Study of the dose-effect relationship of γ-H2AX radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cui Shuangshuang; Fan Yaguang; Gun Zhijuan; Wang Jixian; Zhao Yongcheng; Sun Yuping

2010-01-01

Objective: By using laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM) to test the dose-effects relationship between ionizing radiation intensity and quantity of the γ-H2AX in vivo and in vitro respectively, and the consistency relationship between the vivo and vitro retrial. Methods: To irradiate the peripheral blood from Wister female rats by 137 Cs at 7 with different doses (0, 0.5, 1, 2, 2.54, 4, 6, 8 Gy) extract the lymphocytes from the peripheral blood and detect the dose-effects relationship between irradiation intensity and number of γ-H2AX foci. Results: There are good dose-effects relationships between the irradiation and foci number both in vivo and in vitro, which are linear, Y vivo =0.096+0.13X; Y vitro =0.040+0.21X. And there is good consistency (R=0.98) between the γ-H2AX in vivo and in vitro. Conclusions: γ-H2AX has the possibility for clinical trial as an indicator, and we can use vitro trials in place of the vivo trails to evaluate the dose people received. (authors)

[Phytoplankton's community structure and its relationships with environmental factors in the rivers of Tongling City, Anhui Province of East China in winter].

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Li; Wei, Wei; Zhou, Ping; Li, Yang; Sun, Qing-Ye

2013-01-01

Tongling is one of the main non-ferrous metal mining areas in China, and the biodiversity in the river ecosystem of this area is seriously affected by heavy metals as a result of mining activities. In the winter in 2010, an investigation was conducted on the community structure of phytoplankton and its relationships with environmental factors in the main sections of the rivers in Tongling. A total of 203 phytoplankton species were identified, belonging to 96 genera and 8 phyla. The community structure of the phytoplankton differed obviously in different river sections, but the communities were all dominated by Bacillariophyta, Chlorophyta and Cyanophyta. The phytoplankton abundance ranged from 9.1 x 10(3) to 6.5 x 10(7) cells x L(-1), and the quantity of the phytoplankton in the river sections directly carried with mining waste water was significantly low. The Shannon index of the phytoplankton community at different sampling sites ranged from 0 to 3.45, with a significant discrepancy in different river sections. There existed significant correlations between the density and group number of phytoplankton and the COD(Cr) and cadmium, copper and zinc concentrations in the rivers, and the concentrations of river total nitrogen, NH4(+)-N, NO3(-)-N, and copper, COD(Cr) and pH were the main environmental variables affecting the phytoplankton' s community structure and its spatial distribution. Although the nutritional status of the river waters had greater effects on the community structure of phytoplankton, the effects of the heavy metals there from mining enterprises could not be neglected.

Phytoplankton abundance and productivity in the vicinity of an operating power plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Poornima, E.H.; Rajadurai, M.; Venugopalan, V.P.; Narasimhan, S.V.; Rao, V.N.R.

2007-01-01

The impact of power plant operation on the abundance and productivity of phytoplankton was monitored over a period of fifteen months. Field studies showed that in spite of the consistent reduction in phytoplankton biomass and productivity at the Outfall where the heated effluent is discharged, stations close to the mixing point did not show any significant change in phytoplankton biomass or productivity. This suggested that at the Mixing point, mixing of the heated effluents with the ambient seawater was rapid and very extensive, ensuring recovery of phytoplankton biomass and their productivity potential. Field studies during low-dose, shock-dose and no-chlorination suggested that chlorination caused greater damage to phytoplankton chlorophyll than temperature. Laboratory experiments revealed that diatom growth was not much influenced by passage through the condenser cooling system and they were able to grow between 28 deg C and 40 deg C. Short term experiments indicated that chemical stress due to chlorination might be more important than temperature in reducing phytoplankton biomass and productivity. Combined treatment of temperature and chlorine showed little synergistic effect. The data suggest that formulation of condenser discharge criteria of power plants must consider the relative effects of both the stress factors viz., temperature and chlorine. (author)

A review of in vitro dose-effect relationships

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dolphin, G.W.

1978-01-01

One of the principal reasons for investigating the relationship between absorbed dose and the number of chromosome aberrations per cell in lymphocytes taken from samples of human peripheral blood is to obtain a calibration curve for biological dosimetry. Factors affecting the radiation-induced aberration yield in vitro of T lymphocytes are reviewed under the following heads: temperature, oxygen effect, inter-mitotic death, mitotic delay, dose rate background of aberrations in normal humans, mathematical representation. (U.K.)

Empirical relationships between phytoplankton and zooplankton biomass in Indian Ocean

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Jayalakshmy, K.V.

and temperature, zooplankton and phytoplankton, zooplankton and PO sub(4)-P and phytoplankton and PO sub(4)-P. Linear regression model is found to be significant at 1% level of significance. Since zooplankton and phytoplankton are significantly positively...

Relationships between Concentrations of Phytoplankton Chlorophyll a and Total Nitrogen in Ten U.S. Estuaries

Science.gov (United States)

This presentation focuses on the summertime response of phytoplankton chlorophyll to nitrogen concentrations in the upper water columns of ten U.S. estuaries. Using publicly available data from monitoring programs, regression relationships have been developed between summer surfa...

Dose-response relationship with radiotherapy: an evidence?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chauvet, B.; Rauglaudre, G. de; Mineur, L.; Alfonsi, M.; Reboul, F.

2003-01-01

The dose-response relationship is a fundamental basis of radiobiology. Despite many clinical data, difficulties remain to demonstrate a relation between dose and local control: relative role of treatment associated with radiation therapy (surgery, chemotherapy, hormonal therapy), tumor heterogeneity, few prospective randomized studies, uncertainty of local control assessment. Three different situations are discussed: tumors with high local control probabilities for which dose effect is demonstrated by randomized studies (breast cancer) or sound retrospective data (soft tissues sarcomas), tumors with intermediate local control probabilities for which dose effect seems to be important according to retrospective studies and ongoing or published phase III trials (prostate cancer), tumors with low local control probabilities for which dose effect appears to be modest beyond standard doses, and inferior to the benefit of concurrent chemotherapy (lung and oesophageal cancer). For head and neck tumors, the dose-response relationship has been explored through hyperfractionation and accelerated radiation therapy and a dose effect has been demonstrated but must be compared to the benefit of concurrent chemotherapy. Last but not least, the development of conformal radiotherapy allow the exploration of the dose response relationship for tumors such as hepatocellular carcinomas traditionally excluded from the field of conventional radiation therapy. In conclusion, the dose-response relationship remains a sound basis of radiation therapy for many tumors and is a parameter to take into account for further randomized studies. (author)

Direct and indirect effects of ionizing radiation on grazer–phytoplankton interactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nascimento, Francisco J.A.; Bradshaw, Clare

2016-01-01

Risk assessment of exposure to radionuclides and radiation does not usually take into account the role of species interactions. We investigated how the transfer of carbon between a primary producer, Raphidocelis subcapitata, and a consumer, Daphnia magna, was affected by acute exposure to gamma radiation. In addition to unexposed controls, different treatments were used where: a) only D. magna (Z treatment); b) only R. subcapitata (P treatment) and c) both D. magna and R. subcapitata (ZP treatment) were exposed to one of three acute doses of gamma radiation (5, 50 and 100 Gy). We then compared differences among treatments for three endpoints: incorporation of carbon by D. magna, D. magna growth and R. subcapitata densities. Carbon incorporation was affected by which combination of species was irradiated and by the radiation dose. Densities of R. subcapitata at the end of the experiment were also affected by which species had been exposed to radiation. Carbon incorporation by D. magna was significantly lower in the Z treatment, indicating reduced grazing, an effect stronger with higher radiation doses, possibly due to direct effects of gamma radiation. Top-down indirect effects of this reduced grazing were also seen as R. subcapitata densities increased in the Z treatment due to decreased herbivory. The opposite pattern was observed in the P treatment where only R. subcapitata was exposed to gamma radiation, while the ZP treatment showed intermediate results for both endpoints. In the P treatments, carbon incorporation by D. magna was significantly higher than in the other treatments, suggesting a higher grazing pressure. This, together with direct effects of gamma radiation on R. subcapitata, probably significantly decreased phytoplankton densities in the P treatment. Our results highlight the importance of taking into account the role of species interactions when assessing the effects of exposure to gamma radiation in aquatic ecosystems. - Highlights: • Direct

Microscopic examination on cytological changes in Allium cepa and shift in phytoplankton population at different doses of Atrazine

Science.gov (United States)

Ghosh, Nabarun; Finger, Kristen; Usnick, Samantha; Rogers, William J.; Das, A. B.; Smith, Don W.

2010-06-01

Atrazine is a wide-range herbicide. For over 50 years, atrazine has been used as a selective broadleaf herbicide in many capacities, from pre-plant to pre-emergence to post-emergence, depending on the crop and application. Currently, 96% of all atrazine used is for commercial applications in fields for the control of broadleaf and grassy weeds in crops such as sorghum, corn, sugarcane, pineapple and for the control of undesirable weeds in rangeland. Many panhandle wells have also detected atrazine in samples taken. The concern for the public is the long-term effect of atrazine with its increasing popularity, and the impact on public health. We investigated the effect of different concentrations of atrazine on Allium cepa (onion), a standard plant test system. We established a control with the Allium bulbs grown on hydroponics culture. Varying concentrations of atrazine was used on the standard plant test system, Allium cepa grown hydroponically. The mitotic indices varied and with higher doses, we observed various chromosomal abnormalities including sticky bridges, early and late separations, and lag chromosomes with higher doses of treatments. In the second part of the experiment, 0.1ppb, 1ppb, 10ppb, and 100ppb concentrations of atrazine were applied to established phytoplankton cultures from the Lake Tanglewood, Texas. Study with a Sedgwick-Rafter counter, a BX-40 Olympus microscope with DP-70 camera revealed a gradual shift in the phytoplankton community from obligatory to facultative autotroph and finally to a parasitic planktonic community. This explains the periodic fish kill in the lakes after applications of atrazine in crop fields.

Spatial dynamics of a nutrient-phytoplankton system with toxic effect on phytoplankton

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Chakraborty, Subhendu; Tiwari, P. K.; Misra, A. K.

2015-01-01

The production of toxins by some species of phytoplankton is known to have several economic, ecological, and human health impacts. However, the role of toxins on the spatial distribution of phytoplankton is not well understood. In the present study, the spatial dynamics of a nutrient-phytoplankto...... patterns, like stripes, spots, and the mixture of them depending on the toxicity level. We also observe that the distribution of nutrient and phytoplankton shows spatiotemporal oscillation for certain toxicity level. (C) 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved....

Dose-Effect Relationships for Individual Pelvic Floor Muscles and Anorectal Complaints After Prostate Radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smeenk, Robert Jan; Hoffmann, Aswin L.; Hopman, Wim P.M.; Lin, Emile N.J. Th. van; Kaanders, Johannes H.A.M.

2012-01-01

Purpose: To delineate the individual pelvic floor muscles considered to be involved in anorectal toxicity and to investigate dose-effect relationships for fecal incontinence-related complaints after prostate radiotherapy (RT). Methods and Materials: In 48 patients treated for localized prostate cancer, the internal anal sphincter (IAS) muscle, the external anal sphincter (EAS) muscle, the puborectalis muscle (PRM), and the levator ani muscles (LAM) in addition to the anal wall (Awall) and rectal wall (Rwall) were retrospectively delineated on planning computed tomography scans. Dose parameters were obtained and compared between patients with and without fecal urgency, incontinence, and frequency. Dose-effect curves were constructed. Finally, the effect of an endorectal balloon, which was applied in 28 patients, was investigated. Results: The total volume of the pelvic floor muscles together was about three times that of the Awall. The PRM was exposed to the highest RT dose, whereas the EAS received the lowest dose. Several anal and rectal dose parameters, as well as doses to all separate pelvic floor muscles, were associated with urgency, while incontinence was associated mainly with doses to the EAS and PRM. Based on the dose-effect curves, the following constraints regarding mean doses could be deduced to reduce the risk of urgency: ≤30 Gy to the IAS; ≤10 Gy to the EAS; ≤50 Gy to the PRM; and ≤40 Gy to the LAM. No dose-effect relationships for frequency were observed. Patients treated with an endorectal balloon reported significantly less urgency and incontinence, while their treatment plans showed significantly lower doses to the Awall, Rwall, and all pelvic floor muscles. Conclusions: Incontinence-related complaints show specific dose-effect relationships to individual pelvic floor muscles. Dose constraints for each muscle can be identified for RT planning. When only the Awall is delineated, substantial components of the continence apparatus are

Dose-effect relationships for individual pelvic floor muscles and anorectal complaints after prostate radiotherapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Smeenk, Robert Jan; Hoffmann, Aswin L; Hopman, Wim P M; van Lin, Emile N J Th; Kaanders, Johannes H A M

2012-06-01

To delineate the individual pelvic floor muscles considered to be involved in anorectal toxicity and to investigate dose-effect relationships for fecal incontinence-related complaints after prostate radiotherapy (RT). In 48 patients treated for localized prostate cancer, the internal anal sphincter (IAS) muscle, the external anal sphincter (EAS) muscle, the puborectalis muscle (PRM), and the levator ani muscles (LAM) in addition to the anal wall (Awall) and rectal wall (Rwall) were retrospectively delineated on planning computed tomography scans. Dose parameters were obtained and compared between patients with and without fecal urgency, incontinence, and frequency. Dose-effect curves were constructed. Finally, the effect of an endorectal balloon, which was applied in 28 patients, was investigated. The total volume of the pelvic floor muscles together was about three times that of the Awall. The PRM was exposed to the highest RT dose, whereas the EAS received the lowest dose. Several anal and rectal dose parameters, as well as doses to all separate pelvic floor muscles, were associated with urgency, while incontinence was associated mainly with doses to the EAS and PRM. Based on the dose-effect curves, the following constraints regarding mean doses could be deduced to reduce the risk of urgency: ≤ 30 Gy to the IAS; ≤ 10 Gy to the EAS; ≤ 50 Gy to the PRM; and ≤ 40 Gy to the LAM. No dose-effect relationships for frequency were observed. Patients treated with an endorectal balloon reported significantly less urgency and incontinence, while their treatment plans showed significantly lower doses to the Awall, Rwall, and all pelvic floor muscles. Incontinence-related complaints show specific dose-effect relationships to individual pelvic floor muscles. Dose constraints for each muscle can be identified for RT planning. When only the Awall is delineated, substantial components of the continence apparatus are excluded. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights

Phytoplankton chlorophyll

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van de Poll, W.H.; Kulk, G.; Timmermans, K.R.; Brussaard, C.P.D.; van der Woerd, H.J.; Kehoe, M.J.; Mojica, K.D.A.; Visser, R.J.W.; Rozema, P.D.; Buma, A.G.J.

2013-01-01

Relationships between sea surface temperature (SST, > 10 m) and vertical density stratification, nutrient concentrations, and phytoplankton biomass, composition, and chlorophyll a (Chl a) specific absorption were assessed in spring and summer from latitudes 29 to 63 degrees N in the northeast

Environmental flow assessments in estuaries related to preference of phytoplankton

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Z. F.; Sun, T.; Zhao, R.

2014-01-01

We developed an approach to assess environmental flows in estuaries related to preference of phytoplankton considering the complex relationship between hydrological modification and biomass in ecosystems. As a first step, a relationship was established between biomass requirements for organisms of primary and higher nutritional levels based on the principle of nutritional energy flow of ecosystem. Then, diagnostic pigments were employed to represent phytoplankton community biomass, which indicated competition between two groups of phytoplankton in the biochemistry process. Considering empirical relationships between diagnostic pigments and critical environmental factors, responses of biomass to river discharges were established based on a convection-diffusion model by simulating distributions of critical environmental factors under action of river discharges and tide currents. Consequently, environmental flows could be recommended for different requirements of fish biomass. In the case study in the Yellow River estuary, May and October were identified as critical months for fish reproduction and growth during dry years. Artificial hydrological regulation strategies should carefully consider the temporal variations of natural flow regime, especially for a high-amplitude flood pulse, which may cause negative effects on phytoplankton groups and higher organism biomass.

Phytoplankton diversity and its relationships to the physico-chemical environment in the Banglang Reservoir, Yala Province

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Saowapa Angsupanich

2004-09-01

Full Text Available The diversity of phytoplankton and its relationships to the physico- chemical environment were studied in Banglang Reservoir, located on the Pattani River in Southern Thailand. Samples were collected monthly from May 2000 to April 2001 at three stations and three different depths: water surface, 10, and 30 meters. Physico-chemical parameters: temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, alkalinity, conductivity, water transparency, and nutrients were measured simultaneously. One-hundred and thirty-five species in seven divisions of phytoplankton were found. The greatest number of species were in Division Chlorophyta (50%, followed by Cyanophyta (21%, Bacillariophyta (13%, Pyrrophyta (6%, Cryptophyta (4%, Chrysophyta (3% and Euglenophyta (3%. The most diverse genus was Staurastrum (15 species. Phytoplankton density ranged from zero to 2.1x109 cells.m-3. Microcystis aeruginosa Kutzing in January at 30 m at the lacustrine zone had the highest phytoplankton density. By applying a PCA(principal components analysis using the MVSP statistical analysis program on the abundance of species, it was found that Cyclotella meneghiniana Kutzing and Melosira varians Agardh were the most abundant in each station. Diversity index (Simpson’s diversity index was maximum at 10 m at the transition zone and lowest at the outflow zone. The factors affecting the phytoplankton species by Canonical correspondence analysis ordination (PC-ORD programwere alkalinity, water temperature, water transparency, nutrients and conductivity. When the water quality parameters were classified by the trophic level, Banglang Reservoir belonged to oligo-mesotrophic status. Furthermore, Cyclotella meneghiniana Kutzing and Melosira varians Agardh could be used as the phytoplankton indicator of oligo-mesotrophic reservoir.

Optical assessment of phytoplankton nutrient depletion

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Heath, M.R.; Richardson, Katherine; Kiørboe, Thomas

1990-01-01

The ratio of light absorption at 480 and 665 nm by 90% acetone extracts of marine phytoplankton pigments has been examined as a potential indicator of phytoplankton nutritional status in both laboratory and field studies. The laboratory studies demonstrated a clear relationship between nutritiona......-replete and nutrient-depleted cells. The field data suggest that the absorption ratio may be a useful indicator of nutritional status of natural phytoplankton populations, and can be used to augment the interpretation of other data....

Dose and effect relationship of radiation induced cancer and its influencing factors in experimental animals, 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sasaki, Shunsaku; Sato, Fumiaki; Eto, Hideo

1975-01-01

The data of risk evaluation of external irradiation were integrated with animal experiments from the aspects of qualitative generalizations of characteristics of radiation induced tumors. Studies covered competition of cause of death, figure of dose-to-effect relationship, characteristics of low dose rate of irradiation, relative biological effectiveness (RBE) of high LET radiation, effects of feactionated irradiation, complex actions with chemical substances, effects of protectional medium, differences of radiosensitivity by species and strains, and age dependency of sensitivities. Competition of cause of death by time length of latent period and degree of malignancy of the disease. Discussion on competition of death suggested the following idea: 1) incidence of tumor induction in the individual level did not correspond to transformation in the cellular level, and 2) relative incidence of tumor induction after a certain dose of whole body irradiation did not indicate the relative sensitivity of each tissue, for the relationship between tumor incidence and exposure dose was not a linear relationship. The dose-to-effect relationship of tumor induction was decided by following factors: i) sensitivity on transformation of cells, ii) sensitivity on the death of potential tumor cells, and iii) competition of the cause of death. Tumor induction by low dose rate irradiation was also studied by comparing qualitative and quantitative differences between high dose rate single irradiation and a series of low dose rate irradiation. (Serizawa, K.)

Effects of cadmium accumulation from suspended sediments and phytoplankton on the Oyster Saccostrea glomerata

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schmitz, Helena A.; Maher, William A., E-mail: bill.maher@canberra.edu.au; Taylor, Anne M.; Krikowa, Frank

2015-03-15

Highlights: • Saccostrea glomerata accumulated cadmium from sediments and phytoplankton. • Effects were similar for both pathways. • Antioxidant capacity, lipid peroxidation and lysosomal destabilisation were affected. • Clear exposure–dose–response relationships were demonstrated. - Abstract: Metals are accumulated by filter feeding organisms via water, ingestion of suspended sediments or food. The uptake pathway can affect metal toxicity. Saccostrea glomerata were exposed to cadmium through cadmium-spiked suspended sediments (19 and 93 μg/g dry mass) and cadmium-enriched phytoplankton (1.6–3 μg/g dry mass) and cadmium uptake and effects measured. Oysters accumulated appreciable amounts of cadmium from both low and high cadmium spiked suspended sediment treatments (5.9 ± 0.4 μg/g and 23 ± 2 μg/g respectively compared to controls 0.97 ± 0.05 μg/g dry mass). Only a small amount of cadmium was accumulated by ingestion of cadmium-enriched phytoplankton (1.9 ± 0.1 μg/g compared to controls 1.2 ± 0.1 μg/g). In the cadmium spiked suspended sediment experiments, most cadmium was desorbed from sediments and cadmium concentrations in S. glomerata were significantly related to dissolved cadmium concentrations (4–21 μg/L) in the overlying water. In the phytoplankton feeding experiment cadmium concentrations in overlying water were <0.01 μg/L. In both exposure experiments, cadmium-exposed oysters showed a significant reduction in total antioxidant capacity and significantly increased lipid peroxidation and percentage of destabilised lysosomes. Destabilised lysosomes in the suspended sediments experiments also resulted from stress of exposure to the suspended sediments. The study demonstrated that exposure to cadmium via suspended sediments and to low concentrations of cadmium through the ingestion of phytoplankton, can cause sublethal stress to S. glomerata.

Parameter constraints of grazing response functions. Implications for phytoplankton bloom initiation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jordi Solé

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Phytoplankton blooms are events of production and accumulation of phytoplankton biomass that influence ecosystem dynamics and may also have effects on socio-economic activities. Among the biological factors that affect bloom dynamics, prey selection by zooplankton may play an important role. Here we consider the initial state of development of an algal bloom and analyse how a reduced grazing pressure can allow an algal species with a lower intrinsic growth rate than a competitor to become dominant. We use a simple model with two microalgal species and one zooplankton grazer to derive general relationships between phytoplankton growth and zooplankton grazing. These relationships are applied to two common grazing response functions in order to deduce the mathematical constraints that the parameters of these functions must obey to allow the dominance of the lower growth rate competitor. To assess the usefulness of the deduced relationships in a more general framework, the results are applied in the context of a multispecies ecosystem model (ERSEM.

Critical reevaluation of the dose-response relationships for carcinogenic effects of low-level ionizing radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Upton, A.C.

2003-01-01

In recent decades, it has been customary, for radiation protection purposes, to assume that the overall risk of radiation-induced cancer increases as a linear-nonthreshold function of the dose. The existing data do not exclude the existence of a threshold, however, and the dose-response relationship is known to vary, depending on the type of cancer in queation, the dose, dose rate, and LET of the radiation, the age, sex, and physiological state of the exposed individuals, and other variables, including the potential influence of adaptive responses and bystander effects at low doses. In light of advncing knowledge, therefore, the dose-response relationship for carcinogenic effects of low-level radiation has been reevaluated periodically by the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements, the International Commission of Radiological Protection, the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation, the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, and other organizations. The most recent such reviews have generally found the weight of evidence to suggest that lesions which are precursors to cancer (i.e., mutations and chromosome aberrations), and certain types of cancer as well, may increase in frequency linearly with the dose in the low-dose domain. On this basis, it is concluded that no alternative dose-response model for the carcinogenic effects of low-level radiation is more plausible than the linear-nonthreshold model, although other dose-response relationships cannot be excluded. (authors)

Critical reevaluation of the dose-response relationships for carcinogenic effects of low-level ionizing radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Upton, Arthur C.

2002-01-01

In recent decades, it has been customary, for radiation protection purposes, to assume that the overall risk of radiation- included cancer increases as a linear-nonthreshold function of the dose. The existing data do not exclude the existence of a threshold, however, and the dose-response relationship is known to vary depending on the type of cancer in question, the dose, dose rate and LET of the radiation, the age, sex and physiological state of the exposed individuals, and other variables, including the potential influence of adaptive responses and bystander effects at low doses. In light of advancing knowledge, therefore, the dose-response relationship for carcinogenic effects of low-level radiation has been reevaluated periodically by the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements, the International Commission of Radiological Protection, the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation, the U.S. National Academy of Sciences Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation, the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, and other organizations. The most recent such reviews have generally found the weight of evidence to suggest that lesions which are precursors to cancer (i.e., mutations and chromosome aberrations), and certain types of cancer as well, may increase in frequency linearly aberrations), and certain types of cancer as well, may increase in frequency linearly with the dose in the low-dose domain. On this basis, it is concluded that no alternative dose-response model for the carcinogenic effects of low-level radiation is ore plausible than the linear-nonthreshold model, although other dose-response relationships cannot be excluded. (author)

The relationship between phytoplankton distribution and water column characteristics in North West European shelf sea waters.

Science.gov (United States)

Fehling, Johanna; Davidson, Keith; Bolch, Christopher J S; Brand, Tim D; Narayanaswamy, Bhavani E

2012-01-01

Phytoplankton underpin the marine food web in shelf seas, with some species having properties that are harmful to human health and coastal aquaculture. Pressures such as climate change and anthropogenic nutrient input are hypothesized to influence phytoplankton community composition and distribution. Yet the primary environmental drivers in shelf seas are poorly understood. To begin to address this in North Western European waters, the phytoplankton community composition was assessed in light of measured physical and chemical drivers during the "Ellett Line" cruise of autumn 2001 across the Scottish Continental shelf and into adjacent open Atlantic waters. Spatial variability existed in both phytoplankton and environmental conditions, with clear differences not only between on and off shelf stations but also between different on shelf locations. Temperature/salinity plots demonstrated different water masses existed in the region. In turn, principal component analysis (PCA), of the measured environmental conditions (temperature, salinity, water density and inorganic nutrient concentrations) clearly discriminated between shelf and oceanic stations on the basis of DIN:DSi ratio that was correlated with both salinity and temperature. Discrimination between shelf stations was also related to this ratio, but also the concentration of DIN and DSi. The phytoplankton community was diatom dominated, with multidimensional scaling (MDS) demonstrating spatial variability in its composition. Redundancy analysis (RDA) was used to investigate the link between environment and the phytoplankton community. This demonstrated a significant relationship between community composition and water mass as indexed by salinity (whole community), and both salinity and DIN:DSi (diatoms alone). Diatoms of the Pseudo-nitzschia seriata group occurred at densities potentially harmful to shellfish aquaculture, with the potential for toxicity being elevated by the likelihood of DSi limitation of

The relationship between phytoplankton distribution and water column characteristics in North West European shelf sea waters.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Johanna Fehling

Full Text Available Phytoplankton underpin the marine food web in shelf seas, with some species having properties that are harmful to human health and coastal aquaculture. Pressures such as climate change and anthropogenic nutrient input are hypothesized to influence phytoplankton community composition and distribution. Yet the primary environmental drivers in shelf seas are poorly understood. To begin to address this in North Western European waters, the phytoplankton community composition was assessed in light of measured physical and chemical drivers during the "Ellett Line" cruise of autumn 2001 across the Scottish Continental shelf and into adjacent open Atlantic waters. Spatial variability existed in both phytoplankton and environmental conditions, with clear differences not only between on and off shelf stations but also between different on shelf locations. Temperature/salinity plots demonstrated different water masses existed in the region. In turn, principal component analysis (PCA, of the measured environmental conditions (temperature, salinity, water density and inorganic nutrient concentrations clearly discriminated between shelf and oceanic stations on the basis of DIN:DSi ratio that was correlated with both salinity and temperature. Discrimination between shelf stations was also related to this ratio, but also the concentration of DIN and DSi. The phytoplankton community was diatom dominated, with multidimensional scaling (MDS demonstrating spatial variability in its composition. Redundancy analysis (RDA was used to investigate the link between environment and the phytoplankton community. This demonstrated a significant relationship between community composition and water mass as indexed by salinity (whole community, and both salinity and DIN:DSi (diatoms alone. Diatoms of the Pseudo-nitzschia seriata group occurred at densities potentially harmful to shellfish aquaculture, with the potential for toxicity being elevated by the likelihood of DSi

Seasonal effects of the low-grade heat on a phytoplankton community

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McMahon, J.W.; Docherty, A.E.

