| 1. |
- Beal, Jacob, et al.
(författare)
-
Robust estimation of bacterial cell count from optical density
- 2020
-
Ingår i: Communications Biology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2399-3642. ; 3:1
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Optical density (OD) is widely used to estimate the density of cells in liquid culture, but cannot be compared between instruments without a standardized calibration protocol and is challenging to relate to actual cell count. We address this with an interlaboratory study comparing three simple, low-cost, and highly accessible OD calibration protocols across 244 laboratories, applied to eight strains of constitutive GFP-expressing E. coli. Based on our results, we recommend calibrating OD to estimated cell count using serial dilution of silica microspheres, which produces highly precise calibration (95.5% of residuals <1.2-fold), is easily assessed for quality control, also assesses instrument effective linear range, and can be combined with fluorescence calibration to obtain units of Molecules of Equivalent Fluorescein (MEFL) per cell, allowing direct comparison and data fusion with flow cytometry measurements: in our study, fluorescence per cell measurements showed only a 1.07-fold mean difference between plate reader and flow cytometry data.
|
|
| 2. |
- Kattge, Jens, et al.
(författare)
-
TRY plant trait database - enhanced coverage and open access
- 2020
-
Ingår i: Global Change Biology. - : Wiley-Blackwell. - 1354-1013 .- 1365-2486. ; 26:1, s. 119-188
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Plant traits-the morphological, anatomical, physiological, biochemical and phenological characteristics of plants-determine how plants respond to environmental factors, affect other trophic levels, and influence ecosystem properties and their benefits and detriments to people. Plant trait data thus represent the basis for a vast area of research spanning from evolutionary biology, community and functional ecology, to biodiversity conservation, ecosystem and landscape management, restoration, biogeography and earth system modelling. Since its foundation in 2007, the TRY database of plant traits has grown continuously. It now provides unprecedented data coverage under an open access data policy and is the main plant trait database used by the research community worldwide. Increasingly, the TRY database also supports new frontiers of trait-based plant research, including the identification of data gaps and the subsequent mobilization or measurement of new data. To support this development, in this article we evaluate the extent of the trait data compiled in TRY and analyse emerging patterns of data coverage and representativeness. Best species coverage is achieved for categorical traits-almost complete coverage for 'plant growth form'. However, most traits relevant for ecology and vegetation modelling are characterized by continuous intraspecific variation and trait-environmental relationships. These traits have to be measured on individual plants in their respective environment. Despite unprecedented data coverage, we observe a humbling lack of completeness and representativeness of these continuous traits in many aspects. We, therefore, conclude that reducing data gaps and biases in the TRY database remains a key challenge and requires a coordinated approach to data mobilization and trait measurements. This can only be achieved in collaboration with other initiatives.
|
|
| 3. |
- Poorter, Lourens, et al.
(författare)
-
Wet and dry tropical forests show opposite successional pathways in wood density but converge over time
- 2019
-
Ingår i: Nature Ecology & Evolution. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 2397-334X. ; 3:6, s. 928-934
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Tropical forests are converted at an alarming rate for agricultural use and pastureland, but also regrow naturally through secondary succession. For successful forest restoration, it is essential to understand the mechanisms of secondary succession. These mechanisms may vary across forest types, but analyses across broad spatial scales are lacking. Here, we analyse forest recovery using 1,403 plots that differ in age since agricultural abandonment from 50 sites across the Neotropics. We analyse changes in community composition using species-specific stem wood density (WD), which is a key trait for plant growth, survival and forest carbon storage. In wet forest, succession proceeds from low towards high community WD (acquisitive towards conservative trait values), in line with standard successional theory. However, in dry forest, succession proceeds from high towards low community WD (conservative towards acquisitive trait values), probably because high WD reflects drought tolerance in harsh early successional environments. Dry season intensity drives WD recovery by influencing the start and trajectory of succession, resulting in convergence of the community WD over time as vegetation cover builds up. These ecological insights can be used to improve species selection for reforestation. Reforestation species selected to establish a first protective canopy layer should, among other criteria, ideally have a similar WD to the early successional communities that dominate under the prevailing macroclimatic conditions.
|
|
| 4. |
- Figuero, Andres, et al.
