Search

The Cancer of the Bladder Risk Assessment (COBRA) score is a predictive tool for estimating Cancer Specific Survival (CSS) after Radical Cystectomy (RC) for urothelial carcinoma. COBRA score variables are: age at RC, Tumor stage and Lymph Node Density (LND). We sought to externally validate the COBRA score and to improve its performance in estimating CSS adding Lymphovascular Invasion (LVI) as a further variable (Modified COBRA score). Clinicopathological and survival data from 789 patients who underwent RC and Pelvic Lymph Node Dissection (PLND) between January 2007 and December 2020 in two European referral centers (Paris, France and Badalona, Spain) were analyzed. COBRA score was applied to our cohort and CSS Kaplan-Meier curves were performed. Univariable and Multivariable analysis was performed in order to identify risk factors for Cancer Specific Mortality (CSM) and a score was assigned for any statistically significant risk factor; afterward, c-index calculation was performed and CCS curves have been plotted for the model after having integrated LVI variable to the COBRA score. Finally, we compared both COBRA score and Modified COBRA score models with the established AJCC model. A total of 789 patients underwent RC during the observation period. Complete data were available for 731 patients with a median follow-up of 32 months (8-47). CSM was 27.6% (no. 218 patients) at follow-up. When COBRA score was applied to our cohort, c-index was 0.76. Regression COX analysis has shown HR 0.36, CI 95% (0.16-0.83), P = .016 for patients with COBRA score 1; HR 0, CI 95% (0-1.77), P =.94 for score 2; HR 0.51, CI 95% (0.39 -0.67), P =.001 for score 3; HR 1.67, CI 95% (1.23-2.27), P =.001 for score 4; HR 2.45, CI 95% (1.51-3.99), P =.001 for score 5; HR 2.01, CI 95% (1.42-2.85), P =.001 for score 6 and HR 0.66, CI 95% (0.09-4.73), P =.682 for score 7. When the LVI variable was added to the CSS predictive model the discriminatory power increased to a c-index of 0.78. COBRA score adequately identifies those patients with a higher risk of CSM, with a c-index of 0.76. Moreover, LVI variable further improves its predictive accuracy from c-index of 0.76 to c-index of 0.78. LVI variable could be integrated in the COBRA score to optimizing prognosis stratification for patients who undergo RC.

Plant spatial patterns in semiarid environments are often driven by a patchy availability of resources. We examined here drivers of forest patterns in a landscape where tree and shrub patches coexist in an herbaceous matrix on fog-inundated coastal hilltops in semiarid Chile, aiming to identify factors that set off forest patch formation and development. We hypothesized that a successional process driven by plant-plant interactions would start when tree seedlings establish in shrub patches, eventually leading to resource accumulation and increased diversity. Within shrub patches, soil moisture increased with increasing cover of a common shrub, Baccharis vernalis, unlike another shrub species, Griselinia scandens. Soil nutrients increased with patch size, but soil moisture remained similar among patches. Forest patches showed differences regarding soil moisture between wet windward and dry leeward edges, and these were associated with differences in community composition. While Baccharis patches were similar to windward forest edges, leeward edges were more similar to open areas. Patterns of species richness and diversity showed a shift in plant-plant interactions from positive to negative along successional transition from Baccharis to forest patches. Outside forest patches, tree species are rare but become established and survive under Baccharis vernalis, most likely thanks to a combination of fog-interception capacity, soil nutrient availability and low competition. Therefore, forest patch formation is strongly dependent on fog water interception and community composition. While some shrubs like Baccharis vernalis facilitate tree establishment and eventually initiate new forest patches, others compete with tree seedlings preventing establishment. Hence, a facilitation-competition balance between shrubs and trees explains the spatial arrangement of the forest-shrub patch mosaic in this semiarid environment.

