A 560 yr summer temperature reconstruction for the Western Mediterranean basin based on stable carbon isotopes from <i>Pinus nigra</i> ssp. <i>laricio</i> (Corsica/France)

The Mediterranean is considered as an area which will be affected strongly by current climate change. However, temperature records for the past centuries which can contribute to a better understanding of future climate changes are still sparse for this region. Carbon isotope chronologies from tree-rings often mirror temperature history but their application as climate proxies is difficult due to the influence of the anthropogenic change in atmospheric CO₂ on the carbon isotope fractionation during photosynthetic CO₂ uptake. We tested the influence of different correction models accounting for plant response to increased atmospheric CO₂ on four annually resolved long-term carbon isotope records (between 400 and 800 yr) derived from Corsican pine trees (<i>Pinus nigra</i> ssp. <i>laricio</i>) growing at ecologically varying mountain sites on the island of Corsica. The different correction factors have only a minor influence on the main climate signals and resulting temperature reconstructions. Carbon isotope series show strong correlations with summer temperature and precipitation. A summer temperature reconstruction (1448–2007 AD) reveals that the Little Ice Age was characterised by low, but not extremely low temperatures on Corsica. Temperatures have been to modern temperatures at around 1500 AD. The reconstruction reveals warm summers during 1480–1520 and 1950–2007 AD and cool summers during 1580–1620 and 1820–1890 AD

Proton and cadmium adsorption by the archaeon Thermococcus zilligii: Generalising the contrast between thermophiles and mesophiles as sorbents

Adsorption by microorganisms can play a significant role in the fate and transport of metals in natural systems. Surface complexation models (SCMs) have been applied extensively to describe metal adsorption by mesophilic bacteria, and several recent studies have extended this framework to thermophilic bacteria. We conduct acid-base titrations and batch experiments to characterise proton and Cd adsorption onto the thermophilic archaeon Thermococcus zilligii. The experimental data and the derived SCMs indicate that the archaeon displays significantly lower overall sorption site density compared to previously studied thermophilic bacteria such Anoxybacillus flavithermus, Geobacillus stearothermophilus, G. thermocatenulatus, and Thermus thermophilus. The thermophilic bacteria and archaea display lower sorption site densities than the mesophilic microorganisms that have been studied to date, which points to a general pattern of total concentration of cell wall adsorption sites per unit biomass being inversely correlated to growth temperature

CO21 234. Implantación trans apical de válvula aórtica: excelentes resultados en pacientes de alto riesgo

ObjetivosLa implantación transapical de válvulas aórticas es un método nuevo aplicable a pacientes de alto riesgo y estenosis grave de válvula aórtica. Un informe de nuestra experiencia inicial.MétodosDesde abril de 2008 fueron tratados 208 pacientes (edad 79±8 anos, media 36-99 años), con el método híbrido de implantación transapical de válvula aórtica. La media logística EuroSCORE (STS) fue de 40±20% (6-97%) y la media del STS score 21±16% (3-97%). Catorce pacientes ingresaron en shock cardiogénico. Operaciones combinadas fueron efectuadas en 30 pacientes. Intervención de coronarias con stent en 25 pacientes, corrección de ASD en un paciente, dilatación de estenosis pulmonar en un paciente. Aneurismectomía en dos pacientes.Implantación de stent en la arteria renal en un paciente.ResultadosEl éxito técnico de las operaciones fue del 99,5%, la mortalidad hospitalaria fue de 5,7% para todo el grupo, 21% para el grupo en shock cardiogénico. No hubo complicaciones neurológicas en ningún paciente. En el 6% de los pacientes operados hubo la necesidad de implantación de marcapasos. El análisis de regresión univariante demuestra que el shock cardiogénico, elevado B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP)-level, son claros indicadores para la mortalidad postoperatoria temprana (30 días después de la operación). Shock cardiogénico, New York Heart Association (NYHA) IV, altos scores de riesgo, insuficiencia renal grave, son factores independientes para la predicción de la mortalidad acumulativa.ConclusionesLa técnica de recambio transapical de válvulas aórticas reduce significativamente el riesgo operatorio en pacientes de alto riesgo en comparación con el método convencional de recambio valvular aórtico

Reengineered helmet coil for human brain studies at 3 tesla

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Integrated transcriptome and proteome analyses reveal organ-specific proteome deterioration in old rats

