A mass-balance study on chloride fluxes in a large central European catchment during 1900–2010

Using data on long-term monitoring of water quality, mass budgets, and empirical models, we quantified chloride (Cl) leaching from major diffuse and point sources in a large central European catchment (upper Vltava river, Czech Republic) over a 110-year period (1900–2010), with the major aim to evaluate the influence of historical changes in land use and management practices on Cl leaching from agricultural land. The Cl input to farmland in synthetic fertilizers, livestock feed, and atmospheric deposition tripled in the 1950s–1980s (from 23 to 64 kg ha^?1 year^?1 on average), and then abruptly decreased to ~14 kg ha^?1 year^?1 during 1990–2010. The proportion of drained agricultural land rapidly increased from 4 % in the 1950s to its maximum of 43 % in the 1990s. Until the 1950s, the Cl leaching from agricultural land followed a simple dose–response function. Then, agricultural soils retained on average 16 ± 4 kg ha^?1 year^?1 of Cl during 1959–1985, when the most important changes in land use and management practices occurred, and subsequently became a net Cl source of 11 ± 3 kg ha^?1 year^?1 on average during 1986–2010, when Cl input to soils declined and drainage of new land ceased. Our data suggest that the temporal changes in the Cl storage in agricultural land are associated with changes in Cl concentrations in both permanent soil water and soils. Physico-chemical conditions in freshly drained soils, namely elevated aeration and high concentrations of soil organic matter (SOM), and high Cl inputs probably resulted in a Cl immobilization in soils by formation of organic chlorine (Cl_org) and adsorption that was higher than the Cl production from Cl_org mineralization and desorption. In contrast, Cl_org mineralization and Cl desorption exceeded the Cl retention during the consecutive period of low Cl inputs and decreasing SOM concentrations in agricultural soils. Our study implies that changes in land use and agricultural management can significantly affect dose–response functions even for Cl, which is traditionally considered and modelled as a conservative ion.     

Organochlorine and mercury residues in fish from Lake Simcoe,Ontario 1970–76

Synopsis Lake Simcoe located in the central Ontario plain has four major streams draining the watershed. Persistent organochlorine insecticides were used in the basin for mosquito control and agricultural production until restricted. Methyl mercury compounds have been phased out and a voluntary restriction occurred for PCB.Ten species of fish were collected between 1970 and 1976 for organochlorine and mercury analysis. DDT residues significantly declined between 1970 and 1975–76 in all species except small Stizostedion vitreum vitreum and large Salvelinus namaycush. Eggs taken 1975–76 from small S. namaycush had DDT residues below the critical level reported for the production of viable offspring, but this was not so for large members.HEOD residues between 1970 and 1975–76 significantly declined in five species, showed no change in two, whereas in two species the Larger members of one had Lower residues and the smaller members of the other showed no change.PCB residues declined.in all species except the larger Perca flavescens. Chlordane and heptachlor-epoxide were identified in S. namaycush for the first time in 1975–76. Mercury residues showed no change between 1970 and 1975–76 in five species, it declined in two species and increased in small S. v. vitreum.Correlations existed between Levels of organic contaminant and Lipid content of fish especially in the immediate post period of their use. Where the increasing Lipid content was associated with an increasing trophic level a preypredator relationship existed for contaminant accumulations. However, where Lipid contents were Low, no correlation appeared to exist in the prey-predator.     

IAPs: a central element in the NF-κB activating signaling pathway

The function of IAP has long been limited to an inhibition of apoptosis through their capacity to bind some caspases. Since the expression of these proteins is altered in some tumor samples, IAPs are targets for anticancer therapy and many small molecules have been designed for their capacity to inhibit IAP-caspase interaction. Unexpectedly, these molecules appeared to significantly affect NF-κB activation. In this review, we will discuss the central role of cIAP1, cIAP2 and XIAP in the regulation of NF-κB activating signaling pathways.     

