Beauty Within the Earth

Non-fiction by Francis Huebe

Pollen from Moss Polsters on the Mat of Lac Shaw Bog, Quebec, Correlated with a Forest Survey

Pollen analysts have always been haunted by the uncertainty of pollen representation proportionate to the forest complex they were to represent, and comparatively little work has been done on this important problem. Caroll investigated the problem in the Great Smoky Mountain area, Hansen in a western forest region, and Cain in 1953 began an extensive piece of work covering a wide geographical area. His plan was to associate moss polster pollen representation with basal area of trees in 1/10 to two acre plots. The present writers felt that such an approach does not well harmonize with the modus operandi in nature, when pollen settles out on the open surface of a lake or on a bog mat. They further felt that most of the plots (1/10 acre) were too small a unit on which to base the composite pollen rain of a given region, especially when the aim is to determine the over- and under-representation of certain genera. So it was planned to select a natural situation, i.e. an open bog mat and a more extensive analysis of the bordering forest, and to associate with such quadrat study pollen percentages obtained from moss polsters. The small Lac Shaw bog, one and a half miles south of the Mont Tremblant Biological Station, seemed ideally suited to such a study, especially since Potzger and Cortemanche had already presented a pollen profile from this bog

Phytochemical and genetic analyses of ancient cannabis from Central Asia

The Yanghai Tombs near Turpan, Xinjiang-Uighur Autonomous Region, China have recently been excavated to reveal the 2700-year-old grave of a Caucasoid shaman whose accoutrements included a large cache of cannabis, superbly preserved by climatic and burial conditions. A multidisciplinary international team demonstrated through botanical examination, phytochemical investigation, and genetic deoxyribonucleic acid analysis by polymerase chain reaction that this material contained tetrahydrocannabinol, the psychoactive component of cannabis, its oxidative degradation product, cannabinol, other metabolites, and its synthetic enzyme, tetrahydrocannabinolic acid synthase, as well as a novel genetic variant with two single nucleotide polymorphisms. The cannabis was presumably employed by this culture as a medicinal or psychoactive agent, or an aid to divination. To our knowledge, these investigations provide the oldest documentation of cannabis as a pharmacologically active agent, and contribute to the medical and archaeological record of this pre-Silk Road culture

Pollen and Phytoliths from Fired Ancient Potsherds as Potential Indicators for Deciphering Past Vegetation and Climate in Turpan, Xinjiang, NW China

It is demonstrated that palynomorphs can occur in fired ancient potsherds when the firing temperature was under 350°C. Pollen and phytoliths recovered from incompletely fired and fully fired potsherds (ca. 2700 yrs BP) from the Yanghai Tombs, Turpan, Xinjiang, NW China can be used as potential indicators for reconstructing past vegetation and corresponding climate in the area. The results show a higher rate of recovery of pollen and phytoliths from incompletely fired potsherds than from fully fired ones. Charred phytoliths recovered from both fully fired and incompletely fired potsherds prove that degree and condition of firing result in a permanent change in phytolith color. The palynological data, together with previous data of macrobotanical remains from the Yanghai Tombs, suggest that temperate vegetation and arid climatic conditions dominated in the area ca. 2700 yrs BP

Oral abstracts 1: SpondyloarthropathiesO1. Detecting axial spondyloarthritis amongst primary care back pain referrals

