Holocene vegetation, fire and land use dynamics at Lake Svityaz, an agriculturally marginal site in northwestern Ukraine

Observing natural vegetation dynamics over the entire Holocene is difficult in Central Europe, due to pervasive and increasing human disturbance since the Neolithic. One strategy to minimize this limitation is to select a study site in an area that is marginal for agricultural activity. Here, we present a new sediment record from Lake Svityaz in northwestern Ukraine. We have reconstructed regional and local vegetation and fire dynamics since the Late Glacial using pollen, spores, macrofossils and charcoal. Boreal forest composed of Pinus sylvestris and Betula with continental Larix decidua and Pinus cembra established in the region around 13,450 cal BP, replacing an open, steppic landscape. The first temperate tree to expand was Ulmus at 11,800 cal BP, followed by Quercus, Fraxinus excelsior, Tilia and Corylus ca. 1,000 years later. Fire activity was highest during the Early Holocene, when summer solar insolation reached its maximum. Carpinus betulus and Fagus sylvatica established at ca. 6,000 cal BP, coinciding with the first indicators of agricultural activity in the region and a transient climatic shift to cooler and moister conditions. Human impact on the vegetation remained initially very low, only increasing during the Bronze Age, at ca. 3,400 cal BP. Large-scale forest openings and the establishment of the present-day cultural landscape occurred only during the past 500 years. The persistence of highly diverse mixed forest under absent or low anthropogenic disturbance until the Early Middle Ages corroborates the role of human impact in the impoverishment of temperate forests elsewhere in Central Europe. The preservation or reestablishment of such diverse forests may mitigate future climate change impacts, specifically by lowering fire risk under warmer and drier conditions

Qualifying tests and economic analysis of electrolyzers for grid services

As part of the European project QualyGridS, drafts for standardized testing protocols for electrolyzers to perform electricity grid services are defined and elaborated. These protocols are designed to be used by alkaline and proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzers up to the Megawatt scale. The protocols are being submitted for standardisation. Testing results using these protocols on a state-of-the-art PEM electrolyzer system of 50 kW with 1500 cm2 area stack are presented with considerations of the influence of balance of plant (BOP) components. System behaviour of 50 kW and Megawatt PEM electrolyzers are compared to determine the influence of their scale in performance and response time. An economic analysis has been conducted in the scope of the project. Today’s situation has been analyzed in a first part: the objective was to identify the best way to combine H2 supply for a primary value stream and provision of grid services. A second part of the analysis studied the potential future evolutions that could change the current pictur

Behandlungsempfehlungen Insomnie der Gruppe «Schlaf & Psychiatrie» der SGSSC

Die Insomnie ist eine häufige Störung der Schlaf-Wach-Regulation und tritt oft komorbid auf. Die nachfolgenden Behandlungsempfehlungen stellen evidenzbasierte Diagnostik- und Therapiestrategien vor und umfassen sowohl psychotherapeutische wie auch pharmakotherapeutische Interventionen. Diese Empfehlungen der Schweizerischen Gesellschaft für Schlafforschung, Schlafmedizin und Chronobiologie (SGSSC) für die Behandlung der Insomnie wurden auf Grundlage der Leitlinien der «European Sleep Research Society» (ESRS) von 2023 [1] sowie der S3-Leitlinie/Nationalen Versorgungsleitlinie «Nicht erholsamer Schlaf/Schlafstörungen» der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Schlafforschung und Schlafmedizin (DGSM) von 2017 [2] erstellt. Sie geben nicht unbedingt die Ansicht der SMF-Redaktion wieder. Der Inhalt untersteht der redaktionellen Verantwortung der unterzeichnenden Fachgesellschaft bzw. Arbeitsgruppe

EST-analysis of the thermo-acidophilic red microalga Galdieriasulphuraria reveals potential for lipid A biosynthesis and unveils the pathway of carbon export from rhodoplasts

Weber APM, Oesterhelt C, Gross W, et al. EST-analysis of the thermo-acidophilic red microalga Galdieriasulphuraria reveals potential for lipid A biosynthesis and unveils the pathway of carbon export from rhodoplasts. Plant Molecular Biology. 2004;55(1):17-32.When we think of extremophiles, organisms adapted to extreme environments, prokaryotes come to mind first. However, the unicellular red micro-alga Galdieria sulphuraria (Cyanidiales) is a eukaryote that can represent up to 90% of the biomass in extreme habitats such as hot sulfur springs with pH values of 0-4 and temperatures of up to 56 degreesC. This red alga thrives autotrophically as well as heterotrophically on more than 50 different carbon sources, including a number of rare sugars and sugar alcohols. This biochemical versatility suggests a large repertoire of metabolic enzymes, rivaled by few organisms and a potentially rich source of thermo-stable enzymes for biotechnology. The temperatures under which this organism carries out photosynthesis are at the high end of the range for this process, making G. sulphuraria a valuable model for physical studies on the photosynthetic apparatus. In addition, the gene sequences of this living fossil reveal much about the evolution of modern eukaryotes. Finally, the alga tolerates high concentrations of toxic metal ions such as cadmium, mercury, aluminum, and nickel, suggesting potential application in bioremediation. To begin to explore the unique biology of G. sulphuraria, 5270 expressed sequence tags from two different cDNA libraries have been sequenced and annotated. Particular emphasis has been placed on the reconstruction of metabolic pathways present in this organism. For example, we provide evidence for (i) a complete pathway for lipid A biosynthesis; (ii) export of triose-phosphates from rhodoplasts; (iii) and absence of eukaryotic hexokinases. Sequence data and additional information are available at http://genomics.msu.edu/galdieria

Genetic associations at 53 loci highlight cell types and biological pathways relevant for kidney function.

