Holistic assessment of cochlear implant outcomes using the international classification of functioning disability and health model: data analysis of a longitudinal prospective multicenter study.

PURPOSE: To study outcome after cochlear implantation using the Cochlear Implant (CI) outcome assessment protocol based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) model (CI-ICF). METHODS: Raw data of a prospective, longitudinal, multicenter study was analyzed. Seventy-two CI candidates were assessed preoperatively and six months postoperatively using the CI-ICF protocol. Following tools were used: (1) Work Rehabilitation Questionnaire (WORQ), (2) Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit (APHAB), (3) Audio Processor Satisfaction Questionnaire (APSQ), (4) Speech, Spatial, and Qualities of Hearing Scale (SSQ12), (5) Hearing Implant Sound Quality Index (HISQUI19), (6) Nijmegen CI Questionnaire (NCIQ) (7) pure tone audiometry, (8) speech audiometry, (9) sound localization. RESULTS: There was a significant improvement of speech discrimination in quiet (p = 0.015; p < 0.001) and in noise (p = 0.041; p < 0.001), sound detection (p < 0.001), tinnitus (p = 0.026), listening (p < 0.001), communicating with-receiving-spoken messages (p < 0.001), conversation (p < 0.001), family relationships (p < 0.001), community life (p = 0.019), NCIQ total score and all subdomain scores (p < 0.001). Subjective sound localization significantly improved (p < 0.001), while psychometric sound localization did not. There was no significant subjective deterioration of vestibular functioning and no substantial change in sound aversiveness. CI users reported a high level of implant satisfaction postoperatively. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the positive impact of cochlear implantation on auditory performance, communication, and subjective well-being. The CI-ICF protocol provides a holistic and comprehensive view of the evolution of CI outcomes.

Changes in air temperature, but not in precipitation, determine long-term trends in water chemistry of high mountain lakes of the Alps with and without rock glacier influence.

Climate change has strongly affected lakes around the world, but the relative effects of warmer air temperatures and changing precipitation on the water chemistry of alpine systems are not well understood. Here we tested the effect of monthly and seasonal climate on the water chemistry of six high mountain lakes located in the Alps. From 1982 to 2020, water samples were collected annually from different depths during the autumn mixing. We observed a simultaneous increase in electrical conductivity, ionic content, and pH with air temperature. In lakes with rock glacier influence, the increase in conductivity, ionic content, and especially in sulfate was even more pronounced, but accompanied by a strong decrease in pH. These differences are attributed to the direct influence of acidic meltwater from active rock glaciers in catchments with acidic bedrock. We then analyzed changes in lake chemistry, taking into account seasonal trends in air temperature and precipitation, using redundancy analysis. Temperature increase significantly affected water chemistry in five of the six lakes, especially at times of ice breakup. Increasing warming explained 17% to 32% of the changes in electrical conductivity, alkalinity, pH, major ions, and nitrogen. In contrast, precipitation had little effect on the changes of those parameters. Nevertheless, late spring snowfall and high snowfall in early fall, which result in prolonged ice cover, had a dampening effect on the impact of climate warming on lake chemistry. Our results confirm that climate warming remains a major driver of chemical changes in alpine lakes, but provide new evidence that late spring temperatures are the most important triggers.

Determinants of low health-related quality of life in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes: EUMDS Registry study.

Patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) frequently experience a significant symptom burden, which reduces health-related quality of life (HRQoL). We aimed to identify determinants of low HRQoL in patients recently diagnosed with MDS, for guiding early intervention strategies. We evaluated longitudinal data in 2205 patients with MDS during their first year after diagnosis. Median values of EQ-5D 3-level (EQ-5D-3L) index (0.78) and visual analog scale (VAS) score (0.70) were used as thresholds for low HRQoL. In addition, the 5 dimensions of EQ-5D-3L were analyzed for impairments (any level vs "no problem" category). After multiple imputation of missing values, we used generalized estimating equations (GEE) to estimate odds ratios (OR) for univariable determinant screening (P < .15), and to subsequently derive multivariable models for low HRQoL with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Multivariable GEE analysis showed the following independent determinants (OR, 95% CI) for low EQ-5D index: increased age (60-75 years: 1.33, 1.01-1.75; >75: 1.84, 1.39-2.45), female sex (1.70, 1.43-2.03), high serum ferritin level (≥1000 vs ≤300 µg/L: 1.41, 1.06-1.87), comorbidity burden (per unit: 1.11, 1.02-1.20), and reduced Karnofsky performance status (KPS, per 10 units: 0.62, 0.58-0.67). For low VAS score, additional determinants were transfusion dependence (1.53, 1.03-2.29), low hemoglobin <10 g/dL (1.34, 1.12-1.61), and high body mass index (≥30 vs 23-29.9 kg/m2: 1.26, 1.02-1.57). Sex, KPS, comorbidity burden, hemoglobin count, and transfusion burden were determinants for all EQ-5D dimensions. Low HRQoL is determined by multiple factors, which should be considered in the management and shared decision making of patients with MDS. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT00600860.

