Review of Florida Red Tide and Human Health Effects

This paper reviews the literature describing research performed over the past decade on the known and possible exposures and human health effects associated with Florida red tides. These harmful algal blooms are caused by the dinoflagellate, Karenia brevis, and similar organisms, all of which produce a suite of natural toxins known as brevetoxins. Florida red tide research has benefited from a consistently funded, long term research program, that has allowed an interdisciplinary team of researchers to focus their attention on this specific environmental issue-one that is critically important to Gulf of Mexico and other coastal communities. This long-term interdisciplinary approach has allowed the team to engage the local community, identify measures to protect public health, take emerging technologies into the field, forge advances in natural products chemistry, and develop a valuable pharmaceutical product. The Review includes a brief discussion of the Florida red tide organisms and their toxins, and then focuses on the effects of these toxins on animals and humans, including how these effects predict what we might expect to see in exposed people.     

Florida Red Tide Toxins (Brevetoxins) and Longitudinal Respiratory Effects in Asthmatics

Having demonstrated significant and persistent adverse changes in pulmonary function for asthmatics after 1 h exposure to brevetoxins in Florida red tide (Karenia brevis bloom) aerosols, we assessed the possible longer term health effects in asthmatics from intermittent environmental exposure to brevetoxins over 7 years. 125 asthmatic subjects were assessed for their pulmonary function and reported symptoms before and after 1 h of environmental exposure to Florida red tide aerosols for up to 11 studies over seven years. As a group, the asthmatics came to the studies with normal standardized percent predicted pulmonary function values. The 38 asthmatics who participated in only one exposure study were more reactive compared to the 36 asthmatics who participated in ≥4 exposure studies. The 36 asthmatics participating in ≥4 exposure studies demonstrated no significant change in their standardized percent predicted pre-exposure pulmonary function over the 7 years of the study. These results indicate that stable asthmatics living in areas with intermittent Florida red tides do not exhibit chronic respiratory effects from intermittent environmental exposure to aerosolized brevetoxins over a 7 year period.     

Isolation and Properties of Isolated Nuclei from the Florida Red Tide Dinoflagellate Gymnodinium breve (Davis)1

A simple and rapid method is described for the isolation of nuclei from the Florida red tide dinoflagellate Gymnodinium breve. The nuclei are free of cytoplasmic contamination and are active in endogenous RNA synthesis. The ratio of DNA: RNA: acidsoluble protein: acid-insoluble protein is 1:0.39:0.13:0.63, respectively, and each nucleus contains ca. 113 picograms of DNA. Electrophoretic analysis of the acid-soluble proteins reveals the presence of two histone-like proteins with molecular weights of 12,000 and 13,000.     

Satellite remote sensing of harmful algal blooms: A new multi-algorithm method for detecting the Florida Red Tide (Karenia brevis)

In a continuing effort to develop suitable methods for the surveillance of Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) of Karenia brevis using satellite radiometers, a new multi-algorithm method was developed to explore whether improvements in the remote sensing detection of the Florida Red Tide was possible. A Hybrid Scheme was introduced that sequentially applies the optimized versions of two pre-existing satellite-based algorithms: an Empirical Approach (using water-leaving radiance as a function of chlorophyll concentration) and a Bio-optical Technique (using particulate backscatter along with chlorophyll concentration). The long-term evaluation of the new multi-algorithm method was performed using a multi-year MODIS dataset (2002 to 2006; during the boreal Summer-Fall periods - July to December) along the Central West Florida Shelf between 25.75°N and 28.25°N. Algorithm validation was done with in situ measurements of the abundances of K. brevis; cell counts ≥1.5×10(4) cells l(-1) defined a detectable HAB. Encouraging statistical results were derived when either or both algorithms correctly flagged known samples. The majority of the valid match-ups were correctly identified (~80% of both HABs and non-blooming conditions) and few false negatives or false positives were produced (~20% of each). Additionally, most of the HAB-positive identifications in the satellite data were indeed HAB samples (positive predictive value: ~70%) and those classified as HAB-negative were almost all non-bloom cases (negative predictive value: ~86%). These results demonstrate an excellent detection capability, on average ~10% more accurate than the individual algorithms used separately. Thus, the new Hybrid Scheme could become a powerful tool for environmental monitoring of K. brevis blooms, with valuable consequences including leading to the more rapid and efficient use of ships to make in situ measurements of HABs.     