1980-06-01

Field studies, carried out over the period 1976 March to December, examined the effects of heat-enriched cooling waters on a natural phytoplankton community. Algal concentrations, composition, species succession and carbon fixation rates were determined twice-weekly in heated and unheated (control) polyethylene enclosures located in a northern oligotrophic lake. Results were compared with data collected from the open lake. Of 31 species quantitatively studied, eleven dominant species were examined in detail. A marked response to heat enrichment by the phytoplankton occurred in the spring and was attributed to a single species of Bacillariophyceae - Synedra ulna. Species composition and seasonal succession patterns were similar in the experimental column, the control column and the lake. The relationship between production biomass quotients (P/B) and water temperature in the lake and experimental enclosure is discussed. It is suggested that thermal enrichment might be used beneficially in cold waters for enhancing biomass production of unicellular aquatic organisms. This increased availability of food, in conjuction with increased water temperatures, might then accelerate productivity of filter-feeding zooplankton and other herbivores. (auth)

Continuous dose-response relationship of the LDL-cholesterol-lowering effect of phytosterol intake.

Science.gov (United States)

Demonty, Isabelle; Ras, Rouyanne T; van der Knaap, Henk C M; Duchateau, Guus S M J E; Meijer, Linsie; Zock, Peter L; Geleijnse, Johanna M; Trautwein, Elke A

2009-02-01

Phytosterols (plant sterols and stanols) are well known for their LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C)-lowering effect. A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials in adults was performed to establish a continuous dose-response relationship that would allow predicting the LDL-C-lowering efficacy of different phytosterol doses. Eighty-four trials including 141 trial arms were included. A nonlinear equation comprising 2 parameters (the maximal LDL-C lowering and an incremental dose step) was used to describe the dose-response curve. The overall pooled absolute (mmol/L) and relative (%) LDL-C-lowering effects of phytosterols were also assessed with a random effects model. The pooled LDL-C reduction was 0.34 mmol/L (95% CI: -0.36, -0.31) or 8.8% (95% CI: -9.4, -8.3) for a mean daily dose of 2.15 g phytosterols. The impacts of subject baseline characteristics, food formats, type of phytosterols, and study quality on the continuous dose-response curve were determined by regression or subgroup analyses. Higher baseline LDL-C concentrations resulted in greater absolute LDL-C reductions. No significant differences were found between dose-response curves established for plant sterols vs. stanols, fat-based vs. non fat-based food formats and dairy vs. nondairy foods. A larger effect was observed with solid foods than with liquid foods only at high phytosterol doses (>2 g/d). There was a strong tendency (P = 0.054) towards a slightly lower efficacy of single vs. multiple daily intakes of phytosterols. In conclusion, the dose-dependent LDL-C-lowering efficacy of phytosterols incorporated in various food formats was confirmed and equations of the continuous relationship were established to predict the effect of a given phytosterol dose. Further investigations are warranted to investigate the impact of solid vs. liquid food formats and frequency of intake on phytosterol efficacy.

Variation of particulate organic carbon and its relationship with bio-optical properties during a phytoplankton bloom in the Pearl River estuary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Guifen; Zhou Wen; Cao Wenxi; Yin Jianping; Yang Yuezhong; Sun Zhaohua; Zhang Yuanzhi; Zhao Jun

2011-01-01

Highlights: → A study about relationship between POC and optical properties during a phytoplankton bloom. → Empirical algorithms for retrieving POC concentration from optical data were developed. → Phytoplankton carbon and it's ratio to Chl-a are estimated and discussed. → Demonstrates that marine optical buoy can be a new platform for monitoring biogeochemical cycle. - Abstract: In this study, variations in the particulate organic carbon (POC) were monitored during a phytoplankton bloom event, and the corresponding changes in bio-optical properties were tracked at one station (114.29 o E, 22.06 o N) located in the Pearl River estuary. A greater than 10-fold increase in POC (112.29-1173.36 mg m -3 ) was observed during the bloom, with the chlorophyll a concentration (Chl-a) varying from 0.984 to 25.941 mg m -3 . A power law function is used to describe the relationship between POC and Chl-a, and the POC:Chl-a ratio tends to change inversely with Chl-a. Phytoplankton carbon concentration is indirectly estimated using the conceptual model proposed by , and this carbon is found to contribute 47.21% (±10.65%) to total POC. The estimated carbon-to-chlorophyll ratio of phytoplankton in diatom-dominated waters is found to be comparable with results reported in the literature. Empirical algorithms for determining the concentrations of Chl-a and POC were developed based on the relationships of these variables with the blue-to-green reflectance ratio. With these bio-optical models, the levels of particulate organic carbon and Chl-a could be predicted from the radiometric data measured by a marine optical buoy, which showed much more detailed information about the variability in biogeochemical parameters during this bloom event.

The biological bases of the dose-effect relationship

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lafuma, J.

2001-01-01

In radiation protection, the recent data in epidemiology, in animal experimentation and on the base researches are no more compatible with a linear dose-effect relationship without threshold and do not account for the radiological risks at low doses. The cancers should be accelerated by radiations as any pathology linked to the ageing and for which threshold exit. Relative to the genetic risk it is known today that the natural exposure that lasts for several generations has not lead excess of hereditary illness as it was to be feared in 1959 for several countries. Considering that for populations the exposure levels induced by human activities have already been, under these ones of average natural exposures the genetic risk can be negligible and it is the somatic risk alone, with its thresholds that has to be into account. (N.C.)

Seasonal Variability of Phytoplankton Population in the Brahmani ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Seasonal Variability of Phytoplankton Population in the Brahmani Estuary of Orissa, India. S Palleyi, RN Kar, CR Panda. Abstract. The dynamic relationship of water physico-chemical characteristics with phytoplankton has long been of great interest in both experimental ecology and environmental management. This study ...

UV dose-effect relationships and current protection exposure standards

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singh, M.S.; Campbell, G.W.

1982-04-01

In this paper we have attempted to quantify the health effects in man of uv-radiation exposure of wavelengths from 240 nm to 320 nm. Exposure to uv in this region could result in the formation of skin cancer or premature aging in man. The induction of cancer by uv radiation results from changes in genetic material. We have used the DNA action spectrum coupled with the uv skin cancer data available in the literature to derive the dose-effect relationships. The results are compared against the current uv protection standards

Seasonal variations of phytoplankton dynamics in Nunatsiavut fjords (Labrador, Canada) and their relationships with environmental conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Simo-Matchim, Armelle-Galine; Gosselin, Michel; Blais, Marjolaine; Gratton, Yves; Tremblay, Jean-Éric

2016-04-01

We assessed phytoplankton dynamics and its environmental control in four Labrador fjords (Nachvak, Saglek, Okak, and Anaktalak) during summer, early fall and late fall. Primary production and chlorophyll a (chl a) biomass were measured at seven optical depths, including the depth of subsurface chl a maximum (SCM). Phytoplankton abundance, size structure and taxonomy were determined at the SCM. Principal component analysis and non-metric multidimensional scaling were used to analyze relationships between production, biomass and community composition in relation to environmental variables. We observed a marked seasonal variability, with significant differences in phytoplankton structure and function between summer and fall. Surprisingly, primary production and chl a biomass were not significantly different from one fjord to another. The highest values of primary production (1730 mg C m- 2 day- 1) and chl a biomass (96 mg chl a m- 2) were measured during the summer bloom, and those high values indicate that Labrador fjords are highly productive ecosystems. The summer community showed relatively high abundance of nanophytoplankton (2-20 μm) while the fall community was characterized by low primary production and chl a biomass as well as relatively high abundance of picophytoplankton (< 2 μm). The low value of carbon potentially exported out of the euphotic zone throughout the study (≤ 31% of total primary production) suggests that phytoplankton production was mainly grazed by microzooplankton rather than being exported to greater depths. We observed a mixed assemblage of diatoms and flagellates in summer, whereas the fall community was largely dominated by flagellates. Seasonal variations in phytoplankton dynamics were mainly controlled by the strength of the vertical stratification and by the large differences in day length due to the northerly location of Labrador fjords. This study documents for the very first time phytoplankton structure and function in

[Electroconvulsive therapy and level of evidence: From causality to dose-effect relationship].

Science.gov (United States)

Micoulaud-Franchi, J-A; Quilès, C; Cermolacce, M; Belzeaux, R; Adida, M; Fakra, E; Azorin, J-M

2016-12-01

The first objective of this article is to summarize the history of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in psychiatry in order to highlight the transition from clinical level of evidence based on phenomenological descriptions to controlled trial establishing causal relationship. The second objective is to apply the criteria of causation for ECT, to focus on the dose-effect relationship criteria, and thus to analyze the conditions of application of these criteria for ECT. A literature review exploring the use of electricity, ECT and electroencephalography (EEG) in psychiatry was conducted. The publications were identified from the Pubmed and GoogleScholar electronic databases. The scientific literature search of international articles was performed in July 2016. In 1784, a Royal commission established in France by King Louis XVI tested Mesmer's claims concerning animal magnetism. By doing that, the commission, including such prominent scientists as the chemist Anton Lavoisier and the scientist and researcher on electricity and therapeutics Benjamin Franklin, played a central role in establishing the criteria needed to assess the level of evidence of electrical therapeutics in psychiatry. Surprisingly, it is possible to identify the classical Bradford Hill criteria of causation in the report of the commission, except the dose-effect relationship criteria. Since then, it has been conducted blinded randomized controlled trials that confirmed the effectiveness of ECT against ECT placebos for the treatment of psychiatric disorders. At present, the dose-effect relationship criteria can be analyzed through an EEG quality assessment of ECT-induced seizures. EEG quality assessment includes several indices: TSLOW (time to onset of seizure activity ≤5Hz, seconds), peak mid-ictal amplitude (mm), regularity (intensity or morphology of the seizure (0-6)), stereotypy (global seizure patterning, 0-3) and post-ictal suppression (0-3). A manual rating sheet is needed to score theses

Negative effects of UVB-irradiated phytoplankton on life history traits and fitness of Daphnia magna

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lange, de H.J.; Reeuwijk, van P.L.

2003-01-01

1. We tested the effect of ultraviolet-B (UVB)-irradiated phytoplankton on life history characteristics of Daphnia magna . Two phytoplankton species were used, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and Cryptomonas pyrenoidifera . The phytoplankton species were cultured under photosynthetically active radiation

The Effect of ENSO on Phytoplankton Composition in the Pacific Ocean

Science.gov (United States)

Rousseaux, Cecile

2012-01-01

The effect of climate variability on phytoplankton communities was assessed for the tropical and sub-tropical Pacific Ocean between 1998 and 2005 using an established biogeochemical assimilation model. The phytoplankton communities exhibited wide range of responses to climate variability, from radical shifts in the Equatorial Pacific, to changes of only a couple of phytoplankton groups in the North Central Pacific, to no significant changes in the South Pacific. In the Equatorial Pacific, climate variability dominated the variability of phytoplankton. Here, nitrate, chlorophyll and all but one of the 4 phytoplankton types (diatoms, cyanobacteria and coccolithophores) were strongly correlated (p less than 0.01) with the Multivariate El Nino Southern Oscillation Index (MEI). In the North Central Pacific, MEI and chlorophyll were significantly (pphytoplankton groups (chlorophytes and coccolithophores). Ocean biology in the South Pacific was not significantly correlated with MEI. During La Ni a events, diatoms increased and expanded westward along the cold tongue (correlation with MEI, r=-0.81), while cyanobacteria concentrations decreased significantly (r=0.78). El Nino produced the reverse pattern, with cyanobacteria populations increasing while diatoms plummeted. The diverse response of phytoplankton in the different major basins of the Pacific suggests the different roles climate variability can play in ocean biology.

Effects of nutrients and zooplankton on the phytoplankton community structure in Marudu Bay

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, Kar Soon; Ransangan, Julian

2017-07-01

Current study was carried out to provide a better understanding on spatial and temporal variations in the phytoplankton community structure in Marudu Bay, an important nursery ground for fishery resources within the Tun Mustapha Marine Park and Coral Triangle Initiative, and their relationship with environmental variables. Samplings were conducted monthly from April 2014 to April 2015 in Marudu Bay, Malaysia. Water samples were collected for nutrients analysis, zooplankton and phytoplankton counting. Moreover, the in situ environmental parameters were also examined. The field study showed a total of forty seven phytoplankton genera, representative of 33 families were identified. The nutrient concentrations in Marudu Bay was low (mesotrophic) throughout the year, where the phytoplankton community was often dominated by Chaetoceros spp. and Bacteriastrum spp. In general, increase in nitrate concentration triggered the bloom of centric diatom, Chaetoceros spp. and Bacteriastrum spp. in Marudu Bay. However, the bloom of these phytoplankton taxa did not occur in the presence of high ammonia concentration. In addition, high abundance of zooplankton also a limiting factor of the phytoplankton blooms particularly at end of southwest monsoon. High silica concentration promoted the growth of pennate diatoms, Proboscia spp. and Thallassionema spp., but the depletion of silica quickly terminated the bloom. Interestingly, our study showed that Chaetoceros spp., tolerated silica depletion condition, but the average cell size of this taxon reduced significantly. In summary, the phytoplankton community structure in mesotrophic environment is more sensitive to the changes in zooplankton abundance, nutrient concentration and its ratio than that in nutrient rich environments. This study also recommends that bivalve farming at industrial scale is not recommended in Marudu Bay because it potentially depletes the primary productivity hence jeopardizing the availability of live food for

Effects of entrainment through Oconee Nuclear Station on carbon-14 assimilation rates of phytoplankton

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kreh, T.V.; Derwort, J.E.

1976-01-01

Carbon assimilation rates of phytoplankton communities entrained through Oconee Nuclear Station were measured on six dates during 1974. Thermal, mechanical, condenser, and multiple entrainment effects on uptake rates were compared by incubating samples in vitro in controlled-temperature water baths. Duplicate light and dark bottles containing water from four cooling-system locations were exposed to temperatures approximating intake and discharge temperatures. The relationships were variable, but exposure of the hypolimnetic intake water at near-discharge temperatures (thermal effect) stimulated primary productivity in four of six experiments. Multiple entrainment and mechanical effects caused no consistent change in assimilation rates

Iodine-131 treatment and chromosomal damage: in vivo dose-effect relationship

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Erselcan, Taner; Ozdemir, Semra; Turgut, Bulent; Dogan, Derya; Sungu, Selma; Ozdemir, Ozturk

2004-01-01

Although it is well known that radiation induces chromosomal aberrations, there is a lack of information on the in vivo dose-effect relationship in patients receiving iodine-131 treatment, and the results of previous studies are controversial. In this study, the sister chromatid exchange (SCE) method was employed to investigate acute and late chromosomal damage (CD) in the peripheral lymphocytes of 15 patients who received various doses of 131 I (259-3,700 MBq), either for thyrotoxicosis (TTX) or for ablation treatment in differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). The SCE frequencies in cultured peripheral lymphocytes were determined before treatment (to assess basal SCE frequencies), on the 3rd day (to assess acute SCE frequencies) and 6 months later (to assess late SCE frequencies). The basal, acute and late SCE frequencies (mean±SD) were 3.19±0.93, 10.83±1.72 and 5.75±2.06, respectively, in the whole group, and these values differed significantly from each other (P 131 I dose in the whole group, but a negative correlation was found between the 131 I dose and the RR at the 6th month (r=-0.60, P=0.04). The best fit for this relationship was obtained by a linear-quadratic model, as y=104.89x-28.4x 2 +38.1 (R 2 =0.51, P=0.04). On the other hand, comparative analysis with the results of previous studies with comparable sampling times revealed that the best fit for the relationships between the administered dose of 131 I and DR and RR were obtained with a linear-quadratic model (Y=αD+βD 2 ) rather than a linear one. However, there was an interesting difference in comparison with in vitro studies, in that we found the coefficient β to have a negative value, suggesting the disappearance of damaged lymphocytes from the peripheral circulation in a dose-dependent manner following 131 I treatment. Further studies are therefore needed to clarify the effect of the negative β value on the biological dosimetry approach in continuous internal low LET radiation, as in the case

Comparison of the dose-effect relationship for UV radiation and ionizing radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leenhouts, H.P.; Sijsma, M.J.; Chadwick, K.H.

1990-06-01

Ionizing radiation and ultraviolet radiation (UV) are both physical agents with mutagenic and carcinogenic properties. However, there are some basic differences in the fundamental mechanism of their interaction with biological material that may have consequences for risk assessment. In this paper the dose-effect relationships for gamma radiation and UV at cellular level will be used to demonstrate the different radio-biological effectiveness of both agents. The results will be discussed in the framework of a biophysical model, based on the assumption that DNA doublestranded lesions are crucial for the cytotoxic action. After exposure to ionizing radiation, the lesions are fixed immediately following irradiation, but after UV exposure the lethal lesions are recognized only in the next DNA synthesis phase. The combination of this concept with the mechanism of lesion induction and the possibility of repair, leads to different dose and time relationships for the radiation effects of both agents. The possible consequences for risk assessment at low levels will be discussed. (author). 9 refs.; 5 figs

Radiation Dose-Response Relationships and Risk Assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Strom, Daniel J.

2005-01-01

The notion of a dose-response relationship was probably invented shortly after the discovery of poisons, the invention of alcoholic beverages, and the bringing of fire into a confined space in the forgotten depths of ancient prehistory. The amount of poison or medicine ingested can easily be observed to affect the behavior, health, or sickness outcome. Threshold effects, such as death, could be easily understood for intoxicants, medicine, and poisons. As Paracelsus (1493-1541), the 'father' of modern toxicology said, 'It is the dose that makes the poison.' Perhaps less obvious is the fact that implicit in such dose-response relationships is also the notion of dose rate. Usually, the dose is administered fairly acutely, in a single injection, pill, or swallow; a few puffs on a pipe; or a meal of eating or drinking. The same amount of intoxicants, medicine, or poisons administered over a week or month might have little or no observable effect. Thus, before the discovery of ionizing radiation in the late 19th century, toxicology ('the science of poisons') and pharmacology had deeply ingrained notions of dose-response relationships. This chapter demonstrates that the notion of a dose-response relationship for ionizing radiation is hopelessly simplistic from a scientific standpoint. While useful from a policy or regulatory standpoint, dose-response relationships cannot possibly convey enough information to describe the problem from a quantitative view of radiation biology, nor can they address societal values. Three sections of this chapter address the concepts, observations, and theories that contribute to the scientific input to the practice of managing risks from exposure to ionizing radiation. The presentation begins with irradiation regimes, followed by responses to high and low doses of ionizing radiation, and a discussion of how all of this can inform radiation risk management. The knowledge that is really needed for prediction of individual risk is presented

Phytoplankton species composition of four ecological provinces in Yellow Sea, China

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xiaoqian; Feng, Yuanyuan; Leng, Xiaoyun; Liu, Haijiao; Sun, Jun

2017-12-01

The ecological province based on phytoplankton species composition is important to understanding the interplay between environmental parameters and phytoplankton species composition. The aim of this study was to establish phytoplankton species composition ecological pattern thus elucidate the relationship between environmental factors and the phytoplankton species composition in the ecological provinces. Phytoplankton samples were collected from 31 stations in Yellow Sea (121.00°-125.00°E, 32.00°-39.22°N) in November 2014. The samples were enumerated and identified with the Utermöhl method under an optical inverted microscope-AE2000 with magnifications of 200 × or 400 ×. In the present study, a total of 141 taxa belonging to 60 genera of 4 phyla of phytoplankton were identified, among them 101 species of 45 genera were Bacillariophyta, 36 species of 11 genera were Dinophyta, 3 species of 3 genera were Chrysophyta and 1 species of 1 genera was Chlorophyta. The study area was divided into 4 ecological provinces according to an unsupervised cluster algorithm applied to the phytoplankton biomass. A T-S (Temperature-Salinity) scatter diagram depicted with data of water temperature and salinity defined by environmental provinces matched well with the ecological provinces. The results of Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) indicated that the phytoplankton species composition was mainly correlated with temperature, salinity and silicate concentration in the studied area. A method of establishing ecological provinces is useful to further understanding the environmental effects on the marine phytoplankton species composition and the consequent marine biogeochemistry.

Does ecosystem variability explain phytoplankton diversity? Solving an ecological puzzle with long-term data sets

Science.gov (United States)

Sarker, Subrata; Lemke, Peter; Wiltshire, Karen H.

2018-05-01

Explaining species diversity as a function of ecosystem variability is a long-term discussion in community-ecology research. Here, we aimed to establish a causal relationship between ecosystem variability and phytoplankton diversity in a shallow-sea ecosystem. We used long-term data on biotic and abiotic factors from Helgoland Roads, along with climate data to assess the effect of ecosystem variability on phytoplankton diversity. A point cumulative semi-variogram method was used to estimate the long-term ecosystem variability. A Markov chain model was used to estimate dynamical processes of species i.e. occurrence, absence and outcompete probability. We identified that the 1980s was a period of high ecosystem variability while the last two decades were comparatively less variable. Ecosystem variability was found as an important predictor of phytoplankton diversity at Helgoland Roads. High diversity was related to low ecosystem variability due to non-significant relationship between probability of a species occurrence and absence, significant negative relationship between probability of a species occurrence and probability of a species to be outcompeted by others, and high species occurrence at low ecosystem variability. Using an exceptional marine long-term data set, this study established a causal relationship between ecosystem variability and phytoplankton diversity.

The statistics of dose/cure relationships for irradiated tumours

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Porter, E.H.

1980-01-01

Consideration is given to the theoretical effects of different factors on the form of dose/cure relationships. Single-clonogen recurrences, dominant anoxic fractions, asymptotically straight survival curves, variable tumour sizes and variable radiation doses are all discussed. Statistical methods are then reviewed, and the conclusions are summarized in the form of advice to experimenters who are studying dose/cure relationships. (UK)

Light Absorption by Suspended Particles in the Red Sea: Effect of Phytoplankton Community Size Structure and Pigment Composition

Science.gov (United States)

Kheireddine, Malika; Ouhssain, Mustapha; Organelli, Emanuele; Bricaud, Annick; Jones, Burton H.

2018-02-01

The light absorption properties of phytoplankton (aph(λ)) and nonalgal particles (anap(λ)) associated with phytoplankton pigments were analyzed across the Red Sea, in the upper 200 m depth, between October 2014 and August 2016. The contribution by nonalgal particles to the total particulate light absorption (aph(λ) + anap(λ)) was highly variable (23 ± 17% at 440 nm) and no relationship between anap(440) and chlorophyll a concentration, [TChl a], was observed. Phytoplankton-specific phytoplankton absorption coefficients at 440 and 676 nm for a given [TChl a], aph*(440), and aph∗(676) were slightly higher than those derived from average relationships for open ocean waters within the surface layer as well as along the water column. Variations in the concentration of photosynthetic and photoprotective pigments were noticeable by changes in phytoplankton community size structure as well as in aph∗(λ). This study revealed that a higher proportion of picophytoplankton and an increase in photoprotective pigments (mainly driven by zeaxanthin) tended to be responsible for the higher aph∗(λ) values found in the Red Sea as compared to other oligotrophic regions with similar [TChl a]. Understanding this variability across the Red Sea may help improve the accuracy of biogeochemical parameters, such as [TChl a], derived from in situ measurements and ocean color remote sensing at a regional scale.

Light Absorption by Suspended Particles in the Red Sea: Effect of Phytoplankton Community Size Structure and Pigment Composition

KAUST Repository

Kheireddine, Malika

2018-01-10

The light absorption properties of phytoplankton (aph(λ)) and non-algal particles (anap(λ)) associated with phytoplankton pigments were analyzed across the Red Sea, in the upper 200 m depth, between October 2014 and August 2016. The contribution by non-algal particles to the total particulate light absorption (aph(λ)+ anap(λ)) was highly variable (23 ± 17% at 440 nm) and no relationship between anap(440) and chlorophyll a concentration, [TChl a], was observed. Phytoplankton specific phytoplankton absorption coefficients at 440 and 676 nm for a given [TChl a], aph*(440) and aph*(676), were slightly higher than those derived from average relationships for open ocean waters within the surface layer as well as along the water column. Variations in the concentration of photosynthetic and photoprotective pigments were noticeable by changes in phytoplankton community size structure as well as in aph*(λ). This study revealed that a higher proportion of picophytoplankton and an increase in photoprotective pigments (mainly driven by zeaxanthin) tended to be responsible for the higher aph*(λ) values found in the Red Sea as compared to other oligotrophic regions with similar [TChl a]. Understanding this variability across the Red Sea may help improve the accuracy of biogeochemical parameters, such as [TChl a], derived from in situ measurements and ocean color remote sensing at a regional scale.

Light Absorption by Suspended Particles in the Red Sea: Effect of Phytoplankton Community Size Structure and Pigment Composition

KAUST Repository

Kheireddine, Malika; Ouhssain, Mustapha; Organelli, Emanuele; Bricaud, Annick; Jones, Burton

2018-01-01

The light absorption properties of phytoplankton (aph(λ)) and non-algal particles (anap(λ)) associated with phytoplankton pigments were analyzed across the Red Sea, in the upper 200 m depth, between October 2014 and August 2016. The contribution by non-algal particles to the total particulate light absorption (aph(λ)+ anap(λ)) was highly variable (23 ± 17% at 440 nm) and no relationship between anap(440) and chlorophyll a concentration, [TChl a], was observed. Phytoplankton specific phytoplankton absorption coefficients at 440 and 676 nm for a given [TChl a], aph*(440) and aph*(676), were slightly higher than those derived from average relationships for open ocean waters within the surface layer as well as along the water column. Variations in the concentration of photosynthetic and photoprotective pigments were noticeable by changes in phytoplankton community size structure as well as in aph*(λ). This study revealed that a higher proportion of picophytoplankton and an increase in photoprotective pigments (mainly driven by zeaxanthin) tended to be responsible for the higher aph*(λ) values found in the Red Sea as compared to other oligotrophic regions with similar [TChl a]. Understanding this variability across the Red Sea may help improve the accuracy of biogeochemical parameters, such as [TChl a], derived from in situ measurements and ocean color remote sensing at a regional scale.

Optimal dose-response relationships in voice therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Roy, Nelson

2012-10-01

Like other areas of speech-language pathology, the behavioural management of voice disorders lacks precision regarding optimal dose-response relationships. In voice therapy, dosing can presumably vary from no measurable effect (i.e., no observable benefit or adverse effect), to ideal dose (maximum benefit with no adverse effects), to doses that produce toxic or harmful effects on voice production. Practicing specific vocal exercises will inevitably increase vocal load. At ideal doses, these exercises may be non-toxic and beneficial, while at intermediate or high doses, the same exercises may actually be toxic or damaging to vocal fold tissues. In pharmacology, toxicity is a critical concept, yet it is rarely considered in voice therapy, with little known regarding "effective" concentrations of specific voice therapies vs "toxic" concentrations. The potential for vocal fold tissue damage related to overdosing on specific vocal exercises has been under-studied. In this commentary, the issue of dosing will be explored within the context of voice therapy, with particular emphasis placed on possible "overdosing".

