Assessment Indices of Littoral Habitat Condition for Lakes in Maine and New England, USA.

Littoral habitat is critical for lake biota but is adversely affected by residential shoreland development through the loss and reduced structural complexity of lakeshore vegetation. There currently exists no assessment methodology for evaluating littoral habitat condition of individual lakes in northeastern US. We addressed this assessment need by creating multi-metric indices of littoral habitat condition that focus on lakeshore residential development as the primary stressor.

Biodiversity of Philippine marine fishes: A DNA barcode reference library based on voucher specimens.

Accurate identification of fishes is essential for understanding their biology and to ensure food safety for consumers. DNA barcoding is an important tool because it can verify identifications of both whole and processed fishes that have had key morphological characters removed (e.g.

Structure and toxicity of AZA-59, an azaspiracid shellfish poisoning toxin produced by Azadinium poporum (Dinophyceae).

To date, the putative shellfish toxin azaspiracid 59 (AZA-59) produced by Azadinium poporum (Dinophyceae) has been the only AZA found in isolates from the Pacific Northwest coast of the USA (Northeast Pacific Ocean). Anecdotal reports of sporadic diarrhetic shellfish poisoning-like illness, with the absence of DSP toxin or Vibrio contamination, led to efforts to look for other potential toxins, such as AZAs, in water and shellfish from the region. A.

A survey of Dinophysis spp. and their potential to cause diarrhetic shellfish poisoning in coastal waters of the United States.

Multiple species of the genus Dinophysis produce diarrhetic shellfish toxins (okadaic acid and Dinophysis toxins, OA/DTXs analogs) and/or pectenotoxins (PTXs). Only since 2008 have DSP events (illnesses and/or shellfish harvesting closures) become recognized as a threat to human health in the United States. This study characterized 20 strains representing five species of Dinophysis spp.

Using low-coverage whole genome sequencing (genome skimming) to delineate three introgressed species of buffalofish (Ictiobus).

Consumption of buffalofish has been sporadically associated with Haff disease-like illnesses involving sudden onset muscle pain and weakness due to skeletal muscle rhabdomyolysis, but determination of precisely which species are associated with these illnesses has been impeded by a lack of species-specific DNA-based markers. Here, three closely related species of buffalofish native to the Mississippi River Basin (Ictiobus bubalus, Ictiobus cyprinellus and Ictiobus niger) that have previously proven genetically indistinguishable using both mitochondrial and nuclear single-locus sequencing were reliably discriminated using low-coverage whole genome sequencing ('genome skimming'). Using 44 specimens representing the three species collected from the mid/upper (Missouri) and lower (Louisiana) regions of the species' native ranges, the SISRS (Site Identification from Short Read Sequences) bioinformatics pipeline was adapted to (1) identify over 620Mbp of putatively homologous nuclear sequence data and (2) isolate over 140,000 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that supported accurate species delimitation, all without the use of a reference genome or annotation data.

Haff disease associated with consumption of buffalofish ( spp.) in the United States, 2010-2020, with confirmation of the causative species.

Background: In the United States, buffalofish ( spp.) are sporadically associated with sudden onset muscle pain and weakness due to rhabdomyolysis within 24 h of fish consumption (Haff disease). Previous genetic analyses of case-associated samples were unable to distinguish the three species of buffalofish that occur in the US, (bigmouth buffalo), (smallmouth buffalo), and (black buffalo).

Ciguatoxin in Hawai'i: Fisheries forecasting using geospatial and environmental analyses for the invasive Cephalopholis argus (Epinephelidae).

Invasive species can precede far-reaching environmental and economic consequences. In the Hawai'ian Archipelago Cephalopholis argus (family Serranidae) is an established invasive species, now recognized as the dominant local reef predator, negatively impacting the native ecosystem and local fishery. In this region, no official C.

Predicting anoxia in low-nutrient temperate lakes.

Absence of dissolved oxygen (anoxia) in the hypolimnion of lakes can eliminate habitat for sensitive species and may induce the release of sediment-bound phosphorus. Lake anoxia generally results from decomposition of organic matter, which is exacerbated by high nutrient loads. Total phosphorus (TP) in lakes is regulated by static aspects of the lake's watershed, but lake TP can be readily increased by human activities.

TGFβ-blockade uncovers stromal plasticity in tumors by revealing the existence of a subset of interferon-licensed fibroblasts.

