Mountains are paramount for exploring biodiversity patterns due to the mosaic of topographies and climates encompassed over short distances.Biodiversity research has traditionally focused on taxonomic diversity when i...Mountains are paramount for exploring biodiversity patterns due to the mosaic of topographies and climates encompassed over short distances.Biodiversity research has traditionally focused on taxonomic diversity when investigating changes along elevational gradients,but other facets should be considered.For first time,we simultaneously assessed elevational trends in taxonomic,functional,and phylogenetic diversity of woody plants in Andean tropical montane forests and explored their underlying ecological and evolutionary causes.This investigation covered four transects(traversing ca.2200 m a.s.l.) encompassing 114 plots of 0.1 ha across a broad latitudinal range(ca.10°).Using Hill numbers to quantify abundance-based diversity among 37,869 individuals we observed a consistent decrease in taxonomic,functional,and phylogenetic diversity as elevation increased,although the decrease was less pronounced for higher Hill orders.The exception was a slight increase in phylogenetic diversity when dominant species were over-weighted.The decrease in taxonomic and functional diversity might be attributed to an environmental filtering process towards highlands,where the increasingly harsher conditions exclude species and functional strategies.Besides,the differences in steepness decrease between Hill orders suggest that rare species disproportionately contribute to functional diversity.For phylogenetic diversity the shifting elevational trend between Hill orders indicates a greater than previously considered influence in central Andean highlands of tropical lowlands originated species with strong niche conservatism relative to distantly related temperate lineages.This could be explained by a decreasing presence and abundance of temperate,extratropical taxa towards the central Andes relative to northern or southern Andes,where they are more prevalent.展开更多
The effect of heat treatment on the mechanical and biocorrosion behaviour of the Mg-1 wt.%Zn-1 wt.%Ca(ZX11)and Mg-3 wt.%Zn-0.4 wt.%Ca(ZX30)alloys was evaluated.For this purpose,three-point bending tests as well as ele...The effect of heat treatment on the mechanical and biocorrosion behaviour of the Mg-1 wt.%Zn-1 wt.%Ca(ZX11)and Mg-3 wt.%Zn-0.4 wt.%Ca(ZX30)alloys was evaluated.For this purpose,three-point bending tests as well as electrochemical and immersion tests in Hank’s solution were performed on both alloys in four different thermal conditions:as-cast,solution-treated,peak-aged and over-aged.Microstructural examinations revealed that the as-cast ZX11 and ZX30 alloys exhibit a microstructure composed ofα-Mg grains separated by large Mg_(2)Ca and Ca_(2)Mg_(6)Zn_(3) particles and by large Ca_(2)Mg_(6)Zn_(3) particles,respectively.During solution treatment,the Ca_(2)Mg_(6)Zn_(3) precipitates at the grain boundaries(GBs)are fully dissolved in the ZX11 alloy,but mainly redistributed to form a more connected configuration in the ZX30 alloy,showing a poor age-hardening response.Consequently,after solution-treatment,galvanic corrosion and corrosion rate decreases in the former,but increases in the latter.The peak-aged condition displays the highest corrosion rate for both alloys,maybe due to an excessive number density of fine Ca_(2)Mg_(6)Zn_(3) particles acting as cathodic sites.However,the over-aged condition shows the lowest corrosion rate for the ZX11 alloy and a very similar one to that of the as-cast sample for the ZX30 alloy.The ZX11 alloy shows generally better biocorrosion behaviour than the ZX30 alloy to its lower content in the Ca_(2)Mg_(6)Zn_(3) phase and thus reduced galvanic corrosion.The Mg_(2)Ca phase present in the studied ZX11 alloy has been proved to exhibit an increased corrosion potential,which has been related to an observed enrichment with Zn.展开更多
Objective: To assess the safety and efficacy of herbal formulation rich in standardized fenugreek seed extract(IND-2) add-on therapy in type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM) patients who were on insulin treatment in prospect...Objective: To assess the safety and efficacy of herbal formulation rich in standardized fenugreek seed extract(IND-2) add-on therapy in type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM) patients who were on insulin treatment in prospective, single arm, open-label, uncontrolled, multicentre trial.Methods: T2DM patients(n=30) with aged 18-80 years who were stabilized on insulin treatment with fasting blood sugar(FBS) level between 100-140 mg/dL received IND-2 capsules(700 mg, thrice a day) for 16 weeks.The primary endpoints were an assessment of FBS at week 2, 4, 6, 8, 12 and 16.Secondary end-points include post-prandial blood sugar level, glycosylated Hb(HbA1c), reduction in the dose of insulin and number of hypoglycemic attacks, and improvement in lipid profile at various weeks.Safety and adverse events(AEs) were also assessed during the study.Results: Study was completed in twenty T2DM patients, and there was no significant reduction in FBS and post-prandial blood sugar level after addon therapy of IND-2.However, add-on therapy of IND-2 significantly reduced(P<0.01) the HbA1c values, requirements of insulin and hypoglycemic events as compared with baseline.Total cholesterol, high-density lipoproteins-cholesterol, and low-density lipoproteincholesterol levels were significantly increased(P<0.01) after IND-2 add-on therapy.Body weight and safety outcomes did not differ significantly in IND-2 add-on therapy group at week 16.Additionally, add-on therapy of IND-2 did not produce any serious adverse events.Conclusions: The results of present investigation suggest that add-on therapy of IND-2 with insulin in T2DM patients improves glycaemic control through a decrease in levels of HbA1c and number of insulin doses needed per day without an increase in body weight and risk of hypoglycemia.Thus, IND-2 may provide a safe and well-tolerated add-on therapy option for the management of T2DM.展开更多
