Larva and pupa of Cernotina spicata

The first positively associated larva and pupa of Cernotina are described. Tentative diagnoses are provided for distinguishing them from those of other genera of Nearctic Polycentropodidae, especially Polycentropus s. lat., which Cernotina most strongly resembles

Caddisflies (Insecta: Trichoptera) of Fringing Wetlands of the Laurentian Great Lakes

Fringing wetlands of the Laurentian Great Lakes are subject to natural processes, such as water-level fluctuation and wave-induced erosion, and to human alterations. In order to evaluate the quality of these wetlands over space and time, biological communities are often examined. Ideally, the groups of organisms selected for these evaluations should be resident in the wetlands themselves. Fish are often sampled, but many species are not truly resident, visiting wetlands on an occasional basis to feed or on a seasonal basis to breed. Aquatic vascular plants are perhaps the most common group selected for evaluation. However, in some cases, aquatic plants give a false impression by providing photosynthetic capabilities and structural infrastructure but having greatly diminished herbivore and carnivore communities

Additions to the Aquatic Diptera (Chaoboridae, Chironomidae, Tabanidae, Tipulidae) Fauna of the White River National Wildlife Refuge, Arkansas

The dipteran fauna of Arkansas is generally poorly known. A previous study of the Aquatic macroinvertebrates of the White River National Wildlife Refuge, the largest refuge in Arkansas, reported only 12 diptera taxa out of 219 taxa collected (Chordas et al., 1996). Most of the dipterans from this study were identified only to the family level. The family Chironomidae is a large, diverse group and was predicted to be much more diverse in the refuge than indicated by previous studies. In this study, Chironomidae were targeted, with other aquatic or semiaquatic dipterans also retained, in collections designed to better define the dipteran fauna of the White River National Wildlife Refuge. Adult dipterans were collected from 22 sites within the refuge using sweep-nets, two types of blacklight traps, and lighted fan traps in June of 2001. Specimens from previous studies were retrieved and identified to the lowest possible taxonomic level. A total of 4,917 specimens representing 122 taxa was collected. The 122 taxa were comprised of the following: two chaoborids, 83 chironomids, 15 culicids,nine tabanids, and 13 tipulids. Of these, 46 species are new state records for Arkansas. Nine undescribed species of chironomids were collected, and eight species records represent significant range extensions

Experimentally induced root mortality increased nitrous oxide emission from tropical forest soils

We conducted an experiment on sand and clay tropical forest soils to test the short‐term effect of root mortality on the soil‐atmosphere flux of nitrous oxide, nitric oxide, methane, and carbon dioxide. We induced root mortality by isolating blocks of land to 1 m using trenching and root exclusion screening. Gas fluxes were measured weekly for ten weeks following the trenching treatment. For nitrous oxide there was a highly significant increase in soil‐atmosphere flux over the ten weeks following treatment for trenched plots compared to control plots. N2O flux averaged 37.5 and 18.5 ng N cm−2 h−1 from clay trenched and control plots and 4.7 and 1.5 ng N cm−2 h−1 from sand trenched and control plots. In contrast, there was no effect for soil‐atmosphere flux of nitric oxide, carbon dioxide, or methane

Fine root dynamics and trace gas fluxes in two lowland tropical forest soils

Fine root dynamics have the potential to contribute significantly to ecosystem-scale biogeochemical cycling, including the production and emission of greenhouse gases. This is particularly true in tropical forests which are often characterized as having large fine root biomass and rapid rates of root production and decomposition. We examined patterns in fine root dynamics on two soil types in a lowland moist Amazonian forest, and determined the effect of root decay on rates of C and N trace gas fluxes. Root production averaged 229 ( 35) and 153 ( 27) gm 2 yr 1 for years 1 and 2 of the study, respectively, and did not vary significantly with soil texture. Root decay was sensitive to soil texture with faster rates in the clay soil (k5 0.96 year 1) than in the sandy loam soil (k5 0.61 year 1),leading to greater standing stocks of dead roots in the sandy loam. Rates of nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions were significantly greater in the clay soil (13 1ngNcm 2 h 1) than in the sandy loam (1.4 0.2 ngNcm 2 h 1). Root mortality and decay following trenching doubled rates of N2O emissions in the clay and tripled them in sandy loam over a 1-year period. Trenching also increased nitric oxide fluxes, which were greater in the sandy loam than in the clay. We used trenching (clay only) and a mass balance approach to estimate the root contribution to soil respiration. In clay soil root respiration was 264–380 gCm 2 yr 1, accounting for 24% to 35% of the total soil CO2 efflux. Estimates were similar using both approaches. In sandy loam, root respiration rates were slightly higher and more variable (521 206 gCm2 yr 1) and contributed 35% of the total soil respiration. Our results show that soil heterotrophs strongly dominate soil respiration in this forest, regardless of soil texture. Our results also suggest that fine root mortality and decomposition associated with disturbance and land-use change can contribute significantly to increased rates of nitrogen trace gas emissions

Does mitochondrial DNA predispose to neuromyelitis optica (Devic's disease)?

