Aim
Intraspecific trait variation (ITV) within natural plant communities can be large, influencing local ecological processes and dynamics. Here, we shed light on how ITV in vegetative and floral ...traits responds to large‐scale abiotic and biotic gradients (i.e., climate and species richness). Specifically, we tested whether associations of ITV with temperature, precipitation and species richness were consistent with any of four hypotheses relating to stress tolerance and competition. Furthermore, we estimated the degree of correlation between ITV in vegetative and floral traits and how they vary along the gradients.
Location
Global.
Time period
1975–2016.
Major taxa studied
Herbaceous and woody plants.
Methods
We compiled a dataset of 18,401 measurements of the absolute extent of ITV (measured as the coefficient of variation) in nine vegetative and seven floral traits from 2,822 herbaceous and woody species at 2,372 locations.
Results
Large‐scale associations between ITV and climate were trait specific and more prominent for vegetative traits, especially leaf morphology, than for floral traits. The ITV showed pronounced associations with climate, with lower ITV values in colder areas and higher values in drier areas. The associations of ITV with species richness were inconsistent across traits. Species‐specific associations across gradients were often idiosyncratic, and covariation in ITV was weaker between vegetative and floral traits than within the two trait groups.
Main conclusions
Our results show that, depending on the traits considered, ITV either increased or decreased with climate stress and species richness, suggesting that both factors can constrain or enhance ITV, which might foster plant‐population persistence in stressful conditions. Given the species‐specific responses and covariation in ITV, associations can be hard to predict for traits and species not yet studied. We conclude that consideration of ITV can improve our understanding of how plants cope with stressful conditions and environmental change across spatial and biological scales.
Rising global temperatures are changing how energy and materials move through ecosystems, with potential consequences for the role of animals in these processes. We tested a central prediction of the ...metabolic scaling framework—the temperature independence of animal community production—using a series of geothermally heated streams and a comprehensive empirical analysis. We show that the apparent temperature sensitivity of animal production was consistent with theory for individuals (Epind = 0.64 vs. 0.65 eV), but strongly amplified relative to theoretical expectations for communities, both among (Epamong = 0.67 vs. 0 eV) and within (Epwithin = 1.52 vs. 0 eV) streams. After accounting for spatial and temporal variation in resources, we show that the apparent positive effect of temperature was driven by resource supply, providing strong empirical support for the temperature independence of invertebrate production and the necessary inclusion of resources in metabolic scaling efforts.
We tested a central prediction of the metabolic scaling framework—the temperature independence of animal community production—using a series of geothermally heated streams and a comprehensive empirical analysis. After accounting for spatial and temporal variation in resources, we show that the apparent positive effect of temperature was driven by resource supply, providing strong empirical support for the temperature independence of invertebrate production and the necessary inclusion of resources in metabolic scaling efforts.
Undifferentiated arthritis (UA) is a label applied to patients with joint complaints which cannot be classified according to current criteria, which implies a need for precision diagnostic ...technologies. We studied serum galectin-3, a proinflammatory mediator, and seromarkers of structural joint elements in patients with early, UA and their associations with disease profile and biochemical and imaging findings.
One hundred and eleven UA patients were followed-up for at least 12 months and reclassified according to appropriate criteria (TUDAR). At baseline, demographics and laboratory and clinical disease measures, as well as wrist magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) synovitis, erosion, and bone marrow edema scorings, were recorded. Galectin-3, the type IIA collagen N-terminal propeptide (PIIANP), which is a marker of regenerative cartilage formation, and hyaluronan (HYA), which is prevalent in synovial tissue swellings, were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was carried out to assess the discriminant capacity of galectin-3 against arthritis subsets.
