Mitochondrial control region sequence analyses indicate dispersal from the US East Coast as the source of the invasive Indo-Pacific lionfish Pterois volitans in the Bahamas

Lionfish are popular aquarium fish from the Indo-Pacific that have invaded the western Atlantic. Two species, Pterois volitans and P. miles, were well established along the United States east coast before the first lionfish were reported from the Bahamas in 2004, where they quickly dispersed throughout the archipelago by 2007. The source of the Bahamian lionfish invasion has been in question because of the hypothesized low connectivity between Florida and Bahamas reef species as well as the temporal lag in their arrival in the Bahamas. Mitochondrial control region haplotypes (680 bp) were determined and analyzed for lionfish specimens from the Bahamas, North Carolina, and two sites within their native range (Indonesia and the Philippines). Exact tests, pairwise F _st and AMOVA analyses all showed no significant differentiation between the Bahamas and North Carolina specimens. The similarity between the Bahamas and North Carolina lionfish was also reflected in a minimum spanning network and neighbor-joining distance tree generated from the data. Sequence analyses also revealed the presence of only Pterois volitans, as no P. miles were detected in the Bahamian sample. These results indicate that the source of the Bahamian lionfish is egg and larval dispersal from the United States east coast population, and support previous models of reef fish dispersal that suggest a low level of connectivity between the Bahamas and east coast of Florida.     

Lip-reading in remote subjects: an attempt to quantify and separate ingestion, breathing and vocalisation in free-living animals using penguins as a model

A new mandibular sensor is presented here based on the use of a Hall sensor, attached to one mandible, opposite a magnet, attached to the other mandible. Changes in sensor voltage, proportional to magnetic field strength, and thus inter-mandibular angle, are recorded in a logger. This system was tested on seven captive Adélie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae) and three gentoo penguins (Pygoscelis papua) during: (1) feeding trials on land, where birds were given known quantities and types of food; and (2) trials in water where birds were allowed to swim and dive freely. In addition, six free-living Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) were equipped with the system for single foraging trips. Angular signatures were looked for in instances when both captive and free-living birds might open their beaks, and it was discovered that five major behaviours could be identified: ingestion, breathing, calling, head shaking and preening. Captive feeding trials showed that prey mass could be determined with reasonable accuracy (r²=0.92), and there was some indication that prey type could be resolved if recording frequency were high enough. Vocalisations in Adélie penguins (arc calls) took <0.7 s for mean maximum beak angles of 4.2° (SD 1.3), and were distinguished by their relatively gradual change in beak angle and by their high degree of symmetry. Beak shakings were distinguishable by their short duration (multiple peaks of <0.5 s) and minimal maximum angle (<0.5°). Preening behaviour was apparent due to multiple decreasing peaks (angles <8°). Breathing could be subdivided into that during porpoising, where a characteristic double peak in beak angle was recorded, and that during normal surface rests between dives. During porpoising, only the primary peak (mean maximum beak angle 25.1°, SD 4.7) occurred when the bird was out of the water (mean maximum for second peak 5.9°, SD 4.1). During normal surface rests in free-living birds, breaths could be distinguished as a series of beak openings and closures, showing variation in amplitude and frequency according to an apparent recovery from the previous dive and preparation for the subsequent dive to come. The mandibular measuring system presented shows considerable promise for elucidating many hitherto intractable aspects of the behaviour of free-living animals.     

Prenatal and postnatal management of omphalocele

Omphalocele is one of the most common abdominal wall defects seen in the prenatal period. Once this diagnosis is confirmed, it is important to check the fetal karyotype and thoroughly assess the fetus for other malformations. Prenatal management involves serial assessment of fetal growth and prenatal testing to ensure fetal well-being. Closure of the abdominal wall and replacement of organs into the abdominal cavity can be done directly if the omphalocele is small or in a staged manner if the omphalocele is large. Successful outcomes for these neonates can be optimized with a multidisciplinary team approach to prenatal and postnatal management. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Preliminary Evaluation of the Use of Phosphogypsum for Reef Substrate. Ii. A Study of the Effects of Phosphogypsum Exposure On Diversity and Biomass of Aquatic Organisms

The effects of cement consolidated phosphogypsum (PG) on marine organisms was investigated under natural conditions in four 1000 m² estuarine ponds. Two ponds were seeded with 160 kg of PG arranged in aggregations of blocks and two ponds received similar mass of sand/cement blocks. Meiofauna were sampled quarterly and PG did not affect total meiofauna or major taxa (nematodes and copepods) density. Abundant species of copepods either were slightly increased in ponds with PG or were inconsistently affected.

All ponds were drained after one year. Three species of macroinvertebrates and 15 species of fishes were collected. Diversity indices showed modest but inconsistent variation among ponds. Only Pond 1 (control) and Pond 4 (experimental) had similar species abundances and all ponds showed unique distributions of biomasses among species. Thus, no differences in community structure attributable to the presence of PG could be detected among benthic invertebrates, natant invertebrates, or fishes.     

Community participation in international projects: an analytical perspective from the Russian Far East

International projects frequently struggle with the dilemmas of community participation, whether the community in question is the object of a development or aid intervention, or is to be persuaded to cooperate on a conservation project. This paper discusses the challenges facing interventionists and the obstacles and opportunities that local people encounter as they come into contact with exogenous conservation and development projects. The key issues presented can be summarized as legacy, legitimacy, agency and communication. We argue that project planners need to understand the history of past interventions in order to respond appropriately to local expectations. At the same time, the complexity of community leadership and representation complicates the sometimes conflicting agendas of project developers and communities. Much depends on personal relations, individual agency, and initiative. Finally, the physical means of communication—language, print and broadcast media, transport and telecommunications—are important aspects to consider when assessing the limitations to community participation. Although there have been valuable successes in international projects in Russia, as in other regions of the world, a better understanding of community participation is needed to ensure more effective and sustainable means for engaging communities in project development and implementation. This paper explores these questions through a locally-grounded analysis based on the academic research and practitioner experience of the two authors in the remote home of a World Heritage site—the Kamchatka Peninsula, in the Russian Far East.     