Neuromyelitis optica (NMO), or Devic's disease, is a relapsing demyelinating disease of the central nervous system characterized by optic neuritis and myelitis with distinct clinical, imaging, CSF and serological features (Wingerchuk et al. , 2006). There is increasing evidence that NMO is an antibody-mediated organ-specific autoimmune disease associated with anti-aquaporin 4 antibodies detectable in serum (Lennon et al. , 2004), supported by four recent papers in the same edition of Brain (Matsuoka et al. , 2007; Misu et al. , 2007; Roemer et al. , 2007; Takahashi et al. , 2007) and the accompanying scientific commentary (Compston, 2007). However, it is still not known why the disorder specifically targets the optic nerves and spinal cord. Several siblings with NMO have been reported (McAlpine, 1938; Keegan and Weinshenker, 2000; Yamakawa et al. , 2000), raising the possibility of a genetic predisposition, but no pathogenic mutations have been identified in the AQP4 gene on chromosome 18q11.2-q12.1 (Lu et al. , 1996). NMO has similarities with Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON, MIM 535 000) which is primarily due to mutations of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) that disrupt complex I of the respiratory chain (Carelli et al. , 2004). Although the genetic defect in LHON is present in all tissues, the pathology also is strikingly tissue-specific. Most affected individuals develop sub-acute painless visual failure due to focal involvement of both optic nerves (Newman et al. , 1991; Riordan-Eva et al. , 1995), but some also develop a progressive myelopathy, with high signal extending over multiple spinal levels on MR imaging, and the absence of oligoclonal bands in the CSF (Johns et al. , 1991; Jaros et al. , 2007). Tissue-specific susceptibility to mitochondrial dysfunction is thought to explain why the neurodegeneration in LHON only affects specific neuronal

Hydrologic Variability and the Application of Index of Biotic Integrity Metrics to Wetlands: A Great Lakes Evaluation

Interest by land-management and regulatory agencies in using biological indicators to detect wetland degradation, coupled with ongoing use of this approach to assess water quality in streams, led to the desire to develop and evaluate an Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) for wetlands that could be used to categorize the level of degradation. We undertook this challenge with data from coastal wetlands of the Great Lakes, which have been degraded by a variety of human disturbances. We studied six barrier beach wetlands in western Lake Superior, six drowned-river-mouth wetlands along the eastern shore of Lake Michigan, and six open shoreline wetlands in Saginaw Bay of Lake Huron. Plant, fish, and invertebrate communities were sampled in each wetland. The resulting data were assessed in various forms against gradients of human disturbance to identify potential metrics that could be used in IBI development. Our results suggested that the metrics proposed as potential components of an IBI for barrier beach wetlands of Lake Superior held promise. The metrics for Lake Michigan drowned-river-mouth wetlands were inconsistent in identifying gradients of disturbance; those for Lake Huron open embayment wetlands were yet more inconsistent. Despite the potential displayed by the Lake Superior results within the year sampled, we concluded that an IBI for use in Great Lakes wetlands would not be valid unless separate scoring ranges were derived for each of several sequences of water-level histories. Variability in lake levels from year to year can produce variability in data and affect the reproducibility of data collected, primarily due to extreme changes in plant communities and the faunal habitat they provide. Substantially different results could be obtained in the same wetland in different years as a result of the response to lake-level change, with no change in the level of human disturbance. Additional problems included limited numbers of comparable sites, potential lack of undisturbed reference sites, and variable effects of different disturbance types. We also evaluated our conclusions with respect to hydrologic variability and other major natural disturbances affecting wetlands in other regions. We concluded that after segregation of wetland types by geographic, geomorphic, and hydrologic features, a functional IBI may be possible for wetlands with relatively stable hydrology. However, an IBI for wetlands with unpredictable yet recurring influences of climate-induced, long-term high water periods, droughts, or drought-related fires or weather-related catastrophic floods or high winds (hurricanes) would also require differing scales of measurement for years that differ in the length of time since the last major natural disturbance. A site-specific, detailed ecological analysis of biological indicators may indeed be of value in determining the quality or status of wetlands, but we recommend that IBI scores not be used unless the scoring ranges are calibrated for the specific hydrologic history pre-dating any sampling year

Accurate mitochondrial DNA sequencing using off-target reads provides a single test to identify pathogenic point mutations.

PURPOSE: Mitochondrial disorders are a common cause of inherited metabolic disease and can be due to mutations affecting mitochondrial DNA or nuclear DNA. The current diagnostic approach involves the targeted resequencing of mitochondrial DNA and candidate nuclear genes, usually proceeds step by step, and is time consuming and costly. Recent evidence suggests that variations in mitochondrial DNA sequence can be obtained from whole-exome sequence data, raising the possibility of a comprehensive single diagnostic test to detect pathogenic point mutations. METHODS: We compared the mitochondrial DNA sequence derived from off-target exome reads with conventional mitochondrial DNA Sanger sequencing in 46 subjects. RESULTS: Mitochondrial DNA sequences can be reliably obtained using three different whole-exome sequence capture kits. Coverage correlates with the relative amount of mitochondrial DNA in the original genomic DNA sample, heteroplasmy levels can be determined using variant and total read depths, and-providing there is a minimum read depth of 20-fold-rare sequencing errors occur at a rate similar to that observed with conventional Sanger sequencing. CONCLUSION: This offers the prospect of using whole-exome sequence in a diagnostic setting to screen not only all protein coding nuclear genes but also all mitochondrial DNA genes for pathogenic mutations. Off-target mitochondrial DNA reads can also be used to assess quality control and maternal ancestry, inform on ethnic origin, and allow genetic disease association studies not previously anticipated with existing whole-exome data sets

