Healing in the Sámi North

There is a special emphasis today on integrating traditional healing within health services. However, most areas in which there is a system of traditional healing have undergone colonization and a number of pressures suppressing tradition for hundreds of years. The question arises as to how one can understand today’s tradition in light of earlier traditions. This article is based on material collected in Sámi areas of Finnmark and Nord-Troms Norway; it compares local healing traditions with what is known of earlier shamanic traditions in the area. The study is based on 27 interviews among healers and their patients. The findings suggest that although local healing traditions among the Sámi in northern Norway have undergone major transformations during the last several hundred years, they may be considered an extension of a long-standing tradition with deep roots in the region. Of special interest are also the new forms tradition may take in today’s changing global society.     

Steady-state mycophenolate mofetil pharmacokinetic parameters enable prediction of systemic lupus erythematosus clinical flares: an observational cohort study

Introduction  

The aim of this study was to determine whether mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) pharmacokinetics (PK) under combined MMF and prednisone remission-maintenance therapy can predict systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) clinical flares.     

Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamic Effects of Flunixin after Intravenous,Intramuscular and Oral Administration to Dairy Goats

The pharmacokinetics and the prostaglandin (PG) synthesis inhibiting effect of flunixin were determined in 6 Norwegian dairy goats. The dose was 2.2 mg/kg body weight administered by intravenous (i.v.), intramuscular (i.m.) and oral (p.o.) routes using a cross-over design. Plasma flunixin content was analysed by use of liquid chromatography and the PG synthesis was evaluated by measuring plasma 15-ketodihydro-PGF_2α by a radioimmuno-assay. Results are presented as median (range). The elimination half-lives (t_1/2·λ) were 3.6 (2.0–5.0), 3.4 (2.6–6.8) and 4.3 (3.4–6.1) h for i.v., i.m. and p.o. administration, respectively. Volume of distribution at steady state (Vd_ss) was 0.35 (0.23–0.41) L/kg and clearance (CL), 110 (60–160) mL/h/kg. The plasma concentrations after oral administration showed a double-peak phenomenon with the two peaks occurring at 0.37 (0.25–1) and 3.5 (2.5–5.0) h, respectively. Both peaks were in the same order of magnitude. Bioavailability was 79 (53–112) and 58 (35%–120)% for i.m. and p.o. administration, respectively. 15-Ketodihydro-PGF_2α plasma concentrations decreased after flunixin administration independent of the route of administration.     

Subspecies of the Eeuropean beaver<Emphasis Type="Italic">Castor fiber</Emphasis> Linnaeus, 1758

Subspecific relationships of the European beaverCastor fiber have been obscured by failure to follow the rules of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature and remain an open issue. Inconsequence in the use of subspecies names caused a nomenclatural as well as a taxonomic confusion. We discuss these controversial and incorrect nomenclatural decisions, and recognize 9 nominal subspecies of European beaver, bearing 9 available names:C. f. fiber Linnaeus, 1758,C. f. galliae Geoffroy, 1803, C. f. albicus Matschie, 1907,C. f. vistulanus Matschie, 1907,C. f. pohlei Serebrennikov, 1929,C. f. birulai Serebrennikov, 1929,C. f. tuvinicus Lavrov, 1969,C. f. belorussicus Lavrov, 1981, andC. f. orientoeuropaeus Lavrov, 1981.     

Soil carbon saturation: concept,evidence and evaluation

Current estimates of soil C storage potential are based on models or factors that assume linearity between C input levels and C stocks at steady-state, implying that SOC stocks could increase without limit as C input levels increase. However, some soils show little or no increase in steady-state SOC stock with increasing C input levels suggesting that SOC can become saturated with respect to C input. We used long-term field experiment data to assess alternative hypotheses of soil carbon storage by three simple models: a linear model (no saturation), a one-pool whole-soil C saturation model, and a two-pool mixed model with C saturation of a single C pool, but not the whole soil. The one-pool C saturation model best fit the combined data from 14 sites, four individual sites were best-fit with the linear model, and no sites were best fit by the mixed model. These results indicate that existing agricultural field experiments generally have too small a range in C input levels to show saturation behavior, and verify the accepted linear relationship between soil C and C input used to model SOM dynamics. However, all sites combined and the site with the widest range in C input levels were best fit with the C-saturation model. Nevertheless, the same site produced distinct effective stabilization capacity curves rather than an absolute C saturation level. We conclude that the saturation of soil C does occur and therefore the greatest efficiency in soil C sequestration will be in soils further from C saturation.

