Measuring Fluorescent Dye in the Bubbly and Sediment-Laden Surfzone

Decisions about recreational beach closures would be enhanced if better estimates of surfzone contaminant transport and dilution were available. In situ methods for measuring fluorescent Rhodamine WT dye tracer in the surfzone are presented, increasing the temporal and spatial resolution over previous surfzone techniques. Bubbles and sand suspended by breaking waves in the surfzone interfere with in situ optical fluorometer dye measurements, increasing the lower bound for dye detection (≈ 1 ppb) and reducing (quenching) measured dye concentrations. Simultaneous turbidity measurements are used to estimate the level of bubble and sand interference and correct dye estimates. After correction, root-mean-square dye concentration errors are estimated to be < 5% of dye concentration magnitude, thus demonstrating the viability of in situ surfzone fluorescent dye measurements. The surfzone techniques developed here may be applicable to other environments with high bubble and sand concentrations (e.g., cascading rivers and streams)

Tumour-draining axillary lymph nodes in patients with large and locally advanced breast cancers undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC): the crucial contribution of immune cells (effector, regulatory) and cytokines (TH1, TH2) to immune-mediated tumour cell death induced by NAC

Background The tumour microenvironment consists of malignant cells, stroma and immune cells. In women with large and locally advanced breast cancers (LLABCs) undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC), tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), various subsets (effector, regulatory) and cytokines in the primary tumour play a key role in the induction of tumour cell death and a pathological complete response (pCR) with NAC. Their contribution to a pCR in nodal metastases, however, is poorly studied and was investigated. Methods Axillary lymph nodes (ALNs) (24 with and 9 without metastases) from women with LLABCs undergoing NAC were immunohistochemically assessed for TILs, T effector and regulatory cell subsets, NK cells and cytokine expression using labelled antibodies, employing established semi-quantitative methods. IBM SPSS statistical package (21v) was used. Non-parametric (paired and unpaired) statistical analyses were performed. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were carried out to establish the prediction of a pCR and Spearman’s Correlation Coefficient was used to determine the correlation of immune cell infiltrates in ALN metastatic and primary breast tumours. Results In ALN metastases high levels of TILs, CD4+ and CD8+ T and CD56+ NK cells were significantly associated with pCRs.. Significantly higher levels of Tregs (FOXP3+, CTLA-4+) and CD56+ NK cells were documented in ALN metastases than in the corresponding primary breast tumours. CD8+ T and CD56+ NK cells showed a positive correlation between metastatic and primary tumours. A high % CD8+ and low % FOXP3+ T cells and high CD8+: FOXP3+ ratio in metastatic ALNs (tumour-free para-cortex) were associated with pCRs. Metastatic ALNs expressed high IL-10, low IL-2 and IFN-ϒ. Conclusions Our study has provided new data characterising the possible contribution of T effector and regulatory cells and NK cells and T helper1 and 2 cytokines to tumour cell death associated with NAC in ALNs

Effect of the surgeonfish Ctenochaetus striatus (Acanthuridae) on the processes of sediment transport and deposition on a Red Sea coral reef

Excessive sedimentation is a major threat to coral reefs. It can damage or kill reef-building corals andcan prevent the successful settlement of their planktonic larvae. The surgeonfish Ctenochaetus striatus feeds onrocky surfaces by sweeping loose material into its mouth with its flexible, broom-like teeth. In addition, it graspsand removes hard substrates with the aid of its special palate structure. It then transports sediment matter of thereef by defecating the ingested material outside the rocky zone of the reef. We analyzed 150 feces samples ofsix individuals, diferentiating between (1) ingested by sweeping and (2) ingested by scraping, and compared theircontent with inorganic land-derived and marine sediments trapped at the feeding area. Projections based on fishdensities, defecation rates, and quantities as well as composition of sediments collected by traps on the same reefsite suggest that C. striatus removes at least 18% of the inorganic sediment sinking onto the reef crest. Theeroded share in the exported matter is about 13%. This finding points to a hitherto not verified role of C. striatusas a reef sweeper and reef scraper, whereby the first function is by far dominating

Suspended sediment alters predator–prey interactions between two coral reef fishes

Sediment derived from agriculture and development increases water turbidity and threatens the health of inshore coral reefs. In this study, we examined whether suspended sediment could change predation patterns through a reduction in visual cues. We measured survivorship of newly settled Chromis atripectoralis exposed to Pseudochromis fuscus, a common predator of juvenile damselfishes, in aquaria with one of four turbidity levels. Increased turbidity led to a nonlinear response in predation patterns. Predator-induced mortality was ~50 % in the control and low turbidity level, but exhibited a substantial increase in the medium level. In the highest turbidity level, predation rates declined to the level seen in the control. These results suggest an imbalance in how the predator and prey cope with turbidity. A turbidity-induced change to the outcome of predator–prey interactions represents a major change to the fundamental processes that regulate fish assemblages