| 1. |
- Vernooij, Robin W.M., et al.
(author)
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High-Target Hemodiafiltration Convective Dose Achieved in Most Patients in a 6-Month Intermediary Analysis of the CONVINCE Randomized Controlled Trial
- 2023
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In: Kidney International Reports. - 2468-0249. ; 8:11, s. 2276-2283
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Introduction: High convection volumes in hemodiafiltration (HDF) result in improved survival; however, it remains unclear whether it is achievable in all patients. Methods: CONVINCE, a randomized controlled trial, randomized patients with end-stage kidney disease 1:1 to high-dose HDF versus high-flux hemodialysis (HD) continuation. We evaluated the proportion of patients achieving high-dose HDF target: convection volume per visit of ≥23 l (range ±1 l) at baseline, month 3, and month 6. We compared baseline characteristics in the following 2 ways: (i) patients on target for all 3 visits versus patients who missed target on ≥1 visits and (ii) patients on target for all 3 visits or missing it once versus patients who missed target on ≥2 visits. Results: A total of 653 patients were randomized to HDF. Their mean age was 62.2 (SD 13.5) years, 36% were female, 81% had fistula vascular access, and 33% had diabetes. Across the 3 visits, 75 patients (11%), 27 patients (4%), and 11 patients (2%) missed the convection volume target once, twice, and thrice, respectively. Apart from diabetes, there were no apparent differences in patient characteristics between patients who always achieved the high-dose target (83%) and those who missed the target either once or more (17%) or twice or more (6%). Conclusion: Achieving high-dose HDF is feasible for nearly all patients in CONVINCE and could be maintained during the 6-month follow-up period. Apart from diabetes, there were no other indications for confounding by indication on multivariable analyses that may explain the potential survival advantage for patients receiving high-dose HDF.
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| 2. |
- Biurrun, Idoia, et al.
(author)
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Benchmarking plant diversity of Palaearctic grasslands and other open habitats
- 2021
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In: Journal of Vegetation Science. - Oxford : John Wiley & Sons. - 1100-9233 .- 1654-1103. ; 32:4
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Journal of Vegetation Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Association for Vegetation Science.Aims: Understanding fine-grain diversity patterns across large spatial extents is fundamental for macroecological research and biodiversity conservation. Using the GrassPlot database, we provide benchmarks of fine-grain richness values of Palaearctic open habitats for vascular plants, bryophytes, lichens and complete vegetation (i.e., the sum of the former three groups). Location: Palaearctic biogeographic realm. Methods: We used 126,524 plots of eight standard grain sizes from the GrassPlot database: 0.0001, 0.001, 0.01, 0.1, 1, 10, 100 and 1,000 m2 and calculated the mean richness and standard deviations, as well as maximum, minimum, median, and first and third quartiles for each combination of grain size, taxonomic group, biome, region, vegetation type and phytosociological class. Results: Patterns of plant diversity in vegetation types and biomes differ across grain sizes and taxonomic groups. Overall, secondary (mostly semi-natural) grasslands and natural grasslands are the richest vegetation type. The open-access file ”GrassPlot Diversity Benchmarks” and the web tool “GrassPlot Diversity Explorer” are now available online (https://edgg.org/databases/GrasslandDiversityExplorer) and provide more insights into species richness patterns in the Palaearctic open habitats. Conclusions: The GrassPlot Diversity Benchmarks provide high-quality data on species richness in open habitat types across the Palaearctic. These benchmark data can be used in vegetation ecology, macroecology, biodiversity conservation and data quality checking. While the amount of data in the underlying GrassPlot database and their spatial coverage are smaller than in other extensive vegetation-plot databases, species recordings in GrassPlot are on average more complete, making it a valuable complementary data source in macroecology. © 2021 The Authors.
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| 3. |
- Szöllösi, E, et al.
(author)
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Determinants of distribution and prevalence of avian malaria in blue tit populations across Europe: separating host and parasite effects.
