133 research outputs found
The distribution of the xenophyophore Syringammina fragilissima in the northeast Atlantic and its influence on the diversity of bathyal foraminiferal assemblages
Factors determining the risk of diabetes foot amputations - a retrospective analysis of a tertiary diabetes foot care service
Aims: To identify which factors predict the need for minor or major amputation in patients attending a multidisciplinary diabetic foot clinic. Methods: A retrospective analysis of patients who attended over a 27 month period were included. Patients had to have attended â„3 consecutive consultant led clinic appointments within 6 months. Data was collected on HbA1c, clinic attendance, blood pressure, peripheral arterial disease (PAD), and co-morbidities. Patients were followed up for 1 year. Results: 165 patients met the inclusion criteria. 121 were male. 33 patients had amputations. There was an association between poor glycaemic control at baseline and risk of amputation when adjusted for other factors, with those patients having HbA1c â€58 at less risk of amputation with an odds of 0.14 (0.04 to 0.53) of amputation(p = 0.0036). Other statistically significant factors predictive of amputation were: missing clinic appointments (p = 0.0079); a high Charlson index (p = 0.03314); hypertension (p = 0.0216). No previous revascularisation was protective against amputation (p = 0.0035). However PAD was not seen to be statistically significant, although our results indicated a lower risk of amputation with no PAD. Overall, 34.9% (n = 58) of patients had good glycaemic control (HbA1c <58 mmol/mol) at baseline & 81.3% (n = 135) had improved their glycaemic control at their last follow up appointment. Conclusions: In this cohort poor glycaemic control, poor attendance, previous revascularisation & hypertension were associated with higher risk of amputation, with PAD showing a trend. Moreover, we demonstrated benefits in glycaemic control achieved by attending this DFC, which is likely to translate to longer term diabetes related health benefits
Concept of Formation Length in Radiation Theory
The features of electromagnetic processes are considered which connected with
finite size of space region in which final particles (photon, electron-positron
pair) are formed. The longitudinal dimension of the region is known as the
formation length. If some external agent is acting on an electron while
traveling this distance the emission process can be disrupted. There are
different agents: multiple scattering of projectile, polarization of a medium,
action of external fields, etc. The theory of radiation under influence of the
multiple scattering, the Landau-Pomeranchuk-Migdal (LPM) effect, is presented.
The probability of radiation is calculated with an accuracy up to "next to
leading logarithm" and with the Coulomb corrections taken into account. The
integral characteristics of bremsstrahlung are given, it is shown that the
effective radiation length increases due to the LPM effect at high energy. The
LPM effect for pair creation is also presented. The multiple scattering
influences also on radiative corrections in a medium (and an external field
too) including the anomalous magnetic moment of an electron and the
polarization tensor as well as coherent scattering of a photon in a Coulomb
field. The polarization of a medium alters the radiation probability in soft
part of spectrum. Specific features of radiation from a target of finite
thickness include: the boundary photon emission, interference effects for thin
target, multi-photon radiation. The experimental study of LPM effect is
described. For electron-positron colliding beams following items are discussed:
the separation of coherent and incoherent mechanisms of radiation, the
beam-size effect in bremsstrahlung, coherent radiation and mechanisms of
electron-positron creation.Comment: Revised review paper, 96 pages, 28 figures. Description of SLAC E-146
experiment removed, discussion of CERN SPS experiment adde
Living (Rose-Bengal-stained) benthic foraminiferal faunas along a strong bottom-water oxygen gradient on the Indian margin (Arabian Sea)