Reduced glomerular filtration rate defines chronic kidney disease and is associated with cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. We conducted a meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies for estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), combining data across 133,413 individuals with replication in up to 42,166 individuals. We identify 24 new and confirm 29 previously identified loci. Of these 53 loci, 19 associate with eGFR among individuals with diabetes. Using bioinformatics, we show that identified genes at eGFR loci are enriched for expression in kidney tissues and in pathways relevant for kidney development and transmembrane transporter activity, kidney structure, and regulation of glucose metabolism. Chromatin state mapping and DNase I hypersensitivity analyses across adult tissues demonstrate preferential mapping of associated variants to regulatory regions in kidney but not extra-renal tissues. These findings suggest that genetic determinants of eGFR are mediated largely through direct effects within the kidney and highlight important cell types and biological pathways

Accelerated beta-cell destruction in adoptively transferred autoimmune diabetes correlates with an increased expression of the genes coding for TNF-alpha and granzyme A in the intra-islet infiltrates.

Autoimmune destruction of beta-cells in nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice is greatly accelerated by adoptive cotransfer of syngeneic CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells from diabetic animals into newborn NOD mice. We followed, by in situ hybridization, the appearance of mRNA of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha gene and, as a marker for activated cytotoxic T-cells, of the serine protease granzyme A gene in the cellular infiltrates generated by cell transfer at birth. Cells expressing the genes for granzyme A or TNF-alpha were seen in considerable numbers already on day 14, after adoptive transfer. These numbers gradually increased in the intra-islet infiltrates from day 14 through day 30 after adoptive transfer. Compared with our previous findings in NOD mice developing spontaneous insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) (Held W, MacDonald HR, Weissman IL, Hess MW, Mueller C: Genes encoding tumor necrosis factor alpha and granzyme A are expressed during development of autoimmune diabetes. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 87:2239-2243, 1990), frequencies of cells with TNF-alpha and granzyme A mRNA were 2- and 12-fold higher, respectively, in transferred IDDM (trIDDM). TNF-alpha mRNA positive cells were predominantly found in the CD4+ T-cell subset of the pancreas-infiltrating cells, whereas granzyme A mRNA positive cells were mainly observed in the CD4- T-cell subset. The effects of the observed enhanced TNF expression upon the pathogenesis of trIDDM are as yet unknown.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS

The effect of hoof trimming on radiographic measurements of the front feet of normal Warmblood horses

The understanding of the normal position of the third phalanx (P3) and the distal sesamoid bone in relation to the size and shape of the hoof capsule in sound horses is helpful in the diagnosis of equine foot lameness. Some measurements on radiographs used to define the position of the pedal bone within the hoof capsule are significantly influenced by hoof trimming and the height of the withers. In this study, the front hooves of 40 Warmblood horses were radiographed twice, eight weeks apart, both before and after their hooves were trimmed by an experienced farrier. Using the software programme Metron PX, 22 parameters on the lateromedial view and 16 parameters on the dorsopalmar view were measured and the effect of hoof trimming and height of the withers were calculated, respectively. Some of the hoof parameters showed mild positive correlation with the height of the withers. In 70% of the horses the left hoof capsule and P3 were significantly larger than the right. Hoof trimming had a remarkable influence on hoof conformation, especially for parameters in the toe region. Of all the measurements that describe the position of the third phalanx (P3) in relation to the hoof capsule, the distances between the distal tip of P3 to the solar surface of the foot, P3 to the tip of the toe and P3 to the point of break-over showed the greatest differences before and after trimming. The database of the present study can be used by farriers and veterinarians as a guideline for routine and corrective shoeing of Warmblood horses

Stereoselective Radical Translocation

The stereochemical outcome of intramolecular radical mediated hydrogen transfer (= radical translocation) is discussed. Low to excellent levels of stereocontrol are observed making such processes attractive for applications in target-oriented synthesis

Histomorphologic evaluation of extracorporeal shock wave therapy of the fourth metatarsal bone and the origin of the suspensory ligament in horses without lameness

OBJECTIVE: To determine via histologic examination and scintigraphy the effect of focused extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) on normal bone and the bone-ligament interface in horses. ANIMALS: 6 horses without lameness. PROCEDURE: Origins of the suspensory ligament at the metacarpus (35-mm probe depth) and fourth metatarsal bone (5-mm probe depth) were treated twice (days 0 and 16) with 2,000 shocks (energy flux density, 0.15 mJ/mm2). One forelimb and 1 hind limb were randomly treated, and the contralateral limbs served as nontreated controls. Bone scans were performed on days -1 (before ESWT), 3, 16, and 19. Histomorphologic studies of control and treated tissues were performed on day 30. RESULTS: ESWT significantly increased the number of osteoblasts but caused no damage to associated soft tissue structures and did not induce cortical microfractures. A significant correlation between osteoblast numbers and radiopharmaceutical uptake was noticed on lateral views of the hind limb on days 3 and 16 and on caudal views of the forelimb on day 3. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results suggested that ESWT has the potential to increase osteoblast numbers in horses. The correlation between increased osteoblast numbers and radio-pharmaceutical uptake 3 days and 16 days after the first ESWT suggested that stimulation of osteogenesis occurred soon after ESWT. No damage to bone or the bone-ligament interface should occur at the settings used in this study, and ESWT can therefore be administered safely in horses