ELPA (European Leaf Physiognomic Approach): Grid data set of the leaf physiognomic composition of the extant European hardwood vegetation

Physiognomic traits of plant leaves such as size, shape or margin are decisively affected by the prevailing environmental conditions of the plant habitat. On the other hand, if a relationship between environment and leaf physiognomy can be shown to exist, vegetation represents a proxy for environmental conditions. This study investigates the relationship between physiognomic traits of leaves from European hardwood vegetation and environmental parameters in order to create a calibration dataset based on high resolution grid cell data. The leaf data are obtained from synthetic chorologic floras, the environmental data comprise climatic and ecologic data. The high resolution of the data allows for a detailed analysis of the spatial dependencies between the investigated parameters. The comparison of environmental parameters and leaf physiognomic characters reveals a clear correlation between temperature related parameters (e.g. mean annual temperature or ground frost frequency) and the expression of leaf characters (e.g. the type of leaf margin or the base of the lamina). Precipitation related parameters (e.g. mean annual precipitation), however, show no correlation with the leaf physiognomic composition of the vegetation. On the basis of these results, transfer functions for several environmental parameters are calculated from the leaf physiognomic composition of the extant vegetation. In a next step, a cluster analysis is applied to the dataset in order to identify "leaf physiognomic communities". Several of these are distinguished, characterised and subsequently used for vegetation classification. Concerning the leaf physiognomic diversity there are precise differences between each of these "leaf physiognomic classes". There is a clear increase of leaf physiognomic diversity with increasing variability of the environmental parameters: Northern vegetation types are characterised by a more or less homogeneous leaf physiognomic composition whereas southern vegetation types like the Mediterranean vegetation show a considerable higher leaf physiognomic diversity. Finally, the transfer functions are used to estimate palaeo-environmental parameters of three fossil European leaf assemblages from Late Oligocene and Middle Miocene. The results are compared with results obtained from other palaeo-environmental reconstructing methods. The estimates based on a direct linear ordination seem to be the most realistic ones, as they are highly consistent with the Coexistence Approach.

Osservazioni e sperienze sull'uso delle arie mefitiche nella tisi polmonale /

Contiene: Osservazioni e sperienze intorno al nuovo metodo di curare la tisi polmonale proposto dal Sig. Beddoes coll'aggiunta della descrizione d'una nuova macchina ... inventata dal sig. Cristoforo Girtanner ... ; Riflessioni sull'uso delle arie artificiali inspirate nelle malattie di petto di W. Hufeland.

Academiae .... Leopoldino-Carolinae naturae curiosorum Historia /

Mode of access: Internet.

Academiae Caesareae Leopoldino-Carolinae naturae curiosorum Bibliotheca physica, medica, miscella partim sociorum munificentia partim ipsius sumtibus comparata /

Mode of access: Internet.

Scienza della natura generale /

Mode of access: Internet.

Relacion historica del viage a la America Meridional hecho de orden de S. Mag. para medir algunos grados de meridiano terrestre y venir por ellos en conocimiento de la verdadera figura y magnitud de la tierra, con otras observaciones astronomicas y phisicas /

Contiene: Libro tercero: Viages desde el puerto del Callao a Europa... - Indice general de las cosas notables contenidas en esta segunda parte del viage a los reynos del Perú. - Resumen historico del origen y sucession de los incas y demas soberanos del Perú con noticias de los sucessos mas notables en el reynado de cada uno. - Indice de las cosas mas notables contenidas en este resumen.

Relacion historica del viage a la America Meridional hecho de orden de S. Mag. para medir algunos grados de meridiano terrestre y venir por ellos en conocimiento de la verdadera figura y magnitud de la tierra, con otras observaciones astronomicas y phisicas /

Contiene: Tabla de los libros y capitulos, parte II. - Erratas. - Segunda parte del viage al reyno del Perú con el fin de averiguar el valor de los grados terrestres del meridiano... - Libro Primero: trata de nuestro viage a Lima... - Libro segundo: Regreso de Lima a Quito...viage hecho a Guayaquil para poner en resguardo aquella ciudad contra la invasion que se temio de la escuadra inglesa comandada por el Vice-Almirante Anson, segundo viage a Lima y de alli a las islas de Juan Fernandez y costas de Chile...

Glycine receptors: A new therapeutic target in pain pathways

Although glycine receptor Cl- channels (GlyRs) have long been known to mediate inhibitory neurotransmission onto spinal nociceptive neurons, their therapeutic potential for peripheral analgesia has received little attention. However, it has been shown that alpha 3-subunit-containing GlyRs are concentrated into regions of the spinal cord dorsal horn where nociceptive afferents terminate. Furthermore, inflammatory mediators specifically inhibit alpha 3-containing GlyRs, and deletion of the murine alpha 3 gene confers insensitivity to chronic inflammatory pain. This strongly implicates GlyRs in the inflammation-mediated disinhibition of centrally projecting nociceptive neurons. Future therapies aimed at specifically increasing current flux through alpha 3-containing GlyRs may prove effective in providing analgesia.

