Characterizing aeroallergens by infrared spectroscopy of fungal spores and pollen

Background Fungal spores and plant pollen cause respiratory diseases in susceptible individuals, such as asthma, allergic rhinitis and hypersensitivity pneumonitis. Aeroallergen monitoring networks are an important part of treatment strategies, but unfortunately traditional analysis is time consuming and expensive. We have explored the use of infrared spectroscopy of pollen and spores for an inexpensive and rapid characterization of aeroallergens. Methodology The study is based on measurement of spore and pollen samples by single reflectance attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (SR-ATR FTIR). The experimental set includes 71 spore (Basidiomycota) and 121 pollen (Pinales, Fagales and Poales) samples. Along with fresh basidiospores, the study has been conducted on the archived samples collected within the last 50 years. Results The spectroscopic-based methodology enables clear spectral differentiation between pollen and spores, as well as the separation of confamiliar and congeneric species. In addition, the analysis of the scattering signals inherent in the infrared spectra indicates that the FTIR methodology offers indirect estimation of morphology of pollen and spores. The analysis of fresh and archived spores shows that chemical composition of spores is well preserved even after decades of storage, including the characteristic taxonomy-related signals. Therefore, biochemical analysis of fungal spores by FTIR could provide economical, reliable and timely methodologies for improving fungal taxonomy, as well as for fungal identification and monitoring. This proof of principle study shows the potential for using FTIR as a rapid tool in aeroallergen studies. In addition, the presented method is ready to be immediately implemented in biological and ecological studies for direct measurement of pollen and spores from flowers and sporocarps

Bergman Cyclization of Acyclic Amino Acid Derived Enediynes Leads to the Formation of 2,3-Dihydrobenzofisoindoles

Enediyne-peptide conjugates are recently recognized as useful tools in targeting various proteins, while the mechanism underlying the observed activity remains somewhat unclear. Addressing these issues, we have prepared acyclic amino acid derived enediynes and disclosed a novel thermally induced cyclization-elimination pathway. Initial formation of 1,4-benzene diradical and H-atom abstraction from an external donor is followed by SN2 substitution leading to 2,3-dihydrobenzo- [f]isoindoles. The proposed mechanism is supported by experimental and computational data. Additionally, we showed that amino acid side chains, although placed three bonds away from acetylene terminuses, have an appreciable influence on the reactivity of studied enediynes. These results demonstrate that amino acid or peptide parts of enediyne-peptide conjugates cannot be considered as recognition elements exclusively but may also participate in various reactions through amine functionality

The CFA Franc: French monetary imperialism in Africa

Ndongo Samba Sylla argues that the CFA franc - officially created on 26 December 1945 by a decree of General de Gaulle - used across much of Africa today is a colonial relic. For those hoping to export competitive products, obtain affordable credit, work for the integration of continental trade, or fight for an Africa free from imperialist control, the CFA franc is an anachronism demanding orderly and methodical eliminatio

Fossil pollen and spores as a tool for reconstructing ancient solar-ultraviolet irradiance received by plants : an assessment of prospects and challenges using proxy-system modelling

Ultraviolet-B radiation (UV-B, 280-315 nm) constitutes less than 1% of the total solar radiation that reaches the Earth's surface but has a disproportional impact on biological and ecological processes from the individual to the ecosystem level. Absorption of UV-B by ozone is also one of the primary heat sources to the stratosphere, so variations in UV-B have important relationships to the Earth's radiation budget. Yet despite its importance for understanding atmospheric and ecological processes, there is limited understanding about the changes in UV-B radiation in the geological past. This is because systematic measurements of total ozone and surface UV-B only exist since the 1970s, so biological or geochemical proxies from sediment archives are needed to reconstruct UV-B irradiance received at the Earth surface beyond the experimental record. Recent developments have shown that the quantification of UV-B-absorbing compounds in pollen and spores have the potential to provide a continuous record of the solar-ultraviolet radiation received by plants. There is increasing interest in developing this proxy in palaeoclimatic and palaeoecological research. However, differences in interpretation exist between palaeoecologists, who are beginning to apply the proxy under various geological settings, and UV-B ecologists, who question whether a causal dose-response relationship of pollen and spore chemistry to UV-B irradiance has really been established. Here, we use a proxy-system modelling approach to systematically assess components of the pollen-and spore-based UV-B-irradiance proxy to ask how these differences can be resolved. We identify key unknowns and uncertainties in making inferences about past UV-B irradiance, from the pollen sensor, the sedimentary archive, and through the laboratory and experimental procedures in order to target priority areas of future work. We argue that an interdisciplinary approach, modifying methods used by plant ecologists studying contemporary responses to solar-UV-B radiation specifically to suit the needs of palaeoecological analyses, provides a way forward in developing the most reliable reconstructions for the UV-B irradiance received by plants across a range of timescales.Peer reviewe