(författare)
-
Dynamical study of a moored vessel using computer vision
- 2018
-
Ingår i: Journal of Marine Science and Technology. - : NATL TAIWAN OCEAN UNIV. - 0948-4280 .- 1437-8213. ; 26:2, s. 240-250
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Wind and wave effects have a major impact on the design of mooring and anchoring systems, whose purpose is to prevent the movement of the cargo and the moored ship while optimizing the operations which have to take place in port. The dynamic behavior of a ship moored in waves has been mathematically described and interactions between ships and environmental loads have been commonly tested for different docks and mooring systems in scale models. However, the behavior of real ships in true mooring conditions has not been properly addressed in scientific literature. This paper proposes a novel computer vision technique to monitor moored ships. This approach uses the correlation of visual features in the images of the ship to estimate its movements along time. The proposed technique has been validated in laboratory conditions and applied in a real scenario to study the behavior of the ship Urania Mella in the Outer Port of A Coruna (Spain), in Punta Langosteira, obtaining very promising results.
|
|
| 5. |
- Figuero, Andrés, et al.
(författare)
-
Field measurements of angular motions of a vessel at berth : Inertial device application
- 2018
-
Ingår i: Control Engineering and Applied Informatics. - : Romanian Soc Control Tech Informatics. - 1454-8658. ; 20:3, s. 79-88
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The study and characterization of the oscillations of a moored vessel has a major importance in port operational efficiency, not only in the design of mooring and anchoring systems, but also in order to prevent the movement of the cargo, minimize ship and dock damage and optimizing the operations which have to take place while the ship is moored.The dynamic behavior of a vessel moored in waves has been mathematically described and interactions between ships and environmental loads such as waves, wind, currents and ice are commonly tested for different docks and mooring systems in scale models. However, field data studies of the behavior moored ships have not been properly addressed so far.This paper proposes a novel application of Inertial Measurement Units to estimate the angular movements (roll, pitch and yaw) of a moored vessel. The proposed technique has been validated in laboratory conditions and the behavior of the ship Urania Mella in the Outer Port of Punta Langosteira (A Coruña, Spain), has been analyzed, obtaining very promising results.
|
|
| 6. |
- Hellamand, Pasoon, et al.
(författare)
-
Sex differences in the effectiveness of first-line tumour necrosis factor inhibitors in axial spondyloarthritis: Results from the EuroSpA Research Collaboration Network
- 2023
-
Ingår i: RMD Open. - 2056-5933. ; 9:4
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective Evidence indicates reduced treatment effectiveness of TNFi in women with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) compared with men. We aimed to investigate sex differences in treatment response and retention rates over 24 months of follow-up in axSpA patients initiating their first TNFi. Methods Data from axSpA patients initiating a TNFi in 1 of 15 registries within EuroSpA collaboration were pooled. We investigated the association of sex with treatment response using logistic regression. The primary outcome was clinically important improvement (CII) at 6 months according to Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score with C-reactive protein (CRP) (≥1.1 decrease). We adjusted for age, country and TNFi start year. A secondary outcome was retention rates over 24 months of follow-up assessed by Kaplan-Meier estimator. Results In total, 6451 axSpA patients with data on CII were assessed for treatment response; 2538 (39%) were women and 3913 (61%) were men. Women presented at baseline with lower CRP levels but had higher scores on patient-reported outcome measures. At 6 months, 53% of the women and 66% of the men had CII. Women had a lower relative risk of CII compared with men (0.81; 95% CI 0.77 to 0.84). This sex difference was similar in adjusted analysis (0.85; 95% CI 0.82 to 0.88). Retention rates were evaluated in 27 702 patients. The TNFi 6/12/24 months retention rates were significantly lower among women (79%/66%/53%) than men (88%/79%/69%). Conclusion Treatment response and retention rates are lower among women with axSpA initiating their first TNFi. Sex differences in treatment effectiveness were present regardless of the outcome measure used for treatment response, and differences in retention rates transpired early and increased as time progressed.
|
|
| 7. |
- Michelsen, Brigitte, et al.
(författare)
-
Differences and similarities between the EULAR/ASAS-EULAR and national recommendations for treatment of patients with psoriatic arthritis and axial spondyloarthritis across Europe
- 2023
-
Ingår i: The Lancet Regional Health - Europe. - 2666-7762. ; 33
-
Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- This is the first report comparing EULAR and national treatment recommendations for PsA patients across Europe, and the first this decade to compare ASAS-EULAR and national treatment recommendations in axSpA patients. An electronic survey was completed from October 2021–April 2022 by rheumatologists in 15 European countries. One and four countries followed all EULAR and ASAS-EULAR recommendations, respectively. Five countries had no national treatment recommendations for PsA and/or axSpA, but followed other regulations. In several countries, national treatment recommendations predated the most recent EULAR/ASAS-EULAR recommendations. Entry criteria for starting biologic/targeted synthetic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs varied considerably. In several countries, for PsA patients with significant skin involvement, interleukin-17 inhibitors were not given preference. The positioning of Janus Kinase inhibitors differed and Phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitors were not in use/reimbursed in most countries. This study may motivate European countries to update their national treatment recommendations, to align them better with the latest international recommendations.
|
|
| 8. |
|
|
