Indoor exposure to molds and allergic sensitization.

Evidence that indoor dampness and mold growth are associated with respiratory health has been accumulating, but few studies have been able to examine health risks in relation to measured levels of indoor mold exposure. In particular, little is known about the contribution of indoor molds to the development of allergic sensitization. As a part of an ongoing study examining the effects of ambient air pollutants on respiratory health and atopic diseases in German school children, we examined the relation between viable mold levels indoors and allergic sensitization in 272 children. We examined whether allergic sensitization in children is associated with higher fungal spore count in settled house dust sampled from living room floors. Adjusting for age, sex, parental education, region of residency, and parental history of atopy, we found that mold spore counts for Cladosporium and Aspergillus were associated with an increased risk of allergic sensitization. Sensitized children exposed to high levels of mold spores (> 90th percentile) were more likely to suffer from symptoms of rhinoconjunctivitis. We conclude that elevated indoor concentrations of molds in wintertime might play a role in increasing the risk of developing atopic symptoms and allergic sensitization not only to molds but also to other common, inhaled allergens. These effects were strongest in the group of children who had lived in the same home since birth

Case series on granulosa cell tumour in cattle with practical hints on diagnostics and outcome

Granulosa cell tumours are the most common neoplasm of the bovine ovary and present with a wide range of clinical signs. This case series comprises five case reports of ovarian granulosa cell tumours in cattle. The affected animals had different breeds (Red Holstein, Eringer, Swiss Braunvieh, crossbred beef) and ranged in age from 1 year 4 months to 20 years 11 months. The diversity of the cases gives an overview of the diagnostic possibilities as well as the possible treatments and outcomes of the disease. Anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) was measured in one of the affected animals, and was extremely elevated (>150 pmoL/L) compared to reported normal values (<3 pmoL/L). Three animals underwent standing laparotomy with unilateral ovariectomy, and the remaining two animals were slaughtered. One of the cases confirms the previously published reports that malignancy or metastasis is possible in cattle. Another case indicates that successful surgical treatment with subsequent resumption of reproduction is possible. In summary, the initial tentative diagnosis of GCT is made by ultrasound-assisted rectal examination of the genital tract or ovaries and can subsequently be supported by evaluation of AMH levels. The decision to proceed with treatment should be made without delay, as surgical removal of the altered ovary with subsequent resumption of reproductive activity and cessation of undesirable behaviour is possible

Last interglacial temperature evolution – a model inter-comparison

Abstract. There is a growing number of proxy-based reconstructions detailing the climatic changes during the Last Interglacial period. This period is of special interest because large parts of the globe were characterized by a warmer-than-present-day climate, making this period an interesting test bed for climate models in the light of projected global warming. However, mainly because synchronizing the different records is difficult, there is no consensus on a global picture of Last Interglacial temperature changes. Here we present the first model inter-comparison of transient simulations covering the Last Interglacial period. By comparing the different simulations we aim at investigating the robustness of the simulated surface air temperature evolution. The model inter-comparison shows a robust Northern Hemisphere July temperature evolution characterized by a maximum between 130–122 ka BP with temperatures 0.4 to 6.8 K above pre-industrial values. This temperature evolution is in line with the changes in June insolation and greenhouse-gas concentrations. For the evolution of July temperatures in the Southern Hemisphere, the picture emerging from the inter-comparison is less clear. However, it does show that including greenhouse-gas concentration changes is critical. The simulations that include this forcing show an early, 128 ka BP July temperature anomaly maximum of 0.5 to 2.6 K. The robustness of simulated January temperatures is large in the Southern Hemisphere and the mid-latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere. In these latitudes maximum January temperature anomalies of respectively −2.5 to 2 K and 0 to 2 K are simulated for the period after 118 ka BP. The inter-comparison is inconclusive on the evolution of January temperatures in the high-latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere. Further investigation of regional anomalous patterns and inter-model differences indicate that in specific regions, feedbacks within the climate system are important for the simulated temperature evolution. Firstly in the Arctic region, changes in the summer sea-ice cover control the evolution of Last Interglacial winter temperatures. Secondly, for the Atlantic region, the Southern Ocean and the North Pacific, possible changes in the characteristics of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation are critical. The third important feedback, having an impact on the temperature evolution of the Northern Hemisphere, is shown to be the presence of remnant continental ice from the preceding glacial period. Another important feedback are changes in the monsoon regime which controls the evolution of temperatures over parts of Africa and India. Finally, the simulations reveal an important land-sea contrast, with temperature changes over the oceans lagging continental temperatures by up to several thousand years. The aforementioned feedback mechanisms tend to be highly model-dependent, indicating that specific proxy-data is needed to constrain future climate simulations and to further enhance our understanding of the evolution of the climate during the Last Interglacial period

Evidence of non-statistical structures in the elastic and inelastic scattering of58Ni+58Ni and58Ni+62Ni and intermediate dinuclear states

Excitation functions and angular distributions of58Ni+58Ni and58Ni+62Ni scattering at energies just above the Coulomb barrier have been measured aroundθcm=90° in energy stepsΔEcm=0.25 MeV fromEcm ⋍ 110 MeV toEcm ⋍ 120 MeV for58Ni+58Ni and fromEcm ⋍ 110 MeV toEcm ⋍ 118 MeV for58Ni+62Ni. Evidence for structure of non-statistical character has been found in the angle-summed excitation functions; this evidence is corroborated by the analysis of the angular distributions. This is the first time that non-statistical structure in elastic and inelastic scattering is reported with high confidence level for this mass and excitation energy ranges. Attempts are presented to understand the nature of this structure, including the presence of intermediate dinuclear states and virtual states in a potential well

Correlation of enhanced thrombospondin-1 expression, TGF-β signalling and proteinuria in human type-2 diabetic nephropathy

Background. Activation of the thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1)-TGF-β pathway by glucose and the relevance of TSP-1-dependent activation of TGF-β for renal matrix expansion, renal fibrosis and sclerosis have previously been demonstrated by our group in in vivo and in vitro studies

Damped oscillations in the energy autocorrelation functions of the 58 Ni+ 46 Ti elastic and 58 Ni+ 62 Ni elastic and inelastic scattering cross sections

Structures of non-statistical character, recently observed in 58Ni +46Ti elastic and 58Ni +62Ni elastic and inelastic excitation functions, produce damped oscillations in the cross section energy autocorrelation functions. The analysis of these damped oscillations in terms of S-matrix spin and parity decoherence indicates, as a possible interpretation, damping of the coherent rotational motion of the intermediate dinuclear system formed in the reaction