The Swiss Household Panel 1999-2003: data for research on micro-social change

"Die Umfrage Leben in der Schweiz des Schweizer Haushalt Panels (SHP) bietet eine einzigartige longitudinale Datenbasis an. 1999 wurden 7.799 Personen von 5.074 Haushalten über ihre Lebensbedingungen befragt. Sämtliche 14-jährigen und älteren Personen, die in diesen Haushalten wohnen, sollen fortan während zehn bis fünfzehn Jahren in jährlichem Abstand befragt werden. Die Erhebung wird mittels computerunterstützten Telefoninterviews (CATI: Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing) durchgeführt. Mittlerweile konnten die ersten zwei Befragungswellen erfolgreich realisiert werden. Anders als bei den vorwiegend auf sozioökonomischen Bedingungen ausgerichteten Panels - wie dem SOEP in Deutschland und dem BHPS in England - deckt das SHP ein breites Spektrum von Themen und sozialwissenschaftlichen Forschungsansätzen ab. Das Faktenmaterial wird ergänzt durch 'subjektive' Beurteilungen. Die Trägerschaft des SHPs besteht aus dem Schwerpunktprogramm SPP 'Zukunft Schweiz', dem Bundesamt für Statistik und der Universität Neuchâtel." (Autorenreferat)"The Living in Switzerland survey of the Swiss Household Panel (SHP) provides a unique longitudinal database in Switzerland. In 1999, 7,799 members of 5,074 households – from a stratified random sample of the permanent resident population of Switzerland – were interviewed about their living conditions. All household members aged 14 years and older are to be interviewed annually for 10 to 15 years. The SHP survey is conducted using computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI). To date, the first two waves have been carried out successfully. In comparison with panels such as the SOEP in Germany and the BHPS in Britain concentrating on socio-economic conditions, the SHP covers a broader range of topics and approaches in the social sciences. Subjective assessments complement the factual information. The SHP is a joint project run by the Swiss Priority Programme (SPP) 'Switzerland towards the Future', the Swiss Federal Statistical Office and the University of Neuchâtel." (author's abstract

Configuring Poetic Time: Figures of Movement and Perception in Marcel Proust’s À la recherche du temps perdu

Gibhardt BR. Configuring Poetic Time: Figures of Movement and Perception in Marcel Proust’s À la recherche du temps perdu. In: Zimmermann MF, ed. Vision in motion: streams of sensation and configurations time. Zürich: diaphnes; 2016: 361-374

Wolf Responses to Experimental Human Approaches Using High-Resolution Positioning Data

Humans pose a major mortality risk to wolves. Hence, similar to how prey respond to predators, wolves can be expected to show anti-predator responses to humans. When exposed to a threat, animals may show a fight, flight, freeze or hide response. The type of response and the circumstances (e.g., distance and speed) at which the animal flees are useful parameters to describe the responses of wild animals to approaching humans. Increasing knowledge about behavioral responses of wolves toward humans might improve appropriate management and decrease conflicts related to fear of wolves. We did a pilot study by conducting 21 approach trials on seven GPS-collared wolves in four territories to investigate their responses to experimental human approaches. We found that wolves predominantly showed a flight response (N = 18), in a few cases the wolf did not flee (N = 3), but no wolves were seen or heard during trials. When wolves were downwind of the observer the flight initiation distance was significantly larger than when upwind, consistent with the hypothesis that conditions facilitating early detection would result in an earlier flight. Our hypothesis that early detection would result in less intense flights was not supported, as we found no correlation between flight initiation distances and speed, distance or straightness of the flight. Wolves in more concealed habitat had a shorter flight initiation distance or did not flee at all, suggesting that perceived risk might have been affected by horizontal visibility. Contrary to our expectation, resettling positions were less concealed (larger horizontal visibility) than the wolves' initial site. Although our small number of study animals and trials does not allow for generalizations, this pilot study illustrates how standardized human approach trials with high-resolution GPS-data can be used to describe wolf responses at a local scale. In continuation, this method can be applied at larger spatial scales to compare wolf flight responses within and between populations and across anthropogenic gradients, thus increasing the knowledge of wolf behavior toward humans, and potentially improving coexistence with wolves across their range