302 research outputs found
Climatic cycles recorded in the Middle Eocene hemipelagites from a Dinaric foreland basin of Istria (Croatia)
Middle Eocene hemipelagic marls from the Pazin-Trieste Basin, a foreland basin of the Croatian Dinarides, display repetitive alternations of two types of marls with different resistance to weathering. This study focuses on the chemical composition, stable isotopes, and palynomorph content of these marls in order to better understand the nature of their cyclic deposition and to identify possible paleoenvironmental drivers responsible for their formation. The less resistant marls (LRM) have consistently lower carbonate content, lower δ18O and δ13C values, and more abundant dinoflagellate cysts than the more resistant marls (MRM). We interpret these differences between the two marl types to be a result of climatic variations, likely related to Milankovitch oscillations. Periods with wetter climate, associated with increased continental runoff, detrital and nutrient influx produced the LRM. Higher nutrient supply sparked higher dinoflagellate productivity during these times, while reduced salinity and stratification of the water column may have hampered the productivity of calcareous nannoplankton and/or planktonic foraminifera. In contrast, the MRM formed during dryer periods which favoured higher carbonate accumulation rates. This study provides new information about the sedimentary record of short-scale climate variations reflected in wet-dry cycles during an overall warm, greenhouse Earth
The effect of modern intensive monitoring in obstetrics on infant mortality and the incidence of hypoxia and acidosis
Peer Reviewe
Is the natural history of Sydney so camouflaged that it will not survive?
Our answer, to the question: Is the natural history of Sydney so camouflaged that it will not survive? is “yes”. Harry Recher, an active participant in the plenary session, took the view that as the ecosystems around us decline, there will be even less native fauna in the city. There exists a strong case for knowing what is native, and not just pushing on with restoration, or setting aside green spaces without knowing what is there, and what will occupy the new habitats. That case is the subject of this paper. Knowing the natural history of Sydney is one element of living in a civilised society, which includes caring about the past, knowing your local plants and animals, and managing for future generations. All the papers in this book are linked thematically around the idea that Sydney has its own rich natural history that is worthy of sustained study and conservation. We comment on the way that historians have looked at Sydney, and where native animals have fitted into the history of Australia, and Sydney in particular. In our view, that subject is only now taking hold, but it will be one that will yield many new insights, and in turn it will merge with ecological thinking and contribute to the new disciple of ecological history. Paul Adam, in his paper, shows the merit of reference back to Britain for our understanding of how and why the colony took the course it did with respect to natural history. He is dismayed that natural history no longer has any prominence, yet it is the foundation stone upon which so many of the specialist disciplines rest. More importantly, it is a guiding light for any major conservation effort. We present one glimpse of the natural history of Sydney, invite others to enjoy its diversity, to support its conservation, and then integrate those views into your city life
Schweizer Label-Rindfleisch: Glaubwürdigkeit und Vertrauen
Voraussetzung für den Konsum von hochwertigem Rind- und Kalbfleisch sind die tierfreundliche und ökologische Produktionsweise sowie die Bekanntheit und Glaubwürdigkeit der entsprechenden Markenprodukte. Mit den vorliegenden Marktforschungsergebnissen kann gezeigt werden, dass Schweizer Label-Rindfleisch von bestimmten Konsumsegmenten häufiger konsumiert wird, wenn hohe Produktionsstandards wie Tierwohl, Ökologie, Weidehaltung sowie Fütterung vorwiegend mit Gras eingehalten werden. Label-Rindfleisch aus solcher Produktion geniesst auf dem Schweizer Markt höheres Vertrauen, und die Zahlungsbereitschaft ist dabei im Vergleich zu anderen Rindfleischlabels höher. In Bezug auf die Label-Bekanntheit können bedeutende Unterschiede zwischen den Sprachregionen identifiziert werden. Der gestützte Bekanntheitsgrad (Labelname in vordefinierter Liste erkannt) der Labels Natura-Beef und Natura-Beef Bio ist zwar in beiden Regionen hoch. Beide Labels sind bei Konsumentinnen und Konsumenten aus der Deutschschweiz aber deutlich bekannter als in der Romandie. Die spontanen Assoziationen mit Rind- und Kalbfleischlabels zeigen, dass sich vorwiegend Marken durchsetzen können, die im Zusammenhang mit den Grossverteilern Coop und Migros oder der Bioproduktion stehen. Die meistgenannten Marken sind in absteigender Reihenfolge Naturaplan, Bell, Bio, Bio Suisse, Terra Suisse, Natura-Beef und Naturafarm
Urban forest invertebrates : how they shape and respond to the urban environment
Invertebrates comprise the most diversified animal group on Earth. Due to their long evolutionary history and small size, invertebrates occupy a remarkable range of ecological niches, and play an important role as "ecosystem engineers" by structuring networks of mutualistic and antagonistic ecological interactions in almost all terrestrial ecosystems. Urban forests provide critical ecosystem services to humans, and, as in other systems, invertebrates are central to structuring and maintaining the functioning of urban forests. Identifying the role of invertebrates in urban forests can help elucidate their importance to practitioners and the public, not only to preserve biodiversity in urban environments, but also to make the public aware of their functional importance in maintaining healthy greenspaces. In this review, we examine the multiple functional roles that invertebrates play in urban forests that contribute to ecosystem service provisioning, including pollination, predation, herbivory, seed and microorganism dispersal and organic matter decomposition, but also those that lead to disservices, primarily from a public health perspective, e.g., transmission of invertebrate-borne diseases. We then identify a number of ecological filters that structure urban forest invertebrate communities, such as changes in habitat structure, increased landscape imperviousness, microclimatic changes and pollution. We also discuss the complexity of ways that forest invertebrates respond to urbanisation, including acclimation, local extinction and evolution. Finally, we present management recommendations to support and conserve viable and diverse urban forest invertebrate populations into the future.Peer reviewe
Cross-sectional observational study of 208 patients with non-classical urea cycle disorders.
