Natural History Specimen Collections

The Fish Collection described in this document was transferred in 1992 to the Fish Collection of the University of Texas at Austin in Austin (at that time administratively in the Texas Memorial Museum, but at the time of publication of this digital version of the document it is one (https://biodiversity.utexas.edu/resources/collections/ichthyology) of the Biodiversity Collections in the University's Biodiversity Center (https://biodiversity.utexas.edu/). Thus, the data on the specimens in the Fish Collection described here are now included in the data published to GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/dataset/6080b6cc-1c24-41ff-ad7f-0ebe7b56f311) and other global biodiversity data aggregators by the UT Biodiversity Center's Fish Collection. The same data are also included in the Fishes of Texas Project (http://fishesoftexas.org - Hendrickson, Dean A., and Adam E. Cohen. 2015. “Fishes of Texas Project Database (Version 2.0)” doi:10.17603/C3WC70). Some of the UTMSI Fish Collection specimens remained at the UT Marine Science Insitute on long-term loan from 1992 until sometime in 2017 when the MSI disposed of all remaining specimens (including also Invertebrates). Some were disposed of by a professional HazMat company, but many were apparently taken to the Smithsonian Institution's (USNM) division of Invertebrate Biology. The fate of fish specimens, however, remains unresolved, but the Ichthyology Division at USNM had no knowledge of them at the time this report was archived here. Dean A. Hendrickson, Curator of Ichthyology, UT Austin, May 1, 2019The University of Texas Marine Science Institute, Port Aransas Marine Laboratory, Natural History Collection of Marine Organisms was initiated in the mid-1940's. Since that time specimens have been added from studies in the Gulf of Mexico, associated estuaries, and marine-influenced terrestrial habitats, with emphasis on the Texas and Mexico coasts. These studies were the baseline surveys for this area and have resulted in the collection of valuable marine organisms. The collection now holds approximately 5,000 catalogued specimens including all forms of biota, vertebrates, invertebrates, algae and flowering plants. The collection includes the marine fish and invertebrate specimens of the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, incorporated into the UTMSI-PAML collection in 1976. This state collection, numbering 3,000, is composed primarily of Texas Gulf coast species of fish and invertebrates, representing baseline surveys conducted by the state fisheries biologists. With this collection are card catalogues by specimen number and phylogenetic order. Other collections incorporated are those from R/V Oregon cruises (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Bureau of Commercial Fisheries, exploratory fishing vessel), H. H. Hildebrand's faunal surveys of the brown and pink shrimp grounds , Whitten et al.'s faunal survey of Texas coast jetties , J. W. Hedgepeth’s specimens collected during numerous faunal surveys, tide trap studies, and vegetation and algal surveys. Noteworthy studies from which specimens have been added to the collection are listed in Table 1. The museum collection is housed in an air-conditioned building in a room specifically designed for this collection. The present facility contains 924 square feet with 1089 square feet of shelf space, which can be trebled to accommodate BLM collections. There are at present 32 1' x 12' shelves, totaling 384 square feet; 194 18" x 12-1/2" shelves, totaling 303 square feet; and 120 11-1/2" x 42" shelves, totaling 402 5 square feet. The collection is a working museum open to the scientific community; specimens are available on loan to members of this community. Specimens may be used by visiting researchers, graduate-level students, professors, and classes. Attached is an invoice form, "Invoice of Specimens" - a standard form used for loan of collection items. The Port Aransas Marine Laboratory is committed to the continuing curation of specimens and will continue to provide the supplies necessary to maintain the natural history specimen collections. The University of Texas Marine Science Institute, Port Aransas Marine Laboratory is willing to incorporate the Bureau of Land Management collection into its collection. Funding is requested from BLM to obtain and incorporate all archived BLM specimens from the S.T.O.C.S. survey into the collection.Integrative Biolog

Characterization of cadmium proteinuria in man and rat.

In workers chronically exposed to cadmium and without signs of renal insufficiency, plasma proteins with molecular weight ranging from 11,800 to 450,000 are excreted in greater amount in urine. Increased urinary excretion of low and high molecular weight proteins can occur independently. Because of its greater stability in urine and provided a sensitive immunological technique is used, the determination of retinol-binding protein is a more practical and reliable test of proximal tubular function than beta 2-microglobulin. The evaluation of renal function of workers removed from cadmium exposure indicates that cadmium-induced renal lesions, albeit of slow progression, are not reversible when exposures ceases. In workers chronically exposed to cadmium or removed from cadmium exposure, metallothionein in urine is directly correlated with cadmium in urine but not with cadmium in blood or years of cadmium exposure. The association between cadmium in urine and metallothionein in urine is independent of the status of renal function and the intensity of current exposure to cadmium. Whereas the repeated IP injection of high doses of cadmium to rat gives rise to a mixed or tubular type proteinuria, the prolonged oral administration of cadmium results mainly in the development of a glomerular type proteinuria. The former is usually reversible after cessation of treatment whereas the latter is not. Circulating antiglomerular basement membrane antibodies have been found in man and in rat chronically exposed to cadmium. The pathogenic significance of this finding deserves further investigation

