Microbes, macrofauna, and methane: a novel seep community fueled by aerobic methanotrophy

During the discovery and description of seven New Zealand methane seep sites, an infaunal assemblage dominated by ampharetid polychaetes was found in association with high seabed methane emission. This ampharetid-bed assemblage had a mean density of 57,000 ± 7800 macrofaunal individuals m−2 and a maximum wet biomass of 274 g m−2, both being among the greatest recorded from deep-sea methane seeps. We investigated these questions: Does the species assemblage present within these ampharetid beds form a distinct seep community on the New Zealand margin? and What type of chemoautotrophic microbes fuel this heterotrophic community? Unlike the other macro-infaunal assemblages, the ampharetid-bed assemblage composition was homogeneous, independent of location. Based on a mixing model of species-specific mass and isotopic composition, combined with published respiration measurements, we estimated that this community consumes 29–90 mmol C m−2 d−1 of methane-fueled biomass; this is > 290 times the carbon fixed by anaerobic methane oxidizers in these ampharetid beds. A fatty acid biomarker approach supported the finding that this community, unlike those previously known, consumes primarily aerobic methanotrophic bacteria. Due to the novel microbial fueling and high methane flux rates, New Zealand's ampharetid beds provide a model system to study the influence of metazoan grazing on microbially mediated biogeochemical cycles, including those that involve greenhouse gas emission

Applied system analysis and technology of designing the software

An analogy is made between the stages of applied system analysis and the stages of software Engineerin

Sedimentary carbon on the continental shelf : emerging capabilities and research priorities for Blue Carbon.

This work was supported by Cefas internal Seedcorn self-investment funding under the project DP440: Blue carbon within climate mitigation and ecosystem service approaches to natural asset assessments, and by Cefas’ Ecosystem Theme science theme.Continental shelf sediments store large amounts of organic carbon. Protecting this carbon from release back into the marine system and managing the marine environment to maximize its rate of accumulation could both play a role in mitigating against climate change. For these reasons, in the context of an expanding ‘Blue Carbon’ concept, research interest in the quantity and vulnerability of carbon stored in continental shelf, slope, and deep ocean sediments is increasing. In these systems, carbon storage is physically distant from carbon sources, altered between source and sink, and disturbed by anthropogenic activities. The methodological approaches needed to obtain the evidence to assess shelf sea sediment carbon manageability and vulnerability within an evolving blue carbon framework cannot be transferred directly from those applied in coastal vegetated ‘traditional’ blue carbon habitats. We present a ‘toolbox’ of methods which can be applied in marine sediments to provide the evidence needed to establish where and when marine carbon in offshore sediments can contribute to climate mitigation, focusing on continental shelf sediments. These methods are discussed in the context of the marine carbon cycle and how they provide evidence on: (i) stock: how much carbon is there and how is it distributed? (ii) accumulation: how rapidly is carbon being added or removed? and (iii) anthropogenic pressures: is carbon stock and/or accumulation vulnerable to manageable human activities? Our toolbox provides a starting point to inform choice of techniques for future studies alongside consideration of their specific research questions and available resources. Where possible a stepwise approach to analyses should be applied in which initial parameters are analysed to inform which samples, if any, will provide information of interest from more resource-intensive analyses. As studies increasingly address the knowledge gaps around continental shelf carbon stocks and accumulation – through both sampling and modelling – the management of this carbon with respect to human pressures will become the key question for understanding where it fits within the blue carbon framework and within the climate mitigation discourse.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Piranesis Antike. Befund und Polemik

