Regeneration Ecology of Chrysopogon aucheri and Cymbopogon jwarancusa in Grasslands of Upland Balochistan , Pakistan

Field experiments were conducted to investigate the seed attributes, movements and fates of dispersal units, and seedling establishment of Chrysopogon aucheri and Cymbopogon jwarancusa in a representative grassland ecosystem in upland Balochistan, Pakistan. Cymbopogon jwarancusa had more filled and viable caryopses than Chrysopogon aucheri. Seeds (spikelets) of both species had similar morphological features. Chrysopogon aucheri had one dispersal unit, a triplet spikelet. Cymbopogon jwarancusa had four types of dispersal units: a paired spikelet, a partial raceme, an entire raceme, and a partial inflorescence comprised of two racemes. Paired spikelets and partial racemes of Cymbopogon jwarancusa had greater mean dispersal distances (94 and 101 cm) from the edge of the basal crown of marked plants to the ground surface than triplet spikelets of Chrysopogon aucheri (79 cm). Spikelets of Cymbopogon jwarancusa and Chrysopogon aucheri moved mean distances of 26 and 32 cm, respectively, on the ground surface before becoming trapped in a microhabitat. The mean angle of dispersal for both species was toward the northeast, according to the prevailing wind direction. An ant (Tica verona) was the only detected seed (spikelet) predator for Chrysopogon aucheri. Both species had a weakly persistent soil seed bank, with higher amounts of seeds found under plant canopies compared to open interspaces. The recruitment of Chrysopogon aucheri and Cymbopogon jwarancusa seedlings from the natural seed bank was monitored in seven different microhabitats under natural and above-normal precipitation regimes . Above-normal precipitation increased seedling recruitment for both species in all microhabitats. Cymbopogon jwarancusa had higher seedling densities than Chrysopogon auchfiri. Seedling survival and tiller development for both species were greatest in the gravel microhabitat in the natural precipitation treatment. Monsoon rains in late July enhanced emergence of both species from recently dispersed seeds but emerged seedlings did not survive to the end of the growing season. The field studies indicate that Cymbopogon jwarancusa has a greater regeneration potential than Chrysopogon aucheri in this grassland ecosystem in upland Balochistan. It may be difficult to increase the composition of Chrysopogon aucheri, the more desirable species in these grasslands, when using management techniques that rely on natural regeneration

The longitudinal changes in diffusion indices in DTI, including FA, MD, RD and AD, with respect to the structures of corpus callous, hippocampus and olfactory bulb of 4- to 40-week-old rabbit brains.

<p>The longitudinal changes in diffusion indices in DTI, including FA, MD, RD and AD, with respect to the structures of corpus callous, hippocampus and olfactory bulb of 4- to 40-week-old rabbit brains.</p

The DTI tractography of (a) cerebral cortex and (b) whole brain from 4- to 40-week-old rabbits (L: Left; R: Right; A: Anterior; P: Posterior).

<p>The DTI tractography of (a) cerebral cortex and (b) whole brain from 4- to 40-week-old rabbits (L: Left; R: Right; A: Anterior; P: Posterior).</p

The FA, MD, RD and AD mapping of 4- to 40-week-old rabbit brains derived from DTI.

<p>The FA, MD, RD and AD mapping of 4- to 40-week-old rabbit brains derived from DTI.</p

The anatomical MR images, (a) T2W images and (b) R2 mapping, in 4- to 40-week-old developing rabbit brains.

<p>Using R2 mapping, we observed that the intensity in the regions of corpus callosum and hippocampus increased through week 12 prominently.</p

GFA, ISO and NQA mapping of 4- to 40-week-old rabbit brains derived from GQI.

<p>GFA, ISO and NQA mapping of 4- to 40-week-old rabbit brains derived from GQI.</p

The changes in (a) regional brain size and (b) whole brain size in 4- to 40-week-old developing rabbit brains.

<p>(c) The changes in the R2 values of the corpus callosum and hippocampus in developing rabbit brains from 4 to 40 weeks.</p

Regional brain DTI tractography from 4- to 40-week-old rabbits.

<p>The three regions presented in (a) to (c) include the olfactory tracts, corpus callosum and hippocampus, respectively. (L: Left; R: Right; A: Anterior; P: Posterior.)</p

Additional file 1: Table S1. of The relationship between serum fatty-acid binding protein 4 level and lung function in Korean subjects with normal ventilatory function

Comparisons of the metabolic components in the lowest quartile and other quartiles of FVC (% pred) among subjects with normal ventilatory function. Table S2. Comparisons of the metabolic components in the lowest quartile and other quartiles of FEV1 (% pred) among subjects with normal ventilatory function. (DOCX 18 kb

Comparison of Clinical Efficacy and Safety between Indacaterol and Tiotropium in COPD: Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

<div><p>Two once-daily inhaled bronchodilators, indacaterol and tiotropium, are widely used as first-line therapy in stable COPD patients. This study was performed to compare the clinical efficacy and safety between indacaterol and tiotropium in patients with moderate-to-severe COPD. MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched to identify all published randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The primary outcome was trough forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV₁) at week 12. Four RCTs were eligible for inclusion (three RCTs with moderate-to-severe COPD patients and one RCT with only severe COPD patients). Trough FEV₁ at weeks 12 and 26 were not significantly different between indacaterol and tiotropium by the standardized mean difference with 0.014 (95% CI, -0.036, 0.063, <i>I²</i>= 23.5%) and with 0.037 (95% CI, -0.059 to 0.133, <i>I²</i>= 0%) along with differences in means of 0.003L and 0.014L, respectively. Indacaterol and tiotropium also showed similar St. George`s Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) total scores and percentages of patients with SGRQ improvement (≥ 4 units) at week 26. The incidences of nasopharyngitis, serious cardiovascular events, and serious adverse events were not different between indacaterol and tiotropium, while those of cough (OR = 1.68, <i>P</i> < 0.001, and RR = 1.63) and COPD worsening (OR = 1.18, <i>P</i> = 0.003, and RR = 1.12) were higher for indacaterol than tiotropium. However, when one study with only severe COPD patients was removed from the meta-analysis, the difference in the incidence of COPD worsening between indacaterol and tiotropium became non-significant (OR = 1.13, <i>P</i> = 0.204, and RR = 1.09). The clinical efficacy and serious adverse events between indacaterol and tiotropium were equivocal in patients with moderate-to-severe COPD. Cough is a common complaint associated with indacaterol, and COPD worsening needs to be carefully monitored in severe COPD patients when treated with indacaterol.</p></div