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The globally threatened Aquatic Warbler (Acrocephalus paludicola) is the rarest migratory songbird in Europe. Before the population declined dramatically after 1960, the Aquatic Warbler was a common species in European mires and river flood¬plains. Today, the global population is estimated to count 27 600 individuals, of which approx. 90 % are concentrated in only three countries during the breeding season: Belarus, Poland and Ukraine. Despite numerous conservation efforts mainly under¬taken in European countries, the population decline has not been stopped. Although the Aquatic Warbler is considered a “European” bird species because of the location of its breeding grounds, it spends up to six months on migration and on the wintering grounds on the African continent. A comprehensive species conservation strategy must therefore include the preservation of African resting and wintering grounds. This study analyses the ecol¬ogy of Aquatic Warbler in its wintering grounds using the example of the Djoudj National Park area in north-western Senegal. The study aims, first, to close knowledge gaps regarding the behaviour and the habitat requirements of Aquatic Warblers during their stay on the wintering grounds to provide a scientific base for long-term species conservation management; second, to assess the importance of the wintering site in the Djoudj area is in a global perspec¬tive; and third, to identify threats to the Djoudj area as a suitable Aquatic Warbler habitat. In a fourth step, science-based management recommendations are formu¬lated to support the ongoing practical conservation work of the Djoudj National Park administration with regard to the Aquatic Warbler. The main outcomes of the study are the following: (I) We confirmed the presence of Aquatic Warblers in the Djoudj area between mid-December and the end of March. (II) The connection between the wintering ground “Djoudj National Park area” and the breeding ground “Biebrza valley” (eastern Poland) was confirmed by the resighting of a ringed Aquatic Warbler individual. (III) The remiges moult of the species was observed under natural conditions for the first time. We confirmed that the Aquatic Warbler undergoes a complete moult on its wintering grounds, following the typical sequence of passerine moult. (IV) Aquatic Warblers occur in shallowly inundated vegetation with dominant stands of Oryza longistaminata, Eleocharis mutata, Scirpus maritimus, Scirpus litto¬ralis and Sporobulus robustus interspersed with small (1–2 m²) areas of open water. The afore mentioned herbaceous species form a homogenous wetland vegetation of approximately 0.6–1.5 m height, with a coverage of 80 % to 100 %. Wild rice (Oryza longistaminata) may provide the most suitable habitat conditions as suggested by the very high density of Aquatic Warblers at sites dominated by this species. Preferential habitat may include a few solitary trees, but open woodland or scrublands are unsuit-able for Aquatic Warbler. Pure stands of cattail (Typha australis) are avoided. The water level in the habitat areas varies between 0 (humid soil) and 40 cm above the ground. Constant inundation seems to be essential, as Aquatic Warblers were never encountered in dry parts of the study area. All known Aquatic Warbler habitats in the study area are influenced by brackish or salty water. (V) During winter Aquatic Warblers use a home range of 3.9 ha (± 1.9) in aver¬age, which is shared with other individuals and species. No territorial behaviour was observed in the winter quarters. (VI) The vegetation and land cover map prepared distinguishes six classes of her¬baceous vegetation and five general land cover classes. (VII) There are 4 729 ha of potential Aquatic Warbler habitat within the study area. (VIII) We estimate the density of the Aquatic Warbler population in the study area to range between 0 and 2.26 individuals per hectare with a total population size of 776 individuals, or 260–4 057 individuals in a 95 % credibility interval. Hence we conclude that 1.1–3.8 % (0.37–19.8 % within the 95 % credibility interval) of the global Aquatic Warbler wintering population are found in the Djoudj area. (VIII) The Aquatic Warbler habitats in the Djoudj area are affected by the inun¬dation regime, water circulation, changes in salinity, grazing, the spread of cattail (Typha australis), the encrustation of vegetation, the protection status of passerine migrator habitats and the expansion of rice cultivation a. Our management proposals for the preservation of existing and the development of new Aquatic Warbler habitats were formulated and incorporated into the Management Plan of the Djoudj National Park 2014–2018.
