Sea Turtle Observations at Explosive Removals of Energy Structures

Observers were placed at offshore sites to monitor and protect sea turtles during explosive removals of oil and gas structures in the Gulf of Mexico off Louisiana and Texas. Data collected during more than 6,500 hours of monitoring at 106 structure removals in 1992 provided information on sea turtle distribution. Eighteen individuals were observed including 10 loggerheads, 2 leatherbacks, 1 hawksbill, and 5 unidentified sea turtles. The observation rate (individuals per monitoring hour) of sea turtles was about 30 times higher during aerial surveys than during day or night suiface surveys

Observations of Sea Turtles and Other Marine Life at the Explosive Removal of Offshore Oil and Gas Structures in the Gulf of Mexico

Observers monitored the explosive removal of oil and gas structures in the Gulf of Mexico to protect sea turtles and marine mammals from adverse impacts. More than 7,000 monitoring hours at 131 structure removals were conducted during 1993. Sixteen individual sea turtles were observed including 6 loggerheads, 1 Kemp\u27s ridley, 1 green, and 8 unidentified sea turtles. Aerial surveys were approximately ten times more effective in observing sea turtles than day or night surface surveys

Subcellular origin of mitochondrial DNA deletions in human skeletal muscle.

OBJECTIVE: In patients with mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) maintenance disorders and with aging, mtDNA deletions sporadically form and clonally expand within individual muscle fibers, causing respiratory chain deficiency. This study aimed to identify the sub-cellular origin and potential mechanisms underlying this process. METHODS: Serial skeletal muscle cryosections from patients with multiple mtDNA deletions were subjected to subcellular immunofluorescent, histochemical, and genetic analysis. RESULTS: We report respiratory chain-deficient perinuclear foci containing mtDNA deletions, which show local elevations of both mitochondrial mass and mtDNA copy number. These subcellular foci of respiratory chain deficiency are associated with a local increase in mitochondrial biogenesis and unfolded protein response signaling pathways. We also find that the commonly reported segmental pattern of mitochondrial deficiency is consistent with the three-dimensional organization of the human skeletal muscle mitochondrial network. INTERPRETATION: We propose that mtDNA deletions first exceed the biochemical threshold causing biochemical deficiency in focal regions adjacent to the myonuclei, and induce mitochondrial biogenesis before spreading across the muscle fiber. These subcellular resolution data provide new insights into the possible origin of mitochondrial respiratory chain deficiency in mitochondrial myopathy

Designing indicators for assessing the effects of marine protected areas on coral reef ecosystems : a multidisciplinary standpoint

The present paper aims at identifying and assessing indicators of the effects of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in coral reef regions, based on a bibliography review in ecology, economics and social sciences. First the various effects Studied within each of these domains and the variables used to measure them were censused. Potential ecological indicators were assessed through their link with the question used (here termed "relevance") and their "effectiveness" which encompasses the issues of precision, accuracy and statistical power. Relevance and effectiveness were respectively measured by the frequency of use of each indicator and the proportion of significant results in the reviewed articles. For social and economic effects, the approach was not possible due to the low number of references: we thus discussed the issue of finding appropriate indicators for those fields. Results indicate: 1- the unbalance in literature between disciplines: 2- the need for protocols and methodologies which include controls in order to assess MPA effects: 3- an important proportion of ecological indicators with low effectiveness: 4- the large number of ecological effects still not studied or not demonstrated at present

Estimation of Fisheries Impacts Due to Underwater Explosives Used to Sever and Salvage Oil and Gas Platforms in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico

A report on the use of explosive platform removal and its negative impact on fish in the Gulf of Mexico

Homeostatic Responses Regulate Selfish Mitochondrial Genome Dynamics in C. elegans

Mutant mitochondrial genomes (mtDNA) can be viewed as selfish genetic elements that persist in a state of heteroplasmy despite having potentially deleterious metabolic consequences. We sought to study regulation of selfish mtDNA dynamics. We establish that the large 3.1-kb deletion-bearing mtDNA variant uaDf5 is a selfish genome in Caenorhabditis elegans. Next, we show that uaDf5 mutant mtDNA replicates in addition to, not at the expense of, wild-type mtDNA. These data suggest the existence of a homeostatic copy-number control that is exploited by uaDf5 to “hitchhike” to high frequency. We also observe activation of the mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPRmt) in uaDf5 animals. Loss of UPRmt causes a decrease in uaDf5 frequency, whereas its constitutive activation increases uaDf5 levels. UPRmt activation protects uaDf5 from mitophagy. Taken together, we propose that mtDNA copy-number control and UPRmt represent two homeostatic response mechanisms that play important roles in regulating selfish mitochondrial genome dynamics

Disease in the femoral triangle: sonographic appearance

Twenty-nine patients had sonographic evaluation of the femoral triangle because of pain or swelling. The entities diagnosed by sonography were abscesses (seven), cellulitis (three), hematoma (five), nodal enlargement (four), aneurysm of the femoral artery (three), and thrombophlebitis of the femoral vein (seven). Both abscesses and hematomas were poorly defined primarily anechoic masses. Soft-tissue swelling but no distinct masses were present in cellulitis, and all cases of adenopathy were well defined anechoic masses. Aneurysms were also primarily well defined, pulsatile, anechoic masses except mycotic aneurysm, which may present as a primarily solid mass. The sonographic features of thrombophlebitis which has received scant attention in the sonographic literature are stressed. Findings suggest a dilated anechoic vein is characteristic of this entity. Although the sonographic findings or clinical data of many of these entities may be nonspecific, when used in combination, the correct diagnosis can usually be obtained