Mass stranding events (MSEs) of beaked whales (BWs) were extremely rare prior to the 1960s but increased markedly after the development of naval mid-frequency active sonar (MFAS). The temporal and ...spatial associations between atypical BW MSEs and naval exercises were first observed in the Canary Islands, Spain, in the mid-1980s. Further research on BWs stranded in association with naval exercises demonstrated pathological findings consistent with decompression sickness (DCS). A 2004 ban on MFASs around the Canary Islands successfully prevented additional BW MSEs in the region, but atypical MSEs have continued in other places of the world, especially in the Mediterranean Sea, with examined individuals showing DCS. A workshop held in Fuerteventura, Canary Islands, in September 2017 reviewed current knowledge on BW atypical MSEs associated with MFAS. Our review suggests that the effects of MFAS on BWs vary among individuals or populations, and predisposing factors may contribute to individual outcomes. Spatial management specific to BW habitat, such as the MFAS ban in the Canary Islands, has proven to be an effective mitigation tool and mitigation measures should be established in other areas taking into consideration known population-level information.
Vibrational spectroscopy is an essential tool in chemical analyses, biological assays, and studies of functional materials. Over the past decade, various coherent nonlinear vibrational spectroscopic ...techniques have been developed and enabled researchers to study time-correlations of the fluctuating frequencies that are directly related to solute–solvent dynamics, dynamical changes in molecular conformations and local electrostatic environments, chemical and biochemical reactions, protein structural dynamics and functions, characteristic processes of functional materials, and so on. In order to gain incisive and quantitative information on the local electrostatic environment, molecular conformation, protein structure and interprotein contacts, ligand binding kinetics, and electric and optical properties of functional materials, a variety of vibrational probes have been developed and site-specifically incorporated into molecular, biological, and material systems for time-resolved vibrational spectroscopic investigation. However, still, an all-encompassing theory that describes the vibrational solvatochromism, electrochromism, and dynamic fluctuation of vibrational frequencies has not been completely established mainly due to the intrinsic complexity of intermolecular interactions in condensed phases. In particular, the amount of data obtained from the linear and nonlinear vibrational spectroscopic experiments has been rapidly increasing, but the lack of a quantitative method to interpret these measurements has been one major obstacle in broadening the applications of these methods. Among various theoretical models, one of the most successful approaches is a semiempirical model generally referred to as the vibrational spectroscopic map that is based on a rigorous theory of intermolecular interactions. Recently, genetic algorithm, neural network, and machine learning approaches have been applied to the development of vibrational solvatochromism theory. In this review, we provide comprehensive descriptions of the theoretical foundation and various examples showing its extraordinary successes in the interpretations of experimental observations. In addition, a brief introduction to a newly created repository Web site (http://frequencymap.org) for vibrational spectroscopic maps is presented. We anticipate that a combination of the vibrational frequency map approach and state-of-the-art multidimensional vibrational spectroscopy will be one of the most fruitful ways to study the structure and dynamics of chemical, biological, and functional molecular systems in the future.
Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is a major cause of death in the United States.
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Studies of cardiac arrest in the nation's largest cities have shown dismal rates of survival to hospital discharge ...(less than 5 percent for cases of ventricular fibrillation in which the collapse is witnessed).
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By contrast, some mid-sized urban areas with excellent emergency medical systems have achieved survival rates of 15 to 35 percent.
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The majority of cases of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest arise from ventricular fibrillation.
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Survival after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest due to ventricular fibrillation is determined primarily by the length of time from . . .