This work describes the recent scientific and technical achievements obtained at the high-precision Penning trap mass spectrometer SHIPTRAP. The scientific focus of the SHIPTRAP experiment are mass measurements of short-lived nuclides with proton number larger than 100. The masses of these isotopes are usually determined via extrapolations, systematic trends, predictions based on theoretical models or alpha-decay spectroscopy. In several experiments the masses of the isotopes 252-255No and 255,256Lr have been measured directly. With the obtained results the region of enhanced nuclear stability at the deformed shell closure at the neutron number 152 was investigated. Furthermore, the masses have been used to benchmark theoretical mass models. The measured masses were compared selected mass models which revealed differences between few keV/c² up to several MeV/c² depending on the investigated nuclide and model. In order to perform mass measurements on superheavy nuclei with lower production rates, the efficiency of the SHIPTRAP setup needs to be increased. Currently, the efficiency is 2% and mainly limited by the stopping- and extraction efficiency of the buffer gas cell. The stopping and extraction efficiency of the current buffer gas cell is 12%. To this end, a modified version of the buffer gas cell was developed and characterized with 223Ra ion source. Besides a larger stopping volume and a coaxial injection the new buffer gas cell is operated at a temperature of 40K. The operation at cryogenic temperatures increases the cleanliness of the buffer gas. From extraction measurements and simulations an overall efficiency of 62(3)% was determined which results in an increase by a factor of 5 in comparison to the current buffer gas cell. Aside from high-precision mass measurements of heavy radionuclides the mass differences of metastable isobars was measured to identify candidates for the neutrinoless double-electron capture. Neutrinoless double-electron capture can only occur if the neutrino is its own antiparticle and a physics beyond the standard model exists since the neutrinoless double-electron capture violates the conservation of the lepton number. Due to its expected long half-life this decay has not yet been observed. However, the decay rate is resonantly enhanced if mother and daughter nuclide are degenerate in energy. Suitable candidates for the search of the neutrinoless double-electron capture have been identified with mass difference measurements uncertainties of about 100eV/c². In this work the results of the mass difference measurements of 12 possible candidates are presented.
The Role of Pregnancy-Associated Hormones in the Development and Function of Regulatory B Cells
(2014)
During mammalian pregnancy, highly specialized mechanisms of immune tolerance are triggered in order to allow the semi-allogeneic fetus to grow within the maternal uterus in harmony with the maternal immune system. Among other mechanisms, changes in the endocrine status have been proposed to be at least part of the machinery responsible for the induction of immune tolerance during pregnancy. Indeed, pregnancy-associated hormones, estradiol, progesterone, and human chorionic gonadotropin are known to confer immune suppressive capacity to innate as well as adaptive immune cells. Regulatory B cells, a subpopulation of B lymphocytes with strong immunosuppressive functions, were shown to expand during pregnancy. Furthermore, it is well-known that some women suffering from multiple sclerosis, significantly improve their symptoms during pregnancy and this was attributed to the effect of female sex hormones. Accordingly, estradiol protects mice from developing experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis by triggering the expansion and activation of regulatory B cells. In this review, we discuss different mechanisms associated with the development, activation, and function of regulatory B cells with a special focus on those involving pregnancy-associated hormones.
The UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme has been active in South Africa for almost 20 years. The country currently has six designated biosphere reserves with a few sites in various stages of the nomination process. Within the South African context, agencies are using a series of seemingly different instruments to practice landscape-scale management. The UNESCO biosphere reserve concept sometimes finds it difficult to obtain prominence amongst these different landscape initiatives. Biosphere reserves are special sites wherein sustainable development is promoted. For this reason, the biosphere reserve concept has much to offer towards long-term sustainable socialecological land management. In our modern age of population growth, dwindling natural resources and a general disconnectedness of humans from nature due to large scale urbanization, there is an urgent need for innovative ways in which to showcase sustainable living practices. South Africa has limited natural, economic and social resources and therefore needs to prioritize where these resources could best be allocated. This dissertation comprises the history of the MAB Programme in South Africa, as well as a multicase study on five existing biosphere reserves. Results from this study indicated that not all biosphere reserves are equally effective in their implementation of the three functions of biosphere reserves and that all biosphere reserves in South Africa face an uncertain future due to pressing challenges. Collective results of the multicase study as well as literature reviews were used to inform options for the future effective implementation of the MAB Programme in South Africa. Options that could contribute towards effective biosphere reserves include more sustainable funding support, and community-based demonstration projects. In addition a new suite of criteria to inform the selection of future biosphere reserves was developed. Biosphere reserves need to be optimally located in order to secure long-term efficiency and effectiveness. These sites need to be representative of biodiversity, efficiently managed and persistent in the long run. Presently in South Africa, new sites for biosphere reserves are nominated in an ad hoc manner. Should their locations be selected discerningly, they offer many benefits to the South African social and environmental landscape that should be recognized and utilized. The final suite of selection criteria are structured according to four subsections, namely a general section that addresses national matters of general concern to the MAB Programme, and three sections covering the three biosphere reserve functions of conservation, sustainable development and logistic support. This suite of biosphere reserve selection criteria for South Africa is being put forward for deliberation and discussion at local, provincial and national level. It has the potential to be of valuable assistance in selection processes for future effective and efficient biosphere reserves that will proudly earn their place in the South African landscape as “special places for people and nature”.
A novel method for time-resolved tuned diode laser absorption spectroscopy has been developed. In this paper, we describe in detail developed electronic module that controls time-resolution of laser absorption spectroscopy system. The TTL signal triggering plasma pulse is used for generation of two signals: the first one triggers the fine tuning of laser wavelength and second one controls time-defined signal sampling from absorption detector. The described method and electronic system enable us to investigate temporal evolution of sputtered particles in technological low-temperature plasma systems. The pulsed DC planar magnetron sputtering system has been used to verify this method. The 2" in diameter titanium target was sputtered in pure argon atmosphere. The working pressure was held at 2 Pa. All the experiments were carried out for pulse ON time fixed at 100 (is. When changing OFF time the discharge has operated between High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering regime and pulsed DC magnetron regime. The effect of duty cycle variation results in decrease of titanium atom density during ON time while length of OFF time elongates. We believe that observed effect is connected with higher degree of ionization of sputtered particles. As previously reported by Bohlmark et al., the measured optical emission spectra in HiPIMS systems were dominated by emission from titanium ions [1].
Background: Animal studies and data from a single-center study suggest that tobacco smoke exposure may be a risk factor for precapillary pulmonary hypertension (PH). Objective: We aimed to survey tobacco smoke exposure in a large PH collective and to compare it with epidemiological data from healthy subjects. Methods: This is an international, multicenter, case-control study including patients with pulmonary arterial and chronic thromboembolic PH. All patients were asked specific questions about tobacco smoke exposure. Healthy controls were retrieved from the Swiss Health Survey (n = 18,747). Results: Overall (n = 472), 49% of PH patients were smokers and there was a clear sex difference (women 37%, men 71%). Significantly more PH men were smokers compared with healthy controls, whereas less PH women were ever active smokers. However, 50% of the non-smoking PH women were exposed to secondhand smoke, leading to a significantly higher number of tobacco smoke-exposed individuals compared to healthy controls. PH smokers were significantly younger compared to those not exposed. Conclusion: Active and environmental tobacco smoke exposure is common in PH. The higher prevalence of male PH smokers, the higher exposure to environmental tobacco smoke in PH women compared to healthy controls and the lower age at PH diagnosis in smokers may indicate a pathogenic role of tobacco smoke exposure in PH.