Rose-Bengal-stained foraminiferal assemblages (> 150 ÎŒm) were analysed along a five-station bathymetric transect across the core and the lower part of the oxygen minimum zone (OMZ) on the Indian margin of the Arabian Sea. Sediment cores were collected using the manned submersible Shinkai 6500 during the RV Yokosuka cruise YK08-11 in the post-monsoon season (October 2008) at water depths ranging from 535 to 2000 m, along a gradient from almost anoxic to well-oxygenated (0.3 to 108 ÎŒM) bottom waters. Stained benthic foraminifera were investigated from two different size fractions (150â300 ÎŒm and > 300 ÎŒm). Stained foraminiferal densities were very high in the core of the OMZ (at 535 and 649 m) and decreased at deeper sites. The faunas (> 150 ÎŒm) were dominated (40â80 %) by non-calcareous taxa at all stations. These were mainly species of Reophax and Lagenammina but also included delicate monothalamous taxa (organic-walled "allogromiids", agglutinated saccamminids, psammosphaerids and tubular forms). These new data from the Indian margin are compared to previous studies from the Murray Ridge, the Pakistan margin and the Oman margin. The fact that similar species were found at sites with comparable bottom-water oxygen concentrations but with very different surface water productivity suggests that, within the strongly developed Arabian Sea OMZ, bottom-water oxygen concentration, and not the organic flux to the sea floor, is the main factor controlling the species composition of the foraminiferal communities. Several foraminiferal species (e.g. Praeglobobulimina sp. 1, Ammodiscus sp. 1, Bolivina aff. dilatata) were confined to the core of the OMZ. These species are presently known only from the Arabian Sea. Because of their association with extremely low oxygen concentrations, these species may be good markers for very low oxygen concentrations, and could be used to reconstruct past OMZ variability in the Arabian Sea
The trophic and metabolic pathways of foraminifera in the Arabian Sea: evidence from cellular stable isotopes
The Arabian Sea is a region of elevated productivity with the highest globally recorded fluxes of particulate organic matter (POM) to the deep ocean, providing an abundant food source for fauna at the seafloor. However, benthic communities are also strongly influenced by an intense oxygen minimum zone (OMZ), which impinges on the continental slope from 100 to 1000 m water depth. We compared the trophic ecology of foraminifera on the Oman and Pakistan margins of the Arabian Sea (140â3185 m water depth). These two margins are contrasting both in terms of the abundance of sedimentary organic matter and the intensity of the OMZ. Organic carbon concentrations of surficial sediments were higher on the Oman margin (3.32 ± 1.4%) compared to the Pakistan margin (2.45 ± 1.1%) and sedimentary organic matter (SOM) quality estimated from the Hydrogen Index was also higher on the Oman margin (300â400 mg HC mg TOCâ1) compared to the Pakistan margin (< 250 mg HC mg TOCâ1). The ÎŽ13C and ÎŽ15N values of sediments were similar on both margins (â20 and 8â°, respectively). Stable isotope analysis (SIA) showed that foraminiferal cells had a wide range of ÎŽ13C values (â25.5 to â11.5â°), implying that they utilise multiple food sources; indeed ÎŽ13C values varied between depths, foraminiferal types and between the two margins. Foraminifera had broad ranges in ÎŽ15N values (â7.8 to 27.3â°). The enriched values suggest that some species may store nitrate to utilise in respiration; this was most notable on the Pakistan margin. Depleted foraminiferal ÎŽ15N values, particularly at the Oman margin, may reflect feeding on chemosynthetic bacteria. We suggest that differences in productivity regimes may be responsible for the differences observed in foraminiferal isotopic composition. In addition, at the time of sampling, whole jellyfish carcasses (Crambionella orsini) and a carpet of jelly detritus were observed across the Oman margin transect. Associated chemosynthetic bacteria may have provided an organic-rich food source for foraminifera at these sites. Our data suggest that foraminifera in OMZ settings can utilise a variety of food sources and metabolic pathways to meet their energetic demands
Benthic foraminifera from the Arabian Sea oxygen minimum zone: towards a paleo-oxygenation proxy
Contribution de la culture des foraminifÚres benthiques à la calibration de proxies paléocéanographiques
Grùce aux connaissances acquises sur les conditions idéales de culture de différentes espÚces de foraminifÚres benthiques, il est désormais possible de réaliser des calibrations de proxies paléocéanographiques en laboratoire. Plusieurs expériences ont déjà été réalisées :
1) Calibration du ÎŽ18O de foraminifĂšres benthiques profonds (Barras et al., 2010)
La culture de Bulimina marginata en conditions contrĂŽlĂ©es Ă diffĂ©rentes tempĂ©ratures (4 Ă 19°C) a permis de dĂ©montrer que lâeffet de la tempĂ©rature sur le ÎŽ18O de cette espĂšce est semblable Ă lâeffet thermodynamique enregistrĂ© pour la calcite inorganique. Nous avons pu mettre en Ă©vidence Ă©galement un effet ontogĂ©nĂ©tique non nĂ©gligeable pour les Ă©tudes de reconstitutions palĂ©oclimatiques.