Characterization of potential biomarkers of reactogenicity of licensed antiviral vaccines: randomized controlled clinical trials conducted by the BIOVACSAFE consortium

Funding text The authors are grateful for the vital contributions of the participating study volunteers, clinicians, nurses, and laboratory technicians at the Surrey study site. The work by Roberto Leone, laboratory technician at Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, is gratefully acknowledged. Finally, they thank Ellen Oe (GSK) for scientific writing assistance. The research leading to these results has received support from the Innovative Medicines Initiative Joint Undertaking under grant agreement n°115308, resources of which are composed of financial contribution from the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007–2013) and EFPIA companies’ in-kind contribution. The contribution of the European Commission to the Advanced Immunization Technologies (ADITEC) project (grant agreement n° 280873) is also gratefully acknowledged. Publisher Copyright: © 2019, The Author(s).Biomarkers predictive of inflammatory events post-vaccination could accelerate vaccine development. Within the BIOVACSAFE framework, we conducted three identically designed, placebo-controlled inpatient/outpatient clinical studies (NCT01765413/NCT01771354/NCT01771367). Six antiviral vaccination strategies were evaluated to generate training data-sets of pre-/post-vaccination vital signs, blood changes and whole-blood gene transcripts, and to identify putative biomarkers of early inflammation/reactogenicity that could guide the design of subsequent focused confirmatory studies. Healthy adults (N = 123; 20–21/group) received one immunization at Day (D)0. Alum-adjuvanted hepatitis B vaccine elicited vital signs and inflammatory (CRP/innate cells) responses that were similar between primed/naive vaccinees, and low-level gene responses. MF59-adjuvanted trivalent influenza vaccine (ATIV) induced distinct physiological (temperature/heart rate/reactogenicity) response-patterns not seen with non-adjuvanted TIV or with the other vaccines. ATIV also elicited robust early (D1) activation of IFN-related genes (associated with serum IP-10 levels) and innate-cell-related genes, and changes in monocyte/neutrophil/lymphocyte counts, while TIV elicited similar but lower responses. Due to viral replication kinetics, innate gene activation by live yellow-fever or varicella-zoster virus (YFV/VZV) vaccines was more suspended, with early IFN-associated responses in naïve YFV-vaccine recipients but not in primed VZV-vaccine recipients. Inflammatory responses (physiological/serum markers, innate-signaling transcripts) are therefore a function of the vaccine type/composition and presence/absence of immune memory. The data reported here have guided the design of confirmatory Phase IV trials using ATIV to provide tools to identify inflammatory or reactogenicity biomarkers.Peer reviewe

Prediction of Psychological Distress Among Persons With Spinal Cord Injury or Acquired Brain Injury and Their Significant Others

Objectives: To identify intra- and interpersonal sociodemographic, injury-related, and psychological variables measured at admission of inpatient rehabilitation that predict psychological distress among dyads of individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) or acquired brain injury (ABI) and their significant others (ie, individuals close to the individual with a disability, mostly family members) 6 months after discharge. Differences in predictors were investigated for persons with SCI or ABI and their significant others and were compared between diagnoses.Design: Prospective longitudinal study.Setting: Twelve Dutch rehabilitation centers.Participants: Dyads (N= 157) consisting of adults with SCI or ABI who were admitted to inpatient rehabilitation and their adult significant others.Interventions: Not applicable.Main Outcome Measures: Psychological distress (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale).Results: Sociodemographic and injury-related variables were not or were only weakly associated with psychological distress among individuals with SCI or ABI and their significant others 6 months after discharge. Bivariately, higher baseline psychological distress, lower scores on adaptive psychological characteristics (combination of self-efficacy, proactive coping, purpose in life, resilience), and higher scores on maladaptive psychological characteristics (combination of passive coping, neuroticism, appraisals of threat and loss) were related to higher psychological distress, as well as crosswise between individuals with SCI or ABI and their significant others, although less strongly. Combined prediction models showed that psychological distress among persons with SCI or ABI was predicted by education level of their significant other, their own baseline psychological distress, and their own maladaptive psychological characteristics (explained variance, 41.9%). Among significant others, only their own baseline psychological distress predicted psychological distress (explained variance, 40.4%). Results were comparable across diagnoses.Conclusions: Although a dyadic connection was shown, primarily one's own baseline psychological distress and psychological characteristics were important in the prediction of later psychological distress among both individuals with SCI or ABI and their significant others. Screening based on these variables could help to identify persons at risk for psychological distress. (C) 2020 by the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine</p

