Equilibrial Blenniid Assemblages on Offshore Petroleum Platforms

Ecological assemblages may be viewed as lying along a continuum between equilibrium and non-equilibrium. I investigated the position on this continuum of an assemblage of blennies found on offshore petroleum platforms in the northern Gulf of Mexico. I conducted visual censuses of four species of blennies on 13 different platforms. Several species displayed a distinct vertical zonation with Scartella cristata confined to the upper 5m and Parablennius marmoreus limited to 10–15m depths. I used Morisita's index (I_M) to assess blenniid assemblage similarity and compared values to a null model of randomly generated data. Comparisons indicated that platforms were similar in blenniid assemblage structure. Tropical Storm Danny passed over my study site after data collection had begun in 1997. Pre- and post-storm I_M's indicated that this disturbance did not affect these blenniid assemblages.     

Dust Storms and Their Impact on Ocean and Human Health: Dust in Earth’s Atmosphere

Satellite imagery has greatly influenced our understanding of dust activity on a global scale. A number of different satellites such as NASAs Earth-Probe Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) and Sea-viewing Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) acquire daily global-scale data used to produce imagery for monitoring dust storm formation and movement. This global-scale imagery has documented the frequent transmission of dust storm-derived soils through Earths atmosphere and the magnitude of many of these events. While various research projects have been undertaken to understand this normal planetary process, little has been done to address its impact on ocean and human health. This review will address the ability of dust storms to influence marine microbial population densities and transport of soil-associated toxins and pathogenic microorganisms to marine environments. The implications of dust on ocean and human health in this emerging scientific field will be discussed.     

Canopy characteristics of the brown alga Sargassum muticum (Fucales,Phaeophyta) in Lake Grevelingen,southwest Netherlands

The present distribution of the invasive brown alga Sargassum muticum in the southwest Netherlands is updated. Populations of the alga were found to remain at their 1985 level in Lake Grevelingen, with a small eastward expansion into the Eastern Scheldt estuary. A new population for the brackish, non-tidal Lake Veere is reported. Within Lake Grevelingen S. muticum forms a persistent, extensive canopy of 100% cover (4,442.5 ± 525.6 g fresh wt m^–2, 640.3 ± 75.8 g dry wt m^–2) that has a marked effect upon the penetration of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) (reduced by 97% at 0.1 m). Surface sea water temperatures can be elevated by 2.7 °C above water not associated with a Sargassum canopy; furthermore, the dense canopy shades and hence reduces water temperatures below 0.1 m depth. Productivity studies indicate that assimilation occurs in the upper levels of the canopy (57.09 µg C mg dry wt^–1 m^–2 at a mean PAR rate of 106.7 J cm^–2 h^–1). Self-shading and a resultant decrease in the rate of assimilation was evident below the canopy.     

宁蒙特大沙暴科学考察报告

在对1993年5月5日宁蒙两区发生特大沙暴考察的基础上,系统分析了特大沙暴形成的原因、造成的危害及沙暴的运行规律。结果表明,特大沙暴发生是在大气候条件控制下,由大风、干旱和土地严重沙漠化不断扩大的综合作用结果,这次特大沙暴给人民生命财产造成了极为惨重的损失。沙暴运行规律表明,防护林和治沙工程对防止沙暴的作用是十分显著的。同时针对沙暴易发区的自然、社会和经济特点,提出了预防、整治和合理开发利用该区资源的综合防治对策。     

Nitrogen dynamics of storm runoff in the riparian zone of a forested watershed

The influence of storm runoff processes on stream nitrogen dynamics was investigated in a headwater riparian swamp on the Oak Ridges moraine in southern Ontario. Hydrologic data were combined with analysis of an isotopic tracer (¹⁸0) and nitrogen (NH ₄ ⁺ , NO ₃ ^– ) concentrations in saturation overland flow and stream discharge. Storm runoff was separated into its event and pre-event components using¹⁸O in order to examine the effect of water source on nitrogen chemistry. Laboratory experiments were also used to study nitrogen transformation associated with storm runoff-surface substrate interactions in the swamp. In most storms N0₃-N and NH₄-N concentrations in the initial 3–4 mm throughfall increment were 10–20x and 20–100x higher respectively than stream base flow concentrations. Maximum stream N0₃-N concentrations were < 2x to 6x higher than base flow concentrations and preceded or coincided with peak stream discharge. Storm-to-storm variations in stream N0₃-N behaviour also occurred during the hydrograph recession phase. NH₄-N concentrations attained an initial peak on the rising hydrograph limb, or at peak stream discharge. A second NH₄-N increase occurred during the late recession phase 3–5 h after maximum stream discharge. Inorganic-N concentrations in surface runoff were similar to peak streamflow.The close agreement between observed N0₃-N concentrations and values predicted from a chemical mixing model indicate that stream N0₃-N variations were controlled mainly by the mixture of throughfall and groundwater in surface stormflow from the swamp. Laboratory experiments also indicated that N0₃-N in surface runoff behaved conservatively when mixed with swamp substrates. With the exception of the late hydrograph recession phase, observed stream NH₄-N concentrations were much lower than concentrations predicted by the chemical mixing model. The rapid loss of NH₄-N from mixtures of surface stormflow and swamp substrates in laboratory experiments and the absence of uptake in sterilized substrates indicated that NH₄-N retention in surface storm runoff was due to biotic processes.     