Streptococcus pneumoniae (the pneumococcus) is a harmless resident of the human nasopharyngeal cavity, and, in general, every individual is likely to be colonized asymptomatically at least once during life. However, under certain conditions, the bacterium can spread to other tissues and organs causing local, non-invasive infections but also lifethreatening, invasive diseases. Pneumococcal carriage and infection is a highly regulated interplay between pathogen- and host-specific factors and the intimate contact of S. pneumoniae with the surface of the nasopharynx is the crucial step in pneumococcal pathogenesis. Pneumococcal adherence to the respiratory epithelium is mediated by surface-exposed adhesins. These adhesins engage host cell receptors either directly or indirectly by recognizing glycoproteins of the extracellular matrix (ECM) including structural components, such as collagens, laminins, and fibronectins, as well as plasma-derived ECM modulators, like vitronectin and Factor H. Pneumococcal surface protein C (PspC) is a surface-exposed protein and important virulence factor of S. pneumoniae. The multifunctional PspC protein promotes pneumococcal adherence to host cells by interacting with the secretory component of the human polymeric Immunoglobulin receptor of respiratory cells. In addition, PspC facilitates pneumococcal immune evasion by recruiting the complement inhibitor proteins C4b-binding protein (C4BP) and Factor H. Moreover, Factor H bound to the pneumococcal surface promotes bacterial adhesion to human epithelial and endothelial cells. S. pneumoniae also interacts with the human glycoprotein vitronectin. In plasma, monomeric vitronectin regulates thrombosis, fibrinolysis and the terminal complement cascade, while it additionally mediates cell-matrix interactions, cell adhesion and migration in the ECM. It was shown that multimeric, ECM-associated vitronectin facilitates pneumococcal adherence to respiratory epithelial cells. In addition, the interaction of pneumococci with vitronectin promotes their uptake by mucosal epithelial cells via the engagement of the integrin αvβ3 receptor and activation of intracellular signaling pathways culminating in cytoskeletal rearrangements. This study aims to identify and characterize the surface-exposed protein(s) that mediate binding of pneumococci to vitronectin and to elucidate the impact of vitronectin on pneumococcal pathogenesis beyond its function as molecular bridge between pneumococcus and host. Flow cytometric, immunosorbent and surface plasmon resonance experiments revealed that PspC is a vitronectin-binding protein of S. pneumoniae. The specificity of the interaction with vitronectin was confirmed using recombinant PspC proteins and Lactococcus lactis heterologously expressing PspC on their surface. Factor H did not hinder vitronectinbinding to PspC indicating that vitronectin recognizes the central part of PspC. Secretory IgA inhibited but not completely prevented vitronectin-binding to PspC, strongly suggesting that vitronectin binds near, but not directly to, the SC-binding region within the R domain(s) of PspC. In addition, PspC proteins comprising two R domains bound with higher affinity to vitronectin than PspC containing only one R domain, indicating that two interconnected R domains are required for efficient vitronectin-binding. Despite the sequential and structural differences to classical PspC, the PspC-like protein Hic specifically interacted with vitronectin with similar affinity than PspC containing two linked R domains. Binding studies confirmed that Factor H interacts with the very N-terminal region of Hic showing high sequence homology to classical PspC proteins, while vitronectin recognizes an adjacent region in the N-terminal region of Hic. The studied PspC proteins bound to both soluble and immobilized vitronectin, and the C-terminal heparin-binding domain (HBD3) was identified as PspC-binding motif in soluble vitronectin. However, in its immobilized form, vitronectin likely exposes additional binding sites for PspC since a region N-terminally to the identified HBD3 conferred binding of PspC. Vitronectin inhibits the terminal complement pathway, thereby preventing proinflammatory immune reactions and tissue damage. In general, pneumococci are protected from opsonization and MAC-dependent lysis by their capsule. However, pneumococci in close contact to human cells can become susceptible to complement attack due to reduced amounts of capsule. In addition, they can be severely affected by TCC-induced inflammatory responses. Vitronectin bound to PspC significantly inhibited the formation of terminal complement complexes. Thus, the interaction of PspC with vitronectin might aid in immune evasion of S. pneumoniae by inhibiting complement-mediated lysis and/or suppressing proinflammatory events. In conclusion, the results revealed the multifunctional PspC and Hic as vitronectin-binding proteins and proposed a novel role for the specific interaction of S. pneumoniae with vitronectin in regulating the complement cascade, beside its function as molecular bridge to the respiratory epithelium.