Molecular Biology Meets the Learning Sciences: Visualizations in Education and Outreach

Scientific visualizations (illustrations, three-dimensional models, animations, simulations, etc.) play an essential role in biology education, particularly when it comes to communicating phenomena occurring at the submicroscopic levels, beyond the level of unaided observation and without comparable counterparts at the macroscopic level. Students struggle with understanding the sizes of cells, molecules, and atoms in relation to one another as well as differentiating between the various time scales within which each of these levels is functioning. Visualizations can be powerful tools of intuition, playing a critical role in transforming the way students think about the scientific realm. However, a greater understanding of how the design features and affordances of different visualization modalities support learning is required if we are to provide pedagogically impactful experiences.     

中国沿海的赤潮问题

统计了中国沿海１９７２～１９９８年的赤潮事件３６０起（香港、台湾省未统计在内）,系统介绍了中国赤潮研究概况和研究机构与组织。对中国沿海的赤潮进行分海区分析。根据海洋学特征,中国赤潮可分为：近岸型（河口和内湾型）、外海型（外洋型）、外来型（外源型）、养殖区型赤潮。根据中国近十多年来发生赤潮的现状,可归纳为４个特点：①频率增高;②持续时间长、范围广和危害增大;③新记录和有毒种类增多;④“双相型”赤潮有上升趋势、类型多样等。     

赤潮藻毒素生物合成研究进展

合成毒素是赤潮藻类的一个常见特征,已知能够产生毒素的微藻有70多种。作为次级代谢产物,藻毒素的产生可能是一种压制或清除其它藻类竞争者的一种反应,在群落演替、种间竞争中发挥重要作用。目前,人们对藻毒素生物合成机理依然知之甚少,相关基因的研究仍无明显突破。利用环境因子诱导毒素生成变化进而分离差异表达基因或者比较不同产毒藻株间基因表达的差异,从中克隆藻毒素生物合成基因似乎是一种极具潜力的研究方向。     

大鹏湾维生素B1、B12与赤潮

海湾及近海水域 ,因某些浮游生物爆发性繁殖引起的赤潮异常现象时有发生 ,已构成水产资源的严重破坏。为弄清赤潮发生的机理 ,已有许多作者进行过研究 ,现已知水温、盐度、溶解氧、ｐＨ、Ｎ、Ｐ ,以及Ｆｅ、Ｍｎ、Ｓｅ等微量元素都是发生赤潮的重要环境因子[1 ]。近年来通过生态实验研究 ,发现维生素Ｂ1 、Ｂ1 2 (以下简称Ｂ1 、Ｂ1 2 )亦有促进赤潮生物生长繁殖的作用[2 ]。本文报道 1 991年对大鹏湾海域水样中Ｂ1 、Ｂ1 2 含量的测定结果 ,并对赤潮发生与其相关性进行探讨。1　采样布点和分析方法1 .1　采样布点大鹏湾盐田海域的Ｓ0 、Ｓ1…     

Temporal Occurrence and Spatial Distribution of Red Tide Events in China's Coastal Waters

Between the years 1933–2001, 460 red tide events were found in China's coastal water. The scope of red tide occurrence has extended over all the coastal provinces of China, and the three major areas with high red tide frequency are the Bohai sea, the sea area near the Shengsi Archipelago and Huaniaoshan Island on the outer side of the Changjiang River estuary and the Hangzhou Bay, and the coastal waters on the east side of the Zhujiang River estuary from Hong Kong to East Guangdong. In the past 20 years, the frequency of red tides has been tending upwards. The years of 1988–1990 and 1998–2001 saw the most serious red tides along China's coastal waters, with the latter period as the peak. The average area of a single red tide, i.e., the scale of red tides, is expanding every year, and in 2001 rose to about 500 km². Every year, China's red tides occur from south to north, with those in the South China Sea occurring from March to May, those in the East China Sea from April to August and those in the Bohai and Huanghai Seas from May to September.     

