The last interglacial in the northern North Atlantic and adjacent areas: evidence for a more zonal climate than during the Holocene

We document climate conditions from the last interglacial optimum (LIO) or marine isotope stage 5e (MIS 5e) from terrestrial and oceanic sedimentary archives. Terrestrial climate conditions are reconstructed from pollen assemblages, whereas sea-surface temperature and salinity conditions are estimated from dinocyst assemblages and foraminiferal data (both assemblages and stable isotope composition of carbonate shells). LIO data from the eastern Canadian Arctic and northern Labrador Sea led to reconstruct much higher summer air temperature and seasurface temperature than at present by about 5°C. Data from southeastern Canada and southern Labrador Sea also suggest more thermophilic vegetation and warmer conditions although the contrast between LIO and the Holocene is of lesser amplitude. On the whole, the terrestrial and marine data sets from the northwest North Atlantic and adjacent lands suggest limited influence of southward flow from Arctic waters through the east Greenland and Labrador Currents as compared to the modern situation. The compilation of sea-surface reconstructions from the northwest and northeast North Atlantic indicate much reduced longitudinal contrasts of temperatures than at present, thus a more zonal pattern of circulation. The reconstructions also indicate a lower sea-surface salinity than at present, thus stronger stratification of upper water masses, which would be compatible with a reduced North Atlantic deep-water formation

Le till pollinifère de la péninsule du Nunavik, Québec septentrionnal

Des concentrations polliniques étonnamment élevées ont été notées dans le till en périphérie du cratère du Nouveau-Québec (Richard et al., 1991; Frechette, 1994). Nous avons posé l'hypothèse selon laquelle le till situé près de la ligne de partage glaciaire est plus riche en pollen que les tills qui en sont éloignés. L'hypothèse est ici vérifiée. En effet, le till du centre du Nunavik, près de la ligne de partage glaciaire, recèle des concentrations polliniques de l'ordre de ~31 000 grains/g, alors que ceux plus à l'est et plus à l'ouest ont des valeurs moyennes respectives de ~8500 grains/g et de ~6800 grains/g. Les sédiments du centre du Nunavik ont pu être préservés d'une érosion glaciaire intense, de sorte que le pollen accumulé au cours des interstadiaires et interglaciaires antérieurs a pu être conservé puis recyclé. À première vue, les spectres polliniques du till de la péninsule du Nunavik reproduisent à peu près la biogéographie contemporaine. Les assemblages polliniques du till plus au nord semblent être le reflet d'une toundra herbacée, alors que ceux du till plus au sud s'approcheraient plutôt d'une représentation de toundra arbustive. L'analyse des composantes principales a permis de comparer les assemblages polliniques du till à ceux des sédiments de surface des lacs environnants. Les résultats soulignent l'absence d'analogues contemporains de même qu'ils laissent voir des différences dans la répartition ou l'étendue des zones bioclimatiques pré-wisconsiniennes.Exceptionally high pollen concentrations have been noted in till in the vicinity of the Nouveau-Québec crater (Richard et al., 1991; Frechette, 1994). We have proposed as an explanation the hypothesis that till near the ice divide is polliniferous. This present hypothesis is tested in parts of the Nunavik crossed by the Payne ice divide. Close to the ice divide, till shows pollen concentrations in the order of ~31 000 grains/g whereas tills at a distance eastward and westward have mean values of 8500 grains/g and 6800 grains/g respectively. Deposits near the ice divide zone of Nunavik may have escaped significant glacial erosion and thus pollen that had accumulated during previous interstadials and interglacials may have been preserved and recycled in till. Pollen spectra of till throughout Nunavik reflects only approximately the modern biogeography, ranging from herb-tundra in the north to shrub-tundra in the south. Main components analysis has allowed comparison between till samples and neighbouring lacustrine surface sediments; based on that comparison the pollen assemblages of the till samples have no modern analogs which suggests some shifting in the distribution of the pre-Wisconsinan bioclimatic zones.Erstaunlich hohe Pollen-Konzentrationen wurdem im Till in der Nâhe des Kraters von Nouveau-Québec festgestellt (Richard et al., 1991; Frechette 1994). Wir haben die Hypothèse aufgestellt, daB das nahe bei der glazialen Eisscheide gelegene Till reicher an Pollen ist, als die von ihr entfemten Tills. Die Hypothèse wird in diesem Beitrag ûberprùft. In der Tat enthâlt das Till aus dem Zentrum von Nunavik nahe bei der glazialen Eisscheide Pollen-Konzentrationen der GrôBenordung -31 000 Korner/g, wogegen die mehr Ôstlich und westlich gelegenen mittlere Werte von -8500 Kôrner/ g bzw. -6800 Korner/g haben. Die Sedimente aus dem Zentrum von Nunavik konnten vor einer intensiven glazialen Erosion bewahrt werden, so daB der wâhrend der vorher-gehenden lnterstadiale und Interglaziale angesammelte Pollen erhalten und wieder-verwendet werden konnte. Auf den ersten Blick entsprechen die Pollen-Spektren vom Till der Halbinsel Nunavik ungefàhr der heutigen Biogeographie. Die Pollen-Einheiten vom mehr nôrdlichen Till scheinen eine Pflanzen-Tundra zu spiegeln, wogegen diejenigen vom sudlicheren Till eher einer Busch-Tundra gleichen. Die Analyse der Hauptbestandteile erlaubte die Polleneinheiten des Tills mit denen der Oberflàchensedimente der umliegenden Seen zu vergleichen. Die Ergebnisse heben das Fehlen gegenwàrtiger Entsprechungen hervor und lassen auch Unterschiede in der Verteilung oder Ausbreitung der bioklimatischen Zonen im Vor-Wisconsinium erkennen