Lichens are symbiotic organisms that comprise a fungus and a photosynthetic partner wich are recognized as a good indicator of climate change.However,our understanding of how aridity affects the diversity of saxicolou...Lichens are symbiotic organisms that comprise a fungus and a photosynthetic partner wich are recognized as a good indicator of climate change.However,our understanding of how aridity affects the diversity of saxicolous lichens in drylands is still limited.To evaluate the relationship between saxicolous lichen diversity and aridity in a central México dryland,a geographical transect was established of 100 km to build an aridity gradient in the semiarid zone of the State of Querétaro,Mexico,comprising ten sampling sites with a 10 km separation.Species richness,abundance and diversity of soil lichen species were recorded using two sampling methods:the quadrat-intercept and the line-intercept method,to compare their performance in assessing soil lichen diversity in drylands.The number of species and Shannon diversity of saxicolous lichens were higher at intermediate values of the aridity index(AI=0.10-0.34).Quadrat intercept and point intercept methods gave quite similar results,which means that the selected method does not influence the results in a significant way.This study confirms the role of saxicolous lichens as climate change indicators and reveals the importance of the sampling method selection in the evaluation of different parameters of soil lichen diversity in drylands.展开更多
目的:建立和验证一个涉及多级临床场景的白内障协作通用的人工智能(artificial intelligence,AI)管理平台,探索基于AI的医疗转诊模式,以提高协作效率和资源覆盖率。方法:训练和验证的数据集来自中国AI医学联盟,涵盖多级医疗机构和采集...目的:建立和验证一个涉及多级临床场景的白内障协作通用的人工智能(artificial intelligence,AI)管理平台,探索基于AI的医疗转诊模式,以提高协作效率和资源覆盖率。方法:训练和验证的数据集来自中国AI医学联盟,涵盖多级医疗机构和采集模式。使用三步策略对数据集进行标记:1)识别采集模式;2)白内障诊断包括正常晶体眼、白内障眼或白内障术后眼;3)从病因和严重程度检测需转诊的白内障患者。此外,将白内障AI系统与真实世界中的居家自我监测、初级医疗保健机构和专科医院等多级转诊模式相结合。结果:通用AI平台和多级协作模式在三步任务中表现出可靠的诊断性能:1)识别采集模式的受试者操作特征(receiver operating characteristic curve,ROC)曲线下面积(area under the curve,AUC)为99.28%~99.71%);2)白内障诊断对正常晶体眼、白内障或术后眼,在散瞳-裂隙灯模式下的AUC分别为99.82%、99.96%和99.93%,其他采集模式的AUC均>99%;3)需转诊白内障的检测(在所有测试中AUC>91%)。在真实世界的三级转诊模式中,该系统建议30.3%的人转诊,与传统模式相比,眼科医生与人群服务比率大幅提高了10.2倍。结论:通用AI平台和多级协作模式显示了准确的白内障诊断性能和有效的白内障转诊服务。建议AI的医疗转诊模式扩展应用到其他常见疾病和资源密集型情景当中。展开更多
Some cities worldwide have oil wells directly affecting the management of the territory.For example,La Libertad and Salinas districts contain 467 oil wells in urban areas representing a major land-use planning challen...Some cities worldwide have oil wells directly affecting the management of the territory.For example,La Libertad and Salinas districts contain 467 oil wells in urban areas representing a major land-use planning challenge.The objective is to apply the CLUE-S land use model in coastal cities with oil wells(Salinas-La Libertad),using geographic information systems considering environmental and security characteristics for territorial development.The stages of the study are:i)classification and categorisation of oil wells;ii)application of the GIS-CLUE-S method and visualisation of land use dynamics;iii)use the SWOT-TOWS matrix,for the analysis of the situation and the main factors affecting the territory.The results indicate high vulnerability in many urban sectors and those close to the coastline.Furthermore,the CLUE-S analysis shows that the population growth in the urban sector is close to oil well areas,making it a complex pole of human-industry interaction that impacts the management of the territory.This study synthesises three technical aspects:some oil wells do not comply with municipal ordinance regulations;identification of vulnerable zones due to environmental and security factors,which recommends a territorial reordering policy;as well as an education plan for the application of territorial ordering policies,with awareness and sustainability projections.展开更多
Iron and its alloys are attractive as biodegradable materials because of their low toxicity and suitable mechanical properties;however,they generally have a slow degradation rate.Given that corrosion is an electrochem...Iron and its alloys are attractive as biodegradable materials because of their low toxicity and suitable mechanical properties;however,they generally have a slow degradation rate.Given that corrosion is an electrochemical phenomenon where an exchange of electrons takes place,the application of magnetic fields from outside the body may accelerate the degradation of a ferrous temporary implant.In the present study,we have investigated the effect of alternating and direct low magnetic field(H=6.5 kA/m)on the corrosion process of pure iron(Fe)and an iron-manganese alloy(FeMnC)in modified Hanks’solution.A 14-day static immersion test was performed on the materials.The corrosion rate was assessed by mass and cross-sectional loss measurements,scanning electron microscopy,X-ray diffractometry,Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy before and after degradation.The results show that the presence of magnetic fields significantly accelerates the degradation rate of both materials,with the corrosion rate being twice as high in the case of Fe and almost three times as high for FeMnC.In addition,a homogenous degradation layer is formed over the entire surface and the chemical composition of the degradation products is the same regardless of the presence of a magnetic field.展开更多
