Attachment ofSalmonella typhimurium andListeria monocytogenes to glass as affected by surface film thickness,cell density,and bacterial motility

Summary With equal cell densities, surface film thickness did not influence the numbers ofSalmonella typhimurium andListeria monocytogenes cells which attached to glass. MotileL. monocytogenes cells had a greater cell surface charge and generally attached in higher numbers than non-motile cells.Mention of a trade name, proprietary product or specific equipment is necessary to report factually on available data; however, the USDA neither guarantees nor warrants the standard of the product, and the use of the name by USDA implies no approval of the product to the exclusion of others that may also be suitable.     

Effects of surface-active chemicals on microbial adhesion

Summary A simple, continuously circulating fed-batch culture system of microorganisms was designed and used to study the adhesion of mixed microbial cultures to surfaces of 316 stainless steel, Admiralty brass, and wood. The adhesion of the microbes to the surfaces was monitored by scanning electron microscope analysis. Eighteen non-toxic, non-ionic, or anionic surface-active compounds were tested for efficacy as inhibitors of microbial adhesion to stainless steel and wood surfaces. A rating system was devised to correlate efficacy with the degree of biomass adhered to 316 stainless steel, although correlation could not be made with wood. A correlation was also found between the ability of a compound to lower surface tension and its ability to prevent microbial adhesion.     

The invasive worm Hydroides elegans (Polychaeta – Serpulidae) in southeastern Brazil and its potential to dominate hard substrata

The serpulid Hydroides elegans is recognized as an invasive species in many harbour areas of the world, growing mainly on man-made structures such as pier pilings, where native diversity is low. In addition, because they build large aggregations of calcareous tubes, this increases the maintenance and fuel costs of vessels. While H. elegans is well known for the North Atlantic, Europe, Caribbean and Pacific Ocean, detailed information of the species for the South Atlantic is missing. In the last decade, owners of boats moored at the Clube Naval Charitas (CNC), in the Guanabara Bay, southeastern Brazil noticed an increase in the occurrence of an encrusting organism that we identified as H. elegans. In this study we characterize H. elegans specimens from CNC and Itaguaí Harbor, both in southeastern Brazil, and discuss its distribution in the world. In addition, we deployed PVC panels at two different depths to quantify how H. elegans affects community assembling over two months. We observed that H. elegans could dominate hard substrata in the intertidal zone, occupying more than 50% of the available substrata. Considering the damage caused by H. elegans elsewhere and the ability of the species to monopolize space in the intertidal zone demonstrated here, accurate taxonomic information is essential for future monitoring and management of the species in Brazil and the South Atlantic.     

血管内皮生长因子受体3在大鼠胚胎皮肤淋巴管和血管内皮的表达及意义

目的观察血管内皮生长因子受体3(vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-3, VEGFR-3)蛋白在大鼠第15d胚胎和第21d胚胎皮肤淋巴管和血管内皮的表达水平,探讨VEGFR-3在胚胎淋巴管和血管发生发育中的生物功能.方法应用免疫组织化学技术(SABC法)对大鼠第15d和第21d胚胎共61例皮肤样本进行抗鼠VEGFR-3免疫组织化学染色,观察VEGFR-3在皮肤淋巴管和血管内皮细胞的表达情况.结果大鼠胚胎皮肤淋巴管和血管内皮细胞均阳性表达VEGFR-3蛋白,VEGFR-3蛋白在大鼠胚胎第15d、胚胎第21d皮肤淋巴管内皮细胞的阳性表达率分别是38.71%(12/31)和73.33%(22/30),第21d胚胎皮肤淋巴管VEGFR-3蛋白的表达水平明显高于第15d胚胎皮肤淋巴管VEGFR-3蛋白的表达水平(P<0.01).VEGFR-3蛋白在大鼠胚胎第15d、胚胎第21d皮肤血管内皮细胞的阳性表达率分别是48.39%(15/31)和46.67%(14/30),第15d和第 21d胚胎皮肤血管VEGFR-3蛋白的表达水平之间无明显差异(P>0.05).结论随着大鼠胚胎的发育,VEGFR-3蛋白在皮肤淋巴管的表达水平表现为明显上升的趋势,提示VEGFR-3在淋巴管发生发育中的作用逐渐增强.     

ICEBREAKER NOISE IN LANCASTER SOUND, N.W.T., CANADA: IMPLICATIONS FOR MARINE MAMMAL BEHAVIOR

Abstract: In 1986, we recorded the MV Arctic , CCGS des Groseilliers and MV Lady Franklin during routine icebreaking operations and travel to and from the mine at Nanisivik, Baffin Island, Northwest Territories, Canada. We found that the Arctic generated more high frequency noise than did the other vessels we recorded. Monitoring of vessel noise levels indicated that belugas and, probably, narwhals should be able to detect the high frequency components of Arctic noise at least as far as 25 to 30 km from the source. The ability of whales to detect the MV Arctic at long distances may explain why belugas and narwhals in Lancaster Sound seem to react to ships at longer distances than do other stocks of arctic whales.     

Red to Mediterranean Sea bioinvasion: natural drift through the Suez Canal,or anthropogenic transport?

