Historical Records and Relics from the North Greenland Coast

Reports recovery of nine records during geological reconnaissance by the Danish party of Operation Grant Land 1966, organized by the Geological Survey of Canada. The oldest is an 1876 copy of a record from 1871, the youngest dates from 1921. Records and relics from the US North Polar Expedition, 1871-73, British Arctic Expedition, 1875-76, US Lady Franklin Bay Expedition, 1881-84, Danish 2nd Thule Expedition, 1916-18, and Danish Bicentenary Jubilee Expedition, 1920-23, are included.Documents et historiques de la côte nord du Groënland. L'auteur rapporte la découverte récente, sur la côte peu fréquentée du nord du Groënland, de neuf documents historiques et de vestiges qui leur sont associés. Le matériel provient de cinq expéditions arctiques de la fin du 19e siècle et du début du 20e, dans la région du chenal de Robeson. On a reproduit en facsimilé des pages de deux de ces documents.&nbsp

Per Schei (1875-1905)

Per Schei, Norwegian geologist and explorer, died a young man. From 1898 to 1902, as a member of Captain Otto Sverdrup's second expedition in the Fram, Schei made his mark on the geological understanding of a vast region of the eastern Canadian High Arctic. Schei died before he could write a detailed report for publication, but by the time of his death, his status as a talented scientist and outstanding expedition man was established. ... In collaboration with Nansen, Sverdrup had decided to explore northernmost Greenland, and possibly to circumnavigate the subcontinent. Using the so-called Smith Sound route, Sverdrup was to direct Fram up the narrow channels separating Greenland and Ellesmere Island and winter in Greenland as far north as possible. These channels, now known as Nares Strait, had been explored by British and American expeditions since the 1850s. Sledge parties from Fram were to delimit the northern part of Greenland and to reach as far south down the east coast as possible. ... However, the Norwegian thrust north in the summer of 1898 was stopped by unfavourable ice conditions in Kane Basin. ... Another attempt the following summer to negotiate Kane Basin was thwarted by ice, and following this Sverdrup sailed Fram southward and westward into Jones Sound to spend the next three winters in southern Ellesmere Island. This was a fortunate decision: it led to the discovery and charting of "New Land" west of Ellesmere Island. Up north, it was left to Peary to prove the insularity of Greenland, in 1900. ... Schei took to expedition life quickly but not without mishap. After an episode of frostbite during early sledging on Bache Peninsula, which necessitated amputation of several toes on each foot, Schei developed into one of the most skillful dogsledge handlers and hunters on the expedition. His courage and dedication could not be overwhelmed by such small disabilities as a stiff leg, lost toes, and short-sightedness. ... Sverdrup's well-organized and coordinated team work produced results unsurpassed in arctic exploration; the group of islands now named the Sverdrup Islands - Axel Heiberg, Ellef and Amund Ringes, King Christian, and smaller islands - were discovered and mapped, and the entire western coast of Ellesmere Island and much of northern Devon Island were charted. Schei participated in some of the longest and most arduous sledge journeys, for example a trip with Sverdrup, during the final sledging campaign of 1902, northward up Nansen Sound to reach the Arctic Ocean and the northwestern tip of Ellesmere Island. ... The geographic and scientific advances achieved by Sverdrup's expedition rank it as one of the most successful in the history of arctic exploration, and Schei returned with a rich geological and paleontological collection from a hitherto unknown region. ... Schei's preliminary accounts appeared in 1903 in several languages, and these papers, although only a few pages each, were regarded by his contemporaries as forming some of the most important contributions ever made to arctic geology. Aware of the mammoth task of dealing with the extensive collection, Schei induced a number of specialists in Europe to identify and systematically describe the fossil assemblages. Only one treatise appeared in Schei's lifetime, but by 1917 ten geological reports had been completed, and Professor Olav Holtedahl concluded the four-volume work with a summary report based on Schei's diaries. One can only wonder how much greater Schei's contribution to arctic geology would have been had he lived. Professor W.C. Brogger noted Schei's decline in health early in 1905. ... Schei died of dropsy, a result of kidney malfunction that was thought at the time to be related to the four strenuous years in the far North. ... Schei can be credited with making the most impressive contribution by a single person to the geological understanding of the Arctic Islands prior to the advent of aircraft

Kennedy Channel and its geophysical lineaments: new evidence that the Wegener Fault is a myth