Der wissenschaftliche Katalog erschien anlässlich der Ausstellung „Piranesis Antike – Befund und Polemik“ im Walraf-Richartz-Museum in Köln (25. Okt. 2013 – 26. Januar 2014). Er thematisiert anhand der Auswahl von 17 Radierungen den sogenannten Griechen-Streit, bei dem Piranesi in teils polemisch geführten Debatten mit seinen Zeitgenossen die kulturelle Überlegenheit der altrömischen Kunst und Architektur gegenüber der griechischen verteidigte. Nicht nur mit seiner ihm unverwechselbaren künstlerischen Manier mittels dramatisierender Perspektiven, Lichteffekten und Monumentalisierungen, sondern auch durch die sorgfältige Dokumentation archäologischer und bautechnischer Details arbeitete er die Größe und Originalität der Denkmäler noch in ihrem Verfall heraus. Zu den mit äußerster Akribie wiedergegebenen und mit Legenden und erläuternden Texten versehenen Denkmälern zählen Brücken (Ponte Lugano bei Tivoli), Triumphbögen (Titusbogen und Septimius-Severus-Bogen), Tempel (sog. Sibyllentempel in Tivoli), aber auch Ansichten von Fassaden oder grottenartig düsteren Innenräumen (sog. Villa des Maecenas). Ein zusätzlich ausgestelltes Korkmodell des Konstantinsbogens als Leihgabe aus dem Ungers Archiv für Architekturwissenschaft zeigt, wie sich Radierungen und Modelle in der Vermittlung antiker Architektur im späten 18. Jahrhundert ergänzten und beeinflussten

Mobile Air Quality Studies (MAQS) - an international project

Due to an increasing awareness of the potential hazardousness of air pollutants, new laws, rules and guidelines have recently been implemented globally. In this respect, numerous studies have addressed traffic-related exposure to particulate matter using stationary technology so far. By contrast, only few studies used the advanced technology of mobile exposure analysis. The Mobile Air Quality Study (MAQS) addresses the issue of air pollutant exposure by combining advanced high-granularity spatial-temporal analysis with vehicle-mounted, person-mounted and roadside sensors. The MAQS-platform will be used by international collaborators in order 1) to assess air pollutant exposure in relation to road structure, 2) to assess air pollutant exposure in relation to traffic density, 3) to assess air pollutant exposure in relation to weather conditions, 4) to compare exposure within vehicles between front and back seat (children) positions, and 5) to evaluate "traffic zone"- exposure in relation to non-"traffic zone"-exposure. Primarily, the MAQS-platform will focus on particulate matter. With the establishment of advanced mobile analysis tools, it is planed to extend the analysis to other pollutants including including NO2, SO2, nanoparticles, and ozone

Autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation for multiple sclerosis: a position paper and registry outline

Background: While substantial progress has been made in the development of disease-modifying medications for multiple sclerosis (MS), a high percentage of treated patients still show progression and persistent inflammatory activity. Autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) aims at eliminating a pathogenic immune repertoire through intense short-term immunosuppression that enables subsequent regeneration of a new and healthy immune system to re-establish immune tolerance for a long period of time. A number of mostly open-label, uncontrolled studies conducted over the past 20 years collected about 4000 cases. They uniformly reported high efficacy of AHSCT in controlling MS inflammatory disease activity, more markedly beneficial in relapsing-remitting MS. Immunological studies provided evidence for qualitative immune resetting following AHSCT. These data and improved safety profiles of transplantation procedures spurred interest in using AHSCT as a treatment option for MS. Objective: To develop expert consensus recommendations on AHSCT in Germany and outline a registry study project. Methods: An open call among MS neurologists as well as among experts in stem cell transplantation in Germany started in December 2021 to join a series of virtual meetings. Results: We provide a consensus-based opinion paper authored by 25 experts on the up-to-date optimal use of AHSCT in managing MS based on the Swiss criteria. Current data indicate that patients who are most likely to benefit from AHSCT have relapsing-remitting MS and are young, ambulatory and have high disease activity. Treatment data with AHSCT will be collected within the German REgistry Cohort of autologous haematopoietic stem CeLl trAnsplantation In MS (RECLAIM). Conclusion: Further clinical trials, including registry-based analyses, are urgently needed to better define the patient characteristics, efficacy and safety profile of AHSCT compared with other high-efficacy therapies and to optimally position it as a treatment option in different MS disease stages. Keywords: Autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT), multiple sclerosis, registry study, treatment recommendation

