Shifts in bacterial biodiversity along an environmental gradient in high-Arctic tundra

Arctic soil microbiomes may have to face drastic climate changes in the coming century. Currently, the arctic tundra act as a carbon sink due to slow decomposition rates of soil organic carbon, which partly owes to low temperatures and poor water drainage. However, with elevated temperatures, large, latent carbon pools stored in arctic permafrost are exposed to mineralization by the active layer microbiota. This could cause increased emissions of potent climate gases, such as CH4 and CO2 to the atmosphere. Potentially changing the status of the arctic tundra into a net carbon source and further result in a positive feedback-loop to the climate system. Along with the climatic changes, altered precipitation regimes are predicted to cause higher water contents in some areas, while others are predicted to become drier. In turn, these changes are likely to trigger a response in the diversity and functioning of the soil microbial communities, which again might have an impact on biogeochemical cycles. Methane oxidizing bacteria (MOB) are bacteria that works as a filter for CH4, mainly produced by anaerobic methanogenic archaea. Some MOB also possesses the ability to consume CH4 from the atmosphere (atmMOB). Studies have shown that high water saturation might impede O2 availability, which is demonstrated to lower CH4 oxidation rates. Here we investigate how the bacterial biodiversity, and, in more depth, the MOB community changes along a moisture gradient in high-Arctic tundra, Svalbard. We have used next generation sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene, and the MOB functional gene, pmoA, to infer differences in community composition along the gradient. Statistical analyses were used to deduce the effect of environmental variables on the bacterial- and MOB community structure. Both moisture and pH were shown to have significant effects on the bacterial community composition. Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria and Acidobacteria were overall the most abundant phyla. Cyanobacteria had a high abundance in the top layer of wet soil, while Chloroflexi were abundant in the deep layers. Most interestingly, we found that the MOB community was dominated by members of the upland soil cluster (USC), a group of atmMOB not previously found in Svalbard. Our results demonstrate that dry, neutral to slightly alkalic upland cryosols could be a potential significant previously unrecognized CH4 sink. An analysis of variance showed that in addition to pH, moisture had a significant effect on the MOB community, which also was shown by a lack pmoA product in the wet sites. This implies that the MOB communities in these soils are vulnerable to alterations in water saturation in future climate change scenarios

Forholdet mellom Irma-Mignon-utgangspunktet og faste rettsvalgsregler: Irma Mignon-utgangspunktet - et rettslig prinsipp innen norsk internasjonal privatrett?

Temaet for denne avhandlingen er internasjonal privatrettslig, nærmere bestemt omhandler problemstillingen rettsvalgsspørsmålet. Rettstilstanden er ikke klar på om Irma Mignon-utgangspunktet skal anvendes som en konkret helhetsvurdering eller som et utgangspunkt for å utlede faste rettsvalgsregler. Det blir undersøkt hvordan Høyesterett anvender Irma Mignon-utgangspunktet fra 2006 til 2018

Apple, condom, and cocaine - Body stuffing in prison: A case report

© 2018 The Author(s). Background: Drug dealers and drug users resort to body stuffing to hastily conceal illicit drugs by ingesting their drug packets. This practice represents a medical challenge because rupture of the often insecure packaging can be toxic and even lethal. In an emergency setting, official guidelines are needed to help the medical team decide on the proper treatment. A preliminary observation period is generally accepted but its duration varies from hours to eventual packet expulsion. Case presentation: This case involves a 20-year-old white man in detention who claimed to have ingested one cocaine packet wrapped in plastic food-wrap and a condom in anticipation of an impending cell search. He reached out to medical professionals on day 4 after having unsuccessfully tried several methods to expel the drug packet, including swallowing olive oil, natural laxatives, liters of water, and 12 carved apple chunks. An initial computed tomography scan confirmed multiple packet-sized images throughout his stomach and bowel. After 24 hours of observation and normal bowel movements without expelling any packets, a subsequent scan found only one air-lined packet afloat in the gastric content. Due to the prolonged retention of the package there was an increased risk of rupture. The packet was eventually removed by laparoscopic gastrotomy. Conclusions: This case report illustrates that observation time needs to be adapted to each individual case of body stuffing. Proof of complete drug package evacuation ensures secure patient discharge. Body stuffers should be routinely asked for a detailed history, including how the drug is wrapped, and whether or not they ingested other substances to help expel the packets. The history enables the accurate interpretation of imaging. Repeated imaging can help follow the progress of packets if not all have been expelled during the observation period. Drug packets should be surgically removed in case of prolonged retention. To ensure the best possible outcomes, patients should have access to high-quality, private, and confidential medical care, which is equal to that offered to the general population. This is paramount to earning trust and collaboration from people in detention who resort to body stuffing

Insecure attachment, emotion regulation strategies, and internalizing behavioral problems students with emotional and behavioral disorders