Assessment of the historical environmental changes from a survey of local residents in an urban–rural catchment

When attempting to address the environmental problems of a catchment, it is important to consider changes in a long-term environmental context. However, the long-term data on the state of the environment that are required for such an examination are rarely documented. Such data collection typically requires several years of investigation and observation. In addition, as there may be a significant time lag between the occurrence of a phenomenon and its cause, subsequent environmental investigations of changing animal and plant states scaling up to 5 years may be inadequate. We conducted a long-term analysis of the environmental changes in five sub-catchments of the Nagara River, Japan, assessing a period of 30 years, using a questionnaire survey approach involving local communities. Four sub-catchments of the Yoshida River were also analyzed for comparison. In addition, we attempted to clarify the relationship between various environmental factors and the space–time response of animals and plants. The survey included eight topics: assumed information, hydrological characteristics, habitat conditions for living things, forest state, land cover conditions, river awareness, free-entry information, and respondent information. Our method also has academic significance in that it validates the environmental agent extraction technique using a questionnaire survey. Our results identify management strategies for minimizing biodiversity loss due to climate change. Forest management and human activities should be undertaken with care, and the environmental context going forward into the next century should be considered for integrated catchment management. Elsewhere, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, a much expanded network of protected areas, and/or efforts to provide corridors to ease species movements may be necessary at the global level.     

Elapsed time from breast cancer detection to first adjuvant therapy in a Canadian province, 1999–2000

BackgroundA number of studies have examined time intervals between care steps in breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. The objective of this study was to document the elapsed time from first clinical or mammographic detection of breast abnormality to initiation of first adjuvant therapy in women with invasive breast cancer in Nova Scotia and to examine the effect of age, disease stage and place of residence on these intervals.MethodsAll dates were abstracted from patient charts and the Oncology Patient Information System. Eligible women were those with invasive breast cancer detected by Sept. 1, 1999, who were referred to 1 of 2 provincial cancer treatment centres by Sept. 1, 2000. All time intervals were calculated in days, and only patients experiencing both care events defining an interval were included in the analysis of time to event for that interval. We used proportional hazards regression analysis to evaluate the influence of patient age, disease stage and place of residence on times between care events.ResultsA total of 776 new diagnoses of breast cancer were reported to the Nova Scotia Cancer Registry over the study period. Of the 776, 467 met the inclusion criteria, and 364 patients were eligible for analysis. The overall median time from clinical or mammographic detection of breast cancer to initiation of first adjuvant therapy was 91 days (interquartile range 72–123 days). Disease stage was the strongest predictor of elapsed time: the median interval from disease detection to initiation of first adjuvant therapy for patients with stage I disease was 118 days, as compared with 85 days for those with stage II disease and 75 days for those with stage III disease (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 2.1, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.6–2.8). Patients aged 70 years or more at diagnosis experienced longer elapsed times (median interval 98 days) than did younger patients (93 days for those aged 50–69 years and 82 days for those aged 49 years or less) (adjusted HR 1.6, 95% CI 1.1–2.4).InterpretationWomen aged 70 or more and those with stage I breast cancer experienced longer elapsed times from disease detection to initiation of first adjuvant therapy than did younger women and those with more advanced disease. These findings may have implications for the design of interventions to minimize intervals between steps in breast cancer care and should be validated within the Canadian context. Future investigation exploring the full spectrum of breast cancer care may lead to a more complete understanding of processes and gaps in the current system.Time intervals for isolated care steps in the diagnosis and management of breast cancer have been evaluated in a number of publications from Canada, Germany and the United Kingdom. These studies have focused on time to first surgical intervention,¹ time to pathological confirmation of invasive disease² or a composite interval spanning onset of symptoms to initiation of first treatment, which, in the vast majority of cases, is surgical intervention.^3,4,5,6 The spectrum of care for potentially curable breast cancer, however, extends from initial detection to completion of all adjuvant therapies and has become increasingly complex and multidisciplinary. Patients interact with a sequence of various health care professionals and undergo a series of procedures at various medical facilities or in different areas of a large hospital. Most patients are referred for 1 or more adjuvant therapies (radiation, chemotherapy or hormonal therapy), all of which have been shown to reduce the risk of locally recurrent or metastatic disease and to improve overall survival in appropriately selected patients.^7,8,9 Although the time from referral to initiation of adjuvant therapy is a critical component in breast cancer care, it has not been included in previous analyses of elapsed times in breast cancer care.The first objective of our study was to document elapsed times from date of mammographic or clinical detection of breast abnormality to initiation of first adjuvant therapy for women with invasive breast cancer. Our second objective was to examine the influence of age, disease stage and place of residence at the time of diagnosis on this elapsed time.     

