Amisk: A clonal variant of Ranger Russet

Amisk was registered in Canada as a clonal variant of Ranger Russet in 1993. Amisk is similar to Ranger Russet in foliage and tuber morphology and DNA analysis did not detect a polymorphism. However, under Canadian prairie conditions, four years of field data indicate that the yield and number of tubers >88 mm is higher for the Amisk clone than for the 1982 clone of Ranger Russet, second growth occurs less frequently and Amisk is more resistant to tuber invasion by verticillium and fusarium wilt pathogens.     

Effects of nanometric roughness on surface properties and fibroblast's initial cytocompatibilities of Ti6Al4V

Titanium alloy (Ti6Al4V) has widespread medical applications because of its excellent biocompatibility. Its biological responses can further be enhanced by polishing and passivation. Unfortunately, preparing titanium alloy samples of nanometric roughness is by far much more difficult than preparing those of micrometric roughness, and numerous investigations on roughness induced effects are all focused on micrometric scales. For the remedy, we investigate, at nanometric scale, the influence of roughness on surface properties and biological responses. Six groups of Ti6Al4V with average roughness (R(a)) values of 2.75-30.34 nm are prepared. The results indicated that nanometric roughness of samples change the wettability and amphoteric OH groups. The contact angles monotonically decrease from 2.75 to 30.34 nm and the rougher surfaces lead to higher wettability. The in vitro cell-culture studies, using Murine NIH-3T3 fibroblasts, showed the spindle-shaped morphology on rougher surface compared to round∕spherical morphology on smoother surface. A cytodetacher is employed to quantitatively measure the initial adhesion force of fibroblasts to specimen. The adhesion strength of fibroblasts, ranging from 55 to 193 nN, is significantly influenced by the nanometric roughness while the surface is within the range of 2.75-30.34 nm R(a) roughness, and the adhesion strength appeared stronger for rougher surface. The cell number on the smoother surface is higher than on the rougher surface at 5-day culture. The studies indicated that nanometric roughness would alter the surface properties and further influence cell morphology, adhesion strength, and proliferation.     

Investigation of the sensitivity and specificity of radiological signs for diagnosis of periapical infection of equine cheek teeth

Reasons for performing study: Radiography is commonly used for the diagnosis of equine cheek teeth (CT) infection but, to our knowledge, no study to date has evaluated the relative values of individual specific radiographic signs when making a diagnosis. Objectives: To investigate the sensitivity and specificity of individual radiographic signs identified from the literature for the diagnosis of CT apical infection using a retrospective case‐control study. Methods: Cropped radiographs taken using computed radiography of 41 apically infected CT and 41 control CT were independently blindly evaluated by 3 clinicians for the presence of 12 predetermined radiographic signs associated with CT apical infection. A final diagnosis of either noninfected or infected was made. Sensitivity and specificity were calculated for the presence or absence of each radiographic sign for each clinician. Uni‐ and multivariable conditional logistic regression were used to determine strength of association of the 12 radiographic signs with apical infection. Results: Median sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of CT apical infection were 76 and 90%, respectively. Periapical sclerosis, clubbing of one or 2 roots, degree of clubbing and periapical halo formation had the highest sensitivities (73–90%), with moderate specificity (61–63%). Multivariable conditional logistic regression revealed that severity of periapical sclerosis and extensive periapical halo were strongly associated with CT apical infection. Conclusions: The presence of periapical sclerosis and formation of a periapical halo were strongly associated with CT apical infection. Computed radiography appears to have a higher sensitivity but similar specificity to previously published results using film radiography to detect CT apical infection. Potential relevance: These findings may aid practitioners when interpreting radiographs of equine CT as to the relative significance of their findings.     

Impact ejecta layer from the mid-Devonian: possible connection to global mass extinctions

We have found evidence for a bolide impacting Earth in the mid-Devonian ( approximately 380 million years ago), including high concentrations of shocked quartz, Ni, Cr, As, V, and Co anomalies; a large negative carbon isotope shift (-9 per mil); and microspherules and microcrysts at Jebel Mech Irdane in the Anti Atlas desert near Rissani, Morocco. This impact is important because it is coincident with a major global extinction event (Kacák/otomari event), suggesting a possible cause-and-effect relation between the impact and the extinction. The result may represent the extinction of as many as 40% of all living marine animal genera.     