2) Calibration du Mg/Ca de coquilles de Hyalinea balthica (Rosenthal et al., 2011)
La calcification de nouvelles loges de H. balthica Ă diffĂ©rentes tempĂ©ratures (8, 10 et 13°C) a permis de mesurer, Ă lâaide de lâablation laser ICP-MS, un effet dâenviron 12%/°C sur la concentration en Mg/Ca. Ces rĂ©sultats confirment la calibration in situ rĂ©alisĂ©e pour cette espĂšce qui se trouve avoir une sensibilitĂ© 4 fois supĂ©rieure Ă celle des autres espĂšces benthiques profondes.
3) Effet de la salinitĂ© sur le ÎŽ18O, le Mg/Ca et le Sr/Ca dâune espĂšce cĂŽtiĂšre (Diz et al., 2012)
La culture dâAmmonia tepida en conditions contrĂŽlĂ©es Ă diffĂ©rentes salinitĂ©s (29.8, 32.2, 35.5) nâa pas montrĂ© dâeffet significatif de ce paramĂštre sur la composition isotopique et en Ă©lĂ©ments traces de la calcite. Par contre, ces expĂ©riences ont permis de mettre en Ă©vidence un effet de la taille des individus sur la composition en Sr/Ca et une forte variabilitĂ© des mesures de Mg/Ca entre les coquilles dâindividus ayant calcifiĂ© dans les mĂȘmes conditions.
4) Effet de la nourriture sur le ÎŽ13C dâespĂšces intertidales (Mojtahid et al., 2011)
Des expĂ©riences menĂ©es en laboratoire sur des coquilles adultes de Hyanesina germanica et A. beccarii avec de la nourriture labĂ©lisĂ©e radioactivement (3H et 14C) ont montrĂ© que trĂšs peu de carbone ingĂ©rĂ© est incorporĂ© dans la coquille. Cependant, aucun des spĂ©cimens nâa formĂ© de nouvelles loges pendant les expĂ©riences ce qui ne permet pas une conclusion dĂ©finitive sur lâinfluence de la nourriture sur la signature isotopique de la calcite. Ceci ouvre les portes Ă dâautres expĂ©riences sur des juvĂ©niles avec le mĂȘme protocole qui sâest avĂ©rĂ© trĂšs appropriĂ©.
Ces Ă©tudes ont dĂ©montrĂ© lâutilitĂ© de rĂ©aliser des calibrations de proxies en laboratoire. Nous prĂ©voyons de poursuivre ce travail en travaillant au dĂ©veloppement de nouveaux proxies de palĂ©o-oxygĂ©nation grĂące au programme de recherche rĂ©gional MADONA
Patterns of eukaryotic diversity from the surface to the deep-ocean sediment
Remote deep-ocean sediment (DOS) ecosystems are among the least explored biomes on Earth. Genomic assessments of their biodiversity have failed to separate indigenous benthic organisms from sinking plankton. Here, we compare global-scale eukaryotic DNA metabarcoding datasets (18S-V9) from abyssal and lower bathyal surficial sediments and euphotic and aphotic ocean pelagic layers to distinguish plankton from benthic diversity in sediment material. Based on 1685 samples collected throughout the world ocean, we show that DOS diversity is at least threefold that in pelagic realms, with nearly two-thirds represented by abundant yet unknown eukaryotes. These benthic communities are spatially structured by ocean basins and particulate organic carbon (POC) flux from the upper ocean. Plankton DNA reaching the DOS originates from abundant species, with maximal deposition at high latitudes. Its seafloor DNA signature predicts variations in POC export from the surface and reveals previously overlooked taxa that may drive the biological carbon pump
Is the meiofauna a good indicator for climate change and anthropogenic impacts?
Our planet is changing, and one of the most pressing challenges facing the scientific community revolves around understanding how ecological communities respond to global changes. From coastal to deep-sea ecosystems, ecologists are exploring new areas of research to find model organisms that help predict the future of life on our planet. Among the different categories of organisms, meiofauna offer several advantages for the study of marine benthic ecosystems. This paper reviews the advances in the study of meiofauna with regard to climate change and anthropogenic impacts. Four taxonomic groups are valuable for predicting global changes: foraminifers (especially calcareous forms), nematodes, copepods and ostracods. Environmental variables are fundamental in the interpretation of meiofaunal patterns and multistressor experiments are more informative than single stressor ones, revealing complex ecological and biological interactions. Global change has a general negative effect on meiofauna, with important consequences on benthic food webs. However, some meiofaunal species can be favoured by the extreme conditions induced by global change, as they can exhibit remarkable physiological adaptations. This review highlights the need to incorporate studies on taxonomy, genetics and function of meiofaunal taxa into global change impact research
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