1038/aja.2010.158; published online 28 March 2011″
“As a result of historical and ecological factors, woody-plant communities are composed of species with different biogeographic origins that presumably diverge in their ability to recruit under variable environments. The aim of this study is to evaluate the

conservation implications of the differences in recruitment of six tree species of different biogeographical origin coexisting in a Mediterranean mountain forest. Under field conditions, we experimentally sowed a total of 16,650 seeds belonging to two Mediterranean (Quercus ilex and Q. pyrenaica), two Sub-Mediterranean (Acer opalus subsp. granatense and AS1842856 research buy Sorbus aria), and two boreo-alpine (Pinus sylvestris and Taxus baccata) species. We selected the three most common successional scenarios where seeds are dispersed (woodland, shrubland, and open areas), and half of the seeds were irrigated simulating a rainy summer in terms of Mediterranean ecosystems. Seedling survival was strongly affected by the type of habitat as well as irrigation. The recruitment of the six species was possible only in wooded areas under wet conditions (20-60%). In shrubland, only Mediterranean and Sub-Mediterranean species recruited in typical dry years (10-50%), but irrigation increased their survival

(25-65%) and allowed P. sylvestris to recruit (32%). Open areas constituted the most adverse scenario for seedling recruitment, especially for

non-watered seedlings (0% for HDAC inhibitors in clinical trials boreo-alpine species, 1-24% for the rest). Overall, the benefit of a wet summer was more critical for the recruitment of boreo-alpine species (P. sylvestris and T. baccata) than for the rest, although a rainy summer is also necessary for the recruitment of A. granatense and S. aria in shrubland habitats. learn more Our experimental results indicate that the maintenance of current species composition in Mediterranean mountain forests is critically dependent on the periodic, scattered occurrence of wet summers. From a conservational standpoint, the predictions of less rainy summers and greater aridity in the future imply a change in the relative abundance of species in the mature forest, with Mediterranean species becoming dominant and boreo-alpine species becoming even rarer and, consequently, a serious threat for the persistence of boreo-alpine species at their southern distribution limit. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“Resistive-switching random access memory (RRAM) using the TiN/AlOx/Pt stack is fabricated with a 50 nm x 50 nm active area. The bipolar switching characteristic is observed using TiN as an anode and RESET current as low as sub-20 mu A was achieved by using a current-limiting transistor as a selection device (1T1R) during the SET process. HRS to LRS ratio of 10(3) for 10(3) DC endurance test cycles is demonstrated. Switching time less than 10 ns was observed for both SET/RESET operations.