Oceanographic Problems of the Arctic Ocean

General physical, biological and geological characteristics of the Arctic Ocean are known, but circulation requires investigation. Only here does it occur to considerable depths without a significant supply of energy from local winds. Influence on it of bottom topography is confirmed by knowledge of the recently discovered Lomonosov Ridge, dividing the Basin in two. Advantages of this area for oceanographic study are the comparatively (to other oceans) small size, and a working platform provided by the ice; need is stated for aircraft designed specifically for arctic oceanography

Genetic diversity and differentiation of velvet belly lanternshark (Etmopterus spinax) in the Northeast Atlantic

Deep-sea sharks are little resilient to targeted harvesting and bycatch fisheries due to their life history strategy characterized by slow growth, late sexual maturity, low fecundity, and few offspring. The Northeast Atlantic component of Etmopterus spinax is an example of a species where substantial population changes in terms of abundances have occurred due to intensive fisheries induced mortality. This has led to the IUCN categorization of E. spinax as Vulnerable with a negative population trend. To reverse the trend, management and conservation criteria are needed. To give management advice, knowledge about the connectivity between potential populations need to be improved, together with an understanding of their habitat and life history. In this study, the potential populations and differences between the locations sampled in the NE Atlantic, and particularly Norway, are studied by analyzing the mitochondrial NADH2 gene. Overall, at all locations the haplotype diversity is moderate to high, and the nucleotide diversity low. This can indicate relatively recent population expansion. The results also show significant population structure between the Norwegian locations and the rest of NE Atlantic. On a smaller scale, there was weak population structure within Norway and none for the rest. Against expectations, no genetic difference was found between a fjord and coastal population off Trondheim, NO. The lack of identifying genetic differences and population structure can be due to migration, or that NADH2 is not a suitable marker to identify this on a relatively small scale

Some physical factors which may influence the productivity of New England\u27s coastal waters

Of recent years physical oceanographers have gradually gained a more satisfactory understanding of the circulation problem. \Yhile it is true that most of this advance has resulted from studying the deep, oceanic currents, nevertheless, the newer principles also can be applied to the more difficult conditions found near the coast...

Recent advances in our understanding of the circulation problem and their implications

When I was first asked to prepare a paper for this program, although it was obviously an honor, I hesitated to accept, for it seemed to me doubtful that a regular staff member of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution should be asked to express his views. After all, one of the chief purposes of this Convocation was to gain the benefit of your collective advice as to future scientific policy...

Some recent developments in the study of the Gulf Stream

At Cape Hatteras the Gulf Stream leaves the Continental Slope, so that as far as the deep current is concerned its course is no longer confined. The current again approaches the Continental Shelf off Georges Bank and off the Grand Banks, hut in neither area does it flow normally along the Continental Slope as a river pressing against its bank. The band of water which separates the Gulf Stream from the Continental Shelf in the sector between Cape Hatteras and the Grand Banks is usually called slope water. The great body of water to the south and east of the Stream is known as the Sargasso Sea or Central Atlantic water

Efavirenz-induced urolithiasis

We describe the first case of efavirenz-induced urolithiasis in a 47-year-old HIV-positive patient. Urinary obstruction led to pyelonephritis and septic shock, requiring emergency ureteral catheterisation. The subsequent clinical course was favourable, allowing the patient's discharge on day5. A 7mm, radio-translucent, non-crystalline, beige stone was extracted during catheterisation. Stone analysis by Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry revealed a stone composed of efavirenz (EFV) metabolites M4, M5, M8 (as described by Mutlib et al. in 1999) and approximately 50% of unspecified proteins. EFV is a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor introduced to European markets in 1999. It is principally metabolised by cytochrome P450 3A4 and 2B6. Of the dose, 14-34% is excreted in the urine, 1% as unchanged drug. The patient had been taking 600mg EFV per day for 3years. As EFV-induced urolithiasis has not been reported so far, we would like to draw the attention of the medical community to this potentially severe complicatio

De novo undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma arising from a renal allograft: A case report

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of an undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma arising from a renal graft. Transplantectomy was performed in a 47-year old woman presenting to the emergency room because of general weakness. Preoperative workup revealed a 5.5 cm malignant mass of the graft which was not present on routine ultrasound performed 12 months earlier. Following transplantectomy, local recurrence developed despite complete tumor resection and interruption of immunosuppression. Despite radiation therapy, the outcome was ultimately fatal. Genetic analysis revealed that the tumor had arisen from donor tissue. Annual ultrasound surveillance might not be enough effective to screen for these rare high grade neoplasms

Novel injectable urethral bulking agents for the treatment of urinary incontinence

Stress urinary incontinence is a highly prevalent disorder resulting from weak urethral closure mechanisms. Endoscopic injection of a urethral bulking agent (UBA) under the urethral mucosa increases coaptation, which improves continence. Collagen is an efficient agent, although its effects are limited in time. Other materials still suffer either from a short-lasting effect or migration in distant organs. We evaluated here novel UBAs using an ex vivo model, with respect to criteria of ease of injection, ability to form a high and stable tissue bulking, implant elasticity and tissue reaction. One approach involves solutions of polymers in water-miscible organic solvents that precipitates in situ. In this manner, high and stable bulks were routinely obtained using various commercial polymers. Selected solvents reduced the tissue reaction to the implant. Microsphere suspensions in hydrogels also proved to be efficient UBA, although less stable bulks were obtained. Thermosetting chitosan hydrogels showed promising results with respect to bulk stability and isoelasticity with surrounding tissues. Different strategies have thus been compared and optimised ex vivo. Further experiments are required to compare the ability of these materials to induce a sustained in vivo bulking effec