Leaf and stem physiological responses to summer and winter extremes of woody species across temperate ecosystems

© 2014 The Authors. Winter cold limits temperate plant performance, as does summer water stress in drought-prone ecosystems. The relative impact of seasonal extremes on plant performance has received considerable attention for individual systems. An integrated study compiling the existing literature was needed to identify overall trends. First, we conducted a meta-analysis of the impacts of summer and winter on ecophysiology for three woody plant functional types (winter deciduous angiosperms, evergreen angiosperms and conifers), including data for 210 records from 75 studies of ecosystems with and without summer drought across the temperate zone. Second, we tested predictions by conducting a case study in a drought-prone Mediterranean ecosystem subject to winter freezing. As indicators of physiological response of leaves and xylem to seasonal stress, we focused on stomatal conductance (gs), percent loss of stem xylem hydraulic conductivity (PLC) and photochemical efficiency of photosystem II (Fv/Fm). Our meta-analysis showed that in ecosystems without summer drought, gs was higher during summer than winter. By contrast, in drought-prone ecosystems many species maintained open stomata during winter, with potential strong consequences for plant carbon gain over the year. Further, PLC tended to increase and Fv/Fm to decrease from summer to winter for most functional types and ecosystems due to low temperatures. Overall, deciduous angiosperms were most sensitive to climatic stress. Leaf gas exchange and stem xylem hydraulics showed a coordinated seasonal response at ecosystems without summer drought. In our Mediterranean site subjected to winter freezing the species showed similar responses to those typically found for ecosystems without summer drought. We conclude that winter stress is most extreme for systems without summer drought and systems with summer drought and winter freezing, and less extreme for drought-prone systems without freezing. In all cases the evergreen species show less pronounced seasonal responses in both leaves and stems than deciduous species.Th is research was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness with the grants FPI (CGL2007-66066-C04-02), Consolider Montes (CSD2008 00040) and VULGLO (CGL2010 22180 C03 03), and by the Community of Madrid grant REMEDINAL 2 (CM S2009 AMB 1783) and National Science Foundation Grant no. 0546784.Peer Reviewe

Population dynamic and trophic position of mysid community demonstrates its key role for nursery function in a temperate estuary

Guadalquivir Estuary is a main nursery ground of marine goal species for Gulf of Cadiz fisheries. It is a well-mixed temperate estuary with horizontal salinity gradient and clear seasonal water temperature trend. Mysid community with Mesopodopsis slabberi, Neomysis integer and Rhopalophthalmus tartessicus make up to over 80% of total macrofauna biomass in the estuary. Life history, population structure, secondary production, trophic level and community spatio-temporal dynamic were unravelled combining analysis of long term 16y monitoring data with 2y of in depth population analysis and trophic biomarker studies. Results show a key trophic role in food web, a seasonal trend showing density peaks ( 23, 3 and 6 mg/m3, respectively) in spring-summer and winter marine coastward migration. Despite being euryhaline, the three species of showed unevenly spatial distribution, being salinity the variable best explaining structure changes of mysid assemblage. Inter- and intra-specific euryhalinity differences both for prey and predators seem to determine the entire spatial estuarine community distribution. High secondary production (P/B rates 38.2, 10.3 and 10.7) and food web studies confirm key role of mysids transferring energy up to juveniles (fish and crustaceans) arriving yearly in spring to their nursery area

Effects of the 4N(v) chromosome from Aegilops ventricosa on agronomic and quality traits in bread wheat

