Patients with coronary stenosis and a fractional flow reserve of ≥0.75 measured in daily practice at the VU University Medical Center

Objectives. The aim of this study was to analyse the rate of major adverse clinical events in patients with coronary artery disease and a fractional flow reserve (FFR) of ≥0.75 and deferred for coronary intervention in daily practice. Methods. From 1 January to 31 December 2006, FFR measurement was initiated in 122 patients (5%) out of 2444 patients referred for coronary angiography. In two patients FFR measurement failed and in one patient the FFR value could no longer be traced in the documents. Thus, 119 patients (84 men, 64 years, range 41-85) were included in the evaluation (145 lesions). Major adverse clinical events (death, myocardial infarction, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG)) and the presence of angina were evaluated at follow-up. Furthermore a cost-effectiveness analysis was performed. Results. In 93 patients (76%) the FFR value was ≥0.75. Seventy of these 93 patients (76%) were treated with medication alone or underwent PCI for a different lesion (medical treatment group). Average duration of follow-up of all 119 patients was 22 months (range 4 days to 30 months). In the medical treatment group seven patients (10%) experienced a major adverse clinical event related to the FFR-evaluated lesion during follow-up. In this study population, the use of FFR measurement is cost-reducing provided that at least 65% of the patients in the medical treatment group has had a PCI with stent implantation when the use of FFR measurement is impossible. In this case, the decision to use PCI with stent implantation is purely based on the angiogram. Conclusions. In patients with a coronary stenosis based on visual assessment and an FFR of ≥0.75 deferral of PCI or CABG is safe in daily clinical practice and saves money. (Neth Heart J 2010;18:402-7.)     

Motor vehicles as vectors of plant species from road verges in a suburban environment

The objective of this study was to assess the potential contribution of car-borne flora to species dispersal in a suburban area in Flanders (Belgium). Therefore, motor vehicle-borne flora was evaluated monthly for a random sample of 20 cars between October 1988 and September 1989. At the end of the experiment 33 car-borne plant species, with a total of 690 seedlings were identified from mud, attached to these vehicles. There was considerable temporal variation in the mud mass attached to the vehicles and therefore also the size and composition of the vehicle-borne flora varied during the year. Because mud retention on cars is a crucial factor in seed dispersal, the number of emerging seedlings is negatively correlated with precipitation in the week preceding the sampling. The flora dispersed by vehicles consists mostly of species with small, light seeds and a persistent seed bank. Usually, they are pioneer species of nitrogen-rich habitats. The nature of the vehicle dispersed flora was compared with the local flora of road verges and differed significantly from this in, e.g., seed length, seed weight, ecological groups, Ellenberg indicator values for nitrogen supply, potential dispersal strategies and rarity. A larger resemblance with the flora of the zone immediately adjacent to the carriageway was found. We only found a low similarity to other motor vehicle-borne floras.     

Mobilization and recovery of energy stores in traíra, Hoplias malabaricus Bloch (Teleostei, Erythrinidae) during long-term starvation and after re-feeding

In some neotropical environments, fishes often experience periods of poor food supply, especially due to extreme fluctuations in rainfall regime. The fish species that experience periods of drought such as the traíra Hoplias malabaricus (Bloch 1794), may stand up to long-term food deprivation. In this study, experiments were performed in order to determine the dynamic of utilization of endogenous reserves in this species during starvation. Adult traíra were both fasted for 30–240 days and re-fed for 30 days following 90 and 240 days of fasting. Glycogen and perivisceral fat were primary energy substrates consumed. During the first 30 days, fish consumed hepatic and muscular glycogen, without exhausting these reserves, and used lipids from perivisceral fat. Hepatic lipids were an important energy source during the first 60 days of starvation and perivisceral fat were consumed gradually, being exhausted after 180 days. Protein mobilization was noticeable after 60 days of fasting, and became the major energy source as the lipid reserves were decreased (between 90 and 180 days). Following the longest periods of food deprivation, fish had utilized hepatic glycogen again. Fish re-fed for 30 days after 90 and 240 days of fasting were able to recover hepatic glycogen stores, but not the other energy reserves.     

