Response of marine ecosystems to deep-time global warming: a synthesis of biotic patterns across the Paleocene-Eocene thermal maximum (PETM)

This paper provides a synthesis of the long- and short-term response of various marine ecosystems (deep oceans, pelagic, politic shelves and carbonate platforms) to the Paleocene-Eocene thermal maximum (PETM) and its broader paleoclimatic and paleoceanographic context. Despite the severity and sudden onset of global warming the PETM is not marked by a mass extinction event. The only major extinction is among bathyal to abyssal calcareous benthic foraminifera, including some calcareous agglutinated taxa. Coexisting non-calcareous deep water agglutinated foraminifera, ostracodes and trace fossils show prominent changes in composition, population structure and biodiversity, but there is no clear evidence of global extinctions. Except for the deep-sea calcareous benthic foraminiferal record, the PETM is best classified as a migration and origination event and was instrumental in kick-starting various short- and long-term evolutionary innovations in marine microfossil lineages. In pelagic and shallow shelf ecosystems, migration and origination during and after the PETM appears to precede extinction in the aftermath of the PETM. The response of most marine invertebrates (mollusks, echinoderms, brachiopods) to paleoclimatic and associated environmental changes (e.g., acidification, deoxygenation) during the PETM is virtually unknown as continuous high-resolution data of these groups spanning the PETM are unexplored and possibly not or hardly preserved. Yet information on these groups is required in order to improve assessments of the value of biotic records to deep-time global warming in the context of current climate change. In contrast, the relatively well-established response of Tethyan reef systems to late Paleocene-early Eocene global warming may provide a potential analog to a – possibly bleak - future of present-day coral reefs

Biotic impact of Eocene thermal maximum 2 in a shelf setting (Dababiya, Egypt)

The Paleocene-Eocene thermal maximum (PETM) initiated a global biotic event with major evolutionary impacts. Since a series of minor d13C and d18O excursions, indicative of hyperthermals, now appears to characterize early Eocene climate, it remains to be investigated how the biosphere responded to these warming events. We studied the Esna Formation at Dababiya (Nile Basin, Egypt), in order to identify Eocene thermal maximum 2 (ETM-2) and to evaluate the foraminiferal and ostracode patterns. The studies interval generally consists of gray-brown marls and shales and is interrupted by a sequence of deviating lithologies, representing an early Eocene Egyptian environmental perturbation that can be linked to ETM-2. The ETM-2 interval consists of brownish shales (bed 1) to marls (bed 2) at the base that grade into a foraminifera-rich chalky limestone (bed 3) at the top. This conspicuous white limestone bed forms the base of the Abu Had Member. A distinct negative d13C excursion of approximately 1.6‰ is recorded encompassing this interval and a second negative d13C shift of 1‰ occurs 5 m higher. These two isotope events are situated respectively in the basal and lower part of the calcareous nannoplankton zone NP11 and appear to correlate with the H1 and H2(?) excursions observed in the deep-sea records. The lower d13C excursion is associated with benthic foraminiferal and ostracode changes and settlement of impoverished anomalous foraminiferal (planktic and benthic) assemblages, indicating a transient environmental anomaly, disrupting the entire marine ecosystem during ETM-2. Our observations indicate some similarities between the sedimentary and biotic expressions of ETM-2 and the PETM at Dababiya, pointing to similar processes operating in the Egyptian Basin during these global warming events

High precision beam momentum determination in a synchrotron using a spin resonance method

In order to measure the mass of the eta meson with high accuracy using the d+p -> 3He+eta reaction, the momentum of the circulating deuteron beam in the Cooler Synchrotron COSY of the Forschungszentrum Juelich has to be determined with unprecedented precision. This has been achieved by studying the spin dynamics of the polarized deuteron beam. By depolarizing the beam through the use of an artificially induced spin resonance, it was possible to evaluate its momentum p with a precision of dp/p < 10-4 for a momentum of roughly 3 GeV/c. Different possible sources of error in the application of the spin resonance method are discussed in detail and its possible use during a standard experiment is considered.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figures, 2 tables, published versio