Ecosystem respiration depends strongly on photosynthesis in a temperate heath

We measured net ecosystem CO₂ flux (F _n) and ecosystem respiration (R _E), and estimated gross ecosystem photosynthesis (P _g) by difference, for two years in a temperate heath ecosystem using a chamber method. The exchange rates of carbon were high and of similar magnitude as for productive forest ecosystems with a net ecosystem carbon gain during the second year of 293 ± 11 g C m⁻² year⁻¹ showing that the carbon sink strength of heather-dominated ecosystems may be considerable when C. vulgaris is in the building phase of its life cycle. The estimated gross ecosystem photosynthesis and ecosystem respiration from October to March was 22% and 30% of annual flux, respectively, suggesting that both cold-season carbon gain and loss were important in the annual carbon cycle of the ecosystem. Model fit of R _E of a classic, first-order exponential equation related to temperature (second year; R ² = 0.65) was improved when the P _g rate was incorporated into the model (second year; R ² = 0.79), suggesting that daytime R _E increased with increasing photosynthesis. Furthermore, the temperature sensitivity of R _E decreased from apparent Q ₁₀ values of 3.3 to 3.9 by the classic equation to a more realistic Q ₁₀ of 2.5 by the modified model. The model introduces R _photo, which describes the part of respiration being tightly coupled to the photosynthetic rate. It makes up 5% of the assimilated carbon dioxide flux at 0°C and 35% at 20°C implying a high sensitivity of respiration to photosynthesis during summer. The simple model provides an easily applied, non-intrusive tool for investigating seasonal trends in the relationship between ecosystem carbon sequestration and respiration.     

Trichome micromorphology in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Teucrium</Emphasis> (Lamiaceae) species growing in Croatia

Micromorphological investigation of the types, dimensions and distribution of characteristic trichomes in leaves and stems in Teucrium L. species (T. arduini L., T. chamaedrys L., T. flavum L., T. montanum L., T. polium L., and T. scordium L. subsp. scordioides Schreb.) distributed in Croatia was carried out as part of the taxonomical study of the genus Teucrium. Secretory types of hairs, peltate and capitate hairs were observed on the epidermis of stems and leaves of all investigated species. Non-secretory, acicular hairs were almost completely lacking on stems of T. scordium subsp. scordioides. Flagelliform hairs were not found in T. flavum and T. polium. Cladose hairs were present only in T. polium. The largest micromorphological variability was established between wild and cultivated samples of T. arduini and T. scordium subsp. scordioides, while cultivated and wild specimens of T. polium were almost identical. Differences were primarily observed in trichome dimensions and much less in micromorphological features.     

Population dynamics of wireworms (Coleoptera,Elateridae) in arable land after abandonment

The community of elaterid larvae of three sites (field and two fallows), representing different stages of secondary succession, were studied using soil sampling from 1986 to 1993. All three sites were abandoned arable land: a field cultivated until 1991, a fallow I abandoned in 1986, and a fallow II abandoned about 1976. The fallow II was used as a meadow after abandonment and was regularly mown until 1985, when cultivation stopped. Six species of Elateridae larvae were found at all three study sites. In the field, Agriotes obscurus, Athous niger, Athous subsuscus, Dalopius marginatus and Athous vittatus were found, A. niger and A. obscurus being the most abundant species. During cultivation, larval densities were very low, however, larval abundance increased up to 8.8 ± 8.3 ind. m^-2 when cultivation stopped. Only small A. obscurus larvae were found during cultivation, whereas larval size increased after abandonment. In fallow I A. obscurus, A. niger, A. subsuscus, D. marginatus, and Agrypnus murinus were found and the average annual abundance fluctuated between 0.8 ± 1.4 to 40.8 ± 10.9 ind. m^-2 with A. obscurus being the most abundant species. Fallow II supported the highest densities of wireworms from all plots studied (71.2±35.2 to 280.0±24.8 ind. m^-2). A. obscurus, A. niger, A. subsuscus and D. marginatus were found in fallow II. The abundance of all larval Elateridae as well as the dominant species A. obscurus decreased during the study period, while simultaneously the occurrence of small sized A. obscurus larvae decreased. The frequency of cultivation and time elapsed since last cultivation appeared to be the most important factors affecting elaterid occurrence in the field and fallow I. In fallow II, the decrease in abundance correlates with the accumulation of a dense litter layer, which may correspond with soil surface structure, plant community changes or predator pressure.     

The influence of depth,site exposure and season on the intensity of iceberg scouring in nearshore Antarctic waters

Ice scour disturbance has a significant effect on the physical and biological characteristics of polar benthos. A series of grids, each consisting of 25 markers, were deployed along depth transects and replicated at two contrasting study sites at Adelaide Island, West Antarctic Peninsula. Markers were surveyed and replaced every 3 months for 2 years in order to assess the frequency and intensity of iceberg impacts. Depth, site, season and year were all highly significant factors influencing ice scouring frequency. We observed a high variation in the duration of winter fast ice between sites and years, which had a marked effect on ice scouring frequency. The ecological effects of the disturbance regime are likely to include depth zonation of benthic assemblages, patchiness of communities at varying stages of recovery and the near denudation of sessile fauna in the shallow subtidal.