Optimal management of the rare Gladiolus imbricatus in Estonian coastal meadows indicated by its population structure

Questions: What is the best grassland management regime for the threatened plant species Gladiolus imbricatus; is the stage structure of local populations a feasible indicator of the effect of changed management. Location: Coastal meadow system in southwestern Estonia. Methods : The effect of five management regimes was studied in a long‐term (three‐year) field experiment: (1) mowing in late July, (2) grazing by cattle, (3) grazing by sheep, (4) sheep grazing during the first year and mowing during subsequent years, (5) no management (control). Results: The population density increased significantly in response to the mowing treatment and to the mowing after sheep grazing treatment. The proportion of grazed plant individuals was higher in the sheep‐grazed than in the cattle‐grazed treatment. Generative and vegetative adult individuals of G. imbricatus were significantly more damaged by cattle herbivory than juveniles. All management regimes shifted the population structure towards a dynamic state where juvenile stages dominate, while the not managed control retained a regressive population structure. Conclusions: Population stage structure was a useful indicator of different management conditions, even in the case where population density did not differ. As indicated by population stage structure, the best management regime for G. imbricatus was either mowing in late July only, or alternation of grazing and mowing in different years.     

Reinstatement of traditional mowing regimes counteracts population senescence in the rare perennial Primula vulgaris

Question: Traditional management of grassland verges or ditch banks included mowing as a way to provide additional harvesting of hay. Nowadays, such sites are often left unmanaged, as mowing verges is no longer profitable in modern agricultural systems. Are vulnerable plant species able to withstand competition with the surrounding vegetation and maintain viable populations under these circumstances? How do they respond to reinstatement of traditional mowing regimes? Location: Oedelem, northwestern Belgium. Methods: To investigate the effect of reinstatement of the rare perennial Primula vulgaris, demography and adult plant performance were monitored in a grassland verge between 1999 and 2003 under different mowing regimes. Year transitions between life stages were analysed with matrix population models. To disentangle the contributions of the deviations in different life stage transitions to the variation in overall population growth rate, life table response experiments were used. Results: Both management and year had a strong impact on demographic traits of P. vulgaris. If plots were left unmanaged, lower plant performance and declining population growth rates were observed. While population growth rates differed significantly between mowing regimes, mowing of plots only in July did not differ from mowing in July and October in terms of vegetative and reproductive output of adults. Mowing twice a year appeared to be most efficient in increasing population growth rate both by raising recruitment and growth of individuals into large reproductive adults. Conclusions: Large P. vulgaris populations show a good ability to recover from recent abandonment of traditional management regimes. By mowing twice a year, managers are able to target vital rates that are most influential: growth and flowering of adult individuals.     

Selection of Stable Reference Genes for Quantitative Real-Time PCR on <i>Paeonia ostii</i> T. Hong et J. X. Zhang Leaves Exposed to Different Drought Stress Conditions

The definition of relatively stable expressed internal reference genes is essential in both traditional blotting quantification and as a modern data quantitative strategy. Appropriate internal reference genes can accurately standardize the expression abundance of target genes to avoid serious experimental errors. In this study, the expression profiles of ten candidate genes, ACT1, ACT2, GAPDH, eIF1, eIF2, α-TUB, β-TUB, TBP, RNA Pol II and RP II, were calculated for a suitable reference gene selection in Paeonia ostii T. Hong et J. X. Zhang leaves under various drought stress conditions. Data were processed by the four regularly used evaluation software. A comprehensive analysis revealed that RNA Pol II was the most stable gene and eIF2 was the least stable one. In addition, the geNorm program provided the optimal choice of two reference gene combination, RNA Pol II and β-TUB, for qRT-PCR normalization in P. ostii subjected to different drought stress levels. Our research provided convenience for gene expression analysis in P. ostii under drought stress and promoted research of effective methods to alleviate P. ostii drought stress in the future.     

Multi‐gene phylogenetic analyses of New Zealand coralline algae: Corallinapetra Novaezelandiae gen. et sp. nov. and recognition of the Hapalidiales ord. nov.

Coralline red algae from the New Zealand region were investigated in a study focused on documenting regional diversity. We present a multi‐gene analysis using sequence data obtained for four genes (nSSU, psaA, psbA, rbcL) from 68 samples. The study revealed cryptic diversity at both genus and species levels, confirming and providing further evidence of problems with current taxonomic concepts in the Corallinophycidae. In addition, a new genus Corallinapetra novaezelandiae gen. et sp. nov. is erected for material from northern New Zealand. Corallinapetra is excluded from all currently recognized families and orders within the Corallinophycidae and thus represents a previously unrecognized lineage within this subclass. We discuss rank in the Corallinophycidae and propose the order Hapalidiales.     

Évaluation de méthodes automatiques de segmentation des volumes tumoraux en tomographie par émission de positons par comparaison avec des contours manuels réalisés par un groupe d’experts

Objective

Set up a framework for evaluating automatic segmentation methods of tumour volumes on PET images.

Patient and methods

This study was performed with PET images of 18 patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. One target lesion per patient was pointed out. Each lesion was then three times manually delineated by five experts. Four automatic methods (the application of a threshold of 42% of the maximum SUV, the MIP-based method, the Daisne et al. method and the Nestle et al. method) were evaluated by comparison with the set of manual delineations.

Results

From the manual delineations, we have concluded to a moderate intra-operator variability and to a reduced interoperator reproducibility. From statistical tests performed on various quantitative criteria, there was no significant difference between the MIP-based method, the Daisne et al. method and the Nestle et al. one. The application of a threshold of 42% of the maximum SUV appears to be less efficient.

Conclusion

This work proposes a comparison and an evaluation protocol for segmentation methods. The generated data set will be distributed online for the community to simplify the evaluation of any new method of segmentation.     

西藏独一味属一新变型——白花独一味

描述了唇形科独一味属植物独一味[Lamiophlomis rotato.(Benth.ex Hook.f.)Kudo]的1个新变型--白花独一味[Lamiophlomis rotata(Benth.ex Hook.f.)Kudo f.dlbiflora J.Luo et S.L.Wang].原变型的花冠为淡紫色、红紫色或粉红褐色,而新变型花瓣为白色,花萼为绿色.     

四川天南星属(天南星科)一新种——川西南星

描述了四川西部天南星属(天南星科)植物一新种,即川西天南星.     

川鄂獐耳细辛一新变型

描述了产于湖北神农架的川鄂獐耳细辛1个新变型―――重瓣川鄂獐耳细辛( Hepatica henryi Steward f. pleniflora X.D.Li et J.Q. Li),与原变型的主要区别为花冠重瓣。     

卢氏凤仙花（Impatiens lushiensis Y.L.Chen）的新模式指定

由于卢氏凤仙花Impatiens lushiensis Y.L.Chen[=Impatiens heterosepala S.Y.Wang（1988）non J.D.Hook.（1924）]的主模式和副模式全部遗失,在此指定了卢氏凤仙花的新模式。     

化香树果序总黄酮提取动力学研究

以化香树果序为原料,60%的乙醇水溶液为溶剂提取黄酮类化合物,在不同温度下对总黄酮的传质动力学进行了研究。采用平板模型,以Fick第二定律为基础,建立了化香树果序总黄酮提取的动力学方程,求得了速率常数、活化能、相对萃余率等一系列动力学参数。研究结果可为化香树果序总黄酮提取工程放大和深入理论研究提供一定的依据。