Recent changes in high-mountain plant community functional composition in contrasting climate regimes

High-mountain plant communities are strongly determined by abiotic conditions, especially low temperature, and are therefore susceptible to effects of climate warming. Rising temperatures, however, also lead to increased evapotranspiration, which, together with projected shifts in seasonal precipitation patterns, could lead to prolonged, detrimental water deficiencies. The current study aims at comparing alpine plant communities along elevation and water availability gradients from humid conditions (north-eastern Alps) to a moderate (Central Apennines) and a pronounced dry period during summer (Lefka Ori, Crete) in the Mediterranean area. We do this in order to (1) detect relationships between community-based indices (plant functional leaf and growth traits, thermic vegetation indicator, plant life forms, vegetation cover and diversity) and soil temperature and snow duration and (2) assess if climatic changes have already affected the vegetation, by determining directional changes over time (14-year period; 2001-2015) in these indices in the three regions. Plant community indices responded to decreasing temperatures along the elevation gradient in the NE-Alps and the Apennines, but this elevation effect almost disappeared in the summer-dry mountains of Crete. This suggests a shift from low-temperature to drought-dominated ecological filters. Leaf trait (Leaf Dry Matter Content and Specific Leaf Area) responses changed in direction from the Alps to the Apennines, indicating that drought effects already become discernible at the northern margin of the Mediterranean. Over time, a slight increase in vegetation cover was found in all regions, but thermophilisation occurred only in the NE-Alps and Apennines, accompanied by a decline of cold-adapted cushion plants in the Alps. On Crete, xeromorphic shrubs were increasing in abundance. Although critical biodiversity losses have not yet been observed, an intensified monitoring of combined warming-drought impacts will be required in view of threatened alpine plants that are either locally restricted in the south or weakly adapted to drought in the north.

Optimierung der chirurgischen Behandlung Brandverletzter: Auszüge aus der fachübergreifenden S2k-Leitlinie „Behandlung thermischer Verletzungen des Erwachsenen“

Hintergrund Trotz Brandschutzmaßnahmen und Aufklärung erleiden ca. 0,5 Millionen Menschen pro Jahr in Deutschland Verbrennungen. Im Jahr 2018 mussten fast 2000 Schwerstbrandverletzte in deutschen Verbrennungszentren behandelt werden. Brandverletzungen stellen eine schwerwiegende Erkrankung mit hoher Mortalität und langfristigen Folgen für den Patienten dar.

Methodik und Ergebnisse Ziel dieses Übersichtsartikels ist es, eine Zusammenfassung der derzeit gültigen Leitlinie zur Behandlung von Verbrennungen im Erwachsenenalter (https://www.awmf.org/leitlinien/detail/ll/044–001.html) zu präsentieren, wobei der Fokus auf folgenden Aspekten liegt: 1. der Akutbehandlung der Brandwunde am Unfallort, 2. der Entscheidungsfindung zur Verlegung in ein Brandverletztenzentrum, 3. der chirurgischen Wundversorgung mit Debridement und Hauttransplantation und 4. der Nachsorge. Die S2k-Leitlinie basiert auf aktueller Literatur und dem Konsens von 11 an der Behandlung Brandverletzter beteiligter Fachgesellschaften.

Zusammenfassung Dieser Übersichtsartikel enthält gewichtete Empfehlungen zur Behandlung von Brandwunden erwachsener Patienten in Deutschland. Der Artikel soll Ärzten und medizinischem Personal in der Akutsituation vor Ort und in der Klinik die Entscheidung über die notwendige Behandlung erleichtern. Hiermit soll die Behandlungsqualität für Patienten verbessert werden.

Assessment of climate change effects on mountain ecosystems through a cross-site analysis in the Alps and Apennines

Mountain ecosystems are sensitive and reliable indicators of climate change. Long-term studies may be extremely useful in assessing the responses of high-elevation ecosystems to climate change and other anthropogenic drivers from a broad ecological perspective. Mountain research sites within the LTER (Long-Term Ecological Research) network are representative of various types of ecosystems and span a wide bioclimatic and elevational range. Here, we present a synthesis and a review of the main results from ecological studies in mountain ecosystems at 20 LTER sites in Italy, Switzerland and Austria covering in most cases more than two decades of observations. We analyzed a set of key climate parameters, such as temperature and snow cover duration, in relation to vascular plant species composition, plant traits, abundance patterns, pedoclimate, nutrient dynamics in soils and water, phenology and composition of freshwater biota. The overall results highlight the rapid response of mountain ecosystems to climate change, with site-specific characteristics and rates. As temperatures increased, vegetation cover in alpine and subalpine summits increased as well. Years with limited snow cover duration caused an increase in soil temperature and microbial biomass during the growing season. Effects on freshwater ecosystems were also observed, in terms of increases in solutes, decreases in nitrates and changes in plankton phenology and benthos communities. This work highlights the importance of comparing and integrating long-term ecological data collected in different ecosystems for a more comprehensive overview of the ecological effects of climate change. Nevertheless, there is a need for (i) adopting co-located monitoring site networks to improve our ability to obtain sound results from cross-site analysis, (ii) carrying out further studies, in particular short-term analyses with fine spatial and temporal resolutions to improve our understanding of responses to extreme events, and (iii) increasing comparability and standardizing protocols across networks to distinguish local patterns from global patterns.

