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Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is the second commonest form of dementia after Alzheimer's disease, but its clinical and biological features are less well known. To uncover its earliest signs, we studied the main clinical, neuroimaging, and biochemical findings in an asymptomatic carrier from a three generation FTD family, bearing the P301L pathogenic mutation in the tau gene. Except for selective impairment on the Verbal Fluency Test for letters, all cognitive tests were normal. The brain computed tomography scan was normal, but the brain single photon emission computed tomography and statistical parametric mapping (SPECT-SPM) scan revealed bilateral frontal lobe hypoperfusion. Levels of total tau, 181P-tau, and Abeta1-42 in the cerebrospinal fluid were increased compared with control values. We conclude that detection of these distinctive abnormalities should improve early diagnostic accuracy for FTD and help distinguish it from Alzheimer's disease.

Summary Biochar addition to soil has been suggested as a promising strategy to increase soil carbon storage with important side-effects on soil fertility and crop productivity. Understanding the effect of biochar on soil respiration partitioning into rhizosphere-derived (Fr) and soil organic carbon-derived (Fsoc) components and on plant root dynamics and microbial activity is a crucial issue in the prediction of the impact of biochar on soil organic carbon and nutrient cycles. Within this framework, an experiment was carried out in an apple (Malus domestica Bork) orchard located in the experimental farm of the Bologna University (Italy). In spring 2009, 10 t of biochar per hectare were incorporated into the surface 20-cm soil layer by soil ploughing. The trenching method was used in order to partition total soil respiration (Fs) into Fr and Fsoc components in both biochar-treated and control soil. Soil respiration measurements were performed from June 2009 to March 2011. To study root dynamics, polycarbonate boxes were built and buried into the soil. Soil profile pictures were collected fortnightly with a CCD sensor scanner inserted in the boxes and analysed with the WinRHIZO Tron MF software. Biochar addition increased Fsoc and reduced Fr, even if the root length intensity (La) increased in biochar-treated soils relative to that in the control. A decrease in root metabolic activity was postulated to explain these contrasting results.

Supplementary materials and methods. Detailed Materials and Methods are reported. (DOCX 32 kb)

Exposure to environmental chemicals has been linked to altered mammary development and cancer risk at high doses using animal models. Effects at low doses comparable to human exposure remain poorly understood, especially during critical developmental windows. We investigated the effects of two environmental phenols commonly used in personal care products - methyl paraben (MPB) and triclosan (TCS) - on the histology and transcriptome of normal mammary glands at low doses mimicking human exposure during critical windows of development. Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed during perinatal, prepubertal and pubertal windows, as well as from birth to lactation. Low-dose exposure to MPB and TCS induced measurable changes in both mammary histology (by Masson's Trichrome Stain) and transcriptome (by microarrays) in a window-specific fashion. Puberty represented a window of heightened sensitivity to MPB, with increased glandular tissue and changes of expression in 295 genes with significant enrichment in functions such as DNA replication and cell cycle regulation. Long-term exposure to TCS from birth to lactation was associated with increased adipose and reduced glandular and secretory tissue, with expression alterations in 993 genes enriched in pathways such as cholesterol synthesis and adipogenesis. Finally, enrichment analyses revealed that genes modified by MPB and TCS were over-represented in human breast cancer gene signatures, suggesting possible links with breast carcinogenesis. These findings highlight the issues of critical windows of susceptibility that may confer heightened sensitivity to environmental insults and implicate the potential health effects of these ubiquitous environmental chemicals in breast cancer.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of epidural premotor stimulation in patients with primary focal dystonia. Seven patients were selected: 6 had cervical dystonia and 1 had right upper limb dystonia. In 2 patients, sustained muscle contractions led to a prevalently fixed head posture. Patients with cervical dystonia received a bilateral implant, whereas the patient with hand dystonia received a unilateral implant. Neurological and neuropsychological evaluations were performed before surgery (baseline), and 1, 3, 6, and 12 months afterward. The Burke-Fahn-Marsden scale (BFMS) and the Toronto Western spasmodic torticollis rating scale (TWSTRS) were administered at the same time points. Patients underwent resting (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) scans, before and 12 months after surgery. No adverse events occurred. An overall improvement was observed on the BFMS and TWSTRS after surgery. Patients with prevalently fixed cervical dystonia had a reduced benefit. Presurgical neuroimaging revealed a significant bilateral metabolic increase in the sensorimotor areas, which was reduced after surgery.

1. Understanding the role of predation in shaping the dynamics of animal communities is a fundamental issue in ecological research. Nevertheless, the complex nature of predator–prey interactions often prevents researchers from modelling them explicitly. 2. By using periodic Leslie–Usher matrices and a simulation approach together with parameters obtained from long-term field projects, we reconstructed the underlying mechanisms of predator–prey demographic interactions and compared the dynamics of the roe deer–red fox–Eurasian lynx–human harvest system with those of the moose–brown bear–gray wolf–human harvest system in the boreal forest ecosystem of the southern Scandinavian Peninsula. 3. The functional relationship of both roe deer and moose λ to changes in predation rates from the four predators was remarkably different. Lynx had the strongest impact among the four predators, whereas predation rates by wolves, red foxes, or brown bears generated minor variations in prey population λ. Elasticity values of lynx, wolf, fox and bear predation rates were −0·157, −0·056, −0·031 and −0·006, respectively, but varied with both predator and prey densities. 4. Differences in predation impact were only partially related to differences in kill or predation rates, but were rather a result of different distribution of predation events among prey age classes. Therefore, the age composition of killed individuals emerged as the main underlying factor determining the overall per capita impact of predation. 5. Our results confirm the complex nature of predator–prey interactions in large terrestrial mammals, by showing that different carnivores preying on the same prey species can exert a dramatically different demographic impact, even in the same ecological context, as a direct consequence of their predation patterns. Similar applications of this analytical framework in other geographical and ecological contexts are needed, but a more general evaluation of the subject is also required, aimed to assess, on a broader systematic and ecological range, what specific traits of a carnivore are most related to its potential impact on prey species.