Growth of Vibrio cholerae O1 in Red Tide Waters off California

Vibrio cholerae serotype O1 is autochthonous to estuarine and coastal waters. However, its population dynamics in such environments are not well understood. We tested the proliferation of V. cholerae N16961 during a Lingulodinium polyedrum bloom, as well as other seawater conditions. Microcosms containing 100-kDa-filtered seawater were inoculated with V. cholerae or the 0.6-μm-pore-size filterable fraction of seawater assemblages. These cultures were diluted 10-fold with fresh 100-kDa-filtered seawater every 48 h for four cycles. Growth rates ranged from 0.3 to 14.3 day⁻¹ (4.2 day⁻¹ ± 3.9) for V. cholerae and 0.1 to 9.7 day⁻¹ (2.2 ± 2.8 day⁻¹) for bacterial assemblage. Our results suggest that dissolved organic matter during intense phytoplankton blooms has the potential to support explosive growth of V. cholerae in seawater. Under the conditions tested, free-living V. cholerae was able to reach concentrations per milliliter that were up to 3 orders of magnitude higher than the known minimum infectious dose (10⁴ cell ml⁻¹) and remained viable under many conditions. If applicable to the complex conditions in marine ecosystems, our results suggest an important role of the growth of free-living V. cholerae in disease propagation and prevention during phytoplankton blooms.     

湛江球形棕囊藻赤潮除藻试验

2005年4月,在广东湛江港赤潮区采集球形棕囊藻(Phaeoecystisglobosa),在室内用新洁尔灭和异噻唑啉酮两种除藻剂进行棕囊藻的杀灭试验。结果表明,新洁尔灭对赤潮水体中球形棕囊藻的72hLC50为0.96mgL-1;与新洁尔灭相比,异噻唑啉酮的除藻效果更为明显,其对球形棕囊藻的72hLC50为0.54mgL-1。新洁尔灭和异噻唑啉酮复配时具有协同作用,可提高除藻能力,新洁尔灭和异噻唑啉酮浓度比为1.3:0.3(配比为4.3:1)时除藻效果最优,2d的除藻率达到89%,协同指数为0.78。两种除藻剂对鲻鱼(Mugilcephalus)苗72h的毒性试验表明,新洁尔灭和异噻唑啉酮浓度分别在2.0和0.3mgL-1以下除藻是安全的。     

Celebrate Darwin Day, An Event for Education and Outreach in Evolutionary Biology

Darwin Day is an international celebration of Charles Darwin’s birthday, February 12, and is used as an occasion for education and outreach in evolutionary biology. I describe the history and structure of Darwin Day at the University of Tennessee, one of the oldest Darwin Day organizations in the world. I detail past events including speakers, themes, and advertising ideas that have worked for us and suggestions for getting a Darwin Day started. I encourage interested groups especially those at schools, museums, libraries, nature centers, and other institutions to adapt ideas from our organization to fit their own circumstances and to start planning their own Darwin Days for the celebration of Darwin’s 200th birthday in 2009.     

深圳赤潮中霍乱弧菌噬菌体的分离筛选及生物学特性分析

本文以从鲍鱼肠道中分离出的霍乱弧菌SWBC-a为宿主菌,采用双层平板法从2004年夏季深圳大梅沙海域赤潮海水样品中分离得到10株噬菌体。通过对分离出的噬菌体效价、RTD值的测定、形态特征的观察及对属内外细菌的交叉裂解谱的研究,筛选出3株裂解谱较宽的强效噬菌体。选取其中2株高效裂解噬菌体PsaA和PsaH做生物学特性分析,证明除镁离子有利于噬菌体裂解外,温度、pH值、紫外照射、柠檬酸钠对噬菌体裂解都有不同程度的抑制。本研究结果为进一步利用噬菌体研发用于消除霍乱弧菌的微生态制剂和诊断食源性霍乱弧菌提供了理论基础。     

赤潮藻毒素危害及其检测方法研究进展

近年来,世界各地包括我国部分沿海地区赤潮发生过度频繁,许多赤潮藻毒素不但使其他海洋生物中毒,对人类健康也有潜在的危害,因此对赤潮藻毒素的研究已经成为海洋环境科学研究的重要内容。我们介绍了赤潮藻毒素的危害,并详细综述了赤潮藻毒素检测技术研究进展。     

Actions of Ptychodiscus brevis Red Tide Toxin on Metabolic and Transmitter-Releasing Properties of Synaptosomes

Abstract: A pure toxin isolated from Ptychodiscus brevis stimulated differential release of amino acid neurotransmitters from mammalian cortical syn-aptosomes together with loss of K⁺ content and respiratory stimulation at 40 ng/ml. The effect was blocked by tetrodotoxin and by verapamil, implicating Na⁺ channel activation and possibly Ca²⁺ influx as necessary for the response, although the response did not change upon omission of Ca²⁺. Verapamil was therefore likely to be acting as a Na⁺ channel blocker in this instance. The toxin at 40 ng/ml caused acetylcholine release from guinea pig ileum, which is consistent with the proposed depolarising action for the toxin.