Disease Risks Associated with Importation of Nonindigenous Marine Animals

Transfers and introductions of marine species have occurred and are occurring on a worldwide basis, largely in response to perceived needs of expanding aquaculture industries. Greatest interest is in salmon (cage rearing and ocean ranching), shrimp, and bivalve mollusks, although other organisms are being considered. Such movements of animals carry an associated risk of moving pathogens into areas where they did not occur previously, possibly resulting in infections in native species. Many case histories of the effects of introduced pathogens and parasites now exist-enough to suggest that national and international action is necessary. Viral pathogens of shrimp and salmon, as well as protozoan parasites of mollusks and nematode parasites of eels, have entered complex "transfer networks" developed by humans, and have been transported globally with their hosts in several well-documented instances. Examining the records of transfers and introductions of marine species, incomplete as they are, permits the statement of emerging principles-foremost of which is that severe disease outbreaks can result from inadequately controlled or uncontrolled movements of marine animals.

Aplicação de múltiplas ferramentas no estudo do transporte de sedimentos na margem interna da restinga da Marambaia (baía de Sepetiba, RJ)

Dados sedimentológicos e hidrodinâmicos foram utilizados para estudar a dinâmica sedimentar da margem interna da restinga da Marambaia (baía de Sepetiba, Rio de Janeiro, SE Brasil). Foram realizadas três campanhas amostrais para coleta de sedimentos ao longo da restinga da Marambaia e na área submersa adjacente. Adicionalmente, em dezembro de 2013, três fundeios simultâneos para aquisição de dados hidrodinâmicos foram conduzidos paralelamente à restinga, ao longo da profundidade média de 6,5 metros. As medições abrangeram dois ciclos de maré (25 horas), incluindo perfilagem com CTDs, perfilagem correntométrica e coleta de amostras de água para determinação das concentrações do material particulado em suspensão. A partir do processamento das amostras de sedimentos em laboratório, foram obtidos os parâmetros estatísticos (média, desvio-padrão e assimetria) para o detalhamento da caracterização sedimentológica da área de estudo, bem como a aplicação de um modelo de tendência direcional de transporte de sedimentos (GisedTrend). A restinga apresenta areias médias e bem selecionadas, enquanto as amostras coletadas na porção submersa, em profundidades maiores que 2 m, passam de areias finas e bem selecionadas a siltes finos e mal selecionados em maiores profundidades. Quatro casos de tendência de transporte foram explorados em um total de 14 possibilidades e os mais significativos foram analisados com o intuito de identificar áreas de acumulação e remoção de sedimentos, podendo estar associados aos processos responsáveis pelo transporte de sedimentos, tais como correntes geradas pelos ventos locais, marés e dispersão de plumas de sedimentos em suspensão. Os dados hidrodinâmicos, durante o período amostrado, permitiram observar o complexo padrão de circulação existente, especialmente na área adjacente à área central da restinga. Dentre as observações realizadas, verificou-se a ocorrência de assimetria da maré, fato já documentado em trabalhos anteriores conduzidos próximo ao principal canal de acesso à baia, com períodos de enchente mais curtos e períodos de vazante mais longos. Diferentemente do que foi reportado nestes trabalhos, os períodos de vazante foram associados às correntes de maior intensidade. As concentrações de material particulado em suspensão situaram-se, em média, entre 10 e 20 mg/L tanto em superfície como próximo ao fundo; no entanto, suas variações temporais não apresentaram qualquer relação com as fases da maré. Possíveis áreas de convergência e divergência da circulação / células de transporte de sedimentos foram identificadas e comparadas aos vetores de tendência de transporte obtidos através do modelo GisedTrend, com resultados satisfatórios.

Modos da soberania e a questão do poder na teoria política contemporânea

O comparecimento do tema da soberania ao pensamento político está diretamente ligado à definição da teoria política como campo específico do saber. Admitindo-se que os operadores e referências cognitivas da soberania já se encontravam disponíveis mesmo antes do advento moderno do conceito, é possível identificar seus componentes no interior de reflexões que não necessariamente fazem menção expressa ao próprio vocábulo. Partindo de uma breve recuperação histórica da soberania (Bodin, Maquiavel, Hobbes), o estudo aqui apresentado busca identificar a presença dos seus componentes no interior de tradições que lhe são potencialmente refratárias. Examinando algumas das correntes mais radicais do pensamento liberal (Hayek, Popper, Michael Polanyi), reconhecendo-as igualmente como postulados de soberania, o trabalho culmina com a investigação das iniciativas contemporâneas (Carl Schmitt, Antonio Negri) na elaboração dos seus principais impasses te��ricos. Neste contexto mais recente, o tema da soberania será pensado a partir de noções correlatas, dentre as quais figura com destaque a de poder constituinte, elaborada por Sieyès durante a Revolução Francesa.