The chronology and history of characterizing the aromatic hydrocarbon
Ah battery is reviewed. This battery represents the Ah receptor (AHR)-mediated control of at least six, and probably many more, ...dioxin-inducible genes; two cytochrome P450 genes—P450 1A1 and 1A2 (
Cyp1a1,
Cyp1a2)—and four non-P450 genes, have experimentally been documented to be members of this battery. Metabolism of endogenous and exogenous substrates by perhaps every P450 enzyme, but certainly CYP1A1 and CYP1A2 (which are located, in part, in the mitochondrion), have been shown to cause reactive oxygenated metabolite (ROM)-mediated oxidative stress. Oxidative stress activates genes via the electrophile response element (EPRE) DNA motif, whereas dioxin (acutely) activates genes via the AHR-mediated aromatic hydrocarbon response element (AHRE) DNA motif. In contrast to dioxin, AHR ligands that are readily metabolized to ROMs (e.g. benzo
apyrene, β-naphthoflavone) activate genes via both AHREs and the EPRE. The importance of the AHR in cell cycle regulation and apoptosis has just begun to be realized. Current evidence suggests that the CYP1A1 and CYP1A2 enzymes might control the level of the putative endogenous ligand of the AHR, but that CYP1A1/1A2 metabolism generates ROM-mediated oxidative stress which can be ameliorated by the four non-P450 EPRE-driven genes in the
Ah battery. Oxidative stress is a major signal in precipitating apoptosis; however, the precise mechanism, or molecule, which determines the cell’s decision between apoptosis and continuation with the cell cycle, remains to be elucidated. The total action of AHR and the
Ah battery genes therefore represents a pivotal upstream event in the apoptosis cascade, providing an intricate balance between promoting and preventing ROM-mediated oxidative stress. These proposed endogenous functions of the AHR and
Ah enzymes are, of course, in addition to the frequently described functions of “metabolic potentiation” and “detoxification” of various foreign chemicals.
A captive adult female bottlenose dolphin presented with stillbirth. The placenta appeared oedematous. No other gross lesions were evident in the placenta or the stillborn calf. Histopathology ...revealed mild multifocal placentitis and foetal encephalitis. Brucella sp. was isolated from lung, liver, spleen and kidney. Sequence and phylogenetic analysis demonstrated this organism to be most similar to Brucella ceti sequence type (ST) 27. Brucella sp. DNA was detected in formalin‐fixed paraffin‐embedded placenta and brain by real‐time PCR using primers targeting the IS711 gene. Immunohistochemical staining revealed Brucella sp. antigen in placental inflammation. This is the first report of isolation of Brucella sp. from a marine mammal in the Southern Hemisphere and the first report of marine Brucella‐associated disease in Australia.
Hector's dolphins (Cephalorhynchus hectori) are a small endangered coastal species that are endemic to New Zealand. Anthropogenic factors, particularly accidental capture in fishing nets, are ...believed to be the biggest threat to survival of this species. The role of infectious disease as a cause of mortality has not previously been well investigated. This study investigates Toxoplasma gondii infection in Hector's dolphins, finding that 7 of 28 (25%) dolphins examined died due to disseminated toxoplasmosis, including 2 of 3 Maui's dolphins, a critically endangered sub-species. A further 10 dolphins had one or more tissues that were positive for the presence of T. gondii DNA using PCR. Genotyping revealed that 7 of 8 successfully amplified isolates were an atypical Type II genotype. Fatal cases had necrotising and haemorrhagic lesions in the lung (n=7), lymph nodes (n=6), liver (n=4) and adrenals (n=3). Tachyzoites and tissue cysts were present in other organs including the brain (n=5), heart (n=1), stomach (n=1) and uterus (n=1) with minimal associated inflammatory response. One dolphin had a marked suppurative metritis in the presence of numerous intra-epithelial tachyzoites. No dolphins had underlying morbillivirus infection. This study provides the first evidence that infectious agents could be important in the population decline of this species, and highlights the need for further research into the route of entry of T. gondii organisms into the marine environment worldwide.
Extrapyramidal signs (EPS) are common in Alzheimer disease (AD) and increase in prevalence as AD advances. The neuropathologic substrate responsible for EPS in AD remains to be fully characterized.
...Subjects had a clinical diagnosis of AD confirmed by neuropathologic examination. EPS during life were documented by clinical methods assessing bradykinesia, cogwheel rigidity, rest tremor, and parkinsonian gait. Subjects with EPS and previous neuroleptic exposure were excluded. Twenty-eight subjects were in the EPS group and 104 subjects were without EPS. Neuron loss, alpha-synuclein (ASYN)-labeled pathology, and tau-labeled pathology in the substantia nigra were measured using semiquantitative techniques such that higher scores represented increased pathologic burden.
Presence of nigral ASYN-labeled pathology was more common (50 vs 28.9%; p < 0.05) in the EPS group than in those without EPS. There was more nigral neuron loss in the EPS group (1.50 vs 1.11 in no-EPS group; p < 0.05). Tau-labeled burden was not different by group comparisons; however, EPS onset at later stages of dementia severity was associated with increased tau-labeled pathology (Kendall tau-B = 0.48, p < 0.01) and this association remained after controlling for dementia severity at death. Additionally, moderate to severe tau burden was more common in the subgroup with "pure AD" (definite AD without other neuropathology) with EPS (81.8%) than cases without EPS (49.0%; p < 0.05). Four subjects with EPS (14.3%) had little to no significant nigral pathologic changes.
Clinically detected extrapyramidal signs (EPS) in Alzheimer disease (AD) are associated with substantia nigra pathology including alpha-synuclein aggregation, hyperphosphorylated tau accumulation, and neuron loss that may account for the increasing prevalence of EPS as AD progresses. In some cases, limited nigral pathology suggests extranigral factors in the clinical symptoms of EPS.
The study objective was to develop a simple, generalizable predictive model for survival after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest due to ventricular fibrillation.
Logistic regression analysis of two ...retrospective series (n=205 and n=1667, respectively) of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests was performed on data sets from a Southwestern city (population, 415,000; area, 406 km2) and a Northwestern county (population, 1,038,000; area, 1399 km2). Both are served by similar two-tiered emergency response systems. All arrests were witnessed and occurred before the arrival of emergency responders, and the initial cardiac rhythm observed was ventricular fibrillation. The main outcome measure was survival to hospital discharge. Patient age, initiation of CPR by bystanders, interval from collapse to CPR, interval from collapse to defibrillation, bystander CPR/collapse-to-CPR interval interaction, and collapse-to-CPR/collapse-to-defibrillation interval interaction were significantly associated with survival. There was not a significant difference between observed survival rates at the two sites after control for significant predictors. A simplified predictive model retaining only collapse to CPR and collapse to defibrillation intervals performed comparably to the more complicated explanatory model.
The effectiveness of prehospital interventions for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest may be estimated from their influence on collapse to CPR and collapse to defibrillation intervals. A model derived from combined data from two geographically distinct populations did not identify site as a predictor of survival if clinically relevant predictor variables were controlled for. This model can be generalized to other US populations and used to project the local effectiveness of interventions to improve cardiac arrest survival.
BioUD ® with the active ingredient 2-undecanone originally derived from wild tomato plants is a new repellent recently registered by the US EPA. Repellent efficacy of BioUD ® (7.75% 2-undecanone) and ...DEET (98.11%) was examined in the laboratory using a choice test between repellent-treated and control filter paper surfaces for Amblyomma americanum, Dermacentor variabilis, and Ixodes scapularis. BioUD ® provided greater repellency against A. americanum and I. scapularis than DEET. No difference was found between BioUD ® and DEET against D. variabilis. In head-to-head assays between BioUD ® and DEET, undiluted and 50% dilutions of BioUD® were more repellent than undiluted DEET against all three species tested. Similarly, a 25% dilution of BioUD® was more repellent than DEET against A. americanum while no difference in mean percentage repellency was found between a 25% dilution of BioUD® and DEET against I. scapularis. Based on regression analysis, the concentration of BioUD® required for equivalent repellency to 98.11% DEET was 39.5% for D. variabilis and 29.7% for I. scapularis. A log-probit model could not be constructed for A. americanum from the dosages tested. Based on filter paper head-to-head assays, BioUD® is at least 2-4 times more active as a repellent than DEET against three species of ixodid ticks under the conditions of our laboratory bioassays.
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