How Agriculture Affects Lichen Vegetation in Central Switzerland

The results from several floristic and bioindication projects in Central Switzerland (1986-1998), focusing on the effects of agriculture, particularly from nitrogen and agrochemical emissions, are summarized. The abundance of nutrienttolerant lichen species and the decreased occurrence of nitrophytic lichens are both correlated with agricultural land use and high atmospheric deposition. The impact could be demonstrated not only by the distribution patterns of nutrient-tolerant species, but also by the high N content of lichens such as Physcia caesia. Positive growth response of Cetraria islandica to application of mineral nutrients and increased CO2 in open-top chambers at high altitudes was also observed. The methods and a survey of the results from studies conducted within the framework of the lichen research programme of the Natural History Museum of Lucerne are presented here. A discussion of the issues shows the need for further studies concerning the influence of introduced nutrients on the biodiversity of lichen

Systematics of Some Reindeer Lichens (Cladonia Subg. Cladina) in the Southern Hemisphere

Cladonia arbuscula subsp. squarrosa (Wallr.) Ruoss and C. stygia (Fr.) Ruoss are reported for the first time from the Southern Hemisphere. Populations of C. arbuscula in New Zealand and Australia are recognized as subsp. stictica Ruoss, subsp. nov., usually containing stictic acid, norstictic acid (first report in subg. Cladina), and sometimes also the fumarprotocetraric acid complex. C. laevigata (Vainio) Gyelnik is reinstated in Cladonia subg. Cladina sect. Tenues, while C. stygia is considered to belong to sect. Crustaceae rather than to sect. Tenues. C. confusa R. Sant. is morphologically highly variable, although chemically uniform, usually containing usnic acid and perlatolic acid. An usnic acid-deficient chemodeme is reported as new to New Zealan

Dialogizität und sequenzielle Verdichtung in der Forenkommunikation: Editieren als kommunikatives Verfahren

Drawing both on conversation analysis and text linguistics, this article retraces the emergence of a new communicative practice in an online discussion forum: Based on data from an academic learning environment, we demonstrate how peers in a student study group start using the "edit button” which allows them to modify in retrospect not only their own but also other people's posts. This communicative practice of post editing in online discussion forums develops in four stages: It starts out as simple postings of messages on a discussion board. Next, the collocutors make use of the edit button to change their own posts, and, in a dialogical manner that of their discussion partners. Finally, it comes down to a complex form of exchange between the interlocutors who innovatively use the edit button within a single post. By using the edit button in innovative ways the participants bring together sequentially related messages in a single post that are usually spread over multiple posts. We argue that the emergence of this innovative use of the strategy of "sequential compression” (sequenzielle Verdichtung), as we shall call it, may be understood as an answer both to the affordances of asynchronous communication in discussion forums and to the learning situation which is characterized by pressure of time calling for new and innovative strategie

Isotropic apparent diffusion coefficient mapping of postnatal cerebral development

Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) allows us to image the motion of tissue water. This has been used to demonstrate acute ischaemia. Diffusion imaging is also sensitive to water movement along neuronal tracts. Our objective was to map brain maturation in vivo using maps of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC). We studied 22children without neurological disease aged between 2 and 720days. MRI was performed at 1.5tesla. Multislice single-shot echoplanar DWI was performed at b 0 and 1000s/mm2. ADC maps were generated automatically and measurements were performed in the basal ganglia, frontal and temporal white matter and the pons. There was a decrease over time in water diffusion in the areas examined, most marked in the frontal (0.887-1.898×10-3mm2/s) and temporal (1.077-1.748×10-3mm2/s)lobes. There was little change, after an initial decrease, in the basal ganglia (0.690-1.336×10-3mm2/s). There was a difference in water diffusion between the anterior (0.687-1.581×10-3mm2/s) and posterior (0.533-1.393×10-3mm2/s) pons. These changes correlate well with those observed in progressive myelination: the increased water content probably reflects incomplete myelination and the decrease with time in water motion reflects the increase in myelinated brai

