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Reintroductions of plant species are increasingly popular in conservation practice. Steppe grasslands contain many rare and endangered plant species that are potential objects for such reintroductions. Most reintroduction projects, however, can only target a restricted number of species, which raises the question of how species should be prioritised. Here, we present a method to select priority species for reintroduction based on species' characteristics that are widely used in conservation practice. We first determined the local species pool containing those vascular plant species that occurred both in our target region (Thuringia, Germany) and target habitat (steppe grasslands), yielding 369 species. With the help of an a priori filter that selected currently endangered species with limited distribution, 136 potential target species were determined. These potential target species had experienced stronger decline, had a narrower phytosociological amplitude and were more likely to be species of the Festuco-Brometea class and the Festucetalia valesiacae order than non-target species. Potential target species were then ranked by a points system based on ten conservation-relevant characteristics of the species from the categories "threat and protection status", "distribution and decline", and "habitat affiliation". In the ranking, six steppe grassland plant species (Astragalus exscapus, Bothriochloa ischaemum, Prunella laciniata, Pulsatilla pratensis subsp. nigricans, Scorzonera purpurea, and Seseli hippomarathrum) achieved the highest scores. An additional seven species not specifically characteristic for steppe grasslands also scored highly. A post hoc evaluation of these 13 highest scoring species based on additional conservation criteria left five species (Astragalus exscapus, Linum leonii, Orchis morio, Pulsatilla pratensis subsp. nigricans and Scorzonera purpurea) as species with highest priority for reintroductions and another five species as highly suitable for reintroductions. Associations between the ranking order and different ranking criteria revealed that a species’ threat and rarity in Thuringia and its protection status had the highest representation in the ranking, followed by threat in Germany, regional decline and habitat affiliation. In contrast, international threat and responsibility of Thuringia for its conservation had only low representation in the ranking, probably because these characteristics applied to only a few species. The ranking list gives a selection of species for reintroductions, which combined with additional information based on comprehensive local and floristic knowledge, allows the identification of the species with the highest priority. Our method can be transferred to other regions or habitat types.
Background: The potential anti-cancer effects of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors are being intensively studied. To date, however, few randomised clinical trials (RCT) have been performed to demonstrate anti-neoplastic effects in the pure oncology setting, and at present, no oncology endpoint-directed RCT has been reported in the high-malignancy risk population of immunosuppressed transplant recipients. Interestingly, since mTOR inhibitors have both immunosuppressive and anti-cancer effects, they have the potential to simultaneously protect against immunologic graft loss and tumour development. Therefore, we designed a prospective RCT to determine if the mTOR inhibitor sirolimus can improve hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)-free patient survival in liver transplant (LT) recipients with a pre-transplant diagnosis of HCC. Methods: The study is an open-labelled, randomised, RCT comparing sirolimus-containing versus mTOR-inhibitor-free immunosuppression in patients undergoing LT for HCC. Patients with a histologically confirmed HCC diagnosis are randomised into 2 groups within 4-6 weeks after LT; one arm is maintained on a centre-specific mTOR-inhibitor-free immunosuppressive protocol and the second arm is maintained on a centre-specific mTOR-inhibitor-free immunosuppressive protocol for the first 4-6 weeks, at which time sirolimus is initiated. A 3-year recruitment phase is planned with a 5-year follow-up, testing HCC-free survival as the primary endpoint. Our hypothesis is that sirolimus use in the second arm of the study will improve HCC-free survival. The study is a non-commercial investigator-initiated trial (IIT) sponsored by the University Hospital Regensburg and is endorsed by the European Liver and Intestine Transplant Association; 13 countries within Europe, Canada and Australia are participating. Discussion: If our hypothesis is correct that mTOR inhibition can reduce HCC tumour growth while simultaneously providing immunosuppression to protect the liver allograft from rejection, patients should experience less post-transplant problems with HCC recurrence, and therefore could expect a longer and better quality of life. A positive outcome will likely change the standard of posttransplant immunosuppressive care for LT patients with HCC. (trial registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov: NCT00355862) (EudraCT Number: 2005-005362-36)
We report on the activities of the European Dry Grassland Group (EDGG) during the last year, namely the 8th European Dry Grassland Meeting in Uman', Ukraine in June 2011, the 3rd EDGG Research Expedition in Bulgaria in August 2011, the 4th EDGG Research Expedition in Sicily in April 2012, as well as the completed and forthcoming EDGG-coordinated special features in international journals. Then we provide a brief bibliometrical analysis of the Dry Grassland Special Features in Tuexenia since 2005. The 32 contributions of the years 2005–2011 constituted approx. 17% of the overall content of Tuexenia in this period. Including this 7th Dry Grassland Special Feature, sixty-one authors from 12 countries have contributed to these Special Features, guest-edited by yearly changing teams from a total of 16 guest editors. In the years with statistically reliable data, contributions in the Dry Grassland Special Features have been cited approximately four times as much as regular Tuexenia contributions. It is likely that this fact together with the internationality of the Special Features has contributed to the final inclusion of the journal in the Web of Science in 2011. Finally, we introduce the four research articles of this 7th Dry Grassland Special Feature. Two of them are focusing on vegetation change and restoration issues of cryptogam-rich sand dunes in the Netherlands and calcareous grasslands in Bavaria (Germany), respectively. The others, dealing with siliceous grasslands in Hesse (central Germany) and the results of EDGG Research Expedition 2009 to Transylvania (Romania), focus on syntaxonomy.
