Diversity and mean specific leaf area of Mediterranean woody vegetation changes in response to summer drought across a double stress gradient: The role of phenotypic plasticity

Aim

Many aspects of vegetation response to increased drought remain uncertain but it is expected that phenotypic plasticity may be key to early adaptation of plants to environmental stress. In this work we observe the response of specific leaf area (SLA) of woody shrub vegetation to the summer drought typical of the Mediterranean climate. In addition, to observe the possible interaction between the impact of drought and the environmental characteristics of the ecosystems, communities from different edaphic and structural contexts distributed along the double stress gradient of the Mediterranean mountains (high temperature and low precipitation at low elevation; low temperature and high irradiation at high elevation) have been analysed.

Location

Central Mountain range of the Iberian Peninsula.

Methods

Along the entire altitudinal gradient, 33 shrub communities belonging to different habitat typologies (shrublands, rocky areas, hedgerows, understorey) were sampled before and after the passage of summer, both in 2017 and 2019. A total of 1724 individuals and 15,516 leaves were collected and measured to estimate the mean values and diversity of SLA of each community.

Results

The community-weighted mean and functional divergence have inverse quadratic relationships with the environmental gradient. Shrub communities at both ends of the gradient have low mean SLA values and high functional divergence of this trait. Summer drought implies a generalised decrease in the mean SLA of the communities throughout the gradient, as well as an alteration in functional richness and uniformity. However, the effect of summer drought on the plant community is mediated by the microenvironmental characteristics of its habitat.

Conclusions

Drought acclimatisation of shrub communities through phenotypic plasticity leads to rapid changes in their functional leaf structure. In the long term, our results point to an increase in plant conservative strategies, reduced ecosystem productivity, slower nutrient recycling and the reduction of communities of specific habitats as drought increases.     

Changes in the Concentration of Microelements in the Teeth of Rats in the Final Stage of Type 1 Diabetes,with an Absolute Lack of Insulin

The mineral content of tooth hard tissue may influence the rate of decay change. Considering this fact, we aimed at examining if type 1 diabetes might be a contributing factor to the appearance of tooth decay. The experiment was conducted on female Wistar rats. To induce diabetes, rats were intravenously injected with 1 mL streptozocine 0.01 M citrate buffer. The control group of rats was injected with 1 mL 0.01 M citrate buffer only. After 10 days, teeth and blood serum samples were obtained. Fluoride concentration was determined by potentiometer method, and calcium and magnesium, by AAS. Serum concentrations of glucose and estradiol in the diabetic rats were significantly higher compared to the control group. In the experimental group, a statistically significant decrease of fluorine concentration in both teeth and serum were observed. Calcium and magnesium concentrations in blood serum and dental magnesium concentration were significantly higher in rats with type 1 diabetes compared with the control. A downward trend in the content of dental calcium in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats was observed. The results obtained indicate that caries initiation and progression could be promoted by metabolic changes associated with diabetes affecting the mineral composition of tooth hard tissue.     

Feasibility and potential advantages using VMAT in SRS metastasis treatments

BackgroundUtilization of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for brain metastases (BM) has become the technique of choice as opposed to whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT). The aim of this work is to evaluate the feasibility and potential benefits in terms of normal tissue (NT) and dose escalation of volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) in SRS metastasis treatment. A VMAT optimization procedure has therefore been developed for internal dose scaling which minimizes planner dependence.Materials and methodsFive patient-plans incorporating treatment with frame-based SRS with dynamic conformal arc technique (DA) were re-planned for VMAT. The lesions selected were between 4–6 cm³. The same geometry used in the DA plans was maintained for the VMAT cases. A VMAT planning procedure was performed attempting to scale the dose in inner auxiliary volumes, and to explore the potential for dose scaling with this technique. Comparison of dose-volume histogram (DVH) parameters were obtained.ResultsVMAT allows a superior NT sparing plus conformity and dose scaling using the auxiliary volumes. The VMAT results were significantly superior in NT sparing, improving both the V₁₀ and V₁₂ values in all cases, with a 2–3 cm³ saving. In addition, VMAT improves the dose coverage D₉₅ by about 0.5 Gy. The objective of dose escalation was achieved with VMAT with an increment of the Dmean and the Dmedian of about 2 Gy.ConclusionsThis work shows a benefit of VMAT in SRS treatment with significant NT sparing. A VMAT optimization procedure, based on auxiliary inner volumes, has been developed, enabling internal dose escalation.     

Prevalence of Prototheca spp. on dairy farms in Poland – a cross-country study

The Prototheca algae have recently emerged as an important cause of bovine mastitis globally. Here, we present results of a first large-scale, cross-country survey on the prevalence of Prototheca spp. in dairy cows, and their environment in Poland. A total of 1211 samples were collected and microbiologically analysed. Included within this number were milk (n = 638), body swabs (n = 374) and environmental samples (n = 199), originating from 400 dairy cows and their surroundings, on 16 dairy farms, based in all major provinces of the country. Prototheca spp. were the third, after Streptococcus and Staphylococcus spp., most common mastitis pathogens. The overall prevalence of protothecal mastitis was 8.3% (33/400), with the majority (75.8%) of cases having a subclinical course, and all but one attributable to P. zopfii genotype 2. Prototheca spp. were cultured from body swabs of both healthy and mastitic cows, yet the isolation rate among the latter was conspicuously lower (12.3% vs. 17.8%). Forty-two (21.2%) environmental samples yielded growth of Prototheca spp. However, no clear association between Prototheca mastitis in dairy cows and the algal isolation from the herd environment was found. Nor was there any association between the environmental recovery of the algae and farm management practices.