Despite the increasing interest in targeting stromal elements of the tumor microenvironment, we still face tremendous challenges in developing adequate therapeutics to modify the tumor stromal landscape. A major obstacle to this is our poor understanding of the phenotypic and functional heterogeneity of stromal cells in tumors. Herein, we perform an unbiased interrogation of tumor mesenchymal cells, delineating the co-existence of distinct subsets of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in the microenvironment of murine carcinomas, each endowed with unique phenotypic features and functions.

Dihydrodinophysistoxin-1 Produced by in the Gulf of Maine, USA and Its Accumulation in Shellfish.

Dihydrodinophysistoxin-1 (dihydro-DTX1, (M-H) 819.5), described previously from a marine sponge but never identified as to its biological source or described in shellfish, was detected in multiple species of commercial shellfish collected from the central coast of the Gulf of Maine, USA in 2016 and in 2018 during blooms of the dinoflagellate . Toxin screening by protein phosphatase inhibition (PPIA) first detected the presence of diarrhetic shellfish poisoning-like bioactivity; however, confirmatory analysis using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) failed to detect okadaic acid (OA, (M-H) 803.

A case of long-term neurological and respiratory sequelae of inhalational exposure to palytoxin.

Palytoxin has been found in several soft coral species which are popular for in-home reef aquariums. Although a limited number of case reports describing acute respiratory distress after inhalational exposure to palytoxin have been reported, there have been no reports regarding the potential long-term effects of inhalational exposure to palytoxin in the literature. This case follows an aquatic specialist in the U.

Microcystin Toxins at Potentially Hazardous Levels in Algal Dietary Supplements Revealed by a Combination of Bioassay, Immunoassay, and Mass Spectrometric Methods.

Microcystins (MCs) are hepatotoxic heptapeptides produced by cyanobacteria and are potent inhibitors of protein phosphatases in eukaryotic cells. Algae for dietary supplements are harvested from outdoor environments and can be contaminated with MCs. Monitoring of MCs in these products is necessary but is complicated by their structural diversity (>250 congeners).

Characterization of Dinophysis spp. (Dinophyceae, Dinophysiales) from the mid-Atlantic region of the United States.

Due to the increasing prevalence of Dinophysis spp. and their toxins on every US coast in recent years, the need to identify and monitor for problematic Dinophysis populations has become apparent. Here, we present morphological analyses, using light and scanning electron microscopy, and rDNA sequence analysis, using a ~2-kb sequence of ribosomal ITS1, 5.

Saxitoxin Poisoning in Green Turtles () Linked to Scavenging on Mass Mortality of Caribbean Sharpnose Puffer Fish (-Tetraodontidae).

Fish within the family Tetraodontidae are potential sources of both endogenous tetrodotoxins (TTXs) and dietary derived saxitoxins (STXs). Ingestion of fish tissues containing these toxins by other vertebrates can lead to severe illness and death. The Caribbean sharpnose puffer () is a widespread tetraodontid species within the western Atlantic.

Evaluation of variation within the barcode region of Cytochrome Oxidase I (COI) for the detection of commercial Rathbun, 1896 (blue crab) products of non-US origin.

Rathbun, 1896 is a western Atlantic species with a disjointed natural geographic range from Massachusetts, USA to Venezuela (distribution area 1) and from Alagoas, Brazil to northern Argentina (distribution area 2). It is the only species of portunid crab commercially harvested in the continental United States but is also imported into the US from several Latin American countries, Venezuela and Mexico in particular. In the United States, crab products labeled as "blue crab" and "Product of the USA" may not legally contain other species of crab or not harvested in the United States.

Resolution of the species complex: taxonomic status and identity of (Fabricius, 1798) and (Stimpson, 1858) (Brachyura, Decapoda, Portunidae).

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently adopted DNA barcoding for the purpose of determining the species identity of commercial seafood products. This effort has revealed instances of incongruence between current scientifically accepted taxon names and those utilized by the seafood industry in product labelling. One such case is that of "", a name utilized by the seafood industry to label commercial products under the market name "red swimming crab.

An innovative warming strategy to increase patient satisfaction.

Thermal comfort helps patients maintain normothermia, decreases preoperative anxiety, and increases their sense of well-being. This article details an initiative to improve surgical patient satisfaction with thermal comfort using reflective blankets at a 115-bed major medical center and Level III trauma center in the Southwest US.