Aims larger corollas receive more pollinator visits but involve higher production and maintenance costs,especially under hot and dry conditions.this can result in indirect costs on reproductive output,which may counte...Aims larger corollas receive more pollinator visits but involve higher production and maintenance costs,especially under hot and dry conditions.this can result in indirect costs on reproductive output,which may counteract the effects of pollinator-mediated phenotypic selection on corolla size.In this study,I explored the relationship between corolla size and indirect costs and whether these costs counteract the effects of pollinator-mediated phenotypic selection on this trait in the mediterranean shrub Halimium atriplicifolium.I hypothesized that(i)corolla production entails direct costs in dry mass,N and P,(ii)corollas entail significant indirect costs in terms of fruit and seed production,(iii)indirect costs increase with corolla size,(iv)this species may suffer pollen limitation to a certain degree and(v)indirect costs counteract the effects of pollinator-mediated selection on corolla size.Methods I compared fruit set and seed production of petal-removed flow-ers(r flowers)and unmanipulated control flowers(C flowers)and evaluated the influence of individual mean corolla size on relative fruit and seed gain of r compared to C flowers.I also estimated phenotypic selection on corolla size mediated by indirect costs and the combined effect of costs and pollinators(i.e.total selection).Important Findings Corollas allocated sizeable amount of resources in terms of dry mass relative to the other floral structures.Fruit set and seed per fruit were significantly higher in r flowers,while individual mean corolla size showed a positive relationship with relative fruit gain.Phenotypic selection analysis revealed cost-mediated negative directional selection and absence of positive directional total selection on corolla size through fruit set.this translated into stabilizing total selection.these results suggest that mediterranean environments can impose constraints on corolla size,counteracting advantages of larger corollas from the pollination point of view with increased indirect costs of such flowers.展开更多
Aims Relatively few studies so far have assessed how ongoing global warming will affect the photosynthetic performance of dryland plant species.We evaluated the effects of warming on the photosynthetic rates of 10 spe...Aims Relatively few studies so far have assessed how ongoing global warming will affect the photosynthetic performance of dryland plant species.We evaluated the effects of warming on the photosynthetic rates of 10 species with contrasting functional attributes,and whether their functional traits modulated photosynthetic responses to warming.Methods A common garden experiment was conducted over 2 years with distinct environmental conditions(drier vs.wetter year).The experiment was designed as a randomized block design with two treatments:warming(control vs.~2.9℃ temperature increase)and species(Agropyron cristatum,Festuca ovina,Lygeum spartum,Medicago sativa,Plantago lanceolata,Psoralea bituminosa,Sanguisorba minor,Hedysarum coronarium,Dorycnium pentaphyllum and Phlomis herba-venti).We linked functional traits measurements with temporal variations in photosynthetic responses to warming.Important Findings In the drier year,warming increased photosynthetic rates at the beginning of the growing season,suggesting a modification in the growing period(earlier spring).In the wetter year,functional traits modulated photosynthetic responses to warming.Larger species with shorter leaves(e.g.M.sativa)had higher photosynthetic rates under warming compared to smaller species with larger leaves(e.g.F.ovina).Our results highlight the importance of(i)studying photosynthetic responses along different years and(ii)considering functional traits when evaluating photosynthetic responses to climate change,particularly in stressful environments such as drylands.展开更多
Aims Non-structural carbohydrates(NSCs)are plant storage compounds used for metabolism,transport,osmoregulation and regrowth following the loss of plant tissue.Even in conditions suitable for optimal growth,plants con...Aims Non-structural carbohydrates(NSCs)are plant storage compounds used for metabolism,transport,osmoregulation and regrowth following the loss of plant tissue.Even in conditions suitable for optimal growth,plants continue to store NSCs.This storage may be due to passive accumulation from sink-inhibited growth or active reserves that come at the expense of growth.The former pathway implies that NSCs may be a by-product of sink limitation,while the latter suggests a functional role of NSCs for use during poor conditions.Methods Using 13C pulse labelling,we traced the source of soluble sugars in stem and root organs during drought and everwet conditions for seedlings of two tropical tree species that differ in drought tolerance to estimate the relative allocation of NSCs stored prior to drought versus NSCs assimilated during drought.We monitored growth,stomatal conductance,stem water potential and NSC storage to assess a broad carbon response to drought.Important Findings We found that the drought-sensitive species had reduced growth,conserved NSC concentrations in leaf,stem and root organs and had a larger proportion of soluble sugars in stem and root organs that originated from pre-drought storage relative to seedlings in control conditions.In contrast,the drought-tolerant species maintained growth and stem and root NSC concentrations but had reduced leaf NSCs concentrations with a larger proportion of stem and root soluble sugars originated from freshly assimilated photosynthates relative to control seedlings.These results suggest the drought-sensitive species passively accumulated NSCs during water deficit due to growth inhibition,while the drought-tolerant species actively responded to water deficit by allocating NSCs to stem and root organs.These strategies seem correlated with baseline maximum growth rates,which supports previous research suggesting a trade-off between growth and drought tolerance while providing new evidence for the importance of plasticity in NSC allocation during drought.展开更多
A major feature of humans is that they can attain much higher population densities than any non-domestic animal species of similar body size(Damuth 1987).This is most likely due to the invention of agriculture(Herrera...A major feature of humans is that they can attain much higher population densities than any non-domestic animal species of similar body size(Damuth 1987).This is most likely due to the invention of agriculture(Herrera and Garcia-Bertrand 2018),which allowed humans to manage ecosystems in such a way that as much biomass as possible is converted into food(Vitousek et al.1986).展开更多
Aims Plants control leaf phenology to maximize annual photosynthetic product.Although ferns play an important ecological role in many habitats,especially forests,their phenology traits have been poorly studied.Here,we...Aims Plants control leaf phenology to maximize annual photosynthetic product.Although ferns play an important ecological role in many habitats,especially forests,their phenology traits have been poorly studied.Here,we investigate the leaf phenology of two ferns of the forest understorey and analyse the relationship between the timing of leaf emergence and spore dispersal and the effect of between-year climatic variation.Methods We compared the leafing and sporing phenologies of two ferns with very large(>2 m),overwintering leaves:Culcita macrocarpa and Woodwardia radicans.We regularly monitored individuals of six popu-lations in the northwestern Iberian Peninsula during a 3-year study.We studied eight phenology variables:leafing start date,leafing end date,leaf expansion time,number of new leaves per individual,between-individual synchrony,within-individual synchrony,percentage of fertile leaves and spore release date.We also determined leaf mass per area(LMA)and gathered data on air temperature and humidity.Important findings Both C.macrocarpa and W.radicans produce few leaves(~2 leaves individual−1 year−1),which expand simultaneously for a very long period(from midwinter to early summer),are retained for more than 1 year(37 and 19 months,respectively)and have relatively high LMAs.Such traits,together with large leaf size,have also been found in seed plants from the forest understorey and represent adap-tations to this light-limited environment.Spores of both study ferns are simultaneously released in late winter,with little between-year variation caused by differences in air humidity.This remarkable similarity between species suggests that the convergence in tim-ing of leaf emergence favours the convergence in timing of spore dispersal.展开更多
In recent years edible flowers emerged in gourmet cuisine,giving any dish the beauty of attractive colours,freshness,texture,and aromatic notes.Moreover,they also constitute a potential source of phytochemical compoun...In recent years edible flowers emerged in gourmet cuisine,giving any dish the beauty of attractive colours,freshness,texture,and aromatic notes.Moreover,they also constitute a potential source of phytochemical compounds associated with beneficial effects on human health.In this work,the volatilomic fingerprinting of 4 different species of edible flowers[blue mallow(Malva sylvestris L.),pomegranate flower(Punica granatum L.),hibiscus(Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L.),and nasturtium(Tropaeolum majus L.)]used in gourmet dishes,was established,and comparatively investigated.The volatile metabolites were extracted by solid-phase microextraction in headspace mode and identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to understand the chemistry behind its attractiveness better.A total of 78 volatile metabolites,belonging to diverse chemical groups were identified.Blue mallow is mainly characterised by sesquiterpenoids(61.5%of the total volatile fraction),whereas in flowers from pomegranate,hibiscus,and nasturtium,terpenoids(56.6%),carbonyl compounds(88.0%)and organosulfur compounds(98.0%)are the dominant chemical groups,respectively.In blue mallow flowers,τ-muurolene and valencene are the dominant volatiles,followed byα-cubebene andδ-cadinene.Pomegranate flowers are rich in furfural and linalool,while the aldehydes 2-hexenal,hexanal and 2-octenal are dominant volatile metabolites in hibiscus.Benzyl isothiocyanate,a potent antimicrobial agent,accounts for 98%of the total volatile fraction of nasturtium flowers.In addition to flavour notes,some of the identified volatile metabolites present bioactive properties,which could be explored for application in the food,pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries.The volatile metabolites profiles combined with unsupervised principal component analysis facilitated the differentiation of the edible flowers under investigation,revealing the most related volatile metabolites of each sample,which can be used as markers for the authentication of these valuable food samples.展开更多
基金the support of PID2021-124341OB-C22 and PID2021-124341OB-C21(MCIU/AEI/FEDER,UE)ADITIMAT-CM(S2018/NMT-4411,Regional Government of Madrid and EU Structural Funds)+2 种基金the support of RYC-2017-21843the support of PEJD-2019-POST/IND-16119(Regional Government of Madrid and EU Structural Funds)FEI-EU-20-05(UCM)。
基金Guillermo Bañares was funded through grants from the Spanish Ministry of Education (FPU14/05303),Escuela Internacional de Doctorado-Universidad Rey Juan Carlos (Doctor Internacional 2017)and the Education and Research Department of Madrid Autonomous Region Government (REMEDINAL TE,S2018/EMT-4338)supported through three grants from the Spanish Ministries of Economy and Competitiveness and Science and Technology (CGL2013-45634-P,CGL2016-75414-P,and PID2019-105064 GB-I00)a grant from Centro de Estudios de América Latina (CEAL)at Universidad Autónoma de Madrid and Banco Santander.
