imbricata), which reward ants with extrafloral nectar in exchange for anti-herbivore defense. We coupled these long-term data with short-term characterization of the ant community via pitfall trapping, which sampled partner and non-partner species across ten plots that varied naturally in cactus density. The long-term data revealed one dominant ant partner (Liometopum apiculatum) and two other less common partners (Crematogaster opuntiae and Forelius pruinosus). In the short-term census, the dominant ant partner occupied more cacti in plots of higher cactus density, and was also found at higher occurrence within the pitfall traps in the high cactus density plots, suggesting strong positive feedbacks that promote ant occurrence where plant partners are available. Despite the consistency of L. apiculatum partnership with cacti through time and the dominance of this partnership in areas of high cactus density, spillover effects from this mutualism appear limited. Of the common ant species, a single non-partner ant species showed a modest reduction in occurrence at high cactus density, possibly in response to increased presence of L. apiculatum. Additionally, the composition and diversity of the ant community in our plots were insensitive to cactus density variation, indicating that positive effects on the dominant ant partner did not have cascading impacts on the ant community. This study provides novel evidence that pairwise mutualisms, even those with strong positive feedbacks, may be limited in the scope of their community-level effects.

scholarly journals Paleolithic Diet—Effect on the Health Status and Performance of Athletes?

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 1019
Author(s):  
Barbara Frączek ◽  
Aleksandra Pięta ◽  
Adrian Burda ◽  
Paulina Mazur-Kurach ◽  
Florentyna Tyrała
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Model Assessment ◽  
Paleolithic Diet ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Short And Long Term ◽  
The Impact

The aim of this meta-analysis was to review the impact of a Paleolithic diet (PD) on selected health indicators (body composition, lipid profile, blood pressure, and carbohydrate metabolism) in the short and long term of nutrition intervention in healthy and unhealthy adults. A systematic review of randomized controlled trials of 21 full-text original human studies was conducted. Both the PD and a variety of healthy diets (control diets (CDs)) caused reduction in anthropometric parameters, both in the short and long term. For many indicators, such as weight (body mass (BM)), body mass index (BMI), and waist circumference (WC), impact was stronger and especially found in the short term. All diets caused a decrease in total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and triglycerides (TG), albeit the impact of PD was stronger. Among long-term studies, only PD cased a decline in TC and LDL-C. Impact on blood pressure was observed mainly in the short term. PD caused a decrease in fasting plasma (fP) glucose, fP insulin, and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) in the short run, contrary to CD. In the long term, only PD caused a decrease in fP glucose and fP insulin. Lower positive impact of PD on performance was observed in the group without exercise. Positive effects of the PD on health and the lack of experiments among professional athletes require longer-term interventions to determine the effect of the Paleo diet on athletic performance.

Prediction of Long Term Stress Rupture Data for 2124

2006 ◽  
Vol 519-521 ◽  
pp. 1041-1046 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian Wilshire ◽  
H. Burt ◽  
N.P. Lavery
Keyword(s):  
Q Methodology ◽  
Fracture Behavior ◽  
Stress Rupture ◽  
Creep Data ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Rupture Data ◽  
Term Creep ◽  
Term Data ◽  
Short Term Creep

The standard power law approaches widely used to describe creep and creep fracture behavior have not led to theories capable of predicting long-term data. Similarly, traditional parametric methods for property rationalization also have limited predictive capabilities. In contrast, quantifying the shapes of short-term creep curves using the q methodology introduces several physically-meaningful procedures for creep data rationalization and prediction, which allow straightforward estimation of the 100,000 hour stress rupture values for the aluminum alloy, 2124.

scholarly journals Short-term and long-term international scientific mobility of Italian PhDs: An analysis by gender

2021 ◽  
pp. 35-40
Author(s):  
Valentina Tocchioni ◽  
Alessandra Petrucci ◽  
Alessandra Minello
Keyword(s):  
Multinomial Logistic Regression ◽  
Early Career ◽  
International Mobility ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Host Countries ◽  
Academic Mobility ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Long Run ◽  
The Brain