Health effects of low doses at low dose rates: dose-response relationship modeling in a cohort of workers of the nuclear industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Metz-Flamant, Camille

2011-01-01

The aim of this thesis is to contribute to a better understanding of the health effects of chronic external low doses of ionising radiation. This work is based on the French cohort of CEA-AREVA NC nuclear workers. The mains stages of this thesis were (1) conducting a review of epidemiological studies on nuclear workers, (2) completing the database and performing a descriptive analysis of the cohort, (3) quantifying risk by different statistical methods and (4) modelling the exposure-time-risk relationship. The cohort includes monitored workers employed more than one year between 1950 and 1994 at CEA or AREVA NC companies. Individual annual external exposure, history of work, vital status and causes of death were reconstructed for each worker. Standardized mortality ratios using French national mortality rates as external reference were computed. Exposure-risk analysis was conducted in the cohort using the linear excess relative risk model, based on both Poisson regression and Cox model. Time dependent modifying factors were investigated by adding an interaction term in the model or by using exposure time windows. The cohort includes 36, 769 workers, followed-up until age 60 in average. During the 1968- 2004 period, 5, 443 deaths, 2, 213 cancers, 62 leukemia and 1, 314 cardiovascular diseases were recorded. Among the 57% exposed workers, the mean cumulative dose was 21.5 milli-sieverts (mSv). A strong Healthy Worker Effect is observed in the cohort. Significant elevated risks of pleura cancer and melanoma deaths were observed in the cohort but not associated with dose. No significant association was observed with solid cancers, lung cancer and cardiovascular diseases. A significant dose-response relationship was observed for leukemia excluding chronic lymphatic leukemia, mainly for doses received less than 15 years before and for yearly dose rates higher than 10 mSv. This PhD work contributes to the evaluation of risks associated to chronic external radiation

Radiological dose reconstruction for birds reconciles outcomes of Fukushima with knowledge of dose-effect relationships

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garnier-Laplace, Jacqueline; Beaugelin-Seiller, Karine; Della-Vedova, Claire; Metivier, Jean-Michel; Ritz, Christian; Mousseau, Timothy A.; Pape Moeller, Anders

2015-01-01

We reconstructed the radiological dose for birds observed at 300 census sites in the 50-km northwest area affected by the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant over 2011-2014. Substituting the ambient dose rate measured at the census points (from 0.16 to 31 μGy h -1 ) with the dose rate reconstructed for adult birds of each species (from 0.3 to 97 μGy h -1 ), we confirmed that the overall bird abundance at Fukushima decreased with increasing total doses. This relationship was directly consistent with exposure levels found in the literature to induce physiological disturbances in birds. Among the 57 species constituting the observed bird community, we found that 90% were likely chronically exposed at a dose rate that could potentially affect their reproductive success. We quantified a loss of 22.6% of the total number of individuals per increment of one unit log10-transformed total dose (in Gy), over the four-year post-accident period in the explored area. We estimated that a total dose of 0.55 Gy reduced by 50% the total number of birds in the study area over 2011-2014. The data also suggest a significant positive relationship between total dose and species diversity. (authors)

Phytoplankton distribution and their relationship to environmental variables in Sanya Bay, South China Sea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yanying Zhang

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Phytoplankton quantification was conducted in Sanya Bay from January 2005 to February 2006. A submersible in situ spectrofluorometer, which permits the differentiation of four algal groups (green algae, diatoms and dinoflagellates, cryptophytes and cyanobacteria was used. Seasonal variation of total chlorophyll a concentration showed that high value appeared in summer and low concentration occurred in spring. Diatoms and dinoflagellates group was the predominant phytoplankton all year in the Bay. The stable stratification of phytoplankton vertical distribution came into being in July. During the stratification event, the total chlorophyll a concentration of deep layer was much higher than the surface; cyanobacteria and cryptophyta groups decreased and almost disappeared, however, the concentration of green algae and diatoms and dinoflagellates groups increased. In deep layer, the concentration of diatoms and dinoflagellates group increased sharply, which was about eight times more than that in the surface layer. The vertical profiles character of phytoplankton showed that from inshore stations to outer bay the stratification of phytoplankton vertical distribution gradually strengthened. Dissolved inorganic nutrient especially phosphate and inorganic nitrogen and cold-water upwelling were the main regulating factor for phytoplankton distribution.

Effects of nutrients, temperature and their interactions on spring phytoplankton community succession in Lake Taihu, China.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jianming Deng

Full Text Available We examined the potential effects of environmental variables, and their interaction, on phytoplankton community succession in spring using long-term data from 1992 to 2012 in Lake Taihu, China. Laboratory experiments were additionally performed to test the sensitivity of the phytoplankton community to nutrient concentrations and temperature. A phytoplankton community structure analysis from 1992 to 2012 showed that Cryptomonas (Cryptophyta was the dominant genus in spring during the early 1990s. Dominance then shifted to Ulothrix (Chlorophyta in 1996 and 1997. However, Cryptomonas again dominated in 1999, 2000, and 2002, with Ulothrix regaining dominance from 2003 to 2006. The bloom-forming cyanobacterial genus Microcystis dominated in 1995, 2001 and 2007-2012. The results of ordinations indicated that the nutrient concentration (as indicated by the trophic state index was the most important factor affecting phytoplankton community succession during the past two decades. In the laboratory experiments, shifts in dominance among phytoplankton taxa occurred in all nutrient addition treatments. Results of both long term monitoring and experiment indicated that nutrients exert a stronger control than water temperature on phytoplankton communities during spring. Interactive effect of nutrients and water temperature was the next principal factor. Overall, phytoplankton community composition was mediated by nutrients concentrations, but this effect was strongly enhanced by elevated water temperatures.

Using photopigment biomarkers to quantify sub-lethal effects of petroleum pollution on natural phytoplankton assemblages

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Swistak, J.; Pinckney, J.; Piehler, M.; Paerl, H.

1995-01-01

Although much work has been undertaken to determine the toxicity of petroleum pollutants to phytoplankton, most studies have used pure cultures to monitor growth of selected phytoplankton species. Fewer have considered the net effect on entire microalgal communities. Using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to characterize diagnostic microalgal pigments, the authors were able to simultaneously assess sub-lethal pollutant effects on entire communities as well as on individual phytoplankton functional groups. Incubations of natural water samples with diesel fuel, an important contributor to coastal petroleum pollution, revealed significant changes in photopigments and relative abundance of taxonomic groups at sub-lethal concentrations. Differential rates of change of indicator pigment concentrations suggest a range of sensitivity among phytoplankton groups. In preliminary experiments, cyanobacteria exhibited the greatest overall tolerance to the diesel fuel concentrations tested, while cryptomonads displayed the most sensitivity. The authors are currently evaluating the responses of seasonal phytoplankton populations from 3 sites exposed to varied levels of petroleum pollution. HPLC will be used to characterize phytoplankton populations and to determine if the most abundant groups are also the most tolerant of diesel fuel. Preliminary experiments indicate that diesel fuel pollution may modify the structure and function of phytoplankton communities and subsequently alter the trophodynamics of impacted systems

Effect of intensive epilimnetic withdrawal on phytoplankton community in a (subtropical deep reservoir

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Man Zhang

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Withdrawal is an important process in reservoir hydrodynamics, removing phytoplankton with flushed water. Zooplankton，the grazers of phytoplankton, having longer generation times, are even more susceptible than phytoplankton to flushing loss. Therefore phytoplankton are affected not only by abiotic conditions linked to hydrodynamics but also by zooplankton due to weakened grazing pressure. During the Asian Games (November 12-27, 2010 in Guangzhou, China, two intensive epilimnetic withdrawals were conducted in Liuxihe, a deep canyon-shaped reservoir. To examine the influence of the intensive epilimnetic withdrawals on the phytoplankton community, a seven-week field observation and a hydrodynamic simulation were carried out. The observation was divided in two stages: stage 1 represented partial surface vertical mixing period, and stage 2 represented intensive epilimnetic withdrawal period. It was found that phytoplankton abundance and biomass declined with water temperature and partial surface vertical mixing in stage 1. However, the intensive epilimnetic withdrawal reversed this decreasing trend and increased phytoplankton biomass and abundance in stage 2. Phytoplankton showed a higher rate of composition change in stage 2. A numerical model (DYRESM-CAEDYM simulated scenarios with and without epilimnetic withdrawal to test their effects on abiotic factors (water temperature, suspended sediment and soluble reactive phosphorus for phytoplankton. The results showed no obvious difference in the abiotic factors between the two scenarios during stage 2. We therefore suggested that the abiotic factors in the water column were probably driven by a seasonal pattern, not by epilimnetic withdrawal. It is likely that the intensive epilimnetic withdrawal could remove large crustaceans. The reduced grazing pressure probably explained the increase of phytoplankton biomass and abundance after the withdrawal. Thus, we suggest that reservoir operation should pay

Cytogenetic effect of low dose gamma-radiation in Hordeum vulgare seedlings: non-linear dose-effect relationship.

Science.gov (United States)

Geras'kin, Stanislav A; Oudalova, Alla A; Kim, Jin Kyu; Dikarev, Vladimir G; Dikareva, Nina S

2007-03-01

The induction of chromosome aberrations in Hordeum vulgare germinated seeds was studied after ionizing irradiation with doses in the range of 10-1,000 mGy. The relationship between the frequency of aberrant cells and the absorbed dose was found to be nonlinear. A dose-independent plateau in the dose range from about 50 to 500 mGy was observed, where the level of cytogenetic damage was significantly different from the spontaneous level. The comparison of the goodness of the experimental data fitting with mathematical models of different complexity, using the most common quantitative criteria, demonstrated the advantage of a piecewise linear model over linear and polynomial models in approximating the frequency of cytogenetical disturbances. The results of the study support the hypothesis of indirect mechanisms of mutagenesis induced by low doses. Fundamental and applied implications of these findings are discussed.

Uncertainty Analysis of Phytoplankton Dynamics in Coastal Waters

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Niu, L.

2015-01-01

There is an increasing concern about the interactions between phytoplankton and coastal ecosystems, especially on the negative effects from coastal eutrophication and phytoplankton blooms. As the key indicator of the coastal ecosystem, phytoplankton plays an important role in the whole impact-effect

Effect of acidification on an Arctic phytoplankton community from Disko Bay, West Greenland

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thoisen, Christina; Riisgaard, Karen; Lundholm, Nina

2015-01-01

. Our findings show that coastal phytoplankton from Disko Bay is naturally exposed to pH fluctuations exceeding the experimental pH range used in most ocean acidification studies. We emphasize that studies on ocean acidification should include in situ pH before assumptions on the effect of acidification...... on marine organisms can be made. KEY WORDS: Ocean acidification · Coastal · Arctic phytoplankton · Growth rate · pH · CO2 · DIC......ABSTRACT: Long-term measurements (i.e. months) of in situ pH have not previously been reported from the Arctic; this study shows fluctuations between pH 7.5 and 8.3 during the spring bloom 2012 in a coastal area of Disko Bay, West Greenland. The effect of acidification on phytoplankton from...

Differential Growth Responses of Marine Phytoplankton to Herbicide Glyphosate.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cong Wang

Full Text Available Glyphosate is a globally popular herbicide to kill weeds and its wide applications may lead to accumulation in coastal oceans as a source of phosphorus (P nutrient or growth inhibitor of phytoplankton. We studied the physiological effects of glyphosate on fourteen species representing five major coastal phytoplankton phyla (haptophyta, bacillariophyta, dinoflagellata, raphidophyta, and chlorophyta. Based on growth responses to different concentrations of glyphosate under contrasting dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP conditions, we found that phytoplankton species could be classified into five groups. Group I (Emiliania huxleyi, Skeletonema costatum, Phaeodactylum tricornutum could utilize glyphosate as sole P-source to support growth in axenic culture, but in the presence of DIP, they were inhibited by both 36-μM and 360-μM glyphosate. Group II (Karenia mikimotoi, Prorocentrum minimum, Dunaliella tertiolecta, Symbiodinium sp., Heterosigma akashiwo and Alexandrium catenella could not utilize glyphosate as sole P-source to support growth, and in the presence of DIP growth was not affected by 36-μM but inhibited by 360-μM glyphosate. Glyphosate consistently enhanced growth of Group III (Isochrysis galbana and inhibited Group IV (Thalassiosira weissflogii, Thalassiosira pseudonana and Chattonella marina regardless of DIP condition. Group V (Amphidinium carterae exhibited no measurable response to glyphosate regardless of DIP condition. This grouping is not congruent with the phylogenetic relationships of the phytoplankton species suggesting functional differentiation driven by environmental pressure. We conclude that glyphosate could be used as P-source by some species while is toxic to some other species and yet has no effects on others. The observed differential effects suggest that the continued use of glyphosate and increasing concentration of this herbicide in the coastal waters will likely exert significant impact on coastal marine

Differential Growth Responses of Marine Phytoplankton to Herbicide Glyphosate

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Cong; Lin, Xin; Li, Ling; Lin, Senjie

2016-01-01

Glyphosate is a globally popular herbicide to kill weeds and its wide applications may lead to accumulation in coastal oceans as a source of phosphorus (P) nutrient or growth inhibitor of phytoplankton. We studied the physiological effects of glyphosate on fourteen species representing five major coastal phytoplankton phyla (haptophyta, bacillariophyta, dinoflagellata, raphidophyta, and chlorophyta). Based on growth responses to different concentrations of glyphosate under contrasting dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP) conditions, we found that phytoplankton species could be classified into five groups. Group I (Emiliania huxleyi, Skeletonema costatum, Phaeodactylum tricornutum) could utilize glyphosate as sole P-source to support growth in axenic culture, but in the presence of DIP, they were inhibited by both 36-μM and 360-μM glyphosate. Group II (Karenia mikimotoi, Prorocentrum minimum, Dunaliella tertiolecta, Symbiodinium sp., Heterosigma akashiwo and Alexandrium catenella) could not utilize glyphosate as sole P-source to support growth, and in the presence of DIP growth was not affected by 36-μM but inhibited by 360-μM glyphosate. Glyphosate consistently enhanced growth of Group III (Isochrysis galbana) and inhibited Group IV (Thalassiosira weissflogii, Thalassiosira pseudonana and Chattonella marina) regardless of DIP condition. Group V (Amphidinium carterae) exhibited no measurable response to glyphosate regardless of DIP condition. This grouping is not congruent with the phylogenetic relationships of the phytoplankton species suggesting functional differentiation driven by environmental pressure. We conclude that glyphosate could be used as P-source by some species while is toxic to some other species and yet has no effects on others. The observed differential effects suggest that the continued use of glyphosate and increasing concentration of this herbicide in the coastal waters will likely exert significant impact on coastal marine phytoplankton

Dose-response relationships and threshold levels in skin and respiratory allergy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Arts, J.H.E.; Mommers, C.; Heer, C.de

2006-01-01

A literature study was performed to evaluate dose-response relationships and no-effect levels for sensitization and elicitation in skin- and respiratory allergy. With respect to the skin, dose-response relationships and no-effect levels were found for both intradermal and topical induction, as well

Tests of the linearity assumption in the dose-effect relationship for radiation-induced cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cohen, A.F.; Cohen, B.L.

1978-01-01

The validity of the BEIR linear extrapolation to low doses of the dose-effect relationship for radiation induced cancer is tested by use of natural radiation making use of selectivity on type of cancer, sex, age group, geographic area, and time period. For lung cancer, a linear interpolation between zero dose-zero effect and the data from radon-induced cancers in miners over-estimates the total number of observed lung cancers in many countries in the early years of this century; the discrepancy is substantially increased if the 30-44 year age range and/or if only females are considered, and by the fact that many other causes of lung cancer are shown to have been important at that time. The degree to which changes of diagnostic efficiency with time can influence the analysis is considered at some length. It is concluded that the linear relationship substantially over-estimates effects of low radiation doses. A similar analysis is applied to leukemia induced by natural radiation, applying selectivity by age, sex, natural background level, and date, and considering other causes. It is concluded that effects substantially larger than those obtained from linear extrapolation are excluded. The use of the selectivities mentioned above is justified by the fact that the incidence of cancer or leukemia is an upper limit on the rate at which it is caused by radiation effects; in determining upper limits it is justifiable to select situations which minimize it. (author)

Non-linearity of dose-effect relationship at low level exposure on the example of cytogenetic effects in plant cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oudalova, A.A.; Geras'kin, S.A.; Dikarev, V.G.; Dikareva, N.S.; Chernonog, E.V.

2007-01-01

Complete text of publication follows. There has been an increasing concern in the current scientific society and among the public about the need to protect the environment in order to maintain the ecosystem sustainability and future well-being of man. The linear non-threshold (LNT) hypothesis as the most officially acknowledged concept of biological effect of radiation fails to explain many facts on effects at low level exposures (LLE) accumulated lately. Available information on the dose-effect relationship at low doses is scarce and incomplete for non-human species despite the fact that, under conditions of increased radiation exposure, some biota species occur at a risk of higher impact than humans because of differences in ecological niches occupied. Dose-effect relationships for cytogenetic damage in the range of LLE are studied in a series os experiments with plant (Hordeum vulgare L.) meristem cells. Dose-effect dependences obtained show an obvious non-linear behavior in the LLE region. A piecewise linear model (PLM) for dose-cytogenetic effect relationship that considers an existence of dose-independent part at LLE ('plateau') is developed and specified on the data obtained. An advantage of the PLM over linear model in approximating the frequency of cytogenetic disturbances is demonstrated. From an empirical probability distribution analysis, it is shown that the increase in cytogenetic damage level is tightly connected with changes in a process of absorbed energy distribution between target volumes in terms of fraction of cells experienced a radiation hit event. An appropriateness of the LNT hypothesis to the description of cytogenetic disturbances yield in plant meristem cells in the LLE region is discussed. The results support a conclusion about indirect mechanism of mutagenesis induced by low doses. New data obtained concern a perception of fundamental mechanisms governing cell response to LLE. These findings are of general biological interest, since

Interactive effect of temperature and CO2 increase in Arctic phytoplankton

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexandra eCoello-Camba

2014-10-01

Full Text Available An experiment was performed in order to analyze the effects of the increase in water temperature and CO2 partial pressure expected for the end of this century in a present phytoplankton community inhabiting the Arctic Ocean. We analyzed both factors acting independently and together, to test possible interactions between them. The arctic planktonic community was incubated under 6 different treatments combining three experimental temperatures (1 ºC, 6 ºC and 10 ºC with two different CO2 levels of 380 ppm or 1000 ppm, at the UNIS installations in Longyearbyen (Svalbard, in summer 2010. Under warmer temperatures, a decrease in chlorophyll a concentration, biovolume and primary production was found, together with a shift in community structure towards a dominance of smaller cells (nano-sized. Effects of increased pCO2 were more modest, and although interactions were weak, our results suggest antagonistic interactive effects amongst increased temperature and CO2 levels, as elevated CO2 compensated partially the decrease in phytoplankton biomass induced by temperature in some groups. Interactions between the two stressors were generally weak, but elevated CO2 was observed to lead to a stepper decline in primary production with warming. Our results also suggest that future increases in water temperature and pCO2 would lead to a decrease in the community chl a concentration and biomass in the Arctic phytoplankton communities examined, leading to communities dominated by smaller nano-phytoplankton groups, with important consequences for the flow of carbon and food web dynamics.

Effect of heterogeneity of human population in cell radiosensitivity on the extrapolation of dose-response relationships to low doses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Filyushkin, I.V.; Bragin, Yu.N.; Khandogina, E.K.

1989-01-01

Presented are the results of an investigation of the dose-response relationship for the yield of chromosome aberrations in peripheral blood lymphocytes of persons with some hereditary diseases which represent the high risk group with respect to the increased incidence of malignant tumors and decreased life span. Despite substantially different absolute radiosensitivities of chromosomes, the variations of the alpha/beta ratio determining the extrapolation of experimental dose-response relationships to low doses did not prove to be too high, the mean deviation from the control being 15%. This points to the possible practical use of the dose-response relationships averaged over the human population as a whole

Mapping of trophic states based on nutrients concentration and phytoplankton abundance in Jatibarang Reservoir

Science.gov (United States)

Rudiyanti, Siti; Anggoro, Sutrisno; Rahman, Arif

2018-02-01

Jatibarang Reservoir is one of the Indonesian Reservoirs, which used for human activities such as tourism and agriculture. These activities will provide input of organic matter and nutrients into the water. These materials will impact water quality and eutrophication process. Eutrophication is the water enrichment by nutrients, especially nitrogen and phosphorus which can promote the growth of phytoplankton. Some indicators of eutrophication are increasing nutrients, trophic states, and change of phytoplankton composition. The relationship between water quality and phytoplankton community can be used as an indicator of trophic states in Jatibarang Reservoir. The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of nutrients concentration and phytoplankton abundance to the trophic states and mapping trophic states based on nutrients concentration and phytoplankton in Jatibarang Reservoir. This study was conducted in June and July 2017 at 9 stations around Jatibarang Reservoir. The results showed that average concentration of nitrate, phosphate, and chlorophyll-a in Jatibarang Reservoir was 0.69 mg/L, 0.27 mg/L, and 1.66 mg/m3, respectively. The phytoplankton abundance ranged 16-62,200 cells/L, consists of 21 genera of four classes, i.e. Chlorophyceae, Cyanophyceae, Bacillariophyceae, and Dinophyceae. Cyanophyceae was a dominant phytoplankton group based on the composition of abundance (>80%). High nutrient concentrations and phytoplankton dominated by Anabaena (Cyanophyceae) which indicated that the waters in Jatibarang Reservoir were eutrophic.

SHORT-TERM EFFECT OF DIESEL OIL ON PHYTOPLANKTON

African Journals Online (AJOL)

PROF. EKWEME

Short-term effect of Nigerian diesel oil was tested on the phytoplankton species in Great Kwa River ... aquatic environment. Plant life is the basis of all food web in nature and hence constitutes the makes this fundamental contribution by photosynthesis, utilizing radiant energy to .... (2 cells/ml) re-colonized the area. The three ...

Risk Factors and Dose-Effect Relationship for Mandibular Osteoradionecrosis in Oral and Oropharyngeal Cancer Patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Ik Jae; Koom, Woong Sub; Lee, Chang Geol; Kim, Yong Bae; Yoo, Sei Whan; Keum, Ki Chang; Kim, Gwi Eon; Choi, Eun Chang; Cha, In Ho

2009-01-01

Purpose: To analyze risk factors and the dose-effect relationship for osteoradionecrosis (ORN) of the mandible after radiotherapy of oral and oropharyngeal cancers. Materials and Methods: One-hundred ninety-eight patients with oral (45%) and oropharyngeal cancer (55%) who had received external radiotherapy between 1990 and 2000 were retrospectively reviewed. All patients had a dental evaluation before radiotherapy. The median radiation dose was 60 Gy (range, 16-75 Gy), and the median biologically effective dose for late effects (BED late ) in bone was 114 Gy 2 (range, 30-167 Gy 2 ). Results: The frequency of ORN was 13 patients (6.6%). Among patients with mandibular surgery, eight had ORN at the surgical site. Among patients without mandibular surgery, five patients had ORN on the molar area of the mandible. The median time to ORN was 22 months (range, 1-69 months). Univariate analysis revealed that mandibular surgery and Co-60 were significant risk factors for ORN (p = 0.01 and 0.04, respectively). In multivariate analysis, mandibular surgery was the most important factor (p = 0.001). High radiation doses over BED 102.6 Gy 2 (conventional dose of 54 Gy at 1.8 Gy/fraction) were also a significant factor for ORN (p = 0.008) and showed a positive dose-effect relationship in logistic regression (p = 0.04) for patients who had undergone mandibular surgery. Conclusions: Mandibular surgery was the most significant risk factor for ORN of mandible in oral and oropharyngeal cancers patients. A BED of 102.6 Gy 2 or higher to the mandible also significantly increases the risk of ORN.

Dose-stochastic radiobiological effect relationship in model of two reactions and estimation of radiation risk

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Komochkov, M.M.

1997-01-01

The model of dose-stochastic effect relationship for biological systems capable of self-defence under danger factor effect is developed. A defence system is realized in two forms of organism reaction, which determine innate μ n and adaptive μ a radiosensitivities. The significances of μ n are determined by host (inner) factors; and the significances of μ a , by external factors. The possibilities of adaptive reaction are determined by the coefficient of capabilities of the defence system. The formulas of the dose-effect relationship are the solutions of differential equations of assumed process in the defence system of organism. The model and formulas have been checked both at cell and at human levels. Based on the model and personal monitoring data, the estimation of radiation risk at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research is done

Dose-Effect Relationships for Adverse Events After Cranial Radiation Therapy in Long-term Childhood Cancer Survivors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dijk, Irma W.E.M. van; Cardous-Ubbink, Mathilde C.; Pal, Helena J.H. van der; Heinen, Richard C.; Leeuwen, Flora E. van; Oldenburger, Foppe; Os, Rob M. van; Ronckers, Cécile M.; Schouten–van Meeteren, Antoinette Y.N.; Caron, Huib N.; Koning, Caro C.E.; Kremer, Leontien C.M.

2013-01-01

Purpose: To evaluate the prevalence and severity of clinical adverse events (AEs) and treatment-related risk factors in childhood cancer survivors treated with cranial radiation therapy (CRT), with the aim of assessing dose-effect relationships. Methods and Materials: The retrospective study cohort consisted of 1362 Dutch childhood cancer survivors, of whom 285 were treated with CRT delivered as brain irradiation (BI), as part of craniospinal irradiation (CSI), and as total body irradiation (TBI). Individual CRT doses were converted into the equivalent dose in 2-Gy fractions (EQD 2 ). Survivors had received their diagnoses between 1966 and 1996 and survived at least 5 years after diagnosis. A complete inventory of Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events grade 3.0 AEs was available from our hospital-based late-effect follow-up program. We used multivariable logistic and Cox regression analyses to examine the EQD 2 in relation to the prevalence and severity of AEs, correcting for sex, age at diagnosis, follow-up time, and the treatment-related risk factors surgery and chemotherapy. Results: There was a high prevalence of AEs in the CRT group; over 80% of survivors had more than 1 AE, and almost half had at least 5 AEs, both representing significant increases in number of AEs compared with survivors not treated with CRT. Additionally, the proportion of severe, life-threatening, or disabling AEs was significantly higher in the CRT group. The most frequent AEs were alopecia and cognitive, endocrine, metabolic, and neurologic events. Using the EQD 2 , we found significant dose-effect relationships for these and other AEs. Conclusion: Our results confirm that CRT increases the prevalence and severity of AEs in childhood cancer survivors. Furthermore, analyzing dose-effect relationships with the cumulative EQD 2 instead of total physical dose connects the knowledge from radiation therapy and radiobiology with the clinical experience

Dose-Effect Relationships for Adverse Events After Cranial Radiation Therapy in Long-term Childhood Cancer Survivors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dijk, Irma W.E.M. van, E-mail: i.w.vandijk@amc.uva.nl [Department of Radiation Oncology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Cardous-Ubbink, Mathilde C. [Department of Medical Oncology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Pal, Helena J.H. van der [Department of Medical Oncology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Department of Pediatric Oncology, Emma Children' s Hospital/Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Heinen, Richard C. [Department of Pediatric Oncology, Emma Children' s Hospital/Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Leeuwen, Flora E. van [Department of Epidemiology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Oldenburger, Foppe; Os, Rob M. van [Department of Radiation Oncology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Ronckers, Cécile M. [Dutch Childhood Oncology Group, Long-term Effects after Childhood Cancer, The Hague (Netherlands); Schouten–van Meeteren, Antoinette Y.N. [Department of Pediatric Oncology, Emma Children' s Hospital/Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Caron, Huib N. [Department of Medical Oncology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Department of Pediatric Oncology, Emma Children' s Hospital/Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Koning, Caro C.E. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Kremer, Leontien C.M. [Department of Medical Oncology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Department of Pediatric Oncology, Emma Children' s Hospital/Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam (Netherlands)

2013-03-01

Purpose: To evaluate the prevalence and severity of clinical adverse events (AEs) and treatment-related risk factors in childhood cancer survivors treated with cranial radiation therapy (CRT), with the aim of assessing dose-effect relationships. Methods and Materials: The retrospective study cohort consisted of 1362 Dutch childhood cancer survivors, of whom 285 were treated with CRT delivered as brain irradiation (BI), as part of craniospinal irradiation (CSI), and as total body irradiation (TBI). Individual CRT doses were converted into the equivalent dose in 2-Gy fractions (EQD{sub 2}). Survivors had received their diagnoses between 1966 and 1996 and survived at least 5 years after diagnosis. A complete inventory of Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events grade 3.0 AEs was available from our hospital-based late-effect follow-up program. We used multivariable logistic and Cox regression analyses to examine the EQD{sub 2} in relation to the prevalence and severity of AEs, correcting for sex, age at diagnosis, follow-up time, and the treatment-related risk factors surgery and chemotherapy. Results: There was a high prevalence of AEs in the CRT group; over 80% of survivors had more than 1 AE, and almost half had at least 5 AEs, both representing significant increases in number of AEs compared with survivors not treated with CRT. Additionally, the proportion of severe, life-threatening, or disabling AEs was significantly higher in the CRT group. The most frequent AEs were alopecia and cognitive, endocrine, metabolic, and neurologic events. Using the EQD{sub 2}, we found significant dose-effect relationships for these and other AEs. Conclusion: Our results confirm that CRT increases the prevalence and severity of AEs in childhood cancer survivors. Furthermore, analyzing dose-effect relationships with the cumulative EQD{sub 2} instead of total physical dose connects the knowledge from radiation therapy and radiobiology with the clinical experience.

