Vertical zonation patterns for Mediterranean copepods from the surface to 3000 m at a fixed station in the Tyrrhenian Sea

The vertical zonation and community structure of Mediterraneancopepods collected from the surface to 3000 m in the TyrrhenianSea were examined for different depth intervals and periodsof the year. Three major copepod communities, identified usingmultivariate analysis techniques, differed mainly in speciescomposition and less in depth distribution from those reportedfor the open ocean. The surface community (0–100 m) includednumerous offshore species comprising relatively uniform butquantitatively poor populations. These included a number ofcoastal forms that dominated offshore waters at certain periodsof the year. The midwater community (100–600 m) consistedof species that were primarily confined to intermediate waters,of which few underwent extensive vertical migrations. The deepcommunity (>600 m) consisted essentially of intermediate-water species with ample distribution ranges that formed a truebathypelagic community at these depths. Temporal changes incommunity structure affected only surface populations and diminishedvery rapidly with increasing depth. Species composition in deeplayers was not affected by did and seasonal changes. Biomassdistribution patterns indicated that the low quantities of planktonrecorded for deep layers were probably related to low surfacestanding crops for this region. The relationship between surfaceand deep biomass values appeared similar to those reported foropen ocean systems suggesting that the efficiency of the deepMediterranean subsystem was not offset by the absence of a truebathypelagic fauna.     

Phasic phosphorylation of caldesmon and ERK 1/2 during contractions in human myometrium

Human myometrium develops phasic contractions during labor. Phosphorylation of caldesmon (h-CaD) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK 1/2) has been implicated in development of these contractions, however the phospho-regulation of these proteins is yet to be examined during periods of both contraction and relaxation. We hypothesized that protein phosphorylation events are implicated in the phasic nature of myometrial contractions, and aimed to examine h-CaD and ERK 1/2 phosphorylation in myometrium snap frozen at specific stages, including; (1) prior to onset of contractions, (2) at peak contraction and (3) during relaxation. We aimed to compare h-CaD and ERK 1/2 phosphorylation in vitro against results from in vivo studies that compared not-in-labor (NIL) and laboring (L) myometrium. Comparison of NIL (n = 8) and L (n = 8) myometrium revealed a 2-fold increase in h-CaD phosphorylation (ser-789; P = 0.012) during onset of labor in vivo, and was associated with significantly up-regulated ERK2 expression (P = 0.022), however no change in ERK2 phosphorylation was observed (P = 0.475). During in vitro studies (n = 5), transition from non-contracting tissue to tissue at peak contraction was associated with increased phosphorylation of both h-CaD and ERK 1/2. Furthermore, tissue preserved at relaxation phase exhibited diminished levels of h-CaD and ERK 1/2 phosphorylation compared to tissue preserved at peak contraction, thereby producing a phasic phosphorylation profile for h-CaD and ERK 1/2. h-CaD and ERK 1/2 are phosphorylated during myometrial contractions, however their phospho-regulation is dynamic, in that h-CaD and ERK 1/2 are phosphorylated and dephosphorylated in phase with contraction and relaxation respectively. Comparisons of NIL and L tissue are at risk of failing to detect these changes, as L samples are not necessarily preserved in the midst of an active contraction.     

Poor Adherence to National and International Breastfeeding Duration Targets in an Australian Longitudinal Cohort

Objectives

To report on the proportion and characteristics of Australian infants who are fed, and mothers who feed, in accordance with the national and international breastfeeding duration targets of six, 12 and 24 months. Furthermore, to examine the longitudinal breastfeeding duration patterns for women with more than one child.

Methods

Breastfeeding duration data for 9773 children have been self-reported by a national sample of 5091 mothers aged 30–36 years in 2009, participating in the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health.