In the last years, there has been a large increase in high-educated and high-skilled people’s mobility as a consequence of the internationalization and globalization, the weakening of research and university systems of sending countries (the “brain drain” process), the increase in skilled demand and improvements in higher education of host countries (the “brain gain” process). At the micro-level, academic mobility has positive consequences on occupational prospects and careers of researchers, both in the short- and long- run. Nevertheless, numerous research studies have demonstrated the challenges of engaging in international academic mobility for people with caring responsibilities, particularly women. Using Italian data on occupational conditions of PhDs collected in 2018 by Istat and modelling multinomial logistic regression analyses, we intend to verify if female researchers are associated with a lower international mobility irrespective their field of study, and the extent to which gender interacts differently in the various fields of study in affecting the probability of moving abroad after PhD qualification. Also, the distinction between long-term and short-term mobility, which has been mainly neglected in the literature concentrating on longer stays, has taken into account. In this respect, short-term mobility is a potentially high-value investment that may be pursued also by those researchers and scientists who cannot move for longer periods, such as women with caring responsibilities. In the literature, it is acknowledged that an experience abroad during early career may have positive effects on future occupational prospects. With our work, we intend to shed light on potential disparities on moving abroad that may exist among researchers in their early career by gender, and which could contribute to leave behind women in academia.

scholarly journals A Multi-Year Examination of Gardening Experience and Fruit and Vegetable Intake During College

Nutrients ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 2088 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Staub ◽  
Sarah E. Colby ◽  
Melissa D. Olfert ◽  
Kendra Kattelmann ◽  
Wenjun Zhou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vegetable Intake ◽  
Fruit And Vegetable Intake ◽  
Farmers Markets ◽  
Fruit And Vegetable ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Second Year ◽  
Locally Grown ◽  
Term Data ◽  
Time Point

Gardening has been positively associated with fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption based on short-term studies among children, but long-term data among adolescents and young adults are lacking. This investigation sought to elucidate the association between gardening experience and FV intake among college students over a two-year period. Students (N = 593) from eight universities were assessed at the end of their freshman (Y1) and sophomore (Y2) years during the springs of 2016 and 2017, respectively. At each time point, participants completed the NCI FV Screener and questions related to gardening experience and FV-related attitudes and behaviors. Students were then categorized into four groups based on gardening experience: Gardened only during the first or second year (Y1 only and Y2 only gardeners), gardened both years (Y1+Y2 gardeners), and non-gardeners. While both Y1 only and Y1+Y2 gardeners reported significantly higher FV intake relative to non-gardeners at Y1 (2.3 ± 0.9 and 2.6 ± 0.7 versus 1.9 ± 0.6 cup equivalents (CE)/day, respectively; p < 0.01), only Y1+Y2 gardeners differed from non-gardeners at Y2 (2.4 ± 0.6 versus 1.8 ± 0.5 CE/day; p < 0.001). Additionally, Y1+Y2 gardeners reported more frequent engagement of several FV-related behaviors, including shopping at farmers’ markets, eating locally grown foods, and cooking from basic ingredients; and were five times more likely to have gardened during childhood (OR: 5.2, 95%, CI: 3.5–8.8; p < 0.001). Findings suggest that while isolated gardening experiences during college are associated with FV intake, reoccurring experience may be essential for sustained benefit.

Lurasidone and risk for metabolic syndrome: results from short- and long-term clinical studies in patients with schizophrenia

CNS Spectrums ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Michael Tocco ◽  
John W. Newcomer ◽  
Yongcai Mao ◽  
Andrei Pikalov ◽  
Antony Loebel
Keyword(s):  
Metabolic Syndrome ◽  
Dose Range ◽  
Dose Effect ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Open Label ◽  
Quetiapine Xr ◽  
Long Term Treatment ◽  
Short And Long Term ◽  
Term Data

Abstract Objective To assess the effects of treatment with lurasidone on risk for metabolic syndrome (MetS) in patients with schizophrenia. Methods Rates of metabolic syndrome during treatment with lurasidone (40-160 mg/d) were analyzed using pooled, short-term data from three randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies (vs olanzapine and quetiapine XR); long-term data from two active-comparator-controlled studies (vs risperidone and quetiapine XR); and data from two open-label studies in which patients were switched from olanzapine or risperidone to lurasidone. Results MetS was defined based on the National Cholesterol Education Program criteria. In short-term studies, the odds of meeting criteria for MetS at week 6 LOCF (adjusted for baseline metabolic syndrome status) was similar for the lurasidone and placebo groups (OR = 1.18; [95% CI, 0.81-1.71]; P = .39), but the odds (vs placebo) were significantly greater for olanzapine (OR = 2.81; [95% CI, 1.53-5.15]; P < .001) and quetiapine (OR = 3.49; [95% CI, 1.93-6.29]; P < .0001). No dose effect was observed for lurasidone across the dose range of 40-160 mg/d. In long-term studies, the odds of MetS after 12 months of treatment was significantly higher for risperidone compared with lurasidone (OR = 2.12; 95% CI, 1.15-3.90; P = .016) and for quetiapine XR compared with lurasidone (OR = 3.92; 95% CI, 1.15-13.40; P = .029). In open-label extension studies, the rate of MetS decreased in patients switched to lurasidone after 6 weeks of treatment with olanzapine or 12 months of treatment with risperidone. Conclusion In this analysis of lurasidone clinical trials, the odds of developing metabolic syndrome were minimal during short- and long-term treatment with lurasidone (40-160 mg/d).

The Shift towards Smart, Green and Integrated Raw Materials Efficiency

2014 ◽  
Vol 718 ◽  
pp. 105-109
Author(s):  
Eva Oravcová ◽  
Miroslav Zelko
Keyword(s):  
Decision Support ◽  
Raw Materials ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Supervision System ◽  
Requirements Development ◽  
And Control ◽  
Term Data

Comprehensive environmental observation, eco-innovation and smartization are essential to ensure the delivery of the long-term data and information required to address the shift towards smart, green and integrated raw materials efficiency. For this reason we need the mine-wide digitalization and informatization base model, an advanced mine-wide decision support system and a smart supervision system to supervise and control the production, back to predefined short-term production targets with most likelihood and optimal approaches. There are three main steps to be taken: analysis, evaluation and determination of the shift requirements, development of the models as well as modeling of the scenarios and connection to the smart platform for the support of the decision makers. The paper aims to consider what would be required for a raw materials area to operate as a modern smart technology-supported business. It attempts to provide a vision of some future smart architectures scenarios.

scholarly journals Tacrolimus or infliximab for severe ulcerative colitis: short-term and long-term data from a retrospective observational study

2015 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. e000021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naoki Minami ◽  
Takuya Yoshino ◽  
Minoru Matsuura ◽  
Yorimitsu Koshikawa ◽  
Satoshi Yamada ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ulcerative Colitis ◽  
Observational Study ◽  
Retrospective Observational Study ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Severe Ulcerative Colitis ◽  
Term Data

scholarly journals Variability of seasonal and annual rainfall in the River Nile riparian countries and possible linkages to ocean–atmosphere interactions

2015 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
pp. 171-184 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles Onyutha
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Equatorial Region ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
River Nile ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Ocean Atmosphere ◽  
Data Points ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Term Data

Variability analyses for the rainfall over the Nile Basin have been confined mostly to sub-basins and the annual mean of the hydroclimatic variable based on observed short-term data from a few meteorological stations. In this paper, long-term country-wide rainfall over the period 1901–2011 was used to assess variability in the seasonal and annual rainfall volumes in all the River Nile countries in Africa. Temporal variability was determined through temporal aggregation of series rescaled nonparametrically in terms of the difference between the exceedance and non-exceedance counts of data points such that the long-term average (taken as the reference) was zero. The co-occurrence of the variability of rainfall with those of the large-scale ocean–atmosphere interactions was analyzed. Between 2000 and 2012, while the rainfall in the equatorial region was increasing, that for the countries in the northern part of the River Nile was below the reference. Generally, the variability in the rainfall of the countries in the equatorial (northern) part of the River Nile was found to be significantly linked to occurrences in the Indian and Atlantic (Pacific and Atlantic) Oceans. Significant linkages to Niño 4 regarding the variability of both the seasonal and annual rainfall of some countries were also evident.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document