82 research outputs found
Phytoplankton species composition and abundance in a Gulf Stream warm core ring. I. Changes over a five month period
During the spring and summer of 1982, Gulf Stream warm core ring (WCR) 82B was sampled during four cruises from April to August to investigate the changes in the phytoplankton flora with time. Discrete water samples from 28 stations were collected for identification and enumeration of phytoplankton. The spring increase in WCR 828 occurred from late April to mid-May and was multiphasic; early periods were dominated by the diatoms Minidiscus trioculatus (4–5 μm diam.) and a small Thalassiosira, possibly T. bulbosa, while later periods were dominated by a small (2–3 μm) biflagellate. In June, another diatom concentration was detected at ring center, but this one was dominated by Chaetoceros cf. vixvisibilis and Leptocylindrus danicus. After interactions with and overwashes by the Gulf Stream and Slope Water in July, diatom numbers in the surface waters of the ring in August were greatly reduced relative to June, and no single species dominated. Changes in phytoplankton abundance in the ring core occurred on different time sequences from changes in the surrounding Slope Water or in the source water, the Sargasso Sea. The dominant taxa in the ring changed rapidly, on time scales of 1.5 months or less (intercruise time period). Successional changes were more important in altering the phytoplankton composition during the first two cruises, while sequential changes characterized the end of the study period. The ring center showed dramatic differences from its source water just 2 months after ring formation but remained distinct from the Slope Water for 4–5 months
Phytoplankton species composition and abundance in a Gulf Stream warm core ring. II. Distributional patterns
During the spring and summer of 1982, Gulf Stream warm core ring (WCR) 82B was sampled during four cruises from April to August to investigate phytoplankton distributional patterns. Discrete water samples from 28 stations were collected for identification and enumeration of phytoplankton. In April, when the water column was well mixed to 350 m, quantitative samples clustered by station when the 100 most frequently observed taxa were used as variables, indicating fairly unique assemblages at each station that were consistent with depth. Two transects across the ring in June showed a symmetrical diatom abundance maximum, dominated by Chaetoceros cf. vixvisibilis (maximum abundance 31,900 cells l–1) and Leptocylindrus danicus (maximum abundance 21,000 cells l–1), situated in the surface water at ring center. Dinoflagellate and coccolithophorid maxima were situated slightly deeper than the diatom maximum, in the seasonal thermocline from 20 to 35 m. A biomass maximum observed in a Shelf Water entrainment feature wrapping around the eastern perimeter of the ring contained elevated numbers of coccolithophorids and coccoid, unicellular monads (1–3 μm in diameter) and was thus compositionally distinct from the ring center biomass maximum. In July and August the ring underwent numerous interactions with and overwashes by the Slope Water and Gulf Stream. August samples from the ring, Sargasso Sea, Gulf Stream, and Slope Water all contained similar taxa and abundances. Different phytoplankton groups may be responding to different nutrient input mechanisms at the ring edge and center. Diatom maxima at ring center may form as a result of pulsed nutrient input from storms and a slight upwelling due to the gradual relaxation of the thermocline as the ring ages, while concentrations of ultraplanktonic algae (monads, coccolithophorids) toward the ring margin may result from near steady-state nutrient input along sloping isopycnals and/or advection from the ring exterior
Size Distributions of Coastal Ocean Suspended Particulate Inorganic Matter: Amorphous Silica and Clay Minerals and their Dynamics
Particulate inorganic matter (PIM) is a key component in estuarine and coastal systems and plays a critical role in trace metal cycling. Better understanding of coastal dynamics and biogeochemistry re-quires improved quantification of PIM in terms of its concentration, size distribution, and mineral species composition. The angular pattern of light scattering contains detailed information about the size and composition of particles. These volume scattering functions (VSFs) were measured in Mobile Bay, Alabama, USA, a dynamic, PIM dominated coastal environment. From measured VSFs, we determined through inversion the particle size distributions (PSDs) of major components of PIM, amorphous silica and clay minerals. An innovation here is the extension of our reported PSDs significantly into the sub-micron range. The PSDs of autochthonous amorphous silica exhibit two unique features: a peak centered at about 0.8mm between 0.2 and 4mm and a very broad shoulder essentially extending from 4mm to\u3e100mm. With an active and steady particle source from blooming diatoms, the shapes of amorphoussilica PSDs for sizes area, but showed