吉林莫莫格国家级自然保护区的鸟类资源

2003年7月~2006年5月对吉林莫莫格国家级自然保护区的鸟类进行了调查,并结合历史文献,确认保护区有鸟类298种,其中非雀形目鸟类172种,雀形目鸟类126种。该保护区的鸟类以旅鸟和夏候鸟为主,占保护区鸟类总数的84%(旅鸟52%、夏候鸟32%、留鸟11%、冬候鸟5%)。在128种繁殖鸟类中,古北界种类占73.44%,东洋界种类占6.25%,广布种占20.31%,可见古北界种类占优势。在保护区内记录到国家Ⅰ、Ⅱ级重点保护鸟类50种。     

桃红岭自然保护区梅花鹿对春季栖息地的利用

2005年3~5月在江西桃红岭自然保护区对华南梅花鹿(Cervus nippon kopschi)春季栖息地的利用进行了初步研究。选择10类生态因子,并设置256个10 m×10 m样方。选择指数的结果表明,梅花鹿喜欢灌丛和灌草丛、郁闭度较低、灌木盖度较小、食物丰富度高、半阴半阳及向阳、中坡位、坡度平缓、水源距离较近、人为干扰距离>800 m和海拔高度在300~450 m的环境。并对目前桃红岭梅花鹿栖息地存在的一些问题进行了初步分析。     

卧龙自然保护区落叶松林不同恢复阶段地表甲虫的多样性

在四川卧龙国家自然保护区,以落叶松种植林邻近的天然落叶阔叶林(100年生,5块样地)为对照,分别选择刚种植(5年生)、幼年期(15年生)和成熟期(45年生)的3种落叶松林各4块样地,每个样地4个重复,研究森林不同恢复阶段地表甲虫的多样性。通过巴氏罐诱法取样,采集甲虫标本共7444号。步甲科、隐翅虫科和拟步甲科分别占总数的40·2%、38·3%和6·4%,共同构成本研究地区的优势类群。甲虫的科丰富度、多样性和均匀度在3种落叶松林内显著高于天然林,且在3种落叶松林中,刚种植的最高,幼年期的最低;个体数量正相反,天然林显著高于落叶松林,而且3种落叶松林内,幼年期最高,刚种植的最低。主坐标分析排序和聚类分析表明,不同树龄的落叶松林和天然阔叶林间的地表甲虫群落组成存在显著差异,成熟期落叶松林与幼年期落叶松林和天然阔叶林有较高的相似性。甲虫个体数量的季节变化在3种落叶松林内相似性很高,与天然阔叶林差异显著,而科丰富度、多样性和均匀度的季节变化在3种落叶松林以及天然阔叶林间相似性都很低。多元回归分析表明,林冠层、草本层及枯落物的高(厚)度和覆盖率是决定科丰富度、个体数量、多样性和均匀度的决定因素。以上结果表明,在科级水平上,地表甲虫群落组成在不同树龄的落叶松林以及天然落叶阔叶林内存在显著差异,虽然成熟期的落叶松林已经具有了部分天然阔叶林的甲虫群落特点,但仍无法完全恢复到天然林的群落水平。因此,在鼓励森林恢复的同时,保留大面积的天然落叶阔叶林免受破坏和干扰仍然是保护地表甲虫群落的必要措施。     

我国内蒙古发现白鹤夏季群体

白鹤 (Grusleucogeranus)又名西伯利亚鹤、黑袖鹤。体长 1 3 5cm ,站高 1 40cm。体羽除初级飞羽外 ,皆为白色。全世界野生白鹤数量不足 40 0 0只 ,已经被IUCN红皮书列为全球濒危种类 ,CITES列入附录Ⅰ ,我国也将白鹤列为国家一级重点保护鸟类。据文献记载及现有资料证明 ,白鹤在我国为旅鸟和冬候鸟。 2 0 0 2～ 2 0 0 4年夏季在内蒙古图牧吉国家级自然保护区均记录到白鹤夏季种群 ,数量为 8只、7只和1 6只。这是我国首次记录到白鹤夏季集群。笔者对白鹤夏季行为及食性进行了初步观察。     

甘肃仓鼠分类地位再讨论

作者在甘肃仓鼠(Cansumyscanus)模式标本产地附近的甘肃莲花山自然保护区采获甘肃仓鼠和大仓鼠(Cricetulustriton) ,通过比较标本发现二者在形态上存在显著差异,且甘肃仓鼠头骨的眶间深槽和耳外缘基部的白毛在仓鼠亚科中都是独特的,因此,建议恢复甘肃仓鼠属。陕西的甘肃仓鼠与莲花山的甘肃仓鼠虽有一定相似,但在尾部和头骨上存在明显差别,分类地位有待进一步研究。     

江西马头山自然保护区攀缘植物区系研究

马头山自然保护区位于江西省东部资溪县的马头山林场内,地理坐标为117°08’52”～117°18’00”E, 27°40’43”～27°53’52”N,总面积为21 570 hm2,有丰富的野生攀缘植物资源。通过野外采集及标本的整理鉴 定,初步确认该区共有攀缘植物40科92属222种(包括种下等级)。根据对马头山攀缘植物区系分析的结 果,指出本区攀缘植物区系具有以下特征:(1)种类组成丰富,地理成分复杂;(2)区系中热带性地理成分占主 导地位;(3)区系成分相对古老,特有类群丰富,多型性突出;(4)华东区系特征明显,南北区系过渡。