文摘Mountains are paramount for exploring biodiversity patterns due to the mosaic of topographies and climates encompassed over short distances.Biodiversity research has traditionally focused on taxonomic diversity when investigating changes along elevational gradients,but other facets should be considered.For first time,we simultaneously assessed elevational trends in taxonomic,functional,and phylogenetic diversity of woody plants in Andean tropical montane forests and explored their underlying ecological and evolutionary causes.This investigation covered four transects(traversing ca.2200 m a.s.l.) encompassing 114 plots of 0.1 ha across a broad latitudinal range(ca.10°).Using Hill numbers to quantify abundance-based diversity among 37,869 individuals we observed a consistent decrease in taxonomic,functional,and phylogenetic diversity as elevation increased,although the decrease was less pronounced for higher Hill orders.The exception was a slight increase in phylogenetic diversity when dominant species were over-weighted.The decrease in taxonomic and functional diversity might be attributed to an environmental filtering process towards highlands,where the increasingly harsher conditions exclude species and functional strategies.Besides,the differences in steepness decrease between Hill orders suggest that rare species disproportionately contribute to functional diversity.For phylogenetic diversity the shifting elevational trend between Hill orders indicates a greater than previously considered influence in central Andean highlands of tropical lowlands originated species with strong niche conservatism relative to distantly related temperate lineages.This could be explained by a decreasing presence and abundance of temperate,extratropical taxa towards the central Andes relative to northern or southern Andes,where they are more prevalent.
基金Financial support from the project ADITIMAT-CM S2018/NMT-4411 funded by the Madrid Regional Government is gratefully acknowledgedreceived funding from the Spanish State Research Agency under the project RTI2018–096391-B-C31,which is also acknowledgedthe Spanish Ministry of Education,Culture and Sports for an FPU fellowship。
文摘The effect of heat treatment on the mechanical and biocorrosion behaviour of the Mg-1 wt.%Zn-1 wt.%Ca(ZX11)and Mg-3 wt.%Zn-0.4 wt.%Ca(ZX30)alloys was evaluated.For this purpose,three-point bending tests as well as electrochemical and immersion tests in Hank’s solution were performed on both alloys in four different thermal conditions:as-cast,solution-treated,peak-aged and over-aged.Microstructural examinations revealed that the as-cast ZX11 and ZX30 alloys exhibit a microstructure composed ofα-Mg grains separated by large Mg_(2)Ca and Ca_(2)Mg_(6)Zn_(3) particles and by large Ca_(2)Mg_(6)Zn_(3) particles,respectively.During solution treatment,the Ca_(2)Mg_(6)Zn_(3) precipitates at the grain boundaries(GBs)are fully dissolved in the ZX11 alloy,but mainly redistributed to form a more connected configuration in the ZX30 alloy,showing a poor age-hardening response.Consequently,after solution-treatment,galvanic corrosion and corrosion rate decreases in the former,but increases in the latter.The peak-aged condition displays the highest corrosion rate for both alloys,maybe due to an excessive number density of fine Ca_(2)Mg_(6)Zn_(3) particles acting as cathodic sites.However,the over-aged condition shows the lowest corrosion rate for the ZX11 alloy and a very similar one to that of the as-cast sample for the ZX30 alloy.The ZX11 alloy shows generally better biocorrosion behaviour than the ZX30 alloy to its lower content in the Ca_(2)Mg_(6)Zn_(3) phase and thus reduced galvanic corrosion.The Mg_(2)Ca phase present in the studied ZX11 alloy has been proved to exhibit an increased corrosion potential,which has been related to an observed enrichment with Zn.
文摘Objective: To assess the safety and efficacy of herbal formulation rich in standardized fenugreek seed extract(IND-2) add-on therapy in type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM) patients who were on insulin treatment in prospective, single arm, open-label, uncontrolled, multicentre trial.Methods: T2DM patients(n=30) with aged 18-80 years who were stabilized on insulin treatment with fasting blood sugar(FBS) level between 100-140 mg/dL received IND-2 capsules(700 mg, thrice a day) for 16 weeks.The primary endpoints were an assessment of FBS at week 2, 4, 6, 8, 12 and 16.Secondary end-points include post-prandial blood sugar level, glycosylated Hb(HbA1c), reduction in the dose of insulin and number of hypoglycemic attacks, and improvement in lipid profile at various weeks.Safety and adverse events(AEs) were also assessed during the study.Results: Study was completed in twenty T2DM patients, and there was no significant reduction in FBS and post-prandial blood sugar level after addon therapy of IND-2.However, add-on therapy of IND-2 significantly reduced(P<0.01) the HbA1c values, requirements of insulin and hypoglycemic events as compared with baseline.Total cholesterol, high-density lipoproteins-cholesterol, and low-density lipoproteincholesterol levels were significantly increased(P<0.01) after IND-2 add-on therapy.Body weight and safety outcomes did not differ significantly in IND-2 add-on therapy group at week 16.Additionally, add-on therapy of IND-2 did not produce any serious adverse events.Conclusions: The results of present investigation suggest that add-on therapy of IND-2 with insulin in T2DM patients improves glycaemic control through a decrease in levels of HbA1c and number of insulin doses needed per day without an increase in body weight and risk of hypoglycemia.Thus, IND-2 may provide a safe and well-tolerated add-on therapy option for the management of T2DM.
