Penile urethral strictures have been managed by a staged surgical approach.In selected cases,spongiofibrosis can be excised,a neo-urethral plate created using buccal mucosa graft(BMG)and tubularized during the same pr...Penile urethral strictures have been managed by a staged surgical approach.In selected cases,spongiofibrosis can be excised,a neo-urethral plate created using buccal mucosa graft(BMG)and tubularized during the same procedure,performing a“twoin-one”stage approach.We aim to identify stricture factors which indicate suitability for this two-in-one stage approach.We assess surgical outcome and compare with staged reconstruction.We conducted an observational descriptive study.The data were prospectively collected from two-in-one stage and staged penile urethroplasties using BMG in a single center between 2007 and 2017.The minimum follow-up was 6 months.Outcomes were assessed clinically,radiologically,and by flow-rate analysis.Failure was defined as recurrent stricture or any subsequent surgical or endoscopic intervention.Descriptive analysis of stricture characteristics and statistical comparison was made between groups.Of 425 penile urethroplasties,139 met the inclusion criteria:59 two-in-one stage and 80 staged.The mean stricture length was 2.8 cm(single stage)and 4.5 cm(staged).Etiology was lichen sclerosus(LS)52.5%(single stage)and 73.8%hypospadias related(staged).40.7%of patients had previous failed urethroplasties in the single-stage group and 81.2%in the staged.The most common stricture locations were navicular fossa(39.0%)and distal penile urethra(59.3%)in the single-stage group and mid or proximal penile urethra(58.7%)in the staged group.Success rates were 89.8%(single stage)and 81.3%(staged).A trend toward a single-stage approach for select penile urethral strictures was noted.We conclude that a single-stage substitution penile urethroplasty using BMG as a“two-in-one”approach is associated with excellent functional outcomes.The most suitable strictures for this approach are distal,primary,and LS-related strictures.展开更多
Multiple myeloma(MM)is a hematological malignancy characterized by the accumulation of immunoglobulin-secreting clonal plasma cells at the bone marrow(BM).The interaction between MM cells and the BM microenvironment,a...Multiple myeloma(MM)is a hematological malignancy characterized by the accumulation of immunoglobulin-secreting clonal plasma cells at the bone marrow(BM).The interaction between MM cells and the BM microenvironment,and specifically BM mesenchymal stem cells(BM-MSCs),has a key role in the pathophysiology of this disease.Multiple data support the idea that BM-MSCs not only enhance the proliferation and survival of MM cells but are also involved in the resistance of MM cells to certain drugs,aiding the progression of this hematological tumor.The relation of MM cells with the resident BM-MSCs is a two-way interaction.MM modulate the behavior of BM-MSCs altering their expression profile,proliferation rate,osteogenic potential,and expression of senescence markers.In turn,modified BM-MSCs can produce a set of cytokines that would modulate the BM microenvironment to favor disease progression.The interaction between MM cells and BM-MSCs can be mediated by the secretion of a variety of soluble factors and extracellular vesicles carrying microRNAs,long non-coding RNAs or other molecules.However,the communication between these two types of cells could also involve a direct physical interaction through adhesion molecules or tunneling nanotubes.Thus,understanding the way this communication works and developing strategies to interfere in the process,would preclude the expansion of the MM cells and might offer alternative treatments for this incurable disease.展开更多
It is not complicated for the clinician to diagnose a patient with advanced fibrosis or liver cirrhosis when he has already presented some decompensation of his liver disease.However,it is in the earliest stages when ...It is not complicated for the clinician to diagnose a patient with advanced fibrosis or liver cirrhosis when he has already presented some decompensation of his liver disease.However,it is in the earliest stages when the patient's prognosis can be modified the most.Since liver disease is generally asymptomatic,not invasive markers are of great relevance.In the era of omics,it is time for metabolomics to accompany genomics and proteomics,which are more established in the diagno-stics and prognostics clinical toolbox.Metabolomics,understood as the compre-hensive evaluation of the metabolites present in the organism in a specific phys-iological situation,has undoubted advantages in the study and identification of serum markers relevant to a specific pathology.Last year,I read with interest two articles published in this journal:“Baseline metabolites could predict responders with hepatitis B virus-related liver fibrosis for entecavir or combined with FuzhengHuayu tablet”by Dai et al and“Metabolomics in chronic hepatitis C:Decoding fibrosis grading and underlying pathways”by Ferrasi et al.Both papers illuminate the power of metabolomics to provide us with new tools in the management of liver disease.In this editorial,I comment on these studies and others,and note how they can contribute to our understanding of liver disease in more than one way.展开更多
Pollinators use multiple cues whilst foraging in eluding direct cues from flowers and in direct cues from other pollinators. The use of indirect social cues is common in social in sects, such as honeybees and bumblebe...Pollinators use multiple cues whilst foraging in eluding direct cues from flowers and in direct cues from other pollinators. The use of indirect social cues is common in social in sects, such as honeybees and bumblebees, where a social environment facilitates the ability to use such cues. Bumblebees use cues to forage on flowers according to previous foraging experiences. Flowers are an essential food source for pollinators but also pose a high risk of parasite infection through the shared use of flowers leading to parasite spillover. Nevertheless, bumblebees have evolved behavioral defense mechanisms to limit parasite infection by avoiding contaminated flowers. Mechanisms underlying the avoidance of contaminated flowers by bumblebees are poorly understood. Bumblebees were recorded having the choice to forage on non-contaminated flowers and flowers contaminated by a trypan osome gut parasite, Crithidia bombi. The use of different treatments with presence or absence of con specifics on both con taminated and non-contami nated flowers allowed to investigate the role of social visual cues on their pathogen avoidance behavior. Bumblebees are expected to use social visual cues to avoid contaminated flowers. Our study reveals that the presence of a con specific on flowers either con taminated or not does not help bumblebee foragers avoiding contaminated flowers. Nevertheless, bumblebees whereas gaining experie nee tend to avoid their con specific when placed on contami nated flower and copy it whe n on the non-contami nated flower. Our experime nt suggests a detrime ntal impact of floral see nt on disease avoidanee behavior.展开更多
Background： Tropical forests play an important role in the global carbon（C） cycle.However, tropical montane forests have been studied less than tropical lowland forests, and their role in carbon storage is not well...Background： Tropical forests play an important role in the global carbon（C） cycle.However, tropical montane forests have been studied less than tropical lowland forests, and their role in carbon storage is not well understood.Montane forests are highly endangered due to logging, land-use and climate change.Our objective was to analyse how the carbon balance changes during forest succession.Methods： In this study, we used a method to estimate local carbon balances that combined forest inventory data with process-based forest models.We utilised such a forest model to study the carbon balance of a tropical montane forest in South Ecuador, comparing two topographical slope positions（ravines and lower slopes vs upper slopes and ridges）.Results： The simulation results showed that the forest acts as a carbon sink with a maximum net ecosystem exchange（NEE） of 9.3 Mg C？（ha？yr）-1during its early successional stage（0–100 years）.In the late successional stage, the simulated NEE fluctuated around zero and had a variation of 0.77 Mg C？（ha？yr）–1.The simulated variability of the NEE was within the range of the field data.We discovered several forest attributes（e.g., basal area or the relative amount of pioneer trees） that can serve as predictors for NEE for young forest stands（0–100 years） but not for those in the late successional stage（500–1,000 years）.In case of young forest stands these correlations are high, especially between stand basal area and NEE.Conclusion： In this study, we used an Ecuadorian study site as an example of how to successfully link a forest model with forest inventory data, for estimating stem-diameter distributions, biomass and aboveground net primary productivity.To conclude, this study shows that process-based forest models can be used to investigate the carbon balance of tropical montane forests.With this model it is possible to find hidden relationships between forest attributes and forest carbon fluxes.These relationships promote a better understanding of the role of tropical montane forests in the context of global carbon cycle, which in future will become more relevant to a society under global change.展开更多
Total mesorectal excision(TME)is the standard surgical treatment for the curative radical resection of rectal cancers.Minimally invasive TME has been gaining ground favored by the continuous technological advancements...Total mesorectal excision(TME)is the standard surgical treatment for the curative radical resection of rectal cancers.Minimally invasive TME has been gaining ground favored by the continuous technological advancements.New procedures,such as transanal TME(TaTME),have been introduced to overcome some technical limitations,especially in low rectal tumors,obese patients,and/or narrow pelvis.The earliest TaTME reports showed promising results when compared with the conventional laparoscopic TME.However,recent publications raised concerns regarding the high rates of anastomotic leaks or local recurrences observed in national series.Robotic TaTME(R-TaTME)has been proposed as a novel technique incorporating the potential benefits of a perineal dissection together with precise control of the distal margins,and also offers all those advantages provided by the robotic technology in terms of improved precision and dexterity.Encouraging short-term results have been reported for R-TaTME,but further studies are needed to assess the real role of the new technique in the long-term oncological or functional outcomes.The present review aims to provide a general overview of R-TaTME by analyzing the body of the available literature,with a special focus on the potential benefits,harms,and future perspectives for this novel approach.展开更多
Background： Capturing the response of forest ecosystems to inter-annual climate variability is a great challenge.In this study, we tested the capability of an individual-based forest gap model to display carbon fluxe...Background： Capturing the response of forest ecosystems to inter-annual climate variability is a great challenge.In this study, we tested the capability of an individual-based forest gap model to display carbon fluxes at yearly and daily time scales.The forest model was applied to a spruce forest to simulate the gross primary production（GPP）, respiration and net ecosystem exchange（NEE）.We analyzed how the variability in climate affected simulated carbon fluxes at the scale of the forest model.Results： Six years were simulated at a daily time scale and compared to the observed eddy covariance（EC） data.In general, the seasonal cycle of the individual carbon fluxes was correctly described by the forest model.However, the estimated GPP differed from the observed data on the days of extreme climatic conditions.Two new parameterizations were developed： one resulting from a numerical calibration, and the other resulting from a filtering method.We suggest new parameter values and even a new function for the temperature limitation of photosynthesis.Conclusions： The forest model reproduced the observed carbon fluxes of a forest ecosystem quite wel.Of the three parameterizations, the calibrated model version performed best.However, the filtering approach showed that calibrated parameter values do not necessarily correctly display the individual functional relations.The concept of simulating forest dynamics at the individual base is a valuable tool for simulating the NEE, GPP and respiration of forest ecosystems.展开更多
Background: The global decrease in wildlife populations, especially birds, is mainly due to land use change and increasing intensity of land use(Parmesan and Yohe 2003). However, impacts of management tools to mitigat...Background: The global decrease in wildlife populations, especially birds, is mainly due to land use change and increasing intensity of land use(Parmesan and Yohe 2003). However, impacts of management tools to mitigate biodiversity loss at regional and global scales are less apparent in forest regions that have a constant forest area,and which did not suffer from habitat degradation, and where forests are sustainably managed, such as in Central Europe or the northeastern USA. A biodiversity assessment for Germany suggested, for example, that bird populations were constant(Bundesamt für Naturschutz 2015).Results: This study shows that changes in the environment and in forest management over the past 45 years have had a significant, positive effect on the abundance of non-migratory forest bird species in Central Europe. Economy(timber prices and GDP), forest management(timber harvest and mixed forest area), and environmental factors(atmospheric CO_2 concentration and nitrogen deposition) were investigated together with changes in abundances of migratory and non-migratory forest birds using partial least squares path modeling. Climate change, resulting in longer seasons and milder winters, and forest management, promoting tree diversity, were significantly positively related to the abundance of non-migratory forest birds and explained 92% of the variation in their abundance in Europe. Regionally-migrating forest birds had stable populations with large variation, while birds migrating across continents declined in recent decades, suggesting significant, contrasting changes in bird populations in Europe. In northeastern North America we also found evidence that non-migratory forests have experienced long-term increases in abundance, and this increase was related to management. The increase of populations of nonmigratory forest birds in Europe and North America is associated with an increase in structural diversity and disturbances at the landscape level.Conclusions: Our results suggest that reports about bird decline in forests should separate between migratory and non-migratory bird species. Efforts to mitigate the general decline in bird abundance should focus on land-use systems other than forests and support sustainable forest management independent of economic conditions.展开更多
Comprehensive untargeted and targeted analysis of root exudate composition has advanced our understanding of rhizosphere processes.However,little is known about exudate spatial distribution and regulation.We studied t...Comprehensive untargeted and targeted analysis of root exudate composition has advanced our understanding of rhizosphere processes.However,little is known about exudate spatial distribution and regulation.We studied the specific metabolite signatures of asparagus root exudates,root outer(epidermis and exodermis),and root inner tissues(cortex and vasculature).The greatest differences were found between exudates and root tissues.In total,263 non-redundant metabolites were identified as significantly differentially abundant between the three root fractions,with the majority being enriched in the root exudate and/or outer tissue and annotated as‘lipids and lipid-like molecules’or‘phenylpropanoids and polyketides’.Spatial distribution was verified for three selected compounds using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry imaging.Tissue-specific proteome analysis related root tissue-specific metabolite distributions and rhizodeposition with underlying biosynthetic pathways and transport mechanisms.The proteomes of root outer and inner tissues were spatially very distinct,in agreement with the fundamental differences between their functions and structures.According to KEGG pathway analysis,the outer tissue proteome was characterized by a high abundance of proteins related to‘lipid metabolism’,‘biosynthesis of other secondary metabolites’and‘transport and catabolism’,reflecting its main functions of providing a hydrophobic barrier,secreting secondary metabolites,and mediating water and nutrient uptake.Proteins more abundant in the inner tissue related to‘transcription’,‘translation’and‘folding,sorting and degradation’,in accord with the high activity of cortical and vasculature cell layers in growth-and development-related processes.In summary,asparagus root fractions accumulate specific metabolites.This expands our knowledge of tissue-specific plant cell function.展开更多
Background:Forests perform various important ecosystem functions that contribute to ecosystem services.In many parts of the world,forest management has shifted from a focus on timber production to multi-purpose forest...Background:Forests perform various important ecosystem functions that contribute to ecosystem services.In many parts of the world,forest management has shifted from a focus on timber production to multi-purpose forestry,combining timber production with the supply of other forest ecosystem services.However,it is unclear which forest types provide which ecosystem services and to what extent forests primarily managed for timber already supply multiple ecosystem services.Based on a comprehensive dataset collected across 150 forest plots in three regions differing in management intensity and species composition,we develop models to predict the potential supply of 13 ecosystem services.We use those models to assess the level of multifunctionality of managed forests at the national level using national forest inventory data.Results:Looking at the potential supply of ecosystem services,we found trade-offs(e.g.between both bark beetle control or dung decomposition and both productivity or soil carbon stocks)as well as synergies(e.g.for temperature regulation,carbon storage and culturally interesting plants)across the 53 most dominant forest types in Germany.No single forest type provided all ecosystem services equally.Some ecosystem services showed comparable levels across forest types(e.g.decomposition or richness of saprotrophs),while others varied strongly,depending on forest structural attributes(e.g.phosphorous availability or cover of edible plants)or tree species composition(e.g.potential nitrification activity).Variability in potential supply of ecosystem services was only to a lesser extent driven by environmental conditions.However,the geographic variation in ecosystem function supply across Germany was closely linked with the distribution of main tree species.Conclusions:Our results show that forest multifunctionality is limited to subsets of ecosystem services.The importance of tree species composition highlights that a lack of multifunctionality at the stand level can be compensated by managing forests at the landscape level,when stands of complementary forest types are combined.These results imply that multi-purpose forestry should be based on a variety of forest types requiring coordinated planning across larger spatial scales.展开更多
Piper sarmentosum Roxb.(Piperaceae)is a traditional medicinal and food plant widely distributed in the tropical and subtropical regions of Asia,offering both health and culinary benefits.In this study the secondary me...Piper sarmentosum Roxb.(Piperaceae)is a traditional medicinal and food plant widely distributed in the tropical and subtropical regions of Asia,offering both health and culinary benefits.In this study the secondary metabolites in different organs of P.sarmentosum were identified and their relative abundances were characterized.The metabolic profiles of leaves,roots,stems and fruits were comprehensively investigated by liquid chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry(LC-HR-MS)and the data subsequently analyzed using multivariate statistical methods.Manual interpretation of the tandem mass spectrometric(MS/MS)fragmentation patterns revealed the presence of 154 tentatively identified metabolites,mostly represented by alkaloids and flavonoids.Principle component analysis and hierarchical clustering indicated the predominant occurrence of flavonoids,lignans and phenyl propanoids in leaves,aporphines in stems,piperamides in fruits and lignan-amides in roots.Overall,this study provides extensive data on the metabolite composition of P.sarmentosum,supplying useful information for bioactive compounds discovery and patterns of their preferential biosynthesis or storage in specific organs.This can be used to optimize production and harvesting as well as to maximize the plant’s economic value as herbal medicine or in food applications.展开更多
Cardiovascular risk factors(CVRF)are very prevalent in the elderly population and in addition to predisposing to cardiovascular disease they are related to functional decline,which limits the quality of life in this p...Cardiovascular risk factors(CVRF)are very prevalent in the elderly population and in addition to predisposing to cardiovascular disease they are related to functional decline,which limits the quality of life in this population.The objective of this work is to offer a review of the current evidence in the management of CVRF in the elderly population.The search strategy was executed in PubMed,Clinicalstrials.org and Embase,to search for clinical trials,observational cohort or cross-sectional studies,reviews,and clinical practice guidelines focused or including elderly population.The results provided were refined after reading the title and abstract,as well as elimination of duplicates,and were finally identified and assessed following the GRADE methodology.A total of 136 studies were obtained for all predefined risk factors,such as sedentary lifestyle,smoking,obesity and metabolic syndrome,hypertension,diabetes mellitus,dyslipidemia and alcohol.We described the results of the studies identified and assessed according to their methodological quality in different recommendation sections:diagnostic and prevention,intervention,or treatment in the elderly population.As the main limitation to the results of this review,there is the lack of quality studies whose target population is elderly patients.This issue limits the recommendations that can be made in this population.Due to this reason,comprehensive geriatric assessment seems the best tool currently available to implement the most appropriate treatment plans based on the baseline situation and comorbidity of each elderly patient.展开更多
文摘Penile urethral strictures have been managed by a staged surgical approach.In selected cases,spongiofibrosis can be excised,a neo-urethral plate created using buccal mucosa graft(BMG)and tubularized during the same procedure,performing a“twoin-one”stage approach.We aim to identify stricture factors which indicate suitability for this two-in-one stage approach.We assess surgical outcome and compare with staged reconstruction.We conducted an observational descriptive study.The data were prospectively collected from two-in-one stage and staged penile urethroplasties using BMG in a single center between 2007 and 2017.The minimum follow-up was 6 months.Outcomes were assessed clinically,radiologically,and by flow-rate analysis.Failure was defined as recurrent stricture or any subsequent surgical or endoscopic intervention.Descriptive analysis of stricture characteristics and statistical comparison was made between groups.Of 425 penile urethroplasties,139 met the inclusion criteria:59 two-in-one stage and 80 staged.The mean stricture length was 2.8 cm(single stage)and 4.5 cm(staged).Etiology was lichen sclerosus(LS)52.5%(single stage)and 73.8%hypospadias related(staged).40.7%of patients had previous failed urethroplasties in the single-stage group and 81.2%in the staged.The most common stricture locations were navicular fossa(39.0%)and distal penile urethra(59.3%)in the single-stage group and mid or proximal penile urethra(58.7%)in the staged group.Success rates were 89.8%(single stage)and 81.3%(staged).A trend toward a single-stage approach for select penile urethral strictures was noted.We conclude that a single-stage substitution penile urethroplasty using BMG as a“two-in-one”approach is associated with excellent functional outcomes.The most suitable strictures for this approach are distal,primary,and LS-related strictures.
基金Supported by The“Instituto de Salud Carlos III,No.PI22/00264A Predoctoral Program in Biomedicine from The University of Cantabria and The Instituto de Investigación Valdecilla-IDIVAL(Alberto González-González and Daniel García-Sánchez),No.PREVAL19/02,and No.PREVAL20/01“Investigo Program”,part of the“Plan Nacional de Recuperación,Transformación y Resiliencia”from The Spanish Government(Mónica del Dujo-Gutiérrez).
文摘Multiple myeloma(MM)is a hematological malignancy characterized by the accumulation of immunoglobulin-secreting clonal plasma cells at the bone marrow(BM).The interaction between MM cells and the BM microenvironment,and specifically BM mesenchymal stem cells(BM-MSCs),has a key role in the pathophysiology of this disease.Multiple data support the idea that BM-MSCs not only enhance the proliferation and survival of MM cells but are also involved in the resistance of MM cells to certain drugs,aiding the progression of this hematological tumor.The relation of MM cells with the resident BM-MSCs is a two-way interaction.MM modulate the behavior of BM-MSCs altering their expression profile,proliferation rate,osteogenic potential,and expression of senescence markers.In turn,modified BM-MSCs can produce a set of cytokines that would modulate the BM microenvironment to favor disease progression.The interaction between MM cells and BM-MSCs can be mediated by the secretion of a variety of soluble factors and extracellular vesicles carrying microRNAs,long non-coding RNAs or other molecules.However,the communication between these two types of cells could also involve a direct physical interaction through adhesion molecules or tunneling nanotubes.Thus,understanding the way this communication works and developing strategies to interfere in the process,would preclude the expansion of the MM cells and might offer alternative treatments for this incurable disease.
文摘It is not complicated for the clinician to diagnose a patient with advanced fibrosis or liver cirrhosis when he has already presented some decompensation of his liver disease.However,it is in the earliest stages when the patient's prognosis can be modified the most.Since liver disease is generally asymptomatic,not invasive markers are of great relevance.In the era of omics,it is time for metabolomics to accompany genomics and proteomics,which are more established in the diagno-stics and prognostics clinical toolbox.Metabolomics,understood as the compre-hensive evaluation of the metabolites present in the organism in a specific phys-iological situation,has undoubted advantages in the study and identification of serum markers relevant to a specific pathology.Last year,I read with interest two articles published in this journal:“Baseline metabolites could predict responders with hepatitis B virus-related liver fibrosis for entecavir or combined with FuzhengHuayu tablet”by Dai et al and“Metabolomics in chronic hepatitis C:Decoding fibrosis grading and underlying pathways”by Ferrasi et al.Both papers illuminate the power of metabolomics to provide us with new tools in the management of liver disease.In this editorial,I comment on these studies and others,and note how they can contribute to our understanding of liver disease in more than one way.
文摘Pollinators use multiple cues whilst foraging in eluding direct cues from flowers and in direct cues from other pollinators. The use of indirect social cues is common in social in sects, such as honeybees and bumblebees, where a social environment facilitates the ability to use such cues. Bumblebees use cues to forage on flowers according to previous foraging experiences. Flowers are an essential food source for pollinators but also pose a high risk of parasite infection through the shared use of flowers leading to parasite spillover. Nevertheless, bumblebees have evolved behavioral defense mechanisms to limit parasite infection by avoiding contaminated flowers. Mechanisms underlying the avoidance of contaminated flowers by bumblebees are poorly understood. Bumblebees were recorded having the choice to forage on non-contaminated flowers and flowers contaminated by a trypan osome gut parasite, Crithidia bombi. The use of different treatments with presence or absence of con specifics on both con taminated and non-contami nated flowers allowed to investigate the role of social visual cues on their pathogen avoidance behavior. Bumblebees are expected to use social visual cues to avoid contaminated flowers. Our study reveals that the presence of a con specific on flowers either con taminated or not does not help bumblebee foragers avoiding contaminated flowers. Nevertheless, bumblebees whereas gaining experie nee tend to avoid their con specific when placed on contami nated flower and copy it whe n on the non-contami nated flower. Our experime nt suggests a detrime ntal impact of floral see nt on disease avoidanee behavior.
基金financial support of the German Research Foundation(DFG,Research Unit 816)for initializing the forest plots and the plot census as well as a first model parameterisationthe Helmholtz Alliance:Remote Sensing and Earth System Dynamics for financing the work on the further parameterisation of the model and analysis of the data
文摘Background： Tropical forests play an important role in the global carbon（C） cycle.However, tropical montane forests have been studied less than tropical lowland forests, and their role in carbon storage is not well understood.Montane forests are highly endangered due to logging, land-use and climate change.Our objective was to analyse how the carbon balance changes during forest succession.Methods： In this study, we used a method to estimate local carbon balances that combined forest inventory data with process-based forest models.We utilised such a forest model to study the carbon balance of a tropical montane forest in South Ecuador, comparing two topographical slope positions（ravines and lower slopes vs upper slopes and ridges）.Results： The simulation results showed that the forest acts as a carbon sink with a maximum net ecosystem exchange（NEE） of 9.3 Mg C？（ha？yr）-1during its early successional stage（0–100 years）.In the late successional stage, the simulated NEE fluctuated around zero and had a variation of 0.77 Mg C？（ha？yr）–1.The simulated variability of the NEE was within the range of the field data.We discovered several forest attributes（e.g., basal area or the relative amount of pioneer trees） that can serve as predictors for NEE for young forest stands（0–100 years） but not for those in the late successional stage（500–1,000 years）.In case of young forest stands these correlations are high, especially between stand basal area and NEE.Conclusion： In this study, we used an Ecuadorian study site as an example of how to successfully link a forest model with forest inventory data, for estimating stem-diameter distributions, biomass and aboveground net primary productivity.To conclude, this study shows that process-based forest models can be used to investigate the carbon balance of tropical montane forests.With this model it is possible to find hidden relationships between forest attributes and forest carbon fluxes.These relationships promote a better understanding of the role of tropical montane forests in the context of global carbon cycle, which in future will become more relevant to a society under global change.
文摘Total mesorectal excision(TME)is the standard surgical treatment for the curative radical resection of rectal cancers.Minimally invasive TME has been gaining ground favored by the continuous technological advancements.New procedures,such as transanal TME(TaTME),have been introduced to overcome some technical limitations,especially in low rectal tumors,obese patients,and/or narrow pelvis.The earliest TaTME reports showed promising results when compared with the conventional laparoscopic TME.However,recent publications raised concerns regarding the high rates of anastomotic leaks or local recurrences observed in national series.Robotic TaTME(R-TaTME)has been proposed as a novel technique incorporating the potential benefits of a perineal dissection together with precise control of the distal margins,and also offers all those advantages provided by the robotic technology in terms of improved precision and dexterity.Encouraging short-term results have been reported for R-TaTME,but further studies are needed to assess the real role of the new technique in the long-term oncological or functional outcomes.The present review aims to provide a general overview of R-TaTME by analyzing the body of the available literature,with a special focus on the potential benefits,harms,and future perspectives for this novel approach.
基金supported by the Helmholtz-Alliance Remote Sensing and Earth System Dynamicssupported by the Helmholtz Impulse and Networking Fund through the Helmholtz Interdisciplinary Graduate School for Environmental Research(HIGRADE)
文摘Background： Capturing the response of forest ecosystems to inter-annual climate variability is a great challenge.In this study, we tested the capability of an individual-based forest gap model to display carbon fluxes at yearly and daily time scales.The forest model was applied to a spruce forest to simulate the gross primary production（GPP）, respiration and net ecosystem exchange（NEE）.We analyzed how the variability in climate affected simulated carbon fluxes at the scale of the forest model.Results： Six years were simulated at a daily time scale and compared to the observed eddy covariance（EC） data.In general, the seasonal cycle of the individual carbon fluxes was correctly described by the forest model.However, the estimated GPP differed from the observed data on the days of extreme climatic conditions.Two new parameterizations were developed： one resulting from a numerical calibration, and the other resulting from a filtering method.We suggest new parameter values and even a new function for the temperature limitation of photosynthesis.Conclusions： The forest model reproduced the observed carbon fluxes of a forest ecosystem quite wel.Of the three parameterizations, the calibrated model version performed best.However, the filtering approach showed that calibrated parameter values do not necessarily correctly display the individual functional relations.The concept of simulating forest dynamics at the individual base is a valuable tool for simulating the NEE, GPP and respiration of forest ecosystems.
基金JR:German Research Foundation(FZT 118)Charles University(Primus/17/SCI/16)
文摘Background: The global decrease in wildlife populations, especially birds, is mainly due to land use change and increasing intensity of land use(Parmesan and Yohe 2003). However, impacts of management tools to mitigate biodiversity loss at regional and global scales are less apparent in forest regions that have a constant forest area,and which did not suffer from habitat degradation, and where forests are sustainably managed, such as in Central Europe or the northeastern USA. A biodiversity assessment for Germany suggested, for example, that bird populations were constant(Bundesamt für Naturschutz 2015).Results: This study shows that changes in the environment and in forest management over the past 45 years have had a significant, positive effect on the abundance of non-migratory forest bird species in Central Europe. Economy(timber prices and GDP), forest management(timber harvest and mixed forest area), and environmental factors(atmospheric CO_2 concentration and nitrogen deposition) were investigated together with changes in abundances of migratory and non-migratory forest birds using partial least squares path modeling. Climate change, resulting in longer seasons and milder winters, and forest management, promoting tree diversity, were significantly positively related to the abundance of non-migratory forest birds and explained 92% of the variation in their abundance in Europe. Regionally-migrating forest birds had stable populations with large variation, while birds migrating across continents declined in recent decades, suggesting significant, contrasting changes in bird populations in Europe. In northeastern North America we also found evidence that non-migratory forests have experienced long-term increases in abundance, and this increase was related to management. The increase of populations of nonmigratory forest birds in Europe and North America is associated with an increase in structural diversity and disturbances at the landscape level.Conclusions: Our results suggest that reports about bird decline in forests should separate between migratory and non-migratory bird species. Efforts to mitigate the general decline in bird abundance should focus on land-use systems other than forests and support sustainable forest management independent of economic conditions.
基金the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research(FKZ:01EA1706).
文摘Comprehensive untargeted and targeted analysis of root exudate composition has advanced our understanding of rhizosphere processes.However,little is known about exudate spatial distribution and regulation.We studied the specific metabolite signatures of asparagus root exudates,root outer(epidermis and exodermis),and root inner tissues(cortex and vasculature).The greatest differences were found between exudates and root tissues.In total,263 non-redundant metabolites were identified as significantly differentially abundant between the three root fractions,with the majority being enriched in the root exudate and/or outer tissue and annotated as‘lipids and lipid-like molecules’or‘phenylpropanoids and polyketides’.Spatial distribution was verified for three selected compounds using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry imaging.Tissue-specific proteome analysis related root tissue-specific metabolite distributions and rhizodeposition with underlying biosynthetic pathways and transport mechanisms.The proteomes of root outer and inner tissues were spatially very distinct,in agreement with the fundamental differences between their functions and structures.According to KEGG pathway analysis,the outer tissue proteome was characterized by a high abundance of proteins related to‘lipid metabolism’,‘biosynthesis of other secondary metabolites’and‘transport and catabolism’,reflecting its main functions of providing a hydrophobic barrier,secreting secondary metabolites,and mediating water and nutrient uptake.Proteins more abundant in the inner tissue related to‘transcription’,‘translation’and‘folding,sorting and degradation’,in accord with the high activity of cortical and vasculature cell layers in growth-and development-related processes.In summary,asparagus root fractions accumulate specific metabolites.This expands our knowledge of tissue-specific plant cell function.
