Geographic differences in effects of experimental warming on ant species diversity and community composition

Ecological communities are being reshaped by climatic change. Losses and gains of species will alter community composition and diversity but these effects are likely to vary geographically and may be hard to predict from uncontrolled natural experiments . In this study, we used open-top warming chambers to simulate a range of warming scenarios for ground-nesting ant communities at a northern (Harvard Forest, MA) and southern (Duke Forest, NC) study site in the eastern US. After 2.5 years of experimental warming, we found no significant effects of accumulated growing degree days or soil moisture on ant diversity or community composition at the northern site, but a decrease in asymptotic species richness and changes in community composition at the southern site. However, fewer than 10% of the species at either site responded significantly to the warming treatments. Our results contrast with those of a comparable natural experiment conducted along a nearby elevational gradient, in which species richness and composition responded strongly to changes in temperature and other correlated variables. Together, our findings provide some support for the prediction that warming will have a larger negative effect on ecological communities in warmer locales at lower latitudes and suggest that predicted responses to warming may differ between controlled field experiments and unmanipulated thermal gradients. Key words: Ants; climate change; community; elevational gradient; Formicidae; geographic range; warming experiment

Type I Gaucher disease with exophthalmos and pulmonary arteriovenous malformation

BACKGROUND: Gaucher disease type I, the non-neuropathic type, usually presents in adulthood with hepatosplenomegaly. We report here an adult with type I Gaucher disease presented with unusual and severe clinical manifestations. CASE PRESENTATION: Hepatosplenomegaly, bone crisis and fractures occurred at early childhood, and splenectomy was performed at the age of 5. Exophthalmos with increase in retrobulbar space was noted when the patient was 30. Cerezyme infusion started at the age of 32; but unfortunately, pulmonary arteriovenous malformation with dyspnea and hypoxemia was found two years later. Gene analysis revealed V375L/L444P mutations in the β-glucocerebrosidase gene. CONCLUSION: Although both eye and lung diseases have been associated with Gaucher disease, this is the first reported demonstration of exophthalmos and pulmonary arteriovenous malformation in the same patient. This case may therefore present an extremely severe and unusual form of type I Gaucher disease

The impact of automated hippocampal volumetry on diagnostic confidence in patients with suspected Alzheimer's disease: an EADC study

INTRODUCTION: Hippocampal volume is a core biomarker of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, its contribution over the standard diagnostic workup is unclear. METHODS: Three hundred fifty-six patients, under clinical evaluation for cognitive impairment, with suspected AD and Mini–Mental State Examination ≥20, were recruited across 17 European memory clinics. After the traditional diagnostic workup, diagnostic confidence of AD pathology (DCAD) was estimated by the physicians in charge. The latter were provided with the results of automated hippocampal volumetry in standardized format and DCAD was reassessed. RESULTS: An increment of one interquartile range in hippocampal volume was associated with a mean change of DCAD of −8.0% (95% credible interval: [−11.5, −5.0]). Automated hippocampal volumetry showed a statistically significant impact on DCAD beyond the contributions of neuropsychology, 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/single-photon emission computed tomography, and cerebrospinal fluid markers (−8.5, CrI: [−11.5, −5.6]; −14.1, CrI: [−19.3, −8.8]; −10.6, CrI: [−14.6, −6.1], respectively). DISCUSSION: There is a measurable effect of hippocampal volume on DCAD even when used on top of the traditional diagnostic workup

The relationship between canopy cover and colony size of the wood ant Formica lugubris : implications for the thermal effects on a keystone ant species

Climate change may affect ecosystems and biodiversity through the impacts of rising temperature on species' body size. In terms of physiology and genetics, the colony is the unit of selection for ants so colony size can be considered the body size of a colony. For polydomous ant species, a colony is spread across several nests. This study aims to clarify how climate change may influence an ecologically significant ant species group by investigating thermal effects on wood ant colony size. The strong link between canopy cover and the local temperatures of wood ant's nesting location provides a feasible approach for our study. Our results showed that nests were larger in shadier areas where the thermal environment was colder and more stable compared to open areas. Colonies (sum of nests in a polydomous colony) also tended to be larger in shadier areas than in open areas. In addition to temperature, our results supported that food resource availability may be an additional factor mediating the relationship between canopy cover and nest size. The effects of canopy cover on total colony size may act at the nest level because of the positive relationship between total colony size and mean nest size, rather than at the colony level due to lack of link between canopy cover and number of nests per colony. Causal relationships between the environment and the life-history characteristics may suggest possible future impacts of climate change on these species

Short term escape rhythm characteristics after radiofrequency ablation of the atrioventricular junction.

Radiofrequency ablation of the atrioventricular (AV) node has become an established method of treating drug-resistant supraventricular arrhythmias, especially atrial fibrillation. Although it is routine to implant a permanent pacemaker following ablation, one of the potential adverse effects of the procedure is that many patients become pacemaker-dependent and are at risk of an adverse outcome in the event of pacemaker malfunction. Obtaining information about the characteristics of the escape rhythm would be helpful in risk-stratifying these patients and might facilitate modifications of the procedure that would reduce the incidence of this problem. We prospectively studied the clinical parameters and escape rhythm characteristics in 24 patients undergoing radiofrequency ablation of the AV node. Initially, 2 patients had no detectable escape beats and 4 had escape rates/min. At 12 hours, 3 of these 4 had adequate (\u3e30 beats/min) escape rates (there were no 12-hour data in 2). The escape rhythm was stable in 17 of the other 18 while 1 had no escape beats at 12 hours. Patients developing right bundle branch block had a greater chance of having an inadequate escape rhythm at 12 hours but this difference was not seen at 24 hours. We conclude that an adequate escape rhythm is usually present immediately after radiofrequency ablation of the AV node and tends to remain stable up to 24 hours. The absence of an escape rhythm immediately after ablation is of limited prognostic value since reliable escape rhythms may emerge subsequently

