Search

Rapa Nui, an isolated island in the Southeast Pacific, was settled by the Polynesians most likely around 1200AD and was discovered by the Europeans in 1722 AD. While the Polynesians presumably found a profuse palm woodland on Rapa Nui, the Europeans faced a landscape dominated by grassland. Scientists have examined potential anthropogenic, biological and climatic induced vegetation changes on Rapa Nui. Here, we analyse observational climate data for the last decades and climate model results for the period 800-1750AD to explore the potential for a climatic-induced vegetation change. A direct influence of the ENSO phenomenon on the climatic parameters of Rapa Nui could not be found in the model simulations. Furthermore, strong climatic trends from a warm Medieval Period to a Little Ice Age or rapid climatic fluctuations due to large volcanic eruptions were not verifiable for the Rapa Nui region, although they are detectable in the simulations for many regions world wide. Hence, we tentatively conclude that largescale climate changes in the oceanic region around Rapa Nui might be too small to explain strong vegetation changes on the island over the last millennium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The psychological characteristics and the hair problems of 58 females with androgenetic alopecia were compared with a group of women with non-apparent dermatological diseases, and with a group of men with androgenetic alopecia. The women with androgenetic alopecia had higher scores for self-sufficiency and social inadequacy compared to women with non-visible dermatological complaints, and they scored higher for inadequacy, rigidity and general psychological maladjustment than the men and had lower scores for injuredness self-evaluation and self-esteem. The women with androgenetic alopecia had more psychosocial problems, which they attributed to the hair loss, than the other groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on a case of allergic contact dermatitis caused due to pyridine in Karl Fischer reagent. A 36-year-old laboratory technician developed eczema on fingertips and interdigital spaces of both hands after working for 6 months in a chemical laboratory. In spite of strict avoidance of allergens, there was still gradual worsening of her hand dermatitis. She was therefore tested with various occupational contactants. The only positive reaction was observed with Karl Fischer reagent containing pyridine mix. Pyridine itself was most probably responsible for the allergic reactions.