Element fluxes in watershed-lake ecosystems recovering from acidification: Čertovo Lake,the Bohemian Forest, 2001–2005

Fluxes of major ions and nutrients were measured in the watershed-lake ecosystem of a strongly acidified lake, ?ertovo jezero (?ertovo Lake), in the 2001 through 2005 hydrological years. Water balance was estimated from precipitation and throughfall amounts, and measured outflow from the lake. The average water input into and outflow from the watershed-lake ecosystem was 1461 mm and 1271 mm (40 L km^?2 s^?1), respectively, and the water residence time in the lake averaged 662 days. The ecosystem has been recovering from acidification since the late 1980s. Still, however, ?ertovo watershed was an average net source of 23 mmol m^?2 yr^?1 of SO ₄ ^2? . Nitrogen saturation of the watershed caused low retention of the deposited inorganic N (23% on average). After a dry summer in 2003 and a cold winter in 2004, the watershed became a net source of inorganic N (19 mmol m^?2 yr^?1). Nitrogen transformations and SO ₄ ^2? release were the dominant terrestrial sources of H⁺ (81 and 47 mmol m^?2 yr^?1, respectively) and the watershed was a net source of 42 mmol H⁺ m^?2 yr^?1. Ionic composition of tributaries showed seasonal variations with the most pronounced changes in NO ₃ ^? , base cations, DOC, and ionic Al (Al_i) concentrations. The in-lake biogeochemical processes reduced the incoming H⁺ by ～50% (i.e., neutralized on average 222 mmol H⁺ m^?2 yr^?1, on a lake-area basis). Denitrification, SO ₄ ^2? reduction, and photochemical and microbial decomposition of allochthonous organic matter were the most important in-lake H⁺ consuming processes (215, 85, and 122 mmol H⁺ m^?2 yr^?1, respectively), while hydrolysis of Al_i was the dominant H⁺ generating process (96 mmol H⁺ m^?2 yr^?1) in ?ertovo Lake. Photochemical liberation from organic complexes was an additional in-lake source of Al_i. The net in-lake retention or removal of nutrients (carbon, phosphorus, nitrogen, and silica) varied between 18% and 34% of their inputs.     

Trends and inequities in colorectal cancer screening participation in Ontario,Canada, 2005–2011

