Tributary use and large-scale movements of grass carp in Lake Erie

Infrequent captures of invasive, non-native grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) have occurred in Lake Erie over the last 30+ years, with recent evidence suggesting wild reproduction in the lake’s western basin (WB) is occurring. Information on grass carp movements in the Laurentian Great Lakes is lacking, but an improved understanding of large-scale movements and potential areas of aggregation will help inform control strategies and risk assessment if grass carp spread to other parts of Lake Erie and other Great Lakes. Twenty-three grass carp captured in Lake Erie’s WB were implanted with acoustic transmitters and released. Movements were monitored with acoustic receivers deployed throughout Lake Erie and elsewhere in the Great Lakes. Grass carp dispersed up to 236 km, with approximately 25% of fish dispersing greater than 100 km from their release location. Mean daily movements ranged from <0.01 to 2.49 km/day, with the highest daily averages occurring in the spring and summer. The Sandusky, Detroit, and Maumee Rivers, and Plum Creek were the most heavily used WB tributaries. Seventeen percent of grass carp moved into Lake Erie’s central or eastern basins, although all fish eventually returned to the WB. One fish emigrated from Lake Erie through the Huron-Erie Corridor and into Lake Huron. Based on our results, past assessments may have underestimated the potential for grass carp to spread in the Great Lakes. We recommend focusing grass carp control efforts on Sandusky River and Plum Creek given their high use by tagged fish, and secondarily on Maumee and Detroit Rivers.     

For an updated acupuncture

The author proposes an acupuncture which is characterized by its complete break with the ancient chinese physiopathology and its concepts of "acupuncture points" (in the old sense of the term) of "meridians", "energies", "ying-yang" etc.. This process of renewal of the practice and the theory has been coined "contemporary acupuncture". Its originality stands out in comparison with most teachings of acupuncture which have remained faithful to traditional acupuncture. Contemporary acupuncture creates bridges between acupunture and classical medicine. It offers simple therapeutic gestures to general practitioners. Acupuncture acts, from a clinical point of view, particularly through the following forms of action: a) a relaxing action on striated muscle; b) an anti-inflammatory action on the ligaments; c) an antidepressant and anxiolytic action.     

Differential expression of ICAM-1 and LFA-1 versus L-selectin and VCAM-1 in autoimmune insulitis of NOD mice and association with both Th1- and Th2-type infiltrates

The infiltration of pancreatic islets by mononuclear cells is the hallmark of the development of insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) in the NOD mouse, an animal model for human IDDM. The aim, of this study was to correlate adhesion molecule expression with the degree of islet infiltration and to compare Th1- and Th2-driven islet inflammation. Cryostat sections of NOD mouse pancreata before and after diabetes development were analysed by semiquantitative immunohistochemistry. NOD mouse islets did not show the expression of ICAM-1, LFA-1, L-selectin and VCAM-1 prior to infiltration by mononuclear cells. Furthermore, islets with early stage insulitis (grade 1, periinsular location of small infiltrates) still were devoid of adhesion molecule expression. ICAM-1 and LFA-1 were first demonstrable in islets with strong periinsular infiltrates (insulitis grade 2) while L-selectin and VCAM-1 were only seen in islets with mild or strong intraislet infiltration (grade 3-4). Adhesion molecules were demonstrable in areas of macrophage and T-lymphocyte infiltrates but not in adjacent endocrine islet tissue. Islets of all infiltration stages contained Th2 lymphocytes (positive for IL-4). Substantial numbers of Th1 cells (positive for IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha, IL-2 and/or IL-2 receptor) were observed only after acceleration of diabetes development by a single injection of cyclophosphamide (250 mg/kg i.p.). Interestingly, the adhesion molecule expression pattern in islets with "Th1' versus "Th2 insulitis' was not different. In conclusion, the expression of adhesion molecules in islets during the development of autoimmune diabetes does not precede mononuclear infiltration but probably occurs in response to the activation of initial small infiltrates. ICAM-1 and LFA-1 expression is seen prior to L-selectin and VCAM-1. However, adhesion molecule expression during Th1 versus Th2 cell infiltration is very similar, suggesting similar adhesion molecule requirements of the two Th subsets.     