Advanced wheat lines carrying the Hessian fly resistance gene H27 were obtained by backcrossing the wheat/Aegilops ventricosa introgression line, H-93-33, to commercial wheat cultivars as recurrent parents. The Acph-N v 1 marker linked to the gene H27 on the 4Nv chromosome of this line was used for marker assisted selection. Advanced lines were evaluated for Hessian fly resistance in field and growth chamber tests, and for other agronomic traits during several crop seasons at different localities of Spain. The hessian fly resistance levels of lines carrying the 4Nv chromosome introgression (4D/4Nv substitution and recombination lines that previously were classified by in situ hybridisation) were high, but always lower than that of their Ae. ventricosa progenitor. Introgression lines had higher grain yields in infested field trials than those without the 4Nv chromosome and their susceptible parents, but lower grain yields under high yield potential conditions. The 4Nv introgression was also associated with later heading, and lower tiller and grain numbers/m2 . In addition, it was associated with longer and more lax spikes, and higher values of grain weight and grain protein content. However, the glutenin and gliadin expression, as well as the bread-making performance, were similar to those of their recurrent parent

Die Wettbewerbsfähigkeit der arabischen Mittelmeerländer im internationalen Vergleich

6 p.- Papers presented at the International Workshop "The Conservation of Subterranean Cultural Heritage", held 25-27 March 2014, in Seville, Spain.Paranhos constitutes one of the main water galleries excavated in the granite substratum of Porto City (Portugal) to gather the groundwater for public use during the past five centuries. This gallery is a Subterranean Cultural Heritage site with a potential use for underground geotourism under safe conditions. An environmental monitoring programme has been conducte in the site comprising rapid multi-parameters. This programme has allowed the identification of urban-induced causes of contamination of the aquifer and internal tunnel atmosphere (waste-water and gas leakage). This study has also comprised the determination of effective radioactive dose in different sectors of the tunnel for potential visitors based on 222Rn studies.Financiado con el Proyecto (HAR-2010-11432-E) Red de Ciencia y Tecnología para la Conservación del Patrimonio CulturalPeer reviewe

Effect of sugammadex on processed EEG parameters in patients undergoing robot-assisted radical prostatectomy

Background: Sugammadex has been associated with increases in the bispectral index (BIS). We evaluated the effects of sugammadex administration on quantitative electroencephalographic (EEG) and electromyographic (EMG) measures. Methods: We performed a prospective observational study of adult male patients undergoing robot-assisted radical prostatectomy. All patients received a sevoflurane-based general anaesthetic and a continuous infusion of rocuronium, which was reversed with 2 mg kg1 of sugammadex i.v. BIS, EEG, and EMG measures were captured with the BIS Vista™ monitor. Results: Twenty-five patients were included in this study. Compared with baseline, BIS increased at 4e6 min (b coefficient: 3.63; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.22e5.04; P<0.001), spectral edge frequency 95 (SEF95) increased at 2e4 min (b coefficient: 0.29; 95% CI: 0.05e0.52; P¼0.016) and 4e6 min (b coefficient: 0.71; 95% CI: 0.47e0.94; P<0.001), and EMG increased at 4e6 min (b coefficient: 1.91; 95% CI: 1.00e2.81; P<0.001) after sugammadex administration. Compared with baseline, increased beta power was observed at 2e4 min (b coefficient: 93; 95% CI: 1e185; P¼0.046) and 4e6 min (b coefficient: 208; 95% CI: 116e300; P<0.001), and decreased delta power was observed at 4e6 min (b coefficient: 526.72; 95% CI: 778 to 276; P<0.001) after sugammadex administration. Neither SEF95 nor frequency band data analysis adjusted for EMG showed substantial differences. None of the patients showed clinical signs of awakening. Conclusions: After neuromuscular block reversal with 2 mg kg1 sugammadex, BIS, SEF95, EMG, and beta power showed small but statistically significant increases over time, while delta power decreased

