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AbstractDespite its broad range and high abundance, nest sites of the European robin Erithacus rubecula, a small forest passerine, are rarely characterised, and most studies refer to human-transformed habitats. In this paper, we describe the species’ nest sites in the natural conditions of a primeval forest. We also investigate robin preferences to address nest site selection which can only be assessed if the availability of potential nest sites is known. We studied robins’ nest sites in Białowieża National Park, eastern Poland, on three study plots (~30 ha each) in 2016–2019. Among all nests found (n = 165), the majority (118, ~72%) were found in tree holes, followed by ground nests (25, ~15%) and root-soil plates (22, ~13%). When the availability of cavities and root-soil plates is accounted for, it appears that robins preferred tree holes over plates. Robins appeared to be weakly selective in respect to tree species, preferring hornbeam Carpinus betulus, small-leaved lime Tilia cordataand Norway spruce Picea abiesover other trees. Since both cavities and root-soil plates are superabundant in the Białowieża Forest, but scarce or absent in the heavily transformed robin breeding habitats of Western Europe (parks, orchards, hedgerows or managed forests), ground-nesting may predominate there simply due to these choice limits. In summary, our results provide a basis for understanding how original nest-site choices that evolved in natural, unmodified habitats can change when a species adapts to human-transformed habitats.

AbstractAlthough white stork Ciconia ciconiacounts go back to the XIX century, making the species a model in population investigations, substantial gaps remain in the knowledge of its large-scale population dynamics. In particular, incomplete past estimates from the core breeding areas leave the long-term changes uncertain. In this paper, we provide the earliest estimation of population size and spatial distribution of the white stork in its main stronghold (Poland) to reconstruct the species long-term trends. Based on original survey data collected during the 2nd(1958, incomplete in Poland) and 3rd(1974, successful) International White Stork Census (IWSC) we compared stork numbers in a random sample of villages surveyed on both occasions. We applied linear models to estimate the population growth rate between 1958 and 1974 and to assess spatial variation in population change across the country. Finally, we collated worldwide stork numbers obtained from all IWSCs and discuss the long-term population trends in light of new data. The stork population in Poland in 1958 was estimated at 46,100 breeding pairs and the nationwide density at 14.7 pairs/100 km2. A strong decline (by 30.2%, 1.88% per year) was noted between 1958 and 1974 across Poland with prominent spatial variation reflecting differences in local densities. The strongest declines in absolute terms affected the most abundant populations in Eastern Poland. Our data show that in the mid-20th century, the stork population in Poland was close to the current level, but it experienced a massive decline during the 1960s–1980s. This decline was consistent with trends in the worldwide and regional European populations, contrary to earlier statements indicating limited, if any, changes in the core European area. Overall, our data expand knowledge on the long-term dynamics in the white stork numbers and show that even massive changes may easily go undetected if based on non-solid data.

Medicina Nuclear e Imágenes Moleculares utiliza compuestos radioactivos en concentración micromolar con fines diagnósticos y terapéuticos basado en el principio de sustancias trazadoras. Los cambios en la fisiología, que suelen preceder a las anormalidades anatómicas, pueden ser caracterizados a nivel molecular y celular en forma segura para los pacientes. Este artículo resume las aplicaciones más comunes de los radiotrazadores actualmente disponibles para diagnóstico y terapia en Chile.

The increasing limitation of resources has stimulated the discussion of the reuse of medical devices labelled for “single use” by the manufacturer. The prerequisites for employment of reprocessing measures are patient safety and cost saving potential. Although reprocessing of single use medical devices has been general practice by many institutions, health care providers and authorities have remained insecure as to hygienic and functional risks, liability and legal aspects. Changes in legislation (German Medical Device Act), guidelines of the Robert Koch Institute (and position of the FDA) and the high quality guaranteed by innovative reprocessing technology have now created the basis for expanded but controlled use of reprocessing techniques for medical devices as a contribution to cost containment. A significant cost saving potential is calculated for the cost-intensive field of interventional cardiology. Vor dem Hintergrund verknappender Ressourcen wird die Wiederverwendung von sogenannten Einwegprodukten in der Medizin neu diskutiert. Voraussetzung für den Einsatz wiederaufbereitender Maßnahmen ist deren Sicherheit und das Einsparungspotenzial. Obwohl Wiederaufbereitung von durch die herstellende Industrie als Einwegprodukte ausgewiesenen Instrumenten vielerorts praktiziert wird, besteht bei Krankenhausträgern und Anwendern Unsicherheit im Hinblick auf die hygienische und Funktionssicherheit, die Haftungs-und Rechtslage. Das zweite Medizinprodukteänderungsgesetz von diesem Jahr, die Richtlinien des Robert-Koch-Institutes als zuständige Behörde des Gesundheitsministeriums, die Position der amerikanischen FDA und der hohe Qualitätsstandard, den innovative Aufbereitungstechnologien heute garantieren, haben jetzt neue Grundlagen für eine breite und qualitätsgesicherte Nutzung dieses kostendämpfenden Verfahrens geschaffen. Am Beispiel der kostenintensiven interventionellen Kardiologie wird das Rationalisierungspotenzial in Deutschland dargestellt.