In predator-prey theory, habitat heterogeneity can affect the relationship between kill rates and prey or predator density through its effect on the predator's ability to search for, encounter, kill and consume its prey. Many studies of predator- prey interactions include the effect of spatial heterogeneity, but these are mostly based on species with restricted mobility or conducted in experimental settings. 2. Here, we aim to identify the patterns through which spatial heterogeneity affects predator-prey dynamics and to review the literature on the effect of spatial hetero- geneity on predator-prey interactions in terrestrial mammalian systems, i.e. in freely moving species with high mobility, in non-experimental settings. We also review current methodologies that allow the study of the predation process within a spatial context. 3. When the functional response includes the effect of spatial heterogeneity, it usually takes the form of predator-dependent or ratio-dependent models and has wide applicability. 4. The analysis of the predation process through its different stages may further contribute towards identifying the spatial scale of interest and the specific spatial mechanism affecting predator-prey interactions. 5. Analyzing the predation process based on the functional response theory, but separating the stages of predation and applying a multiscale approach, is likely to

Background: Preclinical and clinical evidence suggests that impaired gamma-aminobutyric (GABA) control, leading to disinhibition within the sensorimotor system, might play a role in dystonia. Aim of this study is the in vivo assessment of the GABAergic system in dystonia using positron emission tomography (PET) and 11C-flumazenil, a selective GABAA receptor ligand. Methods: Fourteen subjects with primary dystonia (9 carriers of the DYT1 mutation and 5 sporadic cases) were compared to 11 controls, using a simplified reference tissue model to measure binding potential. Results: Voxel-based analyses showed a reduction in GABAA receptor expression/affinity both in DYT1 carriers and sporadic patients in primary motor and premotor cortex, primary and secondary somatosensory cortex, and in the motor component of the cingulate gyrus. Conclusions: Dysfunction of GABAA receptors in sensorimotor systems in primary (genetic and sporadic) dystonia supports the view that lack of GABAergic control may be associated with the generation of dystonic movements. © 2011 Movement Disorder Society

We used positron emission tomography (PET) and the dopamine transporter (DAT) ligand [(11)C]FECIT to measure loss of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons in early phase of early onset (EOPD) and late onset Parkinson's disease (LOPD). The analysis was carried out with both regions of interest and voxelwise method (SPM2), at group and single subject levels. Genetic analysis tested for the mutations occurring most frequently in Caucasian population. A significant, bilateral, asymmetric DAT reduction was observed in both EOPD and LOPD. Noteworthy, the side and severity of DAT binding reduction significantly correlated with the severity and asymmetry of motor clinical scores. The two EOPD patients carrying mutations in the PARK2 and PARK6 genes, respectively, displayed the lowest values, bilaterally. This work demonstrates that severity of nigrostriatal damage in early disease phase of sporadic PD is not dependent on age at onset. Genetically determined PD is associated with more severe and widespread dopaminergic impairment.

We measured expression of central nervous system GABA-A receptors with 11C-flumazenil (11C-FMZ) and PET in two subjects with stiff person syndrome (SPS). We found reduced 11C-FMZ binding potential (BP) in motor-premotor cortex, and increased 11C-FMZ BP in the cerebellar nuclei. This is the first in vivo PET evidence of central GABA-A receptors dysfunction in SPS, possibly concurring to the motor symptoms. © 2007 Movement Disorder Society

We identified the role of various soil parameters and root density as drivers of soil respiration (Rs) in an apple orchard, measured during different periods of the year and at a range of distances from trees, in plots with a different history of nutrient supply. Rs was measured in April, May, August and December and studied in relation to soil temperature and moisture, total soil C and N, as well as to fine root density and medium-, and large-sized root density and root N concentration. The study also aimed to partition Rs by applying the root regression technique. Rs ranged from 0.06 in December to 1.49 g CO2 m−2 h−1 in August. Average soil temperature alone explained up to 71% of the annual variability of Rs, while soil water content was negatively correlated to Rs. Fertilization, soil C and N concentration and root N had negligible effects on Rs. Fine root density, but not medium- and large-sized root density, contributed to explaining part of the yearly variability of Rs and proved to be a good predictor in December, when the statistical significance of the regression made it possible to estimate the autotrophic component of Rs as being about 35% of total soil respiration.

The choice of neonatal hiding place is critical for ungulates adopting hiding anti-predator strategies, but the consequences of different decisions have rarely been evaluated with respect to offspring survival. First, we investigated how landscape-scale choices made by roe deer fawns and their mothers affected predation risk by red foxes in a forest–farmland mosaic in southeastern Norway. After, we examined the effect of site-specific characteristics and behaviour (i.e. visibility, mother–fawn distance and abundance of the predator’s main prey item—small rodents) on predation risk. The study of habitat use, selection and habitat-specific mortality revealed that roe deer utilised the landscape matrix in a functional way, with different habitats used for feeding, providing maternal care and as refugia from predation. Mothers faced a trade-off between foraging and offspring survival. At the landscape-scale decisions were primarily determined by maternal energetic constraints and only secondarily by risk avoidance. Indeed, forage-rich habitats were strongly selected notwithstanding the exceptionally high densities of rodents which increased fawn predation. At fine spatial scales, a high visibility of the mother was the major factor determining predation risk; however, mothers adjusted their behaviour to the level of risk at the bed site to minimise predation. Fawns selected both landscape-scale refugia and concealed bed sites, but failure to segregate from the main prey of red foxes led to higher predation. This study provides evidence for the occurrence of spatial heterogeneity in predation risk and shows that energetically stressed individuals can tackle the foraging-safety trade-off by adopting scale-dependent anti-predator responses.