Aging is associated with the decline of protein, cell, and organ function. Here, we use an integrated approach to characterize gene expression, bulk translation, and cell biology in the brains and livers of young and old rats. We identify 468 differences in protein abundance between young and old animals. The majority are a consequence of altered translation output, that is, the combined effect of changes in transcript abundance and translation efficiency. In addition, we identify 130 proteins whose overall abundance remains unchanged but whose sub-cellular localization, phosphorylation state, or splice-form varies. While some protein-level differences appear to be a generic property of the rats’ chronological age, the majority are specific to one organ. These may be a consequence of the organ’s physiology or the chronological age of the cells within the tissue. Taken together, our study provides an initial view of the proteome at the molecular, sub-cellular, and organ level in young and old rats

Similar neural pathways link psychological stress and brain-age in health and multiple sclerosis

Clinical and neuroscientific studies suggest a link between psychological stress and reduced brain health in health and neurological disease but it is unclear whether mediating pathways are similar. Consequently, we applied an arterial-spin-labeling MRI stress task in 42 healthy persons and 56 with multiple sclerosis, and investigated regional neural stress responses, associations between functional connectivity of stress-responsive regions and the brain-age prediction error, a highly sensitive machine learning brain health biomarker, and regional brain-age constituents in both groups. Stress responsivity did not differ between groups. Although elevated brain-age prediction errors indicated worse brain health in patients, anterior insula–occipital cortex (healthy persons: occipital pole; patients: fusiform gyrus) functional connectivity correlated with brain-age prediction errors in both groups. Finally, also gray matter contributed similarly to regional brain-age across groups. These findings might suggest a common stress–brain health pathway whose impact is amplified in multiple sclerosis by disease-specific vulnerability factors

The surged faradic stimulation to the pelvic floor muscles as an adjunct to the medical management in children with rectal prolapse

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>To assess the role of the surged faradic stimulation to the pelvic floor muscles as an adjunct to the conservative management in the children of idiopathic rectal prolapse</p> <p>Methods</p> <p><it>Study design</it>: Prospective</p> <p><it>Setting</it>: Pediatric Surgery Department, Pt BD Sharma, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Rohtak</p> <p><it>Subjects</it>: 47 consecutive children with idiopathic rectal prolapse attending the Pediatric Surgery out patient department from July 2005 to June 2006</p> <p><it>Methodology</it>: The information pertaining to duration and the extent of rectal prolapse, predisposing or associated medical conditions, results of local clinical examination were noted. Surged faradic stimulation using modified intraluminal rectal probe, was given on the alternate days. The conventional conservative medical management was also continued. The extent of relief and the number of the sittings of faradic stimulation required were noted at various stages of follow-ups</p> <p><it>Statistical Methods</it>: Mean values between those completely cured and others; poor responders and others were compared with t-test and proportions were compared with Chi square test. The p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The mean number of sittings in the completely cured group (n = <b>28</b>(64%)) was (12.4 ± 7.8) and was comparable with very poor responder (n = 6(13%). There was higher percentage of relief (76%) at the first follow up (at 15 days) in completely cured Vs other (37%) and also the poor responders showed (20%) Vs other (68%) and was statistically significant.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>With use of faradic stimulation, even the long-standing rectal prolapse can be fully cured. The follow up visit at 2 weeks is very important to gauge the likely success of this modality in treatment of the patients with rectal prolapse. Those showing poor response at this stage may require alternative treatment or take a long time to get cured</p

Dissociation constants and thermodynamic properties of amino acids used in CO2 absorption from (293 to 353) K

The second dissociation constants of the amino acids βalanine, taurine, sarcosine, 6-aminohexanoic acid, DL-methionine, glycine, L-phenylalanine, and L-proline and the third dissociation constants of L-glutamic acid and L-aspartic acid have been determined from electromotive force measurements at temperatures from (293 to 353) K. Experimental results are reported and compared to literature values. Values of the standard state thermodynamic properties are derived from the experimental results and compared to the values of commercially available amines used as absorbents for CO 2 capture.

Self-Organization of Anastral Spindles by Synergy of Dynamic Instability, Autocatalytic Microtubule Production, and a Spatial Signaling Gradient

Assembly of the mitotic spindle is a classic example of macromolecular self-organization. During spindle assembly, microtubules (MTs) accumulate around chromatin. In centrosomal spindles, centrosomes at the spindle poles are the dominating source of MT production. However, many systems assemble anastral spindles, i.e., spindles without centrosomes at the poles. How anastral spindles produce and maintain a high concentration of MTs in the absence of centrosome-catalyzed MT production is unknown. With a combined biochemistry-computer simulation approach, we show that the concerted activity of three components can efficiently concentrate microtubules (MTs) at chromatin: (1) an external stimulus in form of a RanGTP gradient centered on chromatin, (2) a feed-back loop where MTs induce production of new MTs, and (3) continuous re-organization of MT structures by dynamic instability. The mechanism proposed here can generate and maintain a dissipative MT super-structure within a RanGTP gradient