- 2011
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In: Journal of evolutionary biology. - : Wiley. - 1420-9101 .- 1010-061X. ; 24, s. 2014-2024
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Although avian malarial parasites are globally distributed, the factors that affect the geographical distribution and local prevalence of different parasite lineages across host populations or species are still poorly understood. Based on the intense screening of avian malarial parasites in nine European blue tit populations, we studied whether distribution ranges as well as local adaptation, host specialization and phylogenetic relationships can determine the observed prevalences within populations. We found that prevalence differed consistently between parasite lineages and host populations, indicating that the transmission success of parasites is lineage specific but is partly shaped by locality-specific effects. We also found that the lineage-specific estimate of prevalence was related to the distribution range of parasites: lineages found in more host populations were generally more prevalent within these populations. Additionally, parasites with high prevalence that were also widely distributed among blue tit populations were also found to infect more host species. These findings suggest that parasites reaching high local prevalence can also realize wide distribution at a global scale that can have further consequences for host specialization. Although phylogenetic relationships among parasites did not predict prevalence, we detected a close match between a tree based on the geographic distance of the host populations and the parasite phylogenetic tree, implying that neighbouring host populations shared a related parasite fauna.
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| 4. |
- Hepburn, Lucy, et al.
(author)
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A Spaetzle-like role for nerve growth factor beta in vertebrate immunity to Staphylococcus aureus
- 2014
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In: Science. - : American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). - 0036-8075 .- 1095-9203. ; 346:6209, s. 641-646
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Many key components of innate immunity to infection are shared between Drosophila and humans. However, the fly Toll ligand Spaetzle is not thought to have a vertebrate equivalent. We have found that the structurally related cystine-knot protein, nerve growth factor β (NGFβ), plays an unexpected Spaetzle-like role in immunity to Staphylococcus aureus infection in chordates. Deleterious mutations of either human NGFβ or its high-affinity receptor tropomyosin-related kinase receptor A (TRKA) were associated with severe S. aureus infections. NGFβ was released by macrophages in response to S. aureus exoproteins through activation of the NOD-like receptors NLRP3 and NLRP4 and enhanced phagocytosis and superoxide-dependent killing, stimulated proinflammatory cytokine production, and promoted calcium-dependent neutrophil recruitment. TrkA knockdown in zebrafish increased susceptibility to S. aureus infection, confirming an evolutionarily conserved role for NGFβ-TRKA signaling in pathogen-specific host immunity.
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| 5. |
- Karas, V., et al.
(author)
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Distinguishing between spot and torus models of high-frequency quasiperiodic oscillations
- 2014
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In: Acta Polytechnica. - : Czech Technical University. - 1210-2709. ; 54:3, s. 191-196
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In the context of high-frequency quasi-periodic oscillation (HF QPOs) we further explore the appearance of an observable signal generated by hot spots moving along quasi-elliptic trajectories close to the innermost stable circular orbit in the Schwarzschild spacetime. The aim of our investigation is to reveal whether observable characteristics of the Fourier power-spectral density can help us to distinguish between the two competing models, namely, the idea of bright spots orbiting on the surface of an accretion torus versus the scenario of intrinsic oscillations of the torus itself. We take the capabilities of the present observatories (represented by the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer, RXTE) into account, and we also consider the proposed future instruments (represented here by the Large Observatory for X-ray Timing, LOFT). © Czech Technical University in Prague, 2014.
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| 6. |
- Abramowicz, Marek A, 1945, et al.
(author)
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The correlations and anticorrelations in QPO data
- 2005
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In: Astronomische Nachrichten. - : Wiley. - 0004-6337 .- 1521-3994. ; 326:9, s. 864-866
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Double peak kHz QPO frequencies in neutron star sources varies in time by a factor of hundreds Hz while in microquasar sources the frequencies are fixed and located at the line ν2 - ν1 in the frequency-frequency plot. The crucial question in the theory of twin HFQPOs is whether or not those observed in neutron-star systems are essentially different from those observed in black holes. In black hole systems the twin HFQPOs are known to be in a 3:2 ratio for each source. At first sight, this seems not to be the case for neutron stars. For each individual neutron star, the upper and lower kHz QPO frequencies, ν2 and ν1, are linearly correlated, ν2 = ν1 + B, with the slope A < 1.5, i.e., the frequencies definitely are not in a 1.5 ratio. In this contribution we show that when considered jointly on a frequency-frequency plot, the data for the twin kHz QPO frequencies in several (as opposed to one) neutron stars uniquely pick out a certain preferred frequency ratio that is equal to 1.5 for the six sources examined so far.
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| 7. |
- Bailey, Liam D., et al.