1. Notwithstanding the growing amount of literature emphasizing the link between habitat, life-history traits and behaviour, few empirical studies investigated the combined effect of these parameters on individual predation risk. We investigated direct and indirect consequences of habitat composition at multiple spatial scales on predation risk by red foxes on 151 radio-monitored roe deer fawns. We hypothesized that the higher resource availability in fragmented agricultural areas increased predation risk because of: (i) shorter prey movements, which may increase predictability; (ii) larger litter size and faster growth rates, which may increase detectability in species adopting a hiding neonatal anti-predator strategy. The sharing of risky habitat among littermates was expected to promote whole-litter losses as a result of predation. 2. The landscape-scale availability of agricultural areas negatively affected pre-weaning movements, but did not influence growth rates or litter size. Predation risk was best described by the interplay between movements and fine-scale habitat fragmentation: a higher mobility increased the encounter rate and predation risk in highly fragmented home ranges, while it reduced predation risk in forest-dominated areas with clumped resources because of decreased predictability. This is one of the first demonstrations that movement patterns can be an efficient anti-predator strategy when adjusted to local conditions. 3. In accordance with previous studies documenting the existence of family effects (i.e. non-independence among siblings) in survival, littermates survived or died together more often than expected by chance. In addition, our study specifically demonstrated the occurrence of behaviourally mediated family effects in predation risk: after a fox killed one fawn the probability of a sibling being killed within a few days rose from 20% to 47%, likely because of the win-stay strategy (i.e. return to a previously rewarding site) adopted by the predator. Hence, the predator's hunting strategy has the potential to raise fawn mortality disproportionately to predator abundance. 4. There is increasing evidence that fawns inhabiting highly productive predator-free habitats are granted lifetime fitness benefits; these potential advantages, however, can be cancelled out when predation risk increases in the very same high-productivity areas, which might thus turn into attractive sinks.

The red fox (Vulpes vulpes (L., 1758)) functional response to roe deer (Capreolus capreolus (L., 1758) fawn density was investigated in two Norwegian study areas characterized by a 26-fold difference in prey density and contrast- ing habitat characteristics. In the southern area, characterized by a fragmented agricultural landscape and high prey den- sity, red fox consumption rates were closer to the specialist end in the specialist-generalist continuum of feeding habits. Conversely, in the northern area, dominated by boreal forest and with low prey density, the foxes displayed a type-III functional response typical of archetypal generalist predators. We suggest that differences in the predators' feeding habits reflect differences in prey profitability, which was much higher in the southern area owing to higher prey density and to the openness of the landscape that both favour the hunting of roe deer fawns. Different functional responses produced dif- ferent predation rates (25% for the southern area and 13% for the northern area) and different temporal patterns (highest predation risk for fawns born at the beginning or at the end of the birth season). Even though the understanding of a pred- ator's functional response is crucial for interpreting predation rates and patterns, much remains to be understood regarding its plasticity in different ecological settings. In the fawn-fox system, this might be the key factor in addressing unsolved questions regarding the adaptive value of reproductive synchrony as an antipredator strategy. Given the flexibility of the functional response and the resulting different impacts of predation with respect to birth synchrony, we suggest that repro- ductive synchrony evolved primarily in response to habitat seasonality and not as an antipredator strategy. Finally, our re- sults contribute to the debate on the additive or compensatory nature of neonatal predation. Resume´ : Nous etudions la reponse fonctionnelle du renard roux (Vulpes vulpes (L., 1758)) au chevreuil d'Europe (Cap

Winter climate at northern latitudes is a challenge to small-bodied ungulates, and they modify behaviour to save energy and to increase the likelihood of survival. Also, the ongoing expansion of large carnivores in several European countries can lead to the recovery of (potentially energetically costly) anti-predator behaviours. In an area recently recolonized by Eurasian lynx Lynx lynx, we snow-tracked radio-collared roe deer Capreolus capreolus in order to investigate their bedding and feeding behaviour during winter, and assess how environmental factors affect their habitat use. We also tested the prediction that roe deer use more open sites than locally available in areas with a stalking predator such as the lynx. Our results showed that both bed sites and foraging sites had more cover, compared with random sites. Most of the variation in canopy cover and in the distance and foraging sites between bed sites and foraging sites was explained by prevailing weather. As the winter progressed, the presumed depletion of fat reserves promoted the use of more canopy cover at foraging sites by night, less by day and a decrease in the distance between beds, foraging sites and human activities. Males used artificial feeding sites less often and bedded further from humans than females. The data fit the hypothesis of tighter energy budgets for family groups (females with fawns) or that males are more cautious towards humans. There was no support for the hypothesis that roe deer used more open habitat than locally available in order to reduce their vulnerability to lynx predation. Owing to severe winter conditions and the danger of starvation, roe deer seem to be forced to accept a high risk when predators are present, not changing their main pattern of habitat use from comparative areas where predators are absent.