Raising the standards of patient-centered outcomes research in myelodysplastic syndromes: Clinical utility and validation of the subscales of the QUALMS from the MDS-RIGHT project.

BACKGROUND: Clinical decision-making for patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) is challenging, and both disease and treatment effects heavily impact health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of these patients. Therefore, disease-specific HRQoL measures can be critical to harness the patient voice in MDS research. METHODS: We report a prospective international validation study of the Quality of Life in Myelodysplasia Scale (QUALMS) with a main focus on providing information on the psychometric characteristics of its three subscales: physical burden (QUALMS-P), emotional burden (QUALMS-E), and benefit finding (QUALMS-BF). The analysis is based on patients enrolled from three European countries and Israel, participating to the MDS-RIGHT Project. The scale structure and psychometric properties of the QUALMS were assessed. RESULTS: Overall, 270 patients with a median age of 74 years were analyzed and the majority of them (60.3%) had a low MDS-Comorbidity Index score. Results of the confirmatory factor analysis supported the underlying scale structure of the QUALMS, which, in addition to a total score, includes three subscales: QUALMS-P, QUALMS-E, and the QUALMS-BF. The QUALMS-P exhibited the highest Cronbach's alpha coefficients. Discriminant validity analysis indicated good results with the QUALMS-P and QUALMS-E distinguishing between patients with different performance status, comorbidity, anemia, and transfusion dependency status. No floor and ceiling effects were observed. Responsiveness to change analysis supported the validity of the measure. Patients with a hemoglobin (Hb) level of <11 g/dL at study entry, who subsequently showed an improvement in their Hb levels, also reported a mean score change of 9 and 8 points (scales ranging between 0 and 100) in the expected direction of the QUALMS-E and QUALMS-P, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our study provides additional validation data on the QUALMS from the international MDS-RIGHT Project. The use of this disease-specific HRQoL measure may contribute to raise quality standards of patient-centered outcomes research in MDS.

Core set of patient-reported outcomes for myelodysplastic syndromes: an EUMDS Delphi study involving patients and hematologists.

Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are relevant and valuable end points in the care of patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). However, a consensus-based selection of PROs for MDS, derived by both patients and hematologists, is lacking. We aimed to develop a core set of PROs for patients with MDS as part of the prospective European LeukemiaNet MDS (EUMDS) Registry. According to international guidelines, candidate PROs were identified from a comprehensive literature search of MDS studies. Overall, 40 PROs were selected and evaluated in a two-round Delphi survey by 40 patients with MDS and 38 hematologists in the first round and 38 patients and 32 hematologists in the second round. Based on an agreement scale and predefined inclusion criteria, both patients and hematologists selected "general quality of life" as a core PRO. Hematologists also selected "transfusion-dependency burden" and "ability to work/activities of daily living" as core PROs. The second Delphi round increased PRO rating agreements. Statistically significant rating differences between patients and hematologists were observed for 28 PROs (Mann-Whitney U test; P < .05) in the first round and for 19 PROs in the second round, with "disease knowledge" and "confidence in health care services" rated notably higher by patients. The overall mean PRO ratings correlation between the 2 groups was moderate (Spearman's rank correlation coefficient = 0.5; P < .05). This first consensus on a core set of PROs jointly developed by patients and hematologists forms the basis for patient-centered care in daily practice and clinical research.

Identifying factors that affect mountain lake sensitivity to atmospheric nitrogen deposition across multiple scales.

