A highly variable methanol maser in G111.256-0.770

G111.256-0.770 is a high-mass young stellar object associated with a weak 6.7 GHz methanol maser showing strong variability. We present results of a multi-epoch monitoring program of the target, conducted with the Torun 32 m telescope for more than a decade. We found that the isotropic maser luminosity varied by a factor 16 on a time-scale of 5-6 yr and individual features showed small amplitude short-lived (∼0.2 yr) bursts superimposed on higher amplitude slow (>5 yr) variations. The maser integrated flux density appears to be correlated with the near-infrared flux observed with the (NEO)WISE, supporting radiative pumping of the maser line

From barren substrate to mature tundra : lichen colonization in the forelands of Svalbard glaciers

This paper contributes to studies on the lichen biota of Arctic regions. The research was carried out in the forelands of eight glaciers and in the mature tundra surrounding them. Study areas were located in two parts of Svalbard: in the Kongsfjord (forelands of Austre Brøggerbreen, Vestre Brøggerbreen, Austre Lovénbreen, Midtre Lovénbreen, and Vestre Lovénbreen) and in the Isfjord (forelands of Rieperbreen, Svenbreen, and Ferdinandbreen). In each foreland and in the mature tundra surrounding it, a series of 1-m2 plots was established, within which a percentage cover for each species was determined. In total, 133 lichens and one lichenicolous fungus were recorded. Nineteen species were recorded for the first time in Svalbard: Agonimia allobata, Atla wheldonii, Bacidia herbarum, Catolechia wahlenbergii, Epigloea soleiformis, Lecanora behringii, Lepraria subalbicans, Leptogium arcticum, Pertusaria pseudocorallina, Placidiopsis custnani, Protothelenella corrosa, Pyrenidium actinellum, Spilonema revertens, Stereocaulon saxatile, Thelocarpon sphaerosporum, Toninia coelestina, Verrucaria elaeina, Verrucaria murina, and Verrucaria xyloxena. The lichen richness was the lowest in the Ferdinandbreen foreland (24 species) and the highest in the Rieperbreen foreland (82 species). Significant differences in species composition were found among the forelands studied, except for Austre and Vestre Brøggerbreen whose lichen composition was similar. The differences in lichen composition between mature tundra in the vicinity of the following forelands were identified: Vestre Brøggerbreen and Svenbreen, Austre Brøggerbreen and Svenbreen, and Austre Brøggerbreen and Ferdinandbreen. The most dominant group of lichens in both forelands and mature tundra were chlorolichens, not cyanolichens

The lichenicolous fungi of the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica : species diversity and identification guide