Strand, O., Gundersen, V., Jordhøy, P., Andersen, R., Nerhoel, I., Panzacchi, M. & Van Moorter, B. 2015. Villreinens arealbruk i Knutshø. Resultater fra GPS-undersøkelsene. – NINA Rapport 1019. 131 s. I perioden 2010 t.o.m. 2013 har vi studert reinens arealbruk i Knutshø. Ved prosjektstart ble det pekt på 11 geografiske områder (fokusområder) hvor det er interessekonflikter mellom hensyn til villrein og bruks- og utviklingsinteresser. Her fikk prosjektet i oppdrag å framskaffe mer kunn-skap om reinens arealbruk. For å besvare prosjektets problemstillinger på en tilfredsstillende måte har vi inkludert et relativt omfattende og mangfoldig datasett, herunder kulturhistoriske data, lokalkunnskap, data fra ferdselstellere, data fra overvåkningsprogrammet for hjortevilt, GPS-data fra de radiomerka reinsdyra samt ulike geografiske datasett som har vært brukt for å modellere reinens arealbruk og habitatvalg. Villreinens bruk av Knutshø har vært gjenstand for systematiske undersøkelser i flere ulike regi-strerings- og merkeprogram opp gjennom årene. Intensitet og metodikk har naturlig nok variert mye ettersom forskningsmetodikk og ikke minst teknologi har utviklet seg. GPS-prosjektet har ikke innhentet kulturhistoriske data gjennom egne undersøkelser i felt. Vi har likevel valgt å sammenstille disse dataene for å gi et best mulig grunnlag for å beskrive viktige funksjonsområder. Det er gjort en rekke funn av kulturminner med jakt- eller fangstkarakter som viser at den menneskelige utnyttelsen av Knutshø har funnet sted i lang tid. Data fra overvåkingsprogrammet for hjortevilt viser en klart nedadgående trend i kalvetilveksten, målt som antall kalver per 100 simler og ungdyr i juli. For å undersøke denne trenden nærmere har vi sett på i hvilken grad simler som er felt under jakta har hatt melk i juret. Resultatene viser at andelen simler uten melk i juret har økt merkbart i perioden 2006-2012. Dette kan bety at en økende andel av simlene ikke er kalveførende (gjeldsimler). Alternativt kan det være slik at en større andel av kalvene faller fra i perioden mellom kalving og kalvetelling. Vi har anbefalt at en følger opp disse resultatene med drektighetstellinger, enten i april, alternativt fra bakken i juli, for å få avklart om nedgangen i kalvetallet skyldes dødelighet på kalv eller sviktende reproduksjon hos simlene. Vi har også anbefalt at man gjentar de parasittologiske undersøkelser som ble gjennomført på 1980-tallet. En sterk parasittbelastning vil i enkelte tilfeller kunne medføre repro-duksjonssvikt og redusert drektighet. En bør sette fokus på den samla belastningen ulike påvirk-ningsfaktorer har på reinen i Knutshø og i hvilken grad dette påvirker fruktbarhet eller drektighet. Knutshø villreinområde særpreges av et betydelig vegnett som gjør at store deler av området er lett tilgjengelig for folk. GPS-dataene samsvarer godt med tidligere beskrivelser av reinens areal-bruk i Knutshø, men gir samtidig en langt mer detaljert beskrivelse av dyrenes områdebruk og vandringer enn det som har vært dokumentert gjennom tellinger og lokalkunnskap. GPS-data viser at reinen i Knutshø har hatt en begrensa arealbruk de siste årene og at betydelige arealer har vært lite brukt. Dette samsvarer med en dokumentert og tydelig nedgang i kalvetall og kroppslige kondisjonsparametre. Selv om vi ennå ikke kan trekke noen konklusjon (fordi vi trenger å undersøke noen aspekter som ikke har vært innenfor dette prosjektets hovedfokus), har vi utført et sett av habitatpreferanse-analyser. Resultatene viser en sterk negativ effekt av veger og hytter på reinsdyras habitatpreferanser i Knutshø. GPS-data fra Knutshø har gjort det mulig å analysere effektene av barrierer og landskapets per-meabilitet. Vi har fått en tydelig bekreftelse på viktigheten av enkelte trekk- og utvekslingsområ-der, der reinen for eksempel må krysse veger mellom vitale funksjonsområder. Resultatene tyder på at enkelte områder er lite brukt fordi de er vanskelig tilgjengelig. I og med at vi nå har data som viser betydningen av slike utvekslingsområder i Knutshø, har vi lagt særlig fokus på beskrivelse av disse områdene. Prosjektet har også gitt data som vil gjøre det lettere for forvaltningen å etablere klare mål for utviklingen i de respektive fokusområdene. Dataene som presenteres vil også kunne brukes for å måle tilstand og framtidige tilstandsend-ringer i fokusområdene. Jaktas betydning for reinens arealbruk har lenge vært et tema i Knutshøområdet. Det er blant annet innført stopp- og parkeringsforbud langs enkelte strekninger på det omfattende vegnettet i området. GPS-studiene bekrefter betydningen av disse ordningene. Under jakta samler gjerne villreinen i Knutshø seg i store flokker som er på rask vandring innenfor et begrenset areal. Grusvegene gir jegerne lett tilgjang til store arealer, og det oppstår situasjoner der reinen har få eller ingen muligheter til å unnslippe den mobile jegermassen. I tillegg er det mye annen ferdsel i fjellet under jakta – biltrafikk langs vegene, campingturisme, landbruk (gjeting, høsting), fotturisme, fiske, sykling osv. Samlet sett utgjør ferdselen i Knutshø en meget kompleks og belastende situasjon for villreinen. Hundekjøring er en aktivitet vi har hatt spesielt fokus på i prosjektet, og det er gjennomført en spørreundersøkelse. Det har vært lagt vekt på en dialog for å finne gode løsninger for alle parter. I tillegg til dette har vi benyttet GPS-metodikk og observasjoner til å beskrive den romlige fordelingen av folk i terrenget under jakta og i enkelte fokusområder. Ferdselstellere er benyttet i tre lokaliteter sommerstid og seks lokali-teter vinterstid. Data fra bomvegene er brukt for å beskrive intensiteten i bruk av vegsystemet. Vegnettet og den lette tilgjengeligheten til store deler av dette villreinområdet bidrar til en kom-pleks forstyrrelses-situasjon i Knutshø. Vi har anbefalt at forvaltningen følger utviklingen ved Bekkelægret, Orkelsjøen og Setaldalen–Meløysetra nøye. Videre har vi anbefalt at ordningene med stopp- og parkeringsforbud under jakta videreføres der slike ordninger allerede er innført (områdene rundt Bekkelægret, og på strekninger der det i dag er stopp- og parkeringsforbud på Einunndalsvegen og på vegen inn til Kakelldalen). I tillegg anbefaler vi at en prøver ut tilsvarende ordninger på strekningen mellom Fundin dam og Meløysetra og i utvalgte områder på strek-ningen mellom Orkelsjøen og Hånåbekksetra. Vi har også anbefalt at en fortsetter med å registrere ferdsel i utvalgte fokusområder (Fundin dam–Døllisætran–Meløysetra, Elgsjøen–Veslvon, Orkelsjøen–Unndalen–Hånåbekksetra, Ka-kelldalen) og at det utarbeides helhetlige planer for å bedre villreinens trekkmuligheter i fokus-områdene ved Orkelsjøen–Hånåbekksetra og ved Fundin dam–Meløysetra. Når det gjelder biologiske villreindata har vi anbefalt at en kan gjøre følgende: 1) Analysere alle-rede innsamla aktivitetsdata og knytte disse til atferd og eventuelle forstyrrelsesresponser når denne metodikken for å knytte data fra aktivitetssensorer til atferd er utviklet for Snøhetta. 2) Supplere den eksisterende bestandsovervåkingen med drektighetstellinger for å avklare i hvilken grad nedgangen i kalvetall skyldes nedsatt drektighet, økt dødelighet av kalv eller andre faktorer. 3) Kartlegging av parasittbelastningen hos reinsdyr i Knutshø bygd på metodikk som ble gjort på 1980-tallet, slik at en også kan dokumentere eventuelle endringer i parasittbelastningen hos reinsdyra i Knutshø. 4) Vurdere muligheten for å samle inn prøvemateriale fra utvalgte områder og tider på året for direkte å måle stressnivået og mulig konkurranse med sau. We studied wild reindeer in Knutshø from 2010 to 2013. The project has been commissioned to investigate the relationship between reindeer ecology and societal interests in 11 “focal areas”, which are designated areas characterized by conflicts of interest between reindeer conservation and anthropogenic development. To address these ecological and societal challenges, we have collected and processed data and information from different sources, such as historical findings, local records, data from people counters placed on hiking trails, reindeer life-history data from the ungulates’ monitoring program, GPS data from the reindeer radio-monitoring project and, finally, a suite of geographic data layers used for habitat selection analyses. The recent history of reindeer in Knutshø differs from that of the neighbouring Dovre and Ron-dane. Since pre-historic times reindeer used to migrate between Dovre and Rondane, and there-fore their presence in Knutshø was only seasonal and occasional. A stable population estab-lished in Knutshø only in the 1960, after the Dovre–Rondane migration stopped following the construction of a highway paralleled by a railway. Reindeer area use of Knutshø has been addressed in several studies and monitoring programs in the last decades. The study approaches have evolved following technological advances. At first, we present the results of investigations on ancient reindeer pitfall traps and hunting blinds. Although within the present project we did not collect historical data, we thought that this information was needed to provide an historical context for the above mentioned functional ar-eas, and to testify the long history of human exploitation of wild reindeer in the area. Afterwards, we present reindeer monitoring data that show a clear negative trend in calf recruit-ment rates in the last decade. To start investigating the mechanisms underlying this trend, we collected data on the proportion of females with milk in the udder during the hunt. The proportion of non-lactating females in autumn increased noticeably in the period 2006-2012, and this trend can reflect an increase in the proportion of barren females (i.e. decreased fecundity), and/or an increased calf mortality. We recommend further investigating these results through counts of pregnant females to help discriminating between these possibilities. We also recommend repeat-ing the parasitological surveys that were conducted in the 1980s, to investigate the possibility that reproductive failure could be caused by significant parasite loads. Finally, we suggest inves-tigating the hypothesis that a high degree of human disturbance or competition with sheep might increase reindeer stress level and, consequently, fecundity or survival. Possibly the most obvious difference between Knutshø and other reindeer management areas is the marked habitat fragmentation caused by roads and trails. The consequent high area ac-cessibility and widespread degree of human disturbance seem to markedly affect reindeer hab-itat use. The results from the GPS monitoring project support earlier descriptions of reindeer area use in Knuth, and add important details to the information obtained through censuses and local knowledge. The GPS data show that in recent years reindeer used only part of the available area in Knutshø. In particular, during winter only some portions of the management area are used. This is surprising, considering the importance of winter pastures for reindeer fitness and the marked decline in calf recruitment that has been recently documented. To investigate factors affecting area use we have carried out a set of habitat preference analyses in different seasons, which primarily showed that reindeer in Knutshø markedly avoid the widespread network of roads, trails and cabins. The GPS data also provided a solid basis for analyzing landscape permeability to reindeer move-ments, and therefore provided key-information on the location of barriers and movement corri-dors. The results show the low permeability to reindeer movements of existing infrastructures such as roads, trails and areas with cabins, and suggest that the low use of some areas in Knut-shø might be due to their difficult accessibility. These analyses refer to spring, and it would be interesting to repeat them to assess changes in landscape permeability in other seasons as well. In addition, it would be interesting to add information on site-specific human disturbance, to be able to assess the permeability of specific roads or focal areas. Information on permeability, combined with information on the importance of accessing seasonally important habitat, is crucial for planning sustainable land management and mitigation measures. The impact of reindeer hunting in Knutshø has been long debated. During the hunt reindeer gather in large herds within limited areas, and due to the large number of roads fragmenting Knutshø, the animals often had few or no available escape routes. As a consequence, a series of parking restrictions have been implemented along the most popular roads in the attempt to moderate area accessibility and hunting efficiency. GPS data support the usefulness of such measures. In addition to hunting, in Knutshø there is a significant amount of human disturbance related to tourism (hiking, cycling, camping), agriculture (sheep herding), and recreational activities such as angling. All these sources of human disturbance seem to represent a source of stress for reindeer. We have started monitoring human disturbance by 1) conducting a survey on dog sledging; 2) using GPS loggers on hunters and observing tourist’s area use; 3) placing “people counters” along trails (in three sites during the summer, and six in winter); 4) collecting data from the toll road to describe the intensity of the use of the road system. Finally, we recommend starting a dialogue process aimed at identifying solutions accommodating the needs of relevant stakeholders. Based on the above mentioned data and results, we provide a series of recommendations to mitigate the effects of the widespread road network and of the consequently high accessibility of most areas in Knutshø. In particular, we recommend: 1) to closely monitor land development plans at Bekkelægret, Orkelsjøen and Setaldalen–Meløysetra; 2) to continue the parking re-strictions during the hunt around Bekkelægret, Einunndalsvegen and Kakelldalen; 3) to investi-gate the possibility of starting similar restrictions along the road between Fundin dam and Meløysetra, and between Orkelsjøen–Hånåbekksetra; 4) to continue monitoring human disturb-ance in selected focal areas (Fundin dam–Døllisetra–Unndalen–Hånåbekksetra, Kakelldalen); 5) to develop a plan to counter the high degree of fragmentation caused by roads, trails and cabins by increasing landscape permeability in key focal areas (e.g. Orkelsjøen–Hånåbekksetra and Fundin dam–Meløysetra). Finally, we recommend to: 1) analyze reindeer GPS data with respect to data from activity sen-cors when methods linking such data to behaviour is developed in Snøhetta; 2) to introduce a monitoring system for pregnant females to help understanding whether the observed decline in recruitment is due to decreased fertility, increased calf mortality calf, or other factors; 3) to survey parasite loads, 4) to investigate competition with sheep, and5) explore the possibility to collect and analyze scats or hair samples to measure stress levels in specific areas and periods. © Norsk institutt for naturforskning. Publikasjonen kan siteres fritt med kildeangivelse.

