Predator-prey: interactions between the spiny waterflea (Bythotrephes longimanus) and pumpkinseed sunfish (Lepomis gibbosus)

Small pumpkinseed sunfish ( Lepomis gibbosus), were found to be capable of removing the spine of Bythotrephes longimanus, an invasive cladoceran. Because fish consumption may be important in the dispersal or control of Bythotrephes, aquarium feeding experiments were conducted to 1) establish if the spine removal behavior of the pumpkinseeds was locally unique; 2) quantify how frequently pumpkinseeds exhibit the behavior; 3) determine if pumpkinseed handle Bythotrephes more quickly than other species of fish; and 4) verify if Bythotrephes' resting eggs pass through the digestive systems of pumpkinseeds in viable condition. The experiments revealed that pumpkinseeds (45-70 mm TL) from two geographic regions were more successful (100%) at removing Bythotrephes' spine, and handled Bythotrephes more quickly than yellow perch (Perca flavescens) (49-57 mm TL) and smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) (50-57mm TL) used in the study. Of 244 live Bythotrephes' resting eggs fed to the pumpkinseeds, 104 (42.6%) passed through their digestive systems. From those eggs, only 10 successfully hatched. Preliminary enclosure experiments were carried out and indicated that pumpkinseeds will consume Bythotrephes in natural settings. These findings provide new evidence that certain fish, with specialized morphology for prey manipulation, have the ability to influence the distribution and establishment of Bythotrephes.

Systemic Scuticociliatosis (Philasterides dicentrarchi) in sharks.

Scuticociliatosis is an economically important, frequently fatal disease of marine fish in aquaculture, caused by histophagous ciliated protozoa in the subclass Scuticociliatida of the phylum Ciliophora. A rapidly lethal systemic scuticociliate infection is described that affected aquarium-captive zebra sharks (Stegostoma fasciatum), Port Jackson sharks (Heterodontus portusjacksoni), and a Japanese horn shark (Heterodontus japonicus). Animals died unexpectedly or after a brief period of lethargy or behavioral abnormality. Gross findings included necrohemorrhagic hepatitis and increased volumes of celomic fluid. Histologically, 1 or more of a triad of necrotizing hepatitis, necrotizing meningoencephalitis, and thrombosing branchitis were seen in all cases, with necrotizing vasculitis or intravascular fibrinocellular thrombi. Lesions contained variably abundant invading ciliated protozoa. Molecular identification by polymerase chain reaction from formalin-fixed tissues identified these as the scuticociliate Philasterides dicentrarchi (syn. Miamiensis avidus), a novel and potentially emergent pathogen in sharks.

Constraints on barium isotope fractionation during aragonite precipitation by corals

We present a barium (Ba) isotope fractionation study of marine biogenic carbonates (aragonitic corals). The major aim is to provide first constraints on the Ba isotope fractionation between modern surface sea water and coral skele- ton. Mediterranean surface sea water was found to be enriched in the heavy Ba isotopes compared to previously reported values for marine open ocean authi- genic and terrestrial minerals. In aquarium experiments with a continuous sup- ply of Mediterranean surface water, the Ba isotopic composition of the bulk sample originating from cultured, aragonitic scleractinian corals (d137/134Ba between +0.16 +/- 0.12permil and +0.41 +/-0.12permil) were isotopically identical or lighter than that of the ambient Mediterranean surface sea water (d137/134Ba = +0.42 +/- 0.07permil, 2SD), which corresponds to an empirical maximum value of Ba isotope fractionation of D137/134Bacoral-seawater = -0.26 +/- 0.14permil at 25��C. This maximum Ba isotope fractionation is close and identical in direction to previous results from inorganic precipitation experiments with aragonite- structured pure BaCO3 (witherite). The variability in measured Ba concentrations of the cultured corals is at odds with a uniform distribution coefficient, DBa/Ca, thus indicating stronger vital effects on isotope than element discrimination. This observation supports the hypothesis that the Ba isotopic compositions of these corals do not result from simple equilibrium between the skeleton and the bulk sea water. Complementary coral samples from natural settings (tropical shallow-water corals from the Bahamas and Florida and cold- water corals from the Norwegian continental shelf) show an even wider range in d137/134Ba values (+0.14 +/- 0.08permil and +0.77 +/- 0.11permil), most probably due to additional spatial and/or temporal sea water heterogeneity, as indicated by recent publications.