Galectin-3 was increased in pre-rheumatoid arthritis (RA) (4.6 μg/l, interquartile range (IQR) 3.8-5.5) versus non-RA (4.0 μg/l, IQR 3.1-4.9; p = 0.03) and controls (3.8 μg/l, IQR 3.0-4.8; p = 0.009). PIIANP was equally depressed in either subset (p < 0.01). Galectin-3 in non-RA and HYA in UA did not differ from healthy controls. In the entire UA cohort, galectin-3 correlated with the MRI bone marrow edema score, while PIIANP correlated with the MRI erosion score, and HYA with the synovitis and erosion scores. ROC curve analysis showed that baseline galectin-3 discriminated well between pre-RA and non-RA with univariate area under the curve (AUC) of 0.64 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.53-0.76) while AUC for galectin-3 + anti-CCP increased to 0.71 (95% CI 0.59-0.83).
Galectin-3 in serum was increased in patients with early UA of pre-RA origin. Cartilage remodeling assessed by PIIANP was diminished in UA irrespective of subsequent clinical differentiation, while HYA did not differ from controls. ROC analysis showed a potential for galectin-3 to discriminate between pre-RA and non-RA.
KF 11 315829. Registered 25 July 2006.
Galectin‐3 has been suggested as a pro‐inflammatory mediator in animal arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We aimed to study the serum level of galectin‐3 in patients with newly diagnosed RA and ...associations with disease profile, Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings and seromarkers of synovial matrix inflammation. One hundred and sixty DMARD naïve patients newly diagnosed with RA were included (CIMESTRA study). Clinical, serological and imaging data were recorded before treatment and at 6 weeks, 3 and 12 months. Galectin‐3 and hyaluronan (HYA) were measured by ELISA (R&D and Corgenix, USA), and the N‐terminal propeptide of type III collagen (PIIINP) by radioimmunoassay (Orion Diagnostica, Finland). One hundred and nineteen, 87 and 60 blood donors served as controls for galectin‐3, HYA and PIIINP, respectively. Baseline galectin‐3 was significantly elevated in anti‐CCP positive (4.2 μg/l IQR 3.6;6.1) patients as compared with anti‐CCP negatives (4.0 μg/l 2.6;4.9, P = 0.05) and controls (3.8 μg/l 3.0;4.8, P < 0.01). During treatment, galectin‐3 remained elevated, but increased transiently with peak values at 6 weeks. Galectin‐3 correlated with baseline smoking, anti‐CCP, and with MRI erosion score after 1 year of follow‐up. HYA and PIIINP were elevated (P < 0.001) irrespective of anti‐CCP status and correlated positively with synovitis assessed clinically and by MRI. HYA and PIIINP did not correlate with galectin‐3. These observations indicate that HYA and PIIINP mainly reflect expansive synovitis proliferation while galectin‐3 is more closely linked to autoimmunity, smoking and joint destructive processes.
Consumer purchase data (CPD) is a promising instrument to assess the impact of purchases on health, but is limited by the need for manual scanning, a lack of access to data from multiple retailers, ...and limited information on product data and health outcomes. Here we describe the My Purchases cohort, a web-app enabled, prospective collection of CPD, covering several large retail chains in Denmark, that enables linkage to health outcomes. The cohort included 459 participants as of July 03, 2023. Up to eight years of CPD have been collected, with 2,225,010 products purchased, comprising 223,440 unique products. We matched 88.5% of all products by product name or item number to one generic food database and three product databases. Combined, the databases enable analysis of key exposures such as nutrients, ingredients, or additives. We found that increasing the number of retailers that provide CPD for each consumer improved the stability of individual CPD profiles and when we compared kilojoule information from generic and specific product matches, we found a median modified relative difference of 0.23. Combined with extensive product databases and health outcomes, CPD could provide the basis for extensive investigations of how what we buy affects our health.
The electron screening in the d(d,p)t reaction has been studied for the deuterated metal Pt at a target temperature T = 20 °C to 340 °C, and for Co at T = 20 °C and 200 °C. The enhanced electron ...screening decreases with increasing temperature, where the data agree with the plasma model of Debye applied to the quasi-free metallic electrons. The data represent the first observation of a temperature dependence of a nuclear cross-section. We also measured the screening effect for the deuterated metal Ti (an element of group 4 of the periodic table) at T = −10 °C to 200 °C: above 50 °C the hydrogen solubility dropped to values far below unity and a large screening effect became observable. Similarly, all metals of groups 3 and 4 and the lanthanides showed a solubility of a few percent at T = 200 °C ( compared to T = 20 °C) and a large screening became also observable. Within the Debye model the deduced number of valence electrons per metallic atom agrees with the corresponding number from the Hall coefficient, for all metals investigated.