Hemispherical photography is a widely used tool for the indirect estimation of forest light environment and quantification of canopy openness, LAI, and direct and diffuse canopy light transmittance. Several comparisons have been made in existing literature between digital and film systems and their performance under different stand structures and light intensity levels, but the conclusions are not always in agreement. The aim of this research is to compare the light estimates coming from analysis of digital- and film-based hemispherical photographs taken in a mountain Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) forest in the Valbona forest reserve (Paneveggio - Pale di S. Martino Regional Park, Trent, Italy). Two 100x100m permanent plots were established in a previous study (Motta 2002), one each in a single- and a multi-storied stand. The images were taken from grid points 12.5 m apart using a digital camera equipped with a Nikon FC-E8 fisheye adapter, immediately followed by a film camera shot (Sigma 8mm F4 fisheye lens). Images were digitized and analyzed using Gap Light Analyzer (Frazer et al. 1999). The output variables (canopy openness, LAI, total, direct and diffuse transmitted PAR) were compared by statistical means across the full sample (48 photos) and for the two sites independently. The ratio between digital and film output was analyzed in its relationship to canopy cover, local tree density, spatial pattern of canopy gaps and zenith angle. Under the dense, even-aged cover the results were similar, while the digital images provided significantly lower transmittance estimates (up to 32% less than film-based estimates) in the uneven-aged stand. We addressed different sources of error for the two techniques; some corrective strategies are proposed herein.

