"My Reputation is at Stake." Humboldt's Mountain Plant Geography in the Making (1803-1825).

Alexander von Humboldt's depictions of mountain vegetation are among the most iconic nineteenth century illustrations in the biological sciences. Here we analyse the contemporary context and empirical data for all these depictions, namely the Tableau physique des Andes (1803, 1807), the Geographiae plantarum lineamenta (1815), the Tableau physique des Îles Canaries (1817), and the Esquisse de la Géographie des plantes dans les Andes de Quito (1824/1825). We show that the Tableau physique des Andes does not reflect Humboldt and Bonpland's field data and presents a flawed depiction of plant occurrences and vertical succession of vegetation belts, arising from Humboldt's misreading of La Condamine's description (1751).

The Bgee suite: integrated curated expression atlas and comparative transcriptomics in animals.

Bgee is a database to retrieve and compare gene expression patterns in multiple animal species, produced by integrating multiple data types (RNA-Seq, Affymetrix, in situ hybridization, and EST data). It is based exclusively on curated healthy wild-type expression data (e.g.

When the Ice Has Gone: Colonisation of Equatorial Glacier Forelands by Ground Beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae).

Ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) are among the early colonisers of recently deglaciated terrains. While patterns of carabid colonisation along forelands of retreating glaciers have been thoroughly investigated in temperate climates, information remains scarce in tropical mountains. This study aimed to describe for the first time the carabid beetle species assemblages along the chronosequence of two tropical Andean glaciers (Antisana and Carihuairazo, Ecuador).

Humboldt's revisited.

Alexander von Humboldt's (1807) has been one of the most influential diagrams in the history of environmental sciences. In particular, detailed observations of the altitudinal distribution of plant species in the equatorial Andes, depicted on a cross-section of Mt. Chimborazo, allowed Humboldt to establish the concept of vegetation belt, thereby laying the foundations of biogeography.

, new genus of wingless ground beetles from equatorial Andean montane forest (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Lachnophorini).

A new carabid beetle genus, Balligratus gen. nov., belonging to the tribe Lachnophorini, is described.

Central serous chorioretinopathy complicating solar retinopathy treated with glucocorticoids.

Background: Solar retinopathy and central serous chorio-retinopathy are two well-defined clinical entities which affect the macular area. Their association has never been described. The relation of central serous chorioretinopathy with the exposure to glucocorticoids has been recently suggested.

[Regulation of papillary pO2].

PO2 measurements using a double barelled recess type microelectrodes were measured in the optic nerve head of miniature pigs during systemic hyperoxia (100% oxygen breathing) and variations of the systemic blood pressure by intravenous injection of Adrenaline or trinitrine. During either systemic hyperoxia, or progressive variations of blood pressure, the intervascular PO2 remained stable. These results suggest a regulation of the tissue PO2 of the optic nerve head, as the retina does, at constant values.

[Profile of pO2. Regulation of papillary pO2].

PO2 measurements using a double barelled recess type microelectrodes were measured in the optic nerve head of miniature pigs during systemic hyperoxia (100% oxygen breathing) and variations of the systemic blood pressure by intravenous injection of Adrenaline or trinitrine. During either systemic hyperoxia, or progressive variations of blood pressure, the intervascular PO2 remained stable. These results suggest a regulation of the tissue PO2 of the optic nerve head, as the retina does, at constant values.

[Profile of pO2. I. Profile of transretinal pO2 in hypoxia].

Transretinal PO2 measurements during systemic hypoxia, made during variations of the PO2 by steps of 10 mmHg between 120 and 30 mmHg, have shown that the PO2 values measured at the inner-retina up to half the thickness of the retina remained stable. On the other hand, those measured at the choroid and at the outer-retina decreased in a linear manner according to the variations of PaO2. These results suggest a regulation in the retinal blood flow, allowing the PO2 to remain stable for the different steps of hypoxia studied.

Safety and immunogenicity of a genetically engineered human immunodeficiency virus vaccine.

A phase 1 trial of a candidate human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) vaccine was done in 25 healthy seronegative subjects. The antigen, env2-3 (SF2), was a nonglycosylated polypeptide representing the gp120 region of the env gene of the HIV-1(SF2) isolate. It was produced in genetically engineered yeast as a denatured molecule incapable of binding CD4.

