Galaxies, human eyes, and artificial neural networks

The quantitative morphological classification of galaxies is important for understanding the origin of type frequency and correlations with environment. However, galaxy morphological classification is still mainly done visually by dedicated individuals, in the spirit of Hubble's original scheme and its modifications. The rapid increase in data on galaxy images at low and high redshift calls for a re-examination of the classification schemes and for automatic methods. Here are shown results from a systematic comparison of the dispersion among human experts classifying a uniformly selected sample of more than 800 digitized galaxy images. These galaxy images were then classified by six of the authors independently. The human classifications are compared with each other and with an automatic classification by an artificial neural network, which replicates the classification by a human expert to the same degree of agreement as that between two human experts.     

The efficacy of a single intraperitoneal injection of oxolinic acid in the treatment of bacterial infections in goldsinny wrasse (Ctenolabrus rupestris) and corkwing wrasse (Symphodus melops) studied under field and laboratory conditions

The efficacy of a single intraperitoneal injection of oxolinic acid to control an outbreak of atypical Aeromonas salmonicida infection in goldsinny wrasse (Ctenolabrus rupestris) and in the treatment of systemic vibriosis in corkwing wrasse (Symphodus melops) was examined. In addition a field study was performed to examine the effect of medication on the survival rate of goldsinny wrasse in Atlantic salmon cages. Four groups of wild caught goldsinny wrasse, each of 50 fish, were treated with an intraperitoneal injection of propylene glycol:saline (50:50) (control) or 50 mg/kg oxolinic acid at a concentration of 50 mg/mL. Three days after medication the fish in all groups were treated by an intraperitoneal injection of prednisolone acetate and an increase in seawater temperature from 9.0 to 11.5 degrees C. Cumulative mortalities were 18% in the two groups treated with oxolinic acid and 94 and 100% in the unmedicated control groups, giving a 'relative percentage survival' (RPS) value of 82%. A laboratory maintained population of originally wild caught corkwing wrasse experiencing high daily mortality was treated with oxolinic acid (50 mg/kg) or propylene glycol:saline (control). Cumulative mortalities were 84% (control) and 42% (oxolinic acid medicated group) giving an RPS value of 50%. In a field investigation using goldsinny wrasse approximately 30% were medicated with oxolinic acid (50 mg/kg) prior to stocking in cages with Atlantic salmon. In two of three cages the cumulative mortality was significantly lower (P = 0.025 and P < 0.001) in the medicated groups.     

Treatment of the early life stages of scallop (Pecten maximus) with antimicrobial agents; searching for an alternative to chloramphenicol

High mortality rates are often observed in rearing the early stages of the great scallop, Pecten maximus. The addition of antibacterial agents has been necessary to improve larval survival. However, as one antibacterial agent, chloramphenicol, is banned in Norway and Europe the aim of this study is to investigate alternative antibacterial agents. The therapeutic agents investigated in this study were florfenicol, oxytetracycline, oxolinic acid, neomycin and Pyceze. The mean minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values were determined for oxytetracycline, oxolinic acid and Pyceze against bacteria isolated from scallop larvae. Two types of treatment regime were investigated on an intermediate scale (20 L). One regime involved continuous exposure of scallop larvae to the therapeutic agent while the other involved a short exposure lasting two hours. All intermediate scale treatments were performed in parallel to large-scale production (800 L) treatment with chloramphenicol. Of the therapeutants investigated, oxolinic acid was the most effective, although only at high concentrations. The short exposure of two hours was ineffective for all therapeutics.     

The efficacy of a single intraperitoneal injection of either flumequine or oxytetracycline hydrochloride in prevention of outbreaks of atypical Aeromonas salmonicida infection in goldsinny wrasse, Ctenolabrus rupestris L., following stress.

In this investigation, the efficacy of a single intraperitonealinjection of either flumequine or oxytetracycline hydrochloride to preventoutbreak of atypical Aeromonas salmonicida infection ingoldsinny wrasse, Ctenolabrus rupestris, following stresswas studied. Six groups of goldsinny wrasse, each of 50 individuals, weretreated with an intraperitoneal injection of either propylene glycol : saline(50 : 50), 200 mg kg^–1 of oxytetracycline or 50mg kg^–1 of flumequine dissolved in propyleneglycol : saline (50 : 50). Three days following medication the fish in allgroups were stressed by an intraperitoneal injection of prednisolone acetate(0.05 ml) and a rise in seawater temperature from 9 to 11°C. Mortality was observed daily for 21 days. Flumequine wasthe more effective with a mean cumulative mortality of 5% compared tooxytetracycline with 54%. The mean cumulative mortality in the unmedicatedcontrol groups was 84%. Bacterial examination of kidneys from dead fishconfirmed the presence of atypical A. salmonicida as theprobable cause of death. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values forflumequine and oxytetracycline against the isolated A.salmonicida were determined to 0.13 gml^–1, and 2.0 g ml^–1,respectively.     

Experimental infection of Atlantic halibut, Hippoglossus hippoglossus L., yolk-sac larvae with infectious pancreatic necrosis virus: detection of virus by immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization

Three different concentrations (10⁷, 10⁵ and 10³ TCID₅₀ ml^-1) of infectious pancreatic necrosis virus (IPNV) serotype Sp isolated from Atlantic halibut, Hippoglossus hippoglossus L., were used to bath-challenge Atlantic halibut yolk-sac larvae. The larvae challenged with 10⁷ TCID₅₀ ml^-1 suffered significantly higher cumulative mortality than the other challenged groups and the control group, and affected individuals displayed necrosis of the intestine, liver and kidney. In larvae from the groups challenged with 10⁷ and 10⁵ TCID₅₀ ml^-1, IPNV was detected by immunohistochemistry and in situ RNA/DNA hybridization in the intestine, liver and kidney. In addition, some individuals stained IPNV-positive in the heart and eye/brain region. Detection by in situ hybridization did not appear to be more sensitive than immunohistochemistry. However, background staining was virtually absent in comparison with immunohistochemistry, and the staining seemed to be more distinctly localized to the cytoplasm of infected cells. The results show that farmed halibut yolk-sac larvae can be infected by IPNV immediately after hatching, with resulting high mortality. As the larvae are not immunologically mature at this stage of development, vaccination is not recommended.     