Whole-body vibration training and bone health in postmenopausal women: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: The aims of the present systematic review and meta-analysis were to evaluate published, randomized controlled trials that investigate the effects on whole-body vibration (WBV) training on total, femoral neck, and lumbar spine bone mineral density (BMD) in postmenopausal women, and identify the potential moderating factors explaining the adaptations to such training. Methods: From a search of electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane) up until September 2017, a total 10 studies with 14 WBV groups met the inclusion criteria. Three different authors tabulated, independently, the selected indices in identical predetermined forms. The methodological quality of all studies was evaluated according to the modified PEDro scale. For each trial, differences within arms were calculated as mean differences (MDs) and their 95% confidence intervals between pre- and postintervention values. The effects on bone mass between exercise and control groups were also expressed as MDs. Both analyses were performed in the total sample and in a specific class of postmenopausal women younger than 65 years of age (excluding older women). Results: The BMD of 462 postmenopausal women who performed WBV or control protocol was evaluated. Significant pre-post improvements in BMD of the lumbar spine were identified following WBV protocols (P = .03). Significant differences in femoral neck BMD (P = .03) were also found between intervention and control groups when analyzing studies that included postmenopausal women younger than 65 years. Conclusions: WBV is an effective method to improve lumbar spine BMD in postmenopausal and older women and to enhance femoral neck BMD in postmenopausal women younger than 65 years

A multi-technique approach to understanding delithiation damage in LiCoO thin films

We report on the delithiation of LiCoO2 thin films using oxalic acid (C2H2O4) with the goal of understanding the structural degradation of an insertion oxide associated with Li chemical extraction. Using a multi-technique approach that includes synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, micro Raman spectroscopy, photoelectron spectroscopy and conductive atomic force microscopy we reveal the balance between selective Li extraction and structural damage. We identify three different delithiation regimes, related to surface processes, bulk delithiation and damage generation. We find that only a fraction of the grains is affected by the delithiation process, which may create local inhomogeneities. However, the bulk delithiation regime is effective to delithiate the LCO film. All experimental evidence collected indicates that the delithiation process in this regime mimics the behavior of LCO upon electrochemical delithiation. We discard the formation of Co oxalate during the chemical extraction process. In conclusion, the chemical route to Li extraction provides additional opportunities to investigate delithiation while avoiding the complications associated with electrolyte breakdown and simplifying in-situ measurement

Structural Determinants of the Dictyostatin Chemotype for Tubulin Binding Affinity and Antitumor Activity Against Taxane- and Epothilone-Resistant Cancer Cells

13 p.-5 fig.-2 tab.-1 graph.abst.A combined biochemical, structural, and cell biology characterization of dictyostatin is described, which enables an improved understanding of the structural determinants responsible for the high-affinity binding of this anticancer agent to the taxane site in microtubules (MTs). The study reveals that this macrolide is highly optimized for MT binding and that only a few of the structural modifications featured in a library of synthetic analogues resulted in small gains in binding affinity. The high efficiency of the dictyostatin chemotype in overcoming various kinds of clinically relevant resistance mechanisms highlights its potential for therapeutic development for the treatment of drug-resistant tumors. A structural explanation is advanced to account for the synergy observed between dictyostatin and taxanes on the basis of their differential effects on the MT lattice. The X-ray crystal structure of a tubulin–dictyostatin complex and additional molecular modeling have allowed the rationalization of the structure–activity relationships for a set of synthetic dictyostatin analogues, including the highly active hybrid 12 with discodermolide. Altogether, the work reported here is anticipated to facilitate the improved design and synthesis of more efficacious dictyostatin analogues and hybrids with other MT-stabilizing agents.This work was supported in part by grants BIO2013-42984-R (J.F.D.) and SAF2012-39760-C02-02 (F.G.) from Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, grant S2010/BMD-2457 BIPEDD2 from Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid (F.G. and J.F.D.), and the Swiss National Science Foundation grants 310030B_138659 and 31003A_166608 (M.O.S.). The authors acknowledge networking contribution by the COST Action CM1407 “Challenging organic syntheses inspired by nature—from natural products chemistry to drug discovery” and the COST action CM1470. I.P. thanks the EPSRC and AstraZeneca for funding, Dr. John Leonard (AstraZeneca) for useful discussions, Dr. Stuart Mickel (Novartis) for the provision of chemicals, and the EPSRC UK National Mass Spectrometry Facility at Swansea University for mass spectra