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Eilif Dahl, who died in 1993, had one of the most original and creative minds in plant geography. His approach went far beyond the description of distribution patterns and the establishment of correlations between distributions and particular climatic variables. His understanding of physiological mechanisms that influenced and controlled the observed distributional patterns was a key feature of his numerous ideas and hypotheses. He was also aware of the importance of history as an influence on present-day plant distribution, especially in arctic plants. In The Phytogeography of Northern Europe Dahl brings to bear his wide range of interests in physics, chemistry, geology, climatology, meteorology and mathematics, as well as plant ecology and plant systematics, to analyse and explain the distribution of individual plant taxa across north-western Europe. This book will stand as a testament to the ideas and inspiration of a fine scientist.

The effects of a small dose of calcitriol (less than or equal to 0.50 micrograms/day) on parathyroid and renal function, bone histomorphometry, and aluminum (Al) metabolism were studied in a randomized double blind study of 30 patients with predialysis chronic renal failure. The patients were followed at least monthly for 8 months. Serum Al levels were measured, and transiliac bone biopsies, double labeled with tetracycline, were obtained at both the beginning and end of the 8-month treatment period. Serum calcium and ionized calcium concentrations increased in the treatment group, and the calcitriol dosage had to be reduced in 8 patients at least once because of hypercalcemia. Calcitriol treatment did not significantly influence either serum A1 levels or the presence of stainable Al in bone. Serum PTH, urinary cAMP excretion, and bone resorption indices decreased in the treatment group, indicating suppression of parathyroid hyperfunction. Throughout the study renal function decreased at a similar rate in both groups, suggesting that calcitriol treatment had no depressive effect on renal function. We conclude that a low dose of calcitriol may be used to preserve or even restore bone metabolism in patients with predialysis chronic renal failure if serum calcium is closely followed and hypercalcemia promptly treated.

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The whole world has recently been following the media frenzy covering the quarantine of Diamond Princess, the first cruise ship that had an outbreak of coronavirus illness (Covid-19) on board. It developed soon after the occurrence of China's Covid-19 outbreak, which-according to the World Health Organization (WHO)-"poses a very grave threat for the rest of the world" and should be viewed as "Public Enemy Number 1" [1]. Lasting more than 14 days, the ship quarantine is unprecedented for the cruise industry, and some maritime health issues of concern may be worth addressing already shortly after the interned passengers and crew had finally disembarked the vessel.

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