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Starting in the summer 2023 and peaking in late 2023, large amounts of Sargassum were observed floating off the coast of Madeira Islands, Portugal. The analysis of the samples revealed the presence of the three most common morphotypes of the two known species of pelagic Sargassum: S. natans I, S. natans VIII, and S. fluitans III. This is the first record for the subtropical eastern Atlantic Ocean for S. natans VIII and S. fluitans III. Both species were found entangled, and even though the main purpose of the study was to document the occurrence of pelagic Sargassum in the Madeira archipelago, some associated fauna were also recorded: the crab Planes minutus (Linnaeus, 1758), the amphi-Atlantic shrimps Latreutes fucorum (Fabricius, 1798) and Hippolyte coerulescens (Fabricius, 1775), and the nudibranch Scyllaea pelagica Linnaeus, 1758. The last two are new records for the Madeira archipelago.
Do people’s political beliefs alter the emphasis they place on different symbols when constructing their “personal” national identity (Cohen 1996)? Does the content of their national identity affect how they vote? These are the central questions we address in this article, focusing on England but using the United States as a comparative case to demonstrate common dynamics.
Anguillicoloides crassus is an invasive nematode parasite of the critically endangered European eel, Anguilla anguilla, and possibly one of the primary drivers of eel population collapse, impacting many features of eel physiology and life history. Early detection of the parasite is vital to limit the spread of A. crassus, to assess its potential impact on spawning biomass. However accurate diagnosis of infection could only be achieved via necropsy. To support eel fisheries management we developed a rapid, non-lethal, minimally invasive and in situ DNA-based method to infer the presence of the parasite in the swim bladder. Screening of 131 wild eels was undertaken between 2017 and 2019 in Ireland and UK to validate the procedure. DNA extractions and PCR were conducted using both a Qiagen Stool kit and in situ using Whatman qualitative filter paper No1 and a miniPCR DNA Discovery-System™. Primers were specifically designed to target the cytochrome oxidase mtDNA gene region and in situ extraction and amplification takes approximately 3 h for up to 16 individuals. Our in-situ diagnostic procedure demonstrated positive predictive values at 96% and negative predictive values at 87% by comparison to necropsy data. Our method could be a valuable tool in the hands of fisheries managers to enable infection control and help protect this iconic but critically endangered species.
Schizophrenia has often been associated with a reduced skin flush response to niacin. Blunted response suggests potential disturbance in phospholipid metabolism.
Objectives
We performed niacin skin tests in patients with schizophrenia, their first-degree relatives and healthy controls.
Aims
To examine possible differences in skin flush response to niacin.
Methods
We examined 51 patients (female 49%, age 33.1 years, SD 11), with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders, 51 matched healthy controls (female 49%, age 33 years, SD 12.1), and 21 first-degree relatives (female 61,9%, age 49,5 years, SD 17,6, one affected, others non-affected). The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale and the Mini International Neuropsychiatrie Interview were used to assess psychopathology and diagnosis, respectively. The non-invasive niacin skin flush test was used to assess vasodilatative reaction to four different concentrations of niacin on the forearms of subjects.
Results
We found no differences in total scores on the niacin skin flush test between the three groups (p = 0.774). Mean scores were 60.27 (SD 14.2) in healthy controls, 58.84 (SD 10.2) in patients and 58.48 (SD 9.4) in first-degree relatives.
Conclusion
Contrary to our expectations we did not find a significantly blunted niacin skin flush reaction in patients with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders compared to healthy controls or 1st degree relatives.
Alterations of the serotonin-1A receptor (5-HT1A) and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis have been reported in depression and anxiety disorders. We previously showed a strong negative correlation between cortisol plasma levels and 5-HT1A receptor binding potential (BP) in patients with social anxiety disorder but not in healthy controls using PET [1].
Objectives
To investigate the relationship of cortisol and the 5-HT1A BP in postmenopausal women, a population that is at increased risk of suffering from depressive symptoms.
Methods
Subjects: 19 postmenopausal women, aged 55.26 ± 4.98, medication free, no current substance abuse or hormone replacement therapy.
PET
Dynamic measurements (50 frames, 90 min) were performed using the radioligand [carbonyl-11C]WAY100635 and a GE-Advance scanner. PET data were normalized to a ligand-specific template [2]. Regions-of-interest (ROI) were defined as given in [3]. TACs within ROIs were averaged and the 5-HT1A receptor BP was quantified using Logan-plot and PMOD 3.1. Measurement of total cortisol plasma levels was done using electrochemoluminescence.
Results
We found negative correlations between cortisol and 5-HT1A BP in the midbrain (Spearman's rs = −0.54, p = 0.02), the median raphe nucleus (rs = −0.47, p = 0.04) and the nucleus accumbens (rs = −0.505, p = 0.03).
Conclusions
In line with our previous findings [1], the observed negative association between cortisol plasma levels and 5-HT1A BP might reflect an increased vulnerability for mood disorders in postmenopausal women.
The implementation of non-smoking policies in psychiatric hospitals is often a more challenging and controversial issue than in other settings. This may be particularly true in Switzerland, a country with a still rather permissive general attitude regarding tobacco smoking. Only recently general hospitals, and subsequently psychiatric hospitals, have begun to implement smoking bans.
Method:
Setting: Two 16-bed inpatient units. Mean length of stay for patients: 10 days. Twenty-four members of the staff responded twice to an interview on cigarettes role in the psychiatric setting, two months before smoking ban implementation, and 3 month after the implementation. Participants' attitudes with regard to the role of cigarettes in the psychiatric setting were investigated.
Results:
GLM models with repeated measures revealed that a general progression towards more restrictive attitudes was observed for both smokers and non-smokers. Non-smokers and ex-smokers, who, as could be expected, had in general more prohibitive attitudes than smokers, showed also a larger progression for most items toward more negative attitudes regarding cigarettes role in the treatment setting.
Conclusion:
The implementation of a smoking ban reinforced the negative attitudes of non-smoking staff towards cigarettes role in the psychiatric setting, while smokers maintained their attitudes until 3 month after the implementation.
The serotonergic system modulates brain functions that are considered to underlie affective states, emotion and cognition. Several lines of evidence point towards a strong lateralization of these mental processes, indicating similar asymmetries in associated neurotransmitter systems.
Objectives
To investigate a potential brain asymmetry of the serotonin transporter (SERT) distribution using Positron Emission Tomography (PET).
Aims
As brain asymmetries differ between sexes, we aimed to compare serotonin transporter asymmetry between females, males and male-to-female transsexuals whose brains are considered to be partly feminized.
Methods
36 subjects aged 19-54 years (9 female controls, 13 male controls and 14 male-to-female transsexuals) were measured with PET and [11C]DASB. Whole-brain voxel-wise SERT binding potential (BPND) maps were computed using a tracer-specific symmetric template. Statistics comprised repeated measures ANOVA with group as the between subjects factor, voxel-wise SERT asymmetry as repeated factor and group*asymmetry as interaction term.
Results
SERT binding in all groups showed both strong left and rightward asymmetries in several cortical and subcortical structures including temporal and frontal cortices, anterior cingulate, hippocampus, caudate and thalamus (p< 0.05 FDRcorrected). Further, male controls showed a rightward asymmetry in the midcingulate cortex (p>0.05 FDR-corrected) which was absent in females and male-to-female transsexuals.
Conclusions
Our data support the notion of a lateralized serotonergic system, which is in line with previous findings of asymmetric serotonin-1A receptor distributions, extracellular serotonin concentrations, serotonin turnover and uptake. The absence of serotonin transporter asymmetry in the midcingulate in male-to-female transsexuals may be attributed to an absence of brain masculinization in this region.
Increasingly, products are designed for global markets, yet studies of design practices primarily investigate designers from high-income countries. Specifically, the use of prototypes during design is likely affected by the background of the designer and the environment in which they are designing. To broaden our understanding of the extent to which prototyping best practices are used beyond Western designers, in this study, we conducted interviews with novice designers from Ghana, a middle-income country (MIC), to examine how Ghanaian novice designers (upper-level undergraduate students) used prototypes throughout their design courses. We compared the reported use of prototypes to best practice behaviors and analyzed the types of prototypes used. We found evidence that these Ghanaian novice designers used some critical prototyping best practice behaviors, while other behaviors were underutilized, specifically during the front-end phases of design and for the purpose of engaging with stakeholders. Additionally, virtual models dominated their prototyping choices. We discuss likely reasons for these trends based on participants’ design experiences and design contexts.
We report on the EPICA Dronning Maud Land (East Antarctica) deep drilling operation. Starting with the scientific questions that led to the outline of the EPICA project, we introduce the setting of sister drillings at NorthGRIP and EPICA Dome C within the European ice-coring community. The progress of the drilling operation is described within the context of three parallel, deep-drilling operations, the problems that occurred and the solutions we developed. Modified procedures are described, such as the monitoring of penetration rate via cable weight rather than motor torque, and modifications to the system (e.g. closing the openings at the lower end of the outer barrel to reduce the risk of immersing the drill in highly concentrated chip suspension). Parameters of the drilling (e.g. core-break force, cutter pitch, chips balance, liquid level, core production rate and piece number) are discussed. We also review the operational mode, particularly in the context of achieved core length and piece length, which have to be optimized for drilling efficiency and core quality respectively. We conclude with recommendations addressing the design of the chip-collection openings and strictly limiting the cable-load drop with respect to the load at the start of the run.
The treatment of unruptured, intracranial aneurysms has been the topic of debate. Although recent studies have advocated surgical intervention for unruptured aneurysms, the risk of such treatment in comparison to outcome from ruptured aneurysms has not been established.
Method
This retrospective study examines the outcome of 134 patients with 179 ruptured and unruptured intracranial, saccular aneurysms treated by a single surgeon.
Results
Of the 98 ruptured aneurysms where early surgical intervention was undertaken (less than 48 hours post hemorrhage), 70 had an excellent outcome, 13 were good, four were moderate, two poor and nine patients died postoperatively. Outcome assessment in these cases was correlated to preoperative neurological status. Patients who presented with unruptured aneurysms fell into two categories: symptomatic and asymptomatic. Seven incidental, asymptomatic aneurysms were clipped concurrently to the surgical isolation of the culprit lesion following subarachnoid hemorrhage without influencing outcome, whilst, for varying reasons, eight unruptured aneurysms were not operated upon. Of the remaining 66 surgically treated, unruptured aneurysms, 64 had an excellent postoperative result, one was good (persisting right incomplete third nerve palsy) and one was moderate (left hemiparesis). Thirteen of these aneurysms were symptomatic, whilst 21 were asymptomatic, multiple aneurysms requiring secondary elective repair and 32 were true incidental aneurysms.
Conclusion
Unruptured aneurysms less than 25 mm in size may be safely, surgically treated relative to the expected natural history and, certainly, with less risk than operative intervention upon ruptured cerebral aneurysms.
A case of motor neuron disease with clinical and pathological resemblance to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in a woman who was severely bitten on the ankle by a cat is described. Weakness first appeared at the ankles and relentlessly advanced proximally, terminating in death from pulmonary failure in a year. A number of unusual features that are uncharacteristic of ALS were found that included a markedly elevated antinuclear antibody titre in the serum and the presence of prominent oligoclonal bands in the cerebrospinal fluid. The spinal cord showed loss of anterior horn cells and pyramidal degeneration that are characteristic of ALS, but an extraordinary finding was the presence of transmural granulomatous inflammation of numerous small and medium sized vessels, especially veins, in the subarachnoid space around the cord. There were also inflammatory changes in the brainstem and spinal cord consisting of microglial and astrocytic nodules and perivenous cuffing by mononuclear cells. Ill-defined hyaline eosinophilic cytoplasmic inclusions were seen in some remaining anterior horn cells. No viral particles were found by electron microscopy despite an extensive search. Virological studies were inconclusive but there is reason to believe that this patient's illness was caused by an as yet unidentified virus.
