Effects of bacterial lipopolysachharide on peripheral leukocytes in the American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis)

Alligators were injected intraperitoneally with four different doses (10, 1.0, 0.1, and 0.01 mg/kg body weight) of a mixture of bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS) derived from three different types of bacteria (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Klebsiella pneumoniae). Injection of the alligators with the LPS mixture resulted in a dose- and time-dependent increase in total peripheral leukocytes Lymphocytes increased at days 3 and 4 post-injection, and decreased back to baseline levels at day 7 for all doses. Alligators that were not treated, and those injected with pyrogen-free saline, did not exhibit statistically significant changes in total leukocytes during the course of the study. Injection of alligators with 0.5 mg LPS/kg body weight derived from one of three bacterial species revealed that the leukocyte increases observed were not statistically different for all three types of LPS. The animals displayed the same increases in total counts and the levels of all circulating leukocyte types were not different between animals treated with a combination of LPS from all three bacterial species.     

An impactor origin for lunar magnetic anomalies

The Moon possesses strong magnetic anomalies that are enigmatic given the weak magnetism of lunar rocks. We show that the most prominent grouping of anomalies can be explained by highly magnetic extralunar materials from the projectile that formed the largest and oldest impact crater on the Moon: the South Pole-Aitken basin. The distribution of projectile materials from a model oblique impact coincides with the distribution of magnetic anomalies surrounding this basin, and the magnetic properties of these materials can account for the intensity of the observed anomalies if they were magnetized in a core dynamo field. Distal ejecta from this event can explain the origin of isolated magnetic anomalies far from this basin.     

Evaluation of Three Treatment Modalities against Isospora amphiboluri in Inland Bearded Dragons (Pogona vitticeps)

The inland bearded dragon (Pogona vitticeps) is an economically important lizard in herpetoculture, with an annual estimate of 500,000 juvenile bearded dragons produced in the United States. Within the last few years, Isospora amphiboluri has been recognized as an important disease-causing parasite of bearded dragons; this is associated with significant mortalities in juvenile dragons. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of 3 different treatment modalities (a probiotic, a sulfonamide, and an herbal extract) against I. amphiboluri in bearded dragons. Sixty juvenile bearded dragons that were positive for I. amphiboluri were used in this study. Each group was treated daily for 21 consecutive days with 1 of 4 treatments: isotonic saline solution, sulfadimethoxine, a probiotic, or essential oil of oregano. Fecal samples were collected during this period and screened for the presence of I. amphiboluri. There was no significant difference in the positive status of the control (P = 0.99), probiotic (P = 0.39), or oregano (P = 0.11) groups over time. There was a significant difference in the positive status of the sulfadimethoxine group over time (P = 0.0001). The results of this study demonstrate that sulfadimethoxine may be used to eliminate or significantly reduce oocyst shedding in a majority of bearded dragons after a 21-day treatment period. Additional testing with other sulfonamides, higher doses of sulfadimethoxine, and/or longer treatment duration with sulfadimethoxine may also prove useful. Because some changes in oocyst numbers were observed in the other 3 treatment groups, it is possible that parasite control through the other treatment modalities tested in this study may also have value.     

New perspectives on Holocene flooding in Ireland using meta-analysis of fluvial radiocarbon dates

The last decade has seen advances in models of Holocene river flooding founded on meta-analysis of fluvial ¹⁴C databases allied to new multivariate environmental correlatives. This investigation presents application of these generic meta-analysis techniques to 33 stratigraphically significant ‘change after’ dates in a new fluvial ¹⁴C database for Ireland. Despite the relatively small number of ¹⁴C dates, the emerging pattern of Holocene flooding in Ireland corresponds closely to palaeoclimate proxies for regional temperature and precipitation, and to recently published results from a much larger British database. An underlying climate forcing of fluvial activity is proposed, although Irish ‘flooding episodes’ appear to lag those in Britain by ca. 100 to 300 years. This may be caused by ¹⁴C date precision and the embryonic nature of the Irish database, but could also reflect the respective effects of peatland cover and glacial inheritance on hydrological connectivity and sediment delivery resulting in a slower response of Irish rivers to climate events. These considerations, together with an increasing focus on regional variations in fluvial activity across the Holocene, will only be properly addressed with a more concerted and expanded programme of research in Ireland. Renewed research focus should seek to broaden the geographical coverage of ¹⁴C dated fluvial sites, with particular emphasis given to collaborative research of Irish lowland river catchments, especially where suitable palaeochannel and flood basin depositional contexts are present.     

Adsorption of dissolved organic carbon and sulfate by acid forest soils in the Fichtelgebirge,FRG

The adsorption of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and sulfate was examined in mineral horizons of acid soils from damaged (Oberwarmensteinach) and healthy (Wülfersreuth) Norway spruce forested sites in the Fichtelgebirge (NE-Bavaria). The A horizons of both sites desorbed DOC at all levels added, whereas the B horizons (Bs and Bv) retained added DOC at levels > 5 mmol C kg^?1. An initial mass isotherm used on the B horizon data indicated that these soils have a greater affinity for DOC than B horizons from Spodosols in the northeastern U.S. Sulfate was only retained at high solution levels, and retention was pH dependent. Nitrate and sulfate additions (1000 μeq L^?1 anion) had minor effects on DOC adsorption. Overall, there was little difference in DOC or sulfate retention at the two sites, indicating atmospheric deposition inputs have not affected these processes.