Increased nitrogen (N) deposition rates over the past century have affected both North American and European mountain lake ecosystems. Ecological sensitivity of mountain lakes to N deposition varies, however, because chemical and biological responses are modulated by local watershed and lake properties. We evaluated predictors of mountain lake sensitivity to atmospheric N deposition across North American and European mountain ranges and included as response variables dissolved inorganic N (DIN = NNH4+ + NNO3-) concentrations and phytoplankton biomass. Predictors of these responses were evaluated at three different spatial scales (hemispheric, regional, subregional) using regression tree, random forest, and generalized additive model (GAM) analysis. Analyses agreed that Northern Hemisphere mountain lake DIN was related to N deposition rates and smaller scale spatial variability (e.g., regional variability between North American and European lakes, and subregional variability between mountain ranges). Analyses suggested that DIN, N deposition, and subregional variability were important for Northern Hemisphere mountain lake phytoplankton biomass. Together, these findings highlight the need for finer-scale, subregional analyses (by mountain range) of lake sensitivity to N deposition. Subregional analyses revealed differences in predictor variables of lake sensitivity. In addition to N deposition rates, lake and watershed features such as land cover, bedrock geology, maximum lake depth (Zmax), and elevation were common modulators of lake DIN. Subregional phytoplankton biomass was consistently positively related with total phosphorus (TP) in Europe, while North American locations showed variable relationships with N or P. This study reveals scale-dependent watershed and lake characteristics modulate mountain lake ecological responses to atmospheric N deposition and provides important context to inform empirically based management strategies.

The anemia-independent impact of myelodysplastic syndromes on health-related quality of life.

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are in the majority of cases characterized by anemia. Both anemia and MDS per se may directly contribute to impairments in health-related quality of life (HRQoL). In this study, we aimed to investigate the anemia-independent impact of MDS on HRQoL. We evaluated participants (≥ 50 years) from the large population-based Lifelines cohort (N = 44,694, mean age 59.0 ± 7.4 years, 43.6% male) and the European MDS Registry (EUMDS) (N = 1538, mean age 73.4 ± 9.0 years, 63.0% male), which comprises a cohort of lower-risk MDS patients. To enable comparison concerning HRQoL, SF-36 scores measured in Lifelines were converted to EQ-5D-3L index (range 0-1) and dimension scores. Lower-risk MDS patients had significantly lower HRQoL than those from the Lifelines cohort, as illustrated in both the index score and in the five different dimensions. Multivariable linear regression analysis demonstrated that MDS had an adjusted total impact on the EQ-5D index score (B = - 0.12, p < 0.001) and an anemia-independent "direct" impact (B = - 0.10, p < 0.001). Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed an anemia-independent impact of MDS in the dimension mobility, self-care, usual activities, and anxiety/depression (all except pain/discomfort). This study demonstrates that the major part of the negative impact of lower-risk MDS on HRQoL is not mediated via anemia. Thus, the therapeutic focus should include treatment strategies directed at underlying pathogenic mechanisms to improve HRQoL, rather than aiming predominantly at increasing hemoglobin levels.

The cancer patient's perspective of COVID-19-induced distress-A cross-sectional study and a longitudinal comparison of HRQOL assessed before and during the pandemic.

BACKGROUND: To permit timely mitigation of adverse effects on overall clinical outcome, it is essential to understand how the pandemic influences distress and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in cancer patients during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, adult cancer patients, without COVID-19 symptoms, completed a 13-item questionnaire about the pandemic's impacts on distress and everyday-life; associations with age, sex, or impaired HRQOL were then assessed by binary logistic regressions. In a subsample of patients with HRQOL assessment available from both before and during the pandemic, we evaluated the pandemic's impact on longitudinal changes in HRQOL reported within 6 months before versus during the COVID-19 lockdown using McNemar's test, and thresholds for clinical importance. RESULTS: We consecutively enrolled 240 patients with solid (50%) or hematological (50%) cancers. Median age was 67 years, 46% were females. The majority ranked heeding their health (80%) and keeping their appointment schedule in hospital (78%) as important. Being younger than 60, or aged 60-70 was independently associated with limitations in everyday life (OR = 3.57, p < 0.001; and 2.05, p = 0.038); female individuals and those with restricted emotional functioning were more distressed by the COVID-19 situation (OR = 2.47, p = 0.040; and 3.17, p = 0.019); the latter group was also significantly more concerned about being a patient at risk (OR = 2.21, p = 0.029). Interestingly, in a subsample of patients (n = 47), longitudinal comparisons pre- versus during the pandemic revealed that HRQOL was not substantially affected by the pandemic. CONCLUSION: Particularly younger and female cancer patients, and those with impaired emotional functioning are distressed by COVID-19. During the first COVID-19 lockdown, cancer patients remained predominantly resilient. This analysis highlights the need to mitigate distress situations in vulnerable patients and thereby enhance resilience during pandemics.