Addition of bacteria bioencapsulated in Artemia metanauplii to a rearing system for halibut larvae

Theaim of this study was to determine whether it is possible to influence thespecies composition of the gut microflora in 70-days old halibut larvae(Hippoglossus hippoglossus L.) by addition of bacteriabioencapsulated in Artemia franciscana in two shortpulses.Two Vibrio strains, PB 1-11 and PB 6-1 were used. Twotreatments received each strain alone, a third treatment received the twobacterial strains in mixture, whereas in a control treatment no bacteria wereadded. Five fish tanks were included in each treatment. The bacteria werebioencapsulated in Artemia franciscana metanauplii duringashort-term incubation in bacterial suspensions of the specific strains, andwereadded in two pulses, on day 1 and day 10 of the experiment. Addition ofbacteriadid not increase the total number of colony-forming units (CFU) in the larvalgut. The total CFU in the water was lower in tanks added bioencapsulatedbacteria than in the control treatment (p < 0.05). Animmunocolony blot assay was used to measure the numbers of the specificbacteriaadded in samples of water, A. franciscana, and fishlarvae.At the end of the experiment on day 13, the strain PB 1-11 reached on average10% of the total CFU when added alone and 25% when added in mixture with PB6-1.Strain PB 6-1 reached at the end of the experiment 26.8% of the total CFU whenadded alone and 24.2% when added in mixture with PB 1-11, whereas thepercentages of PB 1-11 and PB 6-1 in the control fish were 12.7% and 10.8% ofthe total CFU, respectively. However, the differences between the experimentaltreatments compared with the control group were not significant(p > 0.05). The addition of bioencapsulated bacteria intwo pulses within a ten days period was therefore not sufficient to influencethe species composition of the microflora of the halibut larvae.     

Growth and carbon sequestration by ectomycorrhizal fungi in intensively fertilized Norway spruce forests

A substantial portion of the carbon (C) fixed by the trees is allocated belowground to ectomycorrhizal (EM) symbionts, but this fraction usually declines after fertilization. The aim of the present study was to estimate the effect of optimal fertilization (including all the necessary nutrients) on the growth of EM fungi in young Norway spruce forests over a three year period. In addition, the amount of carbon sequestered by EM mycelia was estimated using a method based on the difference in δ¹³C between C₃ and C₄ plants. Sand-filled ingrowth mesh bags were used to estimate EM growth, and similar bags amended with compost made from maize leaves (a C₄ plant) were used to estimate C sequestration. Fertilizers had been applied either every year or every second year since 2002 and the estimates of EM growth started in 2007. The application of fertilizer reduced EM growth to between 0% and 40% of the growth in the control plots at one site (Ebbegärde), while no significant effect was found at the other three sites studied. The effect of the fertilizer was similar in sand-filled and maize-compost-amended mesh bags, but the total production of EM fungi was 3-4 times higher in maize-compost-amended mesh bags. The fertilizer tended to reduce EM growth more when applied every year than when applied every second year. The amount of C sequestered in maize-compost-amended mesh bags collected from unfertilized treatments was estimated to be between 0.2 and 0.7 mg C g sand⁻¹ at Ebbegärde and between 0.2 and 0.5 mg C g sand⁻¹ at Grängshammar. This corresponds to between 300 and 1100 kg C per ha, assuming a similar production in the soil as in the mesh bags. Fertilization at the Ebbegärde site reduced carbon sequestration, which confirmed the results based on estimates of fungal growth (ergosterol levels). A correlation was found between fungal biomass and δ¹³C in mesh bags amended with maize compost. Based on this, it was estimated that a fungal production of 1 μg ergosterol corresponded to 0.33 mg of sequestered carbon. In conclusion, the effect of the fertilizer on EM growth seemed to be dependent on the effect of the fertilizer on tree growth. Thus, at Ebbegärde, were tree growth was less stimulated by the fertilizer, EM growth was reduced upon fertilization. At other sites, where tree growth was more stimulated, the fertilizer did not influence EM growth. The large amounts of carbon sequestered during the experiment may be a result of fungal residues remaining in the soil after the death of the hyphae.     

Deuterium on Mars: The Abundance of HDO and the Value of D/H

Deuterium on Mars has been detected by the resolution of several Doppler-shifted lines ofHDO near 3.7 micrometers in the planet's spectrum. The ratio of deuterium to hydrogen is (9 +/- 4) x 10(-4); the abundance of H(2)0 was derived from lines near 1.1 micrometers. This ratio is enriched on Mars over the teiluric value by a factor of6 +/- 3. The enrichment implies that hydrogen escaped more rapidly from Mars in the past than it does now, consistent with a dense and warm ancient atmosphere on the planet.     

Surface ices and the atmospheric composition of pluto

Observations of the 1.4- to 2.4-micrometer spectrum of Pluto reveal absorptions of carbon monoxide and nitrogen ices and confirm the presence of solid methane. Frozen nitrogen is more abundant than the other two ices by a factor of about 50; gaseous nitrogen must therefore be the major atmospheric constituent. The absence of carbon dioxide absorptions is one of several differences between the spectra of Pluto and Triton in this region. Both worlds carry information about the composition of the solar nebula and the processes by which icy planetesimals formed.