Net ecosystem CO2 exchange measurements by the closed chamber method and the eddy covariance technique and their dependence on atmospheric conditions – a case study

Abstract. Carbon dioxide flux measurements in ecosystem sciences are mostly conducted by eddy covariance technique or the closed chamber method. Also some comparisons have been performed. But there is a lack of detailed assessment of present differences and uncertainties. To determine underlying processes, a ten-day, side-by-side measurement of the net ecosystem exchange with both techniques was evaluated with regard to various atmospheric conditions during the diurnal cycle. It was found that, depending on the particular atmospheric condition, the chamber carbon dioxide flux was either: (i) equal to the carbon dioxide flux measured by the reference method eddy covariance, by day with well developed atmospheric turbulence, (ii) higher, in the afternoon in times of oasis effect, (iii) lower, predominantly at night while large coherent structure fluxes or high wind velocities prevailed, or, (iv) showed less variation in the flux pattern, at night while stable stratification was present. Due to lower chamber carbon dioxide fluxes at night, when respiration forms the net ecosystem exchange, and higher chamber carbon dioxide fluxes in the afternoon, when the ecosystem is still a net carbon sink, there are two complementary aspects resulting in an overestimation of the ecosystem sink capacity by the chamber of 40% in this study. </jats:p

Environmental quality for everyone? Socio-structural inequalities in mobility, access to green spaces and air quality

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Application of relaxed eddy accumulation (REA) on managed grassland

Abstract. Relaxed eddy accumulation is applied for measuring fluxes of trace gases for which there is a lack of sensors fast enough in their resolution for eddy-covariance. On managed grasslands, the length of time between management events and the application of relaxed eddy accumulation has an essential influence on the determination of the proportionality factor b and thereby on the resulting flux. In this study this effect is discussed for the first time. Also, scalar similarity between proxy scalars and scalars of interest is affected until the ecosystem has completely recovered. Against this background, CO2 fluxes were continuously measured and 13CO2 isofluxes were determined with a high measurement precision on two representative days in summer 2010. This enabled the evaluation of the 13CO2 flux portion of the entire CO2 flux, in order to estimate potential influences on tracer experiments in ecosystem sciences and to compare a common method for the partitioning of the net ecosystem exchange into assimilation and respiration based on temperature and light response with an isotopic approach directly based on the isotope discrimination of the biosphere. </jats:p

Activation of interferon regulatory factor 3 by replication-competent Vaccinia viruses improves antitumor efficacy mediated by T-cell responses

Recently, oncolytic vaccinia viruses (VACVs) have shown their potential to provide for clinically effective cancer treatments. The reason for this clinical usefulness is not only the direct destruction of infected cancer cells but also activation of immune responses directed against tumor antigens. For eliciting a robust antitumor immunity, a dominant T helper 1 (Th1) cell differentiation of the response is preferred, and such polarization can be achieved by activating the Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3)-interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3) signaling pathway. However, current VACVs used as oncolytic viruses to date still encode several immune evasion proteins involved in the inhibition of this signaling pathway. By inactivating genes of selected regulatory virus proteins, we aimed for a candidate virus with increased potency to activate cellular antitumor immunity but at the same time with a fully maintained replicative capacity in cancer cells. The removal of up to three key genes (C10L, N2L, and C6L) from VACV did not reduce the strength of viral replication, both in vitro and in vivo, but resulted in the rescue of IRF3 phosphorylation upon infection of cancer cells. In syngeneic mouse tumor models, this activation translated to enhanced cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses directed against tumor-associated antigens and neo-epitopes and improved antitumor activity

cAMP-dependent and cholinergic regulation of the electrogenic intestinal/pancreatic Na+/HCO3- cotransporter pNBC1 in human embryonic kidney (HEK293) cells

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The renal (kNBC1) and intestinal (pNBC1) electrogenic Na⁺/HCO₃^-cotransporter variants differ in their primary structure, transport direction, and response to secretagogues. Previous studies have suggested that regulatory differences between the two subtypes can be partially explained by unique consensus phosphorylation sites included in the pNBC1, but not the kNBC1 sequence. After having shown activation of NBC by carbachol and forskolin in murine colon, we now investigated these pathways in HEK293 cells transiently expressing a GFP-tagged pNBC1 construct. </p> <p>Results</p> <p>Na⁺- and HCO₃^--dependent pH_irecovery from an acid load (measured with BCECF) was enhanced by 5-fold in GFP-positive cells compared to the control cells in the presence of CO₂/HCO₃^-. Forskolin (10^-5M) had no effect in untransfected cells, but inhibited the pH_irecovery in cells expressing pNBC1 by 62%. After preincubation with carbachol (10^-4M), the pH_irecovery was enhanced to the same degree both in transfected and untransfected cells, indicating activation of endogenous alkalizing ion transporters. Acid-activated Na⁺/HCO₃^-cotransport via pNBC1 expressed in renal cells is thus inhibited by cAMP and not affected by cholinergic stimulation, as opposed to the findings in native intestinal tissue. </p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Regulation of pNBC1 by secretagogues appears to be not solely dependent on its primary structure, but also on properties of the cell type in which it is expressed.</p

