The freshwater Sponge Ephydatia Fluviatilis harbours diverse pseudomonas species (Gammaproteobacteria, Pseudomonadales) with broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity

Bacteria are believed to play an important role in the fitness and biochemistry of sponges (Porifera). Pseudomonas species (Gammaproteobacteria, Pseudomonadales) are capable of colonizing a broad range of eukaryotic hosts, but knowledge of their diversity and function in freshwater invertebrates is rudimentary. We assessed the diversity, structure and antimicrobial activities of Pseudomonas spp. in the freshwater sponge Ephydatia fluviatilis. Polymerase Chain Reaction - Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) fingerprints of the global regulator gene gacA revealed distinct structures between sponge-associated and free-living Pseudomonas communities, unveiling previously unsuspected diversity of these assemblages in freshwater. Community structures varied across E. fluviatilis specimens, yet specific gacA phylotypes could be detected by PCR-DGGE in almost all sponge individuals sampled over two consecutive years. By means of whole-genome fingerprinting, 39 distinct genotypes were found within 90 fluorescent Pseudomonas isolates retrieved from E. fluviatilis. High frequency of in vitro antibacterial (49%), antiprotozoan (35%) and anti-oomycetal (32%) activities was found among these isolates, contrasting less-pronounced basidiomycetal (17%) and ascomycetal (8%) antagonism. Culture extracts of highly predation-resistant isolates rapidly caused complete immobility or lysis of cells of the protozoan Colpoda steinii. Isolates tentatively identified as P. jessenii, P. protegens and P. oryzihabitans showed conspicuous inhibitory traits and correspondence with dominant sponge-associated phylotypes registered by cultivation-independent analysis. Our findings suggest that E. fluviatilis hosts both transient and persistent Pseudomonas symbionts displaying antimicrobial activities of potential ecological and biotechnological value.European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the COMPETE (Operational Competitiveness Programme); national funds through FCT (Foundation for Science and Technology) [PEst-C/MAR/LA0015/2011]; FCT-funded project [PTDC/BIA-MIC/3865/2012]; Federation of European Microbiological Societies (FEMS)info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Peanut‐induced anaphylaxis in children and adolescents: Data from the European Anaphylaxis Registry

Background Peanut allergy has a rising prevalence in high-income countries, affecting 0.5%-1.4% of children. This study aimed to better understand peanut anaphylaxis in comparison to anaphylaxis to other food triggers in European children and adolescents. Methods Data was sourced from the European Anaphylaxis Registry via an online questionnaire, after in-depth review of food-induced anaphylaxis cases in a tertiary paediatric allergy centre. Results 3514 cases of food anaphylaxis were reported between July 2007 - March 2018, 56% in patients younger than 18 years. Peanut anaphylaxis was recorded in 459 children and adolescents (85% of all peanut anaphylaxis cases). Previous reactions (42% vs. 38%; p = .001), asthma comorbidity (47% vs. 35%; p < .001), relevant cofactors (29% vs. 22%; p = .004) and biphasic reactions (10% vs. 4%; p = .001) were more commonly reported in peanut anaphylaxis. Most cases were labelled as severe anaphylaxis (Ring&Messmer grade III 65% vs. 56% and grade IV 1.1% vs. 0.9%; p = .001). Self-administration of intramuscular adrenaline was low (17% vs. 15%), professional adrenaline administration was higher in non-peanut food anaphylaxis (34% vs. 26%; p = .003). Hospitalization was higher for peanut anaphylaxis (67% vs. 54%; p = .004). Conclusions The European Anaphylaxis Registry data confirmed peanut as one of the major causes of severe, potentially life-threatening allergic reactions in European children, with some characteristic features e.g., presence of asthma comorbidity and increased rate of biphasic reactions. Usage of intramuscular adrenaline as first-line treatment is low and needs to be improved. The Registry, designed as the largest database on anaphylaxis, allows continuous assessment of this condition