Elucidation and partial NMR assignment of monosulfated maitotoxins from the Caribbean.

Compounds similar to maitotoxin (MTX) have been isolated from several laboratory strains of the dinoflagellate Gambierdiscus spp. from the Caribbean. Mass spectral results suggest that these compounds differ from MTX by the loss of one sulfate group and, in some cases, the loss of one methyl group with the addition of one degree of unsaturation.

Genomics overrules mitochondrial DNA, siding with morphology on a controversial case of species delimitation.

Species delimitation is a major quest in biology and is essential for adequate management of the organismal diversity. A challenging example comprises the fish species of red snappers in the Western Atlantic. Red snappers have been traditionally recognized as two separate species based on morphology: Lutjanus campechanus (northern red snapper) and L.

Toxicity and pathophysiology of palytoxin congeners after intraperitoneal and aerosol administration in rats.

Preparations of palytoxin (PLTX, derived from Japanese Palythoa tuberculosa) and the congeners 42-OH-PLTX (from Hawaiian P. toxica) and ovatoxin-a (isolated from a Japanese strain of Ostreopsis ovata), as well as a 50:50 mixture of PLTX and 42-OH-PLTX derived from Hawaiian P. tuberculosa were characterized as to their concentration, composition, in-vitro potency and interaction with an anti-PLTX monoclonal antibody (mAb), after which they were evaluated for lethality and tissue histopathology after intraperitoneal (IP) and aerosol administration to rats.

Evaluation of microcystin contamination in blue-green algal dietary supplements using a protein phosphatase inhibition-based test kit.

The cyanobacterium (AFA), from Upper-Klamath Lake, Oregon, are used to produce blue-green algal (BGA) dietary supplements. The periodic co-occurrence of hepatotoxin-producing contaminant species prompted the Oregon Health Division to establish a limit of 1 μg/g microcystin (MC) for products sold in Oregon in 1997. At the federal level, the current good manufacturing practice (CGMP) regulations for dietary supplements require manufacturers establish a specification, and test, for limits on contaminants that may adulterate finished products.

Predicting mayfly recovery in acid mine-impaired streams using logistic regression models of in-stream habitat and water chemistry.

Mayflies (Order Ephemeroptera) require high quality water and habitat in streams to thrive, so their appearance after restoration is an indicator of ecological recovery. To better understand the importance of restoring in-stream habitat versus water chemistry for macroinvertebrate communities, we developed taxon-specific models of occurrence for five mayfly genera (Caenis, Isonychia, Stenonema, Stenacron, and Baetis) inhabiting streams in the Appalachian Mountains, USA. Presence/absence records from past decades were used to develop single and multiple logistic predictive models based on catchment characteristics (drainage area, gradient), in-stream habitat variables (e.

Evaluation of Rapid, Early Warning Approaches to Track Shellfish Toxins Associated with Dinophysis and Alexandrium Blooms.

Marine biotoxin-contaminated seafood has caused thousands of poisonings worldwide this century. Given these threats, there is an increasing need for improved technologies that can be easily integrated into coastal monitoring programs. This study evaluates approaches for monitoring toxins associated with recurrent toxin-producing and blooms on Long Island, NY, USA, which cause paralytic and diarrhetic shellfish poisoning (PSP and DSP), respectively.

Identification of Azadinium species and a new azaspiracid from Azadinium poporum in Puget Sound, Washington State, USA.

The identification of a new suite of toxins, called azaspiracids (AZA), as the cause of human illnesses after the consumption of shellfish from the Irish west coast in 1995, resulted in interest in understanding the global distribution of these toxins and of species of the small dinoflagellate genus Azadinium, known to produce them. Clonal isolates of four species of Azadinium, A. poporum, A.

Ichthyotoxic Karlodinium veneficum (Ballantine) J Larsen in the Upper Swan River Estuary (Western Australia): Ecological conditions leading to a fish kill.

Ichthyotoxic Karlodinium veneficum has become a persistent problem in the eutrophic Swan River Estuary (SRE) near Perth, Western Australia. Karlotoxin (KmTx) concentrations and K. veneficum were sampled from March to July 2005, spanning a bloom confirmed by microscopy and genetics (ITS sequence), and a fish kill coincident with end of the bloom.