Role of needle surface waxes in dynamic exchange of mono- and sesquiterpenes

Biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) produced by plants have a major role in atmospheric chemistry. The different physicochemical properties of BVOCs affect their transport within and out of the plant as well as their reactions along the way. Some of these compounds may accumulate in or on the waxy surface layer of conifer needles and participate in chemical reactions on or near the foliage surface. The aim of this work was to determine whether terpenes, a key category of BVOCs produced by trees, can be found on the epicuticles of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and, if so, how they compare with the terpenes found in shoot emissions of the same tree. We measured shoot-level emissions of pine seedlings at a remote outdoor location in central Finland and subsequently analysed the needle surface waxes for the same compounds. Both emissions and wax extracts were clearly dominated by monoterpenes, but the proportion of sesquiterpenes was higher in the wax extracts. There were also differences in the terpene spectra of the emissions and the wax extracts. The results, therefore, support the existence of BVOC associated to the epicuticular waxes. We briefly discuss the different pathways for terpenes to reach the needle surfaces and the implications for air chemistry.Peer reviewe

The diabetic brain and cognition

The prevalence of both Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and vascular dementia (VaD) is increasing with the aging of the population. Studies from the last several years have shown that people with diabetes have an increased risk for dementia and cognitive impairment. Therefore, the authors of this consensus review tried to elaborate on the role of diabetes, especially diabetes type 2 (T2DM) in both AD and VaD. Based on the clinical and experimental work of scientists from 18 countries participating in the International Congress on Vascular Disorders and on literature search using PUBMED, it can be concluded that T2DM is a risk factor for both, AD and VaD, based on a pathology of glucose utilization. This pathology is the consequence of a disturbance of insulin-related mechanisms leading to brain insulin resistance. Although the underlying pathological mechanisms for AD and VaD are different in many aspects, the contribution of T2DM and insulin resistant brain state (IRBS) to cerebrovascular disturbances in both disorders cannot be neglected. Therefore, early diagnosis of metabolic parameters including those relevant for T2DM is required. Moreover, it is possible that therapeutic options utilized today for diabetes treatment may also have an effect on the risk for dementia. T2DM/IRBS contribute to pathological processes in AD and VaD. © 2017 Springer-Verlag GmbH Austri

Long non-coding RNAs H19 and NKILA are associated with the risk of death and lacunar stroke in the elderly population

Introduction: Differential expression of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) is a hallmark of cardiovascular aging, cerebrovascular diseases, and neurodegenerative disorders. This research article investigates the association between a panel of lncRNAs and the risk of death and ischemic stroke in a cohort of non-institutionalized elderly subjects. Method: A total of 361 healthy individuals aged 75 years old, prospectively recruited in the Vienna Transdanube Aging (VITA) cohort, were included. Expression of lncRNAs at baseline was assessed using quantitative polymerase chain reaction PCR with pre-amplification reaction, using 18S for normalization. The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality; the secondary endpoint was the incidence of new ischemic brain lesions. Death was assessed over a 14-year follow-up, and ischemic brain lesions were evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) over a 90-month follow-up. Ischemic brain lesions were divided into large brain infarcts (Ø≥ 1.5 cm) or lacunes (Ø< 1.5 cm) RESULTS: The primary endpoint occurred in 53.5 % of the study population. The incidence of the secondary endpoint was 16 %, with a 3.3 % being large brain infarcts, and a 12.7 % lacunes. After adjustment for potential confounders, the lncRNA H19 predicted the incidence of the primary endpoint (HR 1.194, 95 % C.I. 1.012-1.409, p = 0.036), whereas the lncRNA NKILA was associated with lacunar stroke (HR 0.571, 95 % C.I. 0.375-0.868, p = 0.006). Conclusion: In a prospective cohort of non-institutionalized elderly subjects, high levels of lncRNA H19 are associated with a higher risk of death, while low levels of lncRNA NKILA predict an increased risk of lacunar stroke