The biota of the eastern basin of the Mediterranean Sea has experienced dramatic changes in the last decades, in part as a result of the massive invasion of Red Sea species. The mechanism generally hypothesized for the 'Red-to-Med' invasion is that of natural dispersal through the Suez Canal. To date, however, this hypothesis has not been tested. This study examines the mode of invasion, using as a model the mussel Brachidontes pharaonis, an acclaimed 'Lessepsian migrant' that thrives along the eastern Mediterranean coast. Our findings reveal two distinct lineages of haplotypes, and five possible explanations are discussed for this observation. We show that the genetic exchange among the Mediterranean, Gulf of Suez and the northern Red Sea is sufficiently large to counteract the build up of sequential genetic structure. Nevertheless, these basins are rich in unique haplotypes of unknown origin. We propose that it is historic secondary contact, an ongoing anthropogenic transport or both processes, that participate in driving the population dynamics of B. pharaonis in the Mediterranean and northern Red Sea.     

The solitary ascidian Herdmania momus: native (Red Sea) versus non-indigenous (Mediterranean) populations

During 2005 monthly samples of the solitary ascidian Herdmania momus were collected along the Mediterranean and Red Sea coasts of Israel, in order to investigate possible differences in life history strategies of the two populations. The samples were preserved, dissected, and measurements were made of length, total weight, gonad weight, oocyte diameter and the occurrence of symbionts was recorded. Additionally, field surveys showed that in the Mediterranean H. momus exclusively inhabit artificial substrates, and are common at greater depths than in Eilat (Red Sea). Individuals of H. momus in Eilat reproduced year round. Although individuals from the Mediterranean were significantly larger than individuals collected in Eilat their gonad indices and oocyte diameter measurements indicate that they have a short reproductive season. Copepods were found in 50% of the samples from both sites, while a pontoniine shrimp was found in 14% of the samples from Eilat only. The marked differences between the native vs. non-indigenous populations of H. momus are attributed to differential food availability, water temperature, currents and wave exposure. The increasing evidence of negative effects of non-indigenous ascidians on natural fauna from other regions in the world emphasizes the need for additional research regarding the ecology of ascidians along the coasts of Israel.     

Membrane biofouling by extracellular polymeric substances or soluble microbial products from membrane bioreactor sludge

This study extracted the soluble microbial products and loosely bound and tightly bound extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) from suspended sludge from a membrane bioreactor, original and aerobically/anaerobically digested, and compared their fouling potentials on a microfiltration membrane. The resistance of cake layer accounts for 95–98% of the total filtration resistances when filtering the whole sludges, with anaerobically digested sludge presenting the highest resistance among the three tested sludges. The tightly bound EPS has the highest potential to foul the membrane; however, the loosely bound EPS contribute most of the filtration resistances of the whole sludges. The foulants corresponding to the irreversible fouling have chemical fingerprints similar to those from loosely bound EPS, which have a greater predilection to proteins and humic substances than to polysaccharides.     

Zebra mussels and polystyrene

The growth of settled and metamorphosed larvae of the zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) is clearly retarded when polystyrene plates are used as a substrate compared with the growth of those forms attached to PVC plates. Possibly, low molecular weight compounds are released into the aquatic environment by the polystyrene and these materials may have a strongly adverse effect upon the growth of young zebra mussels. There is no difference in colonization of young mussels between PVC and polystyrene plates if these plates are sufficiently overgrown with bacteria and algae.     

污损生物膜细菌Pseudoalteromonas issachenkonii YT1305-1的鉴定及其代谢物化学成分分析

【目的】对污损生物膜细菌YT1305-1进行菌种鉴定;研究其作为污损生物膜优势菌之一的代谢产物。【方法】通过16S rRNA基因序列分析,结合系统进化树和细菌生理生化实验对菌种进行鉴定,通过硅胶柱层析分离方法和核磁共振检测技术分析其代谢物的化学成分。【结果】发现生物膜中存在明显的优势菌株,假交替单胞菌属为优势菌属之一。16S rRNA序列比对分析表明Pseudoalteromonas issachenkonii为优势菌种之一,将目标菌种命名为Pseudoalteromonas issachenkonii YT1305-1,对其代谢物化学成分进行分析,共得到10个化合物,其中包括5个二酮哌嗪(DKPs)类信号分子,环(甘氨酸-丙氨酸)(1)、环(脯氨酸-甘氨酸)(2)、环(脯氨酸-酪氨酸)(3)、环(4-羟基-脯氨酸-亮氨酸)(4)和环(4-羟基-脯氨酸-丙氨酸)(5),以及尿嘧啶(6)、胸腺嘧啶(7)、胸腺嘧啶脱氧核苷(8)、己二酸二(2-乙基己)酯(9)和邻苯二甲酸二(2-乙基己)酯(10)。【结论】污损生物膜中存在明显的优势菌,其中之一为P.issachenkonii YT1305-1,在其代谢产物中发现了疑似信号分子的物质DKPs,有研究表明该物质能调控生物膜的形成,进而影响生物污损的形成,为探究生物污损现象奠定了物质基础。