Co‐limitation of photosynthetic capacity by nitrogen and phosphorus in West Africa woodlands

Photosynthetic leaf traits were determined for savanna and forest ecosystems in West Africa, spanning a large range in precipitation. Standardized major axis fits revealed important differences between our data and reported global relationships. Especially for sites in the drier areas, plants showed higher photosynthetic rates for a given N or P when compared with relationships from the global data set. The best multiple regression for the pooled data set estimated V_cmax and J_max from N_DW and S. However, the best regression for different vegetation types varied, suggesting that the scaling of photosynthesis with leaf traits changed with vegetation types. A new model is presented representing independent constraints by N and P on photosynthesis, which can be evaluated with or without interactions with S. It assumes that limitation of photosynthesis will result from the least abundant nutrient, thereby being less sensitive to the allocation of the non‐limiting nutrient to non‐photosynthetic pools. The model predicts an optimum proportionality for N and P, which is distinct for V_cmax and J_max and inversely proportional to S. Initial tests showed the model to predict V_cmax and J_max successfully for other tropical forests characterized by a range of different foliar N and P concentrations.     

福建东山岛海岸带潺槁树种群生命表分析

为揭示海岸带天然植被中潺槁树种群生命过程,对东山岛海岸带风积沙地潺槁树林进行调查和数据统计,通过编制种群生命表,绘制存活曲线、死亡率曲线、亏损度曲线、死亡密度函数曲线、积累死亡函数曲线和危险率函数曲线,分析了其种群的年龄结构。结果表明,该种群的年龄结构呈反J分布型、属于增长型种群。其存活曲线介于Deevey-Ⅱ型和Deevey-Ⅲ型之间,呈现2个死亡高峰。4个生存函数值(生存率、积累死亡率、死亡密度、危险率)均说明该种群具有前期增长、后期稳定的特点。潺槁树是南亚热带季风常绿阔叶林优势种之一,对土壤、光的适应性强且生长迅速的一种优良前顶极种。研究结果对海岸带天然植被的恢复和重建提供了早期研究基础。     

陕北黄土丘陵沟壑区坡沟立地环境下幼苗的存活特征

幼苗是植被恢复演替的基础, 在生态系统中具有非常重要的作用。为了探索黄土丘陵沟壑区坡沟立地环境下幼苗的存活特征, 在陕西省安塞县宋家沟和纸坊沟流域设置15个固定样地进行定点动态监测, 运用单因素方差分析法和系统聚类分析法对不同立地环境下的幼苗密度和幼苗存活率进行了分析。结果表明: 1)不同坡沟立地环境下, 幼苗存活特征差异明显, 整体表现为阳坡幼苗密度较小而存活率较高, 阴坡幼苗密度较大但存活率较低。2)细裂叶莲蒿(Artemisia gmelinii)、菊叶委陵菜(Potentilla tanacetifolia)、阿尔泰狗娃花(Heteropappus altaicus)等物种具有较高的幼苗存活率, 在生存竞争中幼苗是以“质”取胜; 而猪毛蒿(Artemisia scoparia)、中华苦荬菜(Ixeris chinensis)、阴行草(Siphonostegia chinensis)等物种具有较高的幼苗密度, 在生存竞争中是以“量”取胜。3)同一物种在坡沟立地环境下表现出不同的存活曲线, 不同物种在不同立地环境下也可呈现同一存活曲线; 细裂叶莲蒿、菊叶委陵菜、长芒草(Stipa bungeana)、阿尔泰狗娃花、兴安胡枝子(Lespedeza davurica)等物种, 幼苗不仅在雨季存活能力强且具有较强的越冬能力; 猪毛蒿、香青兰(Dracocephalum moldavica)、臭蒿(Artemisia hedinii)等物种在雨季前幼苗存活能力较强, 但冬季存活能力弱。4)坡面不同微环境下幼苗存活特征也存在差异, 即微环境的改变在一定程度上影响着幼苗的生长、存活和越冬。因此, 在黄土丘陵沟壑区应根据物种幼苗存活特性对幼苗进行适当的抚育管理, 这将有利于幼苗的建植和植被更新。     

Growth curves,morphology and ultrastructure of ten Paracoccidioides brasiliensis isolates

