Unprecedented toxic blooms of Microcystis spp. in 2019 in the Chowan River, North Carolina.

The Chowan River flows from southern Virginia through northeastern North Carolina and into the Albemarle Sound, a part of the second largest U.S. estuary.

Defining algal bloom phenology in Lake Erie.

Elucidating the impact of global climate change on aquatic ecosystems, particularly through phenological shifts in primary producers, is critical for understanding ecological resilience. Here, we focus on the phenological shifts in chlorophyll as a proxy for algae biomass and primary production in aquatic ecosystems, specifically in Lake Erie as well as concentrations of the toxin microcystin. By tracking temporal changes in each, we identified key phenological phases important to estimate duration, magnitude, and intensity of harmful algal blooms (HABs).

Effects of snake fungal disease (ophidiomycosis) on the skin microbiome across two major experimental scales.

Emerging infectious diseases are increasingly recognized as a significant threat to global biodiversity conservation. Elucidating the relationship between pathogens and the host microbiome could lead to novel approaches for mitigating disease impacts. Pathogens can alter the host microbiome by inducing dysbiosis, an ecological state characterized by a reduction in bacterial alpha diversity, an increase in pathobionts, or a shift in beta diversity.

Diel metatranscriptomes capture cyanobacteria-dominated Lake Erie community response to episodic events.

Here, we report on the raw and coassembled metatranscriptomes of 39 Lake Erie surface (1.0 m) water samples collected over a 2-day diel period encompassing episodic weather and bloom events. Preliminary taxonomic annotations and read mappings revealed that spp.

Correlation of Visual System Biomarkers With Motor Deficits in Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis-Optic Neuritis.

Purpose: Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) scoring, the most commonly used primary outcome metric for an in vivo model of multiple sclerosis (MS), is highly variable and subjective. Here we explored the use of visual biomarkers in EAE as more objective and clinically relevant primary outcomes.

Methods: Motor impairment in myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein-immunized C57BL/6J mice was quantified using a five-point EAE grading scale.