Methane in waters and bottom sediments of the North (Severnaya) Dvina mouth area in 2004-2006

The mouth area of the North (Severnaya) Dvina River is characterized by a high concentrations of methane in water (from 1.0 to 165.4 µl/l) and bottom sediments (from 14 to 65000 µl/kg), being quite comparable to productive mouth areas of rivers from the temperate zone. Maximum methane concentrations in water and sediments were registered in the delta in segments of channels and branches with low rates of tidal and runoff currents, where domestic and industrial wastewaters are supplied. In the riverine and marine water mixing zone with its upper boundary, locating far into the delta and moving depending on a phase of the tidal cycle, decrease of methane concentration with salinity increase was observed. The prevailing role in formation of the methane concentration level in water of the mouth area pertains to bottom sediments, which is indicated by close correlation between gas concentrations in these two media. Existence of periodicity in variations of methane concentration in river water downstream caused by tidal effects was found.

STREAM Journal, Vol. 3, No. 2, pp 1-17. April-June 2004

CONTENTS: BFAR moves on in Region 6, by Janice N. Tronco. Livelihoods initiatives in Sapian Bay, by Tee-Jay A. San Diego. Improving access to information through Barangay Learning Resource Centers, by Elizabeth M. Gonzales. The Philippines Fisheries Information System, by Agnes C. Solis. The contributions of planning activities in the participatory process, by Rommel P. Guarin. Inter-LGU alliance building: a key to sustaining the Integrated Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Management Council (IFARMC), by Josephine P. Savaris.

Cruise Report NOAA Ship McARTHUR II Cruise AR-04-04: Leg 2 (June 1-12, 2004): A pilot survey of deepwater coral/sponge assemblages and their susceptibility to fishing/harvest impacts at the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary (OCNMS)

Summary: The offshore shelf and canyon habitats of the OCNMS (Fig. 1) are areas of high primary productivity and biodiversity that support extensive groundfish fisheries. Recent acoustic surveys conducted in these waters have indicated the presence of hard-bottom substrates believed to harbor unique deep-sea coral and sponge assemblages. Such fauna are often associated with shallow tropical waters, however an increasing number of studies around the world have recorded them in deeper, cold-water habitats in both northern and southern latitudes. These habitats are of tremendous value as sites of recruitment for commercially important fishes. Yet, ironically, studies have shown how the gear used in offshore demersal fishing, as well as other commercial operations on the seafloor, can cause severe physical disturbances to resident benthic fauna. Due to their exposed structure, slow growth and recruitment rates, and long life spans, deep-sea corals and sponges may be especially vulnerable to such disturbances, requiring very long periods to recover. Potential effects of fishing and other commercial operations in such critical habitats, and the need to define appropriate strategies for the protection of these resources, have been identified as a high-priority management issue for the sanctuary. To begin addressing this issue, an initial pilot survey was conducted June 1-12, 2004 at six sites in offshore waters of the OCNMS (Fig. 2, average depths of 147-265 m) to explore for the presence of deep-sea coral/sponge assemblages and to look for evidence of potential anthropogenic impacts in these critical habitats. The survey was conducted on the NOAA Ship McARTHUR-II using the Navy’s Phantom DHD2+2 remotely operated vehicle (ROV), which was equipped with a video camera, lasers, and a manipulator arm for the collection of voucher specimens. At each site, a 0.1-m2 grab sampler also was used to collect samples of sediments for the analysis of macroinfauna (> 1.0 mm), total organic carbon (TOC), grain size, and chemical contaminants. Vertical profiles of salinity, dissolved oxygen (DO), temperature, and pressure were recorded at each site with a small SeaCat conductivity-temperature-depth (CTD) profiler. Niskin bottles attached to the CTD also obtained near-bottom water samples in support of a companion study of microbial indicators of coral health and general ecological condition across these sites. All samples except the sediment-contaminant samples are being analyzed with present project funds. Original cruise plans included a total of 12 candidate stations to investigate (Fig. 3). However, inclement weather and equipment failures restricted the sampling to half of these sites. In spite of the limited sampling, the work completed was sufficient to address key project objectives and included several significant scientific observations. Foremost, the cruise was successful in demonstrating the presence of target deepwater coral species in these waters. Patches of the rare stony coral Lophelia pertusa, more characteristic of deepwater coral/sponge assemblages in the North Atlantic, were observed for the first time in OCNMS at a site in 271 meters of water. A large proportion of these corals consisted of dead and broken skeletal remains, and a broken gorgonian (soft coral) also was observed nearby. The source of these disturbances is not known. However, observations from several sites included evidence of bottom trawl marks in the sediment and derelict fishing gear (long lines). Preliminary results also support the view that these areas are important reservoirs of marine biodiversity and of value as habitat for demersal fishes. For example, onboard examination of 18 bottom-sediment grabs revealed benthic infaunal species representative of 14 different invertebrate phyla. Twenty-eight species of fishes from 11 families, including 11 (possibly 12) species of ommercially important rockfishes, also were identified from ROV video footage. These initial discoveries have sparked considerable interests in follow-up studies to learn more about the spatial extent of these assemblages and magnitude of potential impacts from commercial-fishing and other anthropogenic activities in the area. It is essential to expand our knowledge of these deep-sea communities and their vulnerability to potential environmental risks in order to determine the most appropriate management strategies. The survey was conducted under a partnership between NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) and National Marine Sanctuary Program (NMSP) and included scientists from NCCOS, OCNMS, and several other west-coast State, academic, private, and tribal research institutions (see Section 4 for a complete listing of participating scientists). (PDF contains 20 pages)