Development of a core outcome set for myelodysplastic syndromes - a Delphi study from the EUMDS Registry Group.

Treatment options for myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) vary widely, depending on the natural disease course and patient-related factors. Comparison of treatment effectiveness is challenging as different endpoints have been included in clinical trials and outcome reporting. Our goal was to develop the first MDS core outcome set (MDS-COS) defining a minimum set of outcomes that should be reported in future clinical studies. We performed a comprehensive systematic literature review among MDS studies to extract patient- and/or clinically relevant outcomes. Clinical experts from the European LeukemiaNet MDS (EUMDS) identified 26 potential MDS core outcomes and participated in a three-round Delphi survey. After the first survey (56 experts), 15 outcomes met the inclusion criteria and one additional outcome was included. The second round (38 experts) resulted in six included outcomes. In the third round, a final check on plausibility and practicality of the six included outcomes and their definitions was performed. The final MDS-COS includes: health-related quality of life, treatment-related mortality, overall survival, performance status, safety, and haematological improvement. This newly developed MDS-COS represents the first minimum set of outcomes aiming to enhance comparability across future MDS studies and facilitate a better understanding of treatment effectiveness.

Comorbidities cluster with impaired functional capacities and depressive mood and predict adverse outcome in older patients with hematological malignancies.

This study evaluates prevalence of comorbidities and their association with impairments in older patients with hematological malignancies at initial diagnosis (n = 209). At least one comorbidity was present in 62.2%, 68.5% and 93.8% as defined by CCI (Charlson Comorbidity Index), Cumulative Illness Rating Scale-Geriatric (CIRS-G) and HCT-Comorbidity Index, respectively. Severe comorbidities (CIRS-G Grade 3/4) were present in 57.9%. The mean number of affected organ systems was 3.6 (CIRS-G categories), with diabetes (18.2%), congestive heart failure and prior solid tumors (each 17.7%) detected most frequently. Comorbidities were significantly correlated with reduced functional and objective physical capacities, impaired performance and depressive mood. Both CCI and CIRS-G were found to be prognostic factors for OS (p < 0.05). CCI scoring of comorbidities, diagnosis MDS/AML and a body mass index <23kg/m2 were independent adverse predictors for OS. This first prospective analysis reveals a prognostic significance of comorbidities. Clustering of comorbidities with impairments suggests common mechanisms.

Malnutrition in Older Patients With Hematological Malignancies at Initial Diagnosis - Association With Impairments in Health Status, Systemic Inflammation and Adverse Outcome.

Poor nutritional status is a common problem in cancer patients at advanced age, but the prevalence and impact of malnutrition in hematological malignancies remains underinvestigated. To evaluate nutritional status in older adults over age 70 with newly diagnosed hematological malignancies, we enrolled 147 patients and assessed weight loss, food intake, Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA), and BMI. We compared nutritional status with demographic data, inflammation markers, and restrictions in multidimensional geriatric assessment. MNA classified 43% of patients being at risk of, and 15% having manifest malnutrition. A moderate/severe decrease in food intake was reported by 24% or 16%, a recent weight loss of 1 to 3 kg or >3 kg by 19% or 31%, and a BMI <23 kg/m2 by 29%. Lowered serum albumin (<3.5 g/dL) was prevalent in 14% of patients, and in 38% Glasgow Prognostic Score indicated hyperinflammation. Principal component analysis clustered malnutrition with inflammation markers and pronounced impairments, that is, fatigue, depression, comorbidities, reduced functional capacities. Severe decrease in food intake (HR: 3.3 (1.9-5.8), p < 0.001), >3 kg weight loss (HR: 2.3 (1.4-3.9), p = 0.001), impaired MNA (HR: 2.8 (1.3-6.2), p = 0.010), and low serum albumin (HR: 2.1 (1.1-4.0), p = 0.030) were significantly associated with shortened overall survival. Recent weight loss >3 kg (HR: 2.2 (1.1-4.3), p = 0.022), and low BMI (HR: 3.3 (1.8-6.0), p < 0.001) remained independent adverse parameters in multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression analyses. Malnourishment at initial diagnosis is frequent in older patients with hematological malignancies and represents an adverse prognosticator. Clustering of malnutrition with impairments and systemic inflammation suggests an underlying common pathway.