Organisationskultur. Eine Konkretisierung aus systemtheoretischer Perspektive

Kühl S. Organisationskultur. Eine Konkretisierung aus systemtheoretischer Perspektive. Managementforschung. 2018;28(1):7-35.Die Bestimmung des Verhältnisses von Informalität und Organisationskultur bereitet in der Organisationstheorie Schwierigkeiten. Das liegt daran, dass der Begriff Informalität häufig stillschweigend durch den Begriff der Organisationskultur ersetzt wurde, ohne dass dafür eine präzise, abgrenzungsscharfe Definition vorgenommen worden wäre. Unter Rückgriff auf Überlegungen von Dario Rodríguez argumentiert dieser Artikel, dass die beiden Begriffe Organisationskultur und Informalität das gleiche Phänomen bezeichnen: die nichtentschiedenen Entscheidungsprämissen einer Organisation. Dabei wird systematisch zwischen „unentscheidbaren Entscheidungsprämissen“ und „prinzipiell entscheidbaren, aber nicht entschiedenen Entscheidungsprämissen“ unterschieden. Es wird gezeigt, wie sich mit einer präzisen Bestimmung über das Konzept der Entscheidungsprämissen Ordnung in die „wilden Merkmallisten“ der Literatur sowohl über Informalität als auch Organisationskultur bringen lässt und empirische Phänomene genauer erfasst werden können

Vertical profiles of air pollutants in a severely damaged spruce forest depending on the amount of precipitation

Vertical profiles of air pollutants were studied in a spruce forest to find out correlations with the damage, observed mainly in the upper zones of the canopy. Gaseous HNO3, NH3, total suspended particles, throughfall, plant surface water, wash-off solutions and deposits on surrogate surfaces with different orientations were analyzed. After a dry episode in most cases the profiles of the concentrations of the measured components of plant surface water as well as the dposition rates were similar to the profile of the wind speed. After low rainfall it was about the same, but after medium rainfall the maximum values were shifted from top to bottom. Specific differences depending on secondary processes are discussed. Leaching of acids in the canopy is evident

The Volyn biota (Ukraine) – indications of 1.5&thinsp;Gyr old eukaryotes in 3D preservation, a spotlight on the “boring billion”

The Volyn biota, fossilized organisms with a minimum age of 1.5 Ga, were found in cavities in granitic pegmatites from the Korosten Pluton, NW Ukrainian shield. Fossilization was due to an influx of hydrothermal fluorine-rich waters, which silicified the outermost part of the organisms, thus preserving the 3D morphology. Details of the morphology (investigated by scanning electron microscopy) show that the majority of the specimens are filamentous, of a large variety with diameters ranging from ∼ 10 to ∼ 200 µm, thin filaments with typical branching and thick filaments with ball-shaped outgrowths and dented surface. Filaments can be straight or conical, curvilinear, or strongly curved, up to millimeters in length, some with a central channel. Some filaments show indications of segmentation and are grown as sessile organisms onto substrate; others show both intact ends, indicating a non-sessile, free-living lifestyle. Objects with flaky morphology and agglutinating filaments are interpreted as fossil biofilms. Other objects are hollow and show a large variety of forms; spherical objects are scarce. Infrared spectroscopy indicates the presence of chitosan in one filament type, electron microprobe analysis of nanometer-sized inclusions in filaments identified the presence of Bi(Te,S) minerals, and both observations are compatible with the interpretation as fungi-like organisms. Stable C- and N-isotope data of bulk samples are in the range of −31 ‰ to −47 ‰ δ13C and of +3 ‰ to +10 ‰ δ15N, indicating possible methanogens as part of the subsurface microecosystem. The Volyn biota indicate that at 1.5 Ga complex forms of life existed in the continental deep biosphere, well above the microscopic level, including fungi-like organisms resembling eukaryotes.</p

Investigation of laser fired point contacts on KOH structured laser crystallized silicon by conductive atomic force microscopy

A conductive atomic force microscope is used to study the local topography and conductivity of laser fired aluminum contacts on KOH structured multicrystalline silicon surfaces. A significant increase in conductivity is observed in the laser affected area. The area size and spatial uniformity of this enhanced conductivity depends on the laser energy fluence. The laser affected area shows three ring shaped regimes of different conductance depending on the local aluminum and oxygen concentration. Finally, it was found that the topographic surface structure determined by the silicon grain orientation does not significantly affect the laser firing proces