Reconstruction of a latest Paleocene shallow-marine eutrophic paleoenvironment at Sidi Nasseur (Central Tunisia) based on foraminifera, ostracoda, calcareous nannofossils and stable isotopes (delta¹³C delta¹⁸O)

In order to unravel faunal and paleoenvironmental parameters in shallow marine settings prior to the Paleocene-Eocene thermal maximum, we investigated the Sidi Nasseur section (NAS) in Central Tunisia. This section exposes Paleocene to lower Eocene shales and marls of the El Haria Formation. The uppermost Paleocene part of the Sidi Nasseur section is marked by poor to moderately rich, but fairly diversified nannofossil associations, containing the typical latest Paleocene taxa of the top of NP9a. The ostracode record displays an almost continuous record in the uppermost Paleocene part of the section. Representatives of Aegyptiana, Paracosta, Reticulina and Reymenticosta make up the major part of the ostracode fauna. The benthic foraminiferal assemblage consists of numerous small calcareous benthic foraminifera, like Anomalinoides midwayensis and Lenticulina spp. and many large Frondicularia phosphatica, Pyramidulina spp. These, together with the non-calcareous agglutinated foraminifera and the rare planktic foraminifera, indicate an inner neritic to coastal environment with eutrophic conditions, regularly interrupted by oxygen deficiency. The dominance of non-calcareous benthic foraminifera between intervals with abundant calcareous benthic foraminifera suggests post-mortem dissolution. The foraminiferal d13C record (based upon Pyramidulina latejugata) of the latest Paleocene in the Sidi Nasseur area is very similar to these from coeval sediments at Gebel Duwi and Gebel Aweina in Egypt. Oxygen isotopic ratios indicate a marine setting with a water composition affected by evaporation. During the latest Paleocene, the highly productive shallow water environment evolved to shallower water depths with higher salinity and increasing dominance of A. midwayensis

THE ACCUSED IS ENTERING THE COURTROOM: THE LIVE-TWEETING OF A MURDER TRIAL.

© 2017 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis GroupThe use of social media is now widely accepted within journalism as an outlet for news information. Live tweeting of unfolding events is standard practice. In March 2014, Oscar Pistorius went on trial in the Gauteng High Court for murder. Hundreds of journalists present began live-tweeting coverage, an unprecedented combination of international interest, permission to use technology and access which resulted in massive streams of consciousness reports of events as they unfolded. Based on a corpus of Twitter feeds of twenty-four journalists covering the trial, this study analyses the content and strategies of these feeds in order to present an understanding of how microblogging is used as a live reporting tool. This study shows the development of standardised language and strategies in reporting on Twitter, concluding that journalists adopt a narrow range of approaches, with no significant variation in terms of gender, location, or medium. This is in contrast to earlier studies in the field (Awad, 2006, Hedman, 2015; Kothari, 2010; Lariscy, Avery, Sweetser, & Howes, 2009 Lasorsa, 2012; Lasorsa, Lewis, & Holton, 2011; Sigal, 1999, Vis, 2013).Peer reviewe

Operative Verfahren bei hohen kryptoglandulären Analfisteln: Systematische Übersicht und Metaanalyse