more particles of sizes\u3e10mm inside the bay, likely due to wind-induced resuspension of larger frustules that have settled. Compared to autochthonous amorphous silica, the allochthonous clay minerals are denser and exhibit relatively narrower PSDs with peaks located between 1 and 4mm. Preferential settling of larger mineral particles as well as the smaller but denser illite component further narrowed the size distributions of clay minerals as they were being transported outside the bay. The derived PSDs also indicated a very dynamic situation in Mobile Bay when a cold weather front passed through during the experiment. With northerly winds of speeds up to 15 m s-1, both amorphous silica and clay minerals showed a dramatic increase in concentration and broadening in size distribution outside the exit of the barrier islands, indicative of wind-induced resuspension and subsequent advection of particles out of Mobile Bay. While collectively recognized as the PIM, amorphous silica and clay minerals, as shown in this study, possess very different size distributions. Considering how differences in PSDs and the associated particle areas will effect differences in sorption/desorption properties of these components, the results also demonstrate thepotential of applying VSF-inversion in studying biogeochemistry in the estuarine-coastal ocean system
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From Meters to Kilometers: A Look at Ocean-Color Scales of Variability, Spatial Coherence, and the Need for Fine-Scale Remote Sensing in Coastal Ocean Optics
The physical, biological, chemical, and optical
processes of the ocean operate on a wide
variety of spatial and temporal scales, from
seconds to decades and from micrometers to
thousands of kilometers (Dickey et al., this
issue; Dickey, 1991). These processes drive
the accumulation and loss of living and nonliving
mass constituents in the water column
(e.g., nutrients, phytoplankton, detritus, sediments).
These mass constituents frequently
have unique optical characteristics that alter
the clarity and color of the water column
(e.g., Preisendorfer, 1976). This alteration
of the ocean color, or more specifically the
change in the spectral “water-leaving radiance,”
L(λ), has led to the development of
optical techniques to sample and study the
change in biological and chemical constituents
(Schofield et al., this issue). Thus, these
optical techniques provide a mechanism to
study the effects of underlying biogeochemical
processes. In addition, because time- and
space-dependent changes in L(λ) may be
measured remotely, optical oceanography
provides a way to sample ecological interactions
over a wide range of spatial and temporal
scales.
The question often posed by scientists
trying to resolve problems involving the
temporal and spatial variation of oceanic
properties is: “What is the optimal time/
space sampling frequency?” The obvious answer
is that the sampling frequency should
be one half the frequency of the variation
(i.e., Nyquist frequency) of the property of
interest. However, therein lies the rub for
the oceanographer: the range of the relevant
scales is large, and the range of available
resources and/or actual engineering capabilities
to sample all relevant scales is often
small. Hence, the decisions affecting resource
allocation become critical in order to
maximize the total data information in both
quantity and quality. While these scientific
resource decisions are rarely discussed in
explicit terms of cost-benefit analysis, such
discussions should be integral parts of the
scientific design of instruments, platforms,
and experiments aimed at resolving oceanic
processes.
The practical examples of this problem in
remote sensing include: “What is the optimal
repeat coverage frequency?” and “What is the
optimal Ground Sample Distance (GSD) or
pixel size of the data?” For the optical oceanographer,
there is also the issue of optimal
spectral coverage needed to resolve the optical
constituents of interest (Chang et al., this
issue). The sum of these considerations feed
into the sensor, deployment platform, and
deployment schedule decisions. For polarorbiting
and geo-stationary satellites that
cost hundreds of millions of dollars, as well
as airborne sensors that have smaller upfront
costs but higher deployment costs, the decision
of sampling frequency directly impacts
the scientific use of the data stream, and
what processes may be addressed with data
streams collected by these sensors. These
scientific cost-benefit analyses extend beyond
the cost in dollars because the typical
lifetime and replacement cycle of these sensors
is on the order of years to decades, and
a poorly designed sensor package is very difficult to replace.
In 2001, the Office of Naval Research
(ONR) sponsored the Hyperspectral Coastal
Ocean Dynamics Experiment (HyCODE)
(Dickey et al., this issue), which presented
the opportunity to study the question of
scales of variability in remote-sensing data.
Hyperspectral airborne sensors were deployed
on several platforms at various altitudes.