Denkwerkstatt "Ressourcenknappheit"- Handlungs- und Aktionsfelder II

Vorwort: Non-Profit Manager*innen von heute sind Generalist*innen, die sich initiativ und eigenverantwortlich mit den Herausforderungen unserer Zeit auseinandersetzen und im besten Falle geeignete Lösungen dafür finden und diese auch richtig kommunizieren können. Aus diesem Grunde wird genau diese Fähigkeit bei Studierenden aus den Masterstudiengängen Management in Nonprofit-Organisationen und Soziale Arbeit der Hochschule Osnabrück gefördert. Im Rahmen des Moduls Handlungsfelder II entwickelten rund 30 Studierende im Wintersemester 2020/2021 in einer Denkwerkstatt ihre eigenen Lösungen in Bezug auf Forschung, Produkte / Dienstleistungen und Kommunikation. Die Studierenden wählten in einem partizipativen Prozess ihre eigenen Schwerpunktthemen aus und arbeiteten dann ein Semester lang an den Inhalten. Begleitet wurden sie durch ein Teamteaching von Prof. Dr. Gesa Birnkraut und Marlene Eimterbäumer, die Modelle, Methoden und Coaching zur Unterstützung anboten. Die Modelle und Methoden finden sich in den Beiträgen der Studierenden wieder (unter anderem das socio-ecological model, der Business Model Canvas, der story telling canvas, das design thinking). Am Ende des Semesters stand eine Präsentation vor den Kommiliton*innen und den Lehrenden, aber auch vor externen Gästen, die aus unterschiedlichen Expertisegebieten kamen und dementsprechend Feedback gaben. Das Modul selbst wurde von der Hochschule im Rahmen der Innovativen Lehre an der Fakultät Wirtschafts- und Sozialwissenschaften gefördert. Für die Studierenden stellte das Modul durchaus eine große Herausforderung dar, denn in der Denkwerkstatt musste unter hoher Komplexität stark prozessbezogen gearbeitet werden im Gegensatz zu der sonstigen hohen Ergebnisorientierung. Die durchweg sehr guten Ergebnisse zeigen, dass der Einsatz und das Aushalten der Unsicherheit sich gelohnt haben. Aufgeteilt ist das vorliegende Buch in die zwei Schwerpunktthemen Ressourcenknappheit / Wirtschaft und Wasserknappheit. In diesen beiden Schwerpunktthemen finden Sie jeweils einen Beitrag von den Forscher*innen, den Lösungsfinder*innen und den Kommunikator*innen

Stable isotope signatures and methane use by New Zealand cold seep benthos

The carbon isotopic composition of seep faunal tissue represents a time-integrated view of the interaction between biology and the biogeochemical gradients within the environment. Here we provide an initial description of carbon and nitrogen stable isotope signatures of dominant symbiont-bearing megafauna and heterotrophic mega- and macrofauna from 10 methane-seep sites on the continental margin of the North Island of New Zealand (662–1201 m water depth). Isotopic signatures suggest that sulfide oxidation supports symbiont-bearing taxa including solemyid and vesicomyid bivalves, and methanotrophic symbionts are present in the seep mussel Bathymodiolus sp. Multiple species of Frenulata (Siboglinidae) are present and have a range of isotopic values that are indicative of both thiotroph- and methanotroph-based nutrition. Isotopic composition of the tubeworm Lamellibrachia sp. varied by 23.3‰ among individuals although there was no consistent difference among sites. Variation in methane use by heterotrophic fauna appears to reflect the availability of hard vs. soft substrate; macrofauna on hard substrates had high ?13C signatures, reflecting consumption of photosynthetic-derived organic matter. Two unique, biotic assemblages were discovered to be fueled largely by methane: a hard-substrate, multi-phyla sponge-associated community (inhabiting the sponge Pseudosuberites sp.) and a soft-sediment assemblage dominated by ampharetid polychaetes. Isotope signatures yield estimates of 38–100% and 6–100% methane-derived carbon in sponge associates and ampharetid-bed macrofauna, respectively. These estimates are comparable to those made for deeper methane seeps at the Florida Escarpment (3290 m) and Kodiak, Alaska seeps (4445 m). The overall high use of methane as a carbon source by both symbiont-bearing and heterotrophic fauna suggests that New Zealand methane seeps are an ideal model system to study the interaction among metazoans, bacteria, archaea, and their resulting effect on methane cycles

