Environmental control on the occurrence of high-coercivity magnetic minerals and formation of iron sulfides in a 640 ka sediment sequence from Lake Ohrid (Balkans)

The bulk magnetic mineral record from Lake Ohrid, spanning the past 637 kyr, reflects large-scale shifts in hydrological conditions, and, superimposed, a strong signal of environmental conditions on glacial–interglacial and millennial timescales. A shift in the formation of early diagenetic ferrimagnetic iron sulfides to siderites is observed around 320 ka. This change is probably associated with variable availability of sulfide in the pore water. We propose that sulfate concentrations were significantly higher before  ∼  320 ka, due to either a higher sulfate flux or lower dilution of lake sulfate due to a smaller water volume. Diagenetic iron minerals appear more abundant during glacials, which are generally characterized by higher Fe / Ca ratios in the sediments. While in the lower part of the core the ferrimagnetic sulfide signal overprints the primary detrital magnetic signal, the upper part of the core is dominated by variable proportions of high- to low-coercivity iron oxides. Glacial sediments are characterized by high concentration of high-coercivity magnetic minerals (hematite, goethite), which relate to enhanced erosion of soils that had formed during preceding interglacials. Superimposed on the glacial–interglacial behavior are millennial-scale oscillations in the magnetic mineral composition that parallel variations in summer insolation. Like the processes on glacial–interglacial timescales, low summer insolation and a retreat in vegetation resulted in enhanced erosion of soil material. Our study highlights that rock-magnetic studies, in concert with geochemical and sedimentological investigations, provide a multi-level contribution to environmental reconstructions, since the magnetic properties can mirror both environmental conditions on land and intra-lake processes.

Effects of genetic and environmental factors on chronic lower airway disease in horses

BACKGROUND: Environment and genetics influence the manifestation of recurrent airway obstruction (RAO), but the associations of specific factors with mild, moderate, and severe clinical signs are unknown. HYPOTHESIS: We hypothesized that sire, feed, bedding, time outdoors, sex, and age are associated with clinical manifestations of mild, moderate, and severe lower airway disease. ANIMALS: Direct offspring of 2 RAO-affected Warmblood stallions (F1S1, n = 172; F1S2, n = 135); maternal half-siblings of F1S1 (mHSS1, n = 66); and an age-matched, randomly chosen control group (CG, n = 33). METHODS: A standardized questionnaire was used to assess potential risk factors and to establish a horse owner assessed respiratory signs index (HOARSI 1-4, from healthy to severe) according to clinical signs of lower airway disease. RESULTS: More F1S1 and F1S2 horses showed moderate to severe clinical signs (HOARSI 3 and HOARSI 4 combined, 29.6 and 27.3%, respectively) compared with CG and mHSS1 horses (9.1 and 6.2%, respectively; contingency table overall test, P < .001). Sire, hay feeding, and age (in decreasing order of strength) were associated with more severe clinical signs (higher HOARSI), more frequent coughing, and nasal discharge. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: There is a genetic predisposition and lesser but also marked effects of hay feeding and age on the manifestation of moderate to severe clinical signs, most markedly on coughing frequency. In contrast, mild clinical signs were not associated with sire or hay feeding in our populations.

Down-regulation of porin M35 in Moraxella catarrhalis by aminopenicillins and environmental factors and its potential contribution to the mechanism of resistance to aminopenicillins

The outer membrane protein M35 of Moraxella catarrhalis is an antigenically conserved porin. Knocking out M35 significantly increases the MICs of aminopenicillins. The aim of this study was to determine the biological mechanism of this potentially new antimicrobial resistance mechanism of M. catarrhalis and the behaviour of M35 in general stress situations.

Alterations of the transverse ligament: an MRI study comparing patients with acute whiplash and matched control subjects

The objective of our study was to evaluate whether there is injury to the transverse ligament of the atlas in patients with acute whiplash.

Dietary intervention induces flow of changes within biomarkers of lipids, inflammation, liver enzymes, and glycemic control

To determine how changes in lipids, liver enzymes, and inflammatory and glycemia markers intercorrelate during prolonged dietary intervention in obese participants with or without type 2 diabetes (T2D).

Impaired type I and type III interferon induction and rhinovirus control in human cystic fibrosis airway epithelial cells

Rhinoviruses are important triggers of pulmonary exacerbations and possible contributors to long-term respiratory morbidity in cystic fibrosis (CF), but mechanisms leading to rhinovirus-induced CF exacerbations are poorly understood. It is hypothesised that there is a deficient innate immune response of the airway epithelium towards rhinovirus infection in CF.

Associations between fluctuations in lung function and asthma control in two populations with differing asthma severity

Lung function is a major criterion used to assess asthma control. Fluctuation analyses can account for lung function history over time, and may provide an additional dimension to characterise control. The relationships between mean and fluctuations in lung function with asthma control, exacerbation and quality of life were studied in two independent data sets.