Marine phytoplankton functional types exhibit diverse responses to thermal change.

Marine phytoplankton generate half of global primary production, making them essential to ecosystem functioning and biogeochemical cycling. Though phytoplankton are phylogenetically diverse, studies rarely designate unique thermal traits to different taxa, resulting in coarse representations of phytoplankton thermal responses. Here we assessed phytoplankton functional responses to temperature using empirically derived thermal growth rates from four principal contributors to marine productivity: diatoms, dinoflagellates, cyanobacteria, and coccolithophores. Using modeled sea surface temperatures for 1950-1970 and 2080-2100, we explored potential alterations to each group's growth rates and geographical distribution under a future climate change scenario. Contrary to the commonly applied Eppley formulation, our data suggest phytoplankton functional types may be characterized by different temperature coefficients (Q10), growth maxima thermal dependencies, and thermal ranges which would drive dissimilar responses to each degree of temperature change. These differences, when applied in response to global simulations of future temperature, result in taxon-specific projections of growth and geographic distribution, with low-latitude coccolithophores facing considerable decreases and cyanobacteria substantial increases in growth rates. These results suggest that the singular effect of changing temperature may alter phytoplankton global community structure, owing to the significant variability in thermal response between phytoplankton functional types.

High food wastage and low nutritional intakes in hospital patients.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The aim of this study was to investigate the cause of continuing weight-loss in hospitalized patients. We determined 1. whether the hospital menu was able to meet the patients' minimum nutritional requirements, 2. the proportion of food being wasted and 3. the mean nutritional intakes of patients. METHODS: This study was carried out in a University hospital (1200 beds). All the food supplied and wasted was measured over a 28 day period on one ward in each of 4 different specialties. Average food intake per patient was calculated and checked against individual food intake measurements. RESULTS: The hospital menu provided over 2000 kcal/day and could meet patients' nutritional requirements. However, high wastage rates of greater than 40% resulted in energy and protein intakes within all specialties being less than 80% of that recommended. The cost of this waste was 139,655 pounds sterling in these four specialties. CONCLUSIONS: More than 40% of hospital food was wasted. Energy and protein intakes were low and patients did not, therefore, meet their recommended intakes. This helps to explain continuing weight-loss in hospital patients and represents a large waste of resources. Hospital feeding policies therefore need reviewing and made more appropriate to the needs of the sick.

A recipe for improving food intakes in elderly hospitalized patients.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The aim of this study was to compare food wastage and intake between the normal hospital menu and one where more energy dense but smaller portions were provided. METHODS: This study was carried out on an Elderly Rehabilitation ward in a University hospital. Patients were randomly allocated to receive either a normal or a reduced portion size fortified menu for a 14 day cycle and then swapped-over at the end of each cycle for the 56 day study. One group received a cooked breakfast and normal menus throughout the study. RESULTS: All the menu combinations could meet the patients recommended intake. The fortified menu provided 14% more energy than the normal menu. Food wastage was highest in the cooked breakfast group (32%) and lowest in the Fortified group (27%). The total weight of wasted food was less than in the previous study. Nutritional intakes were 25% higher on the fortified menu compared with the normal menu. The mean protein intakes were still below that recommended. All patients had higher energy intakes on the Fortified menu compared with their intake on the normal menu despite being served a lower weight of food. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude from our own data and that of others that it is possible for elderly patients to achieve their nutritional targets using a combination of smaller portions of increased energy and protein density and between-meal snacks. The needs of other groups of patients also needs to be assessed in a similar way to make hospital food appropriate to the needs of the sick.

T-cell lymphocytosis associated with lymphocyte-rich thymoma.

BACKGROUND: Peripheral T-cell lymphocytosis is found on very rare occasions in patients with thymomas. The immunophenotypic features and clonality of the lymphocytes in tumor and peripheral blood now are elucidating this enigmatic phenomenon. METHODS: The author presents what is believed to be the seventh case of peripheral T-cell lymphocytosis associated with thymoma and reviews the previous six cases. The pathology slides of the thymoma were reviewed with a pathologist who confirmed the presence of neoplastic thymic epithelium with cytokeratin stains. Immunophenotyping by flow cytometry was performed at Dianon Systems, Inc., on both the thymoma cells and cells in the peripheral blood. In addition, gene rearrangement analysis was performed on the peripheral lymphocytes using the previously described Southern blot analysis technique with immunoglobulin probes (heavy chain, kappa light chain, and lambda light chain) and T-cell receptor gene probes (beta and gamma chains). RESULTS: Analyses of the T cells within the thymoma and the peripheral blood confirm that the peripheral T cells are both polyclonal and more mature than those populating the thymoma. Clearly the peripheral T cells are not themselves neoplastic, and yet they represent more than physical "spillover" of the immature tumor-related T cells. CONCLUSIONS: Peripheral T-cell lymphocytosis occurs rarely with locally aggressive, lymphocytic thymomas. Although it is clear that these cells are not neoplastic, as they are in other T-cell proliferative disorders, the etiology of this unusual phenomenon remains obscure and may reflect the perturbation of systemic immunoregulation that accompanies thymic neoplasia. It is important to differentiate this condition from T-cell lymphomas or leukemia to treat affected patients appropriately.

Inflammatory reaction and airway damage in cystic fibrosis.

In cystic fibrosis there is chronic infection and inflammatory reaction in the airways, accompanied by destruction and shedding of airway epithelium. Leukocytes migrate into the airways and some disintegrate, liberating deoxyribonucleoprotein that is incorporated into the gel structure of the bronchial mucus. We compared the status of these processes in cystic fibrosis with that in chronic bronchitis and bronchiectasis, by examining the sputum raised from the lower airways. Measurements also were made on sputum induced in normal subjects. The results indicate that migration of leukocytes into the airways and shedding of damaged airway epithelium were minimal in the normal subjects; they were significant in the patients with chronic bronchitis, higher in those with bronchiectasis, and still higher in those with cystic fibrosis. The large increases found in the total content of DNA and solids in the cystic fibrosis sputum were due to increases in the insoluble fraction containing the whole leukocytes and particulate debris that remained when the sputum mucus gel was solubilized with mercaptoethanol. Despite the large increases in the total content of DNA and solids, the contents of mucus gel components and of deoxyribonucleoprotein from disintegrated leukocytes actually present in the mucus gel structure of the cystic fibrosis sputum were not significantly higher than in the sputum from the patients with chronic bronchitis or brochiectasis.