Zur Synthese von 3-Amino-naphth[c]isothiazolen

Synthesis of 3-Amino-naphth[c]isothiazoles 3-Amino-naphthonitrile-2 7 can be readily prepared by ring cleavage of 4-carboxy-methylthio-benzo[g]quinazoline 6 in aqueous medium at pH 9. 1-Amino-naphthonitrile- 2 11 is formed in good yield by thermolysis of 1H-benzo[g]-indoline-2,3-dione-3-oxime 13 (BEDFORD -PARTRIDGE reaction). The scope of both reaction types is studied. Appropriate syntheses of each precursor are reported. By base-catalyzed addition of hydrogen sulfide under pressure 7 and 11 were transformed into amino-thionaphthoic-2-acid amides 17 and 23 . Oxidation of 1-amino-thionaphthoic-2-acid amide 23 with hydrogen peroxide in methanol produced 3-aminonaphth[1,2-c]isothiazole 1b in almost quantitative yield. A similar oxidative cyclization of 3-amino-thionaphthoic-2-acid amide 17 to 3-amino-naphth[2,3-c]isothiazole 3b failed even if the reaction conditions were widely varied. The unsuccessful efforts to synthesize „linear”︁ naphthisothiazoles ( 3a and its 3-amino derivative 3b ) are discussed in terms of the superdelocalizability of these heterocycles. Azo dyes can be obtained from 1b and 7 .     

Evidence for plasmid-associated crystal toxin production in Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis

Three crystalliferous (Cry+) strains of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis (serotype 14) that produce parasporal protein crystals toxic to dipteran larvae and several acrystalliferous (Cry-) mutants, either induced or spontaneously derived from a single Cry+ parent, were examined for the presence of covalently closed circular (CCC) DNA in attempts to correlate toxin production with the presence of a specific plasmid. The plasmid profiles of both Cry+ and Cry- variants were analyzed by both a cleared lysate- and a modified Eckhardt lysate-electrophoresis technique. All of the Cry- mutants derived from the Cry+ parental strain had lost a 4.0- to 4.4-megadalton (Mdal) plasmid. Bioassay data confirmed loss of toxin production by the Cry- variants. All three Cry+ strains, including the parent of the Cry- strains, contained CCC plasmids DNAs of the following approximate molecular weights: 4.0 to 4.4, 5.2 to 6.0, and 11.4 to 13.0 Mdal. One Cry+ strain contained an additional CCC plasmid of 6.7 to 7.2 Mdal. The plasmid patterns for several Cry- derivatives differed in other respects from the pattern for their parent strain. The various Cry+ and Cry- strains could be distinguished either by phenotypical differences in antibiotic sensitivity, crystal production, and toxicity, or by differences in their plasmid profiles.     

International patent data: Their utilization for the analysis of technological developments

The analysis of technological developments for purposes like technological forecasting through the use of leading indicators or ex post evaluation of science and technology oriented policies, nearly always lead to the evaluation of patent statistics.From these the authors established indicators of technological development using numbers of patents applied for or granted worldwide, thus preventing sampling and weighting errors. Account was taken of the effect of patent families as well as connections between technological developments in different fields. Furthermore, methods were established to identify areas with important technological developments.The final part of the paper shows the first results of application of these methods to the comparison of international patenting activities in selected fields.     

HYDROLOGIC CONNECTIVITY OF FLOODPLAINS,NORTHERN MISSOURI—IMPLICATIONS FOR MANAGEMENT AND RESTORATION OF FLOODPLAIN FOREST COMMUNITIES IN DISTURBED LANDSCAPES

Hydrologic connectivity between the channel and floodplain is thought to be a dominant factor determining floodplain processes and characteristics of floodplain forests. We explored the role of hydrologic connectivity in explaining floodplain forest community composition along streams in northern Missouri, USA. Hydrologic analyses at 20 streamgages (207–5827 km² area) document that magnitudes of 2‐year return floods increase systematically with increasing drainage area whereas the average annual number and durations of floodplain‐connecting events decrease. Flow durations above the active‐channel shelf vary little with increasing drainage area, indicating that the active‐channel shelf is in quasi‐equilibrium with prevailing conditions. The downstream decrease in connectivity is associated with downstream increase in channel incision. These relations at streamflow gaging stations are consistent with regional channel disturbance patterns: channel incision increases downstream, whereas upstream reaches have either not incised or adjusted to incision by forming new equilibrium floodplains. These results provide a framework to explain landscape‐scale variations in composition of floodplain forest communities in northern Missouri. Faust ( 2006 ) had tentatively explained increases of flood‐dependent tree species, and decreases of species diversity, with a downstream increase in flood magnitude and duration. Because frequency and duration of floodplain‐connecting events do not increase downstream, we hypothesize instead that increases in relative abundance of flood‐dependent trees at larger drainage area result from increasing size of disturbance patches. Bank‐overtopping floods at larger drainage area create large, open, depositional landforms that promoted the regeneration of shade‐intolerant species. Higher tree species diversity in floodplains with small drainage areas is associated with non‐incised floodplains that are frequently connected to their channels and therefore subject to greater effective hydrologic variability compared with downstream floodplains. Understanding the landscape‐scale geomorphic and hydrologic controls on floodplain connectivity provides a basis for more effective management and restoration of floodplain forest communities. Published 2013. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.