Efficacy of a starch-iodide swab technique to detect the illegal use of bleach in a Spiny Lobster (Panulirus argus) fishery

The destructive and illegal practice of using chemicals (bleach, dishwashing liquid, gasoline) to catch spiny lobster (Panulirus argus) is thought to be common throughout much of the Bahamian Archipelago. Injection of a chemical irritant into a lobster den will result in either a rapid escape response or a subduing effect, both of which make it easier to capture spiny lobster. We used both laboratory and field trials to determine the efficacy of a starch-iodide swab technique to identify lobsters that had been exposed to bleach solution (NaOCl). All lobsters exposed to bleach tested positive immediately following exposure and for varying periods thereafter. No false positives were detected on control lobsters. The average length of time that bleach remained detectable on the exoskeleton was 6.2 and 9.6 h in the laboratory and field, respectively, with some individuals testing positive 12 h after exposure. The swab technique will provide fishery officers with a powerful tool to reduce or eliminate the illegal use of bleach for harvesting spiny lobster.     

THE USE OF GATED RADIONUCLIDE VENTRICULOGRAPHY AS A NONINVASIVE METHOD OF EVALUATING RIGHT VENTRICULAR FUNCTION IN DOGS WITH EXPERIMENTALLY INDUCED CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE

Gated radionuclide ventriculography was evaluated as a noninvasive method of quantifying right ventricular function in dogs with experimentally induced congestive heart failure. Gated radionuclide ventriculography measurements of right ventricular function (right ventricular ejection fraction, right ventricular average emptying rate, and right ventricular average filling rate) were related to standard hemodynamic and echocardiographic measurements. Congestive heart failure was induced by rapid ventricular pacing in eight normal dogs. Hemodynamic, echocardiographic, and gated radionuclide ventriculography measurements were obtained before and after development of biventricular failure. Congestive heart failure resulted in significant changes in all hemodynamic, echocardiographic, and gated radionuclide ventriculography measurements with the exception of systemic arterial pressure. Right ventricular ejection fraction was inversely related to pulmonary artery systolic, diastolic, and mean pressure, and right ventricular average emptying rate was inversely related to the pulmonary artery systolic, diastolic, and mean pressure. Right ventricular ejection fraction was inversely related to left ventricular filling pressure, (pulmonary capillary wedge pressure). Neither the echocardiographic measurements of right ventricular size (right ventricular internal diastolic dimension) nor the right ventricular end-diastolic pressure were related to right ventricular ejection fraction and right ventricular average emptying rate. However, echocardiographic measurements of right ventricular dimension were related to right ventricular filling pressure. The gated radionuclide ventriculography indexes of right ventricular function, right ventricular ejection fraction and right ventricular average emptying rate, are affected by afterload but unaffected by preload, whereas the echocardiographic measurement of right ventricular dimension is related to preload. Gated radionuclide ventriculography provides right ventricular data which is unique from that obtained by standard echocardiographic imaging. Also, gated radionuclide ventriculography has potential value as a noninvasive means of estimating a change in pulmonary artery pressure.     

Postlarvae and juveniles of a selected line of Penaeus stylirostris are resistant to infectious hypodermal and hematopoietic necrosis virus infection

A susceptibility study of postlarvae (PL) and juvenile Super Shrimp®, a selected line of Penaeus stylirostris, was conducted to compare their resistance to infectious hypodermal and hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHHNV) infection to that of a specific pathogen free (SPF) population of P. vannamei. Super Shrimp® PLs were fed with IHHNV-infected shrimp tissue for 2 days and then maintained on a pelletized ration for an additional 28 days. PLs were sampled at days 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30. There was no apparent mortality during the experimental period. Tissue DNA extracted from the PLs was analyzed for the presence of IHHNV by PCR. Low levels of IHHNV were detected only in DNA extracts from samples at days 1, 2, and 3. No IHHNV DNA was detected from days 4 to 30. The days that the PLs were weakly IHHNV-PCR positive were during the period that they were being fed with IHHNV-tissue, and thus, the IHHNV DNA signal was suspected to be from the infected tissue used as a feed. Through both histology and in situ hybridization, we confirmed that tissues of Super Shrimp® PLs were not infected with IHHNV. PCR results of another IHHNV challenge study with juveniles of Super Shrimp® were similar to those with PLs. These results indicate that IHHNV did not replicate in the PL and juvenile Super Shrimp®. In contrast, P. vannamei juveniles, which were used as a positive control, showed a more intense IHHNV infection, as determined by PCR detection, beginning at 6 days postchallenge and increasing throughout the remainder of the study. In addition, the IHHNV-infected P. vannamei at 30 days postchallenge showed histological changes characteristic of IHHNV infection and had a positive reaction for IHHNV with in situ hybridization. Our studies show that Super Shrimp® are resistant to IHHNV infection. This is the first unequivocal demonstration of resistance to viral infection in shrimp.     