Using Historical and Experimental Data to Reveal Warming Effects on Ant Assemblages

Abstract Historical records of species are compared with current records to elucidate effects of recent climate change. However, confounding variables such as succession, land-use change, and species invasions make it difficult to demonstrate a causal link between changes in biota and changes in climate. Experiments that manipulate temperature can overcome this issue of attribution, but long-term impacts of warming are difficult to test directly. Here we combine historical and experimental data to explore effects of warming on ant assemblages in southeastern US. Observational data span a 35-year period , during which mean annual temperatures had an increasing trend. Mean summer temperatures in 2010-2011 were ,2.7uC warmer than in 1976. Experimental data come from an ongoing study in the same region, for which temperatures have been increased ,1.5-5.5uC above ambient from 2010 to 2012. Ant species richness and evenness decreased with warming under natural but not experimental warming. These discrepancies could have resulted from differences in timescales of warming, abiotic or biotic factors, or initial species pools. Species turnover tended to increase with temperature in observational and experimental datasets. At the species level, the observational and experimental datasets had four species in common, two of which exhibited consistent patterns between datasets. With natural and experimental warming, collections of the numerically dominant, thermophilic species, Crematogaster lineolata, increased roughly twofold. Myrmecina americana, a relatively heat intolerant species, decreased with temperature in natural and experimental warming. In contrast, species in the Solenopsis molesta group did not show consistent responses to warming, and Temenothorax pergandei was rare across temperatures. Our results highlight the difficulty of interpreting community responses to warming based on historical records or experiments alone. Because some species showed consistent responses to warming based on thermal tolerances, understanding functional traits may prove useful in explaining responses of species to warming

Using Historical and Experimental Data to Reveal Warming Effects on Ant Assemblages

Abstract Historical records of species are compared with current records to elucidate effects of recent climate change. However, confounding variables such as succession, land-use change, and species invasions make it difficult to demonstrate a causal link between changes in biota and changes in climate. Experiments that manipulate temperature can overcome this issue of attribution, but long-term impacts of warming are difficult to test directly. Here we combine historical and experimental data to explore effects of warming on ant assemblages in southeastern US. Observational data span a 35-year period , during which mean annual temperatures had an increasing trend. Mean summer temperatures in 2010-2011 were ,2.7uC warmer than in 1976. Experimental data come from an ongoing study in the same region, for which temperatures have been increased ,1.5-5.5uC above ambient from 2010 to 2012. Ant species richness and evenness decreased with warming under natural but not experimental warming. These discrepancies could have resulted from differences in timescales of warming, abiotic or biotic factors, or initial species pools. Species turnover tended to increase with temperature in observational and experimental datasets. At the species level, the observational and experimental datasets had four species in common, two of which exhibited consistent patterns between datasets. With natural and experimental warming, collections of the numerically dominant, thermophilic species, Crematogaster lineolata, increased roughly twofold. Myrmecina americana, a relatively heat intolerant species, decreased with temperature in natural and experimental warming. In contrast, species in the Solenopsis molesta group did not show consistent responses to warming, and Temenothorax pergandei was rare across temperatures. Our results highlight the difficulty of interpreting community responses to warming based on historical records or experiments alone. Because some species showed consistent responses to warming based on thermal tolerances, understanding functional traits may prove useful in explaining responses of species to warming

Distribution of Brucella field strains isolated from livestock, wildlife populations, and humans in Italy from 2007 to 2015

Brucellosis is a major public health problem still prevalent as a neglected endemic zoonosis requiring proactive attention in many communities worldwide. The present study involved analysis of Brucella field strains submitted for typing to the Italian National Reference Laboratory for Brucellosis from 2007 to 2015. Strains were identified at the species and biovar levels by classic and molecular techniques according to the World Organisation for Animal Health Manual. In total, 5,784 strains were typed: 3,089 Brucella abortus (53.4%), 2,497 B. melitensis (43.2%), 10 B. ovis (0.2%), 181 B. suis (3.1%), and 7 B. ceti (0.1%). The 2,981 strains from cattle were typed as B. abortus biovars 1, 3, and 6 (90.1%) and B. melitensis biovar 3 (9.9%). The 318 strains from water buffalo were typed as B. abortus biovars 1, 3 (95.9%) and B. melitensis biovar 3 (4.1%). The 2,279 strains from sheep and goats were typed as B. abortus biovars 1 and 3 (4.3%); B. melitensis biovars 1, 3, (95.3%); and B. ovis (0.4%). The 173 strains from wild boar were typed as B. suis biovar 2 (98.3%) and B. melitensis biovar 3 (1.7%). The 11 strains from pigs were typed as B. suis biovar 2. The 13 strains from humans were typed as B. melitensis biovar 3. The two strains from horses were typed as B. abortus biovar 1, while the seven strains from dolphins were typed as B. ceti. This additional knowledge on the epidemiology of brucellosis in Italy may be useful to formulate policies and strategies for the control and eradication of the disease in animal populations. The animal species affected, biovars typed, geographical origins, and spatial distributions of isolates are herein analyzed and discussed