In utero therapy for fetal thoracic abnormalities

Fetal thoracic lung anomalies are rare. The specific diagnosis can be made by utilizing ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and Doppler studies. Perinatal surveillance is required for large lesions and mediastinal shift regardless of the pathological diagnosis. These can cause physiological changes in the cardiovascular system with resulting hydrops. In utero therapies are variable but with no large randomized trials to compare risks and benefits. In most cases of fetal lung lesions, continued observation with postnatal therapy is the outcome. When fetal hydrops is present or impending, in utero fetal therapy is required to try to reverse that pathological course associated with fetal or neonatal death. Maternal morbidity is increased with the development of MIRROR syndrome following the presence of long-standing fetal hydrops and possible surgical procedures. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Use of the electrical aerosol detector as an indicator of the surface area of fine particles deposited in the lung

Because of recent concerns about the health effects of ultrafine particles and the indication that particle toxicity is related to surface area, we have been examining techniques for measuring parameters related to the surface area of fine particles, especially in the 0.003- to 0.5-microm size range. In an earlier study, we suggested that the charge attached to particles, as measured by a prototype of the Electrical Aerosol Detector (EAD, TSI Inc., Model 3070), was related to the 1.16 power of the mobility diameter. An inspection of the pattern of particle deposition in the lung as a function of particle size suggested that the EAD measurement might be a useful indicator of the surface area of particles deposited in the lung. In this study, we calculate the particle surface area (micrometer squared) deposited in the lung per cubic centimeter of air inhaled as a function of particle size using atmospheric particle size distributions measured in Minneapolis, MN, and East St. Louis, IL. The correlations of powers of the mobility diameter, Dx, were highest for X = 1.1-1.6 for the deposited surface area and for X = 1.25 with the EAD signal. This overlap suggested a correspondence between the EAD signal and the deposited surface area. The correlation coefficients of the EAD signal and particle surface area deposited in the alveolar and tracheobronchial regions of the lung for three breathing patterns are in the range of Pearson's r = 0.91-0.95 (coefficient of determination, R2 = 0.82-0.90). These statistical relationships suggest that the EAD could serve as a useful indicator of particle surface area deposited in the lung in exposure and epidemiologic studies of the human health effects of atmospheric particles and as a measure of the potential surface area dose for the characterization of occupational environments.     

Evaluation of vacuum filter sock surface sample collection method for Bacillus spores from porous and non-porous surfaces

Vacuum filter socks were evaluated for recovery efficiency of powdered Bacillus atrophaeus spores from two non-porous surfaces, stainless steel and painted wallboard and two porous surfaces, carpet and bare concrete. Two surface coupons were positioned side-by-side and seeded with aerosolized Bacillus atrophaeus spores. One of the surfaces, a stainless steel reference coupon, was sized to fit into a sample vial for direct spore removal, while the other surface, a sample surface coupon, was sized for a vacuum collection application. Deposited spore material was directly removed from the reference coupon surface and cultured for enumeration of colony forming units (CFU), while deposited spore material was collected from the sample coupon using the vacuum filter sock method, extracted by sonication and cultured for enumeration. Recovery efficiency, which is a measure of overall transfer effectiveness from the surface to culture, was calculated as the number of CFU enumerated from the filter sock sample per unit area relative to the number of CFU enumerated from the co-located reference coupon per unit area. The observed mean filter sock recovery efficiency from stainless steel was 0.29 (SD = 0.14, n = 36), from painted wallboard was 0.25 (SD = 0.15, n = 36), from carpet was 0.28 (SD = 0.13, n = 40) and from bare concrete was 0.19 (SD = 0.14, n = 44). Vacuum filter sock recovery quantitative limits of detection were estimated at 105 CFU m(-2) from stainless steel and carpet, 120 CFU m(-2) from painted wallboard and 160 CFU m(-2) from bare concrete. The method recovery efficiency and limits of detection established in this work provide useful guidance for the planning of incident response environmental sampling for biological agents such as Bacillus anthracis.     

Butyltins, trace metals and morphological variables in surf scoter (Melanitta perspicillata) wintering on the south coast of British Columbia, Canada

From 1998 to 2001 we examined spatial and temporal variation in uptake of contaminants by surf scoters (Melanitta perspicillata) in the Georgia Basin region of the Pacific coast of Canada. Samples were collected during late fall and early spring at industrialized and reference locations, carcasses examined, and tissues collected for histology, biomarkers, and contaminant analyses. Scoters from both Vancouver and Victoria harbours had significantly higher hepatic concentrations of summation operatorbutyltins than birds from a reference site. In adult male surf scoters, hepatic summation operatorbutyltins increased over the winter at two sites (p=0.02, n=26), while mercury increased (p=0.03, n=15) and selenium decreased at one site (p=0.001, n=15). Body condition decreased over the winter at both the treatment site, Howe Sound (p<0.0001, n=12), and the reference site, Baynes Sound (p=0.02, n=15). Multiple regression analysis using Akaike's Information Criteria (AIC(C)) showed an association between hepatic butyltin concentrations and overall body condition (p=0.06, r=-0.237).