Arctic air pollution: origins and impacts

Notable warming trends have been observed in the Arctic. Although increased human-induced emissions of long-lived greenhouse gases are certainly the main driving factor, air pollutants, such as aerosols and ozone, are also important. Air pollutants are transported to the Arctic, primarily from Eurasia, leading to high concentrations in winter and spring (Arctic haze). Local ship emissions and summertime boreal forest fires may also be important pollution sources. Aerosols and ozone could be perturbing the radiative budget of the Arctic through processes specific to the region: Absorption of solar radiation by aerosols is enhanced by highly reflective snow and ice surfaces; deposition of light-absorbing aerosols on snow or ice can decrease surface albedo; and tropospheric ozone forcing may also be contributing to warming in this region. Future increases in pollutant emissions locally or in mid-latitudes could further accelerate global warming in the Arctic.     

Induced pluripotent stem cells generated from patients with ALS can be differentiated into motor neurons

The generation of pluripotent stem cells from an individual patient would enable the large-scale production of the cell types affected by that patient's disease. These cells could in turn be used for disease modeling, drug discovery, and eventually autologous cell replacement therapies. Although recent studies have demonstrated the reprogramming of human fibroblasts to a pluripotent state, it remains unclear whether these induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells can be produced directly from elderly patients with chronic disease. We have generated iPS cells from an 82-year-old woman diagnosed with a familial form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). These patient-specific iPS cells possess properties of embryonic stem cells and were successfully directed to differentiate into motor neurons, the cell type destroyed in ALS.     

The Genome sequence of the SARS-associated coronavirus

We sequenced the 29,751-base genome of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-associated coronavirus known as the Tor2 isolate. The genome sequence reveals that this coronavirus is only moderately related to other known coronaviruses, including two human coronaviruses, HCoV-OC43 and HCoV-229E. Phylogenetic analysis of the predicted viral proteins indicates that the virus does not closely resemble any of the three previously known groups of coronaviruses. The genome sequence will aid in the diagnosis of SARS virus infection in humans and potential animal hosts (using polymerase chain reaction and immunological tests), in the development of antivirals (including neutralizing antibodies), and in the identification of putative epitopes for vaccine development.     

Nutrient Removal from Simulated Wastewater Using Canna indica and Schoenoplectus validus in Mono- and Mixed-Culture in Wetland Microcosms

In order to understand the bioaccumulation of mercury in fish in the Iranian coastal waters of the Caspian Sea and the Persian Gulf, different fish species were sampled from both regions in January 2002. Mullet fishes were sampled from the Caspian Sea and six other species from the Persian Gulf: Largetooth flounder, Spotfin flathead, Japanese threadfin bream, Greater lizardfish, Elongate sole and Giant seacatfish. In the Persian Gulf, total Hg concentrations in fish ranged from 0.0123 to 0.0867 mg kg^?1 w.w. (0.0614 to 0.433 mg kg^?1 d.w.). Methylmercury accounts for 64–100% of the total mercury. Highest mercury concentrations were observed in the predatory fish: Giant seacatfish, Threadfin bream and the larger Greater lizardfish caught near Mogham Port. In these species the methylmercury fraction is always higher than 90%. A low methylmercury fraction was only observed in the smallest specimen of flounder and Elongate sole. In the Caspian Sea Hg concentrations in Mullet ranged from 0.0102 to 0.108 mg kg^?1 w.w. The observed concentrations are comparable to those found in other areas of the Persian Gulf as well as in other marine environments and are much lower then the WHO guideline of 0.5 mg kg^?1 w.w.