L’incremento di CO2 e altri gas serra nell’atmosfera e il postulato feedback su temperatura e clima impongono alcune considerazioni riguardo alla sostenibilità dell’attività antropica in tutti gli ambiti. La manutenzione del paesaggio e delle aree verdi contribuisce a marcare l’impronta ecologica di queste realtà, nonostante i benefici ambientali e ricreativi per la collettività che ne derivano. L’accumulo di carbonio (C) in sistemi caratterizzati dalla predominanza di tappeti erbosi è stato evidenziato in numerosi studi, ciononostante il loro ruolo nei climi continentali e mediterranei è ancora da chiarire, in quanto la presenza di fattori limitanti e l’intensità di manutenzione possono incidere notevolmente sul bilancio del C di questi sistemi. L’obiettivo del presente studio è quindi la stima del bilancio dei flussi carboniosi in entrata e in uscita dal sistema, comprendenti fenomeni naturali e di origine antropica, altrimenti denominato Net Biome Production (NBP). Il potenziale sequestro di C da parte di tappeti erbosi con intensità di manutenzione diverse, nell’arco di tempo di un anno, è stato quantificato in un campo da golf sito in località Sommacampagna (Verona). Oltre alla stima della NEE tramite un sistema a camera chiusa, sono stati quantificati i diversi carichi di manutenzione, identificabili principalmente con le pratiche agronomiche necessarie al mantenimento del tappe- to erboso, i quali sono stati tradotti in emissioni di CO 2 . I valori di NBP e le relazioni tra i principali flussi e i parametri ambientali misurati verranno illustrati.

