生物入侵预测模型研究进展

生物入侵随着全球化进程有进一步加剧的趋势,外来物种已经被视为对本地生物多样性和生态系统功能产生全球威胁的因素之一。生物入侵的影响巨大,开展预测工作以便在一开始就发现并阻止外来种侵入,为生物入侵提供最优化的监测和早期控制手段。为此,本文从环境的可侵入性和外来种的入侵性两个方面综述了目前生物入侵预测模型的研究进展,以便为外来种引入和管理提供依据。

生态学中的促进类型和作用

生态学的研究主要在竞争、捕食、干扰以及环境压力与生物体各个层次的关系上,对于促进的影响考虑的不够充分。该文介绍促进的概念以及在生物体层次上的促进类型,总结促进在生态学理论中的意义及其重要性;同时认为充分考虑到促进的作用,对于更全面地了解和保护自然生态系统都是很有帮助的。

Lymph node metastasis in early gastric cancer with submucosal invasion:Feasibility of minimally invasive surgery

AIM:To explore the feasibility of pertorming minimally invasive surgery(MIS)on subsets of submucosal gastric cancers that are unlikely to have regional lymph node metastasis. METHODS:A total of 105 patients underwent radical gastrectomy with lymph node dissection for submucosal gastric cancer at our hospital from January 1995 to December 1995.Besides investigating many clinicopathological features such as tumor size,gross appearance,and differentiation, we measured the depth of invasion into submucosa minutely and analyzed the clinicopathologic features of these patients regarding lymph node metastasis. RESULTS:The rate of lymph node metastasis in cases where the depth of invasion was<500 μm,500-2 000 μm,or >2 000 μm was 9%(2/23),19%(7136),and 33%(15/46), respectively(P<0.05).In univariate analysis,no significant correlation was found between lymph node metastasis and clinicopathological characteristics such as age,sex,tumor location,gross appearance,tumor differentiation,Lauren's classification,and lymphatic invasion.In multivariate analysis, tumor size(>4 cm vs≤2 cm,odds ratio=4.80, P=0.04)and depth of invasion(>2 000 μm vs ≤500 μm, odds ratio=6.81,P=0.02)were significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis.Combining the depth and size in cases where the depth of invasion was less than 500 μm, we found that lymph node metastasis occurred where the tumor size was greater than 4 cm.In cases where the tumor size was less than 2 cm,lymph node metastasis was found only where the depth of tumor invasion was more than 2 000 μm. CONCLUSION:MIS can be applied to submucosal gastric cancer that is less than 2 cm in size and 500 μm in depth.

Analyses and predictions of rock cuttabilities under different confining stresses and rock properties based on rock indentation tests by conical pick

The rock indentation tests by a conical pick were conducted to investigate the rock cuttability correlated to confining stress conditions and rock strength.Based on the test results,the regression analyses,support vector machine(SVM)and generalized regression neural network(GRNN)were used to find the relationship among rock cuttability,uniaxial confining stress applied to rock,uniaxial compressive strength(UCS)and tensile strength of rock material.It was found that the regression and SVM-based models can accurately reflect the variation law of rock cuttability,which presented decreases followed by increases with the increase in uniaxial confining stress and the negative correlation to UCS and tensile strength of rock material.Based on prediction models for revealing the optimal stress condition and determining the cutting parameters,the axial boom roadheader with many conical picks mounted was satisfactorily utilized to perform rock cutting in hard phosphate rock around pillar.

Possibility of non-invasive diagnosis of gastric mucosal precancerous changes

AIM: To assess the possibility of non-invasive screening of atrophic chronic gastritis for preventing further development of gastric cancer.METHODS: One hundred and seventy-eight consecutive Helicobacter pylori ( H pylori)-positive dyspeptic patients after detection of serum levels of pepsinogen-1 (PG-1) and gastrin-17 (G-17) by enzyme immunoassay were proposed for endoscopy and histology. The serologic and morphologic results were compared with estimating the sensitivity, specificity and prognostic values of the tests.RESULTS: There was statistically significant reverse dependence between the grade of stomach mucosal antral or corpus atrophy and the proper decreasing of serum G17 or PG1 levels. The serologic method was quite sensitive in the diagnosis of non-atrophic and severe antral and corpus gastritis. Also, it was characterized by the high positive and negative prognostic values.CONCLUSION: Detection of serum G-17 and PG1 levels can be offered as the screening tool for atrophic gastritis. The positive serologic results require further chromoendoscopy with mucosal biopsy, for revealing probable progressing of atrophic process with development of intestinal metaplasia, dysplasia or gastric cancer.

Differences in functional traits and reproductive allocations between native and invasive plants

Because co-occurring native and invasive plants are subjected to similar environmental selection pressures,the differences in functional traits and reproductive allocation strategies between native and invasive plants may be closely related to the success of the latter.Accordingly,this study examines differences in functional traits and reproductive allocation strategies between native and invasive plants in Eastern China.Plant height,branch number,reproductive branch number,the belowground-to-aboveground biomass ratio,and the reproductive allocation coefficient of invasive plants were all notably higher than those of native species.Additionally,the specific leaf area(SLA)values of invasive plants were remarkably lower than those of native species.Plasticity indexes of SLA,maximum branch angle,and branch number of invasive plants were each notably lower than those of native species.The reproductive allocation coefficient was positively correlated with reproductive branch number and the belowground-to-aboveground biomass ratio but exhibited negative correlations with SLA and aboveground biomass.Plant height,branch number,reproductive branch number,the belowground-to-aboveground biomass ratio,and the reproductive allocation coefficient of invasive plants may strongly influence the success of their invasions.

Success of native and invasive plant congeners depends on inorganic nitrogen compositions and levels

Aims Successful plant invaders usually exhibit three strategies:Jack-of-all-trades(more robust in stressful sites),Master-of-some(more responsive in favorable sites)and Jack-and-master(both robustness and responsiveness).To revisit these strategies,we examined how soil inorganic nitrogen(N)compositions and levels influence the success of native and invasive plant congeners in the context of plant communities.Methods We conducted an experiment involving three fixed factors:species origin,N composition and N level.Here,we selected 21 plant species(eight pairs of invasive and native congeners and five non-congeneric natives)to assemble plant communities,which were subject to nine N environments consisting of three N compositions(3:1,2:2 and 1:3 NO3−/NH4+)and three N levels(low,medium and high N).We determined the following metrics:total biomass,relative biomass(a proxy of species success),mortality rate and mortality time.Important Findings Across nine N environments,native and invasive congeners exhibited similar total biomass,relative biomass and mortality time,but invaders had a marginally lower mortality rate than natives.Similar success between native and invasive congeners was linked to their similar growth and tolerance.N compositions influenced mortality time and N levels affected the total biomass and relative biomass.Importantly,species origin,N composition and N level interactively affected the total biomass,relative biomass and mortality time.These findings suggest that native and invasive plant congeners may be similarly successful across different N environments,and that inorganic N compositions and levels both contribute to plant invasion success.