Background: Participation in screening tests for colorectal cancer (CRC) is generally low in Ontario, Canada. In addition, inequities in participation exist including lower participation among low-income individuals, males and individuals living in rural areas. In April 2008, Colon Cancer Check (CCC) program, the province-wide CRC screening program, was launched in Ontario. This study describes the trends and inequities in CRC screening participation three years before and three years after the CCC, and assesses the effect of the program on CRC screening participation, overall and among certain population groups. Methods: We used administrative data to identify cohorts of individuals eligible for CRC screening in fiscal years 2005–2011. We calculated the age-standardized percent of Fecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT) participation, large bowel endoscopy participation, and being ‘up-to-date’ with CRC screening tests. Results: From 2005 to 2011, FOBT participation increased from 7.6% to 14.8%, large bowel endoscopy participation from 3.4% to 5.7%, and ‘up-to-date’ with CRC screening from 27.2% to 41.3%. Before the launch of the CCC program, the quarterly increase in FOBT participation was 0.07% (p = 0.19), increased immediately after the launch (1.8%, p < 0.01), followed by a decline (?0.08%, p = 0.08), returning to its pre-program increase rate. We noted a significant decrease in FOBT participation every summer (?0.44%, p < 0.01). The CCC program had minimal effect on large bowel endoscopy participation. Before the launch of the CCC program, the quarterly increase in ‘up-to-date’ with CRC screening was 0.9% (p < 0.01), increased immediately after the launch (2.5%, p = 0.05), followed by a modest decline thereafter (?0.59%, p < 0.02). From 2005 to 2011, recent residents living in low-income neighborhoods were consistently and significantly less likely to have a FOBT and be ‘up-to-date’ with CRC screening than long-term residents living in high-income neighborhoods (2.9–4.5%; 14.7–17.3% respectively). Pre-CCC inequities in CRC participation persisted after the launch of the program. Conclusion: CRC testing was increasing in Ontario from 2005. An immediate increase in CRC testing, FOBT in particular, occurred after the launch of the CCC program, followed by a return to its pre-CCC increase rate thereafter. Future efforts are needed to improve screening participation and address inequities.     

Diatom–environmental relationships and nutrient transfer functions from contrasting shallow and deep limestone lakes in Ontario, Canada

Diatom assemblages were analysed in the surface sediments of 44 alkaline lakes in south-western Ontario, Canada, and combined with a pre-existing 58 south-eastern Ontario lake set: (1) to determine if shallow, polymictic Ontario lakes contain different diatom assemblages from deeper, dimictic lakes, and if so, which environmental variables most influence assemblages; (2) to improve the existing transfer functions; (3) to construct and compare transfer functions separately for dimictic, deep lakes and for polymictic, shallow lakes. Polymictic and dimictic lakes covered a similar nutrient range (spring total phosphorus (TP)=4–54 g/l, spring total nitrogen (TN)=200–927 g/l; n=101) and spring pH levels (7.6–9; n=101). However, polymictic lakes were shallower (median mean depth = 2.9 m vs. 7.3 m in dimictic lakes). Benthic diatoms (average 60% relative abundance) dominated the polymictic lakes, whereas planktonic diatoms (average 60%) dominated dimictic lakes. A Canonical Correspondence Analyses with forward selection (p < 0.05, 999 Monte Carlo permutations) identified TP, alkalinity, watershed to volume ratios and lake depth as the most important measured environmental variables influencing diatom distribution in both polymictic and dimictic lakes. Additionally, pH was identified as an important variable in polymictic lakes, whereas TN was also forward selected in the dimictic lakes. Adding more lakes to the original southern Ontario calibration set improved the TN transfer function (r² _jack=0.42, root mean squared error of prediction (RMSEP)_jack=0.11 [log g TN/l]), although there was a high systematic error in the revised model (r² _residual = 0.48). However, the strongest TP model was derived from the polymictic lakes (r² _boot =0.44, RMSEP_boot=0.20 [log g TP/l]), which was the smallest lake set (n=30) with the lowest number of diatom species. The stronger TP model from the polymictic lakes may be partly due to the relatively low macrophyte cover in our polymictic lakes, which may lead to stronger benthic–pelagic coupling than in lakes with large macrophyte populations. Additionally, our study suggests that the Chrysophyceae cyst:diatom frustule ratio may be useful for indicating trends in TP levels of 35 g/l in alkaline lakes that are dimictic, but is not necessarily indicative of trophic state changes in shallow, polymictic lakes. Our study demonstrates that it may be important to construct separate diatom-based nutrient transfer functions for polymictic and dimictic lakes.     