Context Groove pancreatitis is a chronic inflammation of ectopic pancreatic tissue within the duodenal C-loop and the head of the pancreas. Case report A 56-year-old man affected by Crohn’s disease was admitted to our Surgical Unit in 2010 for epigastric pain associated with jaundice, weight loss and vomiting. He was not an alcohol drinker. Laboratory tests revealed abnormal levels of total bilirubin (25.6 mg/dL), amylase and lipase (108 and 293 UI/L, respectively) and CA 19-9 (2,435 IU/mL). An US and a CT scan showed dilatation of common bile duct, a 30 mm iso-hypodense area in the head of pancreas involving the duodenal wall and a dilatation of the main pancreatic duct (6 mm). A FNAB revealed the presence of a poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma. Finally, a 18F-FDG PET-CT scan showed an hyperfixation (SUVmax=4.3) of the pancreatic lesion. Thus, the patient underwent a pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy. The postoperative course was regular, with discharge in postoperative day 14th. Macroscopically, the pathological specimen showed a 50 mm multicystic paraduodenal mass and a solid 30 mm pancreatic nodule. Microscopically, the first lesion was consistent with a pancreatic hamartoma of the duodenal wall, with morphologic aspects of “groove pancreatitis”, while the solid nodule was a poorly differentiated pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Moreover, the adjacent pancreatic parenchyma was affected by a diffuse lymphoplasmacytic and eosinophilic autoimmune pancreatitis with epithelial granulocytic lesions. Five lymph nodes were metastatic (n=22), while resection margins were free. Patient is well and alive at 2 years from surgery. Conclusion A recent literature review of 348 patients with groove pancreatitis showed the association either with chronic pancreatitis (62.5%) and ductal adenocarcinoma (0.3%), separately. Our case is peculiar because the groove pancreatitis is associated with both pancreatic adenocarcinoma and autoimmune pancreatitis. Furthermore, there is no evidence that these pathologic entities could be connected each other., JOP. Journal of the Pancreas, Vol 13, N° 5S (2012): September (Suppl.) - p. 548-650

Context Mucinous cystic neoplasms (MCN) of the pancreas concern usually female patients and are characterized by an ovarian-type stroma. Case report A 65-year-old man was admitted to our Institute for the incidental finding, at ultrasonography, of a cystic mass of the body-tail of the pancreas. Laboratory tests, including tumor markers (CEA and CA 19-9), were within normal range. A CT scan confirmed the mass, hypodense, unilocular, 45 mm in diameter, regular shaped and without neither contrast enhancement nor signs of infiltration of adjacent structures. A CWRM showed a well-shaped pancreatic gland with a 49 mm in diameter fluid mass of the body, without septa or endoluminal solid nodules, without a clear communication with the main pancreatic duct. Contrast enhanced-US confirmed a strict connection with the splenic vessels, without infiltration, and revealed the absence of contrast-enhancement as well as the presence of communication with the pancreatic duct. These features suggested an IPMN branch duct type larger than 3 cm. The patient underwent a subtotal pancreatectomy with spleen resection. Pathological examination showed a cystic lesion measuring 40 mm in diameter, with unilocular pattern, smooth and white inner walls, containing viscous whitish mucin and without communication with the main pancreatic duct. Microscopically, the lesion showed two components: a mucinous epithelial layer and a low-grade dysplasia ovarian-type stroma. Tumor cells displayed diffuse positivity for estrogen, progesteron and calretinin. Lymph-nodes (n=6) were negative and surgical margins were tumor-free. A final diagnosis of MCN was performed. Postoperative course was complicated by a pancreatic fistula, grade B, treated with a CT-guided abdominal drainage. The patient was discharged in postoperative day 14 with a minimal residual drainage output and he is alive, disease-free at 6 months after surgery. Conclusion Only 9 cases of MCN have been reported in male patients in literature. Thus, the occurrence of MCN in male patients is very rare and its possible pathogenesis could be referred to embryological abnormalities., JOP. Journal of the Pancreas, Vol 13, N° 5S (2012): September (Suppl.) - p. 548-650

Background: Reactive microgliosis, hallmark of neuroinflammation, may contribute to neuronal degeneration,as shown in several neurodegenerative diseases. We in vivo evaluated microglia activation inearly dementia with Lewy bodies, still not reported, and compared with early Parkinson’s disease, toassess possible differential pathological patterns. Methods: We measured the [11C]-PK11195 binding potentials with Positron Emission Tomography, usinga simplified reference tissue model, as marker of microglia activation, and cerebral spinal fluid proteincarbonylation levels, as marker of oxidative stress. Six dementia with Lewy bodies and 6 Parkinson’sdisease patients within a year from the onset, and eleven healthy controls were included. Clinicaldiagnosis was confirmed at a 4-year follow-up. Results: In dementia with Lewy bodies as well as in Parkinson’s disease, we found significant (p < 0.001)[11C]-PK11195 binding potential increases in the substantia nigra and putamen. Patients with Lewybodies dementia had extensive additional microglia activation in several associative cortices. This wasevident also at a single subject level. Significant increase of Cerebral Spinal Fluid proteincarbonizationwas shown in both patients’ groups. Conclusions: [11C]-PK11195 Positron Emission Tomography imaging revealed neuroinflammation indementia with Lewy bodies and Parkinson’s disease, mirroring, even at a single subject level, thecommon and the different topographical distribution of neuropathological changes, yet in the earlieststages of the disease process. Focusing on those events that characterize parkinsonisms and Parkinson’sdisease may be the key to further advancing the understanding of pathogenesis and to taking thesemechanisms forward as a means of defining targets for neuroprotection.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of epidural premotor stimulation in patients with primary focal dystonia. Seven patients were selected: 6 had cervical dystonia and 1 had right upper limb dystonia. In 2 patients, sustained muscle contractions led to a prevalently fixed head posture. Patients with cervical dystonia received a bilateral implant, whereas the patient with hand dystonia received a unilateral implant. Neurological and neuropsychological evaluations were performed before surgery (baseline), and 1, 3, 6, and 12 months afterward. The Burke-Fahn-Marsden scale (BFMS) and the Toronto Western spasmodic torticollis rating scale (TWSTRS) were administered at the same time points. Patients underwent resting (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) scans, before and 12 months after surgery. No adverse events occurred. An overall improvement was observed on the BFMS and TWSTRS after surgery. Patients with prevalently fixed cervical dystonia had a reduced benefit. Presurgical neuroimaging revealed a significant bilateral metabolic increase in the sensorimotor areas, which was reduced after surgery.