Internalisierende Verhaltensprobleme gelten als essentieller Risikofaktor für das soziale, emotionale und schulische Wohlbefinden. Insbesondere Schülerinnen und Schüler mit einem Bedarf an sonderpädagogischer Unterstützung im Förderschwerpunkt der emotionalen und sozialen Entwicklung (ESE) weisen häufiger internalisierende Verhaltensprobleme auf. Die Grundannahmen der Bindungstheorie sowie die theoretischen Modelle der Entwicklungspsychologie bieten Erklärungsansätze für die Entstehung und das Verfestigen von Verhaltensproblemen. Die vorliegende Querschnittuntersuchung überprüft mittels Pfadanalyse direkte und indirekte Effekte von unsicheren Bindungsrepräsentationen auf funktionale und dysfunktionale Emotionsregulationsstrategien sowie auf internalisierende Verhaltensprobleme. Es wurden 141 Schülerinnen und Schüler (Alter = 7–15 Jahre) aus Förderschulen mit dem Schwerpunkt ESE mittels Selbsteinschätzungsfragebogen zu den zwei unsicheren Bindungsdimensionen — bindungsbezogene Angst und bindungsbezogene Vermeidung — sowie zu funktionalen und dysfunktionalen Emotionsregulationsstrategien (internale und externale) befragt. Die internalisierenden Verhaltensprobleme der Schülerinnen und Schüler wurden aus Perspektive der Sorgeberechtigten erhoben und differenziert nach den drei Skalen ängstlich/depressive Symptome, körperliche Beschwerden sowie rückzüglich/depressive Symptome ausgewertet. Die Ergebnisse der Pfadanalyse zeigen einen positiven Effekt von bindungsbezogener Angst und internal-dysfunktionaler Emotionsregulation auf körperliche Beschwerden. Des Weiteren deuten die Ergebnisse auf einen positiven Effekt von bindungsbezogener Vermeidung und internal-dysfunktionaler Emotionsregulation auf ängstlich/depressive Symptome hin. Zudem lassen sich verschiedene indirekte Effekte feststellen. Der Zusammenhang zwischen bindungsbezogener Angst und körperlichen Beschwerden wird durch internal-dysfunktionale sowie internal-funktionale Emotionsregulation mediiert. Der Zusammenhang zwischen bindungsbezogener Vermeidung und körperlichen Beschwerden wird durch internal-funktionale Emotionsregulation mediiert. Die Ergebnisse verdeutlichen die Relevanz von Bindungsdimensionen für Emotionsregulationsstrategien sowie internalisierende Verhaltensprobleme. Auf dieser Grundlage werden Limitationen und mögliche Implikationen für die zielgerichtete Förderung der psychischen Gesundheit von Schülerinnen und Schülern diskutiert. (DIPF/Orig.)Internalizing behavior problems are considered an essential risk factor for social-emotional and academic well-being. In particular, students with a need for special educational support in emotional and social development exhibit internalizing behavior problems. The basic assumptions of attachment theory as well as theoretically based models of developmental psychology offer explanations for the development and perpetuation of behavioral problems. The present cross-sectional study uses path analysis to examine direct and indirect effects of insecure attachment representations on functional and dysfunctional emotion regulation strategies and internalizing behavior problems. In total 141 children (7–15 years) attending special needs school for students with emotional and behavioral difficulties filled out self-report questionnaires, which assessed insecure attachment dimensions—attachment-related anxiety and attachment-related avoidance—and functional and dysfunctional emotional regulation. Students internalizing behavior problems were assessed from the perspective of caregivers and differentiated according to three scales: anxious/depressive symptoms, physical complaints, and regressive/depressive symptoms. The results of the path analysis show a positive effect of attachment-related anxiety and internal-dysfunctional emotion regulation on physical complaints. Furthermore, results suggest a positive effect of attachment-related avoidance and internal-dysfunctional emotion regulation on anxious/depressive symptoms. Additionally, various indirect effects can be identified. The association between attachment-related anxiety and physical complaints is mediated by internal-dysfunctional as well as internal-functional emotion regulation. The association between attachment-related avoidance and physical complaints is mediated by internal-functional emotion regulation. The results indicate the relevance of attachment dimensions in special needs schools. Methodological limitations, as well as initial implications for prevention and intervention measures will be discussed. (DIPF/Orig.