A pilot survey of deepwater coral/sponge assemblages and their susceptibility to fishing/harvest impacts at the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary (OCNMS). Cruise report for NOAA Ship McARTHUR II Cruise AR-04-04: Leg 2 (June 1-12, 2004)

The offshore shelf and canyon habitats of the OCNMS are areas of high primary productivity and biodiversity that support extensive groundfish fisheries. Recent acoustic surveys conducted in these waters have indicated the presence of hard-bottom substrates believed to harbor unique deep-sea coral and sponge assemblages. Such fauna are often associated with shallow tropical waters, however an increasing number of studies around the world have recorded them in deeper, cold-water habitats in both northern and southern latitudes. These habitats are of tremendous value as sites of recruitment for commercially important fishes. Yet, ironically, studies have shown how the gear used in offshore demersal fishing, as well as other commercial operations on the seafloor, can cause severe physical disturbances to resident benthic fauna. Due to their exposed structure, slow growth and recruitment rates, and long life spans, deep-sea corals and sponges may be especially vulnerable to such disturbances, requiring very long periods to recover. Potential effects of fishing and other commercial operations in such critical habitats, and the need to define appropriate strategies for the protection of these resources, have been identified as a high-priority management issue for the sanctuary.

Differential roles of integrins alpha(2)beta(1), and alpha(IIb)beta(3) in collagen and CRP-induced platelet activation

Collagen and collagen-related peptide (CRP) activate platelets by interacting with glycoprotein (GP)VI. In addition, collagen binds to integrin alpha(2)beta(1) and possibly to other receptors. In this study, we have compared the role of integrins alpha(2)beta(1) and alpha(IIb)beta(3) in platelet activation induced by collagen and CRP. Inhibitors of ADP and thromboxane A(2) (TxA(2)) substantially attenuated collagen-induced platelet aggregation and dense granule release, whereas CRP-induced responses were only partially inhibited. Under these conditions, a proportion of platelets adhered to the collagen fibres resulting in dense granule release and alpha(IIb)beta(3) activation. This adhesion was substantially mediated by alpha(2)beta(1). The alpha(IIb)beta(3) antagonist lotrafiban potentiated CRP-induced dense granule release, suggesting that alpha(IIb)beta(3) outside-in signalling may attenuate GPVI signals. By contrast, lotrafiban inhibited collagen-induced dense granule release. These results emphasise the differential roles of alpha(2)beta(1) and alpha(IIb)beta(3) in platelet activation induced by collagen and CRP. Further, they show that although ADP and TxA(2) greatly facilitate collagen-induced platelet activation, collagen can induce full activation of those platelets to which it binds in the absence of these mediators, via a mechanism that is dependent on adhesion to alpha(2)beta(1).

The regulation of integrin-linked kinase in human platelets: evidence for involvement in the regulation of integrin alpha(2)beta(1)

Background: Activation of the platelet integrin alpha(2)beta(1) is closely regulated due to the high thrombogenicity of its ligand. As a beta(1) interacting kinase, ILK represents a candidate intracellular regulator of alpha(2)beta(1) in human platelets. Objectives We investigated the regulation of ILK in human platelets and the role of ILK in regulating alpha(2)beta(1) activation in HEL cells, a megakaryocytic cell line. Methods: An in-vitro kinase assay was used to determine the effect of platelet agonists on ILK kinase activity together with the contribution of PI3K and PKC on ILK activation. Interaction of ILK with beta(1)-integrin subunits was investigated by coimmunoprecipitation and the role of ILK in regulating alpha(2)beta(1) function assessed by overexpression studies in HEL cells. Results: We report that collagen and thrombin modulate ILK kinase activity in human platelets in an aggregation-independent manner. Furthermore, ILK activity is dually regulated by PI3K and PKC in thrombin-stimulated platelets and regulated by PI3K in collagen-stimulated cells. ILK associates with the beta(1)-integrin subunits immunoprecipitated from platelet cell lysates, an association which increased upon collagen stimulation. Overexpression of ILK in HEL cells enhanced alpha(2)beta(1)-mediated adhesion whereas overexpression of kinase-dead ILK reduced adhesion, indicating a role for this kinase in the positive regulation of alpha(2)beta(1). Conclusions: Our findings that ILK regulates alpha(2)beta(1) in HEL cells, is activated in platelets and associates with beta(1)-integrins, raise the possibility that it may play a key role in adhesion events upon agonist stimulation of platelets.