Secular Trends in Measures of Cephalo-Facial Traits among Bengalee Boys Aged 7.0–16.0 Years from Kolkata between 1982–1983 and 1999–2001

While a large number of studies on secular trends have been performed on measures of stature, weight, trunk and limb dimensions, subcutaneous fatness and body composition, etc., less attention has been paid to cephalo-facial traits. This study reports on secular trends in five cephalo-facial traits (head length, head breadth, head circumference, bizygomatic breadth and morphological facial height) and two indices (cephalic index and facial index) in Bengalee Hindu boys between ages 7.0 and 16.0 years. The data set comes from two cross-sectional growth surveys carried out among the students of one particular Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) boys school with an interval of about 20 years (1982–1983 and 1999–2001). Identical protocol with respect to sampling, data collection, measuring technique and data analysis has been followed in both surveys. Except for morphological facial height (which showed negative secular trends), the other four cephalo-facial traits showed positive secular trends with varying magnitudes over the two decades. Cephalic index did not reveal any consistent pattern of change, while facial index showed a declining trend in the later survey.     

Carbon debt repayment or carbon sequestration parity? Lessons from a forest bioenergy case study in Ontario,Canada

Forest bioenergy can contribute to climate change mitigation by reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with energy production. We assessed changes in GHG emissions resulting from displacement of coal with wood pellets for the Atikokan Generating Station located in Northwestern Ontario, Canada. Two contrasting biomass sources were considered for continuous wood pellet production: harvest residue from current harvest operations (residue scenario) and fibre from expanded harvest of standing live trees (stemwood scenario). For the stemwood scenario, two metrics were used to assess the effects of displacing coal with forest biomass on GHG emissions: (i) time to carbon sequestration parity, defined as the time from the beginning of harvest to when the combined GHG benefit of displacing coal with biomass and the amount of carbon in regenerating forest equalled the amount of forest carbon without harvest for energy production; and (ii) time to carbon debt repayment, defined as the time from the beginning of harvest to when the combined GHG benefit of displacing coal with biomass and the amount of carbon in the regenerating forest equalled forest carbon at the time of harvest. Only time to carbon sequestration parity was used for the residue scenario. In the residue scenario, carbon sequestration parity was achieved within 1 year. In the stemwood scenario, times to carbon sequestration parity and carbon debt repayment were 91 and 112 years, respectively. Sensitivity analysis showed that estimates were robust when parameter values were varied. Modelling experiments showed that increasing growth rates for regenerating stands in the stemwood scenario could substantially reduce time to carbon sequestration parity. We discuss the use of the two metrics (time to carbon sequestration parity and time to carbon debt repayment) for assessing the effects of forest bioenergy projects on GHG emissions and make recommendations on terminology and methodologies for forest bioenergy studies.     

Estimating multiple years,tributary-specific,and overall Atlantic salmon smolt abundance in a large Canadian catchment using capture–mark–recapture experiments

Population monitoring of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) abundance is an essential element to understand annual stock variability and inform fisheries management processes. Smolts are the life stage marking the transition from the freshwater to the marine phase of anadromous Atlantic salmon. Estimating smolt abundance allows for subsequent inferences on freshwater and marine survival rates. Annual abundances of out-migrating Atlantic salmon smolts were estimated using Bayesian models and an 18-year capture–mark–recapture time series from two to five trapping locations within the Restigouche River (Canada) catchment. Some of the trapping locations were at the outlet of large upstream tributaries, and these sampled a portion of the total out-migrating population of smolts for the watershed, whereas others were located just above the head of tide of the Restigouche River and sampled the entire run of salmon smolts. Due to logistic and environmental conditions, not all trapping locations were operational each year. Additionally, recapture rates were relatively low (<5%), and the absolute number of recaptures was relatively few (most often a few dozen), leading to incoherent and highly uncertain estimates of tributary-specific and whole catchment abundance estimates when the data were modeled independently among trapping locations and years. Several models of increasing complexity were tested using simulated data, and the best-performing model in terms of bias and precision incorporated a hierarchical structure among years on the catchability parameters and included an explicit spatial structure to account for the annual variations in the number of sampled locations within the watershed. When the best model was applied to the Restigouche River catchment dataset, the annual smolt abundance estimates varied from 250,000 to 1 million smolts, and the subbasin estimates of abundance were consistent with the spatial structure of the monitoring programme. Ultimately, increasing the probabilities of capture and the absolute number of recaptures at the different traps will be required to improve the precision and reduce the bias of the estimates of smolt abundance for the entire basin and within subbasins of the watershed. The model and approach provide a significant improvement in the models used to date based on independent estimates of abundance by trapping location and year. Total abundance and relative production in discrete spawning, nesting, or rearing areas provide critical information to appropriately understand and manage the threats to species that can occur at subpopulation spatial scales.     