Pretreatment serum albumin as a predictor of cancer survival: A systematic review of the epidemiological literature

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>There are several methods of assessing nutritional status in cancer of which serum albumin is one of the most commonly used. In recent years, the role of malnutrition as a predictor of survival in cancer has received considerable attention. As a result, it is reasonable to investigate whether serum albumin has utility as a prognostic indicator of cancer survival in cancer. This review summarizes all available epidemiological literature on the association between pretreatment serum albumin levels and survival in different types of cancer.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A systematic search of the literature using the MEDLINE database (January 1995 through June 2010) to identify epidemiologic studies on the relationship between serum albumin and cancer survival. To be included in the review, a study must have: been published in English, reported on data collected in humans with any type of cancer, had serum albumin as <it>one of the </it>or <it>only </it>predicting factor, had survival as one of the outcome measures (primary or secondary) and had any of the following study designs (case-control, cohort, cross-sectional, case-series prospective, retrospective, nested case-control, ecologic, clinical trial, meta-analysis).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Of the 29 studies reviewed on cancers of the gastrointestinal tract, all except three found higher serum albumin levels to be associated with better survival in multivariate analysis. Of the 10 studies reviewed on lung cancer, all excepting one found higher serum albumin levels to be associated with better survival. In 6 studies reviewed on female cancers and multiple cancers each, lower levels of serum albumin were associated with poor survival. Finally, in all 8 studies reviewed on patients with other cancer sites, lower levels of serum albumin were associated with poor survival.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Pretreatment serum albumin levels provide useful prognostic significance in cancer. Accordingly, serum albumin level could be used in clinical trials to better define the baseline risk in cancer patients. A critical gap for demonstrating causality, however, is the absence of clinical trials demonstrating that raising albumin levels by means of intravenous infusion or by hyperalimentation decreases the excess risk of mortality in cancer.</p

Longitudinal study of childhood sleep trajectories and adolescent mental health problems