Perceptions of door-to-door HIV counselling and testing in Botswana

Prevalence of HIV infection in Botswana is among the highest in the world, at 23.9% of 15 - 49-year-olds. Most HIV testing is conducted in voluntary counselling and testing centres or medical settings. Improved access to testing is urgently needed. This qualitative study assessed and documented community perceptions about the concept of door-to-door HIV counselling and rapid testing in two of the highest-prevalence districts of Botswana. Community members associated many positive benefits with home-based, door-to-door HIV testing, including convenience, confidentiality, capacity to increase the number of people tested, and opportunities to increase knowledge of HIV transmission, prevention and care through provision of correct information to households. Community members also saw the intervention as increasing opportunities to engage and influence family members and to role model positive behaviours. Participants also perceived social risks and dangers associated with home-based testing including the potential for conflict, coercion, stigma, and psychological distress within households. Community members emphasised the need for individual and community preparation, including procedures to protect confidentiality, provisions for psychological and social support, and links to appropriate services for HIV-positive persons

Confounders in the assessment of the renal effects associated with low-level urinary cadmium: an analysis in industrial workers

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Associations of proteinuria with low-level urinary cadmium (Cd) are currently interpreted as the sign of renal dysfunction induced by Cd. Few studies have considered the possibility that these associations might be non causal and arise from confounding by factors influencing the renal excretion of Cd and proteins.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We examined 184 healthy male workers (mean age, 39.5 years) from a zinc smelter (n = 132) or a blanket factory (n = 52). We measured the concentrations of Cd in blood (B-Cd) and the urinary excretion of Cd (U-Cd), retinol-binding protein (RBP), protein HC and albumin. Associations between biomarkers of metal exposure and urinary proteins were assessed by simple and multiple regression analyses.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The medians (interquartile range) of B-Cd (μg/l) and U-Cd (μg/g creatinine) were 0.80 (0.45-1.16) and 0.70 (0.40-1.3) in smelter workers and 0.66 (0.47-0.87) and 0.55 (0.40-0.90) in blanket factory workers, respectively. Occupation had no influence on these values, which varied mainly with smoking habits. In univariate analysis, concentrations of RBP and protein HC in urine were significantly correlated with both U-Cd and B-Cd but these associations were substantially weakened by the adjustment for current smoking and the residual influence of diuresis after correction for urinary creatinine. Albumin in urine did not correlate with B-Cd but was consistently associated with U-Cd through a relationship, which was unaffected by smoking or diuresis. Further analyses showed that RBP and albumin in urine mutually distort their associations with U-Cd and that the relationship between RBP and Cd in urine was almost the replicate of that linking RBP to albumin</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Associations between proteinuria and low-level urinary Cd should be interpreted with caution as they appear to be largely driven by diuresis, current smoking and probably also the co-excretion of Cd with plasma proteins.</p

The impact of donor policies in Europe: a steady increase, but not everywhere

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Transplantable organs are scarce everywhere. Therefore, countries have developed policies to support the efficient use of potential donors. Nevertheless, the shortage of organs remains. Were these policies in vain? The aim of this study is to assess the impact of donor policies on donor procurement in 10 Western European countries from 1995 to 2005.</p> <p>Method</p> <p>To assess the impact of the donor policies we studied the conversion of potential donors into effectuated donors. 80% of the donors died from CVAs or a (traffic) accident. We considered these mortality rates to be a good proxy for potential donors. Here we call the conversion of potential donors into actual donors 'the donor efficiency rate by proxy'.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The mortality rates for CVA and (traffic) accidents have decreased in the countries under study. At the same time, in most countries the donor efficiency rates have steadily increased. The variance in donor efficiency rates between countries has also increased from 1995 to 2005. Four countries introduced a new consent system or changed their existing system, without (visible) long-term effects.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The overall increase in donor efficiency means that the efforts to improve donor policies have paid off. However, substantial differences between countries were found. The success of donor policies in terms of the number of absolute donors is blurred by the success of policies on traffic safety and CVA treatment. It remains unclear which specific policy measures are responsible for the increase in donor efficiency rates. This increase is not related to having a presumed consent system. Furthermore, an analysis of countries that introduced a new consent system or changed their system showed no effect on donor efficiency.</p