Protein kinase C beta and prolyl isomerase 1 regulate mitochondrial effects of the life-span determinant p66Shc

The 66-kilodalton isoform of the growth factor adapter Shc (p66Shc) translates oxidative damage into cell death by acting as reactive oxygen species (ROS) producer within mitochondria. However, the signaling link between cellular stress and mitochondrial proapoptotic activity of p66Shc was not known. We demonstrate that protein kinase C beta, activated by oxidative conditions in the cell, induces phosphorylation of p66Shc and triggers mitochondrial accumulation of the protein after it is recognized by the prolyl isomerase Pin1. Once imported, p66Shc causes alterations of mitochondrial Ca2+ responses and three-dimensional structure, thus inducing apoptosis. These data identify a signaling route that activates an apoptotic inducer shortening the life span and could be a potential target of pharmacological approaches to inhibit aging.     

Economic Impacts of the U.S. Gulf of Mexico Recreational For-Hire Fishing Industry

IMPLAN Version 3.0 was used with a 2008 IMPLAN data package to estimate the economic impacts of the recreational for-hire (RFH) fishing industry in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico (GOM). Initial, direct, indirect, and induced impacts were estimated. Impacts were estimated for head, charter, and guide boat operations for Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama (combined), and West Florida as individual state models, while introducing multiregional spillover effects that account for regional linkages between states. These updated data are necessary to meet national standards set forth by the Magnuson-Stevens Act, such that social and economic ramifications of proposed federal fishing regulations in the GOM can be made part of the overall decision- and policymaking process.     

Artisanal fishing,dolphins, and interactive pinger: A study from a passive acoustic perspective

1. Dolphins interact with many types of fishing gear, causing damage to fishing activities and in some cases facing harm and becoming entangled as bycatch.
2. In this study, the behaviour of bottlenose dolphins during their interaction with set nets, equipped with and without interactive pingers, was investigated. Acoustic monitoring of the nets was conducted for a total of 56 hauls and 814.9 hr of recordings, from the 16 October to 13 November 2015, along the coast of Lampedusa island (Sicilian Channel, Italy, Mediterranean Sea).
3. The level of interaction between dolphins and the nets was evaluated considering the number of dolphin clicks grouped over time (single acoustic incursion on each net), the duration of every acoustic incursion, and the number of dolphin clicks per incursion. Moreover, the catch rate was measured as the number of fish per hour for each net.
4. Based on the recording time of dolphin clicks, the spatio-temporal development of the interaction with the nets located in different bays of the island was assessed.
5. The duration of the interaction between dolphins and nets significantly increased over the study period, with a concomitant reduction in catch rate. The interactive pinger showed efficacy in protecting the nets from dolphin depredation during the first period of 36 hauls and 11 fishing days (higher catch rates and lower incursion durations), whereas no differences were found in any interaction parameters between pinger and control nets in the second period (20 hauls and six fishing days).
6. Interactive pingers may be an effective, short-term (2–3 weeks) tool in deterring depredation by bottlenose dolphins in small-scale artisanal fisheries. Other mitigation approaches, such as gear modification, lessons learned through outreach, and passive acoustic monitoring of the nets, could improve the management of the interactions between fisheries and bottlenose dolphins.

     

Effects of temperature on the induced spawning of channel catfish and the production of channel × blue catfish hybrid fry

Hybrid catfish (channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, female × blue catfish, I. furcatus, male) can be obtained by induced spawning and artificial fertilization but with variable results. Temperature of the surrounding environment affects the rates of physiological processes in fish including time to ovulation following hormone injection and time post-ovulation when quality eggs can be obtained. Brood females were held at 24, 26, and 28 °C in 100 L aquaria and injected with LH-RHa at 20 μg/kg followed 12 h later with 100 μg/kg. Fish were monitored hourly recording the time of the first egg deposit. Some females were manually stripped soon after the first eggs were observed, and the remaining females were stripped 4-6 h after the first eggs were observed. Eggs were artificially fertilized with blue catfish sperm and incubated. The percent of females that ovulated were 52.9%, 82.4% and 95.5% at 24, 26, and 28 °C (P = 0.001) respectively. The majority of females that ovulated did so between 58 to 64 h at 24 °C, 48 to 52 h at 26 °C and 24 to 40 h at 28 °C for a degree hour response time of 1405 ± 117, 1141 ± 238 and 951 ± 261 respectively (P < 0.001). Differences in eggs/kg female, eggs/g of eggs, percent viable eggs, percent hatch and survival of sac fry to swimup resulted in an average of 384.4 ± 316.97 fry/kg female at 24 °C, 370 ± 219.2/kg at 26 °C and 1284 ± 1394.1/kg at 28 °C (P = 0.136). Egg quality varied with how soon eggs were stripped after the first egg was observed. For fish held at 26 and 28 °C. the combined effects of egg quality and fry survival resulted in an average 1081 ± 1483.9 fry/kg female for fish stripped within 2 h after the first eggs were released and 500 fry/kg female when stripped after 4 or more hours once the first eggs were released.