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Cautionary remarks on the planetary boundary visualisation
No full textThe planetary boundary (PB) concept has captured attention across academia and the public alike. Its unique visual representation has been key to the development of the concept and its dissemination. In this commentary, we outline three areas of concern to facilitate further enhancement in the PB concept’s visualisation. First, the radial bar plot leads to a quadratic scaling of the effect sizes. Second, the colour gradations denoting the risk of each boundary transgression use complex non-linear patterns, which complicates interpretation. Third, non-linearly distorted colour scales and their fading make the visual perception for people suffering from colour-vision deficiency even more challenging or impossible. The conjunction of quadratic effect scaling and specific colour coding may unintentionally amplify the perception of high-risk areas. We recommend a careful revision of the visual language employed in PB communication. Addressing these concerns will make the PB visualisation a more accurate base for decision-makers
How rainfall events modify trace gas mixing ratios in central Amazonia
No full textThis study investigates the rain-initiated mixing and variability in the mixing ratio of selected trace gases in the atmosphere over the central Amazon rain forest. It builds on comprehensive data from the Amazon Tall Tower Observatory (ATTO), spanning from 2013 to 2020 and comprising the greenhouse gases (GHGs) carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4); the reactive trace gases carbon monoxide (CO), ozone (O3), nitric oxide (NO), and nitrogen dioxide (NO2); and selected volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Based on more than 1000 analyzed rainfall events, the study resolves the trace gas mixing ratio patterns before, during, and after the rain events, along with vertical mixing ratio gradients across the forest canopy. The assessment of the rainfall events was conducted independently for daytime and nighttime periods, which allows us to elucidate the influence of solar radiation. The mixing ratios of CO2, CO, and CH4 clearly declined during rainfall, which can be attributed to the downdraft-related entrainment of pristine air from higher altitudes into the boundary layer, a reduction of the photosynthetic activity under increased cloud cover, and changes in the surface fluxes. Notably, CO showed a faster reduction than CO2, and the vertical gradient of CO2 and CO is steeper than for CH4. Conversely, the O3 mixing ratio increased across all measurement heights in the course of the rain-related downdrafts. Following the O3 enhancement by up to a factor of 2, NO, NO2, and isoprene mixing ratios decreased. The temporal and vertical variability of the trace gases is intricately linked to the diverse sink and source processes, surface fluxes, and free-troposphere transport. Within the canopy, several interactions unfold among soil, atmosphere, and plants, shaping the overall dynamics. Also, the mixing ratio of biogenic VOCs (BVOCs) clearly varied with rainfall, driven by factors such as light, temperature, physical transport, and soil processes.
Our results disentangle the patterns in the trace gas mixing ratio in the course of sudden and vigorous atmospheric mixing during rainfall events. By selectively uncovering processes that are not clearly detectable under undisturbed conditions, our results contribute to a better understanding of the trace gas life cycle and its interplay with meteorology, cloud dynamics, and rainfall in the Amazon
Musikgeschichte zwischen Ost und West: von der ›musica sacra‹ bis zur Kunstreligion: Festschrift für Helmut Loos zum 65. Geburtstag
No full textToxoplasma gondii in Wild Boars (Sus scrofa) in Germany: Serological Screening from Thuringia
No full textGame meat is an important source of meat borne parasitic infections. Due to its omnivorous diet, the wild boar is an important host of zoonotic parasites such as Toxoplasma gondii. T. gondii can cause severe to fatal disease in immunosuppressed patients, as well as congenital disorders in foetus and neonates. Consumption of undercooked infected meat is a main source of T. gondii infection. Information about the risk of toxoplasmosis through game meat is scarce. We collected serum samples from 42 wild boars from the federal state of Thuringia (Germany) between December 2017 and February 2018. Identification of anti-T. gondii IgG antibodies was conducted using a commercial indirect ELISA kit. Seropositivity was confirmed in 18 of the 42 samples (37.50%). From these, the highest seroprevalence was found in adult animals. This study joins another single database from wild boars in Brandenburg. The necessity of a country-wide database regarding T. gondii prevalence in wild boar and other game meat is pivotal for a profound risk analysis with its consequential impact in future mean hygiene policies
Antibody response after feline panleukopenia virus vaccination in kittens with and without intestinal parasites
No full textObjectives
Vaccinations should only be given to healthy cats, and deworming before vaccination is generally recommended; however, so far, no study has investigated the influence of intestinal parasitic infection on the immune response in kittens. The aim of this prospective study was to compare the antibody response to feline panleukopenia virus (FPV) vaccination in kittens with and without intestinal parasites.