This coverage was supplemented
by numerous space-borne, remote-sensing
satellites. The airborne instruments included
two versions of the Portable Hyperspectral
Imager for Low-Light Spectroscopy (PHILLS
1 and PHILLS 2) (Davis et al., 2002) operating
at an altitude of less than 10,000
feet and 30,000 feet, respectively, as well as
the NASA Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging
Spectrometer (AVIRIS) sensor operating
at 60,000 feet. These sensors provided
hyperspectral data at 2 m, 9 m, and 20 m
GSDs, respectively. The satellite data collected
included the multi-spectral images
from Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor
(SeaWiFS), Moderate Resolution Imaging
Spectroradiometer (MODIS), Fengyun 1
C (FY1-C), Oceansat as well as the multispectral
polarimeter Multiangle Imaging
SpectroRadiometer (MISR) sensor and sea
surface temperature (SST) sensor Advanced
Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR).
These collections provided a wealth of remote-
sensing and field data during a spatially
and temporally intense oceanographic
field campaign, and they offered the ability
to begin to address the issue of optimal sampling
scales for the coastal ocean.
The use of these multiple remote-sensing
data streams requires the calibration, validation,
and atmospheric correction of the sensor signals to retrieve estimates of L(λ),
or “remote sensing reflectance,” Rᵣₛ(λ), a
normalized measure of the L(λ). Our goals
in this paper are to illuminate some of the
issues of remote sensing spatial scaling in
the nearshore environment and attempt to
derive some understanding of appropriate sampling scales in the nearshore environment.
We will focus on the data collected by
a single sensor (PHILLS 2) to reduce uncertainties
in the analysis that may result from
the different data processing techniques applied
to each of the individual sensors’ data
Video-tracking and On-plant Tests Show Cry1Ab Resistance Influences Behavior and Survival of Neonate Ostrinia nubilalis Following Exposure to Bt Maize
To examine how resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxins influences movement and survival of European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis [Hübner]) neonates, the responses of Cry1Ab-resistant , -susceptible, and hybrid (F1) larvae were examined using two different techniques. First, using an automated video-tracking system, aspects of O. nubilalis movement were quantified in the presence of artificial diet incorporating 50% non-Bt or insect-resistant Cry1Ab maize tissue. Second, O. nubilalis dispersal and survival were measured 48–72 h after hatching on a Cry1Ab maize plant surrounded by two non-Bt maize plants. Video tracking indicated the presence of Cry1Ab tissue increased the total distance moved (m), time moving (%), and time away from the diet (%) for O. nubilalis while decreasing meander (degrees/cm). However, resistant larvae showed reduced movement and increased meander (≈localized searching) relative to susceptible or hybrid larvae on diet incorporating Cry1Ab tissue. Conversely, when placed onto Cry1Ab maize plants, resistant larvae were more likely than susceptible O. nubilalis to disperse onto adjacent non-Bt plants. The difference in on-plant dispersal seems to reflect greater survival after toxin exposure for resistant larvae rather than increased activity. These results suggest that simplified ‘Petri dish’ tests may not be predictive of larval movement among non-Bt and insect-resistant Bt maize plants. Because models of O. nubilalis resistance evolution incorporate various movement and survival parameters, improved data for on-plant behavior and survival of Bt- resistant , -susceptible, and hybrid larvae should help preserve the efficacy of transgenic insect-resistant maize
Juvenile Songbirds Compensate for Displacement to Oceanic Islands during Autumn Migration
To what degree juvenile migrant birds are able to correct for orientation errors
or wind drift is still largely unknown. We studied the orientation of passerines
on the Faroe Islands far off the normal migration routes of European migrants.