Urea cycle disorders (UCDs) are inherited disorders of ammonia detoxification often regarded as mainly of relevance to pediatricians. Based on an increasing number of case studies it has become obvious that a significant number of UCD patients are affected by their disease in a non-classical way: presenting outside the newborn period, following a mild course, presenting with unusual clinical features, or asymptomatic patients with only biochemical signs of a UCD. These patients are surviving into adolescence and adulthood, rendering this group of diseases clinically relevant to adult physicians as well as pediatricians. In preparation for an international workshop we collected data on all patients with non-classical UCDs treated by the participants in 20 European metabolic centres. Information was collected on a cohort of 208 patients 50% of which were ≥ 16 years old. The largest subgroup (121 patients) had X-linked ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency (OTCD) of whom 83 were female and 29% of these were asymptomatic. In index patients, there was a mean delay from first symptoms to diagnosis of 1.6 years. Cognitive impairment was present in 36% of all patients including female OTCD patients (in 31%) and those 41 patients identified presymptomatically following positive newborn screening (in 12%). In conclusion, UCD patients with non-classical clinical presentations require the interest and care of adult physicians and have a high risk of neurological complications. To improve the outcome of UCDs, a greater awareness by health professionals of the importance of hyperammonemia and UCDs, and ultimately avoidance of the still long delay to correctly diagnose the patients, is crucial
Factors governing the solubilization of phosphopeptides retained on ferric NTA IMAC beads and their analysis by MALDI TOFMS
The natural history of classic galactosemia: lessons from the GalNet registry.
BACKGROUND
Classic galactosemia is a rare inborn error of carbohydrate metabolism, caused by a severe deficiency of the enzyme galactose-1-phosphate uridylyltransferase (GALT). A galactose-restricted diet has proven to be very effective to treat the neonatal life-threatening manifestations and has been the cornerstone of treatment for this severe disease. However, burdensome complications occur despite a lifelong diet. For rare diseases, a patient disease specific registry is fundamental to monitor the lifespan pathology and to evaluate the safety and efficacy of potential therapies. In 2014, the international Galactosemias Network (GalNet) developed a web-based patient registry for this disease, the GalNet Registry. The aim was to delineate the natural history of classic galactosemia based on a large dataset of patients.
METHODS
Observational data derived from 15 countries and 32 centers including 509 patients were acquired between December 2014 and July 2018.
RESULTS
Most affected patients experienced neonatal manifestations (79.8%) and despite following a diet developed brain impairments (85.0%), primary ovarian insufficiency (79.7%) and a diminished bone mineral density (26.5%). Newborn screening, age at onset of dietary treatment, strictness of the galactose-restricted diet, p.Gln188Arg mutation and GALT enzyme activity influenced the clinical picture. Detection by newborn screening and commencement of diet in the first week of life were associated with a more favorable outcome. A homozygous p.Gln188Arg mutation, GALT enzyme activity of ≤ 1% and strict galactose restriction were associated with a less favorable outcome.
CONCLUSION
This study describes the natural history of classic galactosemia based on the hitherto largest data set
The role of acyl-coenzyme A carboxylase complex in lipstatin biosynthesis of Streptomyces toxytricini
Streptomyces toxytricini produces lipstatin, a specific inhibitor of pancreatic lipase, which is derived from two fatty acid moieties with eight and 14 carbon atoms. The pccB gene locus in 10.6 kb fragment of S. toxytricini chromosomal DNA contains three genes for acyl-coenzyme A carboxylase (ACCase) complex accA3, pccB, and pccE that are presumed to be involved in secondary metabolism. The pccB gene encoding a β subunit of ACCase [carboxyltransferase (CT)] was identified upstream of pccE gene for a small protein of ε subunit. The accA3 encoding the α subunit of ACCase [biotin carboxylase (BC)] was also identified downstream of pccB gene. When the pccB and pccE genes were inactivated by homologous recombination, the lipstatin production was reduced as much as 80%. In contrast, the accumulation of another compound, tetradeca-5.8-dienoic acid (the major lipstatin precursor), was 4.5-fold increased in disruptant compared with wild-type. It implies that PccB of S. toxytricini is involved in the activation of octanoic acid to hexylmalonic acid for lipstatin biosynthesis
Glacial to Holocene terrigenous organic matter input to sediments from Orca Basin, Gulf of Mexico — A combined optical and biomarker approach
In this study we assessed changes in the contribution of terrigenous organic matter (OM) to the Gulf of Mexico over the course of the last deglaciation (the last 25 kyr). To this end, we combined optical kerogen analyses with bulk sedimentary, biomarker, and compound-specific carbon isotope analyses. Samples were obtained from core MD02-2550 from Orca Basin (2249 m water depth at 26°56.77N, 91°20.74W) with temporal resolution ranging from multi-decadal to millennial-scale, depending on the proxy. All proxies confirmed larger terrigenous input during glacial times compared to the Holocene. In addition, the kerogen analyses suggest that much of the glacial OM is reworked (at least 50% of spores and pollen grains and 40% of dinoflagellate cysts). The Holocene sediments, in contrast, contain mainly marine OM, which is exceptionally well preserved. During the deglaciation, terrigenous input was generally high due to large meltwater fluxes, whereby discrepancies between different proxies call for additional influences, such as the change in distance to the river mouth, local productivity changes, and hydrodynamic particle sorting. It is possible that kerogen particles and the terrigenous biomarkers studied here represent distinct pools of land-derived OM with inputs varying independently
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