Sinking particle fluxes from the euphotic zone over the continental slope of an eastern boundary current region

We analyze data from sediment traps and current meters moored at two locations 100 km apart over the Vancouver Island continental slope during the spring and summer of 1990. Time-series of sinking particle fluxes, major biogenic components (biogenic silica, calcium carbonate, and particulate organic carbon and nitrogen), and stable isotopic composition (δ13Corganic and δ15Ntotal) were determined on samples obtained with sequential sediment traps moored at 200–250 m depth. Associated water property data were obtained from CTD/Rosette profiles taken during trap service periods and from current meters positioned in the surface layer and near the sediment trap. These data indicate that the two locations (a southern site J and a northern site NJ) were hydrographically distinct during the investigation. At site J, we found evidence for frequent upwelling events and more variability in the upper layer water properties. The main difference in the sinking fluxes of particles between the two sites was the occurrence of a one-week event at the end of May at J that contributed about one third of the total particle flux during the sampling period. Otherwise, the total flux collected during the study and the flux of major biogenic particles were similar at both sites. Silica shells dominated the flux of particles, particularly during the spring and early summer period. At both sites, particulate organic carbon rather than calcium carbonate was the main contributor to particulate carbon fluxes. The δ13Corganic showed marked variations during the sampling period at both sites likely due to variations in the growth rate of phytoplankton and in species composition. In comparison, variations in nitrate availability appear to dominate the changes in δ15Ntotal

The social security rights of older international migrants in the European Union

Europe is now home to a significant and diverse population of older international migrants. Social and demographic changes have forced the issue of social security in old age onto the European social policy agenda in the last decade. In spite of an increased interest in the financial well-being of older people, many retired international migrants who are legally resident in the European Union face structured disadvantages. Four linked factors are of particular importance in shaping the pension rights and levels of financial provision available to individual older migrants: migration history, socio-legal status, past relationship to the paid labour market, and location within a particular EU Member State. Building on a typology of older migrants, the paper outlines the ways in which policy at both the European Union and Member State levels serves to diminish rather than enhance the social security rights of certain older international migrants

The Mechanism Underlying Transient Weakness in Myotonia Congenita

In addition to the hallmark muscle stiffness, patients with recessive myotonia congenita (Becker disease) experience debilitating bouts of transient weakness that remain poorly understood despite years of study. We performed intracellular recordings from muscle of both genetic and pharmacologic mouse models of Becker disease to identify the mechanism underlying transient weakness. Our recordings reveal transient depolarizations (plateau potentials) of the membrane potential to -25 to -35 mV in the genetic and pharmacologic models of Becker disease. Both Na + and Ca 2+ currents contribute to plateau potentials. Na + persistent inward current (NaPIC) through Na V 1.4 channels is the key trigger of plateau potentials and current through Ca V 1.1 Ca 2+ channels contributes to the duration of the plateau. Inhibiting NaPIC with ranolazine prevents the development of plateau potentials and eliminates transient weakness in vivo. These data suggest that targeting NaPIC may be an effective treatment to prevent transient weakness in myotonia congenita

Fungal pathogens of Proteaceae

Species of Leucadendron, Leucospermum and Protea (Proteaceae) are in high demand for the international floriculture market due to their brightly coloured and textured flowers or bracts. Fungal pathogens, however, create a serious problem in cultivating flawless blooms. The aim of the present study was to characterise several of these pathogens using morphology, culture characteristics, and DNA sequence data of the rRNA-ITS and LSU genes. In some cases additional genes such as TEF 1-α and CHS were also sequenced. Based on the results of this study, several novel species and genera are described. Brunneosphaerella leaf blight is shown to be caused by three species, namely B. jonkershoekensis on Protea repens, B. nitidae sp. nov. on Protea nitida and B. protearum on a wide host range of Protea spp. (South Africa). Coniothyrium-like species associated with Coniothyrium leaf spot are allocated to other genera, namely Curreya grandicipis on Protea grandiceps, and Microsphaeropsis proteae on P. nitida (South Africa). Diaporthe leucospermi is described on Leucospermum sp. (Australia), and Diplodina microsperma newly reported on Protea sp. (New Zealand). Pyrenophora blight is caused by a novel species, Pyrenophora leucospermi, and not Drechslera biseptata or D. dematoidea as previously reported. Fusicladium proteae is described on Protea sp. (South Africa), Pestalotiopsis protearum on Leucospermum cuneiforme (Zimbabwe), Ramularia vizellae and R. stellenboschensis on Protea spp. (South Africa), and Teratosphaeria capensis on Protea spp. (Portugal, South Africa). Aureobasidium leaf spot is shown to be caused by two species, namely A. proteae comb. nov. on Protea spp. (South Africa), and A. leucospermi sp. nov. on Leucospermum spp. (Indonesia, Portugal, South Africa). Novel genera and species elucidated in this study include Gordonomyces mucovaginatus and Pseudopassalora gouriqua (hyphomycetes), and Xenoconiothyrium catenata (coelomycete), all on Protea spp. (South Africa)