The Little Ice Age signature in a 700-year high-resolution chironomid record of summer temperatures in the Central Eastern Alps.

Despite the fact that the Little Ice Age (LIA) is well documented for the European Alps, substantial uncertainties concerning the regional spatio-temporal patterns of temperature changes associated with the LIA still exist, especially for their eastern sector. Here we present a high-resolution (4-10 years) 700-year long mean July air temperature reconstruction based on subfossil chironomid assemblages from a remote lake in the Austrian Eastern Alps to gain further insights into the LIA climatic deterioration in the region. The record provides evidence for a prolonged period of predominantly cooler conditions during AD 1530-1920, broadly equivalent to the climatically defined LIA in Europe. The main LIA phase appears to have consisted of two cold time intervals divided by slightly warmer episodes in the second half of the 1600s. The most severe cooling occurred during the eighteenth century. The LIA temperature minimum about 1.5 °C below the long-term mean recorded in the mid-1780 s coincides with the strongest volcanic signal found in the Greenland ice cores over the past 700 years and may be, at least in part, a manifestation of cooling that followed the long-lasting AD 1783-1784 Laki eruption. A continuous warming trend is evident since ca AD 1890 (1.1 °C in 120 years). The chironomid-inferred temperatures show a clear correlation with the instrumental data and reveal a close agreement with paleotemperature evidence from regional high-elevation tree-ring chronologies. A considerable amount of the variability in the temperature record may be linked to changes in the North Atlantic Oscillation.

Health-related quality of life in lower-risk MDS patients compared with age- and sex-matched reference populations: a European LeukemiaNet study.

In myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), health-related quality of life (HRQoL) represents a relevant patient-reported outcome, which is essential in individualized therapy planning. Prospective data on HRQoL in lower-risk MDS remain rare. We assessed HRQOL by EQ-5D questionnaire at initial diagnosis in 1690 consecutive IPSS-Low/Int-1 MDS patients from the European LeukemiaNet Registry. Impairments were compared with age- and sex-matched EuroQol Group norms. A significant proportion of MDS patients reported moderate/severe problems in the dimensions pain/discomfort (49.5%), mobility (41.0%), anxiety/depression (37.9%), and usual activities (36.1%). Limitations in mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, and EQ-VAS were significantly more frequent in the old, in females, and in those with high co-morbidity burden, low haemoglobin levels, or red blood cells transfusion need (p < 0.001). In comparison to age- and sex-matched peers, the proportion of problems in usual activities and anxiety/depression was significantly higher in MDS patients (p < 0.001). MDS-related restrictions in the dimension mobility were most prominent in males, and in older people (p < 0.001); in anxiety/depression in females and in younger people (p < 0.001); and in EQ-VAS in women and in persons older than 75 years (p < 0.05). Patients newly diagnosed with IPSS lower-risk MDS experience a pronounced reduction in HRQoL and a clustering of restrictions in distinct dimensions of HRQoL as compared with reference populations.

Rock glaciers in crystalline catchments: Hidden permafrost-related threats to alpine headwater lakes.

A global warming-induced transition from glacial to periglacial processes has been identified in mountainous regions around the world. Degrading permafrost in pristine periglacial environments can produce acid rock drainage (ARD) and cause severe ecological damage in areas underlain by sulfide-bearing bedrock. Limnological and paleolimnological approaches were used to assess and compare ARDs generated by rock glaciers, a typical landform of the mountain permafrost domain, and their effects on alpine headwater lakes with similar morphometric features and underlying bedrock geology, but characterized by different intensities of frost action in their catchments during the year. We argue that ARD and its effects on lakes are more severe in the alpine periglacial belt with mean annual air temperatures (MAAT) between -2°C and +3°C, where groundwater persists in the liquid phase for most of the year, in contrast to ARD in the periglacial belt where frost action dominates (MAAT < -2°C). The findings clearly suggest that the ambient air temperature is an important factor affecting the ARD production in alpine periglacial environments. Applying the paleoecological analysis of morphological abnormalities in chironomids through the past millennium, we tested and rejected the hypothesis that unfavorable conditions for aquatic life in the ARD-stressed lakes are largely related to the temperature increase over recent decades, responsible for the enhanced release of ARD contaminants. Our results indicate that the ARDs generated in the catchments are of a long-lasting nature and the frequency of chironomid morphological deformities was significantly higher during the Little Ice Age (LIA) than during pre- or post-LIA periods, suggesting that lower water temperatures may increase the adverse impacts of ARD on aquatic invertebrates. This highlights that temperature-mediated modulations of the metabolism and life cycle of aquatic organisms should be considered when reconstructing long-term trends in the ecotoxicological state of lakes.