Comparison of multivessel coronary angioplasty with surgical revascularization with both internal mammary arteries.

To evaluate medium-term clinical results of two major methods of myocardial revascularization, we compared 80 consecutive patients with multivessel percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) with 80 consecutive patients with coronary surgery using both internal mammary arteries in all and additional venous grafts in some. Patients in the surgical group had a higher extent of coronary artery disease. In patients with PTCA a mean of 2.

Criteria for intraventricular conduction disturbances and pre-excitation. World Health Organizational/International Society and Federation for Cardiology Task Force Ad Hoc.

In an effort to standardize terminology and criteria for clinical electrocardiography, and as a follow-up of its work on definitions of terms related to cardiac rhythm, an Ad Hoc Working Group established by the World Health Organization and the International Society and Federation of Cardiology reviewed criteria for the diagnosis of conduction disturbances and pre-excitation. Recommendations resulting from these discussions are summarized for the diagnosis of complete and incomplete right and left bundle branch block, left anterior and left posterior fascicular block, nonspecific intraventricular block, Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome and related pre-excitation patterns. Criteria for intraatrial conduction disturbances are also briefly reviewed.

[Pulmonary sarcoidosis. Study of the distribution of active alveolitis assessed by comparison of data from radiological examination, gallium 67 scintigraphy and double bronchoalveolar lavage].

Abnormal uptake of gallium in alveolar structures, raised lymphocyte levels, ECA and, to a lesser degree, proteins in alveolar washings are the principal currently known criteria used to recognise cases of sarcoidosis with persistent immunological activity. The contribution of data concerning broncho-alveolar washings (BAW) in the context of this diagnostic assessment has never been the subject of a critical evaluation. It would nevertheless seem that the distribution of sarcoidosis lesions is not always diffuse and homogeneous, leading to the possibility of errors of assessment in this technique.

[Myocardial infarction in the adult under 35 years of age].

Infarction in the adult aged less than 35 is almost always accompanied by risk factors, the most common of which are tobacco abuse, lipid disturbances, obesity, a strong family history of cardiovascular disease and, in the woman, the use of contraceptives. The coronary arteries are sometimes normal (10-15 p. cent) but coronary lesions are most often single vessel, proximal and affect the anterior interventricular branch.

[Physical training in high altitude].

Hemodynamic parameters and myocardial extraction of lactate and free fatty acids (FFA) have been studied at rest and during exercise (bicycle) in 9 mountain climbers who spent 4 weeks in the Himalayas at an altitude of 5500-7000 m. All investigations were performed before and immediately after the stay at high altitude. The combined effect of physical training and hypoxemia of high altitude did not alter the hemodynamic parameters, calculated VO2 max, production of lactate or decrease of FFA during the exercise test, but myocardial extraction of lactate and FFA changed.

[Regional myocardial perfusion in coronary stenosis of varying degrees].

Stenoses of the left anterior descending coronary artery of varying severity (15-73% of internal diameter, 20-95% of internal surface) were created in 25 open-chest pigs. The regional distribution of myocardial blood flow perfusion was studied by the radioactive microspheres technique at rest and during reactive hyperemia. Reactive hyperemic responses to 10 sec occlusions were used to produce maximal flow increases and to judge the physiological significance of the narrowings in the subendocardial and subepicardial layers in calculating coronary flow reserves.

[Results of long term surgical treatment of isolated stenosis of the left descending coronary artery].

The results of medical and surgical management of isolated stenosis (greater than or equal to 50%) of the left anterior descending artery were compared retrospectively in a series of 124 consecutive patients. 57 patients were managed medically (Group I). 28 (49%) presented with angina and 36 (63%) with a previous myocardial infarction.

[The effect of slight to moderate stenoses on the coronary reserve and hemodynamics].

The effect of slight to moderate stenosis (less than or equal to 50% of external diameter) on the coronary reserve and coronary hemodynamics has been studied in 8 pigs. The coronary reserve was measured by the technique of reactive hyperemia, which consists of brief total occlusion of the artery concerned and sudden relaxation. The decrease in coronary reserve is directly proportional to the degree of stenosis.