Ueber Mermis nigrescens Duj

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A holistic multi-methodology for sustainable renovation

A review of the barriers for building renovation has revealed a lack of methodologies, which can promote sustainability objectives and assist various stakeholders during the design stage of building renovation/retrofitting projects. The purpose of this paper is to develop a Holistic Multi-methodology for Sustainable Renovation, which aims to deal with complexity of renovation projects. It provides a framework through which to involve the different stakeholders in the design process to improve group learning and group decision-making, and hence make the building renovation design process more robust and efficient. Therefore, the paper discusses the essence of multifaceted barriers in building renovation regarding cultural changes and technological/physical changes. The outcome is a proposal for a multi-methodology framework, which is developed by introducing, evaluating and mixing methods from Soft Systems Methodologies (SSM) with Multiple Criteria Decision Making (MCDM). The potential of applying the proposed methodology in renovation projects is demonstrated through a case study

Established amyloid-β pathology is unaffected by chronic treatment with the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor paroxetine

Introduction: Treatment with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors has been suggested to mitigate amyloid-β (Aβ) pathology in Alzheimer's disease, in addition to an antidepressant mechanism of action. Methods: We investigated whether chronic treatment with paroxetine, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, mitigates Aβ pathology in plaque-bearing double-transgenic amyloid precursor protein (APP) swe/presenilin 1 (PS1) ΔE9 mutants. In addition, we addressed whether serotonin depletion affects Aβ pathology. Treatments were assessed by measurement of serotonin transporter occupancy and high-performance liquid chromatography. The effect of paroxetine on Aβ pathology was evaluated by stereological plaque load estimation and Aβ 42/Aβ 40 ratio by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: Contrary to our hypothesis, paroxetine therapy did not mitigate Aβ pathology, and depletion of brain serotonin did not exacerbate Aβ pathology. However, chronic paroxetine therapy increased mortality in APP swe/PS1 ΔE9 transgenic mice. Discussion: Our results question the ability of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor therapy to ameliorate established Aβ pathology. The severe adverse effect of paroxetine may discourage its use for disease-modifying purposes in Alzheimer's disease. </p

Respiratory Infections by HMPV and RSV Are Clinically Indistinguishable but Induce Different Host Response in Aged Individuals

Background: Human metapneumovirus and respiratory syncytial virus can cause severe respiratory diseases, especially in infants, young children, and the elderly. So far it remains unclear why infections in the elderly become life threatening despite the presence of neutralizing antibodies in the serum, and to which extent double infections worsen the clinical course. Methods: Young and aged BALB/c-mice were infected with RSV or/and HMPV. Appearance of the mice was observed during course of infection. On day 5 p.i. animals were dispatched by cervical dislocation and levels of TNF-a and NF-kB were determined. Results: The observation of activity, weight and appearance of the different mice showed no differences among the tested groups. Despite this, the immunologic response depends on the animals ’ age and the virus they were infected with. In young animals, NF-kB levels were elevated if infected with HMPV and HMPV/RSV but remained low in RSV infections, whereas in aged animals the opposite was observed: solely RSV-infected animals showed elevated levels of NF-kB. TNF-a was slightly elevated in HMPV-infected young and old animals, but only in young animals this elevation was significant. Conclusions: Contrary to other studies, no weight loss or change in activity despite productive lung infection with the different viruses were observed. This may be due to the weaker anaesthesia or the lesser volume of virus solution used

Going Solo: Discovery of the First Parthenogenetic Gordiid (Nematomorpha: Gordiida)

Despite the severe fitness costs associated with sexual reproduction, its persistence and pervasiveness among multicellular organisms testifies to its intrinsic, short-term advantages. However, the reproductive assurance hypothesis predicts selection favoring asexual reproduction in sparse populations and when mate finding is difficult. Difficulties in finding mates is especially common in parasites, whose life cycles involve multiple hosts, or being released from the host into the external environment where the parasite can find itself trapped without a sexual partner. To solve this problem and guarantee reproduction, parasites in numerous phyla have evolved reproductive strategies, as predicted by the reproductive assurance hypothesis, such as hermaphroditism or parthenogenesis. However, this type of strategy has not been reported from species in the phylum Nematomorpha, whose populations have often been described as sparse. A new Nematomorpha species, Paragordius obamai n. sp., was discovered from Kenya, Africa, and appears to have solved the problem of being trapped without a mate by eliminating the need for males. Paragordius obamai n. sp. represents the first and only known species within this phylum to reproduce asexually. To determine the mechanism of this mating strategy, we ruled out the involvement of reproduction manipulating endosymbionts by use of next generation sequencing data, thus suggesting that parthenogenesis is determined genetically and may have evolved as a means to assure reproduction. Since this new parthenogenetic species and a closely related gonochoristic North American congener, P. varius, are easy to propagate in the laboratory, these gordiids can be used as model systems to test hypotheses on the genetic advantages and disadvantages of asexual reproduction and the genetic determinants of reproductive strategies in parasites

Nematodes of the Scottish National Antarctic Expedition, 1902–1904

Aus Leptenychotes weddelli Lesson. Ventric. Das Kopfende ist erheblich diinner als das Schwanzende. Die Lippen sind klein, die Dorsallippe ist 0·18 mm. breit und 0·14 mm. lang; aussen an der Vorderseite gerundet, Papillen nach aussen und vorn gerückt, innen mit einem doppelten, rechtwinklig begrenzten Vorsprung, ohne Zahnleisten, Löffelbildung und Zwischenlippen (fig. 1). Cuticula quergeringelt, Nacken - papillen fehlen; Schwanzende abgerundet, beim Weibchen sehr breit. Der Ösophagus ist kurz und schmal und nimmt der Gesammtlange länge ein; in seiner vorderen Hälfte ist er muskulös, in der hinteren drüsig, das Lumen ist aber überall drei-schenklig; immuskulösen Theil verlaufen 3 Drüsen (fig. 3, a); an der Dorsalseite der Ösophagus verläuft eine breite, blinddarmartige Vörlangerung des Darms nach vorn, die weit nach vorn reicht (fig. 3, b); nieht so lang wie der ösophagus sondern von der Ösophagus-Länge; die das Lumen auskleidende Membran sowie die äussere Hülle sind dick.</jats:p