Impact of introduced house mice (Mus musculus) on burrowing seabirds on Steeple Jason and Grand Jason Islands,Falklands, South Atlantic

Whilst there is good evidence for negative impacts of introduced rat species on island ecosystems, the effects of house mice (Mus musculus) are generally less well documented. In some situations, introduced house mice can exert severe impacts, particularly where this is the only introduced mammal. Here, we examine the distribution, relative abundance and breeding success of small burrowing seabirds on Steeple Jason Island, Falklands, in relation to habitat types and the distribution of house mice which is the sole introduced mammal species, and we make comparisons with seabird distribution and densities on the neighbouring island of Grand Jason where mice are absent. Grey-backed storm-petrel (Garrodia nereis) and Wilson’s storm-petrel (Oceanites oceanicus), which due to their extremely small size are likely to be the most vulnerable to mouse predation, were considerably more abundant on mouse-free Grand Jason than on Steeple Jason. Grey-backed storm-petrel, which are typically associated with tussac grass, avoided this habitat on Steeple Jason where it is associated with high levels of house mouse activity (assessed from the proportion of wax baits gnawed overnight), whereas on mouse-free Grand Jason, there was no such avoidance. Wilson’s storm-petrel nesting on Steeple Jason suffered high rates of egg and chick loss. Whilst we found evidence for detrimental impacts of house mice on the two small storm-petrel species, there was no relationship between relative mouse activity levels and the distribution or abundance of the larger thin-billed Prion (Pachyptila belcheri).     

Touch too much: aquatic disinfectant and steam exposure treatments can inhibit further spread of invasive bloody-red mysid shrimp Hemimysis anomala

Wetlands Ecology and Management - Biosecurity protocols designed to prevent further spread of invasive alien species have become a key component of invader management strategies. However,...     

Cough and Cold Remedies: a Potential Danger to Patients on Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors

Experiments have been carried out in healthy volunteers to study the effects of phenylpropanolamine on the blood pressure and possible interactions with monamine oxidase inhibitors.In three subjects 50 mg. of phenylpropanolamine taken orally produced a modest rise of systolic pressure. Two proprietary preparations containing this dose in a slow-release form had no significant effect on the blood pressure. In all three subjects 100 mg. of phenylpropanolamine taken orally caused a more pronounced rise of systolic pressure and a rise of diastolic pressure.In contrast, 50 mg. of phenylpropanolamine orally caused a rapid and potentially dangerous rise of blood pressure in a subject taking the monamine oxidase inhibitor tranylcypromine, and a similar acute rise of blood pressure occurred in this subject when given a proprietary cough linctus containing the same dose of phenylpropanolamine. These and other results suggest that severe hypertensive episodes are more likely to occur when preparations containing phenylpropanolamine in a free form, rather than in slow-release form, are taken by patients being treated with monoamine oxidase inhibitors.The acute rise of blood pressure due to the interaction of phenylpropanolamine and monoamine oxidase inhibitors was reversed by intramuscular injection of phentolamine.     

An outward-rectifying potassium channel in primary cultures of sweat glands from cystic fibrosis subjects

We have previously described a high conductance calcium-activated 'maxi K' channel in primary cultures of human eccrine sweat gland cells both from normal subjects and those with cystic fibrosis. In further studies we have now identified a potassium-selective channel of much lower conductance which shows outward-rectification and which is present in sweat glands isolated from cystic fibrosis subjects. In experiments with inside-out patches using symmetrical pipette and bath solutions containing 140 mM K+ the channel showed an outward slope conductance (at +50 mV) of approximately 26 pS and an inward conductance (at -50 mV) of approximately 11 pS. When K+ in the bath was replaced by Na+ the reversal potential shifts to reveal a permeability ratio PK/PNa approximately 40 Unlike the maxi-K+ channel, the outward-rectifying channel does not show sensitivity to Ca2+. Channels were found in cells cultured from the glands of four out of five cystic fibrosis subjects. In cells cultured from 30 subjects who did not have cystic fibrosis, an outward-rectifying potassium channel was seen in only one out of approximately 3000 patches.