This study examined whether attachment relationships with the mother, father, best friend, and romantic partner relate to the career decision-making process (occupational information, goal selection and vocational identity) of emerging adults directly as well as indirectly through self-concept clarity as a mediator. The questionnaires were administered to 1,342 young people at two time points (two years apart). The results of our structural equation modeling analyses indicated significant direct paths between attachment to all figures under the investigation and career decision-making process at Time 1. The self-concept clarity mediated all associations between attachment figures and career decision-making process. Moreover, at Time 2, only attachment to the romantic partner (not to the other attachment figures) was associated with the career decision-making process both directly and indirectly through the self-concept clarity. These findings suggest that the romantic partner is the most influential attachment figure in emerging adults' career decision-making process, although attachment relationships with parents and the best friend also remain important in their career development.

Microclimatic conditions in dead wood influence fungal growth and hence also species composition, but it remains unclear how they influence species richness in nature. We analysed fungal species richness based on the occurrence of fruit bodies on 2 m long segments of both standing and lying trunks of Norway spruce (Picea abies). The number of non-red-listed species was related positively to moisture, and negatively to both temperature extremes and fluctuations. The numbers of both red-listed and non-red-listed species were further differently influenced by trunk diameter and by trunk properties related to the progression in wood decay. These results indicate that the richness of fungal communities in dead wood is shaped by an interaction of wood decay, moisture and temperature fluctuations.

Microclimatic conditions influence fungal growth, yet accurate descriptions of the relationships between the occurrence of fungi and microclimate (especially temperature) are lacking for dead wood in natural conditions. Here, we studied the occurrence of fungal fruit bodies on 2 m long segments of both standing and lying trunks of Norway spruce ( Picea abies ). The fungal assemblages were associated with properties of the segments related to the progression in wood decay, causes of tree death, and temperature and moisture conditions. Fluctuations in the temperature of wood decreased with increasing water content, and both water content and temperature stability increased with diameter and with the progression in wood decay. Red-listed species differed in their relations to both wood and microclimate parameters, which highlights the importance of the simultaneous presence of various wood types for the occurrence of rare and threatened species.

Climate change is more pronounced in high-elevation habitats than elsewhere, potentially causing disruptions in plant community structure and dynamics through changes in plant interactions. We tested the effect of warming and rainfall manipulations on growth and gas exchange of a cushion plant species, Arenaria tetraquetra, in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in SE Spain and assessed its consequences for plant interactions. Arenaria tetraquetra is a facilitator that often hosts a variety of beneficiary species within its canopy. Warming and drought could alter cushion growth patterns and canopy compaction, which in turn affect facilitation. We increased temperature using acrylic open-top chambers (OTC) and increased or decreased water availability with rainfall collectors. Our rainfall treatments did not have significant effects on cushion growth or facilitation. Three years of warming enhanced cushion photosynthesis and respiration, leading to larger cushions with thinner leaves, but did not change other cushion traits nor alter its facilitation effects. Some traits, however, readily responded to inter-annual climate variability. Global warming will change cushion plant physiology, as higher temperatures at times increase plant respiration above the level of carbon fixation. However, we did not find changes in interaction between benefactor and beneficiary species, perhaps due to the short-term nature of our experiment. Recorded physiological and morphological changes might be, however, signs of more pronounced, long-term consequences of warming on plant survival and community composition.

Soil respiration accounts for ca. three quarters of total ecosystem respiration and is sensitive to temperature and moisture. Plants can influence soil CO2 emissions through specific effects on soil humidity, soil temperature and soil microbial communities. These plant-soil effects mostly come via litter production and root exudates, enhancing soil autotrophic and heterotrophic respiration. We explored how plant species affected soil CO2 emissions in an arid environment. We altered soil temperature in bare soil and under the canopy of four plant species differing in functional type, and measured monthly fluxes to establish seasonal patterns of CO2 release along a 20-month period. We found that soil temperature explained 69% of the annual soil respiration (SR) variance, while soil water content explained 71% of SR variance. When we included plant species identity in the model, soil temperature and soil water content explained 76% and 81% of SR variance, respectively, exemplifying how plant species modulate SR responses as a function of temperature and water availability. Our results demonstrate that plant species influence soil carbon balance and emphasize that species identity matters in dry ecosystems. SR dynamics in dry ecosystems can be accurately modelled with soil water and temperature as predictors, but models are more efficient if plant species identity is considered.

