Genetic diversity within and genetic differentiation between blooms of a microalgal species

The field of genetic diversity in protists, particularly phytoplankton, is under expansion. However, little is known regarding variation in genetic diversity within populations over time. The aim of our study was to investigate intrapopulation genetic diversity and genetic differentiation in the freshwater bloom-forming microalga Gonyostomum semen (Raphidophyceae). The study covered a 2-year period including all phases of the bloom. Amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) was used to determine the genetic structure and diversity of the population. Our results showed a significant differentiation between samples collected during the two blooms from consecutive years. Also, an increase of gene diversity and a loss of differentiation among sampling dates were observed over time within a single bloom. The latter observations may reflect the continuous germination of cysts from the sediment. The life cycle characteristics of G. semen, particularly reproduction and recruitment, most likely explain a high proportion of the observed variation. This study highlights the importance of the life cycle for the intraspecific genetic diversity of microbial species, which alternates between sexual and asexual reproduction.Postprin

Fractional reaction-diffusion equations

In a series of papers, Saxena, Mathai, and Haubold (2002, 2004a, 2004b) derived solutions of a number of fractional kinetic equations in terms of generalized Mittag-Leffler functions which provide the extension of the work of Haubold and Mathai (1995, 2000). The subject of the present paper is to investigate the solution of a fractional reaction-diffusion equation. The results derived are of general nature and include the results reported earlier by many authors, notably by Jespersen, Metzler, and Fogedby (1999) for anomalous diffusion and del-Castillo-Negrete, Carreras, and Lynch (2003) for reaction-diffusion systems with L\'evy flights. The solution has been developed in terms of the H-function in a compact form with the help of Laplace and Fourier transforms. Most of the results obtained are in a form suitable for numerical computation.Comment: LaTeX, 17 pages, corrected typo

Solution of generalized fractional reaction-diffusion equations

This paper deals with the investigation of a closed form solution of a generalized fractional reaction-diffusion equation. The solution of the proposed problem is developed in a compact form in terms of the H-function by the application of direct and inverse Laplace and Fourier transforms. Fractional order moments and the asymptotic expansion of the solution are also obtained.Comment: LaTeX, 18 pages, corrected typo

TRY plant trait database – enhanced coverage and open access

Plant traits—the morphological, anatomical, physiological, biochemical and phenological characteristics of plants—determine how plants respond to environmental factors, affect other trophic levels, and influence ecosystem properties and their benefits and detriments to people. Plant trait data thus represent the basis for a vast area of research spanning from evolutionary biology, community and functional ecology, to biodiversity conservation, ecosystem and landscape management, restoration, biogeography and earth system modelling. Since its foundation in 2007, the TRY database of plant traits has grown continuously. It now provides unprecedented data coverage under an open access data policy and is the main plant trait database used by the research community worldwide. Increasingly, the TRY database also supports new frontiers of trait‐based plant research, including the identification of data gaps and the subsequent mobilization or measurement of new data. To support this development, in this article we evaluate the extent of the trait data compiled in TRY and analyse emerging patterns of data coverage and representativeness. Best species coverage is achieved for categorical traits—almost complete coverage for ‘plant growth form’. However, most traits relevant for ecology and vegetation modelling are characterized by continuous intraspecific variation and trait–environmental relationships. These traits have to be measured on individual plants in their respective environment. Despite unprecedented data coverage, we observe a humbling lack of completeness and representativeness of these continuous traits in many aspects. We, therefore, conclude that reducing data gaps and biases in the TRY database remains a key challenge and requires a coordinated approach to data mobilization and trait measurements. This can only be achieved in collaboration with other initiatives

An experimental approach to the Conrad phenomenon

This study adopts an experimental approach to the Conrad Phenomenon, i.e. the phenomenon that second language (L2) learners can perform remarkably better in some aspects of their L2 while performing poorly at others. L2 performance in syntax, phonetics and phonology, and the lexicon in four L2 learner groups differing in L2 experience and native language background was examined and correlations between L2 performance in the three domains revealed a general trend of positive relations between domains, thus suggesting that the Conrad Phenomenon is uncommon. The strongest between-domain relation was observed between the lexicon and phonetics and phonology, thus supporting the notion of lexical facilitation in L2 speech acquisition

Diagnostic added value of electrical source imaging in presurgical evaluation of patients with epilepsy: A prospective study.

To investigate the diagnostic added value of electrical source imaging (ESI) in presurgical evaluation of patients with drug resistant focal epilepsy. Eighty-two consecutive patients were included. We analyzed both low density (LD) and high density (HD) EEG recordings. LD ESI was done on interictal and ictal signals recorded during long-term video-EEG monitoring (LTM), with standard 25 electrodes and age-matched template head models. HD ESI was done on shorter recordings (90-120 min), with 256 electrodes, using individual head model. The multidisciplinary team made decisions first blinded to ESI (based on all other modalities) and then discussed the results of the ESI. We considered that ESI had diagnostic added value, when it provided non-redundant information that changed the patientś management plan. ESI had diagnostic added value in 28 patients (34%). In most cases (85.7%), these changes were related to planning of the invasive recordings. In nine out of 13 patients, invasive recordings confirmed the localization. Out of eight patients in whom the ESI source was resected, six became seizure-free. ESI provides non-redundant information in one third of the patients undergoing presurgical evaluation. This study provides evidence for the diagnostic added value of ESI in presurgical evaluation