Detection of thrombosis in microvessels with indocyanine green videoangiography

Atherosclerosis is a systemic condition that is responsible for many diseases, and becomes a problem in cases where plaques form at several sites. The formation of a thrombotic embolus may jeopardise vascular operations, including microvascular anastomoses in replantation procedures or free tissue transfers. A mobile imaging tool for the detection of thrombosis preoperatively or intraoperatively would be valuable. An intimal injury, simulating removal of atherosclerotic plaques, was made microsurgically in 60 rat aortas, and results were analysed macroscopically, histologically, and with intraoperative indocyanine green (ICG) videoangiography immediately postoperatively. The Spearman and Pearson correlation tests were used to compare the three techniques. The sensitivity and specificity of ICG videoangiography was calculated in relation to both macroscopic and histological results. Detection of thrombosis was possible in 25 cases, and in 18 cases no thrombosis was correctly diagnosed by all methods used. In 31 of 60 specimens formation of thrombus was detected histologically, and in 29 of 60 examinations it was detected clinically, which yielded a correlation of 93.5% between the two examinations. Macroscopic analysis correlated better with ICG videoangiography (sensitivity 86.2% and specificity 64.5%) than histological observations (sensitivity 80.6% and specificity 62.1%). There was a significant correlation among all comparisons (each p ≤ 0.001) with correlation indexes of 0.94, 0.52, and 0.44 for macroscopic/histological, clinical/ICG videoangiographic, and ICG videoangiographic/histological results, respectively. Our results show that ICG videoangiography is an important method for the detection of formation of acute thrombi and may be an important tool in vascular procedures

Expansion of voltage-dependent Na+ channel gene family in early tetrapods coincided with the emergence of terrestriality and increased brain complexity

Author Posting. © The Authors, 2010. This is the author's version of the work. It is posted here by permission of Oxford University Press for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Molecular Biology and Evolution 28 (2011): 1415-1424, doi:10.1093/molbev/msq325.Mammals have 10 voltage-dependent sodium (Nav) channel genes. Nav channels are expressed in different cell types with different sub-cellular distributions and are critical for many aspects of neuronal processing. The last common ancestor of teleosts and tetrapods had four Nav channel genes presumably on four different chromosomes. In the lineage leading to mammals a series of tandem duplications on two of these chromosomes more than doubled the number of Nav channel genes. It is unknown when these duplications occurred, whether they occurred against a backdrop of duplication of flanking genes on their chromosomes, or as an expansion of ion channel genes in general. We estimated key dates of the Nav channel gene family expansion by phylogenetic analysis using teleost, elasmobranch, lungfish, amphibian, avian, lizard, and mammalian Nav channel sequences, as well as chromosomal synteny for tetrapod genes. We tested, and exclude, the null hypothesis that Nav channel genes reside in regions of chromosomes prone to duplication by demonstrating the lack of duplication or duplicate retention of surrounding genes. We also find no comparable expansion in other voltage dependent ion channel gene families of tetrapods following the teleost-tetrapod divergence. We posit a specific expansion of the Nav channel gene family in the Devonian and Carboniferous periods when tetrapods evolved, diversified, and invaded the terrestrial habitat. During this time the amniote forebrain evolved greater anatomical complexity and novel tactile sensory receptors appeared. The duplication of Nav channel genes allowed for greater regional specialization in Nav channel expression, variation in sub-cellular localization, and enhanced processing of somatosensory input.This work was funded by the National Science Foundation (IBN 0236147 to H.H.Z and M.C.J), and the National Institutes of Health (R01GM084879 to H.H.Z)

Soul's Tools

This paper explores the various ways Aristotle refers to and employs “heat and cold” in his embryology. In my view, scholars are too quick to assume that references to heat and cold are references to matter or an animal’s material nature. More commonly, I argue, Aristotle refers to heat and cold as the “tools” of soul. As I understand it, Aristotle is thinking of heat and cold in many contexts as auxiliary causes by which soul activities (primarily “concoction”) are carried out. This, as I argue, is what it means to call them “tools” of soul. An upshot of this investigation is the fuller picture of Aristotle’s conception of efficient causation it provides in general, and the better understanding of the efficient causal operation of an organism’s nature or soul it provides in particular

Natural History of Tuberculosis: Duration and Fatality of Untreated Pulmonary Tuberculosis in HIV Negative Patients: A Systematic Review

Background The prognosis, specifically the case fatality and duration, of untreated tuberculosis is important as many patients are not correctly diagnosed and therefore receive inadequate or no treatment. Furthermore, duration and case fatality of tuberculosis are key parameters in interpreting epidemiological data. Methodology and Principal Findings To estimate the duration and case fatality of untreated pulmonary tuberculosis in HIV negative patients we reviewed studies from the pre-chemotherapy era. Untreated smear-positive tuberculosis among HIV negative individuals has a 10-year case fatality variously reported between 53% and 86%, with a weighted mean of 70%. Ten-year case fatality of culture-positive smear-negative tuberculosis was nowhere reported directly but can be indirectly estimated to be approximately 20%. The duration of tuberculosis from onset to cure or death is approximately 3 years and appears to be similar for smear-positive and smear-negative tuberculosis. Conclusions Current models of untreated tuberculosis that assume a total duration of 2 years until self-cure or death underestimate the duration of disease by about one year, but their case fatality estimates of 70% for smear-positive and 20% for culture-positive smear-negative tuberculosis appear to be satisfactory