We describe a case of clinical benefit and partial response with Gemcitabine and Oxaliplatin (GEMOX) in a young patient with ovarian metastasis from cystadenocarcinoma of the pancreas. A young woman complained of abdominal pain and constipation. Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans disclosed two bilateral ovarian masses with pancreatic extension. She underwent bilateral ovarian and womb resection. During surgery peritoneal carcinosis, a pancreatic mass and multiple abdominal lesions were found. The final diagnosis was mucinous pancreatic cystadenocarcinoma with ovarian and peritoneal metastases. She started chemotherapy with Gemcitabine 1000 mg/m2/d1 and Oxaliplatin 100 mg/m2/d2 every two weeks (GEMOX). After twelve cycles of chemotherapy a CT scan showed a reduction of the pancreatic mass. She underwent distal pancreatic resection, regional lymphadenectomy and splenectomy. Pathologic examination documented a prominent fibrous tissue and few neoplastic cells with mucin-filled cytoplasm. Chemotherapy was continued with Gemcitabine as “adjuvant treatment” for another three cycles. There is currently no evidence of disease. As reported in literature, GEMOX is associated with an improvement in progression-free survival and clinical benefit in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. This is an interesting case in which GEMOX transformed inoperable pancreatic cancer into a resectable tumour.

Non-invasive approaches for positron emission tomography (PET) parametric imaging of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity have been developed and applied to the investigation of dementia, mainly Alzheimer's disease (AD), but also dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), not including, however, patients in the early disease stage. The few cholinergic PET studies on mild cognitive impairment (MCI) did not provide clinical follow-up. One limitation of the methods used so far is the relatively low sensitivity in measuring subcortical or deep cortical structures, which might represent specific disease markers. Here we assessed AChE activity with [11C]-MP4A and PET by a maximum a posteriori Bayesian method (MAPB) based on a 2-tissue compartment-3-rate-constant reference region model. 30 subjects were included: 10 multi-domain amnestic MCI (aMCI) with a follow up of 2 years, 7 probable AD (pAD), 4 DLB subjects, and 9 healthy controls. Regions of interest and voxel-based statistical parametric mapping analyses revealed significant and widespread AChE reductions in several cortical regions and in the hippocampus in all pAD subjects and aMCI subjects who progressed to AD (converters). Noteworthy, hippocampal AChE activity correlated significantly with long-term verbal and non-verbal memory in both aMCI converters and pAD. The pattern was more heterogeneous in early DLB patients, with only 2 out of 4 cases showing a severe or intermediate reduction of AChE activity. The comparable AChE reductions in pAD and aMCI converters indicate the presence of a widespread impairment of the cholinergic system already in the MCI phase. A more variable degree of cholinergic dysfunction is present in early DLB.

Summary The differential diagnosis between oligodendrogliomas and other gliomas remains a critical issue. The aim of this study is to verify the diagnostic value of Olig-2, Nogo-A, and synaptophysin and their role in identifying 1p19q codeletion. A total of 168 cases of brain tumors were studied: 24 oligodendrogliomas, 23 anaplastic oligodendrogliomas, 2 oligoastrocytomas, 2 anaplastic oligoastrocytomas, 30 glioblastoma multiforme, 2 diffuse astrocytomas, 4 anaplastic astrocytomas, 10 pilocytic astrocytomas, 9 ependymomas, 12 anaplastic ependymomas, 10 central neurocytomas, 10 meningiomas, 10 choroid plexus papillomas, 10 dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumors, and 10 metastases. All cases were immunostained with Olig-2, Nogo-A, and synaptophysin. In 79 cases, the status of 1p/19q had already been assessed by fluorescence in situ hybridization. Thus, in selected cases, fluorescence in situ hybridization was repeated in areas with numerous Nogo-A–positive neoplastic cells. Nogo-A was positive in 18 (75%) of 24 oligodendrogliomas, 8 (80%) of 10 dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumors, 6 (20%) of 30 glioblastoma multiforme, and 2 (20%) of 10 pilocytic astrocytomas. Olig-2 stained 22 (91.6%) of 24 oligodendrogliomas and all dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumors but also 24 (80%) of 30 glioblastoma multiforme and 8 (80%) of 10 pilocytic astrocytomas. Finally, synaptophysin stained 13 (54.1%) of 24 oligodendrogliomas, 3 (10%) of 30 glioblastoma multiforme, 1 (10%) of 10 pilocytic astrocytomas, and all neurocytomas. Among the 79 tested cases, original fluorescence in situ hybridization showed 1p/19q codeletion in 12 (52.2%) of 23 oligodendrogliomas, 8 (38%) of 21 anaplastic oligodendrogliomas, and 1 (4%) of 25 glioblastoma multiforme. However, after carrying out the Nogo-A–driven fluorescence in situ hybridization, 1p/19q codeletion was observed in 8 additional cases. Nogo-A is more useful and specific than Olig-2 in differentiating oligodendrogliomas from other gliomas. Furthermore, using a Nogo-A–driven fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis, it is possible to identify a larger number of 1p19q codeletions in gliomas.

The application of different techniques (diffuse reflectance-UV–vis, 51V NMR, FT-IR of adsorbed pyridine and TPR-H2) in the characterization of vanadia supported on mesoporous Al2O3 catalysts shows that the nature of the vanadium species depends on the V-loading. At V-content lower than 15 wt.% of V-atoms (30% of the theoretical monolayer), vanadium is mainly in a tetrahedral environment. Higher V-contents in the catalyst leads to the formation of octahedral V5+ species and V2O5-like species. Both XRD and textural results indicate that the mesoporous structure of the support is mostly maintained after the vanadium incorporation, and therefore high surface areas were obtained on the final catalysts. Al2O3-suppported vanadia catalysts are active and selective in the oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane, although the catalytic behavior depends on the V-loading. High rates of formation of ethylene per unit mass of catalyst per unit time have also been observed as a consequence of the high dispersion of V-atoms on the surface of the support.