Changes in the fish fauna of the Oosterschelde estuary — a ten-year time series of fyke catches

Frequency of occurrence of fish species was monitored on a fortnightly basis in four fykes and a weir in the Oosterschelde estuary from 1979 through 1988. This was done in order to record changes in the fish fauna that may have occurred as a response to the construction of a storm-surge barrier in the mouth of the Oosterschelde (1984–1986) and the concomitant building of compartmentalization dams in the landward part. These compartmentalization dams reduced the freshwater inflow into the system. Principal component analysis using the annual averages in frequency of occurrence suggests a slight shift occurred in the fish community separating a cluster of years 1979–1984 from the cluster 1985–1988. Many of the changes in individual species could be attributed to fluctuations in yearclass strength or were part of changes occurring on a wider geographical scale. The only impact of the construction works seems to be the decrease in a number of anadromous fish. Fish traps seem to be useful as a monitoring tool for a number of species. The value of the data collected could be improved if catch size and length-frequency data are recorded.     

Effects of copulation on timing of the LH surge following synchronization of estrus in the bovine

Forty-four crossbred postpubertal bovine females were used to study how mating with a bull affected estradiol-17beta (E(2)) secretion and timing of the preovulatory LH surge. Estrous cycles were synchronized with two injections of prostaglandin-F(2alpha) (PGF(2alpha)) 11 d apart. Females were either isolated from males (NE) or exposed to epididectomized bulls (BE) after the second PGF(2alpha) injection. Females exposed to bulls were allowed to mate once and then were separated from the bull. Blood samples were collected at 2-h intervals from the second PGF(2alpha) injection until 12-h post injection to monitor progesterone (P(4)) and luteinizing hormone (LH) concentrations and at hourly intervals from 12 h to 60 h post-injection to monitor LH secretion and timing of the preovulatory LH surge. Samples were also collected at 4-h intervals until 60 h post-injection to monitor estrogen (E(2)) secretion. LH surges were detected in 16 and 14 of 22 females from the BE and NE groups, respectively, during the 60-h period after PGF(2alpha) injection Mean P(4) concentrations and time of P(4) decline to <1 ng/ml were not different between the two treatment groups (P>0.30). Mean E(2) concentration during the 60-h sampling period was different (P<0.003) between BE and NE groups, and a significant treatment effect (P<0.002) occurred 48 h, 52 h and 60 h after the second PGF(2alpha) injection. However, mean LH concentration before the LH surge, duration of the LH surge and peak LH concentration during the surge were not different between the BE and NE groups (P>0.40). Mean time for the second PGF(2alpha) injection to the beginning of the LH surge was 51.6 +/- 1.5 h (X +/- S E) for the females not exposed to bulls and 48.5 +/- 1.4 h for females exposed to bulls (P>0.14). In this study, the presence of and/or mating by a bull did not affect LH secretion or timing of the preovulatory LH surge after PGF(2alpha) administration.     

Transient plasma cell dyscrasia in COVID-19 patients linked to IL-6 triggering

An unusual clonal gammopathy was reported in COVID-19 patient but whether this anomaly is related or not to the disease has not yet been clarified. To this aim, we selected a cohort of 35 COVID-19 patients swab positive and investigated serological levels of IL-6, immune response to major viral antigens and electrophoretic profile. Elevated levels of IL-6 were accompanied by a significative humoral response to viral Spike protein, revealing an altered electrophoretic profile in the gamma region. We can conclude that elevated levels of IL-6 triggers humoral response inducing a transient plasma cell dyscrasia in severe COVID-19 patients.     

IL-15 immunotherapy is a viable strategy for COVID-19

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a pulmonary inflammatory disease induced by a newly recognized coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). SARS-CoV-2 infection was detected for the first time in the city of Wuhan in China and spread all over the world at the beginning of 2020. Several millions of people have been infected with SARS-CoV-2, and almost 382,867 human deaths worldwide have been reported so far. Notably, there has been no specific, clinically approved vaccine or anti-viral treatment strategy for COVID-19. Herein, we review COVID-19, the viral replication, and its effect on promoting pulmonary fibro-inflammation via immune cell-mediated cytokine storms in humans. Several clinical trials are currently ongoing for anti-viral drugs, vaccines, and neutralizing antibodies against COVID-19. Viral clearance is the result of effective innate and adaptive immune responses. The pivotal role of interleukin (IL)-15 in viral clearance involves maintaining the balance of induced inflammatory cytokines and the homeostatic responses of natural killer and CD8⁺ T cells. This review presents supporting evidence of the impact of IL-15 immunotherapy on COVID-19.     

粤北山地常绿阔叶林自然干扰后冠层结构与林下光照动态

以粤北车八岭2008年受冰灾破坏的山地常绿阔叶林为研究对象,设置2 hm2固定样地开展连续3a(2008—2010年)的群落调查,并采用半球面影像技术(Hemispherical photography)获取冠层结构和林下光照指标,分析灾后森林演替过程中冠层结构和林下光照的动态。研究发现:1)灾后森林恢复过程中,样地林下光照(直射光、散射光和总光照)均随林冠开度的减少、叶面积指数的增加而减少;2)从2008到2010年,各年度冠层结构和林下光照的差异均极显著(P<0.0001),但年间差异程度有逐年减少的趋势;3)灾后森林恢复前3a,林下直射光对林下总光照的贡献大于散射光,其时空波动性也大于散射光;4)林冠开度对冠层结构的反映程度比叶面积指数高,冠层结构对林下散射光的影响比对直射光大。灾后林木先是迅速生长然后生长速度缓慢下来并逐渐稳定,随森林逐渐郁闭林下光照也随之减少,其中林冠开度用于评价冠层结构动态的效果更佳,林下直射光比散射光的时空变化更复杂。