Effects of Mega Dose Micronutrient Supplementation On Serum Zinc, Retinol and Immune Status of Adult Males and Females Diagnosed with and Without HIV, Malaria and TB in Western Kenya – An Unpublished Perspective as at The Year 2004

Background: The role of micronutrients in management of HIV/AIDS, malaria and TB remains poorly understood worldwide. Objectives: To assess differences in mega dose nutritional management between HIV-seronegative and seropositive adult males and females diagnosed with HIV at Voluntary Testing and Counseling Centers (VCT) in Western Kenya. Methods: This was a randomized controlled study in which 90 subjects were recruited on the basis of an HIV-seropositive result from a voluntary and counseling center (VCT) using rapid HIV test kits. They were evaluated at baseline and every 4 weeks for 3 months to establish their clinical, biochemical and immunological status. After 12 weeks, 74 clients were still in the study, 9 were lost to follow-up while 7 had died. Of the 74 who completed the study, confirmation of baseline HIV status by ELIZA revealed that 63 were HIV-seropositive while 11 were HIV-seronegative despite losing spouses to HIV/AIDS. Correlations between parameters at baseline, during and after intervention were determined; Spearman’s Rho Coefficients indicating the level of significance. Group means were used to compare continuous data while categorical data was compared using Chi-Square. Results: Significant reductions in the clinical manifestation of disease were noted in the cohort after intervention for 12 weeks. Despite the large and different micronutrient dosages used between the two study arms, the only difference by arm of intervention was in the serum vitamin E level at 4 weeks which was much higher in arm 1 than it was in arm 2 of the study (p = 0.005). This might have been occasioned by the significant repletion of zinc in both arms, probably because use of citric acid in both arms improved zinc up-take from the supplements, food and/or reserves enabling other nutrients to be appropriately restored in both arms, these supporting the decision to pool the study arms and compare differences by HIV-seronegative and seropositive, notwithstanding the small sample sizes recruited but which nonetheless were our study limitation. Independent of the intervention arms, reduction of viral load by more than 0.5 log10 copies/ml correlated with higher baseline optical densities of HIV antibodies (P = 0.016) and higher baseline viral loads (p = 0.0001). A lower optical density of HIV antibodies at baseline correlated with higher serum zinc levels at 12 weeks (p = 0.008) and a lower Body Mass Index (BMI) at baseline (p = 0.029). Independent of the arm of study, a significant increase in CD4 cells counts post intervention correlated with lower baseline viral loads (p = 0.010), lower baseline NK cell counts (p = 0.007

Covariation in urban birds providing cultural services or disservices and people

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Wiley via the DOI in this record.1. The spatial distributions of biodiversity and people vary across landscapes, and are critical to the delivery of ecosystem services and disservices. The high densities of people, and often of birds, in urban areas lead to frequent human-avian interactions, which can be positive or negative for people’s well-being. The identities of the bird species providing these services or disservices tend to be quite different, however it is unclear how their abundance and richness covary with human population density, and hence with potential recipients of these services and disservices. 2. We surveyed bird populations in 106 tiles (500x500 m) across the 174 km2 of an extended urban area in southern England. From the literature, we identified two groups of species: those associated with positive interactions for human well-being, and those that display behaviours that are negative for human well-being. We estimated the abundance (adjusted for detection probability) and richness of each group, and modelled how they covary with human population density. 3. Aggregation of population estimates for the 35 service and nine disservice species observed revealed 593,128 (95% confidence interval: 541,817-657,046) and 225,491 (200,134-235,066) birds, respectively. Across the surveyed tiles there were 1.09 service, and 0.42 disservice birds per person. 4. There was a peaking quadratic relationship between service abundance and human population density, but a negative linear relationship between richness and human density. Conversely, there were positive linear relationships for both abundance and richness of disservice species with human density. The ratio of service to disservice birds shifted from 3.5 to 1 at intermediate human densities to 1 to 1 in more densely populated areas. 5. Synthesis and applications. Differences in the distributions of service and disservice species, and the extremely low ratios of birds to people particularly in socioeconomically deprived areas, mean that people there have few opportunities for contact with birds, and the contact that they do have is equally likely to be negative as positive for human well-being. We recommend spatial targeting of improvements in green infrastructure, combined with the targeted provisioning of food and nesting places for service species, to promote positive interactions between birds and people.We thank M. Evans and M. Gregory for their fieldwork, and J. Harris and R. Corstanje for their advice and logistical support. All authors were supported by the Fragments, Functions, Flows and Urban Ecosystem Services project, NERC grant NE/J015237/1, funded under the NERC Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Sustainability programme. The authors declare no conflict of interest