葡萄属植物系统学研究

葡萄属（Vitis.L.）植物隶属于葡萄科(Vitaceae)，主要分布于北温带，最南可以分布到南美洲的委内瑞拉和亚洲的越南以及印度北部。本文通过对该属分类研究历史的回顾，认为该属存在的问题主要表现在如下几个方面： 1）葡萄属自1753 年由Carl Linne���立以来，虽经planchon于1887年做了修订，但属的范围仍需进一步界定;2）在Planchon之后的100多年中未见有一全面的分类学修订工作，出现在该属的800多个名称需要考证;3）对一些广布种的变异认识不足，导致了大量可疑种。针对这些问题本文进行了如下几个方面的工作： l、形态学：通过大量的野外工作和标本观察，对该属植物的主要性状做了分析，讨论了这些性状状态在葡萄属中的变异规律及演化趋势，将灌木状习性、退化的卷须以及不裂的叶片视为进化的性状。 2、细胞学：利用前人对葡萄属(Vitis.L.)染色体数目的统计及一些杂交实验分析的结果，结合形态学等方面的特征分析，认为在葡萄科，染色体基数X=10为原始的，而x=19则为衍生的。葡萄属的染色体基数xl9(2n=38)，多倍体较少见;麝香葡萄属[Muscadinia (Planch.) Sma11]的染色体基数为x=10 (2n=20)．与蛇葡萄属、酸蔹藤属和爬山虎属的一致。葡萄属和麝香葡萄属间的杂种是不育的。 3、孢粉学：对葡萄属32种5变种及麝香葡萄属[Muscadinia (Planch.) Sma11]1种的花粉外壁做扫描电镜观察，结果发现花粉外壁雕纹在这两属间和葡萄属内变异较小，对区分属以及属下种上类群意义不大，但对种的鉴别有重要的价值。 4、植物化学：前人对植物化学的工作表明，植物的一些次生代谢产物如类黄酮化合物在葡萄科各类群中的分布规律较好地反映了各类群间的关系。这些结果较好地支持了Planchon对葡萄属范围的界定。 5、山葡萄复合体(V.amurensis complex)包括山葡萄(V.amurensis Rupr.)、燕山葡萄(V.amuresis Rupr. var. dissecta Skvorts.=var.yanshanensisD．Z．Lu et H．P．Liang)、百花山葡萄(V.baihuashanensis M．S．Kang et D．Z．Lu)、复叶葡萄(V.piasezkii Maxim.)、少毛复叶葡萄[V. piasezkii Maxux1．var. pagnuccii (Planch.) Rehd.]共3个种和2个变种，广泛分布于中国北方，形态变异较大。本文对该复合体做了形态分析，并用RAPD (Random Amplified Polymorphic DNAs)分子标记方法分析了这几个类群的关系。综合这些结果，归并了燕山葡萄和百花山葡萄。 在上述工作的基础上，我们得出了如下的结论： l、葡萄属在葡萄科中是一个进化的类群。整理后的葡萄属包括8系62种、l亚种和15变种，其中有2个新系、1个新组合系、2个新变种、1个新组合种和l3个新异名。 2、本文赞同SmaU在1903年作出的分类学处理，把麝香葡萄作为一个独立的属，比葡萄属原始但与葡萄属有着最近的亲缘关系。 3、依据形态特征和APD分析结果把山葡萄复合体的3个种2变种归并为2种l变种，即山葡萄、复叶葡萄和少毛复叶葡萄，认为分子标记技术在分析属内近缘种闻关系上很有价值。 4、葡萄属具有东亚和北美2个现代分布中心，该属可能起源于北美的东部，在晚白垩纪经白令陆桥散布至欧亚大陆。

Marine and estuarine ecosystem and habitat classification

The Ecological Society of America and NOAA's Offices of Habitat Conservation and Protected Resources sponsored a workshop to develop a national marine and estuarine ecosystem classification system. Among the 22 people involved were scientists who had developed various regional classification systems and managers from NOAA and other federal agencies who might ultimately use this system for conservation and management. The objectives were to: (1) review existing global and regional classification systems; (2) develop the framework of a national classification system; and (3) propose a plan to expand the framework into a comprehensive classification system. Although there has been progress in the development of marine classifications in recent years, these have been either regionally focused (e.g., Pacific islands) or restricted to specific habitats (e.g., wetlands; deep seafloor). Participants in the workshop looked for commonalties across existing classification systems and tried to link these using broad scale factors important to ecosystem structure and function.

Enterolith with a stingray spine nidus in an Atlantic bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus)

In March 2006, a dead, male bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) was found in the salt marsh in Charleston, South Carolina, United States. During necropsy, an enterolith was found completely obstructing the intestinal lumen. Further examination of the enterolith revealed a stingray spine nidus. Most terrestrial enteroliths are composed primarily of struvite (magnesium ammonium phosphate); however, the majority of the enterolith discovered in the stranded dolphin was composed of calcium phosphate carbonate. This case provides an interesting comparison of the variation in the mineral composition between terrestrial and marine enteroliths.

