Early Vegetation Development on an Exposed Reservoir: Implications for Dam Removal

The 4-year drawdown of Horsetooth Reservoir, Colorado, for dam maintenance, provides a case study analog of vegetation response on sediment that might be exposed from removal of a tall dam. Early vegetation recovery on the exposed reservoir bottom was a combination of (1) vegetation colonization on bare, moist substrates typical of riparian zones and reservoir sediment of shallow dams and (2) a shift in moisture status from mesic to the xeric conditions associated with the pre-impoundment upland position of most of the drawdown zone. Plant communities changed rapidly during the first four years of exposure, but were still substantially different from the background upland plant community. Predictions from the recruitment box model about the locations of Populus deltoides subsp. monilifera (plains cottonwood) seedlings relative to the water surface were qualitatively confirmed with respect to optimum locations. However, the extreme vertical range of water surface elevations produced cottonwood seed regeneration well outside the predicted limits of drawdown rate and height above late summer stage. The establishment and survival of cottonwood at high elevations and the differences between the upland plant community and the community that had developed after four years of exposure suggest that vegetation recovery following tall dam removal will follow a trajectory very different from a simple reversal of the response to dam construction, involving not only long time scales of establishment and growth of upland vegetation, but also possibly decades of persistence of legacy vegetation established during the reservoir to upland transition

A major QTL controlling apple skin russeting maps on the linkage group 12 of 'Renetta Grigia di Torriana'

Background: Russeting is a disorder developed by apple fruits that consists of cuticle cracking followed by the replacement of the epidermis by a corky layer that protects the fruit surface from water loss and pathogens. Although influenced by many environmental conditions and orchard management practices, russeting is under genetic control. The difficulty in classifying offspring and consequent variable segregation ratios have led several authors to conclude that more than one genetic determinant could be involved, although some evidence favours a major gene (Ru). Results: In this study we report the mapping of a major genetic russeting determinant on linkage group 12 of apple as inferred from the phenotypic observation in a segregating progeny derived from 'Renetta Grigia di Torriana', the construction of a 20 K Illumina SNP chip based genetic map, and QTL analysis. Recombination analysis in two mapping populations restricted the region of interest to approximately 400 Kb. Of the 58 genes predicted from the Golden Delicious sequence, a putative ABCG family transporter has been identified. Within a small set of russeted cultivars tested with markers of the region, only six showed the same haplotype of 'Renetta Grigia di Torriana'. Conclusions: A major determinant (Ru_RGT) for russeting development putatively involved in cuticle organization is proposed as a candidate for controlling the trait. SNP and SSR markers tightly co-segregating with the Ru_RGT locus may assist the breeder selection. The observed segregations and the analysis of the 'Renetta Grigia di Torriana' haplotypic region in a panel of russeted and non-russeted cultivars may suggest the presence of other determinants for russeting in apple

Laparoscopic ileocolic resection versus infliximab treatment of distal ileitis in Crohn's disease: a randomized multicenter trial (LIR!C-trial)

Contains fulltext : 69534.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)BACKGROUND: With the availability of infliximab, nowadays recurrent Crohn's disease, defined as disease refractory to immunomodulatory agents that has been treated with steroids, is generally treated with infliximab. Infliximab is an effective but expensive treatment and once started it is unclear when therapy can be discontinued. Surgical resection has been the golden standard in recurrent Crohn's disease. Laparoscopic ileocolic resection proved to be safe and is characterized by a quick symptom reduction.The objective of this study is to compare infliximab treatment with laparoscopic ileocolic resection in patients with recurrent Crohn's disease of the distal ileum with respect to quality of life and costs. METHODS/DESIGN: The study is designed as a multicenter randomized clinical trial including patients with Crohn's disease located in the terminal ileum that require infliximab treatment following recent consensus statements on inflammatory bowel disease treatment: moderate to severe disease activity in patients that fail to respond to steroid therapy or immunomodulatory therapy. Patients will be randomized to receive either infliximab or undergo a laparoscopic ileocolic resection. Primary outcomes are quality of life and costs. Secondary outcomes are hospital stay, early and late morbidity, sick leave and surgical recurrence. In order to detect an effect size of 0.5 on the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire at a 5% two sided significance level with a power of 80%, a sample size of 65 patients per treatment group can be calculated. An economic evaluation will be performed by assessing the marginal direct medical, non-medical and time costs and the costs per Quality Adjusted Life Year (QALY) will be calculated. For both treatment strategies a cost-utility ratio will be calculated. Patients will be included from December 2007. DISCUSSION: The LIR!C-trial is a randomized multicenter trial that will provide evidence whether infliximab treatment or surgery is the best treatment for recurrent distal ileitis in Crohn's disease. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Nederlands Trial Register NTR1150

Imaging biomarker roadmap for cancer studies.