Ciliate community structure and interactions within the planktonic food web in two alpine lakes of contrasting transparency.

Climate warming is accelerating the retreat of glaciers and recently, many 'new' glacial turbid lakes have been created. In the course of time, the loss of the hydrological connectivity to a glacier causes, however, changes in their water turbidity and turns these ecosystems into clear ones.To understand potential differences in the food-web structure between glacier-fed turbid and clear alpine lakes, we sampled ciliates, phyto-, bacterio- and zooplankton in one clear and one glacial turbid alpine lake, and measured key physicochemical parameters. In particular, we focused on the ciliate community and the potential drivers for their abundance distribution.In both lakes, the zooplankton community was similar and dominated by the copepod Cyclops abyssorum tatricus and rotifers including Polyarthra dolichoptera, Keratella hiemalis, Keratella cochlearis and Notholca squamula. The phytoplankton community structure differed and it was dominated by the planktonic diatom Fragilaria tenera and the cryptophyte alga Plagioselmis nannoplanctica in the glacial turbid lake, while chrysophytes and dinoflagellates were predominant in the clear one.Ciliate abundance and richness were higher in the glacial turbid lake (∼4000-27 800 Ind L-1, up to 29 species) than in the clear lake (∼570-7150 Ind L-1, up to eight species). The dominant species were Balanion planctonicum, Askenasia cf. chlorelligera, Urotricha cf. furcata and Mesodinium cf. acarus. The same species dominated in both lakes, except for Mesodinium cf. acarus and some particle-associated ciliates, which occurred exclusively in the glacial turbid lake. The relative underwater solar irradiance (i.e. percentage of PAR and UVR at depth) significantly explained their abundance distribution pattern, especially in the clear water lake. In the glacial turbid lake, the abundance of the dominating ciliate taxa was mainly explained by the presence of predatory zooplankton.Our results revealed an unexpected high abundance and richness of protists (algae, ciliates) in the glacial turbid lake. This type of lake likely offers more suitable environmental conditions and resource niches for protists than the clear and highly UV transparent lake.

Synthesis of novel palladium(0) nanocatalysts by microorganisms from heavy-metal-influenced high-alpine sites for dehalogenation of polychlorinated dioxins.

In a search for new aqueous-phase systems for catalyzing reactions of environmental and industrial importance, we prepared novel biogenerated palladium (Pd) nanocatalysts using a "green" approach based on microorganisms isolated from high-alpine sites naturally impacted by heavy metals. Bacteria and fungi were enriched and isolated from serpentinite-influenced ponds (Totalp region, Parsenn, near Davos, Graubünden, Switzerland). Effects on growth dynamics were monitored using an automated assay in 96-well microtiter plates, which allowed for simultaneous cultivation and on-line analysis of Pd(II)- and Ni(II)-mediated growth inhibition. Microorganisms from Totalp ponds tolerated up to 3mM Pd(II) and bacterial isolates were selected for cultivation and reductive synthesis of Pd(0) nanocatalysts at microbial interfaces. During reduction of Pd(II) with formate as the electron donor, Pd(0) nanoparticles were formed and deposited in the cell envelope. The Pd(0) catalysts produced in the presence of Pd(II)-tolerant Alpine Pseudomonas species were catalytically active in the reductive dehalogenation of model polychlorinated dioxin congeners. This is the first report which shows that Pd(0) synthesized in the presence of microorganisms catalyzes the reductive dechlorination of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs). Because the "bioPd(0)" catalyzed the dechlorination reactions preferably via non-lateral chlorinated intermediates, such a pathway could potentially detoxify PCDDs via a "safe route". It remains to be determined whether the microbial formation of catalytically active metal catalysts (e.g., Zn, Ni, Fe) occurs in situ and whether processes involving such catalysts can alter the fate and transport of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in Alpine habitats.

Rock glacier outflows may adversely affect lakes: lessons from the past and present of two neighboring water bodies in a crystalline-rock watershed.

