Broadleaf forests are critical habitats for biodiversity and this biodiversity is in turn essential for their proper functioning. Mites (Acari) are a numerous and functionally essential component of these forests. We report the diversity of two important groups, Oribatida and Mesostigmata, in a broadleaf forest in Eastern Norway which is considered to be a biodiversity hotspot. Eighteen samples, each 500 cm3, were collected from diverse microhabitats (moss on ground, lichens on tree twigs lying on...

Objectives To identify serum protein biomarkers which might separate early inflammatory arthritis (EIA) patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) from those with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and may be used to support appropriate early intervention. Methods The serum proteome of patients with PsA and RA was interrogated using liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) (n=64 patients), a multiplexed antibody assay (Luminex) for 48 proteins (n=64 patients) and an aptamer-based assay (SOMAscan) targeting 1,129 proteins (n=36 patients). Multiple reaction...

How gene expression diverges during adaptation might be strongly influenced by the geographic setting and timeframe over which species evolve. To contrast transcriptomic patterns of replicate trophic adaptations that evolved convergently during both allopatric and sympatric contexts, we conducted RNA-seq on the trophically important lower pharyngeal jaws of two sympatrically and four allopatrically diverged species pairs of cichlid fishes. We first show that all of these species pairs have convergently diverged along a crushing trophic...

The ubiquitous nature of microplastics in aquatic ecosystems may have serious implications for aquatic biota. While microplastic research in freshwater ecosystems is increasing, very few studies have assessed the physical presence of microplastics among top predators. The Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra), a top predator of aquatic ecosystems, is one of the most widely distributed otter species and has a broad habitat niche. The opportunistic collection of otter spraints (i.e. feces) presents a valuable opportunity to...

Background: Bovine TB (bTB), caused by infection with Mycobacterium bovis, is a major endemic disease affecting global cattle production. The key innate immune cell that first encounters the pathogen is the alveolar macrophage, previously shown to be substantially reprogrammed during intracellular infection by the pathogen. Here we use differential expression, and correlation- and interaction-based network approaches to analyse the host response to infection with M. bovis at the transcriptome level to identify core infection response...

Background: Literature on multi-disciplinary healthcare team interventions to improve quality and safety of care in acute hospital contexts tends to focus on evaluating the success of the intervention by assessing patient outcomes. In contrast, there is little focus on the team who delivered the intervention, how the team worked to deliver the intervention or the context in which it was delivered. In practice, there is a poor understanding of why some interventions work and are...

These data are trace element concentrations and U-Pb isotope ratios from phosphate nodules in Carboniferous-age carbonates, shales and phosphorites in Co. Clare, western Ireland. Sampling locations (both in degrees and as UTM coordinates) are also included. Mineralogically, the analysed material is apatite (species: carbonate-fluorapatite). These data are being used to support a paper which is currently under review. Data were collected by LA-Q-ICPMS in the National Centre for Isotope Geochemistry in University College Dublin, and...