Radar aeroecology: exploring the movements of aerial fauna through radio-wave remote sensing

An international and interdisciplinary Radar Aeroecology Workshop was held at the National Weather Center on 5-6 March 2012 on the University of Oklahoma campus in Norman, OK, USA. The workshop brought together biologists, meteorologists, radar engineers and computer scientists from 22 institutions and four countries. A central motivation behind the Radar Aeroecology Workshop was to foster better communication and cross-disciplinary collaboration among a diverse spectrum of researchers, and promote a better understanding of the ecology of animals that move within and use the Earth's lower atmosphere (aerosphere).     

Outbreak of Meningococcal Disease in Devon

In a recent outbreak of 31 cases of meningococcal disease in Devon there were six deaths. Several patients had an unusual rash as the presenting feature and there was an unusually high incidence of complications, affecting the central nervous system, joints, and the heart among other sites.     

N-acetyl-D-galactosaminyl-β-(1→4)-D-galactose: A terminal non-reducing structure in human blood group Sda-active Tamm-Horsfall urinary glycoprotein

Human Sd^a-active Tamm-Horsfall urinary glycoprotein labelled with galactose oxidase and tritiated sodium borohydride was found to contain both galactose and N-acetylgalactosamine as [³H]-labelled terminal non-reducing sugars. Fragmentation of the macromolecule achieved by hydrazinolysis and acid hydrolysis was followed by fractionation of the degradation products by gel filtration, ion exchange and paper chromatography. A major product was a disaccharide which contained unlabelled galactose and [³H]-labelled N-acetylgalactosamine. Sugar analysis, sodium borohydride reduction, methylation analysis and enzymic degradation enabled the structure N-acetyl-D-galactosaminyl-β-(1→4)-D-galactose to be assigned to the disaccharide.     

Stratospheric ozone reduction and ecosystem processes: enhanced UV-B radiation affects chemical quality and decomposition of leaves of the dune grassland species Calamagrostis epigeios

This study reports changes in the plant's chemical composition and the decomposition of this plant material under enhanced solar UV-B radiation. Calamagrostis epigeios, a dominant grass species in the dune grassland in The Netherlands, was grown outdoor on an experimental field under ambient and enhanced solar UV-B (5 and 7.5 kJ m^-2 day^-1 UV-B_BE, respectively), corresponding to about 15% stratospheric ozone depletion. After one growing season aerial plant parts were harvested. The decomposition of this harvested leaf material was studied in a dune grassland and on the above mentioned experimental field under ambient (5 kJ m^-2 day^-1 UV-B_BE) and enhanced (7.5 kJ m^-2 day^-1 UV-B_BE) radiation, using litter bags. The chemical quality of the leaves grown under enhanced solar UV-B changed. There was an increase in the leaf content of lignin, while no significant changes occurred for the content of -cellulose, hemicellulose and tannins under enhanced UV-B. In the field, the rate of decomposition of leaf material grown under enhanced UV-B (with an increased content of lignin) was reduced. The content of lignin of the decomposing leaf material increased, but less under exposure to enhanced UV-B. The latter may be explained by photodegradation of the lignin. The consequences of enhanced UV-B radiation for carbon fluxes in the dune grassland ecosystem are discussed.