Monitoring data compilations can be leveraged to highlight relationships between estuarine and watershed factors influencing eutrophication in estuaries.

Estuaries have been adversely impacted by increased nutrient loads. Eutrophication impacts from these loads include excess algal blooms and low oxygen conditions. In this study, we leveraged data from 28 monitoring programs in the northeastern US to explore the relationships between eutrophication response variables and watershed and estuarine variables.

Monitoring chemical contaminants in the Gulf of Maine, using sediments and mussels (Mytilus edulis): An evaluation.

The objective of this paper is to determine whether contaminant data on mussels and sediments can be used interchangeably, or not, when assessing the degree of anthropogenic contamination of a water body. To obtain adequate coverage of the entire Gulf of Maine, Bay of Fundy sediment samples were collected, analyzed and combined with similar data from four coastal monitoring programs. This required careful interpretation but provided robust results consistent with published literature.

Effect of nutrient pollution on dinoflagellate cyst assemblages across estuaries of the NW Atlantic.

We analyzed surface sediments from 23 northeast USA estuaries, from Maine to Delaware, and nine estuaries from Prince Edward Island (PEI, Canada), to determine how dinoflagellate cyst assemblages varied with nutrient loading. Overall the abundance of cysts of heterotrophic dinoflagellates correlates with modeled nitrogen loading, but there were also regional signals. On PEI cysts of Gymnodinium microreticulatum characterized estuaries with high nitrogen loading while the sediments of eutrophic Boston Harbor were characterized by high abundances of Spiniferites spp.

Biogeography of dinoflagellate cysts in northwest Atlantic estuaries.

Few biogeographic studies of dinoflagellate cysts include the near-shore estuarine environment. We determine the effect of estuary type, biogeography, and water quality on the spatial distribution of organic-walled dinoflagellate cysts from the Northeast USA (Maine to Delaware) and Canada (Prince Edward Island). A total of 69 surface sediment samples were collected from 27 estuaries, from sites with surface salinities >20.

PCSK9 inhibitors in the prevention of cardiovascular disease.

Reducing plasma levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) remains the cornerstone in the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease. However, lack of efficacy and adverse effects mean that a substantial proportion of patients fail to achieve acceptable LDL-C levels with currently available lipid-lowering drugs. Over the last decade, inhibition of proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) has emerged as a promising therapeutic strategy to reduce residual cardiovascular disease risk.

Support of large breasts during tangential irradiation using a micro-shell and minimizing the skin dose--a pilot study.

Tangential radiotherapy delivered to women with large breasts can be problematic due to the excessive skin folds and the way that the breast falls into the axilla. This may necessitate excessive lung irradiation to cover the posterior part of the breast volume adequately. Conventional breast rings used to move the breast anteriorly can be very difficult to reproduce and may substantially increase the skin dose and hence skin toxicity due to the bolus effect.

Environmental stress and recovery: the geochemical record of human disturbance in New Bedford Harbor and Apponagansett Bay, Massachusetts (USA).

Sediments record the history of contamination to estuaries. Analysis of the concentrations of toxic organic compounds, contaminant and crustal metals, organic carbon content and isotopic composition in sediment cores from two estuarine systems in Buzzards Bay allowed reconstruction of human impacts over 350 years. Vertical distributions of the contaminants correlate with changes in the nature of watershed/estuarine activities.

Dinoflagellate cyst records and human disturbance in two neighboring estuaries, New Bedford Harbor and Apponagansett Bay, Massachusetts (USA).

The dinoflagellate cyst records in sediments from New Bedford Harbor and Apponagansett Bay demonstrate sensitivity to environmental change caused by human activity in the watersheds over the last 500 years. Changes in the species richness, as well as absolute and relative abundance of dinoflagellate cyst taxa reflect recent periods of development around the estuaries. Cyst taxa sensitive to these changes include Dubridinium spp.