Synthesis, Characterization, and Electrocatalytic Activity toward Methanol Oxidation of Carbon-Supported Pt(x)-(RuO(2)-M)(1-x) Composite Ternary Catalysts (M = CeO(2), MoO(3), or PbO(x))

Carbon-supported platinum is commonly used as an anode electrocatalyst in low-temperature fuel cells fueled with methanol. The cost of Pt and the limited world supply are significant barriers for the widespread use of this type of fuel cell. Moreover, Pt used as anode material is readily poisoned by carbon monoxide produced as a byproduct of the alcohol oxidation. Although improvements in the catalytic performance for methanol oxidation were attained using Pt-Ru alloys, the state-of-the-art Pt-Ru catalyst needs further improvement because of relatively low catalytic activity and the high cost of noble Pt and Ru. For these reasons, the development of highly efficient ternary platinum-based catalysts is an important challenge. Thus, various compositions of ternary Pt(x)-(RuO(2)-M)(1-x)/C composites (M = CeO(2), MoO(3), or PbO(x)) were developed and further investigated as catalysts for the methanol electro-oxidation reaction. The characterization carried out by X-ray diffraction, energy-dispersive X-ray analysis, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry point out that the different metallic oxides were successfully deposited on the Pt/C, producing small and well-controlled nanoparticles in the range of 2.8-4.2 nm. Electrochemical experiments demonstrated that the Pt(0.50)(RuO(2)-CeO(2))(0.50)/C composite displays the higher catalytic activity toward the methanol oxidation reaction (lowest onset potential of 207 mV and current densities taken at 450 mV, which are 140 times higher than those at commercial Pt/C), followed by the Pt(0.75)(RuO(2)-MoO(3))(0.25)/C composite. In addition, both of these composites produced low quantities of formic acid and formaldehyde when compared to a commercially available Pt(0.75)-Ru(0.25)/C composite (from E-Tek, Inc.), suggesting that the oxidation of methanol occurs mainly by a pathway that produces CO(2) forming the intermediary CO(ads).

Octabutyl-1k2C,2k2C,3k2C,4k2C-di-µ3-oxo-1:2:3k3O;2:3:4k2O-di-µ2-phenoxy-1:2k2O;3:4k2O-diphenyoxy-1kO,4kO-tetratin(IV)

The dimeric title compound, tetrabutyldiphenoxydistannoxane, [Sn₄(C₄H₉)₈(C₆H₅O)₄O₂], adopts a ladder-type structure, featuring an almost planar inorganic framework with three four-membered Sn₂O₂ rings and four coplanar phenoxy groups.

Die Bedeutung des § 2 Abs. 1 BetrVG für den Umfang und die Schranken der Mitbestimmung nach § 87 BetrVG

Die vorliegende Arbeit befasst sich mit der Bedeutung des § 2 Abs. 1 BetrVG für die Reichweite und die Grenzen der Mitbestimmung des Betriebsrates nach § 87 BetrVG.. Ebenso wie im BetrVG 1952 bildet auch im BetrVG 1972 und im BetrVG 2001 der vierte Teil mit den Regelungen über die Mitwirkung und Mitbestimmung der Arbeitnehmer das eigentliche Kernstück des Gesetzes. Zentralvorschrift für die Mitbestimmung des Betriebsrats in sozialen Angelegenheiten ist dabei § 87 BetrVG. Diese Regelung umfasst alle Arbeitsbedingungen, die nicht schon gesetzlich oder tariflich geregelt sind, anderseits aber oft nur einheitlich für alle Arbeitnehmer im Betrieb geregelt werden können. Soweit die Tatbestandsvoraussetzungen der einzelnen Gegenstände in § 87 Abs. 1 Nr. 1 bis Nr. 13 BetrVG erfüllt sind, hat der Betriebsrat eine umfassende funktionelle Zuständigkeit zur Mitbestimmung in sämtlichen sozialen Angelegenheiten. Aufgabe der vorliegenden Arbeit soll es daher sein, Rechtsnatur, Struktur und Anwendungsbereich des Gebots der vertrauensvollen Zusammenarbeit und der Mitbestimmungsrechte gem. § 87 BetrVG zu klären. Hier ist insbesondere zu erörtern, ob Mitbestimmungsrechte des Betriebsrats gem. § 87 Abs. 1 BetrVG außerhalb des Katalogs der gesetzlichen Vorschriften aus dem Grundsatz der vertrauensvollen Zusammenarbeit herzuleiten sind. Ein weiterer Schwerpunkt liegt in der Herausarbeitung der Korrektur- und Schrankenfunktion des § 2 Abs. 1 BetrVG im Bereich der Mitbestimmung nach § 87 Abs. 1 BetrVG.

The Olive Tree, Vol. 12 Number 2, 2004

The Winter 2004 issue of The Olive Tree features articles about library projects, collections, technological innovations, and events at Fogler Library, University of Maine.