Dose-effect relationships for individual pelvic floor muscles and anorectal complaints after prostate radiotherapy.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Smeenk, R.J.; Hoffmann, A.L.; Hopman, W.P.M.; Lin, E.N.J.T. van; Kaanders, J.H.A.M.

2012-01-01

PURPOSE: To delineate the individual pelvic floor muscles considered to be involved in anorectal toxicity and to investigate dose-effect relationships for fecal incontinence-related complaints after prostate radiotherapy (RT). METHODS AND MATERIALS: In 48 patients treated for localized prostate

Effects of lowered pH on marine phytoplankton growth rates

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Berge, Terje; Daugbjerg, Niels; Andersen, Betinna Balling

2010-01-01

concentration of seawater. Ocean acidification may potentially both stimulate and reduce primary production by marine phytoplankton. Data are scarce on the response of marine phytoplankton growth rates to lowered pH/increased CO2. Using the acid addition method to lower the seawater pH and manipulate...... the carbonate system, we determined in detail the lower pH limit for growth rates of 2 model species of common marine phytoplankton. We also tested whether growth and production rates of 6 other common species of phytoplankton were affected by ocean acidification (lowered to pH 7.0). The lower pH limits...... statistically similar in the pH range of ~7.0 to 8.5. Our results and literature reports on growth at lowered pH indicate that marine phytoplankton in general are resistant to climate change in terms of ocean acidification, and do not increase or decrease their growth rates according to ecological relevant...

Effects of N and P enrichment on competition between phytoplankton and benthic algae in shallow lakes: a mesocosm study.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xiufeng; Mei, Xueying; Gulati, Ramesh D; Liu, Zhengwen

2015-03-01

Competition for resources between coexisting phytoplankton and benthic algae, but with different habitats and roles in functioning of lake ecosystems, profoundly affects dynamics of shallow lakes in the process of eutrophication. An experiment was conducted to test the hypothesis that combined enrichment with nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) would be a greater benefit to phytoplankton than benthic algae. The growth of phytoplankton and benthic algae was measured as chlorophyll a (Chl a) in 12 shallow aquatic mesocosms supplemented with N, P, or both. We found that enrichment with N enhanced growth of benthic algae, but not phytoplankton. P enrichment had a negative effect on benthic algal growth, and no effect on the growth of phytoplankton. N+P enrichment had a negative effect on benthic algae, but enhanced the growth of phytoplankton, thus reducing the proportion of benthic algae contributing to the combined biomass of these two groups of primary producers. Thus, combined N+P enrichment is more favorable to phytoplankton in competition with benthic algae than enrichment with either N or P alone. Our study indicates that combined enrichment with N+P promotes the dominance of phytoplankton over benthic algae, with consequences for the trophic dynamics of shallow lake ecosystems.

Dose response relationship and Alara

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hubert, P.

1986-09-01

In this paper, it will be shown how dose-response relationships allow to give quantitative figures for the detriment of irradiation. At this stage, the detriment is expressed directly as a certain number of health effects, whose valuation is not dealt with here. The present tools for quantifying, their weaknesses and their strenghts, and their scientific basis will be developed

Teratogenic radiation effects: Phenomena, dose-response relationships and risk levels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Konermann, G.

1991-01-01

The report in hand informs about a study performed within the framework of the research project 'Animal experiments with albino mice for establishing a model for the detection and assessment of radiation-induced, developmental risks in man due to low-dose irradiation'. The subjects investigated in this study are: (1) Dose-response relationships for postnatal developmental disturbances of the brain as a result of prenatal X-ray treatment. (2) Biokinetics, distribution patterns and effects of inorganically and organically bonded radioiodine (I-125) during the phase of development of the brain. For investigation of the first-mentioned subject, computerized microphotograph analysis was applied for detecting and assessing disturbances of the alignment of axons, as well as deviations from normal cross-sectional data of the Cortex layer, and cerebral commissures as final locations of neurogenetic damage. With all parameters studied, the slope of the relevant curves was found to decrease as a function of age of the fetus at the time of exposure. In addition, time factor effects were investigated. For the parameter cross-sectional area of the Cortex, a clear decrease of effect was found, but for all other parameters, reactions were ambiguous. The study into the second subject was done with cell cultures, showing that the I-125 bonded to the cell nucleus has a much stronger radiotoxic effect than I-125 bonded to the cytoplasma. This difference in effect was studied in mice after incorporation of equal doses administered by way of (I-125)-sodium iodide or (I-125)-iododesoxyuridine. Long-term effects on Cortex cross-sectional areas, cerebral commissures or the texture of axons were quantified by microphotograph analysis. Acute cell death and initial disturbances of the neuronal cell growth were evident after incorporation of (I-125)-IdUR, but not detectable after administration of (I-125)-NaI. (orig./MG) [de

Study on dose-effect relationship of radiation-induced DNA damage using single cell gel electrophoresis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Qiang; Jiang Enhai; Li Jin; Tang Weisheng; Wang Zhiquan; Zhao Yongcheng; Fan Feiyue

2006-01-01

Objective: To explore a new, simple and quick radiation biodosimeter, which can be applied to estimate biological dose in case of radiation accident. Methods: DNA double-strand break were detected using neutral single cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE), and all the indexes of comet assay including HDNA%, TDNA%, CL, TL, TM, and OTM were analyzed by CASP (Comet Assay Software Project). The curve of dose-effect was fitted using SPSS 12.0 software. Results: Statistically significant dose-effect relationships were observed in all the indexes of comet assay, OTM was superior to other indexes. Conclusions: Application of neutral comet assay combined with CASP analysis could serve as a new radiation biodosimeter. (authors)

Interacting Effects of Light and Iron Availability on the Coupling of Photosynthetic Electron Transport and CO2-Assimilation in Marine Phytoplankton.

Science.gov (United States)

Schuback, Nina; Schallenberg, Christina; Duckham, Carolyn; Maldonado, Maria T; Tortell, Philippe D

2015-01-01

Iron availability directly affects photosynthesis and limits phytoplankton growth over vast oceanic regions. For this reason, the availability of iron is a crucial variable to consider in the development of active chlorophyll a fluorescence based estimates of phytoplankton primary productivity. These bio-optical approaches require a conversion factor to derive ecologically-relevant rates of CO2-assimilation from estimates of electron transport in photosystem II. The required conversion factor varies significantly across phytoplankton taxa and environmental conditions, but little information is available on its response to iron limitation. In this study, we examine the role of iron limitation, and the interacting effects of iron and light availability, on the coupling of photosynthetic electron transport and CO2-assimilation in marine phytoplankton. Our results show that excess irradiance causes increased decoupling of carbon fixation and electron transport, particularly under iron limiting conditions. We observed that reaction center II specific rates of electron transport (ETR(RCII), mol e- mol RCII(-1) s(-1)) increased under iron limitation, and we propose a simple conceptual model for this observation. We also observed a strong correlation between the derived conversion factor and the expression of non-photochemical quenching. Utilizing a dataset from in situ phytoplankton assemblages across a coastal--oceanic transect in the Northeast subarctic Pacific, this relationship was used to predict ETR(RCII): CO2-assimilation conversion factors and carbon-based primary productivity from FRRF data, without the need for any additional measurements.

Interacting Effects of Light and Iron Availability on the Coupling of Photosynthetic Electron Transport and CO2-Assimilation in Marine Phytoplankton.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nina Schuback

Full Text Available Iron availability directly affects photosynthesis and limits phytoplankton growth over vast oceanic regions. For this reason, the availability of iron is a crucial variable to consider in the development of active chlorophyll a fluorescence based estimates of phytoplankton primary productivity. These bio-optical approaches require a conversion factor to derive ecologically-relevant rates of CO2-assimilation from estimates of electron transport in photosystem II. The required conversion factor varies significantly across phytoplankton taxa and environmental conditions, but little information is available on its response to iron limitation. In this study, we examine the role of iron limitation, and the interacting effects of iron and light availability, on the coupling of photosynthetic electron transport and CO2-assimilation in marine phytoplankton. Our results show that excess irradiance causes increased decoupling of carbon fixation and electron transport, particularly under iron limiting conditions. We observed that reaction center II specific rates of electron transport (ETR(RCII, mol e- mol RCII(-1 s(-1 increased under iron limitation, and we propose a simple conceptual model for this observation. We also observed a strong correlation between the derived conversion factor and the expression of non-photochemical quenching. Utilizing a dataset from in situ phytoplankton assemblages across a coastal--oceanic transect in the Northeast subarctic Pacific, this relationship was used to predict ETR(RCII: CO2-assimilation conversion factors and carbon-based primary productivity from FRRF data, without the need for any additional measurements.

Interacting Effects of Light and Iron Availability on the Coupling of Photosynthetic Electron Transport and CO2-Assimilation in Marine Phytoplankton

Science.gov (United States)

Schuback, Nina; Schallenberg, Christina; Duckham, Carolyn; Maldonado, Maria T.; Tortell, Philippe D.

2015-01-01

Iron availability directly affects photosynthesis and limits phytoplankton growth over vast oceanic regions. For this reason, the availability of iron is a crucial variable to consider in the development of active chlorophyll a fluorescence based estimates of phytoplankton primary productivity. These bio-optical approaches require a conversion factor to derive ecologically-relevant rates of CO2-assimilation from estimates of electron transport in photosystem II. The required conversion factor varies significantly across phytoplankton taxa and environmental conditions, but little information is available on its response to iron limitation. In this study, we examine the role of iron limitation, and the interacting effects of iron and light availability, on the coupling of photosynthetic electron transport and CO2-assimilation in marine phytoplankton. Our results show that excess irradiance causes increased decoupling of carbon fixation and electron transport, particularly under iron limiting conditions. We observed that reaction center II specific rates of electron transport (ETRRCII, mol e- mol RCII-1 s-1) increased under iron limitation, and we propose a simple conceptual model for this observation. We also observed a strong correlation between the derived conversion factor and the expression of non-photochemical quenching. Utilizing a dataset from in situ phytoplankton assemblages across a coastal – oceanic transect in the Northeast subarctic Pacific, this relationship was used to predict ETRRCII: CO2-assimilation conversion factors and carbon-based primary productivity from FRRF data, without the need for any additional measurements. PMID:26171963

The radiological consequences of notional accidental releases of radioactivity from fast breeder reactors: sensitivity to the dose-effect relationships adopted for early biological effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kelly, G.N.; Simmonds, J.R.; Smith, H.; Stather, J.W.

1979-07-01

This study considered the sensitivity to the dose-response relationships adopted for the estimation of early biological effects from notional accidental releases of radioactivity from fast breeder reactors. Two distinct aspects were considered: the sensitivity of the predicted consequences to variation in the dose-mortality relationships for irradiation of the bone marrow and the lung; and the influence of simple supportive medical treatment in reducing the incidence of early deaths in the exposed population. The numbers of early effects estimated in the initial study were relatively insensitive to variation in the dose-mortality relationships within the bounds proposed. The few exceptions concerned releases of particular nuclide composition, and the variation in the predicted consequences could be around an order of magnitude; the absolute numbers of effects however were in general small when the sensitivity was most pronounced. The reduction in the incidence of early deaths when using simple supportive treatment varied markedly with the nuclide composition of the release. Areas of uncertainty were identified where further research and investigation might most profitably be directed with a view to improving the reliability of the dose-effect relationships adopted and hence of the predicted consequences of the release considered. (author)

Spatial variation of phytoplankton community structure in Daya Bay, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Zhao-Yu; Wang, You-Shao; Cheng, Hao; Zhang, Jian-Dong; Fei, Jiao

2015-10-01

Daya Bay is one of the largest and most important gulfs in the southern coast of China, in the northern part of the South China Sea. The phylogenetic diversity and spatial distribution of phytoplankton from the Daya Bay surface water and the relationship with the in situ water environment were investigated by the clone library of the large subunit of ribulose-1, 5-bisphosphate carboxylase (rbcL) gene. The dominant species of phytoplankton were diatoms and eustigmatophytes, which accounted for 81.9 % of all the clones of the rbcL genes. Prymnesiophytes were widely spread and wide varieties lived in Daya Bay, whereas the quantity was limited. The community structure of phytoplankton was shaped by pH and salinity and the concentration of silicate, phosphorus and nitrite. The phytoplankton biomass was significantly positively affected by phosphorus and nitrite but negatively by salinity and pH. Therefore, the phytoplankton distribution and biomass from Daya Bay were doubly affected by anthropic activities and natural factors.

Iodine-131 treatment and chromosomal damage: in vivo dose-effect relationship.

Science.gov (United States)

Erselcan, Taner; Sungu, Selma; Ozdemir, Semra; Turgut, Bulent; Dogan, Derya; Ozdemir, Ozturk

2004-05-01

Although it is well known that radiation induces chromosomal aberrations, there is a lack of information on the in vivo dose-effect relationship in patients receiving iodine-131 treatment, and the results of previous studies are controversial. In this study, the sister chromatid exchange (SCE) method was employed to investigate acute and late chromosomal damage (CD) in the peripheral lymphocytes of 15 patients who received various doses of (131)I (259-3,700 MBq), either for thyrotoxicosis (TTX) or for ablation treatment in differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). The SCE frequencies in cultured peripheral lymphocytes were determined before treatment (to assess basal SCE frequencies), on the 3rd day (to assess acute SCE frequencies) and 6 months later (to assess late SCE frequencies). The basal, acute and late SCE frequencies (mean+/-SD) were 3.19+/-0.93, 10.83+/-1.72 and 5.75+/-2.06, respectively, in the whole group, and these values differed significantly from each other ( Pdisappearance of damaged lymphocytes from the peripheral circulation in a dose-dependent manner following (131)I treatment. Further studies are therefore needed to clarify the effect of the negative beta value on the biological dosimetry approach in continuous internal low LET radiation, as in the case of (131)I treatment.

Cytogenetic effects of low-dose radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Metalli, P.

1983-01-01

The effects of ionizing radiation on chromosomes have been known for several decades and dose-effect relationships are also fairly well established in the mid- and high-dose and dose-rate range for chromosomes of mammalian cells. In the range of low doses and dose rates of different types of radiation few data are available for direct analysis of the dose-effect relationships, and extrapolation from high to low doses is still the unavoidable approach in many cases of interest for risk assessment. A review is presented of the data actually available and of the attempts that have been made to obtain possible generalizations. Attention is focused on some specific chromosomal anomalies experimentally induced by radiation (such as reciprocal translocations and aneuploidies in germinal cells) and on their relevance for the human situation. (author)

The biological bases of the dose-effect relationship; Les bases biologiques de la relation dose-effet

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lafuma, J

2001-06-01

In radiation protection, the recent data in epidemiology, in animal experimentation and on the base researches are no more compatible with a linear dose-effect relationship without threshold and do not account for the radiological risks at low doses. The cancers should be accelerated by radiations as any pathology linked to the ageing and for which threshold exit. Relative to the genetic risk it is known today that the natural exposure that lasts for several generations has not lead excess of hereditary illness as it was to be feared in 1959 for several countries. Considering that for populations the exposure levels induced by human activities have already been, under these ones of average natural exposures the genetic risk can be negligible and it is the somatic risk alone, with its thresholds that has to be into account. (N.C.)

The regrowth of phytoplankton cultures after UV disinfection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martínez, Lucía F.; Mahamud, Manuel M.; Lavín, Antonio G.; Bueno, Julio L.

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► Phytoplankton cultures were placed in a rich medium after UV-C irradiation. ► Flow cytometry and PAM were used for determining cell viability. ► The behavior differs from that of cultures kept in their original environment. ► Chlorella autotrophica recovers between 5 and 10 days after the treatment. ► Phaeocystis globosa shows only a slight recovery for low-dose UV-radiation exposure. - Abstract: This study addresses how cultures of three phytoplankton species –Chaetoceros calcitrans, Chlorella autotrophica and Phaeocystis globosa – can recover from the effects of UV-C exposure if the cells are placed in a rich medium. Flow cytometry and pulse amplitude modulation (PAM) were used to determine cell recovery after UV treatment. The recovery of C. calcitrans was complete 9 days after treatment. For C. autotrophica, the recovery was noticeable 5 days after treatment. P. globosa only recovered if the UV dose did not exceed 7.3 × 10 5 μWs/cm 2 . The recovery of the UV-treated cultures introduced to a regrowth medium, compared with the recovery of the irradiated cultures kept in their original environment, had two main characteristics: cell recovery was slower but was more efficient. This pattern of recovery has very important implications for real ballast water management systems because such systems discharge treated water into the environment

Cell size dependence of additive versus synergetic effects of UV radiation and PAHs on oceanic phytoplankton

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Echeveste, Pedro; Agusti, Susana; Dachs, Jordi

2011-01-01

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons' (PAHs) toxicity is enhanced by the presence of ultraviolet radiation (UVR), which levels have arisen due to the thinning of the ozone layer. In this study, PAHs' phototoxicity for natural marine phytoplankton was tested. Different concentrations of a mixture of 16 PAHs were added to natural phytoplankton communities from the Mediterranean Sea, Atlantic, Arctic and Southern Oceans and exposed to natural sunlight received in situ, including treatments where the UVR bands were removed. PAHs' toxicity was observed for all the phytoplankton groups studied in all the waters and treatments tested, but only for the pico-sized group a synergetic effect of the mixture and UVR was observed (p = 0.009). When comparing phototoxicity in phytoplankton from oligotrophic and eutrophic waters, synergy was only observed at the oligotrophic communities (p = 0.02) where pico-sized phytoplankton dominated. The degree of sensitivity was related to the trophic degree, decreasing as Chlorophyll a concentration increased. - Highlights: → The smallest picocyanobacteria were the most sensitive to PAHs and UVR. → PAHs-UVR synergism for the picophytoplankton and the oligotrophic communities. → PAHs-UVR additivity for the nanophytoplankton and the eutrophic communities. → An irradiance threshold is suggested to determine the joint action of UVR and PAHs. - Cell size and UVR levels determine additive/synergetic effects of PAHs and UVR to oceanic phytoplankton.

Some hybrid models applicable to dose-response relationships

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumazawa, Shigeru

1992-01-01

A new type of models of dose-response relationships has been studied as an initial stage to explore a reliable extrapolation of the relationships decided by high dose data to the range of low dose covered by radiation protection. The approach is to use a 'hybrid scale' of linear and logarithmic scales; the first model is that the normalized surviving fraction (ρ S > 0) in a hybrid scale decreases linearly with dose in a linear scale, and the second is that the induction in a log scale increases linearly with the normalized dose (τ D > 0) in a hybrid scale. The hybrid scale may reflect an overall effectiveness of a complex system against adverse events caused by various agents. Some data of leukemia in the atomic bomb survivors and of rodent experiments were used to show the applicability of hybrid scale models. The results proved that proposed models fit these data not less than the popular linear-quadratic models, providing the possible interpretation of shapes of dose-response curves, e.g. shouldered survival curves varied by recovery time. (author)

Zooplankton excretion metabolites stimulate Southern Ocean phytoplankton growth

KAUST Repository

Coello-Camba, A.; Llabré s, M.; Duarte, Carlos M.; Agusti, Susana

2017-01-01

Warming over Antarctica is leading to changes in the zooplankton communities inhabiting the Southern Ocean. It has been observed that zooplankton not only regulates phytoplankton through grazing, but also through the recycling of nutrients that are essential for phytoplankton growth. In this way, the effects of warming on zooplankton populations will change the amount or proportion at which recycled nutrients are restored. To estimate how the recycled nutrients released by zooplankton populations, dominated by krill (Euphausia superba), amphipods or copepods, affect the phytoplankton uptake and communities, we performed four incubation experiments: two close to the Antarctic Peninsula and two at the Southern Atlantic Ocean. Our results showed a stimulating effect of the addition of metabolites on ammonia removal rates and on the net growth of phytoplankton communities, with different responses amongst the different phytoplankton groups. According to our results, phytoplankton net growth and community composition may be altered if this relevant source of nutrients is lost due to projected changes in the abundance or distribution of these zooplankton populations.

Zooplankton excretion metabolites stimulate Southern Ocean phytoplankton growth

KAUST Repository

Coello-Camba, A.

2017-04-24

Warming over Antarctica is leading to changes in the zooplankton communities inhabiting the Southern Ocean. It has been observed that zooplankton not only regulates phytoplankton through grazing, but also through the recycling of nutrients that are essential for phytoplankton growth. In this way, the effects of warming on zooplankton populations will change the amount or proportion at which recycled nutrients are restored. To estimate how the recycled nutrients released by zooplankton populations, dominated by krill (Euphausia superba), amphipods or copepods, affect the phytoplankton uptake and communities, we performed four incubation experiments: two close to the Antarctic Peninsula and two at the Southern Atlantic Ocean. Our results showed a stimulating effect of the addition of metabolites on ammonia removal rates and on the net growth of phytoplankton communities, with different responses amongst the different phytoplankton groups. According to our results, phytoplankton net growth and community composition may be altered if this relevant source of nutrients is lost due to projected changes in the abundance or distribution of these zooplankton populations.

Triclosan alterations of estuarine phytoplankton community structure.

Science.gov (United States)

Pinckney, James L; Thompson, Laura; Hylton, Sarah

2017-06-15

Antimicrobial additives in pharmaceutical and personal care products are a major environmental concern due to their potential ecological impacts on aquatic ecosystems. Triclosan (TCS) has been used as an antiseptic, disinfectant, and preservative in various media. The sublethal and lethal effects of TCS on estuarine phytoplankton community composition were investigated using bioassays of natural phytoplankton communities to measure phytoplankton responses to different concentrations of TCS ranging from 1 to 200μgl -1 . The EC 50 (the concentration of an inhibitor where the growth is reduced by half) for phytoplankton groups (diatoms, chlorophytes, cryptophytes) examined in this ranged from 10.7 to 113.8μg TCS l -1 . Exposures resulted in major shifts in phytoplankton community composition at concentrations as low as 1.0μg TCS l -1 . This study demonstrates estuarine ecosystem sensitivity to TCS exposure and highlights potential alterations in phytoplankton community composition at what are typically environmental concentrations of TCS in urbanized estuaries. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical warfare in freshwater. Allelpathic effects of macrophytes on phytoplankton

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mulderij, G.

2006-01-01

Aquatic macrophytes can excrete chemical substances into their enviroment and these compounds may inhibit the growth of phytoplankton. This process is defined as allelopathy: one organism has effects on another via the excretion of a (mixture of) chemical substance(s). With laboratory and field

Chemical warfare in freshwater, allelopathic effects of macrophytes on phytoplankton

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mulderij, G.

2006-01-01

Aquatic macrophytes can excrete chemical substances into their enviroment and these compounds may inhibit the growth of phytoplankton. This process is defined as allelopathy: one organism has effects on another via the excretion of a (mixture of) chemical substance(s). With laboratory and field

Winter severity determines functional trait composition of phytoplankton in seasonally ice-covered lakes.

Science.gov (United States)

Özkundakci, Deniz; Gsell, Alena S; Hintze, Thomas; Täuscher, Helgard; Adrian, Rita

2016-01-01

How climate change will affect the community dynamics and functionality of lake ecosystems during winter is still little understood. This is also true for phytoplankton in seasonally ice-covered temperate lakes which are particularly vulnerable to the presence or absence of ice. We examined changes in pelagic phytoplankton winter community structure in a north temperate lake (Müggelsee, Germany), covering 18 winters between 1995 and 2013. We tested how phytoplankton taxa composition varied along a winter-severity gradient and to what extent winter severity shaped the functional trait composition of overwintering phytoplankton communities using multivariate statistical analyses and a functional trait-based approach. We hypothesized that overwintering phytoplankton communities are dominated by taxa with trait combinations corresponding to the prevailing winter water column conditions, using ice thickness measurements as a winter-severity indicator. Winter severity had little effect on univariate diversity indicators (taxon richness and evenness), but a strong relationship was found between the phytoplankton community structure and winter severity when taxon trait identity was taken into account. Species responses to winter severity were mediated by the key functional traits: motility, nutritional mode, and the ability to form resting stages. Accordingly, one or the other of two functional groups dominated the phytoplankton biomass during mild winters (i.e., thin or no ice cover; phototrophic taxa) or severe winters (i.e., thick ice cover; exclusively motile taxa). Based on predicted milder winters for temperate regions and a reduction in ice-cover durations, phytoplankton communities during winter can be expected to comprise taxa that have a relative advantage when the water column is well mixed (i.e., need not be motile) and light is less limiting (i.e., need not be mixotrophic). A potential implication of this result is that winter severity promotes different

Direct and indirect effects of ionizing radiation on grazer-phytoplankton interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Nascimento, Francisco J A; Bradshaw, Clare

2016-05-01

Risk assessment of exposure to radionuclides and radiation does not usually take into account the role of species interactions. We investigated how the transfer of carbon between a primary producer, Raphidocelis subcapitata, and a consumer, Daphnia magna, was affected by acute exposure to gamma radiation. In addition to unexposed controls, different treatments were used where: a) only D. magna (Z treatment); b) only R. subcapitata (P treatment) and c) both D. magna and R. subcapitata (ZP treatment) were exposed to one of three acute doses of gamma radiation (5, 50 and 100 Gy). We then compared differences among treatments for three endpoints: incorporation of carbon by D. magna, D. magna growth and R. subcapitata densities. Carbon incorporation was affected by which combination of species was irradiated and by the radiation dose. Densities of R. subcapitata at the end of the experiment were also affected by which species had been exposed to radiation. Carbon incorporation by D. magna was significantly lower in the Z treatment, indicating reduced grazing, an effect stronger with higher radiation doses, possibly due to direct effects of gamma radiation. Top-down indirect effects of this reduced grazing were also seen as R. subcapitata densities increased in the Z treatment due to decreased herbivory. The opposite pattern was observed in the P treatment where only R. subcapitata was exposed to gamma radiation, while the ZP treatment showed intermediate results for both endpoints. In the P treatments, carbon incorporation by D. magna was significantly higher than in the other treatments, suggesting a higher grazing pressure. This, together with direct effects of gamma radiation on R. subcapitata, probably significantly decreased phytoplankton densities in the P treatment. Our results highlight the importance of taking into account the role of species interactions when assessing the effects of exposure to gamma radiation in aquatic ecosystems. Copyright © 2016 The

Dose rate effect from the relationship between ICRU rectal dose and local control rate in intracavitary radiotherapy for carcinoma of the uterine cervix. Six fraction HDR and three-fraction LDR in three weeks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jingu, Kenichi; Akita, Yuzou; Ohmagari, Jyunichi

2001-01-01

The dose rate effect, low dose rate radiotherapy (LDR)/high dose rate radiotherapy (HDR), was calculated using the isoeffect ICRU rectal dose by intracavitary radiotherapy (ICRT) for uterine cervix cancer. The subjects analyzed consisted of 78 LDR and 74 HDR patients whose ICRU rectal dose could be calculated and whose local control as stage II/III cases could be evaluated. The point A dose in ICRT was 45-55 Gy/3 fractions/3 weeks for LDR and 30 Gy/6 fractions/3 weeks for HDR. The dose effect relationships associated with local control at each whole pelvis external radiation dose were calculated using the double integration method and Probit analysis, and the 50% and 90% local control ICRU rectal doses were calculated from this relationship. Finally, the dose rate effect LDR/HDR was determined from 50% and 90% local control doses. The dose rate effect calculated from the 50% local control dose was 1.24 and that from the 90% local control dose was 1.14. (author)

Seasonal development of phytoplankton populations in offshore Lake Michigan in 1975

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parker, J.I.; Conway, H.L.; Yaguchi, E.M.