How Teresa and Maria Margaretha migrated to Nordstrand: Translation of Relics and Transformation of a German Island into a Catholic Dutch enclave in the 17th century

When on 26 May 1662 the founding first stone was laid for a new church on the island Nordstrand at the coast of Schleswig, relics of Teresa of Avila (1515-1582) and of the Dutch Carmelite abbess Maria Margaretha ab Angelis (1605-1658) were inserted. This church was built for Dutch dyke builders who were called to reconstruct the island after its destruction by flood in 1634; coming from a Catholic background and from the Dutch Republic which was at war with Spain at that time, the dyke builders and their families were guaranteed religious freedom in the Lutheran duchy of Holstein. In this paper, the reasons for the choice for the Spanish mystic Teresa of Avila and for the Dutch Carmelite abbess Maria Margaretha are discussed. The latter patroness was never beatified but had died in the smell of holiness; after her death several miracles were ascribed to her. It is understandable that migrants brought relics of their appreciated holy persons who would remind them of their homeland. The paper will first shortly introduce the two patronesses of the church. In the second part, the reasons for this choice will be discussed. Behind this translation of relics not only spiritual reasons played a role. The function of the translation of the saints was first to keep up geographical and political connections with the old country (both Spain and the Netherlands), secondly to perpetuate personal-familial relationships (esp. with Maria Margaretha), thirdly to strengthen the confessional identity in a non-Catholic environment. Fourthly the transfer brought a certain model of Christian life and reform to the new place of living, which in the second part of the 17th century became marked as ���Jansenist���. The paper shows the transformation of the island into an enclave of Dutch Catholic culture.

Tending the Vineyard: Maritime Religion on Martha's Vineyard from 1824-1978

The first part of this paper will give a brief introduction to maritime missiology, the second section will trace the beginnings of the Boston Seaman���s Friend Society in the nineteenth century and the third will focus on the Vineyard Haven branch of that work well into the twentieth century. Using source material from the American Seamen���s Friend Society - there is a 5,000 document collection of the ASFS papers in the G.W. Blunt White Library at Mystic Seaport, the Boston Seaman���s Friend Society - whose papers are mostly in the Congregational House on Beacon Hill in Boston, and other secondary works from the nineteenth and twentieth century. I am especially indebted to George Wiseman���s book, They Kept the Lower Lights Burning, Wiseman was the pastor of Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church in Oak Bluff during WWII and the son-in-law of Austin Tower. This presentation will look at the many facets that made up religious work among seafarers.

Walter Benjamin : a la b��squeda del tiempo perdido

El objeto de este trabajo es discutir algunas interpretaciones que, sobre la producci��n de Walter Benjamin, circulan en el espacio acad��mico. Desde mi perspectiva las ��ltimas lecturas han asignado a la obra benjaminiana una significaci��n pr��xima a la de la teor��a de la deconstrucci��n. Desde mi punto de vista estas interpretaciones se hallan bastante lejos de las preocupaciones que alientan en la producci��n del autor. La inocultable tensi��n entre una forma de escritura que puede ser le��da sin dudas como po��tica y la cr��tica benjaminiana de la estetizaci��n fascista de la pol��tica, entre un lenguaje que asemeja en muchos casos el de los m��sticos jud��os en el tiempo de la espera tensa del advenimiento del Mes��as y el acontecimiento profano de cuya irrupci��n luminosa Benjamin aguarda la emancipaci��n: la revoluci��n social ha incitado intentos recurrentes de hacer jugar a Benjamin en el terreno de la moda. El modesto prop��sito de este escrito es el de esbozar apenas una aproximaci��n a Benjamin, una suerte de lectura benjaminiana de Benjamin en una ��poca que a la vez que rinde tributo a su producci��n (se han multiplicado las ediciones, traducciones, publicaciones, seminarios, cursos) tiende a obliterar en ��l la dimensi��n pol��tica.

Hombre y filosof��a

La presente tesis pretende mostrar c��mo lo m��stico se vertebra en la filosof��a siendo lo antropol��gico lo que opera dicha vertebraci��n tomando como referente la tensi��n hacia lo absoluto que hay en cada ser humano. La propuesta se dise��a en dos grandes bloques: el primero despeja la raigambre del elemento m��stico en contrapunto con la historia de la racionalidad, repartido en cuatro cap��tulos que analizan la fenomenolog��a del hecho m��stico desde la noticia hist��rico-discursiva y su necesaria hermen��utica, desarrollo que conduce a dos instancias cruciales: el aparente dilema racionalidad-misticismo y la consecuente validaci��n epistemol��gica del an��lisis relacional situado en el umbral m��stica-filosof��a. El segundo bloque consta de cinco cap��tulos que parten de una breve relevamiento del manantial m��stico que oper�� de fuente en que abrevaron los cuatro fil��sofos seleccionados ��� Unamuno, Bergson, Stein y Mounier ��� para poder as�� desarrollar adecuadamente sus propuestas insistiendo en el ��ngulo cognitivo que nos aboca. Ambos bloques convergen finalmente en las consideraciones ��ltimas que recogen en cuatro ejes tem��ticos las instancias decisivas a que nos ha conducido el proceso integral de nuestra indagatoria, proceso donde se hace patente la intr��nseca co-referencialidad entre el fen��meno ���m��stica��� y el fen��meno ���hombre��� vertidos en la discursividad filos��fica.

