Lions and prions and deer demise.

Background: Contagious prion diseases--scrapie of sheep and chronic wasting disease of several species in the deer family--give rise to epidemics that seem capable of compromising host population viability. Despite this prospect, the ecological consequences of prion disease epidemics in natural populations have received little consideration.

Methodology/principal Findings: Using a cohort study design, we found that prion infection dramatically lowered survival of free-ranging adult (>2-year-old) mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus): estimated average life expectancy was 5.

Tiered environmental risk assessment of methyltins from heat stabilizers in rigid PVC in Sweden.

The methyltins, methyltin 2-ethylhexyl mercaptoacetate and methyltin-2-mercaptoethyloleate sulfide, are used as heat stabilizers in rigid PVC. The degradation products monomethyltintrichloride (MMTTC) and dimethyltindichloride (DMTDC) may leach from the PVC, and enter the environment. A risk assessment was executed for the use of these products in Sweden, with the double aim to (a) assess the potential environmental risks, and (b) explore the possibilities of a tiered risk assessment.

Oil effect in freshly spiked marine sediment on Vibrio fischeri, Corophium volutator, and Echinocardium cordatum.

The purpose of this study was to provide data to be used in The Netherlands for development of ecotoxicologically based quality criteria for oil-contaminated sediments and dredged material. In addition, the relation of toxicity to specific oil boiling-point fraction ranges was explored. Natural marine sediment, with a moisture, organic carbon, and silt content of approximately 80, 1.