A new approach to determining environmental flow requirements: Sustaining the natural values of floodplains of the southern Murray‐Darling Basin

Summary Large overbank flood events play an important role in maintaining large‐scale ecological processes and connectivity along and across the floodplains and between the rivers and their floodplains in the southern Murray‐Darling Basin. However, the regulation of rivers means that extensive overbank flooding can only occur in the rare circumstance of extreme flood events. Recent environmental water allocations have focussed on the largest floodplain blocks (‘icon’ sites) and a small set of specific values (e.g. colonial nesting waterbirds), as well as on trialling fine‐scale manipulation of infrastructure (e.g. pumping) to water relatively small areas. There has been no comprehensive systematic assessment of the entire floodplain and its wider set of flood‐dependent natural assets (such as ecosystems and species; herein referred to as ‘natural values’) to maximise the effectiveness of environmental water use and to catalogue values likely to be lost. This paper describes an assessment of some 220 000 ha found to support flood‐dependent natural values in Victoria. We mapped the geographic distribution and estimated components of the flooding requirements (natural flooding frequency, and maximum period without flooding and minimum duration of each flooding event before significant deterioration) for each natural value. Using an example of one stretch of the River Murray, we show how the resultant spatial data can be used with floodplain inundation modelling to compare the outcomes of real or planned environmental watering events; potentially providing tools for management agencies to conserve a wider range of floodplain values than is currently the case. That is, water managers and the public can see what ecosystems and threatened species are intended to be maintained by environmental watering and what values are intended to be abandoned across the whole floodplain, rather than just seeing the small subset of values and ‘icon’ sites that are intended to be maintained. Examples are provided to illustrate how information about the location, water requirements and extent covered by potential floods for specific values can be used to build adaptive watering strategies for areas as large as the whole floodplain.     

Isolation and characterization of the haemocytes of Calliphora vicina on density gradients of Ficoll

Discontinuous gradients of Ficoll have been used in an equilibrium density analysis of the haemocytes of Calliphora vicina. Using histochemical criteria, it was shown that the acid phosphatase-containing haemocytes decreased in mean density during larval life. Enzymatic analysis, and an analysis of the density distribution of labelled haemocytes at various times after an injection of [H³]-thymidine, provided evidence that a dense, replicating population of cells had been separated from a non-replicating acid phosphatase-containing population. The latter gained increasing amounts of the lysosomal enzymes acid phosphatase and protease as they aged.     

Chronic kidney disease and automatic reporting of estimated glomerular filtration rate: a position statement

The systematic staging of chronic kidney disease (CKD) by glomerular filtration measurement and proteinuria has allowed the development of rational and appropriate management plans. One of the barriers to early detection of CKD is the lack of a precise, reliable and consistent measure of kidney function.The most common measure of kidney function is currently serum creatinine concentration. It varies with age, sex, muscle mass and diet, and interlaboratory variation between measurements is as high as 20%.The reference interval for serum creatinine concentration includes up to 25% of people (particularly thin, elderly women) who have an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) that is significantly reduced (< 60 mL/min/1.73 m). The recent publication of a validated formula (MDRD) to estimate GFR from age, sex, race and serum creatinine concentration, without any requirement for measures of body mass, allows pathology laboratories to "automatically" generate eGFR from data already acquired. Automatic laboratory reporting of eGFR calculated from serum creatinine measurements would help to identify asymptomatic kidney dysfunction at an earlier stage. eGFR correlates well with complications of CKD and an increased risk of adverse outcomes such as cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. We recommend that pathology laboratories automatically report eGFR each time a serum creatinine test is ordered in adults. As the accuracy of eGFR is suboptimal in patients with normal or near-normal renal function, we recommend that calculated eGFRs above 60 mL/min/1.73 m be reported by laboratories as "> 60 mL/min/1.73 m", rather than as a precise figure.     

Measurement of serum creatinine--current status and future goals

The first methods for the measurement of creatinine in serum and plasma were published over a century ago. Today, the Jaffe reaction using alkaline picrate remains the cornerstone of most current routine methods, after continuous refinements attempting to overcome inherent analytical interferences and limitations. With the recent introduction of the reporting of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), inter-laboratory agreement of serum creatinine results has become an important international priority. Expert professional bodies have recommended that all creatinine methods should become traceable to a reference method based on isotope dilution-mass spectrometry (IDMS).It is important that clinical biochemists have a good understanding of the relative performance of routine creatinine methods. Using a new commutable IDMS-traceable reference material (SRM 967), and a validated tandem IDMS assay developed in our laboratory, we assessed the accuracy of nine routine creatinine methods with assistance from other laboratories in our region. Three methods appeared to have patient sample bias that exceeded 5% in the range of creatinine concentrations where eGFR estimations are most important.Companies are currently recalibrating their creatinine assays. This task should be complete in 2007, and then creatinine results for eGFR calculations will require the use of a modified eGFR equation. Laboratories considering calibration changes before this time can seek advice from the Australasian Creatinine Working Group.     