Remodeling of extracellular matrix at ovulation of the bovine ovarian follicle

Using immunohistochemistry and RNA analyses we examined the fate of components of a newly identified matrix that develops between granulosa cells (focimatrix, abbreviated from focal intraepithelial matrix) and of the follicular basal lamina in ovulating bovine ovarian follicles. Pre- and postovulatory follicles were generated by treatment with estradiol (Day 1), progesterone (Days 1-10), and prostaglandin analogue (Day 9) with either no further treatment (Group 1, n = 6) and or with 25 mg porcine LH (Day 11, Group 2, n = 8 or Day 10, Group 3, n = 8) and ovariectomy on Day 12 (12-14 hr post LH in Group 2, 38-40.5 hr in Group 3). In the time frame examined no loss of follicular basal lamina laminin chains beta 2 and gamma 1 or nidogen 1 was observed. In the follicular basal lamina collagen type IV alpha 1 and perlecan were present prior to ovulation; after ovulation collagen type IV alpha 1 was discontinuously distributed and perlecan was absent. Versican in the theca interna adjacent to the follicular basal lamina in preovulatory follicles was not observed post ovulation, however, the granulosa cells then showed strong cytoplasmic staining for versican. Expression of versican isoforms V0, V1, and V3 was detected at all stages. Focimatrix was observed in preovulatory follicles. It contained collagen type IV alpha 1, laminins beta 2 and gamma 1, nidogen 1 and perlecan and underwent changes in composition similar to that of the follicular basal lamina. In conclusion focimatrix and the follicular basal lamina are degraded at ovulation. Individual components are lost at different times.

Electrophysiological evidence for linear polarization sensitivity in the compound eyes of the stomatopod crustacean Gonodactylus chiragra

Gonodactyloid stomatopod crustaceans possess polarization vision, which enables them to discriminate light of different e-vector angle. Their unusual apposition compound eyes are divided by an equatorial band of six rows of enlarged, structurally modified ommatidia, the mid-band (MB). The rhabdoms of the two most ventral MB rows 5 and 6 are structurally designed for polarization vision. Here we show, with electrophysiological recordings, that the photoreceptors R1-R7 within these two MB rows in Gonodactylus chiragra are highly sensitive to linear polarized light of two orthogonal directions (PS=6.1). They possess a narrow spectral sensitivity peaking at 565 nm. Unexpectedly, photoreceptors within the distal rhabdomal tier of MB row 2 also possess highly sensitive linear polarization receptors, which are in their spectral and polarization characteristics similar to the receptors of MB rows 5 and 6. Photoreceptors R1-R7 within the remainder of the MB exhibit low polarization sensitivity (PS=2.3). Outside the MB, in the two hemispheres, R1-R7 possess medium linear polarization sensitivity (PS=3.8) and a broad spectral sensitivity peaking at around 500 nm, typical for most crustaceans. Throughout the retina the most distally situated UV-sensitive R8 cells are not sensitive to linear polarized light.

Pathological changes in the primary visual cortex (Area V1) in Creutzfeldt-Jakob syndrome

About 10% of patients with Creutzfeldt-Jakob syndrome (disease) (CJD) exhibit visual symptoms at presentation and approximately 50% during the course of the disease. The objectives of the present study were to determine, in two subtypes of CJD, viz., sporadic CJD (sCJD) and variant CJD (vCJD), the degree of pathological change in the primary visual cortex (area V1) and the extent to which pathology in V1 may influence visual function. The vacuolation (‘spongiform change’), surviving neurons, glial cell nuclei, and deposits of prion protein (PrP) were quantified in V1 obtained post-mortem in nine cases of sCJD and eleven cases of vCJD. In sCJD, the vacuoles and PrP deposits were regularly distributed along the cortex parallel to the pia mater in clusters with a mean dimension from 450 to 1000 µm. Across the cortex, the vacuolation was most severe in laminae II/III and the glial cell reaction in laminae V/VI. Surviving neurons were most abundant in laminae II/III while PrP deposition either affected all laminae equally or was maximal in lamina II/III. In vCJD, the vacuoles and diffuse PrP deposits were distributed relatively uniformly parallel to the pia mater while the florid deposits were consistently distributed in regular clusters. Across V1, the vacuoles either exhibited a bimodal distribution or were uniformly distributed. The diffuse PrP deposits occurred most frequently in laminae II/III while the florid deposits were more generally distributed. The data suggest that in both sCJD and vCJD, pathological changes in area V1 may affect the processing of visual information in laminae II/III and its transmission from V1 to V2 and to subcortical visual areas. In addition, the data suggest an association in sCJD between the developing pathology and the functional domains of V1 while in vCJD the pathology is more uniformly distributed. These changes could be a factor in the development of poor visual acuity, visual field defects, cortical blindness, diplopia, and vertical gaze palsy that have been observed in Creutzfeldt-Jakob syndrome.

Pathological changes in the primary visual cortex (area V1) in sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease

Purpose. To determine the degree of pathological change in the primary visual cortex (area V1) in patients with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Method. The vacuolation, surviving neurons, glial cells, and deposits of prion protein were quantified in area V1 obtained postmortem in nine cases of the sporadic type of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Results. Variations in the density of glial cells and in prion protein deposition were particularly evident between patients. In the upper and lower cortical laminae, vacuoles and prion protein deposits were regularly distributed in clusters with a mean dimensions of 450 to 1000 µm. Vacuolation in area V1 was most severe in lamina III and the glial cell reaction in lamina V or VI. Surviving neurons were most abundant in lamina II or III, whereas prion protein deposition either affected all laminae equally or was maximal in lamina II or III. Conclusion. The data suggest that pathological changes in area V1 in sporadic type of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease may affect the transmission of visual information from area V1 to V2 and to subcortical visual areas. In addition, the data suggest an association between the developing pathology and the functional domains of area V1.