Relationships of hepatic and pancreatic biomarkers with the cholestatic syndrome and tumor stage in pancreatic cancer

We analyzed relationships of hepatic and pancreatic biomarkers with the cholestatic syndrome and tumor stage in exocrine pancreatic cancer (N = 183). Information on laboratory tests and on signs and symptoms was obtained from medical records and patient interviews. Bilirubin, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT) and alkaline phosphatase were lower in tumor stage IV. The association was due to the relationship between cholestatic syndrome and earlier presentation of patients. There was no association between hepatic biomarkers and stage when adjusting by cholestatic syndrome. Relationships of hepatic and pancreatic biomarkers with pancreatic symptoms and tumor stage must be controlled in "-omics" and other studies using biomarkers.     

Grass Invasions Across a Regional Gradient are Associated with Declines in Belowground Carbon Pools

The composition of plant communities everywhere now likely comprises alien as well as native species, and those aliens that become invasive have wide-ranging impacts on the structure and function of recipient ecosystems. These impacts include perturbations to soil carbon (C) cycling, but the direction and magnitude of impacts are species and climate dependent, making it difficult to generalize whether a specific invader will promote losses or gains in soil C stocks. Generalizations of a specific invader??s impacts are necessary; however, because the range of an invader can encompass thousands of square kilometers, meaning their effects can have broad, regional consequences. To quantify broad-scale and context-dependent impacts of a specific invader, multi-site investigations that capture and measure local and regional environmental heterogeneity are necessary. Using this approach, we show that a widespread grass invader of forest understories is associated with declines in soil C during infilling (spreading within the invaded range). Across the 36 study sites, total soil C stocks declined (P?=?0.113) by approximately 12% (estimated mean?±?SD, uninvaded: 2,429?±?512.9 vs. invaded: 2,140?±?520.7?g?C?m^?2). The decline in total soil C is driven by a significant (P?=?0.047) reduction in the native-derived, mineral-associated soil C fraction. This fraction, whose mass and slow turnover makes it an important C store, is approximately 15% lower in invaded (estimated mean?±?SD: 1,560?±?400.4?g?C?m^?2) than uninvaded plots (1,826?±?398.1?g?C?m^?2). Notably, declines in this C fraction are only apparent at 21 of the sites, reflecting how environmental heterogeneity in other variables (specifically pH, soil moisture, and clay content) are important to quantify to determine invader impacts across a region. The 26% decline in microbial biomass with invasion (P?=?0.011; estimated mean?±?SD, uninvaded: 10.05?±?1.79 vs. invaded: 7.40?±?1.80?g?C?m^?2) is also dependent on site characteristics (pH), and reductions are greater where the invader occurs at higher densities. Reductions in microbial biomass and soil C with invasion suggest that grass invasion will alter soil C cycling and decrease forest-C stores across the study region, although invader effects at a specific-site will be dependent on environmental context.     

Applicability of indicator monitoring to ecological risk assessment

Although ecological risk assessment (ERA) and environmental monitoring would seem to be potentially complimentary activities, they have been disjunct in practice. This is because of differences in goals and products. Environmental monitoring determines status and trends in indicators to determine whether the environment is improving. ERA estimates effects of stressors on endpoint attributes to support decision making. Indicators are, by definition, indicative of some unmeasured condition. Assessment endpoints are valued properties of the environment that are susceptible to stressors of concern. Indicators are justified by the logic of the monitoring program, which may be self-referential. Assessment endpoints are justified by their potential susceptibility and by environmental policies and public values. Indicators are often expressed in terms of indices or scores that obscure the actual condition of the environment. Because assessment endpoints must be clear to decision makers and the public, they require real units of actual environmental properties. Monitoring programs are peripherally concerned about causal relationships, while risk assessment is devoted to elucidating causal relationships. As a result, risk assessments may use the results of monitoring studies, but only after disaggregating the indicators to their components and choosing those that are appropriate. Monitoring programs could be more useful if they used a risk-based approach to address important problems rather than simply tracking indicators.     

90 Initial characterization of the terminal domains of linear plasmid-like dna's from ernodesmis verticillata (chlorophyta)

Phylogenetic analyses inferred from rbcL sequences indicates that specimens of Caloglossa (Harvey) G. Martens collected from Vermilion Bay, Louisiana and Galveston, Texas, reported as C. leprieurii (Montagne) G. Martens (1869) constitutes a separate taxon. Studies are presently being conducted to compare this northwestern Gulf of Mexico taxon with material of C. intermedia Kamiya et West in Kamiya et al. (2000, J. Phycol. 36:411-420) from the Western Atlantic coast and with C. apomeiotica West et Zuccarello in West et al. (1994, Bot. Mar. 37:381–390) from Baja California, Mexico.     

Identification of Listeria monocytogenes Genes Expressed in Response to Growth at Low Temperature

Listeria monocytogenes is a food-borne bacterial pathogen that is able to grow at refrigeration temperatures. To investigate microbial gene expression associated with cold acclimation, we used a differential cDNA cloning procedure known as selective capture of transcribed sequences (SCOTS) to identify bacterial RNAs that were expressed at elevated levels in bacteria grown at 10°C compared to those grown at 37°C. A total of 24 different cDNA clones corresponding to open reading frames in the L. monocytogenes strain EGD-e genome were obtained by SCOTS. These included cDNAs for L. monocytogenes genes involved in previously described cold-adaptive responses (flaA and flp), regulatory adaptive responses (rpoN, lhkA, yycJ, bglG, adaB, and psr), general microbial stress responses (groEL, clpP, clpB, flp, and trxB), amino acid metabolism (hisJ, trpG, cysS, and aroA), cell surface alterations (fbp, psr, and flaA), and degradative metabolism (eutB, celD, and mleA). Four additional cDNAs were obtained corresponding to genes potentially unique to L. monocytogenes and showing no significant similarity to any other previously described genes. Northern blot analyses confirmed increased steady-state levels of RNA for all members of a subset of genes examined during growth at a low temperature. These results indicated that L. monocytogenes acclimation to growth at 10°C likely involves amino acid starvation, oxidative stress, aberrant protein synthesis, cell surface remodeling, alterations in degradative metabolism, and induction of global regulatory responses.     

Seasonal and Diurnal Patterns of Behavior Exhibited by Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the Mississippi Sound

Many of the threats to bottlenose dolphins are anthropogenic factors including overfishing, high‐speed boats, chemical runoff, and noise pollution. Having a thorough understanding of the behavior and behavioral patterns of these animals can help with conservation plans to protect this species. This study examined the behavioral states and behavioral events of Atlantic bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the Mississippi Sound. The behavioral states exhibited by dolphins within the Sound were found to vary by both season and time of day. Dolphins socialized more during the spring and spent more time feeding in the fall. Feeding was highest early in the morning and decreased throughout the day, while socializing occurred at low levels in the morning and increased in the early afternoon. Two distinct forms of social behavior and multiple feeding strategies were exhibited by dolphins within the Sound. Results suggest that certain percussive behavioral events may be used to communicate motivation during transitional behavioral states. These results demonstrate the need for a more complete understanding of dolphin behavior that will facilitate the conservation of this species.