Seed germination requirements of the rare Helosciadium repens (aka Apium repens) determine persistence of seeds in the soil seed bank.

The rare and threatened Heliosciadium repens grows in moist grasslands and has a distinct life cycle. Plants reproduce both clonally, although ramets tend to be short-lived, and sexually, with seeds that can form a persistent soil seed bank. The germination requirements of H. repens were investigated, yielding important information for its habitat management and conservation. We examined the soil seed bank in three populations and carried out germination experiments and embryo growth measurements with fresh seeds in laboratory, greenhouse and outdoor conditions. We also investigated the effects of storage and burial of seeds. H. repens formed a long-term persistent (>6 years) soil seed bank with very pronounced primary dormancy, but no secondary dormancy or dormancy cycles. Seeds can germinate throughout the growing season when temperatures are sufficiently high. Embryo growth and seed germination are triggered by light and, to a lesser extent, daily temperature fluctuations. Seeds of H. repens seem to have developed a unique germination syndrome with several strategies to remain dormant in the soil until optimal conditions are present for seedling establishment and survival. Both sexual reproduction and seed bank formation are crucial for the long-term survival of the populations.

The correlation between C-reactive protein and toxic granulation of neutrophils in the peripheral blood.

BACKGROUND: During inflammation, the serum concentrations of granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF), plasma interleukin-6 (IL-6), and C-reactive protein (CRP) increase. A positive correlation between CRP and the percentages of neutrophils exhibiting toxic granulation during inflammation has been demonstrated, and that the fluctuations of CRP and toxic granulation of neutrophils were similar. OBJECTIVES: We studied whether grading of toxic granulated neutrophils can be used as a surrogate marker for infection or inflammation, and also be an easier method than previously described methods. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We graded 357 consecutive peripheral blood slides from patients on whom a full blood count with differential count and CRP level was performed, according to intensity of toxic granulation in the neutrophil population, according to a newly proposed grading system. RESULTS: The CRP range was between 1 and 530.3 mg/l. The results confirm the association between a rise in CRP and progressive intensity of toxic granulation in neutrophils in peripheral blood. Kruskal-Wallis equality of populations rank test showed a statistically significant difference between the graded categories (p=0.0001). The Trend test was also statistically significant (p=0.000). CONCLUSION: The proposed system can be applied to patients with inflammatory or infectious conditions, where grading of toxic granulation of neutrophils can possibly be used as a surrogate marker to assess infection or inflammation and their response to treatment. It may be of particular use in cases where traditional infectious or inflammatory markers cannot be used, owing to inherent problems associated with the respective conditions.