This study examined the predictors of political trust in late adolescence. Three waves of longitudinal data (ages 11, 15, and 17) from 1116 Czech adolescents (346 participated at least in the first and last wave) were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Results showed that high verbal cognitive ability in early adolescence predicted greater political trust in late adolescence. This effect was explained by adolescents' greater cognitive political engagements, but not by their more positive relationships with authorities (e.g., school or parents) during adolescence. Next, early adolescents who perceived more parental warmth demonstrated greater political trust when they reached late adolescence. These results suggest that some young people might enter adulthood more skeptical regarding politics based on their abilities and early nonpolitical experiences.

Background Focal therapy (FT) for prostate cancer (PCa) seems to be part of a natural evolution in the quest to improve the management of early organ-confined disease. Objective To assess the morbidity of the initial experience of FT in a tertiary referral center for PCa management. Design, setting, and participants From 2009 to 2011, a total of 1213 patients with clinically localized PCa were treated at our institution. Of these patients, 547 were considered to have indolent disease according to the D'Amico criteria for low-risk disease plus unilateral disease with a maximum of three positive biopsies. A total of 106 patients underwent FT using high-intensity focused ultrasonography (HIFU), brachytherapy, cryotherapy, or vascular-targeted photodynamic therapy (VTP). Outcome measurements and statistical analysis Complications were prospectively recorded and graded according to the Clavien-Dindo scale. Data were prospectively collected and retrospectively analyzed. Results and limitations This study included 106 patients, median age 66.5 yr (interquartile range [IQR]): 61–73), who had a prostate hemiablation; 50 patients (47%) had cryotherapy, 23 patients (22%) had VTP, 21 patients (20%) received HIFU, and 12 patients (11%) had brachytherapy. The median prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level was 6.1 ng/ml (IQR: 5–8.1), all the patients had a biopsy Gleason score of 6, and the median prostate weight was 43g (IQR: 33–55). The median International Prostate Symptom Score was 6 (IQR: 3–10), and the median International Index of Erectile Function score was 20 (IQR: 15–23). After treatment, the median PSA at 3, 6, and 12 mo was 3.1 2.9, and 2.7 ng/ml (IQR: 2–5.1, 1.1–4.7, and 1–4.4), respectively. Thirteen percent of the patients experienced treatment-related complications. There were 11 minor medical complications (10 grade 1 complications and 1 grade 2 complication), 2 grade 3 complications, and no grade 4 or higher complications. Conclusions FT for a highly selected population with PCa is feasible and had an acceptable morbidity with

Plant cuticles form the interface between epidermal plant cells and the atmosphere. The cuticle creates an effective barrier against water loss, bacterial and fungal infection and also protects plant tissue from UV radiation. It is composed of the cutin matrix and embedded soluble lipids also called waxes. Chemical composition of cuticular waxes and physiological properties of cuticles are affected by internal regulatory mechanisms and environmental conditions (e.g. drought, light, and humidity). Here, we tested the effect of drought stress simulation by the exogenous application of abscisic acid (ABA) on cuticular wax amount and composition. ABA-treated plants and control plants differed in total aboveground biomass, leaf area, stomatal density and aperture, and carbon isotope composition. They did not differ in total wax amount per area but there were peculiar differences in the abundance of particular components. ABA-treated plants contained significantly higher proportions of aliphatic components characterized by chain length larger than C 26 , compared to control plants. This trend was consistent both between and within different functional groups of wax components. This can lead to a higher hydrophobicity of the cuticular transpiration barrier and thus decrease cuticular water loss in ABA-treated plants. At both ABA-treated and control plants alcohols with chain length C 24 and C 26 were predominant. Such a shift towards wax compounds having a higher average chain length under drought conditions can be interpreted as an adaptive response of plants towards drought stress.