The management of eclampsia and severe preeclampsia with diazepam and dihydralazine

A study of the use of diazepam and dihydralazine in the management of 10 patients with eclampsia and 29 patients with severe pre-eclampsia was carried out in Central Africa. The results of this method of treatment are compared with the use of barbiturates or the lytic cocktail on a similar group of patients during the period immediately preceding the introduction of this regimen. An improvement was noted both in the perinatal mortality rate (18% compared with 30% previously) and in the prevention of eclamptic fits. No maternal death occurred in patients treated with diazepam and dihydralazine, while two mothers died after eclampsia during the preceding period. The independent control of the blood pressure and level of sedation provided by this regimen facilitated the management of eclampsia and severe pre-eclampsia.S. Afr. Med. J., 48, 1459 (1974)

The critical potential of learning about money. A response to Donald Gillies

According to Donald Gillies\u27 (2019) argument, the EU\u27s education policy focuses on the "monomanical mission of money-making" (p. 3) since the Lisbon Strategy. Economic growth is the primacy and ultimate purpose of European education policy, despite the influence of other educational goals, such as social stability or European identity building. In other words, "Learning to make money" (Gillies, 2019) became more than adding another learning objective to education. EU education policy aims to place learning under the primary objective of making money. This is a valid standpoint. The author of this article will take a critical look at the periodization in Gillies\u27 argument. Then, drawing on a long history of the connection between education, money and economic knowledge, he highlighs the critical potential that may also be hidden here. (DIPF/Orig.

Costamere protein expression and tissue composition of rotator cuff muscle after tendon release in sheep

Previous studies suggested that degradation of contractile tissue requires cleavage of the costamere, a structural protein complex that holds sarcomeres in place. This study examined if costamere turnover is affected by a rotator cuff tear in a previously established ovine model. We found the activity of focal adhesion kinase (FAK), a main regulator of costamere turnover, was unchanged at 2 weeks but decreased by 27% 16 weeks after surgical release of the infraspinatus tendon. This was accompanied by cleavage of the costamere protein talin into a 190 kDa fragment while full length talin remained unchanged. At 2 weeks after tendon release, muscle volume decreased by 17 cm from an initial 185 cm(3) , the fatty tissue volume was halved, and the contractile tissue volume remained unchanged. After 16 weeks, the muscle volume decreased by 36 cm(3) , contractile tissue was quantitatively lost, and the fat content increased by 184%. Nandrolone administration mitigated the loss of contractile tissue by 26% and prevented fat accumulation, alterations in FAK activity, and talin cleavage. Taken together, these findings imply that muscle remodeling after tendon release occurs in two stages. The early decrease of muscle volume is associated with reduction of fat; while, the second stage is characterized by substantial loss of contractile tissue accompanied by massive fat accumulation. Regulation of costamere turnover is associated with the loss of contractile tissue and seems to be impacted by nandrolone treatment. Clinically, the costamere may represent a potential intervention target to mitigate muscle loss after a rotator cuff tear. © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Orthopaedic Research published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the Orthopaedic Research Society. J Orthop Res

Participative Decision Mechanisms for Sustainable Development in Co-Operative Livestock Systems in Europe

Alpine pastures have been used for centuries and have a specific economic, ecological and cultural history that gives local identity. Alpine pastures, used only in summer, are endangered due to modern farming methods and economic conditions. The consequences include loss of biodiversity, traditionally used landscapes and socio-cultural identity in marginal regions (Riseth et al., 2003). As the Entlebuch UNESCO Biosphere Reserve was established by its inhabitants in a participative process, sustainable development in alpine pastures is also implemented by stakeholder participation. The methodology of participative decision mechanisms were used in two EU-projects: LACOPE: Landscape development, Biodiversity and Co-operative Livestock Systems in Europe, developing references for sustainable development in marginal regions and VisuLANDS: Visualisations Tools for Public Participation in the Management of Landscape Change. The main objective was to improve participative decision mechanisms using visualisation tools