Frequency of sublethal injury in a deepwater ophiuroid, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ophiacantha bidentata</Emphasis>, an important component of western Atlantic <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lophelia</Emphasis> reef communities

The occurrence and relative abundance of tissue (arm) regeneration in the ophiuroid, Ophiacantha bidentata (Retzius), was examined in individuals collected primarily among colonies of the deep-water coral Lophelia pertusa off the southeastern United States. Seven deep-water coral sites (384–756 m), located between Cape Lookout, NC, and Cape Canaveral, FL, were sampled in June 2004 using a manned submersible. The presence of regenerative tissue was evaluated by visual inspection of each individual ophiuroid, and the proportion of regenerating arms per individual was examined relative to size of individual, geographic location, and depth of collection. Ophiacantha bidentata, the dominant brittle star collected, commonly displayed signs of sublethal injury with over 60% of individuals displaying some evidence of regeneration. These levels of regeneration rival those reported for shallow-water ophiuroids. Larger individuals (>6.5 mm disc size) had a higher incidence of regeneration than smaller individuals. Size of individual and percent of regeneration were negatively correlated with depth. Although O. bidentata was significantly less abundant in southern versus northern sites, ophiuroid abundance did not appear to be influenced by amount or density of coral substratum. Presence of dense aggregations of O. bidentata indicates that they are an important component of the invertebrate assemblage associated with deep-water coral habitat especially in the northern part of the study area. Assuming that observed frequencies of injury and subsequent regeneration represent predation events then dense ophiuroid aggregations in deep-water coral habitats represent an important renewable trophic resource within these communities.     

Results of an "emergency quality control study" as confirmation of a PCDD/PCDF-contamination of milk and butter samples

Elevated PCDD/F levels in four butter samples and one milk sample had to be confirmed under considerable time pressure. These samples should demonstrate a raising dioxin contamination in different regions of Germany caused by the use of Brazilian citrus pulp as feedstuff. Above all, the increase of 2,3,7,8-TCDD and 1,2,3,7,8-PeCDD had to be confirmed. Thus, an "emergency quality control study" was performed including five laboratories from the official food control in Germany. The results had to be reported about two to three weeks after the first announcement of the samples (including time for shipment). The five laboratories applied different extraction and clean-up methods, used different GC-columns and GC/MS-equipment and different standard solutions. The results are in a good agreement. Slightly different results for most individual congeners were of minor importance. A difference was observed only in the 2,3,7,8-TCDF content of one laboratory which was not relevant for the evaluation of the increase of the dioxin contamination in milk and dairy products. The laboratory's individual methods proved to give correct results even under a very tight schedule.     

Anatomic and acoustic sexual dimorphism in the sound emission system of Phoenicoprocta capistrata (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae)

Both sexes of Phoenicoprocta capistrata have functional tymbals. The scanning electron microscopy revealed differences in the morphology of these organs in males and females. Male tymbals have a well-developed striated band, constituted by 21 ± 2 regularly arranged striae whereas female tymbals lack a striated band. This type of sexual dimorphism is rare in Arctiidae. The recording of the sound produced by moths held by the wings revealed that while males produced trains of pulses organized in modulation cycles, females produced clicks at low repetition rate following very irregular patterns. Statistically, there are differences between sexes in terms of the duration of pulses, which were 355 ± 24 μs in the case of males and 289 ± 29 μs for females. The spectral characteristics of the pulses also show sexual dimorphism. Male pulses are more tuned (Q ₁₀ = 5.2 ± 0.5) than female pulses (Q ₁₀ = 2.7 ± 0.5) and have a higher best frequency (42 ± 1 kHz vs. 29 ± 2 kHz). To our knowledge, this is the first report on an arctiid moth showing sexual dimorphism in tymbal’s anatomy that leads to a best frequency dimorphism. Males produce sound at mating attempts. The sounds recorded during mating are modulation cycles with the same spectral characteristics as those recorded when males are held by the wings. The morphological and acoustic features of female tymbals could indicate a process of degeneration and adaptation to conditions under which the emission of complex patterns is not necessary. Frank Coro no longer works at Universidad de La Habana.     

Disaster risk from a macroeconomic perspective: a metric for fiscal vulnerability evaluation

The Disaster Deficit Index (DDI) measures macroeconomic and financial risk in a country according to possible catastrophic scenario events. Extreme disasters can generate financial deficit due to sudden and elevated need of resources to restore affected inventories. The DDI captures the relationship between the economic loss that a country could experience when a catastrophic event occurs and the availability of funds to address the situation. The proposed model utilises the procedures of the insurance industry in establishing probable losses, based on critical impacts during a given period of exposure; for economic resilience, the model allows one to calculate the country's financial ability to cope with a critical impact. There are limitations and costs associated with access to resources that one must consider as feasible values according to the country's macroeconomic and financial conditions. This paper presents the DDI model and the results of its application to 19 countries of the Americas and aims to guide governmental decision‐making in disaster risk reduction.     

Is spread of invasive species regulated? Using ecological theory to interpret statistical analysis

We investigate a recent proposal that invasive species display patterns of spatial "spread regulation" analogous to density-dependent regulation of population abundances. While invasive species do offer valuable tests of ecological theories about spatial spread, we argue that the statistical approach used in the study is not useful, and that the proposed definition of "spread regulation" is likely to be confusing. While concepts of negative feedbacks in spatial spread may be reasonable, the proposed definition of "spread regulation" encompasses accelerating, constant, or decelerating spread. There is no compelling biological or practical reason to adopt such a definition. Moreover, we show that the statistical patterns (from time series of ratios of newly to recently invaded sites) proposed as evidence of spread regulation are predictable from basic diffusion models or other common models of constant spread with some stochasticity in dynamics and/or observations. Because such a wide range of processes would generate the observed patterns, no clear biological conclusions emerge from the proposed approach to spread analysis. When regarded in the context of the impacts and management of invasive species, the proposed regulation concept has the potential to create costly misunderstandings.     

Fluidized-bed-combustion ash for the solidification and stabilization of a metal-hydroxide sludge

Fluidized-bed-combustion (FBC) ash is a by-product from a developing technology for coal-fired power plants that will economically reduce air emissions to meet requirements of the Clean Air Act. FBC ash has physical and chemical properties similar to Portland cement, but only has moderate success as a pozzolan in concrete applications due to low compressive strengths. However, FBC ash has proven effective for use as a binder for the solidification and stabilization (S/S) of metal-bearing sludges. Physical and chemical characterization procedures were used to analyze FBC ash and a metal-bearing sludge obtained from a hazardous waste treatment facility to develop 12 different S/S mix designs. The mix designs consist of four binder designs to evaluate sludge-to-binder ratios of approximately 0, 0.5, and 1. Portland cement is used as a control binder to compare unconfined compressive strengths and Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) analyses from different ratios of the FBC ash streams: fly ash, char, and spent bed material (SBM). Compressive strengths ranging from 84 lbs per square inch (psi) to 298 psi were obtained from various mix designs containing different sludge-to-ash ratios cured for 28 days. All the mix designs passed the TCLP. Recoveries from leaching for each metal were less than 5% for most mix designs. Results of unconfined compressive strengths, TCLP, and percent recovery calculations indicate that the mix design containing approximately a 1:1 ratio of fly ash to char-and-sludge is the best mix design for the S/S of the metal-bearing sludge.     

Validation of a test method for the measurement of methanol emissions from stationary sources

Title III of the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments designated methanol as a pollutant to be regulated. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), through a contract with Research Triangle Institute, has developed a method for measuring methanol emissions from stationary sources. The methanol sampling train (MST) consists of a glass-lined heated probe, two condensate knockout traps, and three sorbent cartridges packed with Anasorb 747. Samples are desorbed with a 1:1 mixture of carbon disulfide (CS2) and N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF). Condensate water and CS2/ DMF samples are analyzed by gas chromatography with flame ionization detection. The MST has a practical quantitation limit of approximately 3 ppm for a 20-L sample. Samples were shown to be stable for at least two weeks after collection. Field tests of the MST and the National Council of the Paper Industry for Air and Stream Improvement (NCASI) methanol sampling method were conducted at two pulp and paper mills. Sampling and analysis procedures followed EPA Method 301 requirements. The sampling location for the first field test was the inlet vent to a softwood bleach plant scrubber, where the methanol concentration was approximately 30 ppm. The mean recovery of spike was 108.3% for the MST method and 81.6% for the NCASI method. Although neither method showed significant bias at the 95% confidence level, the between-methods bias was significantly different. A second field test was conducted at a vent from a black liquor oxidation tank where the methanol concentration was approximately 350 ppm. Mean spike recoveries were 96.6 and 94.2% for the MST and NCASI methods, respectively. The biases of the two methods and the between-methods bias were not significantly different for the second field test.