Numerous species of the genus Polylepis form the highest treeline in the world, with striking dissimilarities in their upper altitudinal limits. The commonly accepted hypothesis is that growth at a treeline is limited by temperature. Here, using in situ records of various morphological and ecophysiological traits, we aimed to identify other factors influencing altitudinal distribution of three congeneric species from the dry tropical Andes: Polylepis rugulosa, Polylepis tarapacana and Polylepis tomentella . While P. tarapacana and P. tomentella reach their altitudinal limit at around 5000 m asl, P. rugulosa does not thrive above 4300 m, but precipitation is markedly lower in its distribution area. The three species responded to altitude by a change of morphological (e.g. decreased tree height and leaf size) and ecophysiological (e.g. decrease of transpiration rate, nutrient concentration or enrichment in the 13 C isotope) traits, and this response was generally more pronounced in P. rugulosa . In comparison with P. tarapacana and P. tomentella , P. rugulosa displayed higher transpiration rates. Waxes from the abaxial (stomatous) leaf side of P. rugulosa were most strongly enriched in 13 C. Furthermore, leaves of all species studied here had exceptionally low N and P concentrations. Trade-offs linked to changes in leaf area (e.g. bigger leaves, higher photosynthetic capacity but elevated transpiration) seem to drive differentiation and adaptations to altitude among these three congeneric species. We hypothesize that, while the upper distribution limit of P. tarapacana and P. tomentella is largely driven by low temperature, water is an important additional factor controlling the altitudinal distribution of P. rugulosa . Our results suggest that water stress needs to be taken into account among the factors shaping the altitudinal distribution of tropical treeline species.

Eleocharis cellulosa Torr., a macrophyte dominating marshes of northern Belize, often experiences great water level fluctuations varying from dry conditions to prolonged submergence. We investigated morphological and ecophysiological responses (shoot length, biomass, CO2 exchange, chlorophyll content and regeneration) to partial and complete submergence followed by emergence in two field experiments. Submergence greatly enhanced shoot elongation, but it also resulted in a low number of viable shoots, lower biomass and consequently in lower plant fitness. The decline in live shoot length started after 3 months of submergence. The shoots produced by submerged plants were thin and would break easily if the water level decreased fast. Photosynthetic activity, as well as respiration rate, was highly reduced in shoots just emerged from complete submergence. The ability of E. cellulosa to retain some level of photosynthesis after emergence is undoubtedly a useful trait in coping with seasonal floods. Submerged plants produced chlorophyll, especially Ch a, for at least a period of 3 months. Shoot regeneration was significantly slower in the case of plants submerged for a longer time, probably due to depleted energy reserves, but there were no significant differences in the total shoot length among treatments after 2 months following the emergence. E. cellulosa demonstrated high tolerance to long-term (more than 4 months) complete submergence and resulting anoxic conditions and showed rather fast recovery after emergence. This can be viewed as an advantageous trait in habitats of rapid and prolonged increases of water level and also after water recedes, when vegetation starts to colonize newly opened space.

Real self and ideal self are seen as important determinants of self-satisfaction or self-acceptance. Specific importance can be ascribed to other self-representations such as the unwanted self, and the self according to significant others. Empirical study was oriented towards the description of subjective importance of the self-modalities (total sample 745 subjects, a mean age 15.8 years). Results indicate a stability of high importance self according to parents, and of the importance of the actual, ideal, and unwanted self of adolescents. Three empirical types were identified: External anchored, less autonomous self-concept (Type 1), autonomously anchored, parents influenced self-concept (Type 2), and autonomously anchored, peers influenced self-concept (Type 3).