基金funded through the project‘Bio Holz’(grant no.01LC1323A)in the funding program‘Research for the Implementation of the National Biodiversity Strategy(F&U NBS)’by the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research(BMBF)and the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation(Bf N)with funds provided by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment,Nature Conservation,Building and Nuclear Safety(BMUB)supported by the DFG Priority Program 1374‘Infrastructure-Biodiversity-Exploratories’。
文摘Background:Forests perform various important ecosystem functions that contribute to ecosystem services.In many parts of the world,forest management has shifted from a focus on timber production to multi-purpose forestry,combining timber production with the supply of other forest ecosystem services.However,it is unclear which forest types provide which ecosystem services and to what extent forests primarily managed for timber already supply multiple ecosystem services.Based on a comprehensive dataset collected across 150 forest plots in three regions differing in management intensity and species composition,we develop models to predict the potential supply of 13 ecosystem services.We use those models to assess the level of multifunctionality of managed forests at the national level using national forest inventory data.Results:Looking at the potential supply of ecosystem services,we found trade-offs(e.g.between both bark beetle control or dung decomposition and both productivity or soil carbon stocks)as well as synergies(e.g.for temperature regulation,carbon storage and culturally interesting plants)across the 53 most dominant forest types in Germany.No single forest type provided all ecosystem services equally.Some ecosystem services showed comparable levels across forest types(e.g.decomposition or richness of saprotrophs),while others varied strongly,depending on forest structural attributes(e.g.phosphorous availability or cover of edible plants)or tree species composition(e.g.potential nitrification activity).Variability in potential supply of ecosystem services was only to a lesser extent driven by environmental conditions.However,the geographic variation in ecosystem function supply across Germany was closely linked with the distribution of main tree species.Conclusions:Our results show that forest multifunctionality is limited to subsets of ecosystem services.The importance of tree species composition highlights that a lack of multifunctionality at the stand level can be compensated by managing forests at the landscape level,when stands of complementary forest types are combined.These results imply that multi-purpose forestry should be based on a variety of forest types requiring coordinated planning across larger spatial scales.
基金supported by the German Academic Exchange Service(DAAD)as a grant scholarship and part of the Ph.D.thesis of IW.Funding program/-ID:Research Grants-Doctoral Programs in Germany,2017/18(57299294),ST34.
文摘Piper sarmentosum Roxb.(Piperaceae)is a traditional medicinal and food plant widely distributed in the tropical and subtropical regions of Asia,offering both health and culinary benefits.In this study the secondary metabolites in different organs of P.sarmentosum were identified and their relative abundances were characterized.The metabolic profiles of leaves,roots,stems and fruits were comprehensively investigated by liquid chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry(LC-HR-MS)and the data subsequently analyzed using multivariate statistical methods.Manual interpretation of the tandem mass spectrometric(MS/MS)fragmentation patterns revealed the presence of 154 tentatively identified metabolites,mostly represented by alkaloids and flavonoids.Principle component analysis and hierarchical clustering indicated the predominant occurrence of flavonoids,lignans and phenyl propanoids in leaves,aporphines in stems,piperamides in fruits and lignan-amides in roots.Overall,this study provides extensive data on the metabolite composition of P.sarmentosum,supplying useful information for bioactive compounds discovery and patterns of their preferential biosynthesis or storage in specific organs.This can be used to optimize production and harvesting as well as to maximize the plant’s economic value as herbal medicine or in food applications.
文摘Cardiovascular risk factors(CVRF)are very prevalent in the elderly population and in addition to predisposing to cardiovascular disease they are related to functional decline,which limits the quality of life in this population.The objective of this work is to offer a review of the current evidence in the management of CVRF in the elderly population.The search strategy was executed in PubMed,Clinicalstrials.org and Embase,to search for clinical trials,observational cohort or cross-sectional studies,reviews,and clinical practice guidelines focused or including elderly population.The results provided were refined after reading the title and abstract,as well as elimination of duplicates,and were finally identified and assessed following the GRADE methodology.A total of 136 studies were obtained for all predefined risk factors,such as sedentary lifestyle,smoking,obesity and metabolic syndrome,hypertension,diabetes mellitus,dyslipidemia and alcohol.We described the results of the studies identified and assessed according to their methodological quality in different recommendation sections:diagnostic and prevention,intervention,or treatment in the elderly population.As the main limitation to the results of this review,there is the lack of quality studies whose target population is elderly patients.This issue limits the recommendations that can be made in this population.Due to this reason,comprehensive geriatric assessment seems the best tool currently available to implement the most appropriate treatment plans based on the baseline situation and comorbidity of each elderly patient.