Human adiponectin binds to bacterial lipopolysaccharide

Adiponectin has anti-inflammatory and anti-atherogenic properties in addition to its acknowledged roles in insulin sensitivity and energy homeostasis. These properties include the suppression of lipopolysaccharide [LPS]-mediated inflammatory events. We demonstrated that both recombinant and native adiponectin directly bind LPS derived from three different bacteria. The interaction occurred at pH 5.0-6.0 and was inhibited by the presence of Ca(2+) and Mg(2+), but enhanced by the sequestration of these cations. Maximal binding occurred at pH 6.0 in the presence of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid. Lipid A and C1q were not inhibitory, although LPS, heparin, zymosan, and individual sugars all inhibited the reaction. Periodate-mediated deglycosylation of adiponectin, and reduction and alkylation also inhibited binding. Since adiponectin infiltrates into [relatively] acidic sites of inflammation, it may act as a scavenging anti-inflammatory agent in atherosclerosis and vascular damage where LPS [and other pro-inflammatory molecules] are present.     

EDTA improves stability of whole blood C-Peptide and insulin to over 24 hours at room temperature

Introduction

C-peptide and insulin measurements in blood provide useful information regarding endogenous insulin secretion. Conflicting evidence on sample stability and handling procedures continue to limit the widespread clinical use of these tests. We assessed the factors that altered the stability of insulin and C-peptide in blood.

Methods

We investigated the impact of preservative type, time to centrifugation, storage conditions and duration of storage on the stability of C-peptide and insulin on three different analytical platforms.

Results

C-peptide was stable for at least 24 hours at room temperature in both centrifuged and whole blood collected in K⁺-EDTA and serum gel tubes, with the exception of whole blood serum gel, which decreased to 78% of baseline at 24 hours, (p = 0.008). Insulin was stable at room temperature for 24 hours in both centrifuged and whole blood collected in K⁺-EDTA tubes. In contrast insulin levels decreased in serum gel tubes both centrifuged and whole blood (66% of baseline, p = 0.01 and 76% of baseline p = 0.01, by 24 hours respectively). C-peptide and insulin remained stable after 6 freeze-thaw cycles.

Conclusions

The stability of C-peptide and insulin in whole blood K⁺-EDTA tubes negates the need to conform to strict sample handling procedures for these assays, greatly increasing their clinical utility.     

Effect of diet switch timing and food source on survival and growth of lake sturgeon

Studies were conducted to determine the effects of diet switch timing and food source on hatchery survival and growth of lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) during a 7‐ and 6‐week period in 2004 and 2005, respectively. Diet transitions to bloodworm (Diptera: Chironomidae) and black fly (Diptera: Simuliidae) larvae were undertaken 1, 2, 3 or 4 weeks after an initial diet of brine shrimp (Artemia spp.) in 2004, and 2 or 4 weeks after initiation of feeding in 2005. In 2004, mean (±SE) final survival was significantly lower following early (week 1, 50.8 ± 8.3%) vs late (week 4, 83.3 ± 3.9%) diet switches, regardless of diet type; however, rearing lake sturgeon on black fly larvae led to significantly higher mean survival rates (78.7 ± 3.3%) in comparison to bloodworm diets (56.5 ± 6.5%). Fish reared in 2005 on black fly larvae showed no significant differences in mean (±SE) final survivals when switched early (week 2, 96.7 ± 1.0%) vs late (week 4, 97.6 ± 0.5%), but those groups transitioned to bloodworm did significantly worse following the early diet switch (week 2, 91.9 ± 1.7%; week 4, 99.0 ± 1.0%). Final mean (±SE) mass was significantly higher for lake sturgeon reared on black fly larvae (0.63 ± 0.02 g) vs bloodworm (0.53 ± 0.02 g) at the end of the 2004 study period, despite having received fewer daily feedings; however, this difference was not observed the following year (bloodworm, 1.48 ± 0.07 g; black fly larvae, 1.43 ± 0.07 g). While there was no significant difference in final mean mass (±SE) of fish among the various diet switch points in 2004 (week 1, 0.54 ± 0.05 g; week 2, 0.57 ± 0.03 g; week 3, 0.60 ± 0.01 g; week 4, 0.59 ± 0.03 g), there was a significant advantage to transitioning fish early in 2005, regardless of food type (week 2, 1.60 ± 0.03 g; week 4, 1.31 ± 0.02 g). Given our results from both years, we conclude that transitioning larval lake sturgeon to black fly larvae following 2 weeks on an initial diet of brine shrimp can maximize survival rates without sacrificing final sizes, while reducing effort and cost associated with culturing brine shrimp and feeding bloodworm.     

Adiponectin binds C1q and activates the classical pathway of complement

The adipose-specific protein adiponectin binds to a number of target molecules, including damaged endothelium and the surface of apoptotic cells. However, the significance of this binding remains unclear. This study demonstrates the binding of purified C1q to recombinant adiponectin under physiological conditions, and the dependence of this upon Ca⁺⁺ and Mg⁺⁺. Binding was enhanced by metaperiodate-mediated destruction of glucosylgalactosyl sugars on adiponectin. Adiponectin was bound by the globular domain of the A chain of collagenase-digested C1q, and C1q binding induced deposition of C4 and C3 through activation of the classical complement pathway. After Western blotting, affinity-purified adiponectin from human serum bound C1q, whereas adiponectin in whole serum did not, unless pre-treated with metaperiodate. These results suggest adiponectin is member of the pattern-recognition family of defence collagens, able to bind target molecules and activate complement. It may therefore play an important role in innate immunity and autoimmune phenomena.