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The dimeric enzyme triosephosphate isomerase (TIM) has a very tight and rigid dimer interface. At this interface a critical hydrogen bond is formed between the main chain oxygen atom of the catalytic residue Lys13 and the completely buried side chain of Gln65 (of the same subunit). The sequence of Leishmania mexicana TIM, closely related to Trypanosoma brucei TIM (68% sequence identity), shows that this highly conserved glutamine has been replaced by a glutamate. Therefore, the 1.8 Å crystal structure of leishmania TIM (at pH 5.9) was determined. The comparison with the structure of trypanosomal TIM shows no rearrangements in the vicinity of Glu65, suggesting that its side chain is protonated and is hydrogen bonded to the main chain oxygen of Lys13. Ionization of this glutamic acid side chain causes a pH-dependent decrease in the thermal stability of leishmania TIM. The presence of this glutamate, also in its protonated state, disrupts to some extent the conserved hydrogen bond network, as seen in all other TIMs. Restoration of the hydrogen bonding network by its mutation to glutamine in the E65Q variant of leishmania TIM results in much higher stability; for example, at pH 7, the apparent melting temperature increases by 26°C (57°C for leishmania TIM to 83°C for the E65Q variant). This mutation does not affect the kinetic properties, showing that even point mutations can convert a mesophilic enzyme into a superstable enzyme without losing catalytic power at the mesophilic temperature.Keywords: enzymology/leishmania/stability/structure/triosephosphate isomerase

Ohne Zusammenfassung:

We have applied the scanning capacitance microscopy (SCM) technique of twodimensional (2-D) semiconductor dopant profiling to implanted silicon cross sections. This has permitted the first direct comparison of SCM profiling scans to secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS) depth profiles. The results compare favorably in depth and several readily identifiable features of the SIMS profiles such as peak concentration and junction depth are apparent in the SCM scans at corresponding depths. The application of dopant profiling to two dimensions is possible by calibrating the SCM levels with the one-dimensional (1-D) SIMS data. Furthermore, we have subsequently simulated the SCM results with an analytic expression readily derivable from 1-D capacitance vs voltage capacitance-voltage theory. This result represents a significant breakthrough in the quantitative measurement of 2-D doping profiles.

Electron micrographs of ultrathin sections of salivary concretions showed needle-like Ca-phosphate formations with globular nuclei. Similar formations were observed in dentine, bone, and other hard tissues. We determined in the ground substance (a) the lengths of the needles as values for the length of the chain-like matrix backbone, (b) the distances between the dotlike nuclei within the needles as distances between the “active sites” of the chain-like matrix which induce the phosphate nucleation, and (c) the side distances between the close-packed, parallel needles as values for the distances between the parallel matrix backbones. The investigation of (b) and (c) was carried out by morphological measurement as well as by laser diffraction method on electron micrographs. The long needles of (a) (the length of the matrix backbone) reached values of more than 1,000 Å. Measurement of the distances between the small globular nuclei within the needles (b) gave values of 40 to 85 Å, and of those on the side distances of 37–75 Å. The values for (b) and (c) derived by laser diffraction appeared in the range of 37–54 Å, which was the lower range of the morphological values of (b) and (c). The results were analysed to discuss whether the main chain of the matrix is the proteinor the polysaccharide chain in the protein-polysaccharide or the glycoprotein. Corresponding measurements were carried out in areas within the bacteria and in the bacterial membrane.

The best focussed members of a through focus series of electron micrographs of ultra-thin sections of freeze-dried forming rat incisor dentine and glutaraldehyde-fixed 10 months old human femoral cortex were selected for measurements. The original micrographs were prepared at magnifications of x20000 or x40000 and were photographically enlarged to a magnification from x200000 to x600000. The number of dot-like calcium phosphate nuclei per “hole zone” and per “overlapping zone” of the 64 nm collagen macro-period was determined; we found a range of 6–8 nuclei per “hole zone” and 3–5 nuclei per “overlapping zone”. Thus a total of 9–13 nuclei per 64 nm macro-period was found; this is in agreement with the total number of cross bandings per macro-period reported by previous authors. The distances between neighbouring dot-like calcium phosphate nuclei were measured and found to lie in the range of 4.0 to 8.5 nm, which is the range in which most of the distances between the collagen cross-bandings appear. The distances between close, parallel calcium phosphate rows within the collagen fibres were found to lie in the range 4.6–8.0 nm which seems to be a good deal shorter than the distances between the typical microholes of the Hodge-Petruska collagen model. Our results and ideas concerning the “active sites” of nucleation also are in agreement with previous amino acid sequence analyses in respect of the occurrence of neighbouring polar amino acids which would be free to bind ions.

The high daily cost of topical negative pressure may partly explain why it is not widely used. However, an analysis of three case studies that assessed the financial and clinical effects of the therapy shows it is cost-effective in the long term.

In connection with the cyclization behavior of the oximes (IIIa) and (IIIb), their reaction with chloroacetic acid chloride, thionyl chloride and CDI (IV) is studied.

The activated benzoxazines (I) and (XIII) serve as educts for a series of title compounds.

Acylation of the aniline (I), acid‐catalyzed cyclization and subsequent substitution yield the acyldihydrobenzoxazine carbonitriles (V) which are transformed into the imidazobenzoxazines (VI).

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