Background: Fragments of collagen arising during synthesis and breakdown have been suggested as markers of fibrous tissue remodelling in Crohn disease. We compared serum concentrations of the ...C-terminal propeptide of collagen I (PICP), the N-terminal propeptide of collagen III (PIIINP) and the Cterminal telopeptide of type I collagen (ICTP) in the splanchnic and systemic circulation in Crohn disease requiring segmental intestinal resection. Method: 15 consecutive patients undergoing surgery due to strictures or continuous inflammation. Male:female ratio was 6:9. Blood was drawn from a peripheral vein prior to surgery. Immediately before intestinal resection, additional samples were drawn from the antecubital vein and from a mesenteric vein draining the affected intestinal segment. PIIINP, PICP and ICTP were measured with radioimmunoassays. Results: Pre-surgery S-ICTP (median 5.5 μg/L; range 3.2-17.2 μg/L) was significantly increased in peripheral blood compared with healthy controls (median 2.6 μg/L; range 0.6-5.7 μg/L), P h 0.05. By contrast, S-PICP (median 98 μg/L; range 62-137 μg/L) and S-PIIINP (median 2.5 μg/L; range 1.2-7.4 μg/L) were significantly lower than S-PICP (median 133 μg/L; range 66-284 μg/L) and S-PIIINP (median 3.4 μg/L; range 1.0-7.1 μg/L) in healthy controls, P h 0.05. During surgery, no difference in S-PICP and S-PIIINP was documented between peripheral blood and splanchnic blood. In contrast, S-ICTP was increased in splanchnic blood (median 6.2 μg/L; range 2.7-17.4) compared to peripheral blood (median 5.0 μg/L; range 3.1-13.4) ( P = 0.05). Conclusion: The present study provides further evidence that the altered intestinal collagen metabolism in Crohn disease is reflected in the local and systemic circulation.
The LUNA (Laboratory Underground for Nuclear Astrophysics) facility has been designed to study nuclear reactions of astrophysical interest. It is located deep underground in the Gran Sasso National ...Laboratory, Italy. Two electrostatic accelerators, with 50 and 400 kV maximum voltage, in combination with solid and gas target setups allowed to measure the total cross sections of the radiative capture reactions \(^2\)H(p,\(\gamma\))3He and \(^{14}\)N(p,\(\gamma\))\(^{15}\)O within their relevant Gamow peaks. We report on the gamma background in the Gran Sasso laboratory measured by germanium and bismuth germanate detectors, with and without an incident proton beam. A method to localize the sources of beam induced background using the Doppler shift of emitted gamma rays is presented. The feasibility of radiative capture studies at energies of astrophysical interest is discussed for several experimental scenarios.
Colour is one of the most obvious advertisements of flowers, and occurs in a huge diversity among the angiosperms. Flower colour is responsible for attraction from a distance, whereas contrasting ...colour patterns within flowers aid orientation of flower visitors after approaching the flowers. Due to the striking differences in colour vision systems and neural processing across animal taxa, flower colours evoke specific behavioural responses by different flower visitors. We tested whether and how yellow flowers differ in their spectral reflectance depending on the main pollinator. We focused on bees and birds and examined whether the presence or absence of the widespread UV reflectance pattern of yellow flowers predicts the main pollinator. Most bee-pollinated flowers displayed a pattern with UV-absorbing centres and UV-reflecting peripheries, whereas the majority of bird-pollinated flowers are entirely UV- absorbing. In choice experiments we found that bees did not show consistent preferences for any colour or pattern types. However, all tested bee species made their first antennal contact preferably at the UV-absorbing area of the artificial flower, irrespective of its spatial position within the flower. The appearance of UV patterns within flowers is the main difference in spectral reflectance between yellow bee- and bird-pollinated flowers, and affects the foraging behaviour of flower visitors. The results support the hypothesis that flower colours and the visual capabilities of their efficient pollinators are adapted to each other.
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