Results

Only 60% of infants received the minimum recommended 6 months of breast milk, irrespective of breastfeeding exclusivity. Less than 30% of infants received any breast milk at 12 months, and less than 3% were breastfed to the international target of 24 months. Young, less educated, unmarried or low-income women were at an increased risk of premature breastfeeding cessation. For women with three or more children, nearly 75% of women who breastfed their first child for at least six months reached this breastfeeding duration target for their next two children.

Conclusion

While national breastfeeding rates are typically evaluated in relation to the infant, a novel component of our study is that we have assessed maternal adherence to breastfeeding duration targets and the longitudinal feeding practices of women with more than one child. Separate evaluations of maternal and infant breastfeeding rates are important as they differ in their implications for public health policy and practice.     

Risky Drinking Patterns Are Being Continued into Pregnancy: A Prospective Cohort Study

Background

Risky patterns of alcohol use prior to pregnancy increase the risk of alcohol-exposed pregnancies and subsequent adverse outcomes. It is important to understand how consumption changes once women become pregnant.

Objective

The aim of this study was to describe the characteristics of women that partake in risky drinking patterns before pregnancy and to examine how these patterns change once they become pregnant.

Methods

A sample of 1577 women from the 1973–78 cohort of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health were included if they first reported being pregnant in 2000, 2003, 2006, 2009 and reported risky drinking patterns prior to that pregnancy. Multinomial logistic regression was used to determine which risky drinking patterns were most likely to continue into pregnancy.

Results

When reporting risky drinking patterns prior to pregnancy only 6% of women reported weekly drinking only, whereas 46% reported binge drinking only and 48% reported both. Women in both binge categories were more likely to have experienced financial stress, not been partnered, smoked, used drugs, been nulliparous, experienced a violent relationship, and were less educated. Most women (46%) continued these risky drinking patterns into pregnancy, with 40% reducing these behaviors, and 14% completely ceasing alcohol consumption. Once pregnant, women who binged only prior to pregnancy were more likely to continue (55%) rather than reduce drinking (29%). Of the combined drinking group 61% continued to binge and 47% continued weekly drinking. Compared with the combined drinking group, binge only drinkers prior to pregnancy were less likely to reduce rather than continue their drinking once pregnant (OR = 0.37, 95% CI  =  0.29, 0.47).

Conclusions

Over a third of women continued risky drinking into pregnancy, especially binge drinking, suggesting a need to address alcohol consumption prior to pregnancy.     

Spatial and temporal distribution of copepod communities in the Adriatic Sea

The distribution of planktonic copepods in the Adriatic Seahas been analyzed on the basis of 132 samples collected at 35fixed stations during 4 seasonal cruises. A total of 127 specieshave been determined and 3 characteristic copepod communitieshave been identified. The distribution of copepod species hasbeen found to reflect the dual physiognomy of the Adriatic.The shallow northern section is characterized by high densityvalues, low species diversity, and the dominance of speciesbelonging to the estuarine and coastal communities. The relativelydeep waters of the southern section are characterized by lowdensity values, high species diversity, and the presence ofmany species belonging to the upper, middle, and lower zonesof the oceanic community. Temporal variations in the horizontalspread of these 3 communities are discussed in relation to seasonalcycles in abundance, vertical migration patterns, and the currentregime in the Adriatic.     

Synthesis,characterization and antimicrobial properties of a Co(II)-phthalylsulfathiazolate complex

The reaction between phthalylsulfathiazole (H₂PST), in alkaline aqueous solution, and cobalt(II) nitrate led to a pink solid, [Co(PST)(H₂O)₄] (1), which was characterized by elemental and thermogravimetric analysis; FT-IR, Raman and diffuse reflectance spectra. Spectroscopic data reveal that the ligand would be doubly deprotonated and that the Co(II) ion environment is a distorted octahedral one. (1) showed antibacterial activity similar to the ligand.     

Two-Color Metal-Enhanced Fluorescence Using Gold Slotted Nanogratings

Plasmonics - We demonstrate enhanced fluorescence from multiple types of fluorescent molecules on a single metal enhancing fluorescence (MEF) substrate. Two fluorescent molecules were...