(author)
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Bird populations most exposed to climate change are less sensitive to climatic variation
- 2022
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In: Nature Communications. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2041-1723. ; 13:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The phenology of many species shows strong sensitivity to climate change; however, with few large scale intra-specific studies it is unclear how such sensitivity varies over a species’ range. We document large intra-specific variation in phenological sensitivity to temperature using laying date information from 67 populations of two co-familial European songbirds, the great tit (Parus major) and blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus), covering a large part of their breeding range. Populations inhabiting deciduous habitats showed stronger phenological sensitivity than those in evergreen and mixed habitats. However, populations with higher sensitivity tended to have experienced less rapid change in climate over the past decades, such that populations with high phenological sensitivity will not necessarily exhibit the strongest phenological advancement. Our results show that to effectively assess the impact of climate change on phenology across a species’ range it will be necessary to account for intra-specific variation in phenological sensitivity, climate change exposure, and the ecological characteristics of a population.
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| 8. |
- Brydegaard, Mikkel, et al.
(author)
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Short-Wave infrared atmospheric scheimpflug lidar
- 2018
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In: EPJ Web of Conferences. - : EDP Sciences. ; 176
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Atmospheric dual-band Scheimpflug lidar is demonstrated at 980 and 1550 nm. Signals are compared during three weather conditions, and the spatio-temporal resolution of the atmospheric structure is considered. The potential for aerosol classification is evaluated, and future directions are discussed.
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| 9. |
- Lago, M., et al.
(author)
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Introducing the H2020 AQUACROSS project : Knowledge, Assessment, and Management for AQUAtic Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services aCROSS EU policies
- 2019
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In: Science of the Total Environment. - : Elsevier BV. - 0048-9697 .- 1879-1026. ; 652, s. 320-329
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The AQUACROSS project was an unprecedented effort to unify policy concepts, knowledge, and management of freshwater, coastal, and marine ecosystems to support the cost-effective achievement of the targets set by the EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2020. AQUACROSS aimed to support EU efforts to enhance the resilience and stop the loss of biodiversity of aquatic ecosystems as well as to ensure the ongoing and future provision of aquatic ecosystem services. The project focused on advancing the knowledge base and application of Ecosystem-Based Management. Through elaboration of eight diverse case studies in freshwater and marine and estuarine aquatic ecosystem across Europe covering a range of environmental management problems including, eutrophication, sustainable fisheries as well as invasive alien species AQUACROSS demonstrated the application of a common framework to establish cost-effective measures and integrated Ecosystem-Based Management practices. AQUACROSS analysed the EU policy framework (i.e. goals, concepts, time frames) for aquatic ecosystems and built on knowledge stemming from different sources (i.e. WISE, BISE, Member State reporting within different policy processes, modelling) to develop innovative management tools, concepts, and business models (i.e. indicators, maps, ecosystem assessments, participatory approaches, mechanisms for promoting the delivery of ecosystem services) for aquatic ecosystems at various scales of space and time and relevant to different ecosystem types.
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| 10. |
- Lančová, D., et al.
(author)
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Puffy Accretion Disks: Sub-Eddington, Optically Thick, and Stable
- 2019
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In: Astrophysical Journal Letters. - : American Astronomical Society. - 2041-8205 .- 2041-8213. ; 884:2
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We report on a new class of solutions of black hole accretion disks that we have found through three-dimensional, global, radiative magnetohydrodynamic simulations in general relativity. It combines features of the canonical thin, slim, and thick disk models but differs in crucial respects from each of them. We expect these new solutions to provide a more realistic description of black hole disks than the slim disk model. We are presenting a disk solution for a nonspinning black hole at a sub-Eddington mass accretion rate,. By the density scale-height measure the disk appears to be thin, having a high density core near the equatorial plane of height, but most of the inflow occurs through a highly advective, turbulent, optically thick, Keplerian region that sandwiches the core and has a substantial geometrical thickness comparable to the radius, H ∼ r. The accreting fluid is supported above the midplane in large part by the magnetic field, with the gas and radiation to magnetic pressure ratio β ∼ 1, this makes the disk thermally stable, even though the radiation pressure strongly dominates over gas pressure. A significant part of the radiation emerging from the disk is captured by the black hole, so the disk is less luminous than a thin disk would be at the same accretion rate. © 2019. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved..
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