IL-1, TNF-alpha and IL-2 production by peritoneal and spleen cells from Schistosoma mansoni infected mice and its potentiation by preimmunization with schistosomal antigens and immunostimulants

In the present study we tested the effect of immunization with schistosome derived antigens such as frozen-thawed schistosomula in combination with either BCG, liposomes or liposomal muramyl tripeptide-phosphatidyl ethanolamine (MTP-PE), on the resistance of mice to infection, and on the function of their macrophages and lymphocytes. Immunization with either F-T schistosomula + BCG or F-T schistosomula + MTP-PE and subsequent infection, resulted in a 2-3-fold increase in adherent peritoneal macrophage-mediated schistosomulicidal activity (SCA). Peritoneal and spleen macrophages from immunostimulant treated and/or immunized animals showed a significant increase in LPS triggered TNF-alpha production, as compared to non-treated controls. The highest increase in TNF-alpha production was achieved after immunization with either F-T schistosomula + BCG or F-T schistosomula + MTP-PE. LPS triggered IL-1 production was elevated in spleen and peritoneal macrophages from F-T schistosomula + BCG treated mice, and also in spleen macrophages treated with F-T schistosomula + MTP-PE. Only immunization with F-T schistosomula + BCG increased ConA-induced spleen lymphocyte proliferation and IL-2 production. Immunization of mice with F-T schistosomula + BCG also induced protection against parasite infection, while F-T schistosomula + MTP-PE failed to do so. Potentiation of antischistosomal resistance seems to require both macrophage and lymphocyte activation which was achieved only when BCG served as an immunostimulant.

The schistosomulicidal activity and the production of IL-1 and TNF-alpha by peritoneal macrophages from infected mice and their potentiation by muramyl tripeptide-phosphatidyl ethanolamine (MTP-PE) treatment

Production of TNF-alpha and IL-1 by adherent peritoneal exudate macrophages (APEM) was monitored for 20 weeks in Schistosoma mansoni infected mice in comparison to their schistosomulicidal activity. LPS-triggered IL-1 and TNF-alpha production by APEM peaked 10 weeks post infection (p.i.) and declined thereafter. The schistosomulicidal activity of APEM also peaked after 10 weeks but remained elevated thereafter. Infected mice were also treated with the immunostimulator liposomal muramyl tripeptide-phosphatidyl ethanolamine (MTP-PE) 6 or 10 weeks p.i., and their APEM were tested 4 weeks later. APEM from such treated animals showed elevated IL-1 and TNF-alpha production when treatment commenced 6 weeks p.i., while their schistosomulicidal activity increased when treatment commenced either 6 or 10 weeks p.i. The L-arginine inhibitor, NG monomethyl arginine, markedly inhibited the schistosomulicidal activity but not the IL-1 and TNF-alpha production of APEM. Our results show that monokine production increases during the acute phase of infection and declines during its chronic phase, while macrophage schistosomulicidal activity remains constant throughout. Furthermore, TNF-alpha or IL-1 may play a minor role in APEM mediated killing of schistosomula.

On the interaction between macrophages and developmental stages of Schistosoma mansoni: effect of muramyl tripeptide phosphatidyl ethanolamine (MTP-PE) treatment on mice survival and the generation of schistosomulicidal macrophages

Schistosomiasis is a chronic disease afflicting hundreds of millions of people throughout the world against which there is as yet no effective vaccine. In the present study we tested the effect of the immunomodulator muramyl tripeptide phosphatidyl ethanolamine (MTP-PE) on the survival of Schistosoma mansoni-infected mice and on the induction in them of schistosomulicidal macrophages. Mice exposed to 80 cercariae each and then treated with MTP-PE showed prolonged survival following either single or repeat infection. The treatment with MTP-PE, when initiated 70 days post the schistosome infection, diminished significantly the mortality of infected mice over an observed period of 110 days. In terms of treatment efficacy there was no evident difference between the intravenous and intraperitoneal mode of administration of the drug. MTP-PE treatment significantly reduced granuloma size and markedly diminished liver damaged as judged by the lower levels of alkaline phosphatase in the serum. Such treatment exerted no significant effect on the spleen or liver weight in infected mice nor on the worm burden resulting from either a single or double infection. In infected and non-treated mice, schistosomulicidal macrophages appeared after 8-10 weeks of infection. In infected mice treated with MTP-PE there was an accelerated appearance of such macrophages and these exhibited a greater cidal effect on the schistosomula. These immunostimulatory and life-prolonging effects of MTP-PE on S. mansoni-infected mice might indicate an effect of this reagent on cells involved in the granulomatous process.

Preparation of an affinity chromatographic system for the separation of ADP binding proteins

[4-(3-Bromoacetylpyridinio)-butyl]adenosine pyrophosphate as a structural analog of NAD+ reacts covalently with the sulfhydryl groups of thiopropyl agarose. 10-20 mumol can be bound to 1 ml gel. Stabilization of the insoluble coenzyme is attained by treatment with sodium boro hydride (NaBH4). This complex when applied to column chromatography, allows the separation of various dehydrogenases as a result of their different complex stability coefficients. Alcohol dehydrogenase from liver, lactate dehydrogenase, and adenylate kinase, which all bind to the ADP-analog residues of the gel matrix, can thus be separated by different salt gradients. Alcohol dehydrogenase from yeast, however, does not form a complex and can easily be eluted from the column with phosphate buffer. Glyceraldehyde-3 phosphate and aldehyde dehydrogenases can be eluted by the addition of NAD+ or NADH to the buffer. The uncharged 1,4-dihydropyridine ring of the reduced coenzyme produces a more stable complex with the dehydrogenases than the oxidized form.