The yeast phase of ten P. brasiliensis isolates were studied to characterize their growth pattern, morphology and ultrastructure. Growth curves were determined after counts of total and viable fungi units (FU) during 20 days. Three growth patterns were observed: slow, reaching approximately 10–30× 10⁶ FU/tube (Pb 18, Pb 265 and PB 2); intermediate, reaching 60–150×10⁶ FU/tube (IVIC Pb 9, IVIC Pb 267, Pb SN, Pb Vitor and Pb Campo Grande) and fast, reaching 180–370×10⁶ FU/tube (Pb 2052 and Pb 192). The highest percentage of viable cells occurred on the 6th day of culture for Pb 192, Pb Campo Grande, Pb 2052 and IVIC Pb 9; on the 8th day for Pb Vitor, Pb SN, Pb 18 and IVIC Pb 267; on the 10th day for Pb 265 and on the 12th day of culture for Pb 2. Mean generation times varied from approximately 21.2 (Pb 2052) to 102.6 hours (Pb 265). The isolates showed similar morphology, except IVIC Pb 267 which did not present a typical yeast-phase at 35°C and the two fast-growing isolates (Pb 2052 and Pb 192) that presented smaller cell sizes and less tendency to clump. The ultrastructure of the isolates was similar: the cell walls presented a width of 0.1 to 0.2 °; the mitochondria presented few cristae and had equivalent patterns of distribution and morphology; the endoplasmic reticulum was scanty, presenting narrow cisternae; the vacuoles, empty or filled with electrondense material, were numerous and two to five nuclei with pores were constantly observed.     

Establishment, Growth kinetics, and Susceptibility to AcMNPV of Heat Tolerant Lepidop teran Cell Lines

Lepidopteran heat-tolerant(ht)cell lines have been obtained with sf-9,sf-21 and several Bombyx cells.They have a distinct karyotype,membrane lipid composition,morphology and growth kinetics from the parental cell lines.In this paper,we report the development of ht cell lines from other insect species and examination of their growth characteristics and virus susceptibility.Adaptation of cell lines sf-9,BTI-TN-5131-4(High5)and BTI-TN-MG1(MG 1)to 33℃ and 35℃ was carried out by shifting the culture temperature between 28℃ and higher temperatures by a gradual stepwise increase in temperature.The process of adaption to a higher culture temperature was accomplished over a period of 2 months.The cell lines with the temperature adaption were designated as sf9-ht33,sf9-ht35,High5-ht33,High5-ht35,MG1-ht33,MG1-ht35.These cell lines have been subcultured over 70 passages.Adaption to high temperatures was confirmed by a constant population doubling time with individual cell lines.The population doubling time of heat adapted cell lines were 1-4 h less than these of parental cell lines.Cell shapes did not show obvious change,however,the cell size of sf9-ht cells was enlarged and those of High5 and MG1 ht cells were reduced after heat adaption.When the cell lines were infected with Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus(AcMNPV)at 28℃,33℃,35℃ and 37℃,production of budded virus and occlusion bodies in each cell line was optimum at its own adapted temperature.     

Can the Study of Natural Vegetation Succession Assist in the Control of Soil Erosion on Abandoned Croplands on the Loess Plateau,China?

In the Loess Plateau, China, arable cultivation of slope lands is common and associated with serious soil erosion. Planting trees or grass may control erosion, but planted species may consume more soil water and can threaten long‐term ecosystem sustainability. Natural vegetation succession is an alternative ecological solution to restore degraded land, but there is a time cost, given that the establishment of natural vegetation, adequate to prevent soil erosion, is a longer process than planting. The aims of this study were to identify the environmental factors controlling the type of vegetation established on abandoned cropland and to identify candidate species that might be sown soon after abandonment to accelerate vegetation succession and establishment of natural vegetation to prevent soil erosion. A field survey of thirty‐three 2 × 2–m plots was carried out in July 2003, recording age since abandonment, vegetation cover, and frequency of species together with major environmental and soil variables. Data were analyzed using correspondence analysis, classification tree analysis, and species response curves. Four vegetation types were identified and the data analysis confirmed the importance of time since abandonment, total P, and soil water in controlling the type of vegetation established. Among the dominant species in the three late‐successional vegetation types, the most appropriate candidates for accelerating and directing vegetation succession were King Ranch bluestem (Bothriochloa ischaemum) and Lespedeza davurica (Leguminosae). These species possess combinations of the following characteristics: tolerance of low water and nutrient availability, fibrous root system and strong lateral vegetative spread, and a persistent seed bank.     