1975-01-01

Relationships between phytoplankton bloom sequences and environmental factors that may account for seasonal variations have not been thoroughly evaluated in Lake Michigan. We investigated the seasonal periodicity of phytoplankton in the offshore water from April to December, 1975. The seasonal distributions of phytoplankton biomass, chlorophyll a, and primary productivity per unit of lake surface area were measured at station 5. These measurements demonstrated a bimodal seasonal distribution, with maxima occurring in June and October. Previous investigators have shown that the seasonal periodicity was unimodal, with a summer maximum. Our observations demonstrated year to year variations in this abundance pattern

Reversal in the relationship between species richness and turnover in a phytoplankton community.

Science.gov (United States)

Matthews, Blake; Pomati, Francesco

2012-11-01

Negative relationships between species richness and the rate of compositional turnover are common, suggesting that diverse communities have greater stability than depauperate ones; however, the mechanistic basis for this pattern is still widely debated. Species richness and turnover can covary either because they are mechanistically linked or because they share common environmental drivers. Few empirical studies have combined long-term changes in community composition with multiple drivers of environmental change, and so little is known about how the underlying mechanisms of species coexistence interact with changes in the mean and variability of environmental conditions. Here, we use a 33 year long time series (1976-2008) of phytoplankton community composition from Lake Zurich, to examine how environmental variation influences the relationship between richness and annual turnover. We find that the relationship between richness and annual turnover reverses midway through the time series (1992-1993), leading to a hump-shaped relationship between species richness and annual turnover. Using structural equation modeling we show that annual turnover and diversity are independently associated with different drivers of environmental change. Furthermore, we find that the observed annual sequences of community assembly give rise to rates of species accumulation that are more heterogeneous through time than expected by chance, likely owing to a high proportion of species showing significant autocorrelation and to strong positive covariation in the occurrences of species.

The dynamics of temperature and light on the growth of phytoplankton.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Ming; Fan, Meng; Liu, Rui; Wang, Xiaoyu; Yuan, Xing; Zhu, Huaiping

2015-11-21

Motivated by some lab and field observations of the hump shaped effects of water temperature and light on the growth of phytoplankton, a bottom-up nutrient phytoplankton model, which incorporates the combined effects of temperature and light, is proposed and analyzed to explore the dynamics of phytoplankton bloom. The population growth model reasonably captures such observed dynamics qualitatively. An ecological reproductive index is defined to characterize the growth of the phytoplankton which also allows a comprehensive analysis of the role of temperature and light on the growth and reproductive characteristics of phytoplankton in general. The model provides a framework to study the mechanisms of phytoplankton dynamics in shallow lake and may even be employed to study the controlled phytoplankton bloom. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of Phytoplankton Growth Phase on the Formation and Properties of Marine Snow

Science.gov (United States)

Montgomery, Q. W.; Proctor, K. W.; Prairie, J. C.

2016-02-01

Marine snow aggregates often dominate carbon export from the upper mixed layer to the deep ocean. Thus, understanding the formation and the properties of these aggregates is essential to the study of the biological pump. Aggregate formation is determined by both the encounter rate and the stickiness of the particles that they are composed of. Stickiness of phytoplankton has been linked to production of transparent exopolymer particles (TEP), which has been previously shown to vary in concentration throughout different parts of the phytoplankton growth cycle. The objective of this study is to determine the effects of the growth phase of the diatom Thalassiosira weissflogii to both TEP production and the properties of the resulting aggregates produced. Cultures of T. weissflogii were stopped at separate phases of the phytoplankton growth curve and incubated in rotating cylindrical tanks to form aggregates. Aggregate properties such as size, density, and porosity were measured at the end of each period of roller incubation. Preliminary results describe little variation in the size of the aggregates formed from different parts of the growth phase, but show a significant effect of growth phase on aggregate density. Density is an important factor in the settling of marine aggregates. Therefore, variations in aggregate density during different growth phases may have large implications for the efficiency of the biological pump during different stages of a phytoplankton bloom. Further examination will be performed on the potential effects of TEP abundance on the properties of the aggregates formed at separate growth phases and the resulting implications for carbon flux.

Winds and the distribution of nearshore phytoplankton in a stratified lake.

Science.gov (United States)

Cyr, Hélène

2017-10-01

The distribution of phytoplankton in lakes is notoriously patchy and dynamic, but wind-driven currents and algal buoyancy/motility are thought to determine where algae accumulate. In this study, nearshore phytoplankton were sampled from different parts of a lake basin twice a day for 4-5 consecutive days, in the spring and in late summer, to test whether short-term changes in phytoplankton biomass and community composition can be predicted from wind-driven currents. On windy days, phytoplankton biomass was higher at downwind than at upwind nearshore sites, and the magnitude of this difference increased linearly with increasing wind speed. However, contrary to the generally assumed downwind phytoplankton aggregations, these differences were mostly due to upwelling activity and the dilution of phytoplankton at upwind nearshore sites. The distribution of individual taxa was also related to wind speed, but only during late stratification (except for cryptophytes), and these relationships were consistent with the buoyancy and motility of each group. On windy days, large diatoms and cyanobacteria concentrated upwind, neutrally buoyant taxa (green algae, small diatoms) were homogeneously distributed, and motile taxa (cryptophytes, chrysophytes, dinoflagellates) concentrated downwind. Predictable differences in the biomass and composition of phytoplankton communities could affect the efficiency of trophic transfers in nearshore areas. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Phytoplankton biovolume is independent from the slope of the size spectrum in the oligotrophic atlantic ocean

KAUST Repository

Moreno-Ostos, Enrique; Blanco, José Marí a; Agusti, Susana; Lubiá n, Luis M.; Rodrí guez, Valeriano; Palomino, Roberto L.; Llabré s, Moira; Rodrí guez, Jaime

2015-01-01

high phytoplankton biovolume in productive regions with flatter spectrum slope and the opposite in oligotrophic ecosystems. Rather than this, the relationship between high biovolume phytoplankton assemblages and flatter size-abundance spectra does

Effects of ocean acidification on primary production in a coastal North Sea phytoplankton community.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tim Eberlein

Full Text Available We studied the effect of ocean acidification (OA on a coastal North Sea plankton community in a long-term mesocosm CO2-enrichment experiment (BIOACID II long-term mesocosm study. From March to July 2013, 10 mesocosms of 19 m length with a volume of 47.5 to 55.9 m3 were deployed in the Gullmar Fjord, Sweden. CO2 concentrations were enriched in five mesocosms to reach average CO2 partial pressures (pCO2 of 760 μatm. The remaining five mesocosms were used as control at ambient pCO2 of 380 μatm. Our paper is part of a PLOS collection on this long-term mesocosm experiment. Here, we here tested the effect of OA on total primary production (PPT by performing 14C-based bottle incubations for 24 h. Furthermore, photoacclimation was assessed by conducting 14C-based photosynthesis-irradiance response (P/I curves. Changes in chlorophyll a concentrations over time were reflected in the development of PPT, and showed higher phytoplankton biomass build-up under OA. We observed two subsequent phytoplankton blooms in all mesocosms, with peaks in PPT around day 33 and day 56. OA had no significant effect on PPT, except for a marginal increase during the second phytoplankton bloom when inorganic nutrients were already depleted. Maximum light use efficiencies and light saturation indices calculated from the P/I curves changed simultaneously in all mesocosms, and suggest that OA did not alter phytoplankton photoacclimation. Despite large variability in time-integrated productivity estimates among replicates, our overall results indicate that coastal phytoplankton communities can be affected by OA at certain times of the seasonal succession with potential consequences for ecosystem functioning.

Ecotoxicology of bromoacetic acid on estuarine phytoplankton

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gordon, Ana R.; Richardson, Tammi L.; Pinckney, James L.

2015-01-01

Bromoacetic acid is formed when effluent containing chlorine residuals react with humics in natural waters containing bromide. The objective of this research was to quantify the effects of bromoacetic acid on estuarine phytoplankton as a proxy for ecosystem productivity. Bioassays were used to measure the EC 50 for growth in cultured species and natural marine communities. Growth inhibition was estimated by changes in chlorophyll a concentrations measured by fluorometry and HPLC. The EC 50 s for cultured Thalassiosira pseudonana were 194 mg L −1 , 240 mg L −1 for Dunaliella tertiolecta and 209 mg L −1 for Rhodomonas salina. Natural phytoplankton communities were more sensitive to contamination with an EC 50 of 80 mg L −1 . Discriminant analysis suggested that bromoacetic acid additions cause an alteration of phytoplankton community structure with implications for higher trophic levels. A two-fold EC 50 decrease in mixed natural phytoplankton populations affirms the importance of field confirmation for establishing water quality criteria. - Highlights: • Bromoacetic acid exposure resulted in lethal impacts to estuarine phytoplankton. • Cultured phytoplankton were less sensitive to bromoacetic acid than natural communities. • Lab results should be confirmed with field experiments whenever possible. - The toxicology of haloacetic acids has been studied in freshwater ecosystems, and urbanization of the coastal zone is making effects in marine ecosystems equally relevant.

Effects of acidity on primary productivity in lakes: phytoplankton. [Lakes Panther, Sagamore, and Woods

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hendrey, G R

1979-01-01

Relationships between phytoplankton communities and lake acidity are being studied at Woods Lake (pH ca. 4.9), Sagamore Lake (pH ca. 5.5), and Panther Lake (pH ca. 7.0). Numbers of phytoplankton species observed as of July 31, 1979 are Woods 27, Sagamore 38, and Panther 64, conforming to other observations that species numbers decrease with increasing acidity. Patterns of increasing biomass and productivity found in Woods Lake may be atypical of similar oligotrophic lakes in that they develop rather slowly instead of occuring very close to ice-out. Contributions of netplankton (net > 48 ..mu..m), nannoplankton (48 > nanno > 20 ..mu..m) and ultraplankton (20 > ultra >0.45 ..mu..m) to productivity per m/sup -2/ show that the smaller plankton are relatively more important in the more acid lakes. This pattern could be determined by nutrient availability (lake acidification leading to decreased availability of phosphorus). The amount of /sup 14/C-labelled dissolved photosynthate (/sup 14/C-DOM), as a percent of total productivity, is ordered Woods > Sagamore > Panther. This is consistent with a hypothesis that microbial heterotrophic activity is reduced with increasing acidity, but the smaller phytoplankton may be more leaky at low pH. (ERB)

Dose-response relationship for breast cancer induction at radiotherapy dose

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gruber Günther

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Purpose Cancer induction after radiation therapy is known as a severe side effect. It is therefore of interest to predict the probability of second cancer appearance for the patient to be treated including breast cancer. Materials and methods In this work a dose-response relationship for breast cancer is derived based on (i the analysis of breast cancer induction after Hodgkin's disease, (ii a cancer risk model developed for high doses including fractionation based on the linear quadratic model, and (iii the reconstruction of treatment plans for Hodgkin's patients treated with radiotherapy, (iv the breast cancer induction of the A-bomb survivor data. Results The fitted model parameters for an α/β = 3 Gy were α = 0.067Gy-1 and R = 0.62. The risk for breast cancer is according to this model for small doses consistent with the finding of the A-bomb survivors, has a maximum at doses of around 20 Gy and drops off only slightly at larger doses. The predicted EAR for breast cancer after radiotherapy of Hodgkin's disease is 11.7/10000PY which can be compared to the findings of several epidemiological studies where EAR for breast cancer varies between 10.5 and 29.4/10000PY. The model was used to predict the impact of the reduction of radiation volume on breast cancer risk. It was estimated that mantle field irradiation is associated with a 3.2-fold increased risk compared with mediastinal irradiation alone, which is in agreement with a published value of 2.7. It was also shown that the modelled age dependency of breast cancer risk is in satisfying agreement with published data. Conclusions The dose-response relationship obtained in this report can be used for the prediction of radiation induced secondary breast cancer of radiotherapy patients.

Notes on the effect of dose uncertainty

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morris, M.D.

1987-01-01

The apparent dose-response relationship between amount of exposure to acute radiation and level of mortality in humans is affected by uncertainties in the dose values. It is apparent that one of the greatest concerns regarding the human data from Hiroshima and Nagasaki is the unexpectedly shallow slope of the dose response curve. This may be partially explained by uncertainty in the dose estimates. Some potential effects of dose uncertainty on the apparent dose-response relationship are demonstrated

Phytoplankton and Climate

Science.gov (United States)

Moisan, John R.

2009-01-01

Ocean phytoplankton supply about half of the oxygen that humans utilize to sustain life. In this lecture, we will explore how phytoplankton plays a critical role in modulating the Earth's climate. These tiny organisms are the base of the Ocean's food web. They can modulate the rate at which solar heat is absorbed by the ocean, either through direct absorption or through production of highly scattering cellular coverings. They take up and help sequester carbon dioxide, a key greenhouse gas that modulated the Earth's climate. They are the source of cloud nucleation gases that are key to cloud formation/processes. They are also able to modify the nutrient budgets of the ocean through active uptake of inert atmospheric nitrogen. Climate variations have a pronounced impact on phytoplankton dynamics. Long term variations in the climate have been studied through geological interpretations on its influence on phytoplankton populations. The presentation will focus on presenting the numerous linkages that have been observed between climate and phytoplankton and further discuss how present climate change scenarios are likely to impact phytoplankton populations as well as present findings from several studies that have tried to understand how the climate might react to the feedbacks from these numerous climate-phytop|ankton linkages.

Effect of Chemical and Physical Properties of River Water in Shatt Al-Hilla on Phytoplankton Communities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fikrat M. Hassan

2008-01-01

Full Text Available This paper aims to study the chemical and physical properties in the ecological system of Shatt Al-Hilla in Babylon Governorate in Iraq and its effect on phytoplankton population. In this context, several limnological parameters were evaluated during the period from December 2003 through November 2004 from four sampling stations sited along Shatt Al-Hilla. The physical parameters included: temperature, turbidity and electrical conductivity. The chemical parameters included: pH, alkalinity dissolved oxygen, total hardness and the concentrations of nitrite, nitrate, phosphate and sulphate. A total of 154 species were recorded. Ninety-seven species of the total belong to Bacillariophyceae, 37 species belong to Chlorophyceae, 13 species to Cyanophyceae, 5 species to Chrysophyceae, and 2 species to Euglenophyceae. Bimodal variation of phytoplankton was observed. Five genus of phytoplankton were the highest number of species ( Nitzschia, Navicula, Gomphonema, Cymbella and Scendesmus. Some species was occurred continuously during study period such as, Cyclotella ocellata, Cyclotella meneghiniana, Aulacoseria distans, and Gomphonema abbreviatum. The phytoplankton communities at all sampling sites showed a clear seasonal variation in phytoplankton cell number. However, no significant correlation between total cell number of phytoplankton and nutrient concentration was observed. The study was revealed the city sewage discharge, agriculture and urban run-off were affecting the water quality of Shatt Al-Hilla.

Lipid-rich and protein-poor carbon allocation patterns of phytoplankton in the northern Chukchi Sea, 2011

Science.gov (United States)

Yun, Mi Sun; Joo, Hui Tae; Park, Jung Woo; Kang, Jae Joong; Kang, Sung-Ho; Lee, Sang H.

2018-04-01

The carbon allocations of phytoplankton into different photosynthetic end products (lipids, LMWM, polysaccharides, and proteins) were determined to understand physiological conditions of phytoplankton in the northern Chukchi Sea during the Korean Arctic expedition, 2011, using the 13C isotope tracer technique. The carbon allocation rates of lipids, LMWM, polysaccharides, and proteins were 0.00009-0.00062 h-1, 0.00001-0.00049 h-1, 0.00001-0.00025 h-1, and 0.00001-0.00062 h-1 within the euphotic depths from surface to 1% light depths during our cruise period, respectively. Significant relationships between protein production rates and chlorophyll a concentrations (large and total) were found in this study. Moreover, we found a significant negative relationship between lipid production rates and ammonium concentrations. These relationships match well with the previous results for environmental/physiological conditions for phytoplankton growth. Overall, phytoplankton allocated more photosynthetic carbon into lipids (42.5 ± 17.7%) whereas relatively lower to proteins (20.4 ± 15.5%) in this study. The lipid-rich and protein-poor allocation patterns in this study suggest that phytoplankton in the northern Chukchi Sea were in a stationary growth phase under nutrient deficient condition based on biological and environmental conditions observed during our study period. Based on comparison with the previous studies in the northern Bering Sea and southern Chukchi Sea, we found that the photosynthetic carbon allocation patterns depending on physiological status of phytoplankton under the different growth and/or nutrient conditions could be largely vary at different regions in the Arctic Ocean. More intensive research on the physiological status of phytoplankton is further required to determine how phytoplankton response to the changing environmental conditions and consequently how they impact on higher trophic levels in marine ecosystems in the Arctic Ocean.

Photophysiological and light absorption properties of phytoplankton communities in the river-dominated margin of the northern Gulf of Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Chakraborty, Sumit; Lohrenz, Steven E.; Gundersen, Kjell

2017-06-01

Spatial and temporal variability in photophysiological properties of phytoplankton were examined in relationship to phytoplankton community composition in the river-dominated continental margin of the northern Gulf of Mexico (NGOM). Observations made during five research cruises in the NGOM included phytoplankton photosynthetic and optical properties and associated environmental conditions and phytoplankton community structure. Distinct patterns of spatial and temporal variability in photophysiological parameters were found for waters dominated by different phytoplankton groups. Photophysiological properties for locations associated with dominance by a particular group of phytoplankton showed evidence of photoacclimation as reflected by differences in light absorption and pigment characteristics in relationship to different light environments. The maximum rate of photosynthesis normalized to chlorophyll (PmaxB) was significantly higher for communities dominated (>60% biomass) by cyanobacteria + prochlorophyte (cyano + prochl). The initial slope of the photosynthesis-irradiance (P-E) curve normalized to chlorophyll (αB) was not clearly related to phytoplankton community structure and no significant differences were found in PmaxB and αB between different geographic regions. In contrast, maximum quantum yield of carbon fixation in photosynthesis (Φcmax) differed significantly between regions and was higher for diatom-dominated communities. Multiple linear regression models, specific for the different phytoplankton communities, using a combination of environmental and bio-optical proxies as predictor variables showed considerable promise for estimation of the photophysiological parameters on a regional scale. Such an approach may be utilized to develop size class-specific or phytoplankton group-specific primary productivity models for the NGOM.Plain Language SummaryThis study examined the relationships between phytoplankton community composition and associated

Non-monotonic dose-response relationships and endocrine disruptors: a qualitative method of assessment

OpenAIRE

Lagarde, Fabien; Beausoleil, Claire; Belcher, Scott M; Belzunces, Luc P; Emond, Claude; Guerbet, Michel; Rousselle, Christophe

2015-01-01

International audience; Experimental studies investigating the effects of endocrine disruptors frequently identify potential unconventional dose-response relationships called non-monotonic dose-response (NMDR) relationships. Standardized approaches for investigating NMDR relationships in a risk assessment context are missing. The aim of this work was to develop criteria for assessing the strength of NMDR relationships. A literature search was conducted to identify published studies that repor...

Effects of Phytoplankton Growth Phase on Delayed Settling Behavior of Marine Snow Aggregates at Sharp Density Transitions

Science.gov (United States)

Proctor, K. W.; Montgomery, Q. W.; Prairie, J. C.

2016-02-01

Marine snow aggregates play a fundamental role in the marine carbon cycle. Since marine snow aggregates are larger and thus sink faster than individual phytoplankton, aggregates often dominate carbon flux. Previous studies have shown that marine snow aggregates will significantly decrease their settling velocity when passing through sharp density transitions within the ocean, a phenomenon defined as delayed settling. Given the importance of aggregate settling to carbon export, these small-scale changes in aggregate settling dynamics may have significant impacts on the efficiency of the biological pump. However, there is still a lack of knowledge about how different physical properties of aggregates can affect this delayed settling. In this study, we investigated the effect of phytoplankton growth phase on delayed settling behavior. Using phytoplankton cultures stopped at four different growth phases, we formed marine snow aggregates in the laboratory in rotating cylindrical tanks. We then observed individual aggregates as they settled through a stratified tank. We will present data which illustrates that aggregates experience greatly reduced settling rates when passing through sharp density gradients and that the growth phase of the phytoplankton used to form these aggregates has a significant effect on this delayed settling behavior. A thorough understanding of the impact of phytoplankton growth phase on the delayed settling behavior of marine snow will offer insight into the way phytoplankton growth phase may influence the efficiency of the biological pump, carbon flux, and the carbon cycle as a whole.

Biological Effects of Low-Dose Exposure

CERN Document Server

Komochkov, M M

2000-01-01

On the basis of the two-protection reaction model an analysis of stochastic radiobiological effects of low-dose exposure of different biological objects has been carried out. The stochastic effects are the results published in the last decade: epidemiological studies of human cancer mortality, the yield of thymocyte apoptosis of mice and different types of chromosomal aberrations. The results of the analysis show that as dependent upon the nature of biological object, spontanous effect, exposure conditions and radiation type one or another form dose - effect relationship is realized: downwards concave, near to linear and upwards concave with the effect of hormesis included. This result testifies to the incomplete conformity of studied effects of 1990 ICRP recomendations based on the linear no-threshold hypothesis about dose - effect relationship. Because of this the methodology of radiation risk estimation recomended by ICRP needs more precisian and such quantity as collective dose ought to be classified into...

Effects of Water Level Increase on Phytoplankton Assemblages in a Drinking Water Reservoir

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yangdong Pan

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Excessive water level fluctuation may affect physico-chemical characteristics, and consequently ecosystem function, in lakes and reservoirs. In this study, we assessed the changes of phytoplankton assemblages in response to water level increase in Danjiangkou Reservoir, one of the largest drinking water reservoirs in Asia. The water level increased from a low of 137 m to 161 m in 2014 as a part of the South–North Water Diversion Project. Phytoplankton assemblages were sampled four times per year before, during and after the water level increase, at 10 sites. Environmental variables such as total nitrogen as well as phytoplankton biomass decreased after the water level increase. Non-metric multi-dimensional scaling analysis indicated that before the water level increase, phytoplankton assemblages showed distinct seasonal variation with diatom dominance in both early and late seasons while such seasonal variation was much less evident after the water level increase. Month and year (before and after explained 13% and 6% of variance in phytoplankton assemblages (PERMANOVA, p < 0.001 respectively, and phytoplankton assemblages were significantly different before and after the water level increase. Both chlorophytes and cyanobacteria became more abundant in 2015. Phytoplankton compositional change may largely reflect the environmental changes, such as hydrodynamics mediated by the water level increase.

Allelopathic effect of the aquatic macrophyte, Stratiotes aloides, on natural phytoplankton

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mulderij, G.; Mau, B.; Smolders, A.J.P.; Van Donk, E.

2006-01-01

A survey of different Dutch Stratiotes stands showed that the density of phytoplankton (except cyanobacteria) was always higher outside S. aloides than between the rosettes of S. aloides. Analyses of water samples revealed that nutrient limitation was unlikely to have caused the lower phytoplankton

Dose-response relationships for carcinogens: a review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zeise, L.; Wilson, R.; Crouch, E.A.C.

1987-01-01

The authors review the experimental evidence for various shapes of dose-response relationships for carcinogens and summarize those experiments that give the most information on relatively low doses. A brief review of some models is given to illustrate the shapes of dose-response curve expected from them. Their major interest is in the use of dose-response relationships to estimate risks to humans at low doses, and so they pay special attention to experimentally observed and theoretically expected nonlinearities. There are few experimental examples of nonlinear dose-response relations in humans, but this may simply be due to the limitations in the data. The several examples in rodents, even though for high dose data, suggest that nonlinearity is common. In some cases such nonlinearities may be rationalized on the basis of the pharmacokinetics of the test compound or its metabolites

Interannual Variation in Phytoplankton Concentration and Community in the Pacific Ocean

Science.gov (United States)

Rousseaux, C. S.; Gregg, W. W.

2011-01-01

Climate events such as El Nino have been shown to have an effect on the biology of our ocean. Because of the lack of data, we still have very little knowledge about the spatial and temporal effect these climate events may have on biological marine systems. In this study, we used the NASA Ocean Biogeochemical Model (NOBM) to assess the interannual variability in phytoplankton community in the Pacific Ocean between 1998 and 2005. In the North Central and Equatorial Pacific Ocean, changes in the Multivariate El Nino Index were associated with changes in phytoplankton composition. The model identified an increase in diatoms of approx.33 % in the equatorial Pacific in 1999 during a La Nina event. This increase in diatoms coincided with a decrease of approx.11 % in cyanobacteria concentration. The inverse relationship between cyanobacteria and diatoms concentration was significant (pphytoplankton groups known to lead to contrasting food chain at a spatial and temporal resolution unachievable when relying solely on in-situ observations.

Climate Variability and Phytoplankton in the Pacific Ocean

Science.gov (United States)

Rousseaux, Cecile

2012-01-01

The effect of climate variability on phytoplankton communities was assessed for the tropical and sub-tropical Pacific Ocean between 1998 and 2005 using an established biogeochemical assimilation model. The phytoplankton communities exhibited wide range of responses to climate variability, from radical shifts in the Equatorial Pacific, to changes of only a couple of phytoplankton groups in the North Central Pacific, to no significant changes in the South Pacific. In the Equatorial Pacific, climate variability dominated the variability of phytoplankton. Here, nitrate, chlorophyll and all but one of the 4 phytoplankton types (diatoms, cyanobacteria and coccolithophores) were strongly correlated (pphytoplankton groups (chlorophytes and coccolithophores). Ocean biology in the South Pacific was not significantly correlated with MEI. During La Nina events, diatoms increased and expanded westward along the cold tongue (correlation with MEI, r=-0.81), while cyanobacteria concentrations decreased significantly (r=0.78). El Nino produced the reverse pattern, with cyanobacteria populations increasing while diatoms plummeted. The diverse response of phytoplankton in the different major basins of the Pacific suggests the different roles climate variability can play in ocean biology.

Biochemical and cellular mechanisms of low-dose effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feinendegen, L.E.; Booz, J.; Muehlensiepen, H.

1988-01-01

The question of health effects from small radiation doses remains open. Individual cells, when being hit by single elemental doses - in low-dose irradiation - react acutely and temporarily by altering control of enzyme activity, as is demonstrated for the case of thymidine kinase. This response is not constant in that it provides a temporary protection of enzyme activity against a second irradiation, by a mechanism likely to be via improved detoxification of intracellular radicals. It must be considered that in the low-dose region radiation may also exert protection against other challenges involving radicals, causing a net beneficial effect by temporarily shielding the hit cell against radicals produced by metabolism. Since molecular alterations leading to late effects are considered a consequence of the initial cellular response, late effects from small radiation doses do not necessarily adhere to a linear dose-effect relationship. The reality of the linear relationship between the risk of late effects from high doses to small doses is an assumption, for setting dose limits, but it must not be taken for predicting health detriment from low doses. (author)

Dynamics of phytoplankton blooms in turbulent vortex cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lindemann, Christian; Visser, Andre; Mariani, Patrizio

2017-01-01

the effects of turbulent transport on the phytoplankton population growth and its spatial structure in a vertical two-dimensional vortex flow field. In particular, we focus on how turbulent flow velocities and sinking influence phytoplankton growth and biomass aggregation. Our results indicate that conditions...... can be maintained with increasing turbulent flow velocities, allowing the apparently counter-intuitive persistence of fast sinking phytoplankton populations in highly turbulent and deep mixed layers. These dynamics demonstrate the role of considering advective transport within a turbulent vortex...

