Deep-water antipatharians: Proxies of environmental change

Deep-water (307–697 m) antipatharian (black coral) specimens were collected from the southeastern continental slope of the United States and the north-central Gulf of Mexico. The sclerochronology of the specimens indicates that skeletal growth takes place by formation of concentric coeval layers. We used 210Pb to estimate radial growth rate of two specimens, and to establish that they were several centuries old. Bands were delaminated in KOH and analyzed for carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes. Carbon values ranged from _16.4‰ to _15.7‰; the oldest specimen displayed the largest range in values. Nitrogen values ranged from 7.7‰ to 8.6‰. Two specimens from the same location and depth had similar 15N signatures, indicating good reproducibility between specimens

Continuing Medical Education as a Translational Science Opportunity for Health Communication Researchers: The BCERP Model

Health communication researchers often work across health issues to engage in research that bridges distance between bench scientists and practitioners. This translational activity is essential to increase the likelihood that emerging science from the laboratory makes it into the hands of health professionals who can integrate it into their everyday practice with patients. An underutilized translational approach by communication researchers is the development of continuing medical education (CME) opportunities that incorporate a communication science approach to the uptake of recommended practices based on emerging science. This manuscript explains the nature of translational science, highlights the role of CME as an integral strategy for engaging in it, and then provides the exemplar of a training and evaluation project funded by the National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences for the Breast Cancer and the Environment Research Program (BCERP). Lessons learned are discussed as they relate to developing a translational opportunity for the BCERP

Deep-water antipatharians: Proxies of environmental change

Deep-water (307–697 m) antipatharian (black coral) specimens were collected from the southeastern continental slope of the United States and the north-central Gulf of Mexico. The sclerochronology of the specimens indicates that skeletal growth takes place by formation of concentric coeval layers. We used 210Pb to estimate radial growth rate of two specimens, and to establish that they were several centuries old. Bands were delaminated in KOH and analyzed for carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes. Carbon values ranged from _16.4‰ to _15.7‰; the oldest specimen displayed the largest range in values. Nitrogen values ranged from 7.7‰ to 8.6‰. Two specimens from the same location and depth had similar 15N signatures, indicating good reproducibility between specimens

Reproducibility of trace element profiles in a specimen of the deep-water bamboo coral Keratoisis sp.

Bamboo corals (Order Gorgonacea, Family Isididae) are attractive prospects for deep-sea paleoceanographic reconstruction, capturing trace elements in their calcitic skeletons that may serve as environmental proxies with subdecadal resolution over multi-century timescales. We study the reproducibility and fidelity of trace-element profiles (Ba, Mg, Sr, Mn, U, Pb) in a 420-year-old specimen of the bamboo coral . Keratoisis sp. from the SE USA.Using laser-ablation ICP-MS to obtain multiple replicate profiles, we use spectral techniques to distinguish noise and irreproducible variations from fully reproducible geochemical fluctuations that are candidates for environmental signals. By quantifying variability between profiles, we assess the fidelity with which the corals potentially record environmental information.Barium is the most reproducible element in the skeleton, with large fluctuations along different growth radii reproducing to within 4%. Both Mg and Sr have very uniform levels within the coral, but display low-amplitude irreproducible variations that might represent an internal biological process. In the case of Mg, which has been proposed as a paleotemperature proxy, this irreproducibility would represent an intrinsic uncertainty of ~±0.1 to 0.4. °C. Both Mn and Pb contain some irreproducibility superimposed upon broad reproducible profiles that may be environmental signals. Some of the irreproducible Pb fluctuations correlate with cracks and dark bands in the sample suggesting detrital or surface contamination. Uranium displays large amplitude variations which are not reproducible along different radii. This suggests that uranium cannot be used for paleoenvironmental reconstruction, and may show signs of early diagenesis - a possibility that could complicate attempts to date young . Keratoisis sp. samples by U-series geochemistry.The highly reproducible Ba signal allows precise alignment of profiles and thus we can show that growth rate along one radius can vary by a factor of two relative to growth along a different radius. There is no evidence that this large variation in relative growth rate affects either the Mg or Sr incorporation. In addition, geochemical anomalies in Ba and Mg indicate that the very central axis of the specimen may represent a different mode of growth.This study suggests that . Keratoisis sp. corals are imperfect recorders of geochemical information, but do contain reproducible variations which are good candidates for environmental signals

Intestinal infection following aerosol challenge of calves with Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis

A challenge experiment was performed to investigate whether administration of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) via the respiratory route leads to MAP infection in calves. Eighteen calves from test negative dams were randomly allocated to four groups. Six calves were challenged with MAP nasally and six calves were challenged by transtracheal injection; three orally challenged calves served as positive controls, and three non challenged calves as negative controls. The challenge was performed as a nine-fold trickle dose, 10^7 CFU in total. Blood and faecal samples were collected frequently. Calves were euthanized three months post-challenge and extensively sampled. Blood samples were tested for the presence of antibodies and interferon gamma producing cells by ELISA. Faecal and tissue samples were cultured in a liquid culture system and the presence of MAP was confirmed by IS900 realtime PCR. Fourteen out of fifteen calves had no MAP antibody response. The negative controls remained negative; all positive controls became infected. Two nasally challenged calves showed a Purified Protein Derivative Avian (PPDA) specific interferon gamma response. In all nasally challenged calves, MAP positive intestinal samples were detected. In three calves of the nasal group MAP positive retropharyngeal lymph nodes or tonsils were detected. In all calves of the trans-tracheal group MAP positive intestinal tissues were detected as well and three had a MAP positive tracheobronchial lymph node. These findings indicate that inhalation of MAP aerosols can result in infection. These experimental results may be relevant for transmission under field conditions since viable MAP has been detected in dust on commercial dairy farms

Effect of growth-promoting 17beta-estradiol, 19-nortestosterone and dexamethasone on circulating levels of nine potential biomarker candidates in veal calves.

The use of screening methods based on the detection of biological effects of growth promoters is a promising approach to assist residue monitoring. To reveal useful effects on protein metabolism, male and female veal calves at 10 weeks of age were treated thrice with a combination of 25mg 17beta-estradiol 3-benzoate and 150 mg 19-nortestosterone decanoate with 2 weeks intervals and finally once with 4 mg dexamethasone. Hormone-treated calves showed a significant accelerated growth rate over 6 weeks. Plasma samples of treated and control calves were analysed for immunoreactive inhibin (ir-inhibin), osteocalcin, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 2 (IGFBP-2), IGFBP-3, luteinzing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and prolactin using immunoaffinity assays. Hormone treatment did not affect levels of IGF-1, IGFBP-2, IGFBP-3, LH, FSH and prolactin. The concentration of circulating ir-inhibin decreased, however, significantly (