Methods
Overall, 74 healthy kittens were included. Of these, 17 had intestinal parasites (12/17 Toxocara cati, 6/17 Cystoisospora felis, 1/17 Capillaria species). Both kittens with and without (n = 57) parasites received two primary kitten vaccinations with modified live FPV vaccines in a 4-week interval starting at the age of 8–12 weeks. Anti-FPV antibodies were determined at the beginning of the study (week 0) and at week 8 (4 weeks after the second vaccination) by haemagglutination inhibition. A ⩾four-fold titre increase (week 8 vs week 0) was defined as a response to vaccination. Comparison of the immune response in the kittens with and without intestinal parasites was performed using Pearson’s χ2 test.
Results
Pre-vaccination antibodies were present in 4/17 (23.5%) kittens with intestinal parasites and in 24/57 (42.1%) without parasites. A ⩾four-fold titre increase was seen in 13/17 (76.5%) kittens with parasites compared with 32/57 (56.1%) kittens without parasites. There was neither a significant difference in pre-vaccination antibodies (P = 0.17), nor in vaccination response (P = 0.13) between kittens with and without parasites.
Conclusions and relevance
The results indicate that asymptomatic intestinal infections with endoparasites do not interfere with the immune response to kitten vaccination series. Parasitic infection (at least with T cati, C felis and Capillaria species) is therefore not a reason to postpone important vaccinations
All-Oxide Metasurfaces Formed by Synchronized Local Ionic Gating
No full textIonic gating of oxide thin films has emerged as a novel way of manipulating
the properties of thin films. Most studies are carried out on single devices
with a three-terminal configuration, but, by exploring the electrokinetics
during the ionic gating, such a configuration with initially insulating films
leads to a highly non-uniform gating response of individual devices within
large arrays of the devices. It is shown that such an issue can be
circumvented by the formation of a uniform charge potential by the use of a
thin conducting underlayer. This synchronized local ionic gating allows for the
simultaneous manipulation of the electrical, magnetic, and/or optical
properties of large arrays of devices. Designer metasurfaces formed in this
way from SrCoO2.5 thin films display an anomalous optical reflection of light
that relies on the uniform and coherent response of all the devices. Beyond
oxides, almost any material whose properties can be controlled by the
addition or removal of ions via gating can form novel metasurfaces using this
technique. These findings provide insights into the electrokinetics of ionic
gating and a wide range of applications using synchronized local ionic gating
Altered proteome profiles related to visceral adiposity may mediate the favorable effect of green Mediterranean diet: the DIRECT-PLUS trial
No full textObjective
The objective of this study was to explore the effects of a green Mediterranean (green-MED) diet, which is high in dietary polyphenols and green plant-based protein and low in red/processed meat, on cardiovascular disease and inflammation-related circulating proteins and their associations with cardiometabolic risk parameters.
Methods
In the 18-month weight loss trial Dietary Intervention Randomized Controlled Trial Polyphenols Unprocessed Study (DIRECT-PLUS), 294 participants with abdominal obesity were randomized to basic healthy dietary guidelines, Mediterranean (MED), or green-MED diets. Both isocaloric MED diet groups consumed walnuts (28 g/day), and the green-MED diet group also consumed green tea (3–4 cups/day) and green shakes (Mankai plant shake, 500 mL/day) and avoided red/processed meat. Proteome panels were measured at three time points using Olink CVDII.
Results
At baseline, a dominant protein cluster was significantly related to higher phenotypic cardiometabolic risk parameters, with the strongest associations attributed to magnetic resonance imaging-assessed visceral adiposity (false discovery rate of 5%). Overall, after 6 months of intervention, both the MED and green-MED diets induced improvements in cardiovascular disease and proinflammatory risk proteins (p < 0.05, vs. healthy dietary guidelines), with the green-MED diet leading to more pronounced beneficial changes, largely driven by dominant proinflammatory proteins (IL-1 receptor antagonist protein, IL-16, IL-18, thrombospondin-2, leptin, prostasin, galectin-9, and fibroblast growth factor 21; adjusted for age, sex, and weight loss; p < 0.05). After 18 months, proteomics cluster changes presented the strongest correlations with visceral adiposity reduction.