A support vector machine tool for adaptive tomotherapy treatments: Prediction of head and neck patients criticalities

PurposeAdaptive radiation therapy (ART) is an advanced field of radiation oncology. Image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT) methods can support daily setup and assess anatomical variations during therapy, which could prevent incorrect dose distribution and unexpected toxicities. A re-planning to correct these anatomical variations should be done daily/weekly, but to be applicable to a large number of patients, still require time consumption and resources. Using unsupervised machine learning on retrospective data, we have developed a predictive network, to identify patients that would benefit of a re-planning.Methods1200 MVCT of 40 head and neck (H&N) cases were re-contoured, automatically, using deformable hybrid registration and structures mapping. Deformable algorithm and MATLAB^® homemade machine learning process, developed, allow prediction of criticalities for Tomotherapy treatments.ResultsUsing retrospective analysis of H&N treatments, we have investigated and predicted tumor shrinkage and organ at risk (OAR) deformations. Support vector machine (SVM) and cluster analysis have identified cases or treatment sessions with potential criticalities, based on dose and volume discrepancies between fractions. During 1st weeks of treatment, 84% of patients shown an output comparable to average standard radiation treatment behavior. Starting from the 4th week, significant morpho-dosimetric changes affect 77% of patients, suggesting need for re-planning. The comparison of treatment delivered and ART simulation was carried out with receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, showing monotonous increase of ROC area.ConclusionsWarping methods, supported by daily image analysis and predictive tools, can improve personalization and monitoring of each treatment, thereby minimizing anatomic and dosimetric divergences from initial constraints.     

Correlation between cell survival,clonogenic activity and micronuclei induction in DMBA-OC-1R cells treated with immunospecific albumin microspheres containing cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil

An ideal chemotherapeutic strategy would be to deliver a high concentration of drug that would be released in sustained small amounts from targeted microspheres to effectively kill only the tumour cells and thus reduce toxicity to normal tissue. Clonogenic and cell survival growth curve assays, as well as the micronucleus assay, were used to determine the feasibility of employing targeted immunomicrospheres in the treatment of cancer. Cells of a rodent ovarian carcinoma cell line, were exposed to cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil, either as free drug or encapsulated in albumin microspheres that were either conjugated to monoclonal antibodies or not. In cell survival growth curve assays, cell survival was reduced to 1.2% of the control when cells were treated with drug-containing immunomicrospheres. 3.2-fold more micronuclei were found in those cells that had been exposed to the drugs in immunomicrospheres than in those subjected to untargeted microspheres. All three assays demonstrated that the targeted immunomicrospheres were more effective in delivering cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil directly to the cells than the unconjugated microspheres, thus suggesting that targeted chemotherapy might be a more effective option in the treatment of cancer.     

The complex circadian system of Gonyaulax polyedra

Circadian oscillations are a fundamental biological property from bacteria to humans. The molecular mechanisms which produce a ca 24-h rhythmicity are still unknown but it has become clear that they are part of the biochemical machinery of the single cell. The cellular circadian system can be favorably studied in single-cell organisms such as the dinoflagellate Gonyaulax polyedra . The complexity of this circadian model system, which consists of at least two circadian oscillators, receives light via two input systems with different spectral sensitivities, and has several feed–back loops between the central oscillator(s) and the environment, is described here.     

On the use of partial area under the ROC curve for comparison of two diagnostic tests

Evaluation of diagnostic performance is typically based on the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and the area under the curve (AUC) as its summary index. The partial area under the curve (pAUC) is an alternative index focusing on the range of practical/clinical relevance. One of the problems preventing more frequent use of the pAUC is the perceived loss of efficiency in cases of noncrossing ROC curves. In this paper, we investigated statistical properties of comparisons of two correlated pAUCs. We demonstrated that outside of the classic model there are practically reasonable ROC types for which comparisons of noncrossing concave curves would be more powerful when based on a part of the curve rather than the entire curve. We argue that this phenomenon stems in part from the exclusion of noninformative parts of the ROC curves that resemble straight‐lines. We conducted extensive simulation studies in families of binormal, straight‐line, and bigamma ROC curves. We demonstrated that comparison of pAUCs is statistically more powerful than comparison of full AUCs when ROC curves are close to a “straight line”. For less flat binormal ROC curves an increase in the integration range often leads to a disproportional increase in pAUCs’ difference, thereby contributing to an increase in statistical power. Thus, efficiency of differences in pAUCs of noncrossing ROC curves depends on the shape of the curves, and for families of ROC curves that are nearly straight‐line shaped, such as bigamma ROC curves, there are multiple practical scenarios in which comparisons of pAUCs are preferable.