Photolysis of iron–siderophore chelates promotes bacterial–algal mutualism

Marine microalgae support world fisheries production and influence climate through various mechanisms. They are also responsible for harmful blooms that adversely impact coastal ecosystems and economies. Optimal growth and survival of many bloom-forming microalgae, including climatically important dinoflagellates and coccolithophores, requires the close association of specific bacterial species, but the reasons for these associations are unknown. Here, we report that several clades of Marinobacter ubiquitously found in close association with dinoflagellates and coccolithophores produce an unusual lower-affinity dicitrate siderophore, vibrioferrin (VF). Fe-VF chelates undergo photolysis at rates that are 10–20 times higher than siderophores produced by free-living marine bacteria, and unlike the latter, the VF photoproduct has no measurable affinity for iron. While both an algal-associated bacterium and a representative dinoflagellate partner, Scrippsiella trochoidea, used iron from Fe-VF chelates in the dark, in situ photolysis of the chelates in the presence of attenuated sunlight increased bacterial iron uptake by 70% and algal uptake by >20-fold. These results suggest that the bacteria promote algal assimilation of iron by facilitating photochemical redox cycling of this critical nutrient. Also, binary culture experiments and genomic evidence suggest that the algal cells release organic molecules that are used by the bacteria for growth. Such mutualistic sharing of iron and fixed carbon has important implications toward our understanding of the close beneficial interactions between marine bacteria and phytoplankton, and the effect of these interactions on algal blooms and climate.

El Niño reconstructions and confirmation of a pan-Californian model via Radiolarian evidence

Radiolarian number and/or flux rates extracted from Holocene and fossil sediments are used to help detect the presence of, type of (weak or strong), and exact location of the depocenter under an El Niño. These data, along with known provenances of certain radiolarians, support an earlier model that suggests a weak El Niño is a northern and coupled expression of a more southerly strong component dominated by eastern tropical Pacific water underlain by California current and gyre water.

Comparison of square and hexagonal fuel lattices for high conversion PWRs

This paper reports on an investigation into fuel design choices of a pressurized water reactor operating in a self-sustainable Th- 233U fuel cycle. In order to evaluate feasibility of this concept, two types of fuel assembly lattices were considered: square and hexagonal. The hexagonal lattice may offer some advantages over the square one. For example, the fertile blanket fuel can be packed more tightly reducing the blanket volume fraction in the core and potentially allowing to achieve higher core average power density. The calculations were carried out with Monte-Carlo based BGCore code system and the results were compared to those obtained with Serpent Monte-Carlo code and deterministic transport code BOXER. One of the major design challenges associated with the SB concept is high power peaking due to the high concentration of fissile material in the seed region. The second objective of this work is to estimate the maximum achievable core power density by evaluation of limiting thermal hydraulic parameters. The analysis showed that both fuel assembly designs have a potential of achieving net breeding. Although hexagonal lattice was found to be somewhat more favorable because it allows achieving higher power density, while having breeding performance comparable to the square lattice case. © Carl Hanser Verlag München.

The co-evolutionary relationship between bitterling fishes and freshwater mussels: insights from interspecific comparisons

Hypothesis: In parasites that use hosts for offspring development, adults may base oviposition decisions on a range of host traits related either to host quality or the co-evolutionary relationship between parasite and host. We examined whether host quality or co-evolutionary dynamics drive the use of hosts in the bitterling-mussel relationship. Organisms: Six species of bitterling fish (Acheilognathinae) and eight species of freshwater mussels (Unionidae, Corbiculidae) that are used by bitterling for oviposition. Site of experiments: Experimental tanks in Wuhan, China, at the site of the natural distribution of the studied species. Methods: Three experiments that controlled for host accessibility and interspecific interactions were conducted to identify host preferences among bitterling fishes and their mussel hosts. We started with a broad interspecific comparison. We then tested bitterling behavioural choices, their temporal stability, and mussel host ejection behaviour of the eggs of generalist and specialist bitterling species. Finally, we measured host mussel quality based on respiration rate and used published studies on mussel gill structure to infer mussel suitability as hosts for bitterling eggs. Results: We found significant interspecific differences among bitterling species in their use of mussel hosts. Bitterling species varied in their level of host specificity and identity of preferred hosts. Host preferences were flexible even among apparently specialized species and fishes switched their preferences adaptively when the quality of individuals of preferred host species declined. Mussels varied considerably in their response to oviposition through egg ejections. Host preference by a generalist bitterling species correlated positively with host quality measured as the efficiency of the mussel gills to extract oxygen from inhaled water. Host ability to eject bitterling eggs correlated positively with their relative respiration rate, probably due to a higher velocity of water circulating in the mussel gill chamber.