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Background and Aims Some plants germinate their seeds enclosed by a pericarp, whereas others lack the outer packaging. As a maternal tissue, the pericarp might impart seeds with different germination strategies. Plants in a community with different flowering times might separately disperse and germinate their seeds; therefore, flowering time can be considered as one manifestation of maternal effects on the offspring. The mass of the seed is another important factor influencing germination and represents the intrinsic resource of the seed that supports germination. Using seeds from a species-rich alpine meadow located in the Hengduan Mountains of China, a global biodiversity hotspot, we aimed to illustrate whether and how the type of seed (with or without a pericarp) modulates the interaction of flowering time and seed mass with germination. Methods Seeds were germinated in generally favourable conditions, and the speed of germination [estimated by mean germination time (MGT)] was calculated. We quantified the maternal conditions by separation of flowering time for 67 species in the meadow, of which 31 produced seeds with pericarps and 36 yielded seeds without pericarps. We also weighed 100 seeds of each species to assess their mass. Key Results The MGT varied between the two types of seeds. For seeds with pericarps, MGT was associated with flowering time but not with seed mass. Plants with earlier flowering times in the meadow exhibited more rapid seed germination. For seeds without a pericarp, the MGT depended on seed mass, with smaller seeds germinating more rapidly than larger seeds. Conclusions The distinct responses of germination to flowering time and seed mass observed in seeds with and without a pericarp suggest that germination strategies might be mother-reliant for seeds protected by pericarps but self-reliant for those without such protection. This new finding improves our understanding of seed germination by integrating ecologically mediated maternal conditions and inherent genetic properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To explore the effectiveness of team-based learning(TBL) methods in internal medicine. Methods The study enrolled volunteer medical students of grade 2014 from Peking Union Medical College who were in internal medicine clerkship and had a TBL course every week. After four-month teaching, anonymous questionnaires were used to investigate students' feedback on the learning method, and then statistics and evaluation were conducted. Results A total of 30 valid questionnaires were received, and more than 50% of the students believed that TBL teaching could help them grasp the professional knowledge and improve clinical abilities. Through the students' feedback, TBL in promoting independent thinking, ability to communicate with patients’ families, medical skills, professional knowledge learning, etc., the proportion of definite agreement and agreement were 100%; In team cooperation, expression ability and independent learning ability, etc., the proportion of definite agreement and agreement were 90.0%-96.7%. In addition, the stimulating interest in learning, easy to master the knowledge and skills, totally proportion of definite agreement and agreement were less than 90%, which need to beimproved in the future. Conclusions TBL teaching may not only improve the students' learning enthusiasm and learning outcomes, but also strengthen the students' interpersonal communication capacity and team spirit. This method may be shared by other education institutions.

In deep tunnels with hydro-geological conditions, it is paramount to investigate the geological structure of the region before excavating a tunnel; otherwise, unanticipated accidents may cause serious damage and delay the project. The purpose of this study is to investigate the geological properties ahead of a tunnel face using electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) and tunnel seismic prediction (TSP) methods. During construction of the Nosoud Tunnel located in western Iran, ERT and TSP 303 methods were employed to predict geological conditions ahead of the tunnel face. In this article, the results of applying these methods are discussed. In this case, we have compared the results of the ERT method with those of the TSP 303 method. This work utilizes seismic methods and electrical tomography as two geophysical techniques are able to detect rock properties ahead of a tunnel face. This study shows that although the results of these two methods are in good agreement with each other, the results of TSP 303 are more accurate and higher quality. Also, we believe that using another geophysical method, in addition to TSP 303, could be helpful in making decisions in support of excavation, especially in complicated geological conditions.

Objective To establish a duty competency evaluation system in Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH) which can stratify residents based on their performance and authenticate the ability to practice medicine independently on duty. Methods Residents enrolled from PUMCH Internal Medicine Training program in 2017 and 2018 were evaluated for duty competency, the number of test and time needed to pass the test were analyzed. Results The numbers of tests needed to pass were not statistically significant(χ2=9.12,P＞0.05)in postdoctoral residents, undergraduate residents and residents from Beijing training base. Time needed to pass exam showed difference(χ2=96.27,P＜0.05) in the three resident groups. The results showed that this exam helped to stratify residents. Most residents passed exam after 6 months' internship and was competent for independ practice on duty. Conclusions In standardized training of residents, duty competency evaluation system can help to assess their capability on duty, and stratified training will help residents fulfill improvement and assure clinical safety. Residents from Beijing training base needed more clinical teaching based on their performance on the exam. Most residents passed the exam after training.