Conclusions
Proteomics clusters may enhance our understanding of the favorable effect of a green-MED diet that is enriched with polyphenols and low in red/processed meat on visceral adiposity and cardiometabolic risk
Analyse statistischer Zahlen von schwerwiegenden Kohlenmonoxid-Intoxikationen mit und ohne Todesfolge in Deutschland seit 1998
No full textZiel dieser Arbeit war die Untersuchung und Bewertung der Anzahl von Intoxikationen mit/ohne Todesfolge durch die missbräuchliche Anwendung von Kohlenmonoxid als einem Gas mit hohem Gefahrenpotential im Zeitraum von 1998 bis 2012. Hierzu wurde statistisches Datenmaterial aus verschiedenen Lebensbereichen (Stat. Bundesamt, Giftinformationszentren der Länder, ausgewählte Rechtsmedizinische Institute und Krankenhäuser, ausgewählte Feuerwehren), in denen Vergiftungen durch Kohlenmonoxid detektiert werden, ausgewertet und zusammengeführt. Weiterhin wurden aus den vorliegenden Daten Trends ermittelt und verallgemeinerte Aussagen zur tatsächlichen Anzahl der Personen, die an CO-Vergiftung starben, abgeleitet. Im Ergebnis dessen wurden Bereiche des öffentl. Lebens identifiziert, in denen Vorsichtsmassnahmen zur Abwendung von Gefahrensituationen ergriffen bzw. vorhandene Maßnahmen verstärkt werden müssen
Einfluss physikochemischer Eigenschaften auf das ökotoxikologische Potential verschiedener Kohlenstoffnanoröhren
No full textKohlenstoffnanoröhren (CNT) sind Nanomaterialien und aufgrund ihrer sehr guten elektrischen und mechanischen Eigenschaften sehr interessant für neue Anwendungen. Die ökotoxikologischen Konsequenzen ihrer Verwendung in Konsumgütern sind jedoch wenig untersucht. In der vorliegenden Arbeit wurden daher vorhandene Literaturdaten zu möglicher Freisetzung, Umweltverhalten und Wirkung der CNT auf verschiedene Organismen zusammengestellt und anhand dieser Daten eine ökotoxikologische Risikobewertung vorgenommen. Dabei wurde besonderer Fokus auf physikochemische Eigenschaften verschiedener CNT-Arten gelegt und deren Einfluss auf die Toxizität herausgearbeitet
Umgang mit neuen Werkstoffen in der Verarbeitung und im Alltag – Chancen und Risiken Carbonfaserverstärkter Kunststoffe im Automobilbau
No full textKohlenstoff – Nanoröhren (engl. Carbon Nanotubes, CNTs) und Kohlefasern werden aufgrund ihrer guten Materialeigenschaften bei geringem Gewicht zunehmend in Komposit-Werkstoffen, sog. kohlefaserverstärkte Kunststoffe (CFK), im Automobilbau eingesetzt. Bei der Herstellung und Verarbeitung können lungengängige Feinststäube mit Partikelgrößen ≤ 5µm entstehen. Zur Freisetzung aus Alltagsgegenständen existieren bisher keine Daten. In in vitro Untersuchungen und Tierstudien zeigen CNTs ähnlich wie Asbestfasern eine ausgeprägte Lungentoxizität, deren Merkmale die Entstehung von reaktiven Sauerstoffspezies, Manifestation einer Entzündungsreaktion, Granulombildung und Fibrose des Lungengewebes und der Pleura sind. Nicht-CNT Carbon Nanopartikel wie z.B. Graphit können ähnliche Wirkungen haben, jedoch weniger stark ausgeprägt. Ein Gesundheitsrisiko für den Menschen durch (CNT-)CFK-Stäube ist bei den meisten Arbeitsschritten gering, bei einigen jedoch existent. Aufgrund unterschiedlicher Eigenschaften der verschiedenen eingesetzten Carbon-Komponenten sind Einzelfalluntersuchungen notwendig