2010, the year under review, marks the centennial of perhaps the most controversial structure in the Arctic: the Wegener Fault, the 1000-km long fracture that is supposed to underlie Nares Strait and define the north-western margin of an independent Greenland plate (Fig. 1). The seaway between Greenland and Ellesmere Island, Canada, was branded a megashear by Frank Taylor who, purely on physiographic expression, postulated massive Tertiary strike-slip (Taylor 1910). This revolutionary idea fittingly found a place in Alfred Wegener’s theory of continental drift and thereafter in plate-tectonic theory with Greenland drifting hundreds of kilometres from North America along what Tuzo Wilson subsequently dubbed the ‘Wegener Fault’ (Wilson 1963). Today, the concept lives on. In modern palaeogeography, Nares Strait is given a long multiphase dynamic history with collision of Greenland and Canada in the Palaeogene (Fig. 1). A freely drifting Greenland plate unconstrained by ties to North America is now part of conventional wisdom as related in textbooks, review articles and educational material available on the internet. Accordingly, the Wegener Fault is a standard feature in international compilations of world geology (e.g. UNESCO 2010; Fig. 2). Unfortunately, this 100-year acclamation from Taylor (1910) to UNESCO (2010) is fundamentally flawed: the rocks and their relationships at Nares Strait flatly contradict the existence of the structure

The Wolf (Canis lupus) in Greenland: A Historical Review and Present Status

In the past few decades, little information on the wolf (Canis lupus) in Greenland has been published. The decline of the species and its extirpation in the late 1930s from East Greenland is well documented. Since then, there has been a tendency for wolves sighted in the North and East Greenland National Park to be classified as temporary visitors wandering afar from adjacent Canada, with no prospect of survival in Greenland for anything but a short period. In view of the virtual absence of human population in this vast region, that assumption may not be accurate. There is now abundant evidence to indicate that a renewed immigration and dispersal of wolves has been taking place during the last years, with a migration route from Ellesmere Island eastward across North Greenland into Peary Land, and then southward into the fjord region of central East Greenland. The wolf is reoccupying its former range and by the winter of 1983 wolves had reached the Scoresby Sund region - the species' southernmost territory of the 1930s. Examination of the published records and all available unpublished data provides a historical picture of the status of the wolf in Greenland, from which some conclusions can be made regarding populations, pack size, migration routes, feeding habits and travelling distances.Key words: wolf, Canis lupus, Greenland, history, distribution, migration, re-establishment, High ArcticMots clés: loup, Canis lupus, Groenland, histoire, distribution, migration, ré-établissement, nord de l'Arctiqu

Polymorphism in the tumour necrosis factor receptor II gene is associated with circulating levels of soluble tumour necrosis factor receptors in rheumatoid arthritis

Levels of soluble tumour necrosis factor receptors (sTNFRs) are elevated in the circulation of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Although these receptors can act as natural inhibitors of tumour necrosis factor-α, levels of sTNFRs in RA appear to be insufficient to prevent tumour necrosis factor-α induced inflammation. The factors that regulate circulating levels of sTNFRs are unclear, but polymorphisms in the tumour necrosis factor receptor genes may play a role. We investigated the relationship between polymorphisms in the tumour necrosis factor receptor I (TNF-RI) and II (TNF-RII) genes and levels of sTNFRs in two groups of Caucasian RA patients: one with early (disease duration ≤2 years; n = 103) and one with established disease (disease duration ≥5 years; n = 151). PCR restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis was used to genotype patients for the A36G polymorphism in the TNF-RI gene and the T676G polymorphism in TNF-RII. Levels of sTNFRs were measured using ELISA. We also isolated T cells from peripheral blood of 58 patients with established RA with known TNF-R genotypes, and release of sTNFRs into the culture medium was measured in cells incubated with or without phytohaemagglutinin. Serum levels of the two sTNFRs (sTNF-RI and sTNF-RII) were positively correlated in both populations, and the level of each sTNFR was significantly higher in the patients with established disease (P < 0.0001). Multiple regression analyses corrected for age, sex and disease duration revealed a significant trend toward decreasing sTNF-RI and sTNF-RII levels across the TNF-RII genotypes (TT > TG > GG) of patients with established disease (P for trend = 0.01 and P for trend = 0.03, respectively). A similar nonsignificant trend was seen for early disease. No relationship with the TNF-RI A36G polymorphism was observed. sTNFRs released by isolated T cells exhibited a similar trend toward decreasing levels according to TNF-RII genotype, although only the association with levels of sTNF-RII was significant. Strong correlations were found between levels of circulating sTNFRs and levels released by T cells in vitro. Our data indicate that the T676G polymorphism in TNF-RII is associated with levels of sTNFRs released from peripheral blood T cells, and with circulating levels of sTNFR in patients with RA

Healthier side dishes at restaurants: an analysis of children’s perspectives, menu content, and energy impacts