Background: Inflammatory back pain (IBP) is an early feature of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and its detection offers the prospect of early diagnosis of AS. However, since back pain is very common but only a very small minority of back pain sufferers have ASpA or AS, screening of back pain sufferers for AS is problematic. In early disease radiographs are often normal so that fulfilment of diagnostic criteria for AS is impossible though a diagnosis of axial SpA can be made if MRI evidence of sacroiliitis is present. This pilot study was designed to indicate whether a cost-effective pick up rate for ASpA/early AS could be achieved by identifying adults with IBP stratified on the basis of age. Methods: Patients aged between 18 and 45 years who were referred to a hospital physiotherapy service with back pain of more than 3 months duration were assessed for IBP. All were asked to complete a questionnaire based on the Berlin IBP criteria. Those who fulfilled IBP criteria were also asked to complete a second short questionnaire enquiring about SpA comorbidities, to have a blood test for HLA-B27 and CRP level and to undergo an MRI scan of the sacroiliac joints. This was a limited scan, using STIR, diffusion-weighted, T1 and T2 sequences of the sacroiliac joints to minimize time in the scanner and cost. The study was funded by a research grant from Abbott Laboratories Ltd. Results: 50 sequential patients agreed to participate in the study and completed the IBP questionnaire. Of these 27 (54%) fulfilled criteria for IBP. Of these, 2 patients reported a history of an SpA comorbidity - 1 psoriasis; 1 ulcerative colitis - and 3 reported a family history of an SpA comorbidity - 2 psoriasis; 1 Crohn's disease. 4 were HLA-B27 positive, though results were not available for 7. Two patients had marginally raised CRP levels (6, 10 -NR ≤ 5). 19 agreed to undergo MRI scanning of the sacroiliac joints and lumbar spine; 4 scans were abnormal, showing evidence of bilateral sacroiliitis on STIR sequences. In all cases the changes met ASAS criteria but were limited. Of these 4 patients 3 were HLA-B27 positive but none gave a personal or family history of an SpA-associated comorbidity and all had normal CRP levels. Conclusions: This was a pilot study yielding only limited conclusions. However, it is clear that: Screening of patients referred for physiotherapy for IBP is straightforward, inexpensive and quick. It appears that IBP is more prevalent in young adults than overall population data suggest so that targeting this population may be efficient. IBP questionnaires could be administered routinely during a physiotherapy assessment. HLA-B27 testing in this group of patients with IBP is a suitable screening tool. The sacroiliac joint changes identified were mild and their prognostic significance is not yet clear so that the value of early screening needs further evaluation. Disclosure statement: C.H. received research funding for this study from Abbott. A.K. received research funding for this study, and speaker and consultancy fees, from Abbott. All other authors have declared no conflicts of interes

Thoughts on the Early Lycopsids and Zosterophylls

Volume: 79Start Page: 474End Page: 49

Additional observations on Zosterophyllum yunnanicum Hsu from the Lower Devonian of Yunnan, China

Investigation of unfigured specimens in the original collection of Zosterophyllum yunnanicum Hsu, 1966 from the Lower Devonian (upper Pragian to basal Emsian) Xujiachong Formation, Qujing District, Yunnan, China has provided further data on both sporangial and stem anatomy. We show that the sporangia dehisced into more or less equal valves through a mechanism that involved the development of large thick-walled cells. Furthermore the coalified xylem is composed of tracheids with G-type thickenings (predominantly annular secondary thickenings with small circular to irregular perforations in the intervening wall), confirming the presence of this form of vascular element in the genus Zosterophyllum. The species diagnosis is emended. Characterisation of dehiscence mechanisms in fossil sporangia is complicated by their different modes of preservation. A brief critical survey of the marginal features in bivalved sporangia in zosterophylls and other selected species is followed by a discussion on their putative functional significance. Preservation notwithstanding, we identify clear differences in mechanisms related to the nature of the underlying cellular structure of the dehiscence feature. The distinctive groove present in many species might represent a mechanism for regulating the timing of dehiscence in response to atmospheric conditions. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Additional observations on Zosterophyllum yunnicum Hsü from the Lower Devonian of Yunnan, China

Investigation of unfigured specimens in the original collection of Zosterophyllum yunnanicum Hsü, 1966 from the Lower Devonian (upper Pragian to basal Emsian) Xujiachong Formation, Qujing District, Yunnan, China has provided further data on both sporangial and stem anatomy. We show that the sporangia dehisced into more or less equal valves through a mechanism that involved the development of large thick-walled cells. Furthermore the coalified xylem is composed of tracheids with G-type thickenings (predominantly annular secondary thickenings with small circular to irregular perforations in the intervening wall), confirming the presence of this form of vascular element in the genus Zosterophyllum. The species diagnosis is emended. Characterisation of dehiscence mechanisms in fossil sporangia is complicated by their different modes of preservation. A brief critical survey of the marginal features in bivalved sporangia in zosterophylls and other selected species is followed by a discussion on their putative functional significance. Preservation notwithstanding, we identify clear differences in mechanisms related to the nature of the underlying cellular structure of the dehiscence feature. The distinctive groove present in many species might represent a mechanism for regulating the timing of dehiscence in response to atmospheric conditions

Lower Devonian land plants from graptolitic shale in south-eastern Alaska

Volume: 12Start Page: 559End Page: 57