Continuous Dose-Response Response Relationship of the LDL-Cholesterol-Lowering Effect of Phytosterol Intake 1,2

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Demonty, I.; Ras, R.T.; Knaap, van der H.C.M.; Duchateau, G.S.M.J.E.; Meijer, L.; Zock, P.L.; Geleijnse, J.M.; Trautwein, E.A.

2009-01-01

Phytosterols (plant sterols and stanols) are well known for their LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C)¿lowering effect. A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials in adults was performed to establish a continuous dose-response relationship that would allow predicting the LDL-C¿lowering efficacy of different

Measurement of phytoplankton photosynthesis rate using a pump-and-probe fluorometer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Taras K. Antal

2001-09-01

Full Text Available In this work we have studied the possibility of determining the rate of phytoplankton photosynthesis in situ using a submersible pump-and-probe fluorometer in water areas differing in their trophic level, as well as in climatic and hydrophysical characteristics. A biophysical model was used to describe the relationship between photosynthesis, underwater irradiance, and the intensity of phytoplankton fluorescence excited by an artificial light source. Fluorescence intensity was used as a measure of light absorption by phytoplankton and for assessing the efficiency of photochemical energy conversion at photosynthetic reaction centers. Parameters of the model that could not be measured experimentally were determined by calibrating fluorescence and irradiance data against the primary production measured in the Baltic Sea with the radioactive carbon method. It was shown that the standard deviation of these parameters in situ did not exceed 20%, and the use of their mean values to estimate the phytoplankton photosynthetic rate showed a good correlation between the calculated and meas

Non-Linearity of dose-effect relationship on the example of cytogenetic effects in plant cells at low level exposure to ionising radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oudalova, Alla; Geras'kin, Stanislav; Dikarev, Vladimir; Dikareva, Nina; Chernonog, Elena; Copplestone, David; Evseeva, Tatyana

2006-01-01

Over several decades, modelling the effects of ionizing radiation on biological system has relied on the target principle [Timofeeff-Ressovsky et al., 1935], which assumes that cell damage or modification to genes appear as a direct consequence of the exposure of biological macromolecules to charged particles. Furthermore, it is assumed that there is no threshold for the induction of biological damage and that the effects observed are proportional to the energy absorbed. Following this principle, the average number of hits per target should increase linearly with dose, and the yield of mutations per unit of dose is assumed to be the same at both low and high doses (linearity of response). This principle has served as the scientific background for the linear no-threshold (LNT) concept that forms the basis for the radiological protection for the public and the environment [ICRP, 1990]. It follows from the LNT that there is an additional risk for human health from exposure to any radiation level, even below natural background. Since the mid 50's, however, the scientific basis for the LNT concept has been challenged as experimental data have shown that, at low doses, there was a non linear relationship in the dose response. Luchnik and Timofeeff-Ressovsky were the first who showed a non-linear response to a low dose exposure [Luchnik, 1957; Timofeeff-Ressovsky and Luchnik, 1960]. Since then, many data have been accumulated which contradict the LNT model at low doses and dose rates. However, the hit-effect paradigm has become such a strong and indissoluble fact that it has persisted even under the growing pressure of scientific evidence for phenomena at low dose exposure that can not be successfully accounted for by the LNT concept. In recent years, additional information on non-targeted effects of radiation has been accumulated following the first reports of an adaptive response in human lymphocytes [Olivieri et al., 1984] as well as bystander mutagenic effect of alpha

Non-Linearity of dose-effect relationship on the example of cytogenetic effects in plant cells at low level exposure to ionising radiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oudalova, Alla; Geras' kin, Stanislav; Dikarev, Vladimir; Dikareva, Nina; Chernonog, Elena [Russian Institute of Agricultural Radiology and Agroecology, RIARAE, 249032 Obninsk (Russian Federation); Copplestone, David [Environment Agency, Millbank Tower, 25th. Floor, 21/24 Millbank, London, SW1P 4XL (United Kingdom); Evseeva, Tatyana [Institute of Biology, Kommunisticheskaya st., 28 Syktyvkar 167610, Komi Republic (Russian Federation)

2006-07-01

Over several decades, modelling the effects of ionizing radiation on biological system has relied on the target principle [Timofeeff-Ressovsky et al., 1935], which assumes that cell damage or modification to genes appear as a direct consequence of the exposure of biological macromolecules to charged particles. Furthermore, it is assumed that there is no threshold for the induction of biological damage and that the effects observed are proportional to the energy absorbed. Following this principle, the average number of hits per target should increase linearly with dose, and the yield of mutations per unit of dose is assumed to be the same at both low and high doses (linearity of response). This principle has served as the scientific background for the linear no-threshold (LNT) concept that forms the basis for the radiological protection for the public and the environment [ICRP, 1990]. It follows from the LNT that there is an additional risk for human health from exposure to any radiation level, even below natural background. Since the mid 50's, however, the scientific basis for the LNT concept has been challenged as experimental data have shown that, at low doses, there was a non linear relationship in the dose response. Luchnik and Timofeeff-Ressovsky were the first who showed a non-linear response to a low dose exposure [Luchnik, 1957; Timofeeff-Ressovsky and Luchnik, 1960]. Since then, many data have been accumulated which contradict the LNT model at low doses and dose rates. However, the hit-effect paradigm has become such a strong and indissoluble fact that it has persisted even under the growing pressure of scientific evidence for phenomena at low dose exposure that can not be successfully accounted for by the LNT concept. In recent years, additional information on non-targeted effects of radiation has been accumulated following the first reports of an adaptive response in human lymphocytes [Olivieri et al., 1984] as well as bystander mutagenic effect of

Influence of dose and its distribution in time on dose-response relationships for low-LET radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1980-01-01

This book examines the influence of dose rate and magnitude on the genetic and carcinogenic effects of radiation exposure in animals and man. It systematically examines a broad range of biological effects in simple systems, plants, laboratory animals, and man with special attention given to the effects of prenatal irradiation, changes in life span, and tumorigenesis. An enormous volume of data is provided about human tumorigenesis and the data and shortcomings are summarized. There is an extended general discussion of the consideration in quantitative dose and dose rate relationships and of the limitations of the data and analyses which have led to a linear interpolation of risk at low doses and dose rates. An argument is made for dose rate dependence in tumorigenesis as being consistent with all other radiation effects and for the applicability of Dose Rate Effectiveness Factors (DREF) in providing a more realistic assessment of the risk of radiation carcinogenesis. The report is documented with 24 pages of references. There are numerous graphs and tables, all clear and to the point. This book is a superb review and summary of the data on radiation risks

Dose-effect relationships for the US radium dial painters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thomas, R.G.

1995-01-01

Dose-response data are presented from a large percentage of the US workers who were exposed to radium through the painting of luminous dials. The data in this paper are only from females, because very few males worked in this occupation. Log-normal analyses were done for radium-induced bone sarcomas and head carcinomas after the populations of the respective doses were first determined to be log-normally distributed. These populations included luminisers who expressed no radium-related cancerous condition. In this study of the female radium luminisers, the most important data concerning radiation protection are probably from workers who were exposed to radium but showed no cancer incidence. A total of 1391 subjects with average measured skeletal doses below 10 Gy are in this category. A primary purpose is to illustrate the strong case that 226,228 Ra is representative of those radionuclides that exemplify in humans a 'threshold' dose, a dose below which there has been no observed health effects on the exposed individual. Application of a threshold dose for radium deposited in the skeleton does not mean to imply that any other source of skeletal irradiation should be considered to follow a similar pattern. Second, a policy issue that begs for attention is the economic consequence of forcing radiation to appear as a highly toxic insult. It is time to evaluate the data objectively instead of formatting the extrapolation scheme beforehand and forcing the data to fit a preconceived pattern such as linearity through the dose-effect origin. In addition, it is time to re-evaluate (again) variations in background radiation levels throughout the world and to cease being concerned with, and regulating against, miniscule doses for which no biomedical effects on humans have ever been satisfactorily identified or quantified. (author)

Effects of ultraviolet light on photosynthesis and pigments of Antarctic marine phytoplankton

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stephens, F.C.

1989-01-01

This field study was conducted at Palmer Station, Anvers Island, Antarctica, during November-December, 1987. The main objectives were to quantify the effects on photosynthetic rates and pigmentation of short-term and long-term exposures of Antarctic phytoplankton to different levels of UV radiation. Phytoplankton and ice algae were exposed to four levels of UV radiation in outdoor incubation chambers: near ambient UV; UV enhanced by approximately 5% over ambient levels; reduced UV-B; and essentially no UV. Results of 4-hour studies showed that rates of phytoplankton photosynthesis were generally inversely related to UV exposure. Higher photosynthetic rates were maintained over a greater range of irradiance levels when UV was removed in photosynthesis-irradiance studies. Photosynthetic pigments did not change with variations in either visible or UV light. After adaptation for 24 hours, photosynthetic rate measured under conditions of essentially no UV was approximately twice that measured under near ambient UV conditions. Results of photosynthesis-irradiance experiments indicate that photosynthetic efficiencies (α), maximum photosynthetic rates (P max ) and the index of inhibition (I b ) were inversely related to UV levels, probably due at least in part to the loss of chlorophyll a

Chronic health effects in people exposed to arsenic via the drinking water: dose-response relationships in review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshida, Takahiko; Yamauchi, Hiroshi; Sun Guifan

2004-01-01

Chronic arsenic (As) poisoning has become a worldwide public health issue. Most human As exposure occurs from consumption of drinking water containing high amounts of inorganic As (iAs). In this paper, epidemiological studies conducted on the dose-response relationships between iAs exposure via the drinking water and related adverse health effects are reviewed. Before the review, the methods for evaluation of the individual As exposure are summarized and classified into two types, that is, the methods depending on As concentration of the drinking water and the methods depending on biological monitoring for As exposure; certain methods may be applied as optimum As exposure indexes to study dose-response relationship based on various As exposure situation. Chronic effects of iAs exposure via drinking water include skin lesions, neurological effects, hypertension, peripheral vascular disease, cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, diabetes mellitus, and malignancies including skin cancer. The skin is quite sensitive to arsenic, and skin lesions are some of the most common and earliest nonmalignant effects related to chronic As exposure. The increase of prevalence in the skin lesions has been observed even at the exposure levels in the range of 0.005-0.01 mg/l As in drinking waters. Skin, lung, bladder, kidney, liver, and uterus are considered as sites As-induced malignancies, and the skin is though to be perhaps the most sensitive site. Prospective studies in large area of endemic As poisoning, like Bangladesh or China, where the rate of malignancies is expected to increase within the next several decades, will help to clarify the dose-response relationship between As exposure levels and adverse health effects with enhanced accuracy

Effect of ocean acidification on the nutritional quality of phytoplankton for copepod reproduction

Science.gov (United States)

Meyers, M.; Cochlan, W. P.; Kimmerer, W.; Carpenter, E. J.

2016-02-01

Phytoplankton are the oceans' primary producers of essential polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), which provide marine organisms with nutrients needed for health and reproduction. It is hypothesized that future ocean acidification (OA) conditions could change the availability of phytoplankton PUFAs for ecologically significant predators such as copepods, affecting their reproductive success. Three species of phytoplankton (Rhodomonas salina, Skeletonema marinoi, Prorocentrum micans) were cultured under present-day (400ppm CO2, pH 8.1) and predicted future (1000ppm CO2, pH 7.8) oceanic conditions. For four days, female Acartia tonsa copepods were fed a phytoplankton mixture from either the present-day or predicted-future treatment. To assess changes in phytoplankton PUFA content, fatty acid profiles were analyzed via capillary gas chromatography. Copepod egg production (EP), hatching success (HS), and egg viability (EV) were determined to assess copepod reproductive success. Fatty acid analysis shows essential PUFAs comprise a smaller percentage of total fatty acids in phytoplankton cultured under high pCO2 (Rho 21.5%; Ske 14.1%; Pro 14.4%) compared to those cultured under present-day pCO2 (Rho 28.8%, Ske 32.7%, Pro 39.3%). Copepod reproduction data demonstrate that females fed phytoplankton cultured under high pCO2 have significantly lower EP (μ=14.3 eggs female-1), HS (μ=35.8%), and EV (μ=12.5%) compared to reproductive success of females fed phytoplankton cultured under present-day CO2 (EP μ=27.0 eggs female-1; HS μ=91.5%; EV μ=96.6%). This study demonstrates that OA can change the nutritional quality of primary producers, which can affect the reproductive success of fundamental secondary consumers.

Photosynthetic carbon metabolism in freshwater phytoplankton

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Groeger, A.W.

1986-01-01

Photosynthetic carbon metabolism of natural assemblages of freshwater phytoplankton was measured by following the flow of inorganic 14 C into the photosynthetic end products polysaccharide protein, lipid, and soluble metabolites. Data were collected from a wide range of physical, chemical, and trophic conditions in six southern United States reservoirs, with the primary environmental variables of interest being light intensity and nutrient supply. Polysaccharide and protein were consistently the primary products of photosynthetic carbon metabolism, comprising an average of 70% of the total carbon fixation over a wide range of light intensities. Polysaccharide was quantitatively more important at higher light intensities, and protein at lower light intensities, as light intensity varied both with depth within the water column and over diurnal cycles. Polysaccharide synthesis was more variable over the diurnal period than was protein synthesis. Phytoplankton in the downlake epilimnion of Normandy Lake, a central Tennessee reservoir, responded to summer nitrogen (N) deficiency by increasing relative rates of lipid synthesis from 10-15% to 20-25% of the total photosynthetic carbon fixation. Phytoplankton in more nitrogen-sufficient areas of the reservoir maintained lower rates of lipid synthesis throughout the summer. These results document the occurrence in nature of a relationship between N-deficiency and increased lipid synthesis previously observed only in laboratory algal culture studies

Retrieval of phytoplankton cell size from chlorophyll a specific absorption and scattering spectra of phytoplankton.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Wen; Wang, Guifen; Li, Cai; Xu, Zhantang; Cao, Wenxi; Shen, Fang

2017-10-20

Phytoplankton cell size is an important property that affects diverse ecological and biogeochemical processes, and analysis of the absorption and scattering spectra of phytoplankton can provide important information about phytoplankton size. In this study, an inversion method for extracting quantitative phytoplankton cell size data from these spectra was developed. This inversion method requires two inputs: chlorophyll a specific absorption and scattering spectra of phytoplankton. The average equivalent-volume spherical diameter (ESD v ) was calculated as the single size approximation for the log-normal particle size distribution (PSD) of the algal suspension. The performance of this method for retrieving cell size was assessed using the datasets from cultures of 12 phytoplankton species. The estimations of a(λ) and b(λ) for the phytoplankton population using ESD v had mean error values of 5.8%-6.9% and 7.0%-10.6%, respectively, compared to the a(λ) and b(λ) for the phytoplankton populations using the log-normal PSD. The estimated values of C i ESD v were in good agreement with the measurements, with r 2 =0.88 and relative root mean square error (NRMSE)=25.3%, and relatively good performances were also found for the retrieval of ESD v with r 2 =0.78 and NRMSE=23.9%.

Dose-response relationship in clinical oncology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gehan, E.A.

1984-01-01

The relationship of dose (and dose rate) to response and toxicity in clinical oncology is reviewed. The concepts expressed by some authors in dose-response studies in animal and human systems are reviewed briefly. Dose rate and tactics of conducting clinical studies are reviewed for both radiotherapy and various types of chemotherapeutic treatment. Examples are given from clinical studies in Hodgkin's disease, acute leukemia, and breast cancer that may prove useful in planning future clinical studies

Physiological ecology of SRS Carolina bay phytoplankton communities: Effects of nutrient changes and CO2 sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williams, J.B.

1992-11-01

Impacts of land-use activities on wetland ecosystems are important issues for environmental planners, conservation groups, and government agencies. The progress report of this project at DOE's Savannah River Site focused on two specific objectives: determination of the effects of nutrient enrichment (fertilizing during wetlands restoration) on phytoplankton communities and comparison of phytoplankton community dynamics during the current extended hydroperiod for Carolina Bays with patterns in previous drier years

Assessing triclosan-induced ecological and trans-generational effects in natural phytoplankton communities: a trait-based field method.

Science.gov (United States)

Pomati, Francesco; Nizzetto, Luca

2013-07-01

We exposed replicated phytoplankton communities confined in semi-permeable membrane-based mesocosms to 0, 0.1, 1 and 10 μg L(-1) triclosan (TCS) and placed them back in their original environment to investigate the occurrence of trans-generational responses at individual, population and community levels. TCS diffused out of mesocosms with a half-life of less than 8 h, so that only the parental generation was directly stressed. At the beginning of the experiment and after 7 days (approximately 2 generations) we analysed responses in the phytoplankton using scanning flow-cytometry. We acquired information on several individually expressed phenotypic traits, such as size, biovolume, pigment fluorescence and packaging, for thousands of individuals per replicated population and derived population and community aggregated traits. We found significant changes in community functioning (increased productivity in terms of biovolume and total fluorescence), with maximal effects at 1 μg L(-1) TCS. We detected significant and dose-dependent responses on population traits, such as changes in abundance for several populations, increased average size and fluorescence of cells, and strong changes in within-population trait mean and variance (suggesting micro-evolutionary effects). We applied the Price equation approach to partition community effects (changes in biovolume or fluorescence) in their physiological and ecological components, and quantified the residual component (including also evolutionary responses). Our results suggested that evolutionary or inheritable phenotypic plasticity responses may represent a significant component of the total observed change following exposure and over relatively small temporal scales.

The Dose Response Relationship for Radiation Carcinogenesis

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, Eric

2008-03-01

Recent surveys show that the collective population radiation dose from medical procedures in the U.S. has increased by 750% in the past two decades. It would be impossible to imagine the practice of medicine today without diagnostic and therapeutic radiology, but nevertheless the widespread and rapidly increasing use of a modality which is a known human carcinogen is a cause for concern. To assess the magnitude of the problem it is necessary to establish the shape of the dose response relationship for radiation carcinogenesis. Information on radiation carcinogenesis comes from the A-bomb survivors, from occupationally exposed individuals and from radiotherapy patients. The A-bomb survivor data indicates a linear relationship between dose and the risk of solid cancers up to a dose of about 2.5 Sv. The lowest dose at which there is a significant excess cancer risk is debatable, but it would appear to be between 40 and 100 mSv. Data from the occupation exposure of nuclear workers shows an excess cancer risk at an average dose of 19.4 mSv. At the other end of the dose scale, data on second cancers in radiotherapy patients indicates that cancer risk does not continue to rise as a linear function of dose, but tends towards a plateau of 40 to 60 Gy, delivered in a fractionated regime. These data can be used to estimate the impact of diagnostic radiology at the low dose end of the dose response relationship, and the impact of new radiotherapy modalities at the high end of the dose response relationship. In the case of diagnostic radiology about 90% of the collective population dose comes from procedures (principally CT scans) which involve doses at which there is credible evidence of an excess cancer incidence. While the risk to the individual is small and justified in a symptomatic patient, the same is not true of some screening procedures is asymptomatic individuals, and in any case the huge number of procedures must add up to a potential public health problem. In the

Confidence bounds for nonlinear dose-response relationships

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Baayen, C; Hougaard, P

2015-01-01

An important aim of drug trials is to characterize the dose-response relationship of a new compound. Such a relationship can often be described by a parametric (nonlinear) function that is monotone in dose. If such a model is fitted, it is useful to know the uncertainty of the fitted curve...... intervals for the dose-response curve. These confidence bounds have better coverage than Wald intervals and are more precise and generally faster than bootstrap methods. Moreover, if monotonicity is assumed, the profile likelihood approach takes this automatically into account. The approach is illustrated...

Bivalve grazing can shape phytoplankton communities

Science.gov (United States)

Lucas, Lisa; Cloern, James E.; Thompson, Janet K.; Stacey, Mark T.; Koseff, Jeffrey K.

2016-01-01

The ability of bivalve filter feeders to limit phytoplankton biomass in shallow waters is well-documented, but the role of bivalves in shaping phytoplankton communities is not. The coupled effect of bivalve grazing at the sediment-water interface and sinking of phytoplankton cells to that bottom filtration zone could influence the relative biomass of sinking (diatoms) and non-sinking phytoplankton. Simulations with a pseudo-2D numerical model showed that benthic filter feeding can interact with sinking to alter diatom:non-diatom ratios. Cases with the smallest proportion of diatom biomass were those with the fastest sinking speeds and strongest bivalve grazing rates. Hydrodynamics modulated the coupled sinking-grazing influence on phytoplankton communities. For example, in simulations with persistent stratification, the non-sinking forms accumulated in the surface layer away from bottom grazers while the sinking forms dropped out of the surface layer toward bottom grazers. Tidal-scale stratification also influenced vertical gradients of the two groups in opposite ways. The model was applied to Suisun Bay, a low-salinity habitat of the San Francisco Bay system that was transformed by the introduction of the exotic clam Potamocorbula amurensis. Simulation results for this Bay were similar to (but more muted than) those for generic habitats, indicating that P. amurensis grazing could have caused a disproportionate loss of diatoms after its introduction. Our model simulations suggest bivalve grazing affects both phytoplankton biomass and community composition in shallow waters. We view these results as hypotheses to be tested with experiments and more complex modeling approaches.

Concord Grape Juice Polyphenols and Cardiovascular Risk Factors: Dose-Response Relationships

Science.gov (United States)

Blumberg, Jeffrey B.; Vita, Joseph A.; Chen, C. -Y. Oliver

2015-01-01

Pure fruit juices provide nutritional value with evidence suggesting some of their benefits on biomarkers of cardiovascular disease risk may be derived from their constituent polyphenols, particularly flavonoids. However, few data from clinical trials are available on the dose-response relationship of fruit juice flavonoids to these outcomes. Utilizing the results of clinical trials testing single doses, we have analyzed data from studies of 100% Concord grape juice by placing its flavonoid content in the context of results from randomized clinical trials of other polyphenol-rich foods and beverages describing the same outcomes but covering a broader range of intake. We selected established biomarkers determined by similar methods for measuring flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD), blood pressure, platelet aggregation, and the resistance of low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) to oxidation. Despite differences among the clinical trials in the treatment, subjects, and duration, correlations were observed between the dose and FMD. Inverse dose-response relationships, albeit with lower correlation coefficients, were also noted for the other outcomes. These results suggest a clear relationship between consumption of even modest serving sizes of Concord grape juice, flavonoid intake, and effects on risk factors for cardiovascular disease. This approach to dose-response relationships may prove useful for testing other individual foods and beverages. PMID:26633488

An Inverse Modeling Approach to Estimating Phytoplankton Pigment Concentrations from Phytoplankton Absorption Spectra

Science.gov (United States)

Moisan, John R.; Moisan, Tiffany A. H.; Linkswiler, Matthew A.

2011-01-01

Phytoplankton absorption spectra and High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) pigment observations from the Eastern U.S. and global observations from NASA's SeaBASS archive are used in a linear inverse calculation to extract pigment-specific absorption spectra. Using these pigment-specific absorption spectra to reconstruct the phytoplankton absorption spectra results in high correlations at all visible wavelengths (r(sup 2) from 0.83 to 0.98), and linear regressions (slopes ranging from 0.8 to 1.1). Higher correlations (r(sup 2) from 0.75 to 1.00) are obtained in the visible portion of the spectra when the total phytoplankton absorption spectra are unpackaged by multiplying the entire spectra by a factor that sets the total absorption at 675 nm to that expected from absorption spectra reconstruction using measured pigment concentrations and laboratory-derived pigment-specific absorption spectra. The derived pigment-specific absorption spectra were further used with the total phytoplankton absorption spectra in a second linear inverse calculation to estimate the various phytoplankton HPLC pigments. A comparison between the estimated and measured pigment concentrations for the 18 pigment fields showed good correlations (r(sup 2) greater than 0.5) for 7 pigments and very good correlations (r(sup 2) greater than 0.7) for chlorophyll a and fucoxanthin. Higher correlations result when the analysis is carried out at more local geographic scales. The ability to estimate phytoplankton pigments using pigment-specific absorption spectra is critical for using hyperspectral inverse models to retrieve phytoplankton pigment concentrations and other Inherent Optical Properties (IOPs) from passive remote sensing observations.

Multicellular Features of Phytoplankton

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adi Abada

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Microscopic marine phytoplankton drift freely in the ocean, harvesting sunlight through photosynthesis. These unicellular microorganisms account for half of the primary productivity on Earth and play pivotal roles in the biogeochemistry of our planet (Field et al., 1998. The major groups of microalgae that comprise the phytoplankton community are coccolithophores, diatoms and dinoflagellates. In present oceans, phytoplankton individuals and populations are forced to rapidly adjust, as key chemical and physical parameters defining marine habitats are changing globally. Here we propose that microalgal populations often display the characteristics of a multicellular-like community rather than a random collection of individuals. Evolution of multicellularity entails a continuum of events starting from single cells that go through aggregation or clonal divisions (Brunet and King, 2017. Phytoplankton may be an intermediate state between single cells and aggregates of physically attached cells that communicate and co-operate; perhaps an evolutionary snapshot toward multicellularity. In this opinion article, we journey through several studies conducted in two key phytoplankton groups, coccolithophores and diatoms, to demonstrate how observations in these studies could be interpreted in a multicellular context.

Dysphagia disorders in patients with cancer of the oropharynx are significantly affected by the radiation therapy dose to the superior and middle constrictor muscle: A dose-effect relationship

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Levendag, Peter C.; Teguh, David N.; Voet, Peter; Est, Henri van der; Noever, Inge; Kruijf, Wilhelmus J.M. de; Kolkman-Deurloo, Inger-Karine; Prevost, Jean-Briac; Poll, Johan; Schmitz, Paul I.M.; Heijmen, Ben J.

2007-01-01

Purpose/Objective: To assess the relationship between the radiation therapy (RT) dose received by the muscular components of the swallowing (sw) apparatus and - dysphagia related - quality of life (QoL) in oropharyngeal cancer. Materials/Methods: Between 2000 and 2005, 81 patients with SCC of the oropharynx were treated by 3DCRT or IMRT, with or without concomitant chemotherapy (CHT); 43 out of these 81 patients were boosted by brachytherapy (BT). Charts of 81 patients were reviewed with regard to late dysphagia complaints; 23% experienced severe dysphagia. Seventeen patients expired. Fifty-six out of 64 (88%) responded to quality of life (QoL) questionnaires; that is, the Performance Status Scales of List, EORTC H and N35, and the M.D. Anderson Dysphagia Inventory. The superior (scm), middle (mcm), and inferior constrictor muscle (icm), the cricopharyngeus muscle and the inlet of the esophagus, are considered of paramount importance for swallowing. The mean dose was calculated in the muscular structures. Univariate analysis and multivariate analysis were performed using the proportional odds model. Results: Mean follow-up was 18 months (range 2-34) for IMRT, and 46 months for 3DCRT (range 2-72). At 3-years, a LRC of 84%, DFS of 78% and OS of 77% were observed. A significant correlation was observed between the mean dose in the scm and mcm, and severe dysphagia complaints (univariate analysis). A steep dose-effect relationship, with an increase of the probability of dysphagia of 19% with every additional 10 Gy, was established. In the multivariate analysis, BT (dose) was the only significant factor. Conclusion: A dose-effect relationship between dose and swallowing complaints was observed. One way to improve the QoL is to constrain the dose to be received by the swallowing muscles

Impact of oil shale mine water discharges on phytoplankton community of Purtse catchment rivers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raetsep, A.; Rull, E.; Liblik, V.

