Towards an integrated understanding of green space in the European built environment

In recent years social, economic and environmental considerations have led to a reevaluation of the factors that contribute to sustainable urban environments. Increasingly, urban green space is seen as an integral part of cities providing a range of services to both the people and the wildlife living in urban areas. With this recognition and resulting from the simultaneous provision of different services, there is a real need to identify a research framework in which to develop multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research on urban green space. In order to address these needs, an iterative process based on the delphi technique was developed, which comprised email-mediated discussions and a two-day symposium involving experts from various disciplines. The two outputs of this iterative process were (i) an integrated framework for multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research and (ii) a catalogue of key research questions in urban green space research. The integrated framework presented here includes relevant research areas (i.e. ecosystem services, drivers of change, pressures on urban green space, human processes and goals of provision of urban green space) and emergent research themes in urban green space studies (i.e. physicality, experience, valuation, management and governance). Collectively these two outputs have the potential to establish an international research agenda for urban green space, which can contribute to the better understanding of people's relationship with cities.     

Discovery of a Jupiter/Saturn analog with gravitational microlensing

Searches for extrasolar planets have uncovered an astonishing diversity of planetary systems, yet the frequency of solar system analogs remains unknown. The gravitational microlensing planet search method is potentially sensitive to multiple-planet systems containing analogs of all the solar system planets except Mercury. We report the detection of a multiple-planet system with microlensing. We identify two planets with masses of approximately 0.71 and approximately 0.27 times the mass of Jupiter and orbital separations of approximately 2.3 and approximately 4.6 astronomical units orbiting a primary star of mass approximately 0.50 solar mass at a distance of approximately 1.5 kiloparsecs. This system resembles a scaled version of our solar system in that the mass ratio, separation ratio, and equilibrium temperatures of the planets are similar to those of Jupiter and Saturn. These planets could not have been detected with other techniques; their discovery from only six confirmed microlensing planet detections suggests that solar system analogs may be common.     

A novel MCT1 and MCT4 dual inhibitor reduces mitochondrial metabolism and inhibits tumour growth of feline oral squamous cell carcinoma

Monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs) support tumour growth by regulating the transport of metabolites in the tumour microenvironment. High MCT1 or MCT4 expression is correlated with poor outcomes in human patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Recently, drugs targeting these transporters have been developed and may prove to be an effective treatment strategy for HNSCC. Feline oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is an aggressive and treatment‐resistant malignancy resembling advanced or recurrent HNSCC. The goals of this study were to investigate the effects of a previously characterized dual MCT1 and MCT4 inhibitor, MD‐1, in OSCC as a novel treatment approach for feline oral cancer. We also sought to determine the potential of feline OSCC as a large animal model for the further development of MCT inhibitors to treat human HNSCC. In vitro, MD‐1 reduced the viability of feline OSCC and human HNSCC cell lines, altered glycolytic and mitochondrial metabolism and synergized with platinum‐based chemotherapies. While MD‐1 treatment increased lactate concentrations in an HNSCC cell line, the inhibitor failed to alter lactate levels in feline OSCC cells, suggesting an MCT‐independent activity. In vivo, MD‐1 significantly inhibited tumour growth in a subcutaneous xenograft model and prolonged overall survival in an orthotopic model of feline OSCC. Our results show that MD‐1 may be an effective therapy for the treatment of feline oral cancer. Our findings also support the further investigation of feline OSCC as a large animal model to inform the development of MCT inhibitors and future clinical studies in human HNSCC.     

Comparison of acetate tape impression with squeezing versus skin scraping for the diagnosis of canine demodicosis

This study compared the sensitivity of acetate tape impression and skin squeezing with that of deep skin scraping for the diagnosis of demodicosis in dogs. Demodex canis was detected in 100% of acetate tape impressions obtained after skin squeezing and in 90% of deep skin scrapings. There was a significant difference (P < 0.001) between the techniques in the total number of mites detected. Acetate tape impression with skin squeezing was found to be more sensitive than deep skin scraping and is an alternative diagnostic method for canine demodicosis.     

Airborne small-footprint discrete-return LiDAR data in the assessment of boreal mire surface patterns, vegetation, and habitats

Boreal mires encompass high diversity in species and habitats, many of which are endangered. In Finland, extensive use of peatlands has resulted in habitat fragmentation. A need for accurate and cost-efficient vegetation mapping and monitoring of habitat changes exists in mire conservation, restoration and peatland forestry. LiDAR is an emerging and excellent tool for probing the geometry of vegetation and terrain. Modern systems measure the backscattered signal accurately and also provide radiometric information. Experiments were carried out in a complex minerotrophic–ombrotrophic eccentric raised bog in southern Finland (61°47′N, 24.18′E). First, we tested discrete-return LiDAR for the modeling of mire surface patterns and the detection of hummocks and hollows, as well as the effect of mire plants on the Z accuracy of the surface echoes. Secondly, the response of different mire vegetation samples in LiDAR intensity was examined. Thirdly, we tested area-based geometric and radiometric features in supervised classification of mire habitats to discover the meaningful variables. The vertical accuracy of LiDAR in mire surface modeling was high: 0.05–0.10 m. A binary hummock-hollow model that was estimated from a LiDAR-based elevation model matched flawlessly in aerial images and had moderate explanatory power in habitat classification trials. The intensity of LiDAR in open-mire vegetation was mainly influenced by the surface moisture, and separation of vegetation classes spanning from ombrotrophic to mesotrophic vegetation proved to be difficult. Area-based features that characterize the height distribution of LiDAR points in the canopy were the strongest explanatory variables in the classification of 21 diverse mire site types. Actual qualifying differences in the ground flora were unattainable in the LiDAR data, which resulted in inferior accuracy in the characterization of ecohydrological conditions and nutrient level of open mires and sparsely forested wet sites. Mire habitat classification accuracy with LiDAR surpassed earlier results with optical data. The results suggested that LiDAR constitutes an efficient aid for monitoring applications. We propose the co-use of images and LiDAR for enhanced mapping of open mires and tree species. In situ calibration and validation procedures are required until invariant geometric and radiometric features are discovered.     

An emerging zoonosis in Scandinavia -- nephropathia epidemica.

The paper reviews as zoonosis the disease called Nephropathia epidemica in north European countries. The etiology is as yet unsolved but a viral one is highly suspected with small rodents (voles and mice) as the source of infection. Based on the epidemiological peculiarities of the disease, the ecology of the agent and hypothetical ways of transmission of infection from small rodents to man are discussed.     

Snake envenomation in cats and its detection by rapid immunoassay

Objective To determine the usefulness of a snake venom detection kit (SVDK) in the management of envenomed cats.
Design A clinical study.  

Animals

Twenty-two cats were investigated.
Procedure Cats injected subcutaneously with approximately 0.25 or 1.0 lethal dose (LD) of tiger snake venom or 1 or 4 LD of brown snake venom were observed for clinical symptoms of envenomation at intervals over the ensuring 24 to 48 hours(h). Blood and urine samples were taken at regular intervals and assayed in a quantitative laboratory assay for snake venoms. Selected samples were assayed in parallel in a rapid, semi-quantitative SVDK.
Results The studies showed that it was important to estimate the elapsed time from envenomation to presentation. If this time was less than 8 h, blood was the most appropriate sample and a negative result should exclude serious envenomation. If the elapsed time exceeded 8 h, it was essential that urine be sampled. Venom levels in urine were high at 8 h and approached the level of test sensitivity over 24 to 48 h; however by this time clinical signs were obvious in endangered cats.  

Conclusions

Careful use of the SVDK is a valuable aid in the management of a potentially envenomed cat.