Synopsis of researcher meeting -- Bottlenose Dolphin Health & Risk Assessment Project, February 22-24, 2005

A meeting was convened on February 22-24, 2005 in Charleston, South Carolina to bring together researchers collaborating on the Bottlenose Dolphin Health and Risk Assessment (HERA) Project to review and discuss preliminary health-related findings from captured dolphins during 2003 and 2004 in the Indian River Lagoon (IRL), FL and Charleston (CHS), SC. Over 30 researchers with diverse research expertise representing government, academic and marine institutions participated in the 2-1/2 day meeting. The Bottlenose Dolphin HERA Project is a comprehensive, integrated, multi-disciplinary research program designed to assess environmental and anthropogenic stressors, as well as the health and long-term viability of Atlantic bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). Standardized and comprehensive protocols are being used to evaluate dolphin health in the coastal ecosystems in the IRL and CHS. The Bottlenose Dolphin Health and Risk Assessment (HERA) Project was initiated in 2003 by Dr. Patricia Fair at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/National Ocean Service/Center for Coastal Environmental Health and Biomolecular Research and Dr. Gregory Bossart at the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution under NMFS Scientific Research Permit No. 998-1678-00 issued to Dr. Bossart. Towards this end, this study focuses on developing tools and techniques to better identify health threats to these dolphins, and to develop links to possible environmental stressors. Thus, the primary objective of the Dolphin HERA Project is to measure the overall health and as well as the potential health hazards for dolphin populations in the two sites by performing screening-level risk assessments using standardized methods. The screening-level assessment involves capture, sampling and release activities during which physical examinations are performed on dolphins and a suite of nonlethal morphologic and clinicopathologic parameters, to be used to develop indices of dolphin health, are collected. Thus far, standardized health assessments have been performed on 155 dolphins during capture-release studies conducted in Years 2003 and 2004 at the two sites. A major collaboration has been established involving numerous individuals and institutions, which provide the project with a broad assessment capability toward accomplishing the goals and objectives of this project.

Multiple-proxy lacustrine record of moisture transport over western North America from 24,000 to 12,000 YBP, Lake Estancia, New Mexico [abstract]

EXTRACT (SEE PDF FOR FULL ABSTRACT): Pluvial Lake Estancia in central New Mexico experienced large and rapid fluctuations in surface area and elevation during the build-up to and termination of the last glacial maximum (LGM). Due to continuous groundwater discharge, a minimum pool covering about 400 square kilometers was maintained in the central basin until about 12,000 years ago, ensuring a continuous depositional sequence even during low stands of the lake. ... The sensitive response to fluctuations in climate by several independent proxies at Estancia show that transport of Pacific moisture over western North America changed dramatically during the last Ice Age, perhaps comparable to the large and rapid changes in climate documented from high-latitude ice and North Atlantic marine sediments for the LCM and its transitions.

Towards socially just and sustainable fisheries: ICSF workshop on implementing the FAO voluntary guidelines for securing sustainable small-scale fisheries in the context of food security and poverty eradication (SSF guidelines) report, 21 to 24 July 2014 , Puducherry, India

This publication is a report of the proceedings of the ICSF Pondy Workshop, which focused on the FAO’s Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication (SSF Guidelines). The workshop brought together 71 participants from 20 countries representing civil society organizations, governments, FAO, academia and fishworker organizations from both the marine and inland fisheries sectors. This report will be found useful for fishworker organizations, researchers, policymakers, members of civil society and anyone interested in small-scale fisheries, food security and poverty eradication.

竹叶青蛇毒丝氨酸蛋白酶的分子克隆和序列比较

利用逆转录酶与聚合酶链反应相结合的 RT-PCR 法, 扩增出5个竹叶青(Trimeresurus stejnegeri)蛇毒丝氨酸蛋白酶的 cDNAs; 将扩增的 cDNA 片段克隆入 pGEM-T 载体中, 筛选得到它们的基因, 分别命名为TSSP-1、TSSP-2、TSSP-3、TSSP-4 和 TSSP-5. 经末端终止法测定核苷酸序列, 推导出5个丝氨酸蛋白酶的全序列; 结合纯化的蛋白酶N-末端序列测定结果, 推导 TSSP 2、3和4分别编码凝血酶样酶 stejnobin、纤溶酶 stejnefibrase 1和2. 5个丝氨酸蛋白酶分别含有1～6个N-型糖基结合位点, 表明它们的计算分子量与纯化蛋白表观分子量之间的差异是由糖含量的不同造成, 而其氨基酸序列相似度在60%-90%, TSSP-1 和-2编码的成熟蛋白酶山236个氨基酸残基组成, TSSP-3, -4 和 -5的则山234个氨基酸残基组成, TSSP-1编码的蛋白酶在组成丝氨酸蛋白酶三联体催化活性中心产生了 His~(41)-Arg~(41)的在然突变, 这与其他自然界发现的丝氨酸蛋白酶明显不同。

Seed production and culture techniques of Genetically Improved Farmed Tilapia (GIFT) in brackishwater environment