Imaging biomarkers (IBs) are integral to the routine management of patients with cancer. IBs used daily in oncology include clinical TNM stage, objective response and left ventricular ejection fraction. Other CT, MRI, PET and ultrasonography biomarkers are used extensively in cancer research and drug development. New IBs need to be established either as useful tools for testing research hypotheses in clinical trials and research studies, or as clinical decision-making tools for use in healthcare, by crossing 'translational gaps' through validation and qualification. Important differences exist between IBs and biospecimen-derived biomarkers and, therefore, the development of IBs requires a tailored 'roadmap'. Recognizing this need, Cancer Research UK (CRUK) and the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) assembled experts to review, debate and summarize the challenges of IB validation and qualification. This consensus group has produced 14 key recommendations for accelerating the clinical translation of IBs, which highlight the role of parallel (rather than sequential) tracks of technical (assay) validation, biological/clinical validation and assessment of cost-effectiveness; the need for IB standardization and accreditation systems; the need to continually revisit IB precision; an alternative framework for biological/clinical validation of IBs; and the essential requirements for multicentre studies to qualify IBs for clinical use.Development of this roadmap received support from Cancer Research UK and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (grant references A/15267, A/16463, A/16464, A/16465, A/16466 and A/18097), the EORTC Cancer Research Fund, and the Innovative Medicines Initiative Joint Undertaking (grant agreement number 115151), resources of which are composed of financial contribution from the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) and European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) companies' in kind contribution

Low temperature crystal structures of two rhodanine derivatives, 3-amino rhodanine and 3-methyl rhodanine:geometry of the rhodanine ring

Rhodanines (2-thio-4-oxothiazolidines) are synthetic small molecular weight organic molecules with diverse applications in biochemistry, medicinal chemistry, photochemistry, coordination chemistry and industry. The X-ray crystal structure determination of two rhodanine derivatives, namely (I), 3-aminorhodanine [3-amino-2-thio-4-oxothiazolidine], C3H4N2OS2, and (II) 3-methylrhodanine [3-methyl-2-thio-4-oxothiazolidine], C4H5NOS2, have been conducted at 100 K. I crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2(1)/n with unit cell parameters a = 9.662(2), b = 9.234(2), c = 13.384(2) angstrom, beta = 105.425(3)degrees, V = 1151.1(3) angstrom(3), Z = 8 (2 independent molecules per asymmetric unit), density (calculated) = 1.710 mg/m(3), absorption coefficient = 0.815 mm(-1). II crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Iba2 with unit cell a = 20.117(4), b = 23.449(5), c = 7.852(2) angstrom, V = 3703.9(12) angstrom(3), Z = 24 (three independent molecules per asymmetric unit), density (calculated) = 1.584 mg/m(3), absorption coefficient 0.755 mm(-1). For I in the final refinement cycle the data/restraints/parameter ratios were 2639/0/161, goodness-of-fit on F-2 = 0.934, final R indices [I > 2sigma(I)] were R1 = 0.0299, wR2 = 0.0545 and R indices (all data) R1 = 0.0399, wR2 = 0.0568. The largest difference peak and hole were 0.402 and -0.259 e angstrom(-3). For II in the final refinement cycle the data/restraints/parameter ratios were 3372/1/221, goodness-of-fit on F(2) = 0.950, final R indices [I > 2sigma(I)] were R1 = 0.0407, wR2 = 0.1048 and R indices (all data) R1 = 0.0450, wR2 = 0.1088. The absolute structure parameter = 0.19(9) and largest difference peak and hole 0.934 and -0.301 e angstrom(-3). Details of the geometry of the five molecules (two for I and three for II) and the crystal structures are fully discussed. Corresponding features of the molecular geometry are highly consistent and firmly establish the geometry of the rhodanin

Orientation and polarization dependence of both the absorption and the laser efficiency around the optic axis in monoclinic Ho3+ :KYW

We report on the absorption profile of the monoclinic holmium-doped KY(WO4)2 crystal near the optic axis for the maximal absorption wavelength at 1960 nm. The full angular distribution of the absorption coefficient at the vicinity of such optical singularity has been experimentally and numerically investigated. Furthermore, laser experiments along the optic axis have been carried out. So-called conical refraction laser and classical Gaussian laser operation are compared near the optic axis, taking into account the complex absorption profile.A complete solid solution between the anion-deficient pyrochlore Ag2Sb2O6 and the ideal pyrochlore Cd2Sb2O7 has been synthesized through the standard solid state ceramic method. Each composition has been characterized by various different techniques, including powder X-ray diffraction, optical spectroscopy, electron paramagnetic resonance and 121Sb Mössbauer spectroscopy. Computational methods based on density functional theory complement this investigation. Photocatalytic activity has been studied, and transport properties have been measured on pellets densified by spark plasma sintering. The analysis of the data collected from these various techniques enables a comprehensive characterization of the complete solid solution and revealed an anomalous behavior in the Cd-rich end of the solid solution, which has been proposed to arise from a possible radical O− species in small concentrations