Litter in a first–order stream of a temperate deciduous forest (Margaraça Forest, central Portugal)

To evaluate the importance and fate of organic matter inputs in forested streams, we determined the litterfall inputs and the benthic coarse particulate organic matter (CPOM) in one headwater stream flowing through a mixed deciduous forest, during one year. Both vertical traps and the stream bottom were sampled monthly. The material collected was sorted into four main categories: leaves, fruits and flowers, twigs and debris. Litter production was 715 g m−2 y−1 and seasonal, with 73% of the annual total during October–December (autumn). Leaves comprised the largest litter component. Benthic organic matter was 1880 g m−2 y−1, and was also seasonal. Highest accumulation was attained in spring, and twigs and branches comprised the major component. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Length–weight relationships for some plecoptera and ephemeroptera from a carbonate stream in central Apennine (Italy)

The relationship between dry weight and body length for larvae of Plecoptera (Leuctra spp., Isoperla grammatica, Nemoura cinerea) and Ephemeroptera (Baetis spp., Habrophlebia fusca, Paraleptophlebia submarginata, Ecdyonurus helveticus, Rhithrogena semicolorata), collected from a carbonate stream in the Apennine (central Italy), is reported. The power equation f(x) = Ax ^B has been applied to fit the curves of dry weight vs. body size (length) in the ranges 0.03–13.00 mg and 2–14 mm, respectively; a total of 674 larvae were examined. The power model was in very good agreement with experimental data. Moreover, the error between measured and estimated weight was in the 4–20% range. The data on Isoperla grammatica, Leuctra spp., Rhithrogena semicolorata and Baetis spp. were compared to those in a previous study in a different geographical setting (south-western Germany’s Black Forest) obtaining similar results but with lower errors. We used and compared two methods: the weighted least-square method (WLS) and an analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). The values of the A and B coefficients obtained with the two methods were very similar (<6% discrepancy for either A or B). We found the best fits for all the examined Plecoptera (species, genus, and order level), while the results for Ephemeroptera were varied, with loose fits at the order level and also for Leptophlebiidae collectively considered. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. Handling editor: R. Bailey     

Is there synchronicity in nitrogen input and output fluxes at the Noland Divide Watershed,a small N-saturated forested catchment in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park?

High-elevation red spruce [Picea rubens Sarg.]-Fraser fir [Abies fraseri (Pursh.) Poir] forests in the Southern Appalachians currently receive large nitrogen (N) inputs via atmospheric deposition (30 kg N ha(-1) year(-1)) but have limited N retention capacity due to a combination of stand age, heavy fir mortality caused by exotic insect infestations, and numerous gaps caused by windfalls and ice storms. This study examined the magnitude and timing of the N fluxes into, through, and out of a small, first-order catchment in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It also examined the role of climatic conditions in causing interannual variations in the N output signal. About half of the atmospheric N input was exported annually in the streamwater, primarily as nitrate (NO3-N). While most incoming ammonium (NH4-N) was retained in the canopy and the forest floor, the NO3-N fluxes were very dynamic in space as well as in time. There was a clear decoupling between NO3-N input and output fluxes. Atmospheric N input was greatest in the growing season while largest NO3-N losses typically occurred in the dormant season. Also, as water passed through the various catchment compartments, the NO3-N flux declined below the canopy, increased in the upper soil due to internal N mineralization and nitrification, and declined again deeper in the mineral soil due to plant uptake and microbial processing. Temperature control on N production and hydrologic control on NO3-N leaching during the growing season likely caused the observed inter-annual variation in fall peak NO3-N concentrations and N discharge rates in the stream.     