Impact of three commonly used blood sampling techniques on the welfare of laboratory mice: Taking the animal’s perspective

Laboratory mice are the most frequently used animals in biomedical research. In accordance with guidelines for humane handling, several blood sampling techniques have been established. While the effects of these procedures on blood quality and histological alterations at the sampling site are well studied, their impact on the animals’ welfare has not been extensively investigated. Therefore, our study aimed to compare three commonly used blood sampling techniques regarding their effects on different indicators of animal welfare, including physiological and behavioural response stress parameters, including pain measures, home-cage behaviour and nest-building as well as exploratory activity and neophobia. Male C57BL/6J mice were subjected to a single blood collection from either the vena facialis, the retrobulbar sinus or the tail vessel, or were allocated to the respective control treatment. While all blood sampling techniques led to an acute increase in plasma corticosterone levels, the response was strongest in animals that underwent sampling from the vena facialis and the retrobulbar sinus. Similar results were observed when the time-course of adrenocortical activity was monitored via corticosterone metabolites from faecal samples. Blood collection from the vena facialis and the retrobulbar sinus also decreased exploration of novel stimuli, resulted in decreased nest-building activity and induced higher scores in the Mouse Grimace Scale. Moreover, locomotor activity and anxiety-related behaviour were strongly affected after facial vein bleeding. Interestingly, tail vessel bleeding only induced little alterations in the assessed physiological and behavioural parameters. Importantly, the observed effects in all treatment groups were no longer detectable after 24 hours, indicating only short-term impacts. Thus, by also taking the animal’s perspective and comprehensively assessing the severity of the particular sampling procedures, the results of our study contribute to Refinement within the 3R concept and allow researchers to objectively select the most appropriate and welfare-friendly blood sampling technique for a given experiment

Research College NRW “Sustainable Energy Systems in the Quarter” – Collection of Abstracts

This paper collects the abstracts of the REAL CORP 2020 special topic session “Sustainable Energy Systems in the Quarter” in the order of their appearance for presentation at the conference: •Wesely, Karin: Towards a better understanding of emotional drivers and barriers in the context of local renewable energy projects – An empirical investigation on homeowners’ motives from a marketing perspective (Work&Progress) •Slabik, Simon: The Integration of Resource Efficiency in the Building Stock through Efficiency and Sufficiency Measures – Life Cycle Assessment Comparisons and Models •Taruttis, Lisa; Weber, Christoph: The Impact of Energy Efficiency on Housing and Rental Prices – Evidence from North Rhine-Westphalia •Treude, Mona: Smart Cities – from the Handling of a Technology Concept to the Transformation Tool of Sustainable Cities •Kränke, Lisa: Participation in Urban Real World Laboratories – Case Study of Bochum Hamme •Hernández Galvis, Dione: Digitalisation of the “Energiewende”: Legal Framework for a more Efficient Implementation of Solar Energy in Smart Neighbourhoods •Kröger, David: Market and Transmission Grid Simulations Considering an Increasing Number of Integrated Energy Systems •Paulus, Anne: Acceptance of Sustainable Modes of Transport with Focus on Neighbourhood