Objective: Biologics have an important role in the treatment of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Long‐term safety data are limited. Direct comparison of different agents regarding occurrence of adverse events (AEs), especially of rare events, requires large quantities of patient years. In this analysis, long‐term safety with regard to AE of special interest (AESI) was compared between different biologics.
Methods: Patients with nonsystemic JIA were selected from the German BIKER registry. Safety assessments were based on AE reports. Number of AEs, serious AEs, and 25 predefined AESIs, including medically important infection, uveitis, inflammatory bowel disease, cytopenia, hepatic events, anaphylaxis, depression, pregnancy, malignancy, and death, were analyzed. Event rates and relative risks were calculated using AEs reported after first dose through 70 days after last dose.
Results: A total of 3873 patients entered the analysis with 7467 years of exposure to biologics. The most common AESIs were uveitis (n = 231) and medically important infections (n = 101). Cytopenia and elevation of transaminases were more frequent with tocilizumab (risk ratio [RR] 8.0, 95% confidence interval [CI] 4.2‐15, and RR 4.7, 95% CI 1.8‐12.2, respectively). Anaphylactic events were associated with intravenous route of administration. In patients ever exposed to biologics, eight malignancies were reported. Six pregnancies have been documented in patients with tumor necrosis factor inhibitors. No death occurred in this patient cohort during observation.
Conclusion: Surveillance of pharmacotherapy as provided by the BIKER registry is an import approach, especially for long‐term treatment of children. Overall, tolerance was acceptable. Differences between biologics were noted and should be considered in daily patient care.
Filoviruses infect a wide range of cell types with the exception of lymphocytes. The intracellular proteins cathepsin B and L, two-pore channel 1 and 2, and bona fide receptor Niemann–Pick Disease C1 (NPC1) are essential for the endosomal phase of cell entry. However, earlier steps of filoviral infection remain poorly characterized. Numerous plasma membrane proteins have been implicated in attachment but it is still unclear which ones are sufficient for productive entry. To define a minimal set of host factors required for filoviral glycoprotein-driven cell entry, we screened twelve cell lines and identified the nonlymphocytic cell line SH-SY5Y to be specifically resistant to filovirus infection. Heterokaryons of SH-SY5Y cells fused to susceptible cells were susceptible to filoviruses, indicating that SH-SY5Y cells do not express a restriction factor but lack an enabling factor critical for filovirus entry. However, all tested cell lines expressed functional intracellular factors. Global gene expression profiling of known cell surface entry factors and protein expression levels of analyzed attachment factors did not reveal any correlation between susceptibility and expression of a specific host factor. Using binding assays with recombinant filovirus glycoprotein, we identified cell attachment as the step impaired in filovirus entry in SH-SY5Y cells. Individual overexpression of attachment factors T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain 1 (TIM-1), Axl, Mer, or dendritic cell-specific intercellular adhesion molecule-3-grabbing non-integrin (DC-SIGN) rendered SH-SY5Y cells susceptible to filovirus glycoprotein-driven transduction. Our study reveals that a lack of attachment factors limits filovirus entry and provides direct experimental support for a model of filoviral cell attachment where host factor usage at the cell surface is highly promiscuous.
The most basic behavioural states of animals can be described as active or passive. However, while high-resolution observations of activity patterns can provide insights into the ecology of animal species, few methods are able to measure the activity of individuals of small taxa in their natural environment. We present a novel approach in which the automated VHF radio-tracking of small vertebrates fitted with lightweight transmitters (< 0.2 g) is used to distinguish between active and passive behavioural states.
A dataset containing > 3 million VHF signals was used to train and test a random forest model in the assignment of either active or passive behaviour to individuals from two forest-dwelling bat species (Myotis bechsteinii (n = 50) and Nyctalus leisleri (n = 20)). The applicability of the model to other taxonomic groups was demonstrated by recording and classifying the behaviour of a tagged bird and by simulating the effect of different types of vertebrate activity with the help of humans carrying transmitters. The random forest model successfully classified the activity states of bats as well as those of birds and humans, although the latter were not included in model training (F-score 0.96–0.98).
The utility of the model in tackling ecologically relevant questions was demonstrated in a study of the differences in the daily activity patterns of the two bat species. The analysis showed a pronounced bimodal activity distribution of N. leisleri over the course of the night while the night-time activity of M. bechsteinii was relatively constant. These results show that significant differences in the timing of species activity according to ecological preferences or seasonality can be distinguished using our method.