Marine biogeochemical responses to the North Atlantic Oscillation in a coupled climate model

In this study a coupled ocean-atmosphere model containing interactive marine biogeochemistry is used to analyze interannual, lagged, and decadal marine biogeochemical responses to the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), the dominant mode of North Atlantic atmospheric variability. The coupled model adequately reproduces present-day climatologies and NAO atmospheric variability. It is shown that marine biogeochemical responses to the NAO are governed by different mechanisms according to the time scale considered. On interannual time scales, local changes in vertical mixing, caused by modifications in air-sea heat, freshwater, and momentum fluxes, are most relevant in influencing phytoplankton growth through light and nutrient limitation mechanisms. At subpolar latitudes, deeper mixing occurring during positive NAO winters causes a slight decrease in late winter chlorophyll concentration due to light limitation and a 10%–20% increase in spring chlorophyll concentration due to higher nutrient availability. The lagged response of physical and biogeochemical properties to a high NAO winter shows some memory in the following 2 years. In particular, subsurface nutrient anomalies generated by local changes in mixing near the American coast are advected along the North Atlantic Current, where they are suggested to affect downstream chlorophyll concentration with 1 year lag. On decadal time scales, local and remote mechanisms act contemporaneously in shaping the decadal biogeochemical response to the NAO. The slow circulation adjustment, in response to NAO wind stress curl anomalies, causes a basin redistribution of heat, freshwater, and biogeochemical properties which, in turn, modifies the spatial structure of the subpolar chlorophyll bloom

New and Interesting Fungi. 1

This study introduces two new families, one new genus, 22 new species, 10 new combinations, four epitypes, and 16 interesting new host and / or geographical records. Cylindriaceae (based on Cylindrium elongatum) is introduced as new family, with three new combinations.Xyladictyochaetaceae (based on Xyladictyochaetalusitanica) is introduced to accommodate Xyladictyochaeta. Pseudoanungitea gen. nov. (based on P.syzygii)is described on stems of Vaccinium myrtillus(Germany). New species include: Exophiala eucalypticola on Eucalyptus obliqua leaf litter, Phyllosticta hakeicola on leaves of Hakea sp.,Setophaeosphaeriacitricola on leaves of Citrus australasica, and Sirastachyscyperacearum on leaves of Cyperaceae(Australia); Polyscytalum chilense on leaves of Eucalyptus urophylla (Chile); Pseudoanungitea vaccinii on Vaccinium myrtillus (Germany); Teichospora quercus on branch tissue of Quercus sp. (France); Fusiconidiumlycopodiellae on stems of Lycopodiella inundata,Monochaetiajunipericola on twig of Juniperus communis,Myrmecridiumsorbicola on branch tissues of Sorbus aucuparia, Parathyridariaphiladelphi on twigs of Philadelphus coronarius, and Wettsteininaphiladelphi on twigs of Philadelphus coronarius (Germany); Zygosporium pseudogibbum on leaves of Eucalyptus pellita (Malaysia); Pseudoanungiteavariabilis on dead wood (Spain); Alfaria acaciae on leaves of Acacia propinqua, Dictyochaeta mimusopis on leaves of Mimusops caffra,and Pseudocercosporabreonadiae on leaves of Breonadia microcephala (South Africa); Colletotrichumkniphofiae on leaves of Kniphofia uvaria,Subplenodomusiridicola on Iris sp., and Trochila viburnicola on twig cankers on Viburnum sp. (UK); Polyscytalum neofecundissimum on Quercus robur leaf litter, and Roussoellaeuonymi on fallen branches of Euonymus europaeus (Ukraine). New combinations include: Cylindrium algarvense on leaves of Eucalyptus sp. (Portugal), Cylindrium purgamentum on leaf litter (USA), Cylindrium syzygii on leaves of Syzygium sp. (Australia), Microdochium musae on leaves of Musa sp. (Malaysia), Polyscytalum eucalyptigenum on Eucalyptus grandis × pellita (Malaysia), P. eucalyptorum on leaves of Eucalyptus (Australia), P. grevilleae on leaves of Grevillea (Australia), P. nullicananum on leaves of Eucalyptus (Australia), Pseudoanungiteasyzygii on Syzygium cordatum leaf litter (South Africa), and Setophaeosphaeriasidae on leaves of Sida sp. (Brazil). New records include: Sphaerellopsis paraphysata on leaves of Phragmites sp., Vermiculariopsiella dichapetali on leaves of Melaleuca sp. and Eucalyptus regnans, and Xyladictyochaetalusitanica on leaf litter of Eucalyptus sp. (Australia); Camarosporidiella mackenziei on twigs of Caragana sp. (Finland); Cyclothyriella rubronotata on twigs of Ailanthus altissima, Rhinocladiella quercus on Sorbus aucuparia branches (Germany); Cytospora viticola on stems of Vitis vinifera (Hungary); Echinocatena arthrinioides on leaves of Acacia crassicarpa (Malaysia); Varicosporellopsis aquatilis from garden soil (Netherlands); Pestalotiopsis hollandica on needles of Cupressus sempervirens (Spain), Pseudocamarosporiumafricanum on twigs of Erica sp. (South Africa), Pseudocamarosporium brabeji on branch of Platanus sp. (Switzerland); Neocucurbitaria cava on leaves of Quercus ilex (UK); Chaetosphaeriamyriocarpaon decaying wood of Carpinus betulus,Haplograhium delicatum on decaying Carpinus betulus wood (Ukraine). Epitypes are designated for: Elsinoë mimosae on leaves of Mimosa diplotricha (Brazil), Neohendersonia kickxii on Fagus sylvatica twig bark (Italy), Caliciopsis maxima on fronds of Niphidium crassifolium (Brazil), Dictyochaeta septata on leaves of Eucalyptus grandis ×urophylla (Chile), and Microdochium musae on leaves of Musa sp. (Malaysia)