Abstract Study objective To investigate whether childhood sleep trajectories are associated with mental health symptoms such as social phobia, generalized anxiety, depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), conduct problems, and opposition at age 15. Methods A total of 2120 children took part in the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development. Childhood sleep trajectories were computed from maternal reports at 2.5, 3.5, 4, 6, 8, 10, and/or 12 years. At age 15, 1446 adolescents filled out mental health and sleep questions. A path analysis model was assessed in the full sample. Results Four childhood nocturnal sleep duration trajectories were identified: (1) a short pattern (7.5%), (2) a short-increasing pattern (5.8%), (3) a 10 hours pattern (50.7%), and (4) an 11 hours pattern (36.0%). Three childhood sleep latency trajectories were found: (1) a short pattern (31.7%), (2) an intermediate pattern (59.9%), and (3) a long pattern (8.4%). Finally, two childhood wakefulness after sleep-onset trajectories were found: (1) a normative pattern (73.0%) and (2) a long pattern (27.0%). The path analysis model indicated that children following a long childhood sleep latency trajectory were more likely to experience symptoms of depression (β = 0.06, 95% CI: 0.01 to 0.12), ADHD (β = 0.07, 95% CI: 0.02 to 0.13), conduct problems (β = 0.05, 95% CI: 0.00 to 0.10) and opposition (β = 0.08, 95% CI: 0.02 to 0.13) at age 15. Conclusions This longitudinal study revealed that children presenting a long sleep latency throughout childhood are at greater risk of symptoms of depression, ADHD, conduct problems, and opposition in adolescence

Behavior in behavioral strategy : capturing, measuring, analyzing

Measuring behavior requires research methods that can capture observed outcomes and expose underlying processes and mechanisms. In this chapter, we present a toolbox of instruments and techniques we designed experimental tasks to simulate decision environments and capture behavior. We deployed protocol analysis and text analysis to examine the underlying cognitive processes. In combination, these can simultaneously grasp antecedents, outcomes, processes, and mechanisms. We applied them to collect rich behavioral data on two key topics in strategic management: the exploration–exploitation trade-off and strategic risk-taking. This mix of methods is particularly useful in describing actual behavior as it is, not as it should be, replacing assumptions with data and offering a finer-grained perspective of strategic decision-making

Temporal and spatial variability in stable isotope ratios of SPM link to local hydrography and longer term SPM averages suggest heavy dependence of mussels on nearshore production

Temporal changes in hydrography affect suspended particulate matter (SPM) composition and distribution in coastal systems, potentially influencing the diets of suspension feeders. Temporal variation in SPM and in the diet of the mussel Perna perna, were investigated using stable isotope analysis. The δ13C and δ15 N ratios of SPM, mussels and macroalgae were determined monthly, with SPM samples collected along a 10 km onshore–offshore transect, over 14 months at Kenton-on-Sea, on the south coast of South Africa. Clear nearshore (0 km) to offshore (10 km) carbon depletion gradients were seen in SPM during all months and extended for 50 km offshore on one occasion. Carbon enrichment of coastal SPM in winter (June–August 2004 and May 2005) indicated temporal changes in the nearshore detrital pool, presumably reflecting changes in macroalgal detritus, linked to local changes in coastal hydrography and algal seasonality. Nitrogen patterns were less clear, with SPM enrichment seen between July and October 2004 from 0 to 10 km. Nearshore SPM demonstrated cyclical patterns in carbon over 24-h periods that correlated closely with tidal cycles and mussel carbon signatures, sampled monthly, demonstrated fluctuations that could not be correlated to seasonal or monthly changes in SPM. Macroalgae showed extreme variability in isotopic signatures, with no discernable patterns. IsoSource mixing models indicated over 50% reliance of mussel tissue on nearshore carbon, highlighting the importance of nearshore SPM in mussel diet. Overall, carbon variation in SPM at both large and small temporal scales can be related to hydrographic processes, but is masked in mussels by long-term isotope integration