2002-01-01

The multivariate relationship between phytoplankton abundance and different factors both natural and generated by oil shale mining in the Purtse catchment rivers (Purtse, Kohtla, and Ojamaa) in Augusts 1996-2000 was studied. Impact of oil shale mine water discharges, causing the input of sulfates and chlorides into the rivers, on phytoplankton abundance in river water was characterized by significant negative linear correlation. The amount of annual precipitation influenced positively the characteristics of phytoplankton abundance in river water. The complex of linear regression formulas was derived for characterising phytoplankton abundance in the lower course of the Purtse River using meteorological, hydrological and hydrogeological as well as geochemical data of water circulation. Closing the Sompa, Tammiku and Kohtla mines in 2000-2001 decreased essentially anthropogenic stress on ecological condition of the Purtse catchment rivers. (author)

Effects of low doses; Effet des faibles doses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Le Guen, B. [Electricite de France (EDF-LAM-SCAST), 93 - Saint-Denis (France)

2001-07-01

Actually, even though it is comfortable for the risk management, the hypothesis of the dose-effect relationship linearity is not confirmed for any model. In particular, in the area of low dose rate delivered by low let emitters. this hypothesis is debated at the light of recent observations, notably these ones relative to the mechanisms leading to genetic instability and induction eventuality of DNA repair. The problem of strong let emitters is still to solve. (N.C.)

[Ecological characteristics of phytoplankton in Suining tributary under bio-remediation].

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Dongyan; Zhao, Jianfu; Zhang, Yalei; Ma, Limin

2005-04-01

Based on the analyses of phytoplankton community in the treated and untreated reaches of Suining tributary of Suzhou River, this paper studied the effects of bio-remediation on phytoplankton. As the result of the remediation, the density and Chl-a content of phytoplankton in treated reach were greatly declined, while the species number and Shannon-Wiener diversity index ascended obviously. The percentage of Chlorophyta and Baeillariophyta ascended, and some species indicating medium-and oligo-pollution were found. All of these illustrated that bio-remediation engineering might significantly benefit to the improvement of phytoplankton community structure and water quality.

Sea Soup: Phytoplankton.

Science.gov (United States)

Cerullo, Mary M.

This guide, designed for students in grades 3-7, answers intriguing questions about phytoplankton, tiny drifters that have shaped our world. Invisible to the naked eye, phytoplankton are the source of our atmosphere, our climate, our ocean food chain, much of our oil supply, and more. They're also food for zooplankton. Photomicroscopy serves up…

Dose-effect relationships for fife shortening, tumorigenesis, and systemic injuries in mice irradiated with fission neutron or 60Co gamma radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ainsworth, E.J.; Fry, R.J.M.; Williamson, F.S.; Brennan, P.C.; Stearner, S.P.; Yang, V.V.; Crouse, D.A.; Rust, J.H.; Borak, T.B.

1977-01-01

The objective of this research is to provide additional data on life shortening, neoplastic and non-neoplastic diseases, and other systematic injuries necessary for the determination of dose-response relationships. The data are used to test existing predictive models and formulate new models which may assist with radiation risk assessment. Late somatic effects of fission neutrons from the JANUS reactor or from cobalt-60 gamma radiation are evaluated in young adult B6CF 1 mice that receive either a range of single doses or protracted doses at low dose rates; the protracted irradiation is administered over a 6-month period. After single doses of gamma radiation the relationship between radiation dose and percent life shortening appears linear whereas after single doses of fission spectrum neutrons a non-linear dose response is observed. These results suggest that estimates of radiation risk for fission spectrum neutrons should take into account the following: the curvilinearity of the neutron dose-response curve for life shortening, and the increased life shortening produced by neutron dose fractionation

Contrasting Photophysiological Characteristics of Phytoplankton Assemblages in the Northern South China Sea.

Science.gov (United States)

Jin, Peng; Gao, Guang; Liu, Xin; Li, Futian; Tong, Shanying; Ding, Jiancheng; Zhong, Zhihai; Liu, Nana; Gao, Kunshan

2016-01-01

The growth of phytoplankton and thus marine primary productivity depend on photophysiological performance of phytoplankton cells that respond to changing environmental conditions. The South China Sea (SCS) is the largest marginal sea of the western Pacific and plays important roles in modulating regional climate and carbon budget. However, little has been documented on photophysiological characteristics of phytoplankton in the SCS. For the first time, we investigated photophysiological characteristics of phytoplankton assemblages in the northern South China Sea (NSCS) using a real-time in-situ active chlorophyll a fluorometry, covering 4.0 × 105 km2. The functional absorption cross section of photosystem II (PSII) in darkness (σPSII) or under ambient light (σPSII') (A2 quanta-1) increased from the surface to deeper waters at all the stations during the survey period (29 July to 23 August 2012). While the maximum (Fv/Fm, measured in darkness) or effective (Fq'/Fm', measured under ambient light) photochemical efficiency of PSII appeared to increase with increasing depth at most stations, it showed inverse relationship with depth in river plume areas. The functional absorption cross section of PSII changes could be attributed to light-adapted genotypic feature due to niche-partition and the alteration of photochemical efficiency of PSII could be attributed to photo-acclimation. The chlorophyll a fluorometry can be taken as an analog to estimate primary productivity, since areas of higher photochemical efficiency of PSII coincided with those of higher primary productivity reported previously in the NSCS.

Dose-effect relationship of apoptosis induced by fission-neutron in murine thymocytes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yuan Bin; Li Liang; Xue Wencheng; Sun Jianmin; Wang Baoqin

2000-01-01

Objective: To investigate the effectiveness of high LET fission-neutron to induce apoptosis in murine thymocytes and to compare it with that of low LET 60 Co γ-ray. Methods: Apoptosis induction was studied qualitatively by light and transmission electron microscopy and DNA gel electrophoresis,also quantitatively by flow cytometry(FCM) and diphenylamine (DPA)methods. Results: DNA ladders of murine thymocytes were detectable, the typical apoptosis of thymocytes could be observed morphologically by means of light and electron microscopy at 6 h after fission-neutron irradiation with doses ranging from 0.5 to 5.0 Gy, meanwhile the percentages of apoptosis increased with increasing doses. After exposure to γ-rays with doses ranging from 1.0 to 30 Gy, the experimental results were similar to those from neutron radiation. The incidence of apoptosis peaked at about 20 Gy, the percentages did not increase further when doses increased. Conclusion: Apoptosis of murine thymocytes can be induced when mice are exposed to either fission-neutron (0.5-5.0 Gy) or to γ-ray (1-30 Gy). Although the relationship between apoptosis and radiation doses is similar, the percentage of apoptosis induced by neutron irradiation is higher than that induced by γ-irradiation. The RBE values of fission-neutron for inducing apoptosis murine thymocytes are 2.09 (by FCM method) and 2.37 (by DPA method), respectively. These results also suggest that fission-neutron-induced murine immune tissue is more severe than that induced by γ-rays at several hours post-irradiation and this might be the basis for heavy damage to immune tissues induced by fission-neutron-irradiation in later period

Health effects of low doses at low dose rates: dose-response relationship modeling in a cohort of workers of the nuclear industry; Effets sanitaires des faibles doses a faibles debits de dose: modelisation de la relation dose-reponse dans une cohorte de travailleurs du nucleaire

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Metz-Flamant, Camille

2011-09-19

The aim of this thesis is to contribute to a better understanding of the health effects of chronic external low doses of ionising radiation. This work is based on the French cohort of CEA-AREVA NC nuclear workers. The mains stages of this thesis were (1) conducting a review of epidemiological studies on nuclear workers, (2) completing the database and performing a descriptive analysis of the cohort, (3) quantifying risk by different statistical methods and (4) modelling the exposure-time-risk relationship. The cohort includes monitored workers employed more than one year between 1950 and 1994 at CEA or AREVA NC companies. Individual annual external exposure, history of work, vital status and causes of death were reconstructed for each worker. Standardized mortality ratios using French national mortality rates as external reference were computed. Exposure-risk analysis was conducted in the cohort using the linear excess relative risk model, based on both Poisson regression and Cox model. Time dependent modifying factors were investigated by adding an interaction term in the model or by using exposure time windows. The cohort includes 36, 769 workers, followed-up until age 60 in average. During the 1968- 2004 period, 5, 443 deaths, 2, 213 cancers, 62 leukemia and 1, 314 cardiovascular diseases were recorded. Among the 57% exposed workers, the mean cumulative dose was 21.5 milli-sieverts (mSv). A strong Healthy Worker Effect is observed in the cohort. Significant elevated risks of pleura cancer and melanoma deaths were observed in the cohort but not associated with dose. No significant association was observed with solid cancers, lung cancer and cardiovascular diseases. A significant dose-response relationship was observed for leukemia excluding chronic lymphatic leukemia, mainly for doses received less than 15 years before and for yearly dose rates higher than 10 mSv. This PhD work contributes to the evaluation of risks associated to chronic external radiation

Satellite-detected fluorescence reveals global physiology of ocean phytoplankton

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. J. Behrenfeld

2009-05-01

Full Text Available Phytoplankton photosynthesis links global ocean biology and climate-driven fluctuations in the physical environment. These interactions are largely expressed through changes in phytoplankton physiology, but physiological status has proven extremely challenging to characterize globally. Phytoplankton fluorescence does provide a rich source of physiological information long exploited in laboratory and field studies, and is now observed from space. Here we evaluate the physiological underpinnings of global variations in satellite-based phytoplankton chlorophyll fluorescence. The three dominant factors influencing fluorescence distributions are chlorophyll concentration, pigment packaging effects on light absorption, and light-dependent energy-quenching processes. After accounting for these three factors, resultant global distributions of quenching-corrected fluorescence quantum yields reveal a striking consistency with anticipated patterns of iron availability. High fluorescence quantum yields are typically found in low iron waters, while low quantum yields dominate regions where other environmental factors are most limiting to phytoplankton growth. Specific properties of photosynthetic membranes are discussed that provide a mechanistic view linking iron stress to satellite-detected fluorescence. Our results present satellite-based fluorescence as a valuable tool for evaluating nutrient stress predictions in ocean ecosystem models and give the first synoptic observational evidence that iron plays an important role in seasonal phytoplankton dynamics of the Indian Ocean. Satellite fluorescence may also provide a path for monitoring climate-phytoplankton physiology interactions and improving descriptions of phytoplankton light use efficiencies in ocean productivity models.

Phytoplankton Distribution in Relation to Environmental Drivers on the North West European Shelf Sea.

Science.gov (United States)

Siemering, Beatrix; Bresnan, Eileen; Painter, Stuart C; Daniels, Chris J; Inall, Mark; Davidson, Keith

2016-01-01

The edge of the North West European Shelf (NWES) is characterised by a steep continental slope and a northward flowing slope current. These topographic/hydrographic features separate oceanic water and shelf water masses hence potentially separate phytoplankton communities. The slope current may facilitate the advective transport of phytoplankton, with mixing at the shelf edge supporting nutrient supply and therefore phytoplankton production. On the west Scottish shelf in particular, little is known about the phytoplankton communities in and around the shelf break and adjacent waters. Hence, to improve our understanding of environmental drivers of phytoplankton communities, biological and environmental data were collected on seven cross-shelf transects across the Malin and Hebridean Shelves during autumn 2014. Density profiles indicated that shelf break and oceanic stations had a 100 m deep mixed surface layer while stations on the shelf were generally well mixed. Analysis of similarity and multidimensional scaling of phytoplankton counts revealed that phytoplankton communities on the shelf were significantly different to those found at the shelf break and at oceanic stations. Shelf stations were dominated by dinoflagellates, with diatoms contributing a maximum of 37% of cells. Shelf break and oceanic stations were also dinoflagellate dominated but displayed a lower species diversity. Significant difference between shelf and shelf break stations suggested that the continental slope limited cross shelf phytoplankton exchange. Northern and southern phytoplankton communities on the shelf were approximately 15% dissimilar while there was no latitudinal gradient for stations along the slope current, suggesting this current provided south to north connectivity. Fitting environmental data to phytoplankton ordination showed a significant relationship between phytoplankton community dissimilarities and nutrient concentrations and light availability on the shelf compared to

[Study on relationship of dose-effect and time-effect of APA microencapsulated bovine chromaffin cells on pain treatment].

Science.gov (United States)

Hui, Jianfeng; Li, Tao; Du, Zhi; Song, Jichang

2011-12-01

This study was to investigate the relationship of dose-effect and time-effect of Alginate-Polylysine-Alginate (APA) microencapsulated bovine chromaffin cells on the treatment of pain model rats. Using a rat model of painful peripheral neuropathy, the antinociceptive effects of APA microencapsulated bovine cells transplanted into the subarachnoid space was evaluated by cold allodynia test and hot hyperalgesia test. Compared with control group, the withdrawal difference with cell number 50 thousands groups, 100 thousands groups and 200 thousands groups was reduced (P APA microencapsulated bovine chromaffin cells which were transplanted to treat pain model rats, and the effective antinociception remained longer than 12 weeks.

Mesoscale features and phytoplankton biomass at the GoodHope ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The observations provide evidence to show that the fronts act to both enhance phytoplankton biomass as well as to delimit regions of similar chlorophyll concentrations, although the front–chlorophyll relationships become obscure towards the end of the growing season due to bloom advection and 'patchy' Chl a behaviour.

Interactive Effect of UVR and Phosphorus on the Coastal Phytoplankton Community of the Western Mediterranean Sea: Unravelling Eco-Physiological Mechanisms.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Presentación Carrillo

Full Text Available Some of the most important effects of global change on coastal marine systems include increasing nutrient inputs and higher levels of ultraviolet radiation (UVR, 280-400 nm, which could affect primary producers, a key trophic link to the functioning of marine food webs. However, interactive effects of both factors on the phytoplankton community have not been assessed for the Mediterranean Sea. An in situ factorial experiment, with two levels of ultraviolet solar radiation (UVR+PAR vs. PAR and nutrients (control vs. P-enriched, was performed to evaluate single and UVR×P effects on metabolic, enzymatic, stoichiometric and structural phytoplanktonic variables. While most phytoplankton variables were not affected by UVR, dissolved phosphatase (APAEX and algal P content increased in the presence of UVR, which was interpreted as an acclimation mechanism of algae to oligotrophic marine waters. Synergistic UVR×P interactive effects were positive on photosynthetic variables (i.e., maximal electron transport rate, ETRmax, but negative on primary production and phytoplankton biomass because the pulse of P unmasked the inhibitory effect of UVR. This unmasking effect might be related to greater photodamage caused by an excess of electron flux after a P pulse (higher ETRmax without an efficient release of carbon as the mechanism to dissipate the reducing power of photosynthetic electron transport.

Elevated temperature increases carbon and nitrogen fluxes between phytoplankton and heterotrophic bacteria through physical attachment

KAUST Repository

Arandia-Gorostidi, Nestor

2016-12-06

Quantifying the contribution of marine microorganisms to carbon and nitrogen cycles and their response to predicted ocean warming is one of the main challenges of microbial oceanography. Here we present a single-cell NanoSIMS isotope analysis to quantify C and N uptake by free-living and attached phytoplankton and heterotrophic bacteria, and their response to short-term experimental warming of 4 °C. Elevated temperature increased total C fixation by over 50%, a small but significant fraction of which was transferred to heterotrophs within 12 h. Cell-to-cell attachment doubled the secondary C uptake by heterotrophic bacteria and increased secondary N incorporation by autotrophs by 68%. Warming also increased the abundance of phytoplankton with attached heterotrophs by 80%, and promoted C transfer from phytoplankton to bacteria by 17% and N transfer from bacteria to phytoplankton by 50%. Our results indicate that phytoplankton-bacteria attachment provides an ecological advantage for nutrient incorporation, suggesting a mutualistic relationship that appears to be enhanced by temperature increases.

Elevated temperature increases carbon and nitrogen fluxes between phytoplankton and heterotrophic bacteria through physical attachment

KAUST Repository

Arandia-Gorostidi, Nestor; Weber, Peter K; Alonso-Sá ez, Laura; Moran, Xose Anxelu G.; Mayali, Xavier

2016-01-01

Quantifying the contribution of marine microorganisms to carbon and nitrogen cycles and their response to predicted ocean warming is one of the main challenges of microbial oceanography. Here we present a single-cell NanoSIMS isotope analysis to quantify C and N uptake by free-living and attached phytoplankton and heterotrophic bacteria, and their response to short-term experimental warming of 4 °C. Elevated temperature increased total C fixation by over 50%, a small but significant fraction of which was transferred to heterotrophs within 12 h. Cell-to-cell attachment doubled the secondary C uptake by heterotrophic bacteria and increased secondary N incorporation by autotrophs by 68%. Warming also increased the abundance of phytoplankton with attached heterotrophs by 80%, and promoted C transfer from phytoplankton to bacteria by 17% and N transfer from bacteria to phytoplankton by 50%. Our results indicate that phytoplankton-bacteria attachment provides an ecological advantage for nutrient incorporation, suggesting a mutualistic relationship that appears to be enhanced by temperature increases.

Phytoplankton response to winter warming modified by large-bodied zooplankton: an experimental microcosm study

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Hu He

2015-03-01

Full Text Available While several field investigations have demonstrated significant effects of cool season (winter or spring warming on phytoplankton development, the role played by large-bodied zooplankton grazers for the responses of phytoplankton to winter warming is ambiguous. We conducted an outdoor experiment to compare the effect of winter warming (heating by 3°C in combination with presence and absence of Daphnia grazing (D. similis on phytoplankton standing crops and community structure under eutrophic conditions. When Daphnia were absent, warming was associated with significant increases in phytoplankton biomass and cyanobacterial dominance. In contrast, when Daphnia were present, warming effects on phytoplankton dynamics were offset by warming-enhanced grazing, resulting in no significant change in biomass or taxonomic dominance. These results emphasize that large-bodied zooplankton like Daphnia spp. may play an important role in modulating the interactions between climate warming and phytoplankton dynamics in nutrient rich lake ecosystems.

Mathematical model for evaluation of dose-rate effect on biological responses to low dose γ-radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ogata, H.; Kawakami, Y.; Magae, J.

2003-01-01

Full text: To evaluate quantitative dose-response relationship on the biological response to radiation, it is necessary to consider a model including cumulative dose, dose-rate and irradiation time. In this study, we measured micronucleus formation and [ 3 H] thymidine uptake in human cells as indices of biological response to gamma radiation, and analyzed mathematically and statistically the data for quantitative evaluation of radiation risk at low dose/low dose-rate. Effective dose (ED x ) was mathematically estimated by fitting a general function of logistic model to the dose-response relationship. Assuming that biological response depends on not only cumulative dose but also dose-rate and irradiation time, a multiple logistic function was applied to express the relationship of the three variables. Moreover, to estimate the effect of radiation at very low dose, we proposed a modified exponential model. From the results of fitting curves to the inhibition of [ 3 H] thymidine uptake and micronucleus formation, it was obvious that ED 50 in proportion of inhibition of [ 3 H] thymidine uptake increased with longer irradiation time. As for the micronuclei, ED 30 also increased with longer irradiation times. These results suggest that the biological response depends on not only total dose but also irradiation time. The estimated response surface using the three variables showed that the biological response declined sharply when the dose-rate was less than 0.01 Gy/h. These results suggest that the response does not depend on total cumulative dose at very low dose-rates. Further, to investigate the effect of dose-rate within a wider range, we analyzed the relationship between ED x and dose-rate. Fitted curves indicated that ED x increased sharply when dose-rate was less than 10 -2 Gy/h. The increase of ED x signifies the decline of the response or the risk and suggests that the risk approaches to 0 at infinitely low dose-rate

Numerical Modeling of the Effects of Nutrient-rich Coastal-water Input on the Phytoplankton in the Gulf of California

Science.gov (United States)

Bermudez, A.; Rivas, D.

2015-12-01

Phytoplankton bloom dynamics depends on the interactions of favorable physical, chemical, and biotic conditions, particularly on the available nutrients that enhance phytoplankton growth, like nitrogen. Costal and estuarine environments are heavily influenced by exogenous sources of nitrogen; the anthropogenic inputs include urban and rural wastewater coming from agricultural activities (i.e., fertilizers and animal waste). In response, new production is often enhanced, leading eutrophication and phytoplankton blooms, including harmful taxa. These events have become more frequent, and with it the interest to evaluate their effects on marine ecosystems and the impact on human health. In the Gulf of California the harmful algal blooms (HABs) had affected aquaculture, fisheries, and even tourism, thereby it is important to generate information about biological and physical factors that can influence their appearance. A numerical model is a tool that may bring key information about the origin and distribution of phytoplankton blooms. Herein the analysis is based on a three-dimensional, hydrodynamical numerical model, coupled to a Nitrogen-Phytoplankton-Zooplankton-Detritus (NPZD) model. Several numerical simulations using different forcing and scenarios are carried out in order to evaluate the processes that influence the phytoplankton growth. These numerical results are compared to available observations. Thus, the main environmental factors triggering the generation of HABs can be identified.

Non-Linear Dose Response Relationships in Biology, Toxicology, and Medicine (June 8-10, 2004). Final Report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Calabrese, Edward J.

2004-01-01

The conference attracts approximately 500 scientists researching in the area of non-linear low dose effects. These scientists represent a wide range of biological/medical fields and technical disciplines. Observations that biphasic dose responses are frequently reported in each of these areas but that the recognition of similar dose response relationships across disciplines is very rarely appreciated and exploited. By bringing scientist of such diverse backgrounds together who are working on the common area of non-linear dose response relationships this will enhance our understanding of the occurrence, origin, mechanism, significance and practical applications of such dose response relationships

Therapeutic effects of low radiation doses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Trott, K.R. (Dept. of Radiation Biology, St. Bartholomew' s Medical College, London (United Kingdom))

1994-01-01

This editorial explores the scientific basis of radiotherapy with doses of < 1 Gy for various non-malignant conditions, in particular dose-effect relationships, risk-benefit considerations and biological mechanisms. A review of the literature, particularly clinical and experimental reports published more than 50 years ago was conducted to clarify the following problems. 1. The dose-response relationships for the therapeutic effects on three groups of conditions: non-malignant skin disease, arthrosis and other painful degenerative joint disorders and anti-inflammatory radiotherapy; 2. risks after radiotherapy and after the best alternative treatments; 3. the biological mechanisms of the different therapeutic effects. Radiotherapy is very effective in all three groups of disease. Few dose-finding studies have been performed, all demonstrating that the optimal doses are considerable lower than the generally recommended doses. In different conditions, risk-benefit analysis of radiotherapy versus the best alternative treatment yields very different results: whereas radiotherapy for acute postpartum mastitis may not be justified any more, the risk-benefit ratio of radiotherapy of other conditions and particularly so in dermatology and some anti-inflammatory radiotherapy appears to be more favourable than the risk-benefit ratio of the best alternative treatments. Radiotherapy can be very effective treatment for various non-malignant conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, periarthritis humeroscapularis, epicondylitis, knee arthrosis, hydradenitis, parotitis and panaritium and probably be associated with less acute and long-term side effects than similarly effective other treatments. Randomized clinical studies are required to find the optimal dosage which, at present, may be unnecessarily high.

Ecotoxicology of bromoacetic acid on estuarine phytoplankton.

Science.gov (United States)

Gordon, Ana R; Richardson, Tammi L; Pinckney, James L

2015-11-01

Bromoacetic acid is formed when effluent containing chlorine residuals react with humics in natural waters containing bromide. The objective of this research was to quantify the effects of bromoacetic acid on estuarine phytoplankton as a proxy for ecosystem productivity. Bioassays were used to measure the EC50 for growth in cultured species and natural marine communities. Growth inhibition was estimated by changes in chlorophyll a concentrations measured by fluorometry and HPLC. The EC50s for cultured Thalassiosira pseudonana were 194 mg L(-1), 240 mg L(-1) for Dunaliella tertiolecta and 209 mg L(-1) for Rhodomonas salina. Natural phytoplankton communities were more sensitive to contamination with an EC50 of 80 mg L(-1). Discriminant analysis suggested that bromoacetic acid additions cause an alteration of phytoplankton community structure with implications for higher trophic levels. A two-fold EC50 decrease in mixed natural phytoplankton populations affirms the importance of field confirmation for establishing water quality criteria. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A recalculation of the dose-effect-relationship of the ''life span study'' of Hiroshima and Nagasaki with the ''single-hit model''

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kottbauer, M.M.; Fleck, C.M.; Schoellnberger, H.

1996-01-01

The basis of this new model is the multistage process of carcinogeneses. The Single-Hit Model is a further development of the Armitage-Doll Model [1] for the special case of a short exposure. It provides simultaneously the age-dependent mortality-rate (incidence-rate) of the spontaneous and radiation induced solid tumors and dose-effect relationships at any age after exposure. The model results in a biologically based dose-effect relationship, which is similar to the Relativ-Risk-Model suggested by the ICRP 60 [2]. The present model is able to describe the increased mortality rate of the bomb survivors more accurate than the Relativ-Risk-Model. (orig.) [de

Radiation tolerance of the cervical spinal cord: incidence and dose-volume relationship of symptomatic and asymptomatic late effects following high dose irradiation of paraspinal tumors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Mitchell C.C.; Munzenrider, John E.; Finkelstein, Dianne; Liebsch, Norbert; Adams, Judy; Hug, Eugen B.

1997-01-01

Purpose: Low grade chordomas and chondrosarcomas require high radiation doses for effective, lasting tumor control. Fractionated, 3-D planned, conformal proton radiation therapy has been used for lesions along the base of skull and spine to deliver high target doses, while respecting constraints of critical, normal tissues. In this study, we sought to determine the incidence of myelopathy after high dose radiotherapy to the cervical spine and investigated the influence of various treatment parameters, including dose-volume relationship. Methods and Materials: Between December 1980 and March 1996, 78 patients were treated at the Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Cyclotron Laboratory for primary or recurrent chordomas and chondrosarcomas of the cervical spine using combined proton and photon radiation therapy. In general, the tumor dose given was between 64.5 to 79.2 CGE (Cobalt Gray Equivalent). The guidelines for maximum permissible doses to spinal cord were: ≤ 64 CGE to the spinal cord surface and ≤ 53 CGE to the spinal cord center. Dose volume histograms of the spinal cord were analyzed to investigate a possible dose and volume relationship. Results: With a mean follow-up period of 46.6 months (range: 3 - 157 months), 4 of 78 patients (5.1%) developed high-grade (RTOG Grade 3 and 4) late toxicity: 3 patients (3.8%) experienced sensory deficits without motor deficits, none had any limitations of daily activities. One patient (1.2%) developed motor deficit with loss of motor function of one upper extremity. The only patient, who developed permanent motor damage had received additional prior radiation treatment and therefore received a cumulative spinal cord dose higher than the treatment guidelines. No patient treated within the guidelines experienced any motor impairment. Six patients (7.7%) experienced transient Lhermitt's syndrome and 1 patient (1.2%) developed asymptomatic radiographic MR findings only. Time to onset of symptoms of radiographic

Phytoplankton Regulation in a Eutrophic Tidal River (San Joaquin River, California

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Alan D. Jassby

2005-03-01

Full Text Available As in many U.S. estuaries, the tidal San Joaquin River exhibits elevated organic matter production that interferes with beneficial uses of the river, including fish spawning and migration. High phytoplankton biomass in the tidal river is consequently a focus of management strategies. An unusually long and comprehensive monitoring dataset enabled identification of the determinants of phytoplankton biomass. Phytoplankton carrying capacity may be set by nitrogen or phosphorus during extreme drought years but, in most years, growth rate is light-limited. The size of the annual phytoplankton bloom depends primarily on river discharge during late spring and early summer, which determines the cumulative light exposure in transit downstream. The biomass-discharge relationship has shifted over the years, for reasons as yet unknown. Water diversions from the tidal San Joaquin River also affect residence time during passage downstream and may have resulted in more than a doubling of peak concentration in some years. Dam construction and accompanying changes in storage-and-release patterns from upstream reservoirs have caused a long-term decrease in the frequency of large blooms since the early 1980s, but projected climate change favors a future increase. Only large decreases in nonpoint nutrient sources will limit phytoplankton biomass reliably. Growth rate and concentration could increase if nonpoint source management decreases mineral suspensoid load but does not decrease nutrient load sufficiently. Small changes in water storage and release patterns due to dam operation have a major influence on peak phytoplankton biomass, and offer a near-term approach for management of nuisance algal blooms.

