Clotilde Kingsley¹, Saad Ahmad², John Pappachan¹, Sujata Khambekar¹, Thomas Smith¹, Diane Gardiner¹, James Shambrook¹, Shankar Baskar³, Ryan Moore³, Gruschen Veldtman³

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.13, No.2, pp. 288-294, 2018, DOI:10.1111/chd.12569

Abstract Background: The right ventricular (RV) contractile reserve is a measure of the dynamic function of the RV and is a sensitive indicator of volume load. This can be measured noninvasively using the tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) during exercise. We studied the RV contractile reserve of patients after tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) repair with varying degree of RV dilation and pulmonary regurgitation (PR), and compared them to a control group.
Methods: Twenty-six patients who had undergone TOF repair (mean age 29 ± 10 years) were identified and stratified into three group based on the presence and… More >

Ashley R. Kroeger¹, Jacqueline Morrison², Andrew H. Smith¹

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.13, No.1, pp. 98-104, 2018, DOI:10.1111/chd.12525

Abstract Objective: Unplanned readmission to the pediatric cardiac intensive care unit (CICU) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The Pediatric Early Warning Score (PEWS) predicts ward patients at risk for decompensation but has not been previously reported to identify at-risk patients with cardiac disease prior to ward transfer. This study aimed to determine whether PEWS prior to transfer may serve as a predictor of unplanned readmission to the CICU.
Design: All patients discharged from a tertiary children’s hospital CICU from September 2012 through August 2015 were included for analysis. PEWS assessment was performed following transfer to the… More >

Turuelo NM¹, DR Pérez²

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.87, pp. 260-264, 2018, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2018.87.260

Abstract In arid and semi-arid ecosystems, increasing and irreversible degradation in areas of high conservation value has prompted the search for various solutions, such as rehabilitation and ecological restoration. To implement these strategies, it is essential to solve critical issues affecting the establishment of plants in the field and the production of seedlings in nursery gardens. In the present work, the following pre-germination treatments were evaluated for the species Senna arnottiana and S. kurtzii, endemic to the Patagonian steppe (Payunia): (1) Immersion in water at 80 °C for 5 minutes; (2) Immersion in water at 80 °C for… More >

Shi G¹, ZY Liu¹, T Baoyin¹, J Sun², JJ Duan³, XL Li³, GF Yang⁴

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.87, pp. 236-241, 2018, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2018.87.236

Abstract Plant functional traits and their effects on rangeland ecosystem function have received much attention by ecologists. However, the importance of functional traits and the interactive effects of grazing exclusion and climate are poorly understood. This study, therefore, aimed to analyse the response of Leymus chinensis functional traits in long-term grazing exclusion in different habitats (rainless typical steppe and rainy meadow steppe). This study showed that although the sensitivity and variability of different traits were similar in two steppe habitats, phenotypic plasticity of L. chinensis in meadow steppe was significantly higher than typical steppes. With the increased degree More >

Hernández LF^1,2, PM Bellés³, MA Bidegain^4,5, PD Postemsky⁴

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.87, pp. 198-208, 2018, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2018.87.198

Abstract Absence or underdevelopment of sunflower fruits come usually from failure in fertilization, stresses as well as physiological and morphological defects in the ovary. Thigmomorphogenesis has never been included as a possible cause. We have previously shown that a 2-3 day fertilization shift can occur between neighboring florets in the sunflower capitulum. It is proposed here that those ovaries with advanced fertilization can generate a significant radial and axial compressive stress on ovaries with delayed fertilization. This mechanical stimulus could be strong enough to trigger a thigmo response that affects further ovary development. In vivo tests… More >

Han DY^1,2, YF Yang²

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.87, pp. 113-122, 2018, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2018.87.113

Abstract Rapid and precise assessment of biodiversity is a central issue in conservation biology and biodiversity science. Higher taxonomic units and life form-based morphospecies were utilised to assess plant diversity patterns at the habitat scale in temperate meadow steppe, Songnen Plain, China. Patch area, taxonomic composition (families and genera) and life form (based on Raunkiaer’s life forms, and stem and root growth forms) were recorded in five communities. Taxonomic unit-based hierarchical diversity indices (HDI) and life form-based hierarchical diversity indices (HLDI) were calculated. Twenty-six families, 67 genera, and 87 species were recorded in the five communities.… More >

Chel-Guerrero LD¹, R Gómez-Cansino², SL Gúzman-Gutierrez³, MG Campos-Lara⁴, E Saury-Duch¹, F Díaz de León Sánchez⁵, R Reyes-Chilpa⁶, JA Mendoza-Espinoza⁷

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.87, pp. 68-71, 2018, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2018.87.068

Abstract The objective of this study was to investigate extracts from the peels of Annona squamosa L. (purple sugar apple), Annona reticulata L. (custard apple), Chrysophyllum cainito L. (green star apple), and Melicoccus bijugatus Jacq. (mamoncillo), as potential sources of anti-HIV-1 agents. Methanolic extracts from the peels of the aforementioned tropical fruits were obtained by maceration. Antiviral activity was evaluated through HIV-1 RT inhibition by extracts, using a non-radioactive immuno/colorimetric assay (Lenti RT Activity Assay, Cavidi Tech). Assay was performed according to the protocol provided by the manufacturer. Extracts from the peels of A. squamosa, A. reticulata, and C. cainito showed high More >

Ithurrart LS^1,2, CA Busso^1,2, YA Torres^1,3, DV Peláez^1,2,3, H Giorgetti⁴, G Rodríguez⁴, ML Ambrosino^2,5

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.87, pp. 51-59, 2018, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2018.87.051

Abstract Plant competition for soil resources is common in semiarid rangelands. Plants have various, alternative mechanisms to deal with soil resource acquisition. They include (1) length, weight and proliferation of roots, (2) root length density, and (3) root colonization by arbuscular mycorrhiza. In rangelands of Argentina, plants are exposed to herbivory after natural fires. As a result, knowledge on how these disturbances impact root traits is important for outlining guidelines focused on rangeland management and improvement. Our aim was to analyze the effects of defoliation after a controlled burning on root traits (1) to (3) on… More >

BIOCELL, Vol.42, Suppl.4, pp. 1-126, 2018

Abstract This article has no abstract. More >

Ling Zhang^{1, 2}, Xiaoyan Lei¹, Jian Jiang², Qingsong Feng¹

Sound & Vibration, Vol.52, No.5, pp. 22-27, 2018, DOI:10.32604/sv.2018.04058

Abstract Underground railway vibration source strength is one of the key values used for environmental impact assessment and the evaluation of mitigation measure’s performance. However, currently there is no international standard of measuring the underground railway vibration source strength for such purposes. The available local standards and industrial guidelines do not agree on measurement locations as well as the metrics for presenting the source strength. This has caused many confusions. This paper aims to study the suitable measurement location and metrics using the data from a large scale field-testing carried out at the Nanchang underground railway… More >