BACKGROUND: Children consume restaurant-prepared foods at high rates, suggesting that interventions and policies targeting consumption of these foods have the potential to improve diet quality and attenuate excess energy intake. One approach to encouraging healthier dietary intake in restaurants is to offer fruits and vegetables (FV) as side dishes, as opposed to traditional, energy-dense accompaniments like French fries. The aims of the current study were to examine: children's views about healthier side dishes at restaurants; current side dish offerings on children's menus at leading restaurants; and potential energy reductions when substituting FV side dishes in place of French fries. METHODS: To investigate children’s attitudes, a survey was administered to a nationally representative sample of U.S. 8- to 18-year-olds (n = 1178). To examine current side dish offerings, children's menus from leading quick service (QSR; n = 10) and full service restaurant chains (FSR; n = 10) were analyzed. Energy reductions that could result from substituting commonly-offered FV side dishes for French fries were estimated using nutrition information corresponding to the children's menu items. RESULTS: Two-thirds of children reported that they would not feel negatively about receiving FV sides instead of French fries with kids' meals. Liking/taste was the most common reason that children gave to explain their attitudes about FV side dishes. Nearly all restaurants offered at least 1 FV side dish option, but at most restaurants (60% of QSR; 70% of FSR), FV sides were never served by default. Substituting FV side dishes for French fries yielded an average estimated energy reduction of at least 170 calories. CONCLUSIONS: Results highlight some healthy trends in the restaurant context, including the majority of children reporting non-negative attitudes about FV side dishes and the consistent availability of FV side dish options at leading QSR and FSR. Yet the minority of restaurants offer these FV sides by default. Promoting creative, appealing FV side dishes can result in healthier, less energy-dense meals for children. Substituting or displacing energy-dense default side dishes with such FV dishes show promise as part of continued, comprehensive efforts to increase the healthfulness of meals consumed by children in restaurant settings

Changes in Lifeguards' Hazard Detection and Eye Movements with Experience: Is One Season Enough?

Surveillance is key to the lifesaving capability of lifeguards. Experienced personnel consistently display enhanced hazard detection capabilities compared to less experienced counterparts. However, the mechanisms which underpin this effect and the time it takes to develop these skills are not understood. We hypothesized that, after one season of experience, the number of hazards detected by, and eye movements of, less experienced lifeguards (LEL) would more closely approximate experienced lifeguards (EL). The LEL watched ‘beach scene’ videos at the beginning and end of their first season. The number of hazards detected and eye-movement data were collected and compared to the EL group. The LEL perceived fewer hazards than EL and did not increase over the season. There was no difference in eye-movements between groups. Findings suggest one season is not enough for lifeguards to develop enhanced hazard detection skills and skill level differences are not underpinned by differences in gaze behavior

Epigenome-wide profiling identifies significant differences in DNA methylation between matched-pairs of T- and B-lymphocytes from healthy individuals

Multiple reports now describe changes to the DNA methylome in rheumatoid arthritis and in many cases have analyzed methylation in mixed cell populations from whole blood. However, these approaches may preclude the identification of cell type-specific methylation, which may subsequently bias identification of disease-specific changes. To address this possibility, we conducted genome-wide DNA methylation profiling using HumanMethylation450 BeadChips to identify differences within matched pairs of T-lymphocytes and B-lymphocytes isolated from the peripheral blood of 10 healthy females. Array data were processed and differential methylation identified using NIMBL software. Validation of array data was performed by bisulfite Pyrosequencing. Genome-wide DNA methylation was initially determined by analysis of LINE-1 sequences and was higher in B-lymphocytes than matched T-lymphocytes (69.8 vs. 65.2%, p ≤ 0.01). Pairwise analysis identified 679 CpGs, representing 250 genes, which were differentially methylated between T-lymphocytes and B-lymphocytes. The majority of sites (76.6%) were hypermethylated in B-lymphocytes. Pyrosequencing of selected candidates confirmed the array data in all cases. Hierarchical clustering revealed perfect segregation of samples into two distinct clusters based on cell type. Differentially methylated genes showed enrichment for biological functions/pathways associated with leukocytes and T-lymphocytes. Our work for the first time shows that T-lymphocytes and B-lymphocytes possess intrinsic differences in DNA methylation within a restricted set of functionally-related genes. These data provide a foundation for investigating DNA methylation in diseases in which these cell types play important and distinct roles

SEND: a system for electronic notification and documentation of vital sign observations

Background: Recognising the limitations of a paper-based approach to documenting vital sign observations and responding to national clinical guidelines, we have explored the use of an electronic solution that could improve the quality and safety of patient care. We have developed a system for recording vital sign observations at the bedside, automatically calculating an Early Warning Score, and saving data such that it is accessible to all relevant clinicians within a hospital trust. We have studied current clinical practice of using paper observation charts, and attempted to streamline the process. We describe our user-focussed design process, and present the key design decisions prior to describing the system in greater detail. Results: The system has been deployed in three pilot clinical areas over a period of 9 months. During this time, vital sign observations were recorded electronically using our system. Analysis of the number of observations recorded (21,316 observations) and the number of active users (111 users) confirmed that the system is being used for routine clinical observations. Feedback from clinical end-users was collected to assess user acceptance of the system. This resulted in a System Usability Scale score of 77.8, indicating high user acceptability. Conclusions: Our system has been successfully piloted, and is in the process of full implementation throughout adult inpatient clinical areas in the Oxford University Hospitals. Whilst our results demonstrate qualitative acceptance of the system, its quantitative effect on clinical care is yet to be evaluated