Purpose: Perianal fistulas, and specifically high perianal fistulas, remain a challenge for surgical treatment. Many techniques have been and are still being developed to improve the outcome after surgery. A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed for surgical treatment of high cryptoglandular perianal fistulas. Methods: Medline (Pubmed, Ovid), Embase and The Cochrane Library databases were searched for relevant randomized controlled trials on surgical treatments for high cryptoglandular perianal fistulas. Two independent reviewers selected articles for inclusion based on title, abstract and outcomes described. The main outcome measurement was the recurrence/healing rate. Secondary outcomes were continence status, quality of life and complications. Results: The number of randomized trials available was low. Fourteen studies could be included in the review. A meta-analysis could only be performed for the mucosal advancement flap versus the fistula plug, and did not show a result in favour of either technique in recurrence or complication rate. The mucosal advancement flap was the most investigated technique but did not show any advantage over any other technique. Other techniques identified in randomized studies were seton treatment, medicated seton treatment, fibrin glue, autologous stem cells, island flap anoplasty, rectal wall advancement flap, ligation of the intersphincteric fistula tract, sphincter reconstruction, sphincter-preserving seton and techniques combined with antibiotics. None of these techniques seemed superior to each other. Conclusions: The best surgical treatment for high cryptoglandular perianal fistulas could not be identified. More randomized controlled trials are needed to find the best treatment. The mucosal advancement flap is the most investigated technique available

Canine NAPEPLD-associated models of human myelin disorders

Canine leukoencephalomyelopathy (LEMP) is a juvenile-onset neurodegenerative disorder of the CNS white matter currently described in Rottweiler and Leonberger dogs. Genome-wide association study (GWAS) allowed us to map LEMP in a Leonberger cohort to dog chromosome 18. Subsequent whole genome re-sequencing of a Leonberger case enabled the identification of a single private homozygous non-synonymous missense variant located in the highly conserved metallo-beta-lactamase domain of the N-acyl phosphatidylethanolamine phospholipase D (NAPEPLD) gene, encoding an enzyme of the endocannabinoid system. We then sequenced this gene in LEMP-affected Rottweilers and identified a different frameshift variant, which is predicted to replace the C-terminal metallo-beta-lactamase domain of the wild type protein. Haplotype analysis of SNP array genotypes revealed that the frameshift variant was present in diverse haplotypes in Rottweilers, and also in Great Danes, indicating an old origin of this second NAPEPLD variant. The identification of different NAPEPLD variants in dog breeds affected by leukoencephalopathies with heterogeneous pathological features, implicates the NAPEPLD enzyme as important in myelin homeostasis, and suggests a novel candidate gene for myelination disorders in people

Most Lung and Colon Cancer Susceptibility Genes Are Pair-Wise Linked in Mice, Humans and Rats

Genetic predisposition controlled by susceptibility quantitative trait loci (QTLs) contributes to a large proportion of common cancers. Studies of genetics of cancer susceptibility, however, did not address systematically the relationship between susceptibility to cancers in different organs. We present five sets of data on genetic architecture of colon and lung cancer susceptibility in mice, humans and rats. They collectively show that the majority of genes for colon and lung cancer susceptibility are linked pair-wise and are likely identical or related. Four CcS/Dem recombinant congenic strains, each differing from strain BALB/cHeA by a different small random subset of ±12.5% of genes received from strain STS/A, suggestively show either extreme susceptibility or extreme resistance for both colon and lung tumors, which is unlikely if the two tumors were controlled by independent susceptibility genes. Indeed, susceptibility to lung cancer (Sluc) loci underlying the extreme susceptibility or resistance of such CcS/Dem strains, mapped in 226 (CcS-10×CcS-19)F2 mice, co-localize with susceptibility to colon cancer (Scc) loci. Analysis of additional Sluc loci that were mapped in OcB/Dem strains and Scc loci in CcS/Dem strains, respectively, shows their widespread pair-wise co-localization (P = 0.0036). Finally, the majority of published human and rat colon cancer susceptibility genes map to chromosomal regions homologous to mouse Sluc loci. 12/12 mouse Scc loci, 9/11 human and 5/7 rat colon cancer susceptibility loci are close to a Sluc locus or its homologous site, forming 21 clusters of lung and colon cancer susceptibility genes from one, two or three species. Our data shows that cancer susceptibility QTLs can have much broader biological effects than presently appreciated. It also demonstrates the power of mouse genetics to predict human susceptibility genes. Comparison of molecular mechanisms of susceptibility genes that are organ-specific and those with trans-organ effects can provide a new dimension in understanding individual cancer susceptibility