Our approach enables the assignment of VHF signal patterns to fundamental behavioural states with high precision and is applicable to different terrestrial and flying vertebrates. To encourage the broader use of our radio-tracking method, we provide the trained random forest models together with an R-package that includes all necessary data-processing functionalities. In combination with state-of-the-art open-source automated radio-tracking, this toolset can be used by the scientific community to investigate the activity patterns of small vertebrates with high temporal resolution, even in dense vegetation.
he most basic behavioural states of animals can be described as active or passive. While high-resolution observations of activity patterns can provide insights into the ecology of animal species, few methods are able to measure the activity of individuals of small taxa in their natural environment. We present a novel approach in which a combination of automatic radiotracking and machine learning is used to distinguish between active and passive behaviour in small vertebrates fitted with lightweight transmitters (<0.4 g).
We used a dataset containing >3 million signals from very-high-frequency (VHF) telemetry from two forest-dwelling bat species (Myotis bechsteinii [n = 52] and Nyctalus leisleri [n = 20]) to train and test a random forest model in assigning either active or passive behaviour to VHF-tagged individuals. The generalisability of the model was demonstrated by recording and classifying the behaviour of tagged birds and by simulating the effect of different activity levels with the help of humans carrying transmitters. The model successfully classified the activity states of bats as well as those of birds and humans, although the latter were not included in model training (F1 0.96–0.98).
We provide an ecological case-study demonstrating the potential of this automated monitoring tool. We used the trained models to compare differences in the daily activity patterns of two bat species. The analysis showed a pronounced bimodal activity distribution of N. leisleri over the course of the night while the night-time activity of M. bechsteinii was relatively constant. These results show that subtle differences in the timing of species' activity can be distinguished using our method.
Our approach can classify VHF-signal patterns into fundamental behavioural states with high precision and is applicable to different terrestrial and flying vertebrates. To encourage the broader use of our radiotracking method, we provide the trained random forest models together with an R package that includes all necessary data processing functionalities. In combination with state-of-the-art open-source automated radiotracking, this toolset can be used by the scientific community to investigate the activity patterns of small vertebrates with high temporal resolution, even in dense vegetation.
Background: We aimed to determine the concordance between the radiologic stage (rT), using multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI), and pathologic stage (pT) in patients with high-risk prostate cancer and its influence on nerve-sparing surgery compared to the use of the intraoperative frozen section technique (IFST). Methods: The concordance between rT and pT and the rates of nerve-sparing surgery and positive surgical margin were assessed for patients with high-risk prostate cancer who underwent radical prostatectomy. Results: The concordance between the rT and pT stages was shown in 66.4% (n = 77) of patients with clinical high-risk prostate cancer. The detection of patients with extraprostatic disease (≥pT3) by preoperative mpMRI showed a sensitivity, negative predictive value and accuracy of 65.1%, 51.7% and 67.5%. In addition to the suspicion of extraprostatic disease in mpMRI (≥rT3), 84.5% (n = 56) of patients with ≥rT3 underwent primary nerve-sparing surgery with IFST, resulting in 94.7% (n = 54) of men with at least unilateral nerve-sparing surgery after secondary resection with a positive surgical margin rate related to an IFST of 1.8% (n = 1). Conclusion: Patients with rT3 should not be immediately excluded from nerve-sparing surgery, as by using IFST some of these patients can safely undergo nerve-sparing surgery.
Der diesjährige 9. Trockenrasen-Sonderteil von Tuexenia beginnt mit einem Bericht über die aktuellen Aktivitäten der European Dry Grassland Group (EDGG). Zunächst geben wir einen Überblick über die Entwicklung der Mitgliederzahl. Dann berichten wir vom letzten European Dry Grassland Meeting in Zamość (Polen, 2013) und vom letzten European Dry Grassland Field Workshop in Chakassien (Russland, 2013) und informieren über künftige Veranstaltungen der EDGG. Anschließend erläutern wir die Publikationsaktivitäten der EDGG. Im zweiten Teil des Editorials geben wir eine Einführung zu den fünf Artikeln des diesjährigen Trockenrasen-Sonderteils: Zwei davon beschäftigen sich mit der Syntaxonomie von Trockenrasen in Osteuropa: Der eine Artikel präsentiert erstmalig eine nach internationalen Nomenklaturregeln gültige Liste der Trockenrasengesellschaften Serbiens während der andere die Ergebnisse des zweiten EDGG-Field Workshop 2010 nach Podolien (Ukraine) vorstellt. Im dritten Artikel werden kryophytische Steppen in Südsibirien (Russland) analysiert. Der vierte Artikel analysiert in Böhmen (Tschechien) die bestimmenden Kräfte für Artenreichtum und Artenzusammensetzung der Trockenrasen. Der fünfte Artikel befasst sich mit der Auswahl von Wiederansiedlungsarten am Beispiel der Steppenrasen in Thüringen (Deutschland).
Heterogenous subtypes of breast cancer need to be analyzed separately. Pooling of datasets can provide reasonable sample sizes but dataset bias is an important concern. We assembled a combined dataset of 579 Affymetrix microarrays from triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) in Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) series GSE31519. We developed a method for selecting comparable datasets and to control for the amount of dataset bias of individual probesets.