The ability to compensate for displacement was tested in naturally occurring
vagrants presumably displaced by wind and in birds experimentally displaced 1100
km from Denmark to the Faroes. The orientation was studied in orientation cages
as well as in the free-flying birds after release by tracking departures using
small radio transmitters. Both the naturally displaced and the experimentally
displaced birds oriented in more easterly directions on the Faroes than was
observed in Denmark prior to displacement. This pattern was even more pronounced
in departure directions, perhaps because of wind influence. The clear
directional compensation found even in experimentally displaced birds indicates
that first-year birds can also possess the ability to correct for displacement
in some circumstances, possibly involving either some primitive form of true
navigation, or ‘sign posts’, but the cues used for this are highly
speculative. We also found some indications of differences between species in
the reaction to displacement. Such differences might be involved in the
diversity of results reported in displacement studies so far
Atomic Resonance and Scattering
Contains reports on six research projects.National Science Foundation (PHY83-06273)Joint Services Electronics Program (DAAL03-86-K-0002)National Science Foundation (PHY84-11483)U.S. Navy-Office of Naval Research (Grant N00014-79-C-0183)Joint Services Electronics Program (Contract DAAG29-83-K-0003)National Science Foundation (Grant PHY83-07172-A01)U.S. Navy - Office of Naval Research (Grant N00014-83-K-0695)National Science Foundation (Grant CHE84-21392
Targeting HER2/neu with a fully human IgE to harness the allergic reaction against cancer cells
Breast and ovarian cancer are two of the leading causes of cancer deaths among women in the United States. Overexpression of the HER2/neu oncoprotein has been reported in patients affected with breast and ovarian cancers, and is associated with poor prognosis. To develop a novel targeted therapy for HER2/neu expressing tumors, we have constructed a fully human IgE with the variable regions of the scFv C6MH3-B1 specific for HER2/neu. This antibody was expressed in murine myeloma cells and was properly assembled and secreted. The Fc region of this antibody triggers in vitro degranulation of rat basophilic cells expressing human FcεRI (RBL SX-38) in the presence of murine mammary carcinoma cells that express human HER2/neu (D2F2/E2), but not the shed (soluble) antigen (ECDHER2) alone. This IgE is also capable of inducing passive cutaneous anaphylaxis in a human FcεRIα transgenic mouse model, in the presence of a cross-linking antibody, but not in the presence of soluble ECDHER2. Additionally, IgE enhances antigen presentation in human dendritic cells and facilitates cross-priming, suggesting that the antibody is able to stimulate a secondary T-cell anti-tumor response. Furthermore, we show that this IgE significantly prolongs survival of human FcεRIα transgenic mice bearing D2F2/E2 tumors. We also report that the anti-HER2/neu IgE is well tolerated in a preliminary study conducted in Macaca fascicularis (cynomolgus) monkeys. In summary, our results suggest that this IgE should be further explored as a potential therapeutic against HER2/neu overexpressing tumors, such as breast and ovarian cancers.Fil: Daniels, Tracy R.. University of California at Los Angeles; Estados UnidosFil: Leuchter, Richard K.. University of California at Los Angeles; Estados UnidosFil: Quintero, Rafaela. University of California; Estados UnidosFil: Helguera, Gustavo Fernando. University of California at Los Angeles; Estados Unidos. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Rodríguez, José A.. University of California at Los Angeles; Estados UnidosFil: Martínez Maza, Otoniel. University of California at Los Angeles; Estados UnidosFil: Schultes, Birgit C.. Advanced Immune Therapeutics, Inc.; Estados Unidos. Momenta Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Estados UnidosFil: Nicodemus, Christopher F.. Advanced Immune Therapeutics, Inc.; Estados UnidosFil: Penichet, Manuel L.. University of California at Los Angeles; Estados Unido
Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome
The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead
Parameters for the mathematical modelling of Clostridium difficile acquisition and transmission: a systematic review
INTRODUCTION: Mathematical modelling of Clostridium difficile infection dynamics could contribute to the optimisation of strategies for its prevention and control. The objective of this systematic review was to summarise the available literature specifically identifying the quantitative parameters required for a compartmental mathematical model of Clostridium difficile transmission. METHODS: Six electronic healthcare databases were searched and all screening, data extraction and study quality assessments were undertaken in duplicate. Results were synthesised using a narrative approach. RESULTS: Fifty-four studies met the inclusion criteria. Reproduction numbers for hospital based epidemics were described in two studies with a range from 0.55 to 7. Two studies provided consistent data on incubation periods. For 62% of cases, symptoms occurred in less than 4 weeks (3-28 days) after infection. Evidence on contact patterns was identified in four studies but with limited data reported for populating a mathematical model. Two studies, including one without clinically apparent donor-recipient pairs, provided information on serial intervals for household or ward contacts, showing transmission intervals of <1 week in ward based contacts compared to up to 2 months for household contacts. Eight studies reported recovery rates of between 75%-100% for patients who had been treated with either metronidazole or vancomycin. Forty-nine studies gave recurrence rates of between 3% and 49% but were limited by varying definitions of recurrence. No study was found which specifically reported force of infection or net reproduction numbers. CONCLUSIONS: There is currently scant literature overtly citing estimates of the parameters required to inform the quantitative modelling of Clostridium difficile transmission. Further high quality studies to investigate transmission parameters are required, including through review of published epidemiological studies where these quantitative estimates may not have been explicitly estimated, but that nonetheless contain the relevant data to allow their calculation
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