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Soil nematodes were studied in five alpine habitats (sedge mat, pasture, peat bog, moraine, and lichen heath) in the Austrian Alps (Obergurgl, Tyrol) from 2001 to 2002. A total of 75 genera within 49 families were found. The mean nematode population density ranged from 80 to 383 individuals 100 g–1 soil and increased during the short alpine growing season. The most abundant feeding groups were bacterial feeders followed by plant-parasitic nematodes. The number of nematode taxa differed only slightly between habitats. Diversity indices (H' =3.7-4.8 based on genera) and maturity indices (MI = 2.7-3.4) were generally high. Nematode community composition of the pasture and the peat bog differed markedly from the other three sites. Nematode data on genera and feeding types yielded a comparable similarity pattern for all sites but site discrimination was better at the genus level.

The pharynx of Leptonemella juliae is the first pharynx of Adenophorea that has been reconstructed three-dimensionally using TEM serial sections. It is composed of a slightly swollen corpus, a median narrow isthmus, and a pronounced terminal bulb. At its anterior end, the lumen of the pharynx opens into a small buccal cavity without any specific cuticular differentiation, while at the posterior end it is separated from the intestine by a pharyngeo-intestinal valve. The entire pharynx epithelium is delimited from the pharynx lumen by cuticle and from the remaining body by extracellular matrix. The main cellular components of the pharynx of L. juliae are: the radial epithelio-muscle cells and the marginal cells, two subventral and one dorsal gland cells, the nervous system, which consists of six longitudinal nerves stretching from anterior to posterior, one horseshoeshaped commissure, three nerve rings, and three pharyngeal sensory structures (PSS). The ultrastructure and location of gland cells, the sensory structure, and the nervous system appear to be character complexes of value for comparative anatomy. A detailed description of the PSS is presented.

With the new hardware, we were able to cool the brain within a few minutes in a large pig cardiac arrest model. The exact position; the design, diameter, and length of the flush catheter; and the brain perfusion pressure seem to be critical to effectively reduce brain temperature. Redistribution of peripheral blood could lead to sterile inflammation again and might be avoided.

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