Observations on the Helminths of Harbour Porpoises (Phocoena Phocoena) and Common Guillemots (Uria Aalge) from the Belgian and German Coasts

Between February 1990 and July 1991, 18 harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) and 248 common guillemots (Uria aalge), found dead along the Belgian and German coasts, were examined for their burden of helminths. A total of three species were found in the guillemots (one cestode, one nematode and one pentastomid), and six species in the porpoises (one trematode, one cestode and four nematodes). Among the guillemots the burden of helminths was not statistically different between juvenile and adult birds. The deaths of the birds were apparently not related to the parasite infections. In contrast, the adult porpoises were more heavily parasitised than the juveniles, except for one young porpoise stranded on the Belgian coast. In the porpoises, four species of parasites had a pathological effect and Torynurus convolutus was responsible for the death of one animal from the Belgian coast and three from the German coast

Occupational exposure to N-nitrosamines and pesticides and risk of pancreatic cancer

Objectives Animal evidence shows that N-nitrosamines and similar xenobiotic compounds are pancreatic carcinogens. We aimed to determine whether occupational exposure to N-nitrosamines or to pesticides increases risk of pancreatic cancer development. Methods Participants (504 cases, 643 controls) in a population-based case-control study (The Queensland Pancreatic Cancer Study) provided data on demographic, medical and lifestyle factors and lifetime job histories. Specific questions were asked regarding work in rubber and leather industries, metalworking jobs and occupational or direct use of pesticides on animals or crops. An occupational hygienist reviewed this information (blind to case status) to assess likelihood of exposure to N-nitrosamines and pesticides, and estimated level and frequency of such exposures. Results No associations were found for risk of pancreatic cancer and occupational exposure to N-nitrosamines (OR=0.85, 95% CI 0.51 to 1.42) and no associations were seen with level or frequency of exposure. No associations were observed for ever exposure to pesticides in general (OR=0.90, 95% CI 0.61 to 1.33) or to any of the pesticide subgroups. Stratification by history of cigarette smoking did not change these results. Conclusions This comprehensive analysis of a large case-control study does not support an association between occupational exposure to N-nitrosamines or pesticide use and risk of pancreatic cancer

The effects of acute and elective cardiac surgery on the anxiety traits of patients with Marfan syndrome

BACKGROUND: Marfan syndrome is a genetic disease, presenting with dysfunction of connective tissues leading to lesions in the cardiovascular and skeletal muscle system. Within these symptoms, the most typical is weakness of the connective tissue in the aorta, manifesting as aortic dilatation (aneurysm). This could, in turn, become annuloaortic ectasia, or life-threatening dissection. As a result, life-saving and preventative cardiac surgical interventions are frequent among Marfan syndrome patients. Aortic aneurysm could turn into annuloaortic ectasia or life-threatening dissection, thus life-saving and preventive cardiac surgical interventions are frequent among patients with Marfan syndrome. We hypothesized that patients with Marfan syndrome have different level of anxiety, depression and satisfaction with life compared to that of the non-clinical patient population. METHODS: Patients diagnosed with Marfan syndrome were divided into 3 groups: those scheduled for prophylactic surgery, those needing acute surgery, and those without need for surgery (n = 9, 19, 17, respectively). To examine the psychological features of the patients, Spielberger's anxiety (STAI) test, Beck's Depression questionnaire (BDI), the Berne Questionnaire of Subjective Well-being, and the Satisfaction with Life scale were applied. RESULTS: A significant difference was found in trait anxiety between healthy individuals and patients with Marfan syndrome after acute life-saving surgery (p 0.1). Finally, a significant, medium size effect was found between patient groups on the Joy in Living scale (F (2.39) = 3.51, p = 0.040, eta2 = 0.15). CONCLUSIONS: Involving psychiatric and mental-health care, in addition to existing surgical treatment interventions, is essential for more successful recovery of patients with Marfan syndrome

Solving order constraints in logarithmic space.

We combine methods of order theory, finite model theory, and universal algebra to study, within the constraint satisfaction framework, the complexity of some well-known combinatorial problems connected with a finite poset. We identify some conditions on a poset which guarantee solvability of the problems in (deterministic, symmetric, or non-deterministic) logarithmic space. On the example of order constraints we study how a certain algebraic invariance property is related to solvability of a constraint satisfaction problem in non-deterministic logarithmic space

Auditory hallucinations and migraine of possible brainstem origin

10.1007/s10194-011-0355-zJournal of Headache and Pain125573-57

Calreticulin mutations affect its chaperone function and perturb the glycoproteome