基金This research was supported by the Funding Internships and the Postgraduate Office of the Autonomous University of Querétaro.LCZ MSCA-IF-2017(Grant Agreement 795380[INDECRUST])under the European Community’s H2020-EU.1.3.2 Programme.
文摘Lichens are symbiotic organisms that comprise a fungus and a photosynthetic partner wich are recognized as a good indicator of climate change.However,our understanding of how aridity affects the diversity of saxicolous lichens in drylands is still limited.To evaluate the relationship between saxicolous lichen diversity and aridity in a central México dryland,a geographical transect was established of 100 km to build an aridity gradient in the semiarid zone of the State of Querétaro,Mexico,comprising ten sampling sites with a 10 km separation.Species richness,abundance and diversity of soil lichen species were recorded using two sampling methods:the quadrat-intercept and the line-intercept method,to compare their performance in assessing soil lichen diversity in drylands.The number of species and Shannon diversity of saxicolous lichens were higher at intermediate values of the aridity index(AI=0.10-0.34).Quadrat intercept and point intercept methods gave quite similar results,which means that the selected method does not influence the results in a significant way.This study confirms the role of saxicolous lichens as climate change indicators and reveals the importance of the sampling method selection in the evaluation of different parameters of soil lichen diversity in drylands.
文摘目的:建立和验证一个涉及多级临床场景的白内障协作通用的人工智能(artificial intelligence,AI)管理平台,探索基于AI的医疗转诊模式,以提高协作效率和资源覆盖率。方法:训练和验证的数据集来自中国AI医学联盟,涵盖多级医疗机构和采集模式。使用三步策略对数据集进行标记:1)识别采集模式;2)白内障诊断包括正常晶体眼、白内障眼或白内障术后眼;3)从病因和严重程度检测需转诊的白内障患者。此外,将白内障AI系统与真实世界中的居家自我监测、初级医疗保健机构和专科医院等多级转诊模式相结合。结果:通用AI平台和多级协作模式在三步任务中表现出可靠的诊断性能:1)识别采集模式的受试者操作特征(receiver operating characteristic curve,ROC)曲线下面积(area under the curve,AUC)为99.28%~99.71%);2)白内障诊断对正常晶体眼、白内障或术后眼,在散瞳-裂隙灯模式下的AUC分别为99.82%、99.96%和99.93%,其他采集模式的AUC均>99%;3)需转诊白内障的检测(在所有测试中AUC>91%)。在真实世界的三级转诊模式中,该系统建议30.3%的人转诊,与传统模式相比,眼科医生与人群服务比率大幅提高了10.2倍。结论:通用AI平台和多级协作模式显示了准确的白内障诊断性能和有效的白内障转诊服务。建议AI的医疗转诊模式扩展应用到其他常见疾病和资源密集型情景当中。
文摘Some cities worldwide have oil wells directly affecting the management of the territory.For example,La Libertad and Salinas districts contain 467 oil wells in urban areas representing a major land-use planning challenge.The objective is to apply the CLUE-S land use model in coastal cities with oil wells(Salinas-La Libertad),using geographic information systems considering environmental and security characteristics for territorial development.The stages of the study are:i)classification and categorisation of oil wells;ii)application of the GIS-CLUE-S method and visualisation of land use dynamics;iii)use the SWOT-TOWS matrix,for the analysis of the situation and the main factors affecting the territory.The results indicate high vulnerability in many urban sectors and those close to the coastline.Furthermore,the CLUE-S analysis shows that the population growth in the urban sector is close to oil well areas,making it a complex pole of human-industry interaction that impacts the management of the territory.This study synthesises three technical aspects:some oil wells do not comply with municipal ordinance regulations;identification of vulnerable zones due to environmental and security factors,which recommends a territorial reordering policy;as well as an education plan for the application of territorial ordering policies,with awareness and sustainability projections.
基金Financial support of Ministry of Science and Innovation of Spain(MICINN)PID2021-123891OB-I00.PID2021-124341OB-C21 and PID2022-139323NB-I00 funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033Rey Juan Carlos University,M′ostoles(Madrid)Spain has funded the C1PREDOC2020 grant of Irene Lim′onsupported by the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada,the Fonds de la Recherche du Qu′ebec sur les Natures et les Technologies,and the Canada Foundation for Innovation.
文摘Iron and its alloys are attractive as biodegradable materials because of their low toxicity and suitable mechanical properties;however,they generally have a slow degradation rate.Given that corrosion is an electrochemical phenomenon where an exchange of electrons takes place,the application of magnetic fields from outside the body may accelerate the degradation of a ferrous temporary implant.In the present study,we have investigated the effect of alternating and direct low magnetic field(H=6.5 kA/m)on the corrosion process of pure iron(Fe)and an iron-manganese alloy(FeMnC)in modified Hanks’solution.A 14-day static immersion test was performed on the materials.The corrosion rate was assessed by mass and cross-sectional loss measurements,scanning electron microscopy,X-ray diffractometry,Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy before and after degradation.The results show that the presence of magnetic fields significantly accelerates the degradation rate of both materials,with the corrosion rate being twice as high in the case of Fe and almost three times as high for FeMnC.In addition,a homogenous degradation layer is formed over the entire surface and the chemical composition of the degradation products is the same regardless of the presence of a magnetic field.
基金CONSOLIDER MONTES project(CSD2008-00040)of the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación.PDI fellowship to the author at Rey Juan Carlos University,Spain。
文摘Aims larger corollas receive more pollinator visits but involve higher production and maintenance costs,especially under hot and dry conditions.this can result in indirect costs on reproductive output,which may counteract the effects of pollinator-mediated phenotypic selection on corolla size.In this study,I explored the relationship between corolla size and indirect costs and whether these costs counteract the effects of pollinator-mediated phenotypic selection on this trait in the mediterranean shrub Halimium atriplicifolium.I hypothesized that(i)corolla production entails direct costs in dry mass,N and P,(ii)corollas entail significant indirect costs in terms of fruit and seed production,(iii)indirect costs increase with corolla size,(iv)this species may suffer pollen limitation to a certain degree and(v)indirect costs counteract the effects of pollinator-mediated selection on corolla size.Methods I compared fruit set and seed production of petal-removed flow-ers(r flowers)and unmanipulated control flowers(C flowers)and evaluated the influence of individual mean corolla size on relative fruit and seed gain of r compared to C flowers.I also estimated phenotypic selection on corolla size mediated by indirect costs and the combined effect of costs and pollinators(i.e.total selection).Important Findings Corollas allocated sizeable amount of resources in terms of dry mass relative to the other floral structures.Fruit set and seed per fruit were significantly higher in r flowers,while individual mean corolla size showed a positive relationship with relative fruit gain.Phenotypic selection analysis revealed cost-mediated negative directional selection and absence of positive directional total selection on corolla size through fruit set.this translated into stabilizing total selection.these results suggest that mediterranean environments can impose constraints on corolla size,counteracting advantages of larger corollas from the pollination point of view with increased indirect costs of such flowers.
基金supported by the European Research Council under the European Community’s Seventh Framework Program(FP7/2007-2013)/ERC Grant agreement 242658(BIOCOM)support from the Salvador de Madariaga program of the Spanish Ministry of Education,Culture and Sports(PRX14/00225)during the writing of the manuscript.
文摘Aims Relatively few studies so far have assessed how ongoing global warming will affect the photosynthetic performance of dryland plant species.We evaluated the effects of warming on the photosynthetic rates of 10 species with contrasting functional attributes,and whether their functional traits modulated photosynthetic responses to warming.Methods A common garden experiment was conducted over 2 years with distinct environmental conditions(drier vs.wetter year).The experiment was designed as a randomized block design with two treatments:warming(control vs.~2.9℃ temperature increase)and species(Agropyron cristatum,Festuca ovina,Lygeum spartum,Medicago sativa,Plantago lanceolata,Psoralea bituminosa,Sanguisorba minor,Hedysarum coronarium,Dorycnium pentaphyllum and Phlomis herba-venti).We linked functional traits measurements with temporal variations in photosynthetic responses to warming.Important Findings In the drier year,warming increased photosynthetic rates at the beginning of the growing season,suggesting a modification in the growing period(earlier spring).In the wetter year,functional traits modulated photosynthetic responses to warming.Larger species with shorter leaves(e.g.M.sativa)had higher photosynthetic rates under warming compared to smaller species with larger leaves(e.g.F.ovina).Our results highlight the importance of(i)studying photosynthetic responses along different years and(ii)considering functional traits when evaluating photosynthetic responses to climate change,particularly in stressful environments such as drylands.
基金supported by the Universität Zürich MSc Ecology Program with additional support by the Universität Zürich Research Priority Program on Global Change and Biodiversity(URPP-GCB).M.O.B.was supported by the Atracción de Talento Investigador Modalidad I Fellowship from the Comunidad de Madrid(grant number 2018-T1/AMB-11095)during the preparation of the manuscript.
文摘Aims Non-structural carbohydrates(NSCs)are plant storage compounds used for metabolism,transport,osmoregulation and regrowth following the loss of plant tissue.Even in conditions suitable for optimal growth,plants continue to store NSCs.This storage may be due to passive accumulation from sink-inhibited growth or active reserves that come at the expense of growth.The former pathway implies that NSCs may be a by-product of sink limitation,while the latter suggests a functional role of NSCs for use during poor conditions.Methods Using 13C pulse labelling,we traced the source of soluble sugars in stem and root organs during drought and everwet conditions for seedlings of two tropical tree species that differ in drought tolerance to estimate the relative allocation of NSCs stored prior to drought versus NSCs assimilated during drought.We monitored growth,stomatal conductance,stem water potential and NSC storage to assess a broad carbon response to drought.Important Findings We found that the drought-sensitive species had reduced growth,conserved NSC concentrations in leaf,stem and root organs and had a larger proportion of soluble sugars in stem and root organs that originated from pre-drought storage relative to seedlings in control conditions.In contrast,the drought-tolerant species maintained growth and stem and root NSC concentrations but had reduced leaf NSCs concentrations with a larger proportion of stem and root soluble sugars originated from freshly assimilated photosynthates relative to control seedlings.These results suggest the drought-sensitive species passively accumulated NSCs during water deficit due to growth inhibition,while the drought-tolerant species actively responded to water deficit by allocating NSCs to stem and root organs.These strategies seem correlated with baseline maximum growth rates,which supports previous research suggesting a trade-off between growth and drought tolerance while providing new evidence for the importance of plasticity in NSC allocation during drought.
文摘A major feature of humans is that they can attain much higher population densities than any non-domestic animal species of similar body size(Damuth 1987).This is most likely due to the invention of agriculture(Herrera and Garcia-Bertrand 2018),which allowed humans to manage ecosystems in such a way that as much biomass as possible is converted into food(Vitousek et al.1986).
基金This research was supported by Xunta de Galicia Project PGIDT99PXI20301A.
文摘Aims Plants control leaf phenology to maximize annual photosynthetic product.Although ferns play an important ecological role in many habitats,especially forests,their phenology traits have been poorly studied.Here,we investigate the leaf phenology of two ferns of the forest understorey and analyse the relationship between the timing of leaf emergence and spore dispersal and the effect of between-year climatic variation.Methods We compared the leafing and sporing phenologies of two ferns with very large(>2 m),overwintering leaves:Culcita macrocarpa and Woodwardia radicans.We regularly monitored individuals of six popu-lations in the northwestern Iberian Peninsula during a 3-year study.We studied eight phenology variables:leafing start date,leafing end date,leaf expansion time,number of new leaves per individual,between-individual synchrony,within-individual synchrony,percentage of fertile leaves and spore release date.We also determined leaf mass per area(LMA)and gathered data on air temperature and humidity.Important findings Both C.macrocarpa and W.radicans produce few leaves(~2 leaves individual−1 year−1),which expand simultaneously for a very long period(from midwinter to early summer),are retained for more than 1 year(37 and 19 months,respectively)and have relatively high LMAs.Such traits,together with large leaf size,have also been found in seed plants from the forest understorey and represent adap-tations to this light-limited environment.Spores of both study ferns are simultaneously released in late winter,with little between-year variation caused by differences in air humidity.This remarkable similarity between species suggests that the convergence in tim-ing of leaf emergence favours the convergence in timing of spore dispersal.
基金supported by the Comunidad of Madrid and European funding from FSE and FEDER programs(project S2018/BAA-4393,AVANSECAL-II-CM)Sergio Izcara would like to thank the Rey Juan Carlos University for providing a mobility grant to carry out a pre-doctoral stay in the CQM-Centro de Química da Madeira.This work was also funded by FCT-Fundaç˜ao para a Ciˆencia e a Tecnologia through the CQM Base Fund-UIDB/00674/2020+2 种基金Programmatic Fund-UIDP/00674/2020by ARDITI-Agˆencia Regional para o Desenvolvimento da Investigaç˜ao Tecnologia e Inovaç˜ao,through the project M1420-01-0145-FEDER-000005-Centro de Química da Madeira-CQM+(Madeira 14-20 Program)the financial support from Fundaç˜ao para a Ciˆencia e Tecnologia and Madeira 14-2020 program to the Portuguese Mass Spectrometry Network through PROEQUIPRAM program,M14-20 M1420-01-0145-FEDER-000008.
文摘In recent years edible flowers emerged in gourmet cuisine,giving any dish the beauty of attractive colours,freshness,texture,and aromatic notes.Moreover,they also constitute a potential source of phytochemical compounds associated with beneficial effects on human health.In this work,the volatilomic fingerprinting of 4 different species of edible flowers[blue mallow(Malva sylvestris L.),pomegranate flower(Punica granatum L.),hibiscus(Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L.),and nasturtium(Tropaeolum majus L.)]used in gourmet dishes,was established,and comparatively investigated.The volatile metabolites were extracted by solid-phase microextraction in headspace mode and identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to understand the chemistry behind its attractiveness better.A total of 78 volatile metabolites,belonging to diverse chemical groups were identified.Blue mallow is mainly characterised by sesquiterpenoids(61.5%of the total volatile fraction),whereas in flowers from pomegranate,hibiscus,and nasturtium,terpenoids(56.6%),carbonyl compounds(88.0%)and organosulfur compounds(98.0%)are the dominant chemical groups,respectively.In blue mallow flowers,τ-muurolene and valencene are the dominant volatiles,followed byα-cubebene andδ-cadinene.Pomegranate flowers are rich in furfural and linalool,while the aldehydes 2-hexenal,hexanal and 2-octenal are dominant volatile metabolites in hibiscus.Benzyl isothiocyanate,a potent antimicrobial agent,accounts for 98%of the total volatile fraction of nasturtium flowers.In addition to flavour notes,some of the identified volatile metabolites present bioactive properties,which could be explored for application in the food,pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries.The volatile metabolites profiles combined with unsupervised principal component analysis facilitated the differentiation of the edible flowers under investigation,revealing the most related volatile metabolites of each sample,which can be used as markers for the authentication of these valuable food samples.