Clinical evaluation of the IONA test: a non-invasive prenatal screening test for trisomies 21, 18 and 13.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical accuracy of the IONA® test for aneuploidy screening. METHODS: This was a multicenter blinded study in which plasma samples from pregnant women at increased risk of trisomy 21 underwent cell-free DNA analysis utilizing the IONA test. For each sample, the IONA software generated a likelihood ratio and a maternal age-adjusted probability risk score for trisomies 21, 18 and 13. All results from the IONA test were compared against accepted diagnostic karyotyping. RESULTS: A total of 442 maternal samples were obtained, of which 437 had test results available for analysis and assessment of clinical accuracy. The IONA test had a detection rate of 100% for trisomies 21 (n = 43; 95% CI, 87.98-100%), 18 (n = 10; 95% CI, 58.72-100%) and 13 (n = 5; 95% CI, 35.88-100%) with cut-offs applied to likelihood ratio (cut-off > 1 considered high risk for trisomy) and probability risk score incorporating adjustment for maternal age (cut-off ≥ 1/150 considered high risk for trisomy). The false-positive rate (FPR) was 0% for trisomies 18 and 13 with both analysis outputs. For trisomy 21, a FPR of 0.3% was observed for the likelihood ratio, but became 0% with adjustment for maternal age. CONCLUSION: This study indicates that the IONA test is suitable for trisomy screening in a high-risk screening population. The result-interpretation feature of the IONA software should facilitate wider implementation, particularly in local laboratories, and should be a useful addition to the current screening methods for trisomies 21, 18 and 13. Copyright © 2015 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd

Metacommunities, metaecosystems and the environmental fate of chemical contaminants

Although pollution is a major driver of ecosystem change, models predicting the environmental fate of contaminants suffer from critical uncertainties related to oversimplifying the dynamics of the biological compartment.It is increasingly recognized that contaminant processing is an outcome of ecosystem functioning, that ecosystem functioning is contingent on community structure and that community structure is influenced by organismal dispersal. We propose a conceptual organization of the contribution of organismal dispersal to local contaminant fate. Direct dispersal effects occur when the dispersing organism directly couples contaminant stocks in spatially separate ecosystems by transporting contaminants in its biomass. Indirect dispersal effects occur when the dispersing organism indirectly influences contaminant fate via community assembly. This can occur either when the dispersing organism is a contaminant processor or when the dispersing organism alters, via species interactions, the abundance of contaminant biotransporters or processors already established in the ecosystem. The magnitude of direct and indirect dispersal effects is modulated by many factors, including other contaminants. These will influence population growth rates of the dispersing species in the donor ecosystem, or the probability that a dispersing individual reaches the recipient ecosystem.We provide a review of pertinent literature demonstrating that these two mechanisms, and their chemical modulation, are well supported or likely to occur in many natural and human‐modified landscapes. The literature also demonstrates that they can operate in concert with each other.Synthesis and applications. Managed ecosystems thought to be important contaminant and nutrient sinks, such as artificial ponds and constructed wetlands, should be monitored and controlled for in‐and‐out animal movement if contaminant export is found to be relevant. Uncontaminated fishing grounds linked to contaminated sites via movement of dispersing species should be monitored and resident species evaluated for health consumption advisories. Assessing the success of contaminated site remediation can be improved by better matching the spatial extent of site remediation and the home range of monitored species. Finally, interagency research fund programmes should be developed that narrow the current gap between the fields of ecology and ecotoxicology.Managed ecosystems thought to be important contaminant and nutrient sinks, such as artificial ponds and constructed wetlands, should be monitored and controlled for in‐and‐out animal movement if contaminant export is found to be relevant. Uncontaminated fishing grounds linked to contaminated sites via movement of dispersing species should be monitored and resident species evaluated for health consumption advisories. Assessing the success of contaminated site remediation can be improved by better matching the spatial extent of site remediation and the home range of monitored species. Finally, interagency research fund programmes should be developed that narrow the current gap between the fields of ecology and ecotoxicology.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/143615/1/jpe13054.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/143615/2/jpe13054_am.pd