This paper contributes 96 species to the biota of lichenicolous fungi in the South Shetland Islands archipelago. New to science are the following genera: Antarctosphaeria Alstrup & Olech, gen. nov., Dahawkswia Alstrup & Olech, gen. nov., Lichenohostes Alstrup & Olech, gen. nov., Llanorella Alstrup & Olech, gen. nov., Phaeosporodendron Alstrup & Olech, gen. nov., and Prostratomyces Alstrup & Olech, gen. nov. Additionally, 31 species are described as new to science. These are: Antarctosphaeria bireagens Alstrup & Olech, sp. nov., A. lichenicola Alstrup & Olech, sp. nov., Arthonia dufayelensis Alstrup & Olech, sp. nov., A. livingstonensis Alstrup & Olech, sp. nov., A. massalongiae Alstrup & Olech, sp. nov., A. pertusariicola Alstrup & Olech, sp. nov., A. rakusae Alstrup & Olech, sp. nov., Carbonea austroshetlandica Alstrup & Olech, sp. nov., Cercidospora pertusariicola Alstrup & Olech, sp. nov., Dactylospora antarctica Alstrup & Olech, sp. nov., D. haematommatis Alstrup & Olech, sp. nov., Dahawkswia lichenicola Alstrup & Olech, sp. nov., Dendrophoma acarosporae Alstrup & Olech, sp. nov., Didymellopsis antarctica Alstrup & Olech, sp. nov., Lichenohostes citrinospora Alstrup & Olech, sp. nov., Lichenostigma corymbosae Alstrup & Olech, sp. nov., Llanorella ramalinae Alstrup & Olech, sp. nov., Metasphaeria verrucosa Alstrup & Olech, sp. nov., Micarea lichenicola Alstrup & Olech, sp. nov., Phaeospora antarctica Alstrup & Olech, sp. nov., P. convolutae Alstrup & Olech, sp. nov., Phaeosporodendron badiae Alstrup & Olech, sp. nov., Phoma acarosporae Alstrup & Olech, sp. nov., Prostratomyces leprariae Alstrup & Olech, sp. nov., P. ochrolechiae Alstrup & Olech, sp. nov., P. rhizocarpicolae Alstrup & Olech, sp. nov., Rhagadostoma antarctica Alstrup & Olech, sp. nov., Sphaerellothecium placopsiicola Alstrup & Olech, sp. nov., Stigmidium placopsiicola Alstrup & Olech, sp. nov., Taeniolella frigidae Alstrup & Olech, sp. nov., and Tetramelas caloplacae Alstrup & Olech, sp. nov. Furthermore, a literature survey was undertaken, which resulted in the preparation of an identification guide for the lichenicolous species occurring in the South Shetlands Islands

Short-term monitoring of Arctic trace metal contamination based on Cetrariella delisei bioindicator in Svalbard

This study focuses on short-term monitoring of trace metals in the Svalbard archipelago. Short-term studies using lichen bioindicators are important because temporary changes in lichen trace metal levels are mainly dependent on air pollutants. Here, we investigated temporal and spatial differences in the content of trace metals such as Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, and Zn measured in the lichen thalli of Cetrariella delisei. The temporal aspect was studied in the marine plain of Calypsostranda between 1988 and 2016 and that of Hornsundneset between 1985 and 2008. The spatial aspect was studied between Hornsundneset in 1985 and Calypsostranda in 1988 as well as between Hornsundneset in 2008 and Calypsostranda in 2016. The results revealed an increase in the concentration of Cr, Mn, Ni, and Co for both the aspects, while a decrease in the contents of Cu, Cd, and Mo was observed. Pb content varied, as Pb level increased with time in Hornsundneset but decreased in Calypsostranda. The Zn content showed no significant changes in both temporal and spatial aspects

A Keplerian disk with a four-arm spiral birthing an episodically accreting high-mass protostar

Preprint artykułuHigh-mass protostars (M⋆ > 8M⊙) are thought to gain the majority of their mass via short, intense bursts of growth. This episodic accretion is thought to be facilitated by gravitationally unstable and subsequently inhomogeneous accretion disks. Limitations of observational capabilities, paired with a lack of observed accretion burst events, have withheld affirmative confirmation of the association between disk accretion, instability and the accretion burst phenomenon in high-mass protostars. Following its 2019 accretion burst, a heatwave driven by a burst of radiation propagated outward from the high-mass protostar G358.93-0.03-MM1. Six very long baseline interferometry observations of the radiatively pumped 6.7 GHz methanol maser were conducted during this period, tracing ever increasing disk radii as the heatwave propagated outward. Concatenating the very long baseline interferometry maps provided a sparsely sampled, milliarcsecond view of the spatio-kinematics of the accretion disk covering a physical range of ~50–900 AU. We term this observational approach ‘heatwave mapping’. We report the discovery of a Keplerian accretion disk with a spatially resolved four-arm spiral pattern around G358.93-0.03-MM1. This result positively implicates disk accretion and spiral arm instabilities into the episodic accretion high-mass star formation paradigm

Translation and validation of the Polish-language version of the Birth Satisfaction Scale-Revised (BSS-R) and its relationship to the type of delivery and the baby’s Apgar score