Hyperacute surgical evacuation of intracerebral hemorrhage is associated with a high rebleeding rate. The peri-operative administration of rFVIIa to patients with intracerebral hemorrhage may decrease the frequency of post-operative hemorrhage, and improve outcome.
Methods:
Patients receiving recombinant activated factor VII (rFVIIA) therapy immediately prior to acute surgery were collected at two centres. The intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) score and ICH Grading Scale were determined, as was long-term outcome using the modified Rankin Scale. Residual/ recurrent clot was evaluated by comparing pre-operative to post-operative CT scans.
Results:
Fifteen patients with intracerebral hemorrhage received 40-90 μg/kg of rFVIIa and underwent surgical hematoma evacuation at a median time of five hours following symptom onset. Median pre-operative clot volume was 60 ml, decreasing to 2 ml post-operatively. There were no thromboembolic adverse events. Thirteen patients survived, 11 (73%) were independent, and two (13%) had a moderate to severe disability. These outcomes were significantly better than expected based on the median ICH score (40% mortality) and based on median ICH Grading Scale (18% good outcome).
Conclusions:
The pre or peri-operative administration of rFVIIa resulted in minimal residual or recurrent hematoma volume and may be an important adjunct to surgery in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage.
“In normal times the guillotine, luckily, is not at the disposal of historians.”
Paul Valéry
History is a humanly necessary mode of knowing. Every poised epoch is knit together by the imaginative language it uses to expropriate an organized past from whose qualitative contours it then silently, habitually infers its own nature. History as a fact of communal psychology thus maintains a many-layered referential manifold. This referential manifold must have some kind of emotional legibility and be formally intelligible if it is to serve to subordinate the threatening welter of the no longer relevant. A great deal of meritorious historical research and writing is merely propaedeutic or precritical to the maintenance of this self-validating mirror of each poised epoch. When the mirror no longer throws back usefully intelligible images it must be renewed by honest appraisal of the imaginative syntheses of prior epochs. Such enquiry nowadays tends to bewilderment and to the tenebrous by reason of the richness of the available record. In these latter days the historian is a modifier of pre-established images, his fundamental renovations of vision are few. The mirror stands there; it is bequeathed to us; we need it; it is a strenuous, intellectual task to preserve it at a working level of provocative clarity.
Therefore it is especially desirable that higher historiography escape gossip-mongering about the defenseless dead, or that other form of intrusive projection of current frustrations upon past behaviour, the romanticizing of energy potentials of other eras.
The present work shows results on elemental distribution analyses in Cu(In,Ga)Se2 thin films for solar cells performed by use of wavelength-dispersive and energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX) in a scanning electron microscope, EDX in a transmission electron microscope, X-ray photoelectron, angle-dependent soft X-ray emission, secondary ion-mass (SIMS), time-of-flight SIMS, sputtered neutral mass, glow-discharge optical emission and glow-discharge mass, Auger electron, and Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, by use of scanning Auger electron microscopy, Raman depth profiling, and Raman mapping, as well as by use of elastic recoil detection analysis, grazing-incidence X-ray and electron backscatter diffraction, and grazing-incidence X-ray fluorescence analysis. The Cu(In,Ga)Se2 thin films used for the present comparison were produced during the same identical deposition run and exhibit thicknesses of about 2 μm. The analysis techniques were compared with respect to their spatial and depth resolutions, measuring speeds, availabilities, and detection limits.
High-resolution Hα velocity fields provide important observational constraints on the dark matter distribution in dwarf and low surface brightness galaxies. These two-dimensional data show that dark matter-dominated galaxies tend to be more consistent with cored halos than cuspy halos, at odds with theoretical expectations. Using N-body/SPH simulations of disk galaxy formation in cuspy spherical and triaxial dark matter halos, as well as cored dark matter halos, we “observe” the simulated galaxies under a variety of realistic observing conditions. We use these mock IFU velocity field observations to determine how well the underlying dark matter halo can be recovered and to test the hypothesis that cusps can be obscured by triaxial dark matter halos.