Finite element modeling and simulations in orthopedics: a bibliography 1998–2005

The paper gives a bibliographical review of the finite element modeling and simulations in orthopedics from the theoretical as well as practical points of view. The bibliography lists references to papers, conference proceedings and theses/dissertations that were published between 1998 and 2005. At the end of this paper 1264 references are given dealing with subjects as: bones and their parts, special tissues; spine mechanics; movable joints and computational modeling.     

Element fluxes in watershed-lake ecosystems recovering from acidification: Plešné Lake,the Bohemian Forest, 2001–2005

Fluxes of major ions and nutrients were measured in the watershed-lake ecosystem of a strongly acidified lake, Ple?né jezero (Ple?né Lake), in the Czech Republic in hydrological years from 2001 through 2005. The lake is situated in a Norway spruce forest and has a steep watershed between elevations of 1090 and 1378 m. The average water input and output from the ecosystem was 1372 mm and 1157 mm (37 L km^?2 s^?1), respectively, and the water residence time averaged 306 days. Despite ecosystem recovery from acidification occurring since the late 1980s, the Ple?né watershed was an average net source of 25 mmol SO ₄ ^2? m^?2 yr^?1. Nitrogen saturation of the watershed caused low retention of the deposited inorganic N (< 44% on average) before 2004. Then, the watershed became a net source of 28–32 mmol m^?2 yr^?1 of inorganic N in the form of NO ₃ ^? due to climatic effects (a dry summer in 2003 and a cold winter in 2004) and forest dieback caused by a bark beetle attack in 2004. Nitrogen transformations and SO ₄ ^2? release were the dominant terrestrial sources of H⁺ (72 and 49 mmol m^?2 yr^?1, respectively) and the watershed was a net source of 24 mmol H⁺ m^?2 yr^?1. Ionic composition of surface inlets showed seasonal variations, with the most pronounced changes in NO ₃ ^? , ionic Al (Al_i), and DOC concentrations, while the composition of subsurface inlets was more stable. The in-lake biogeochemical processes reduced on average 59% of the incoming H⁺ (251 mmol H⁺ m^?2 yr^?1 on a lake-area basis). NO ₃ ^? assimilation and denitrification, photochemical and microbial decomposition of allochthonous organic acids, and SO ₄ ^2? reduction in the sediments were the most important aquatic H⁺ consuming processes (358, 121, and 59 mmol H⁺ m^?2 yr^?1, respectively), while hydrolysis of Al_i was the dominant in-lake H⁺ generating process (233 mmol H⁺ m^?2 yr^?1). Photochemical liberation from organic complexes was an additional in-lake source of Al_i. The net in-lake retention or removal of total phosphorus, total nitrogen, and silica were on average 50%, 27%, and 23%, respectively. The lake was a net source of NH ₄ ⁺ due to a cease in nitrification (pH < 5) and from NH ₄ ⁺ production by dissimilation exceeding its removal by assimilation.     

Tuberculosis Incidence in HIV/AIDS Patients in Israel, 1983–2010

Objectives

People living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) who develop tuberculosis disease are at greater mortality-risk. This study aimed to assess tuberculosis disease incidence among all PLWHA in Israel and identify populations at high-risk for developing tuberculosis.

Design and Methods

Retrospective cohort-study based on the National HIV and Tuberculosis Registries, which were cross-matched and followed for the last 28-years. PLWHA who developed tuberculosis were compared to those who did not by the Cox-proportional analysis to generate hazard-ratios, and survival-analysis was performed by Log-Rank test.