Effects of different levels of salinity on survival, growth and gonadal development of Genetically Improved Farmed Tilapia (GIFT) were studied under laboratory conditions in glass aquarium, for a period of ten weeks. The initial individual size of the GIFT was 20.23±4.45 and the salinity levels tested were 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 ppt. The highest survival of 87.5% was found in 0 ppt and the lowest 60.5% in 20 ppt. Though the survival decreased progressively with increased salinity, there were no significant differences (P>0.05) among 0, 5, and 10 ppt. Similar to what has been observed in survival, the specific growth rate (SGR %/day) also decreased as of 1.30, 1.24, 1.08, 0.90 and 0.71, respectively, with the increased salinity of 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 ppt. The gonadal development was highest in 0 ppt with a GSI value of 3.75 and lowest of 2.01 in 20 ppt. In the second experiment, gonadal development and seed production performance of GIFT in brackishwater condition were investigated for a period of three months. Each of the three fine meshed hapas of 20 square meters made from nylon net was placed in a freshwater (0 ppt) and in a brackish water (10-15 ppt) pond of the Brackishwater Station (BS). GIFT of 65 g average weight from a single cohort were stocked into three hapas at a rate of 2 per m. The male vs female ratio was 1:3. The development of gonad was faster with the higher gonadosomatic index (GSI %) of 3.85 % in freshwater condition than that of 2.73 % in brackish water. Within three months of the study period, a total of 70,510 and 44,250 GIFT fry were produced respectively, in freshwater and brackishwater conditions. Finally under third experiment, a participatory on-farm trial was carried out to evaluate the production performance of GIFT in monoculture and in polyculture with silver barb in coastal freshwater pond conditions. Nine ponds were selected for three treatment combinations of GIFT monoculture (T1), GIFT and silver barb polyculture (T2), and silver barb monoculture (T3). The ponds have been stocked in April, 05 at a density of 25,000 fry per ha. Fishes were fed with rice bran at the rate of 6% bw per day. In one month culture period, GIFT attained an average weight of 16.27 g in monoculture and 17.23 g in polyculture, against an average stocking weight of 0.37 g. Silver barb reached an average weight of 16.62 g in polyculture with GIFT and 10.01 g in monoculture, against an average stocking weight of 3.79 g.

HIVp 24 抗原检测技术的研究进展

　p 24 是H IV 的主要结构蛋白, 在病毒的包装和成熟过程中起重要作用。p 24 蛋白的氨基酸序列在 H IV 各毒株之间高度保守。H IV p 24 抗原的检测在早期诊断、预测病程、胎儿感染确诊和基础研究等方面具有重要 意义。本文主要介绍了H IV p 24 抗原的生物学特性、检测意义, 评述了各种检测方法的主要优缺点和发展趋势。

三个非核苷类逆转录酶抑制剂S-DABO类衍生物的体外抗HIV作用(英文)

本文对3个新S-DABO类衍合物(RZK-4、RZK-5、RZK-6)的体外抗HIV活性进行了研究。化合物RZK-4、RZK-5和RZK-6在200μg·mL-1的浓度下均能完全抑制HIV-1逆转录酶的活性。3个化合物对多种细胞均呈现出低毒性,且均在较低浓度下具有抑制HIV-1病毒实验株、临床株和耐药株的作用,治疗指数为3704～38462。其中,化合物RZK-6对HIV-1耐药株HIV-1IIIBA17具有非常显著的抑制作用。结果表明,这3种S-DABO类衍生物有良好的体外抗HIV-1作用,具有开发成为抗HIV-1药物的前景。

Effect of delayed icing on the quality of tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon Fab.)

Effect of delayed icing on the quality of Penaeus monodon iced after three hours of harvest was studied in plastic and bamboo baskets. After harvest of three hours at ambient temperature (28°-32°C), ice was added to the shrimp at a ratio of 1:1 (shrimp:ice) and stored for 21 hours in both the baskets. Quality evaluation was carried out through visual assessment, biochemical analysis and microbial analysis for 24 hours. The organoleptic evaluation and scoring was done from the time of harvest treated as 0 hour and the average score was 10. At 9th hour after iced condition quality of shrimp was found reduced to the next stage (acceptable) with a score ranged from 8.4-6.5 in both baskets. This acceptable stage was observed throughout the experiment for bamboo basket whereas in the plastic basket the quality was reduced to a small extent with a score of 6.4 (moderately acceptable). Till the end point of the experiment the quality of shrimp was acceptable in respect to biochemical analysis. The microbial load was found log sub(10) 3.99±0.12 cfu/g to log sub(10) 4.33±0.21 cfu/g and log sub(10) 4.01 ±0.12 cfu/g to log sub(10) 4.83±0.19 cfu/g in the bamboo and plastic basket respectively. The importers or buyers suggests for immediate icing to maintain good quality but results of the present experiment suggest that the quality does not vary drastically for first three hours.

Report of the training course on integrated coastal management in the Bay of Bengal, Chonburi, Thailand, 20-24 October, 2014

Participants consisted of 25 middle and junior level personnel from BOBLME countries. Modules included: Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) concept and principles; ICM development and implementation; indicators of good practice; and action planning.