Calreticulin (CALR) is an endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-retained chaperone that assists glycoproteins in obtaining their structure. CALR mutations occur in patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs), and the ER retention of CALR mutants (CALR MUT) is reduced due to a lacking KDEL sequence. Here, we investigate the impact of CALR mutations on protein structure and protein levels in MPNs by subjecting primary patient samples and CALR-mutated cell lines to limited proteolysis-coupled mass spectrometry (LiP-MS). Especially glycoproteins are differentially expressed and undergo profound structural alterations in granulocytes and cell lines with homozygous, but not with heterozygous, CALR mutations. Furthermore, homozygous CALR mutations and loss of CALR equally perturb glycoprotein integrity, suggesting that loss-of-function attributes of mutated CALR chaperones (CALR MUT) lead to glycoprotein maturation defects. Finally, by investigating the misfolding of the CALR glycoprotein client myeloperoxidase (MPO), we provide molecular proof of protein misfolding in the presence of homozygous CALR mutations. Keywords: CP: Cancer; CP: Molecular biology; calreticulin; chaperone; glycoprotein; limited proteolysis-coupled mass spectrometry; myeloperoxidase; myeloproliferative neoplasm; protein folding; proteome

Dem Stickstoff auf der Spur: N2O Prozesse und Nmin Dynamik nach Grünlanderneuerung

Eine weit verbreitete Maßnahme des Grünlandmanagements, die zur Beseitigung von Narbenschäden und zur Steigerung der Futterqualität in unproduktiven Grünländern angewendet wird, ist die Grünlanderneuerung. Die mechanische Bearbeitung von Grünlandböden und die dadurch gesteigerte Mineralisation durch den Abbau organischer Bodensubstanz und der alten Grasnarbe kann zu hohen N-Verlusten in Form des klimarelevanten Treibhausgases Lachgas (N2O) und/oder Nitratauswaschung (NO3-) führen. Bisher gibt es jedoch über die Dauer des beschriebenen Effektes, sowie den Einfluss unterschiedlicher Grünlanderneuerungstechniken nur wenige Informationen. Insbesondere für die nationale Treibhausgasbilanzierung ist es jedoch von Bedeutung, die Prozesse der N2O Umsetzung und ihre Quellen zu kennen und zu erfassen, da sich nur so Maßnahmen zur Emissionsminderung ableiten lassen. Zu diesem Zweck wurde ein Parzellenversuch (2013-2015) auf zwei Standorten (Plaggenesch, Anmoorgley) in der Nähe von Oldenburg (Niedersachsen) mit unterschiedlichen Erneuerungsvarianten etabliert. Als Referenzvarianten dienten: Grünlandumwandlung in Ackerland (Mais) und langjähriges Dauergrünland. Die N2O Flüsse und die Dynamik des mineralischen N (Nmin) wurden über einen Zeitraum von zwei Jahren untersucht. Zusätzlich wurden Nmin Profile (0-90 cm) genutzt, um den N-Verlust über Winter zu quantifizieren und das Risiko einer möglichen NO3- Auswaschung abzuschätzen. Obwohl die N2O Flüsse für einen kurzen Zeitraum (2 Monate) nach der Bearbeitung erhöht waren, konnte kein Jahreseffekt festgestellt werden. Im ersten Winter nach dem Aufbrechen der alten Grasnarbe trat jedoch für den Plaggenesch ein erhöhtes Risiko für NO3- Auswaschung auf. Die Untersuchung der N2O-Produktionswege und der N2O-Reduktion zu N2 (dem Endprodukt der Denitrifikation) erfolgte unter Nutzung stabiler Isotope. Hierzu wurde die 15N-Gasflussmethode im Sommer 2014 angewendet (1). Zusätzlich wurden natürlich vorhandene stabile Isotopensignaturen im bodenbürtigen N2O (δ15NbulkN2O, δ18ON2O und δ15NSPN2O = intramolekulare Verteilung von 15N im N2O Molekül) genutzt, um Quellen der N2O-Bildung im ersten Jahr nach Grünlanderneuerung (2013-2014) zu ermitteln. Auf dem Anmoorgley wurden große N-Verluste durch den Prozess der Denitrifikation bestimmt, wobei N2 die Emissionen dominerte. Für den Plaggenesch konnten generell geringere gasförmige Verluste festgestellt werden

Investigating harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) population differentiation using RAD-tag genotyping by sequencing

The population status of the harbor porpoise ( Phocoena phocoena ) in the Baltic Sea and adjacent regions is still not fully resolved. Here, we present a pilot study using the double digest restriction-site associated DNA sequencing (ddRAD-seq) genotyping- by -sequencing method on specimens from the Baltic Sea, eastern North Sea, Spain and the Black Sea. From a single Illumina lane and a set of 49 individuals, w e obtained around 6000 SNPs. We used these markers to estimate population structure and differentiation, and identified splits between porpoises from the North Sea and the Baltic, and within regions in the Baltic Sea (between the Belt Sea and the Inner Baltic Sea). The SNP analysis confirms population structure elucidated by previous mtDNA/microsatellite studies. We demonstrate the feasibility of SNP analysis on opportunistically sampled cetacean samples, with varying DNA quality, for population diversity and divergence analysis

Occupational exposures to solvents and metals are associated with fixed airflow obstruction

peer-reviewedOur study is the first to investigate the associations between exposures to solvents and metals using lifetime work history calendars and fixed airflow obstruction (AO). We have shown that increasing cumulative exposure-unit years to chlorinated solvents is associated with fixed AO. We found that women were at increased risk of fixed AO with increasing cumulative exposed-unit-years to chlorinated solvents but not men