Results

Of all the 6579 PLWHA reported between 1983 and 2010, corresponding to 55737 person-years, 384 (5.8%) developed tuberculosis. Of those, 14 were Israeli-born and 370 were non-Israeli born. The overall tuberculosis incidence-density was 6.9 cases/1000 person-years (95% CI 1.8–12.0). The cumulative tuberculosis-incidence among PLWHA in 2010 was 586 times higher than in HIV-negative individuals (3400 and 5.8 cases per 100000 population, respectively). Higher hazard-ratios to developing tuberculosis were found in migrant citizens PLWHA who were males, non-Israeli born, those who were diagnosed with HIV/AIDS after 1997, those who originated in high-tuberculosis prevalence country and those who acquired HIV by heterosexual or drug-injection transmission. PLWHA who developed tuberculosis had higher odds of dying than other PLWHA (36.5% and 16.6%, respectively, p<0.001, odds ratio = 2.8, 95% confidence-interval 2.3–3.6). In survival-analysis, time to develop tuberculosis was shorter among males than females, in PLWHA who were reported with HIV after 1997, in heterosexual who originated in high-tuberculosis countries, followed by injecting drug-users, heterosexual from low-tuberculosis burden countries and men who have sex with men.

Conclusion

Tuberculosis-incidence is higher among non-Israeli born PLWHA, with decreasing trends from 1991. Despite the moderate TB-rate disease among PLWHA, it remains an important cause for severe morbidity and mortality. Tuberculosis in PLWHA reflects mainly the tuberculosis-burden in the originating country and possibly also the mode of HIV-transmission.     

Consequences of reduced nutrient loading on a lake system in a lowland catchment: deviations from the norm?

1. Lake restoration from eutrophication often rests on a simple paradigm that restriction of phosphorus sources will result in recovery of former relatively clear‐water states. This view has apparently arisen from early successful restorations of deep lakes in catchments of poorly weathered rocks. Lakes in the lowlands, however, particularly shallow ones, have proved less tractable to restoration. This study of three lowland lakes provides insights that illuminate a more complex picture. 2. The lakes lie in a sequence along a single stream in a mixed urban and rural landscape. Severely deoxygenating effluent from an overloaded sewage treatment works was diverted from the catchment in 1991. Effects on two lakes, Little Mere (z_max <2 m) and Rostherne Mere (z_max 31 m) were followed until 2002. Mere Mere (z_max = 8 m), upstream of the former works, acted as a comparison for changes in water chemistry. Mere Mere showed no change in total phosphorus (TP), total inorganic nitrogen, or planktonic chlorophyll a concentrations. Increased winter rainfall was associated with higher winter soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) and ammonium concentrations in its water. 3. Little Mere changed from a deoxygenated, highly enriched, fishless system, with large populations of Daphnia magna Straus, clear water and about 40% aquatic plant cover, to a slightly less clear system following diversion. Daphnia magna was replaced by D. hyalina Leydig as fish recolonised. Spring peaks of chlorophyll a declined but summer concentrations increased significantly. Annual mean chlorophyll a concentrations thus showed no change. Submerged plants became more abundant (up to 100% cover), with fluctuating community composition from year to year. Summer release of SRP from the sediment was substantial and has not decreased since 1993. The summer phytoplankton was apparently controlled by nitrogen availability perhaps with some influence of zooplankton grazing. SRP was always very abundant. The lake appeared to have reached a quasi‐stable state by 2002. 5. Rostherne Mere showed a steady decline in TP and SRP concentrations following effluent diversion apparently as a result of steady dilution by water with lower phosphorus concentration. Decline in phosphorus concentrations was much less rapid than expected because of internal remobilisation from the hypolimnion and sediments. There have been no changes in chlorophyll a concentration or of nitrogen availability and by 2002 the phytoplankton probably remained limited by a combination of mixing, grazing and nitrogen. 6. A seeming paradox is, thus, that immense changes in phosphorus budgets have shown no consequences for phytoplankton chlorophyll concentrations in either of the lakes, although the seasonal distribution has altered in Little Mere. Although these case studies deviate from others, for both shallow and deep lakes, they represent distinctive situations rather than undermining conventional models.