MARTI, J. 1983. Sensitivity of lichen phycobionts to dissolved air pollutants. Can. J. Bot. 61: 1647-1653. Cultured phycobionts of various epiphytic lichens were exposed to aqueous solutions of either sulfite, nitrite, sulfate, or nitrate, simulating an acute pollutant stress for a short time. ' The impact of these pollutants was determined by measuring the chlorophyll content and the '4C-incorporation rates. Nitrate and sulfate proved to be nontoxic at pH 4, whereas distinct differences were noted in the sensitivity of the various phycobionts to sulfite and nitrite. In many of the species examined there were clear correlations with data available on the sensitivity of the whole lichen thallus. In some species, however, the phycobiont was either distinctly less sensitive or less tolerant than would be expected from ecological studies on the geographical distribution of the lichen. MARTI, J . 1983. Sensitivity of lichen phycobionts to dissolved air pollutants. Can. J. Bot. 61: 1647-1653. Des phycobiontes de divers lichens Cpiphytes ont CtC cultivCs puis exposCs a des solutions de sulfite, de nitrite, de sulfate ou de nitrate, de manikre a simuler un stress aigu de pollution pendant une courte pCriode. L'impact de ces polluants a CtC dCterminC en mesurant la teneur en chlorophylle et le taux d'incorporation de I4C. Le nitrate et le sulfate se sont avCrCs non toxiques ? i pH 4, alors que des diffkrences trks marquCes ont CtC relevees dans la sensibilitC des divers phycobiontes au sulfite et au nitrite. Pour plusieurs des espkces CtudiCes, il y a une corrtlation claire entre ces rCsultats et les donnCes disponibles sur la sensibilitk du thalle 1ichCnique complet. Cependant, pour certaines espkces, le phycobionte Ctait soit moins sensible, soit moins tolCrant qu'on aurait pu le prCdire a partir des ttudes Ccologiques sur la distribution gkographique des lichens. [Traduit par le journal]

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<b><i>Background:</i></b> Therapy in whole medical systems involves a large number of medicinal products. One source of knowledge of clinical properties of such products is the experience of therapy providers. A systematic approach to documentation, assessment, and aggregation of physicians’ experiences with anthroposophic medicinal products (AMPs) has been developed: the <i>Vademecum of Anthroposophic Medicines</i>. <b><i>Material and Methods:</i></b> The <i>Vademecum</i> contains structured information on AMPs, including therapeutic rationale, indications, and therapy recommendations. The information is based on a 17-item questionnaire of physicians’ therapy experiences, which is peer-reviewed by an interdisciplinary editorial board. We conducted a descriptive analysis of the <i>Vademecum</i>, 4th edition. <b><i>Results:</i></b> The <i>Vademecum</i> comprised 799 different AMPs, used for 1,773 indications, based on 2,543 questionnaires submitted by 274 physicians from 19 countries. The 799 AMPs comprised 52.6% of all AMPs marketed in Germany in 2015–2016. The 1,773 indications corresponded to 544 different ICD-10 three-digit codes, amounting to 29.3% (<i>n</i> = 544/1,854) of all three-digit codes. A total of 30.6% (<i>n</i> = 542/1,773) of indications were supported by ≥2 questionnaires. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> The current <i>Vade­mecum</i> covers more than half of all AMPs, used for more than one fourth of all ICD-10 three-digit codes. The <i>Vademecum</i> approach may be relevant for medicinal products from other whole medical systems.

40 years of environmental monitoring in the area of influence of a waste incineration plant The waste incineration plant (WIP) of Niederurnen (canton of Glarus, Switzerland) was opened at the end of 1973. It is situated in a plain at the foot of a mountain slope covered with beech trees. In the context of the licensing procedure, the local community requested a monitoring program to document the effects the plant would have on the environment. As a consequence, starting in 1971, three examples of sampling were carried out before the WIP came into operation at the end of 1973 and a monitoring program on the basis of the analysis of chloride, heavy metals and other elements in the leaves of mature beech trees was started. At 22 sites around the plant, leaves were harvested annually over a period of 40 years. Initially, the plant system had only simple flue-gas cleaning. Following Swiss air pollution control legislation, the cleaning system was improved in several steps. These improvements resulted in marked decreases in the concentrations of foliar chloride and zinc. Foliar chloride (and zinc) concentration may be considered as a good bioindicator for the environmental effects of a WIP.

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