BackgroundMaternal birth experience is being increasingly recognised as a key clinical outcome parameter. The Birth Satisfaction Scale-Revised (BSS-R) is a short self-report measure designed to assess birth experience. The current investigation sought to translate the BSS-R into Polish and validate this version of the BSS-R (PL-BSS-R).Participants and procedureThe BSS-R was translated into Polish by an expert panel using forward and backward translation. A complex within- subjects design with an embedded between-subjects component was used to determine the key psychometric characteristics of the PL-BSS-R. Two hundred ninety-four Polish-speaking women in Poland completed the followup component of the study where the PL-BSS-R was administered. The PL-BSS-R measurement properties were examined using confirmatory factor analysis, divergent, convergent validity analysis, internal consistency appraisal and investigation of known-groups discriminant characteristics.ResultsThe PL-BSS-R was found to have generally very good measurement properties and to be equivalent to the original English-language version across key validity indices. The PL-BBS-R was found to be significantly correlated with neonatal physical health immediately postpartum and differed across delivery modes.ConclusionsThe PL-BSS-R is a psychometrically robust measure of birth experience appropriate for clinical and research use within Poland. Important associations were noted between subjective maternal birth experience and objective measures of neonatal physical health, indicating a critically important future research direction

Biopsy and tracheobronchial aspirates as additional tools for the diagnosis of bovine tuberculosis in living European bison (bison bonasus)

CITATION: Didkowska, Anna et al. 2020. Biopsy and tracheobronchial aspirates as additional tools for the diagnosis of bovine tuberculosis in living European bison (bison bonasus). Animals, 10(11):2017, doi:10.3390/ani10112017.The original publication is available at: https://www.mdpi.comENGLISH ABSTRACT: The diagnosis of bovine tuberculosis (BTB) in living wildlife remains a complex problem, and one of particular importance in endangered species like European bison (Bison bonasus). To identify infection and avoid the unnecessary culling of such valuable individuals, current best practice requires the collection and culture of material from living animals, as mycobacteria isolation remains the gold standard in BTB diagnosis. However, such isolation is challenging due to the need for the immobilization and collection of appropriate clinical material, and because of the sporadic shedding of mycobacteria. In the present study, we evaluated the potential of sampling for the detection of BTB in a group of seven living European bison suspected of being infected with Mycobacterium caprae. The specimens were collected both as swabs from the nasal and pharyngeal cavities, tracheobronchial aspirates (TBA), ultrasound-guided biopsies from lateral retropharyngeal lymph nodes, and post mortem, from mandibular, retropharyngeal and mediastinal lymph nodes. Clinical samples were tested for mycobacterial species via mycobacteriological culture and PCR. M. caprae was isolated from collected material in two out of four living infected individuals (TBA, biopsy) and mycobacterialDNAwas detected in three out of four (TBA, pharyngeal swab) bison. This is the first report of isolation of M. caprae in living European bison. Our findings demonstrate the value of diagnostic tests based on both molecular testing and culture in European bison and confirm the respiratory shedding of viable M. caprae in this host species.Publisher's versio

Measuring collective action intention toward gender equality across cultures

Collective action is a powerful tool for social change and is fundamental to women and girls’ empowerment on a societal level. Collective action towards gender equality could be understood as intentional and conscious civic behaviors focused on social transformation, questioning power relations, and promoting gender equality through collective efforts. Various instruments to measure collective action intentions have been developed, but to our knowledge none of the published measures were subject to invariance testing. We introduce the gender equality collective action intention (GECAI) scale and examine its psychometric isomorphism and measurement invariance, using data from 60 countries (N = 31,686). Our findings indicate that partial scalar measurement invariance of the GECAI scale permits conditional comparisons of latent mean GECAI scores across countries. Moreover, this metric psychometric isomorphism of the GECAI means we can interpret scores at the country-level (i.e., as a group attribute) conceptually similar to individual attributes. Therefore, our findings add to the growing body of literature on gender based collective action by introducing a methodologically sound tool to measure collective action intentions towards gender equality across cultures.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio