Publications by authors named "K Sam"
Insect herbivory plays a crucial role in shaping plant communities in many terrestrial ecosystems. However, in African savannas, insect herbivory has been relatively understudied compared to large mammalian herbivory. In this study, we examined the impact of insect herbivory, focusing on leaf chewers and miners, in a South African savanna-forest mosaic (including patches of forest, thicket and savanna) in Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park, South Africa.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- The text discusses the effectiveness of CSF-xanthochromia testing for diagnosing subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) in patients with negative CT scans, highlighting its reliability as a secondary test after symptoms begin.
- A retrospective audit analyzed 543 cases, finding CSF-xanthochromia to have excellent sensitivity and specificity, especially in cases where testing occurred more than 24 hours after headache onset.
- The study concludes that CSF-xanthochromia is a valid second-line test for excluding SAH, particularly for patients who present later after initial symptoms.
Article Synopsis
- The study examines the effectiveness, safety, and acceptability of two methods for cervical preparation prior to labor induction: digital insertion vs. speculum-based insertion of catheter balloons.
- It utilized various medical databases to find randomized controlled trials that met specific criteria, focusing on viable singleton pregnancies and excluding studies that didn't involve cervical balloons.
- The results indicated that while digital insertion was generally less painful and had comparable maternal satisfaction, overall outcomes showed no significant difference between the two methods, despite some concerns over study biases.
Insectivorous predators, including birds and bats, play crucial roles in trophic cascades. However, previous research on these cascades has often relied on permanent predator exclosures, which prevent the isolation of specific effects of birds and bats, given their different activity patterns throughout the day. Moreover, limited knowledge exists regarding the variations in individual effects of these predators under different biotic and abiotic conditions, such as changes in elevation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBirds, bats and ants are recognised as significant arthropod predators. However, empirical studies reveal inconsistent trends in their relative roles in top-down control across strata. Here, we describe the differences between forest strata in the separate effects of birds, bats and ants on arthropod densities and their cascading effects on plant damage.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF