Environmental Impact Assessment: Detecting Changes in Fish Community Structure in Response to Disturbance with an Asymmetric Multivariate BACI Sampling Design

One of the primary challenges to detecting anthropogenic environmental impacts is the high degree of spatial and temporal variability inherent in natural systems. Planned or routine events that result in disturbance to populations and communities provide an opportunity for scientists to apply well-replicated and statistically powerful sampling designs to assess subsequent biological effects. For example, a thick layer of sessile invertebrates is the prominent biotic feature of intertidal and shallow subtidal portions of offshore petroleum platforms in southern California. Given the central role of such invertebrates in providing food and shelter, their presence can reasonably be expected to influence associated fish community structure. At one platform on the San Pedro Shelf, invertebrate biomass was completely removed from support pilings and horizontal crossmembers to a depth of 20 m with high-pressure water during a standard “hydrocleaning” event in November 2007. Three nearby platforms remained undisturbed, providing a unique opportunity to test for disturbance-related changes in the local fish assemblage and the overall time course of community recovery. The potential impact of the abrupt and intense removal of the invertebrate layer was assessed with survey data collected periodically for one year prior- and one year post-hydrocleaning in a modified Before-After-Control-Impact (BACI) design. Asymmetrical multivariate analyses of variance revealed a significant effect of disturbance to fish, driven largely by reductions in the abundance of numerically dominant blacksmith (Chromis punctipinnis). Nevertheless, the system was surprisingly resilient, recovering to pre-disturbance conditions within ten months. Our results demonstrate that a well-replicated BACI sampling design can detect even subtle biological changes in response to disturbance, a key step towards developing a mechanistic understanding of community disassembly in the face of increasingly frequent and intense perturbations

The r-Process Enriched Low Metallicity Giant HD 115444

New high resolution, very high signal-to-noise spectra of ultra-metal-poor (UMP) giant stars HD 115444 and HD 122563 have been gathered with the High-Resolution Echelle Spectrometer of the McDonald Observatory 2.7m Telescope. With these spectra, line identification and model atmosphere analyses have been conducted, emphasizing the neutron-capture elements. Twenty elements with Z > 30 have been identified in the spectrum of HD 115444. This star is known to have overabundances of the neutron-capture elements, but it has lacked a detailed analysis necessary to compare with nucleosynthesis predictions. The new study features a line-by-line differential abundance comparison of HD 115444 with the bright, well-studied halo giant HD 122563. For HD 115444, the overall metallicity is [Fe/H]~ -3.0. The abundances of the light and iron-peak elements generally show the same pattern as other UMP stars (e.g. overdeficiencies of manganese and chromium, overabundances of cobalt), but the differential analysis indicates several nucleosynthesis signatures that are unique to each star.Comment: To Appear in the Astrophysical Journa

Die Rolle staatlicher Institutionen in asiatischen Innovationssystemen

Das Wirtschaftswachstum eines Landes hängt immer stärker von dessen Innovationsfähigkeit ab. Japan, Südkorea und die Volksrepublik China gewinnen neben einigen kleineren asiatischen Schwellenländern eine zunehmende Bedeutung im globalen Standortwettbewerb. Andere Länder wie Indien sind gleichfalls bestrebt, ihr großes Humankapitalpotential weltweit als Standortfaktor einzusetzen. Um insbesondere gegenüber den USA sowie den westeuropäischen Ländern ihre Wettbewerbsfähigkeit zu steigern, werden dort umfangreiche Reformen der staatlichen Institutionen zur effektiveren Gestaltung nationaler Innovationspolitik vorgenommen. Dabei ist in Japan zu beobachten, dass über ein Council for Science and Technology Policy (CSTP) unter dem Vorsitz des Ministerpräsidenten die Steuerungsmöglichkeiten auf das Innovationssystem gesteigert werden sollen. In Südkorea findet über das National Science und Technology Council (NSTC) unter dem Vorsitz des Präsidenten eine analoge Steuerung statt, die insbesondere die internationale Vernetzung des südkoreanischen Innovationssystems deutlich verbessern soll. Die VR China hat erst mit deutlichem zeitlichen Rückstand begonnen, eine eigenständige nationale Strategie für den Hochtechnologiebereich zu entwickeln. Derzeit konzentriert die Zentralregierung ihre Aktivitäten auf den Ausbau nationaler Forschungseinrichtungen und die Rückgewinnung von hochqualifizierten chinesischen Wissenschaftlern aus dem Ausland, insbesondere den USA.The economic growth of a country depends more and more on its capacity to innovate. Japan, South Korea and the P. R. of China acquire an increasing importance in the global location competition besides some smaller Asian threshold economies. Other countries such as India make also an effort to bring in their great potential of human capital as a location factor on a global level. In these countries major reforms of public institutions are made to increase the efficiency of national innovation policies in particular with regard towards the United States and Western Europe. We can observe that in Japan the government increases the steering potential on the innovation system via a Council for Science and Technology which is presided by the Prime Minister. In South Korea the President chairs the National Science and Technology Council which aims in particular for a better international linking of the Korean innovation system. The P.R. of China has started to develop an independent national strategy for the Hightech area only with a significant time lag. Currently the central government focuses its activities on the development of national research institutes and the remigration of Chinese scientists from abroad, particularly the U.S

Impact of parasites on salmon recruitment in the Northeast Atlantic Ocean

Parasites may have large effects on host population dynamics, marine fisheries and conservation, but a clear elucidation of their impact is limited by a lack of ecosystem-scale experimental data. We conducted a meta-analysis of replicated manipulative field experiments concerning the influence of parasitism by crustaceans on the marine survival of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.). The data include 24 trials in which tagged smolts (totalling 283 347 fish; 1996-2008) were released as paired control and parasiticide-treated groups into 10 areas of Ireland and Norway. All experimental fish were infectionfree when released into freshwater, and a proportion of each group was recovered as adult recruits returning to coastal waters 1 or more years later. Treatment had a significant positive effect on survival to recruitment, with an overall effect size (odds ratio) of 1.29 that corresponds to an estimated loss of 39 per cent (95% CI: 18-55%) of adult salmon recruitment. The parasitic crustaceans were probably acquired during early marine migration in areas that host large aquaculture populations of domesticated salmon, which elevate local abundances of ectoparasitic copepods-particularly Lepeophtheirus salmonis. These results provide experimental evidence from a large marine ecosystem that parasites can have large impacts on fish recruitment, fisheries and conservation

Cardiovascular Risk Factors Associated With Venous Thromboembolism

Importance It is uncertain to what extent established cardiovascular risk factors are associated with venous thromboembolism (VTE). Objective To estimate associations between major cardiovascular risk factors and VTE, i.e., deep-vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). Design Analysis of individual-participant data from the Emerging Risk Factors Collaboration (ERFC; 731,728 participants; 75 cohorts; latest date of follow-up 2015), and UK Biobank (UKBB; 421,537 participants; latest date of follow-up 2016). Setting Approximately population-based prospective cohort studies. Participants Individuals without cardiovascular disease at baseline. Exposures A panel of several established cardiovascular risk factors. Main Outcomes and Measures Hazard ratios (HRs) per 1-SD higher risk factor levels (or presence/absence). Incident fatal outcomes in ERFC (n=1041 VTE, n=25,131 CHD) and incident fatal/non-fatal outcomes in UKBB (n=2321 VTE, n=3385 CHD). HRs were adjusted for age, sex, smoking status, diabetes mellitus, and body-mass index. Results Adjusted HRs for VTE were: 2.67 (2.45-2.91) in ERFC and 1.81 (1.71-1.92) in UKBB per decade older age; 1.38 (1.20-1.58) in ERFC and 1.23 (1.08-1.40) in UKBB with smoking; 1.43 (1.35-1.50) in ERFC and 1.37 (1.32-1.41) in UKBB per 1-SD higher body-mass index; and 0.75 (0.61-0.93) in ERFC and 0.82 (0.71-0.94) in UKBB with current alcohol consumption. For the preceding factors, there were similar HRs for pulmonary embolism versus deep vein thrombosis in UKBB (except adiposity was more strongly associated with PE; P<0.01), and similar HRs for unprovoked versus provoked VTE. Apart from adiposity, these risk factors were less strongly associated with VTE than coronary heart disease. We noted inconsistent associations with diabetes and blood pressure for VTEs across ERFC and UKBB, and had limited ability to study lipid and inflammation markers. Conclusions and Relevance Older age, smoking, adiposity, and lower alcohol consumption were consistently associated with higher VTE risk.A study website (http://www.phpc.cam.ac.uk/ceu/erfc/list-of-studies/) includes a list that investigators have provided of funding agencies that have supported individual cohorts in the ERFC contributing to the present consortium. This research has been conducted using the UK Biobank resource (application 26865)

Novel SSR Markers from BAC-End Sequences, DArT Arrays and a Comprehensive Genetic Map with 1,291 Marker Loci for Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is the third most important cool season food legume, cultivated in arid and semi-arid regions of the world. The goal of this study was to develop novel molecular markers such as microsatellite or simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers from bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC)-end sequences (BESs) and diversity arrays technology (DArT) markers, and to construct a high-density genetic map based on recombinant inbred line (RIL) population ICC 4958 (C. arietinum)×PI 489777 (C. reticulatum). A BAC-library comprising 55,680 clones was constructed and 46,270 BESs were generated. Mining of these BESs provided 6,845 SSRs, and primer pairs were designed for 1,344 SSRs. In parallel, DArT arrays with ca. 15,000 clones were developed, and 5,397 clones were found polymorphic among 94 genotypes tested. Screening of newly developed BES-SSR markers and DArT arrays on the parental genotypes of the RIL mapping population showed polymorphism with 253 BES-SSR markers and 675 DArT markers. Segregation data obtained for these polymorphic markers and 494 markers data compiled from published reports or collaborators were used for constructing the genetic map. As a result, a comprehensive genetic map comprising 1,291 markers on eight linkage groups (LGs) spanning a total of 845.56 cM distance was developed (http://cmap.icrisat.ac.in/cmap/sm/cp/thudi/). The number of markers per linkage group ranged from 68 (LG 8) to 218 (LG 3) with an average inter-marker distance of 0.65 cM. While the developed resource of molecular markers will be useful for genetic diversity, genetic mapping and molecular breeding applications, the comprehensive genetic map with integrated BES-SSR markers will facilitate its anchoring to the physical map (under construction) to accelerate map-based cloning of genes in chickpea and comparative genome evolution studies in legumes

Efectos del piojo del salmón Lepeophtheirus salmonis(Copepoda: Caligidae) en las poblaciones de truchas (Salmo trutta) de la costa NE Atlántica

Salmon lice are external parasites on salmonids in the marine environment. During recent years, sea lice abundance has been increased due to the presence of salmon farming using on-growing floating seas-cages. Amongst salmonids, sea trout is especially vulnerable to salmon lice infestations, because during their marine residence they typically remain in coastal waters, where open net cage Atlantic salmon farms typically are situated. In this report the existing knowledge about the effects of salmon lice on sea trout populations in the NE Atlantic coastal waters has been reviewed, assessing the current situation of this problematic. Salmon aquaculture increase the salmon lice abundance, which affect negatively on sea trout populations as an increase in marine mortality, changes in migratory behaviour and reduction of marine growth. These conclusions are based on published studies that range from those investigating the effects of salmon lice on individual fish, both in the laboratory and the field, to analyses of their impacts on populations in the wild. In sum, the combined knowledge from the reviewed studies provides evidence of a general and pervasive negative effect of salmon lice on sea trout populations, especially in intensively farmed areas. The effects induced by elevated salmon lice levels inevitably imply a reduction in numbers and body size of sea trout returning to freshwater for spawning, affecting the local population dynamic and recreational and commercial fisheries in the most impacted areas.publishedVersio

Definition and classification of chyle leak after pancreatic operation: A consensus statement by the International Study Group on Pancreatic Surgery

Recent literature suggests that chyle leak may complicate up to 10% of pancreatic resections. Treatment depends on its severity, which may include chylous ascites. No international consensus definition or grading system of chyle leak currently is available. The International Study Group on Pancreatic Surgery, an international panel of pancreatic surgeons working in well-known, high-volume centers, reviewed the literature and worked together to establish a consensus on the definition and classification of chyle leak after pancreatic operation. Chyle leak was defined as output of milky-colored fluid from a drain, drain site, or wound on or after postoperative day 3, with a triglyceride content ≥110 mg/dL (≥1.2 mmol/L). Three different grades of severity were defined according to the management needed: grade A, no specific intervention other than oral dietary restrictions; grade B, prolongation of hospital stay, nasoenteral nutrition with dietary restriction, total parenteral nutrition, octreotide, maintenance of surgical drains, or placement of new percutaneous drains; and grade C, need for other more invasive in-hospital treatment, intensive care unit admission, or mortality. This classification and grading system for chyle leak after pancreatic resection allows for comparison of outcomes between series. As with the other the International Study Group on Pancreatic Surgery consensus statements, this classification should facilitate communication and evaluation of different approaches to the prevention and treatment of this complicatio

GlobalHAB : a new program to promote international research, observations, and modeling of harmful algal blooms in aquatic systems

From 1998 to 2013, the international community of scientists researching harmful algal blooms (HABs) in marine systems worked through the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO and the Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research (SCOR) to better understand the ecological and oceanographic controls on these natural events that cause harm to humans and ecosystems. During this period, IOC and SCOR cosponsored the Global Ecology and Oceanography of Harmful Algal Blooms (GEOHAB) program to facilitate progress in HAB research, observations, and modeling. In 2016, building on the foundation provided by GEOHAB, IOC and SCOR launched a new HAB project design to extend research into freshwater systems and address several topics related to the effects of HABs on human society now and in a rapidly changing world