Despite the fact that rock glaciers are one of the most common geomorphological expressions of mountain permafrost, the impacts of their solute fluxes on lakes still remain largely obscure. We examined water and sediment chemistry, and biota of two neighboring water bodies with and without a rock glacier in their catchments in the European Alps. Paleolimnological techniques were applied to track long-term temporal trends in the ecotoxicological state of the water bodies and to establish their baseline conditions. We show that the active rock glacier in the mineralized catchment of Lake Rasass (RAS) represents a potent source of acid rock drainage that results in enormous concentrations of metals in water, sediment, and biota of RAS. The incidence of morphological abnormalities in the RAS population of Pseudodiamesa nivosa, a chironomid midge, is as high as that recorded in chironomid populations inhabiting sites heavily contaminated by trace metals of anthropogenic origin. The incidence of morphological deformities in P. nivosa of ∼70% persisted in RAS during the last 2.5 millennia and was ∼40% in the early Holocene. The formation of RAS at the toe of the rock glacier most probably began at the onset of acidic drainage in the freshly deglaciated area. The present adverse conditions are not unprecedented in the lake's history and cannot be associated exclusively with enhanced thawing of the rock glacier in recent years.

Copepods in turbid shallow soda lakes accumulate unexpected high levels of carotenoids.

Carotenoids are protective pigments present in many aquatic organisms that reduce the photooxidative stress induced by short-wavelenght solar radiation, yet increase their susceptibility to predators. Arctodiaptomus spinosus, a calanoid copepod typically found in many fishless shallow soda lakes, shows large between-lake differences in pigmentation. Here, we attribute these differences to the environmental state of these ecosystems, namely, 'dark water' lakes with submersed vegetation and turbid 'white' lakes lacking macrophytes. Copepod carotenoid concentration in the turbid 'white' lakes was significantly (about 20-fold) higher than in the 'dark water' ones, although the latter systems were characterized by higher transparency. In addition, males had on a dry weight basis around three times higher carotenoid concentrations than females. Mycosporine-like amino acids (direct UV screening substances) were found in all cases, but in low concentration. The environmental conditions in these ecosystems were largely shaped by the presence/absence of submersed macrophytes Thus, in the turbid lakes, the strong wind-driven mixis allows for copepods to be brought to the surface and being exposed to solar radiation, whereas in 'dark water' ones, macrophytes reduce water turbulence and additionally provide shelter. Our results explain the counter-intuitive notion of strong red pigmentation in copepods from a turbid ecosystem and suggest that factors other than high UV transparency favor carotenoid accumulation in zooplankton.

Holocene temperature variations at a high-altitude site in the Eastern Alps: a chironomid record from Schwarzsee ob Sölden, Austria.

Few well-dated, quantitative Holocene temperature reconstructions exist from high-altitude sites in the Central Eastern Alps. Here, we present a chironomid-based quantitative reconstruction of mean July air temperatures (T(July)) throughout the Holocene for a remote high-mountain lake, Schwarzsee ob Sölden, situated above the treeline at 2796 m a.s.l. in the Austrian Alps. Applying a chironomid-temperature inference model developed from lakes of the Alpine region to a high-resolution chironomid record from the lake provides evidence for early Holocene (ca 10000-8600 cal yr BP) T(July) of up to 8.5 °C, i.e. >4 °C above the modern (1977-2006) mean July temperature. The reconstruction reveals the so-called '8.2-ka cold event' centered at ca 8250-8000 cal yr BP with temperatures ca 3 °C below the early-Holocene thermal maximum. Rather warm (ca 6 °C) and productive conditions prevailed during ca 7900-4500 cal yr BP. The chironomid record suggests a climate transition between ca 5200 and 4500 cal yr BP to cooler T(July). A distinct cooling trend is evident from ca 4500 until ca 2500 cal yr BP. Thereafter, the study site experienced its coldest conditions (around 4 °C or less) throughout the rest of the Holocene, with the exception of the warming trend during the late 20th century. Beside other factors, the Northern Hemisphere summer insolation seems to be the major driving force for the long-term trends in T(July) at high altitudes in the Eastern Alps. Due to the extreme location of the lake and the limited temperature range represented by the applied calibration data set, the chironomid-based temperature reconstruction fails to track phases of the late-Holocene climatic history with T(July) cooler than 4 °C. Further chironomid-based palaeoclimate model and down-core studies are required to address this problem, provide more realistic T(July) estimates from undisturbed high-altitude lakes in the Alps, and extract a reliable regional temperature signal.