Adenovirus and Norovirus Contaminants in Commercially Distributed Shellfish

Shellfish complying with European Regulations based on quantification of fecal bacterial indicators (FIB) are introduced into markets; however, information on viruses, more stable than FIB, is not available in the literature. To assess the presence of noroviruses (NoVs) GI and GII and human adenoviruses (HAdV) in domestic and imported mussels and clams (n = 151) their presence was analyzed during winter seasons (2004–2008) in north-west Spanish markets through a routine surveillance system. All samples tested negative for NoV GI and 13 % were positive for NoV GII. The role of HAdV as viral indicator was evaluated in 20 negative and 10 positive NoV GII samples showing an estimated sensitivity and specificity of HAdV to predict the presence of NoV GII of 100 and 74 % (cut-off 0.5). The levels of HAdV and NoVs and the efficiency of decontamination in shellfish depuration plants (SDP) were evaluated analyzing pre- and post-depurated mussels collected in May–June 2010 from three different SDP. There were no statistically significant differences in the prevalence and quantification of HAdV between pre- and post-depurated shellfish and between seawater entering and leaving the depuration systems. Moreover, infectious HAdV were detected in depurated mussels. These results confirm previous studies showing that current controls and depuration treatments limiting the number of FIB do not guarantee the absence of viruses in shellfish.     

Mercury toxicity induces oxidative stress in growing cucumber seedlings

In this study, the effects of exogenous mercury (HgCl(2)) on time-dependent changes in the activities of antioxidant enzymes (catalase and ascorbate peroxidase), lipid peroxidation, chlorophyll content and protein oxidation in cucumber seedlings (Cucumis sativus L.) were investigated. Cucumber seedlings were exposed to from 0 to 500microM of HgCl(2) during 10 and 15 days. Hg was readily absorbed by growing seedlings, and its content was greater in the roots than the in shoot. Time and concentration-dependent reduction in root and shoot length was observed at all concentrations tested, equally in the roots and shoot, at both 10 and 15 days. At 50microM HgCl(2), root fresh weight of 15-day-old seedlings increased, and at other concentrations, it reduced. For 10-day-old seedlings, reduction in root and shoot fresh biomass was observed. At 15 days, only at 50microM HgCl(2) was there no observed reduction in shoot fresh biomass. Dry weight of roots increased at 500microM both at 10 and 15 days, though at 250microM HgCl(2) there was only an increase at 15 days. There was a significant effect on shoot dry weight at all concentrations tested. Hg-treated seedlings showed elevated levels of lipid peroxides with a concomitant increase in protein oxidation levels, and decreased chlorophyll content when exposed to between 250 and 500microM of HgCl(2). At 10 days, catalase activity increased in seedlings at a moderately toxic level of Hg, whereas at the higher concentration (500microM), there was a marked inhibition. Taken together, our results suggest that Hg induces oxidative stress in cucumber, resulting in plant injury.     

Complex effects of habitat amount and fragmentation on functional connectivity and inbreeding in a giant panda population

The relationships between habitat amount and fragmentation level and functional connectivity and inbreeding remain unclear. Thus, we used genetic algorithms to optimize the transformation of habitat area and fragmentation variables into resistance surfaces to predict genetic structure and examined habitat area and fragmentation effects on inbreeding through a moving window and spatial autoregressive modeling approach. We applied these approaches to a wild giant panda population. The amount of habitat and its level of fragmentation had nonlinear effects on functional connectivity (gene flow) and inbreeding. Functional connectivity was highest when approximately 80% of the surrounding landscape was habitat. Although the relationship between habitat amount and inbreeding was also nonlinear, inbreeding increased as habitat increased until about 20% of the local landscape contained habitat, after which inbreeding decreased as habitat increased. Because habitat fragmentation also had nonlinear relationships with functional connectivity and inbreeding, we suggest these important responses cannot be effectively managed by minimizing or maximizing habitat or fragmentation. Our work offers insights for prioritization of protected areas.     

Interpersonal emotion regulation strategies: Enabling flexibility in high-stress work environments

While scholars have demonstrated that emotions play a central role in cognition, behavior, and decision making, most of the studies on emotions in work contexts show that emotions, or their expression, are often suppressed. We thus investigated how workers in high-stress work environments deal with emotions and remain functional by focusing on the range of extrinsic regulation strategies used by workers in these environments. Drawing from participant observations and in-depth, semistructured interviews, we show how police officers are flexible in their choices of emotion-regulation strategies and how contextual factors emerge as the crux of this process. We contribute to the understanding of regulatory flexibility—defined as the process of matching emotion regulation strategies to environmental circumstances as they unfold in real work situations—by identifying two main enabling factors: coregulation and third party interference.