Teolog��a y experiencia m��stica en Or��genes : ��Una cuesti��n mal planteada?

El objetivo de este art��culo es mostrar la imposibilidad de separar la relaci��n existente entre teolog��a y experiencia m��stica en la obra de Or��genes. B��sicamente esta cuesti��n es analizada a trav��s de dos grandes temas: las bases teol��gicas del sistema de Or��genes y la comunicabilidad de Dios-Padre y del Logos al alma humana, a trav��s de la ex��gesis de la Fuente de Agua Viva. En el primer apartado se plantea el problema acerca del tipo de trascendencia que Dios-Padre tiene con respecto al Hijo, mostrando que no existe subordinaci��n ontol��gica entre ellos. La noci��n de agape es utilizada por Or��genes como ���puente ontol��gico" entre Dios-Padre y su Logos. A continuaci��n se analiza el Libro XIII del Comentario al Evangelio de Juan y las Homil��as XII y XIII sobre el G��nesis, profundizando la cuesti��n de la Fuente de Agua Viva. A trav��s de la bella ex��gesis que el maestro alejandrino realiza es posible advertir la inseparable relaci��n entre el marco doctrinal propuesto por el alejandrino, con el camino que lleva al encuentro con lo divino. Tambi��n se insiste en que Or��genes ha sido uno de los grandes maestros en la historia del cristianismo, que ha logrado conciliar a trav��s del ejemplo de su propia vida, una inmensa profundidad teol��gica con la experiencia directa de uni��n con lo divino.

Et certe opera Deus facit mediantibus causis secundis : Fray Luis de Le��n y la determinaci��n del derecho

Luis de Le��n es una de las figuras m��s importantes de la llamada Escol��stica salmantina. En su obra, que marca el culmen de la escuela agustina del siglo XVI, se re��nen los m��s diversos oficios (jurista, prosista, te��logo, poeta, etc.) y las m��s distintas tradiciones de pensamiento (tomismo, nominalismo, humanismo, etc.). Su trabajo como te��rico del derecho, que es el que aqu�� se procura destacar, se ha visto ensombrecido, aparentemente, por su renombre como literato y m��stico. Esto, sin embargo, no significa que su reflexi��n iusfilos��fica sea de poca entidad. Todo lo contrario, las ideas jur��dicas del pensador espa��ol representan una de las piezas m��s importantes de la Escuela teol��gica de Salamanca

Et certe opera Deus facit mediantibus causis secundis : Fray Luis de Le��n y la determinaci��n del derecho

Luis de Le��n es una de las figuras m��s importantes de la llamada Escol��stica salmantina. En su obra, que marca el culmen de la escuela agustina del siglo XVI, se re��nen los m��s diversos oficios (jurista, prosista, te��logo, poeta, etc.) y las m��s distintas tradiciones de pensamiento (tomismo, nominalismo, humanismo, etc.). Su trabajo como te��rico del derecho, que es el que aqu�� se procura destacar, se ha visto ensombrecido, aparentemente, por su renombre como literato y m��stico. Esto, sin embargo, no significa que su reflexi��n iusfilos��fica sea de poca entidad. Todo lo contrario, las ideas jur��dicas del pensador espa��ol representan una de las piezas m��s importantes de la Escuela teol��gica de Salamanca

Temperature dependent growth and inorganic ion composition of haemolymph of juvenile Sepia officinalis, 2006

B Body wet weight and mantle length of juvenile Sepia officinalis were monitored over a peroid of five weeks. The animals had hatched in our aquarium system in Bremerhaven, Germany at 16��C and were descendants of individuals collected in the Oosterschelde estuary, Netherlands. Animals were kept in natural sea water at 10 or 17��C and fed small live shrimp (Palaemonetes varians) ad libitum daily. At the end of the experiment some animals kept at 17��C were sacrificed using ethanol. Haemolymph was withdrawn from the head vein using syringe and needle. Haemolymph samples were stored at -20��C until Na+, Cl-, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+ and SO42- concentrations were determined using ion chromatography. Mean body weight more that tripled at 17��C during the investigation period, while growth was impared by exposue to 10��C. Haemolymph ion concentrations were similar to those in sea water, except for sulphate. The concentration of this ion in the haemolymph was more that ten times lower than in sea water.