Effects of low doses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Le Guen, B.

2001-01-01

Actually, even though it is comfortable for the risk management, the hypothesis of the dose-effect relationship linearity is not confirmed for any model. In particular, in the area of low dose rate delivered by low let emitters. this hypothesis is debated at the light of recent observations, notably these ones relative to the mechanisms leading to genetic instability and induction eventuality of DNA repair. The problem of strong let emitters is still to solve. (N.C.)

Effect of toxic substance on delayed competitive allelopathic phytoplankton system with varying parameters through stability and bifurcation analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pal, D.; Mahapatra, G.S.

2016-01-01

Highlights: • We study a delayed two species competitive system with imprecise biological parameters. • We consider impreciseness in the form of interval number. • We introduce parametric functional form of interval number to study the model. • We study the effect of toxicant and time delay under impreciseness. • We discuss the chaotic behavior of the model. - Abstract: We have studied the combined effect of toxicant and fluctuation of the biological parameters on the dynamical behaviors of a delayed two-species competitive system with imprecise biological parameters. Due to the global increase of harmful phytoplankton blooms, the study of dynamic interactions between two competing phytoplankton species in the presence of toxic substances is an active field of research now days. The ordinary mathematical formulation of models for two competing phytoplankton species, when one or both the species liberate toxic substances, is unable to capture the oscillatory and highly variable growth of phytoplankton populations. The deterministic model never predicts the sudden localized behavior of certain species. These obstacles of mathematical modeling can be overcomed if we include interval variability of biological parameters in our modeling approach. In this investigation, we construct imprecise models of allelopathic interactions between two competing phytoplankton species as a parametric differential equation model. We incorporate the effect of toxicant on the species in two different cases known as toxic inhibition and toxic stimulatory system. We have discussed the existence of various equilibrium points and stability of the system at these equilibrium points. In case of toxic stimulatory system, the delay model exhibits a stable limit cycle oscillation. Analytical findings are supported through exhaustive numerical simulations.

Phytoplankton dynamics in the Gulf of Aqaba (Eilat, Red Sea): A simulation study of mariculture effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laiolo, Leonardo; Barausse, Alberto; Dubinsky, Zvy; Palmeri, Luca; Goffredo, Stefano; Kamenir, Yury; Al-Najjar, Tariq; Iluz, David

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Fish farms in the Gulf of Aqaba strongly affect phytoplankton levels. • Integrating statistics and ecological models help understand phytoplankton dynamics. • Phytoplankton dynamics are driven by mariculture activity and natural forces. • Mariculture can alter typical phytoplankton dynamics and seasonal succession. - Abstract: The northern Gulf of Aqaba is an oligotrophic water body hosting valuable coral reefs. In the Gulf, phytoplankton dynamics are driven by an annual cycle of stratification and mixing. Superimposed on that fairly regular pattern was the establishment of a shallow-water fish-farm initiative that increased gradually until its activity was terminated in June 2008. Nutrient, water temperature, irradiation, phytoplankton data gathered in the area during the years 2007–2009, covering the peak of the fish-farm activity and its cessation, were analyzed by means of statistical analyses and ecological models of phytoplankton dynamics. Two datasets, one from an open water station and one next to the fish farms, were used. Results show that nutrient concentrations and, consequently, phytoplankton abundance and seasonal succession were radically altered by the pollution originating from the fish-farm in the sampling station closer to it, and also that the fish-farm might even have influenced the open water station

Large Scale Variability of Phytoplankton Blooms in the Arctic and Peripheral Seas: Relationships with Sea Ice, Temperature, Clouds, and Wind

Science.gov (United States)

Comiso, Josefino C.; Cota, Glenn F.

2004-01-01

Spatially detailed satellite data of mean color, sea ice concentration, surface temperature, clouds, and wind have been analyzed to quantify and study the large scale regional and temporal variability of phytoplankton blooms in the Arctic and peripheral seas from 1998 to 2002. In the Arctic basin, phytoplankton chlorophyll displays a large symmetry with the Eastern Arctic having about fivefold higher concentrations than those of the Western Arctic. Large monthly and yearly variability is also observed in the peripheral seas with the largest blooms occurring in the Bering Sea, Sea of Okhotsk, and the Barents Sea during spring. There is large interannual and seasonal variability in biomass with average chlorophyll concentrations in 2002 and 2001 being higher than earlier years in spring and summer. The seasonality in the latitudinal distribution of blooms is also very different such that the North Atlantic is usually most expansive in spring while the North Pacific is more extensive in autumn. Environmental factors that influence phytoplankton growth were examined, and results show relatively high negative correlation with sea ice retreat and strong positive correlation with temperature in early spring. Plankton growth, as indicated by biomass accumulation, in the Arctic and subarctic increases up to a threshold surface temperature of about 276-277 degree K (3-4 degree C) beyond which the concentrations start to decrease suggesting an optimal temperature or nutrient depletion. The correlation with clouds is significant in some areas but negligible in other areas, while the correlations with wind speed and its components are generally weak. The effects of clouds and winds are less predictable with weekly climatologies because of unknown effects of averaging variable and intermittent physical forcing (e.g. over storm event scales with mixing and upwelling of nutrients) and the time scales of acclimation by the phytoplankton.

Towards a new dose and dose-rate effectiveness factor (DDREF)? Some comments.

Science.gov (United States)

Chadwick, K H

2017-06-26

The aim of this article is to offer a broader, mechanism-based, analytical tool than that used by (Rühm et al 2016 Ann. ICRP 45 262-79) for the interpretation of cancer induction relationships. The article explains the limitations of this broader analytical tool and the implications of its use in view of the publications by Leuraud et al 2015 (Lancet Haematol. 2 e276-81) and Richardson et al 2015 (Br. Med. J. 351 h5359). The publication by Rühm et al 2016 (Ann. ICRP 45 262-79), which is clearly work in progress, reviews the current status of the dose and dose-rate effectiveness factor (DDREF) as recommended by the ICRP. It also considers the issues which might influence a reassessment of both the value of the DDREF as well as its application in radiological protection. In this article, the problem is approached from a different perspective and starts by commenting on the limited scientific data used by Rühm et al 2016 (Ann. ICRP 45 262-79) to develop their analysis which ultimately leads them to use a linear-quadratic dose effect relationship to fit solid cancer mortality data from the Japanese life span study of atomic bomb survivors. The approach taken here includes more data on the induction of DNA double strand breaks and, using experimental data taken from the literature, directly relates the breaks to cell killing, chromosomal aberrations and somatic mutations. The relationships are expanded to describe the induction of cancer as arising from radiation induced cytological damage coupled to cell killing since the cancer mutated cell has to survive to express its malignant nature. Equations are derived for the induction of cancer after both acute and chronic exposure to sparsely ionising radiation. The equations are fitted to the induction of cancer in mice to illustrate a dose effect relationship over the total dose range. The 'DDREF' derived from the two equations varies with dose and the DDREF concept is called into question. Although the equation for

Dose-effect relationship in production of dicentrics and rings in blood lymphocytes of individuals living in high background radiation area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jiang Tao; Hayata, I.; Wang Cunyan

1999-01-01

Objective: To explore the dose-effect relationship in the production of chromosome aberrations by high background radiation by using statistically appropriate individual measurements. Methods: Chromosome analysis was performed in separated blood lymphocytes of 39 family members of different ages from either high background radiation area (HBRA) or control area (CA). Individual cumulative doses ranged from 23.9-261.3 and 5.2-29.8 mGy for HBRA and CA, respectively. A total of about 100,000 cells were scored and dicentric and ring chromosome (dic + Rc) aberrations recorded. Results: In the case of HBRA, individual chromosome aberration frequencies increased with age within each family. The increasing trend was in general not significantly different among families. The increase in individual aberration was closely correlated with age and cumulative dose. Age-and dose-effect relationship fit well the linear equation: Y = 0.0448X + 0.4913 (R 2 = 0.7814) for age and Y 0.0156X + 0.5715 (R 2 = 0.7061) for cumulative dose, respectively. In the case of CA, there was no significant difference in aberration yields among individuals of different ages, and the group mean aberration frequency was 1.24 +- 0.69 x 10 -3 . Conclusions: Dic and Rc can continuously accumulate over a lifetime chronic low dose exposures, and can serve as a reliable biological indicator. However, the ultimate sensitivity is about 50 mGy

Seasonal Distribution of Phytoplankton in Riwada Reservoir, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India

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Jyothi KAPARAPU

2013-08-01

Full Text Available The present study deals with seasonal variations, correlation coefficient and biodiversity indices of phytoplankton during April 2011 to March 2012 in the Riwada reservoir, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India. Sampling was performed at five stations during pre-monsoon, monsoon and post monsoon. There were a total of 57 genera belonging to four major groups i.e., Chlorophyceae (27 genera, Bacillariophyceae (14 genera, Cyanophyceae (13 genera and Euglenophyceae (three genera. Maximum and minimum total phytoplankton population and percentages were recorded at station three in pre monsoon and at station two during monsoon. The maximum and minimum species richness (Menhinick index R2 were found to be 1.29 at station one and 1.10 at station three respectively. Maximum and minimum species diversity (H1 were found at station four (3.98 and station two (3.71. Maximum species evenness was recorded at stations one, being four and five; minimum species evenness was recorded at station two. Correlation coefficient matrix indicated significant positive relationship with water temperature, pH, transparency, biological oxygen demand and chlorides, negative relationship with electric conductivity, total solids, total dissolved solids, total hardness, dissolved oxygen, nitrates, sulphates and phosphates of water. The diversity indices showed that the reservoir have a well balanced phytoplankton community.

Monitoring and prediction of phytoplankton dynamics in the North Sea

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Blauw, A.N.

2015-01-01

Phytoplankton forms the base of the marine food web, but when concentrations get too high, algal blooms can have adverse effects on ecosystems and aquaculture. Phytoplankton concentrations vary strongly in space and time. However, the nature and drivers of this variability are not yet well

Gamma dose rate effect on JFET transistors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Assaf, J.

2011-04-01

The effect of Gamma dose rate on JFET transistors is presented. The irradiation was accomplished at the following available dose rates: 1, 2.38, 5, 10 , 17 and 19 kGy/h at a constant dose of 600 kGy. A non proportional relationship between the noise and dose rate in the medium range (between 2.38 and 5 kGy/h) was observed. While in the low and high ranges, the noise was proportional to the dose rate as the case of the dose effect. This may be explained as follows: the obtained result is considered as the yield of a competition between many reactions and events which are dependent on the dose rate. At a given values of that events parameters, a proportional or a non proportional dose rate effects are generated. No dependence effects between the dose rate and thermal annealing recovery after irradiation was observed . (author)

The study on the dose-effect relationship of radiation from α particles of plutonium on certain lung cells (in vivo and in vitro)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu Dechang; Ye Changqing; Gong Yifen; Yan Xiaoshan; Xie Guoliang; Liu Guolian; Chen Winchung; Hu Lianping; Shen Zhiyuan

1993-01-01

It is well known that plutonium is one of the most toxic radionuclides and its carcinogenic risk has been seriously concerned. In this study, the dose effect relationship of radiation from α particles of plutonium on certain lung cells (in vivo and in vitro) were investigated. The topics of study are as following: In vivo: deposition and clearance of Pu in respiratory tract, dose-effect relationship of lung cancer induced, histopathological type of lung cancer, primary hemangiosarcoma occurred in thoracic lumph node, radiation effects on Alveolar Macrophage (AM), radiation effect on Natural Killer Cell (NK) and radiation effect on Alveolar Type II (AT-II). In vitro: radiation effect on the immunological functions of AM, radiation effect on the membrane of AM, possible relationship between cytotoxicity and membranes of AM, effects of radiation (X, α) on the transformation of Wistar rat lung fibroblast cell line (WAL-F1) and protective effect of Se 4+ against transformation

Links between phytoplankton dynamics and shell growth of Arctica islandica on the Faroe Shelf

Science.gov (United States)

Bonitz, Fabian Georg Wulf; Andersson, Carin; Trofimova, Tamara; Hátún, Hjálmar

2018-03-01

The phytoplankton dynamics on the Faroe Shelf are strongly connected to higher trophic levels, and their inter-annual variability has great importance for many organisms, including the principal fish stocks. Hence, information on the marked phytoplankton variability is scientifically and economically valuable. We show here that the shell growth variability in Arctica islandica shells has the potential to identify periods of increased and decreased phytoplankton concentrations on the Faroe Shelf and in the wider Faroese region in previous centuries. The growth of A. islandica has often been linked to changes in phytoplankton concentrations, i.e., food availability. By cross-matching life-collected and sub-fossil A. islandica shells from two separate locations on the Faroe Shelf, we have built a master chronology, which reaches back to the 17th century. This master chronology correlates well with a Primary Production index for the Faroe Shelf (r = 0.65; p phytoplankton concentrations over the wider Faroese Channel Region, as represented in the Continuous Plankton Recorder surveys, especially for the months June-September (r = 0.39; p < 0.01). In addition, an inverse relationship is observed between the master chronology and on-shelf water temperatures from June-September (r = - 0.29; p < 0.01), which is likely associated with a previously reported inverse relationship between temperatures and the on-shelf primary production. An analysis of the δ18O in the shells shows that the main growing season of the shells presumably occurs during the spring and summer months, which concurs with the main spring bloom.

Phytoplankton abundance, dominance and coexistence in an eutrophic reservoir in the state of Pernambuco, Northeast Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Lira, Giulliari A S T; Araújo, Elcida L; Bittencourt-Oliveira, Maria Do Carmo; Moura, Ariadne N

2011-12-01

The present study reports the phytoplankton abundance, dominance and co-existence relationships in the eutrophic Carpina reservoir, Pernambuco, Brazil. Sampling was carried out at six different depths bimonthly at a single reservoir spanning two climatic periods: dry season (January, September, and November 2006) and rainy season (March, May, and July 2006). Density, abundance, dominance, specific diversity and equitability of the community were determined, along with chlorophyll a, and physical and chemical variables of the environment. Eight species were considered abundant, and their densities corresponded to more than 90% of the total phytoplankton community quantified. Cyanobacteria represented more than 80% of this density. Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii was the only dominant taxon in the dry season, and was co-dominant in the rainy season. C. raciborskii, Planktothrix agardhii and Geitlerinema amphibium had the greatest densities and lowest vertical variation coefficients. The statistical analysis indicated relationships with vertical and seasonal variations in the phytoplankton community and the following variables: total dissolved solids, water temperature, electrical conductivity and pH. The changes in the environmental variables were discrete and regulated by the establishment of precipitation however, they were able to promote vertical and seasonal instability in the structure of the phytoplankton community.

Phytoplankton of the North Sea and its dynamics: A review

Science.gov (United States)

Reid, P. C.; Lancelot, C.; Gieskes, W. W. C.; Hagmeier, E.; Weichart, G.

microscopic observations has been documented by measurements of taxon-specific pigments such as chlorophyll b (green algae), alloxanthin (Cryptophyceae) and 19' - hexanolyloxyfucoxanthin (Prymnesiophyceae or Haptophyceae). Analysis of time series of satellite images is a promising way to assess in a quantitative and, more important, synoptic way the patchy distribution of phytoplankton over large regions. Growth processes of the phytoplankton respond according to variables amenable to such satellite remote sensing. Empirical and theoretical relationships that can be established between chlorophyll a, 14C uptake, turbidity, stratification, suspended sediment type, irradiance and temperature in some well-investigated areas make remote sensing a potential tool to obtain reliable estimates of primary production in the whole North Sea. The 14C method for estimates of the rate of algal growth processes appears to agree reasonably well with other methods, both involving incubation of samples and in situ measurements of temporal changes of oxygen and pH. The level of net primary production is 250 g C.m -2.a -1 in the central North Sea, 150 to 200 g C.m -2.a -1 in the northern North Sea, and 200 g in the South. The main metabolic processes involved in phytoplankton growth have been modelled mathematically in terms of the most important controlling environmental parameters. Such parameters comprise not only those of a chemical signature (micro- and macronutrients, both inorganic and organic) but also physical effects of vertical mixing and sinking, and biological effects including allelopathic interactions, antibiotic excretions, vertical migration, and mortality due to grazing and parasitism. The balance between primary production and consumption of organic matter appears to vary both geographically and seasonally. The process of regeneration of primary products both in the water column and in and near the bottom seems to be of major importance. Future research should center around a

Effects of Nitrogen Availability and Form on Phytoplankton Growth in a Eutrophied Estuary (Neuse River Estuary, NC, USA).

Science.gov (United States)

Cira, Emily K; Paerl, Hans W; Wetz, Michael S

2016-01-01

Nitrogen availability and form are important controls on estuarine phytoplankton growth. This study experimentally determined the influence of urea and nitrate additions on phytoplankton growth throughout the growing season (March 2012, June 2011, August 2011) in a temperate, eutrophied estuary (Neuse River Estuary, North Carolina, USA). Photopigments (chlorophyll a and diagnostic photopigments: peridinin, fucoxanthin, alloxanthin, zeaxanthin, chlorophyll b) and microscopy-based cell counts were used as indicators of phytoplankton growth. In March, the phytoplankton community was dominated by Gyrodinium instriatum and only fucoxanthin-based growth rates were stimulated by nitrogen addition. The limited response to nitrogen suggests other factors may control phytoplankton growth and community composition in early spring. In June, inorganic nitrogen concentrations were low and stimulatory effects of both nitrogen forms were observed for chlorophyll a- and diagnostic photopigment-based growth rates. In contrast, cell counts showed that only cryptophyte and dinoflagellate (Heterocapsa rotundata) growth were stimulated. Responses of other photopigments may have been due to an increase in pigment per cell or growth of plankton too small to be counted with the microscopic methods used. Despite high nitrate concentrations in August, growth rates were elevated in response to urea and/or nitrate addition for all photopigments except peridinin. However, this response was not observed in cell counts, again suggesting that pigment-based growth responses may not always be indicative of a true community and/or taxa-specific growth response. This highlights the need to employ targeted microscopy-based cell enumeration concurrent with pigment-based technology to facilitate a more complete understanding of phytoplankton dynamics in estuarine systems. These results are consistent with previous studies showing the seasonal importance of nitrogen availability in estuaries, and also

[Phytoplankton community in a recreational fishing lake, Brazil].

Science.gov (United States)

Matsuzaki, Mayla; Mucci, José Luiz Negrão; Rocha, Aristides Almeida

2004-10-01

The assessment of water quality and phytoplankton community in recreational environments allows to setting management programs aiming at preventing potential harm to human health. The purpose of the present study was to describe phytoplankton seasonal changes in a freshwater system and their relation to water quality. The recreational fishing lake is located in the southern area of the city of São Paulo, Brazil. Water samples were collected in three previously selected sites in the lake throughout a year and analyzed regarding floristic composition and physical and chemical parameters. The phytoplankton qualitative analysis revealed 91 taxa distributed among eight classes: Chlorophyceae, Cyanophyceae, Euglenophyceae, Zygnemaphyceae, Bacillariophyceae, Xantophyceae, Dinophyceae, and Chrysophyceae. Some physical and chemical parameters seemed to influence phytoplankton community behavior. Chlorophyceae development was favored by local conditions. Among the species of cyanobacteria identified, Microcystis paniformis, Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii, and Anabaena species were the most important due to their ability to produce toxins, posing a high risk to public health. Some physical and chemical parameters had an impact on the structure of phytoplankton community. The presence of Microcystis paniformis, Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii and Anabaena species indicates toxic potential and likelihood of public health problems unless there is constant monitoring. Further studies are recommended to prevent hazardous effects to the environment and public health.

Health effect of low dose/low dose rate radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kodama, Seiji

2012-01-01

The clarified and non-clarified scientific knowledge is discussed to consider the cause of confusion of explanation of the title subject. The low dose is defined roughly lower than 200 mGy and low dose rate, 0.05 mGy/min. The health effect is evaluated from 2 aspects of clinical symptom/radiation hazard protection. In the clinical aspect, the effect is classified in physical (early and late) and genetic ones, and is classified in stochastic (no threshold value, TV) and deterministic (with TV) ones from the radioprotection aspect. Although the absence of TV in the carcinogenic and genetic effects has not been proved, ICRP employs the stochastic standpoint from the safety aspect for radioprotection. The lowest human TV known now is 100 mGy, meaning that human deterministic effect would not be generated below this dose. Genetic deterministic effect can be observable only in animal experiments. These facts suggest that the practical risk of exposure to <100 mGy in human is the carcinogenesis. The relationship between carcinogenic risk in A-bomb survivors and their exposed dose are found fitted to the linear no TV model, but the epidemiologic data, because of restriction of subject number analyzed, do not always mean that the model is applicable even below the dose <100 mGy. This would be one of confusing causes in explanation: no carcinogenic risk at <100 mGy or risk linear to dose even at <100 mGy, neither of which is scientifically conclusive at present. Also mentioned is the scarce risk of cancer in residents living in the high background radiation regions in the world in comparison with that in the A-bomb survivors exposed to the chronic or acute low dose/dose rate. Molecular events are explained for the low-dose radiation-induced DNA damage and its repair, gene mutation and chromosome aberration, hypothesis of carcinogenesis by mutation, and non-targeting effect of radiation (bystander effect and gene instability). Further researches to elucidate the low dose

Photoreception in Phytoplankton.

Science.gov (United States)

Colley, Nansi Jo; Nilsson, Dan-Eric

2016-11-01

In many species of phytoplankton, simple photoreceptors monitor ambient lighting. Photoreceptors provide a number of selective advantages including the ability to assess the time of day for circadian rhythms, seasonal changes, and the detection of excessive light intensities and harmful UV light. Photoreceptors also serve as depth gauges in the water column for behaviors such as diurnal vertical migration. Photoreceptors can be organized together with screening pigment into visible eyespots. In a wide variety of motile phytoplankton, including Chlamydomonas, Volvox, Euglena, and Kryptoperidinium, eyespots are light-sensitive organelles residing within the cell. Eyespots are composed of photoreceptor proteins and typically red to orange carotenoid screening pigments. This association of photosensory pigment with screening pigment allows for detection of light directionality, needed for light-guided behaviors such as positive and negative phototaxis. In Chlamydomonas, the eyespot is located in the chloroplast and Chlamydomonas expresses a number of photosensory pigments including the microbial channelrhodopsins (ChR1 and ChR2). Dinoflagellates are unicellular protists that are ecologically important constituents of the phytoplankton. They display a great deal of diversity in morphology, nutritional modes and symbioses, and can be photosynthetic or heterotrophic, feeding on smaller phytoplankton. Dinoflagellates, such as Kryptoperidinium foliaceum, have eyespots that are used for light-mediated tasks including phototaxis. Dinoflagellates belonging to the family Warnowiaceae have a more elaborate eye. Their eye-organelle, called an ocelloid, is a large, elaborate structure consisting of a focusing lens, highly ordered retinal membranes, and a shield of dark pigment. This complex eye-organelle is similar to multicellular camera eyes, such as our own. Unraveling the molecular makeup, structure and function of dinoflagellate eyes, as well as light-guided behaviors in

Low-dose effect on blood chromosomes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pohl-Rueling, J.

1992-01-01

Linear dose response relationships of biological effects at low doses are experimentally and theoretically disputed. Structural chromosome aberration rates at doses ranging from normal background exposures up to about 30 mGy/yr in vivo and up to 50 mGy in vitro were investigated by the author and other scientists. Results are comparable and dose effect curves reveal following shapes; within the normal burden and up to 2-10 mGy/yr in vivo rates they increase sharply to about 3-6 times the lowest values; subsequent doses either from natural, occupational or accidental exposures up to about 30 mGy/yr yield either constant aberration rates, assuming a plateau, or perhaps even a decrease. In vitro experiments show comparable results up to 50 mGy. Other biological effects seem to have similar dose dependencies. The non-linearity of low-dose effects can be explained by induction of repair enzymes at certain damage to the DNA. This hypothesis is sustained experimentally and theoretically by several papers in literature. (author). 14 refs., 5 figs

Relationship between attenuation coefficients and dose-spread kernels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boyer, A.L.

1988-01-01

Dose-spread kernels can be used to calculate the dose distribution in a photon beam by convolving the kernel with the primary fluence distribution. The theoretical relationships between various types and components of dose-spread kernels relative to photon attenuation coefficients are explored. These relations can be valuable as checks on the conservation of energy by dose-spread kernels calculated by analytic or Monte Carlo methods

The influence of environmental variables on spatial and temporal phytoplankton dissimilarity in a large shallow subtropical lake (Lake Mangueira, southern Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luciane Oliveira Crossetti

2014-06-01

Full Text Available AIM: The uneven distribution of organisms in aquatic ecosystems is generally attributed to environmental heterogeneity in both space and time, reflecting the occurrence of appropriate environmental conditions and the availability of resources to biological communities. The aim of this study was to understand how the dissimilarity of the phytoplankton community in a large subtropical shallow lake is related to environmental dissimilarities. METHODS: Biotic and environmental data were gathered at 19 sites along the 90-km length of Lake Mangueira. Sampling was carried out quarterly during 2010 and 2011, totaling 152 sampling units. The relationship between phytoplankton dissimilarity and the dissimilarity of environmental variables was assessed by the BioEnv analysis. MAJOR RESULTS: There is a significant relationship between phytoplankton dissimilarity and environmental dissimilarity. The model that best explained the dissimilarity of phytoplankton among the sampling units included pH, turbidity and nitrate. CONCLUSIONS: The dissimilarity of phytoplankton was related to the dissimilarity, which were directly associated to the variability of conditions and resources in space and time in Lake Mangueira.

Phospholipid-derived fatty acids as chemotaxonomic markers for phytoplankton: application for inferring phytoplankton composition

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dijkman, N.A.; Kromkamp, J.C.

2006-01-01

Phospholipid-derived fatty acids (PLFA) are widely used as chemotaxonomic markers in microbial ecology. In this paper we explore the use of PLFA as chemotaxonomic markers for phytoplankton species. The PLFA composition was determined for 23 species relevant to estuarine phytoplankton. The taxonomic

Dose-response relationships and risk estimates for the induction of cancer due to low doses of low-LET radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elaguppillai, V.

1981-01-01

Risk estimates for radiation-induced cancer at low doses can be obtained only by extrapolation from the known effects at high doses and high dose rates, using a suitable dose-response model. The applicability of three different models, linear, sublinear and supralinear, are discussed in this paper. Several experimental studies tend to favour a sublinear dose-response model (linear-quadratic model) for low-LET radiation. However, human epidemiological studies do not exclude any of the dose-response relationships. The risk estimates based on linear and linear quadratic dose-response models are compared and it is concluded that, for low-LET radiation, the linear dose-response model would probably over-estimate the actual risk of cancer by a factor of two or more. (author)

Demonstration of brachytherapy boost dose-response relationships in glioblastoma multiforme

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sneed, Penny K.; Lamborn, Kathleen R.; Larson, David A.; Prados, Michael D.; Malec, Mary K.; McDermott, Michael W.; Weaver, Keith A.; Phillips, Theodore L.; Wara, William M.; Gutin, Philip H.

1996-01-01

Purpose: To evaluate brachytherapy dose-response relationships in adults with glioblastoma undergoing temporary 125 I implant boost after external beam radiotherapy. Methods and Materials: Since June 1987, orthogonal radiographs using a fiducial marker box have been used to verify brain implant source positions and generate dose-volume histograms at the University of California, San Francisco. For adults who underwent brachytherapy boost for glioblastoma from June 1987 through December 1992, tumor volumes were reoutlined to ensure consistency and dose-volume histograms were recalculated. Univariate and multivariate analyses of various patient and treatment parameters were performed evaluating for influence of dose on freedom from local failure (FFLF) and actuarial survival. Results: Of 102 implant boosts, 5 were excluded because computer plans were unavailable. For the remaining 97 patients, analyses with adjustment for known prognostic factors (age, KPS, extent of initial surgical resection) and prognostic factors identified on univariate testing (adjuvant chemotherapy) showed that higher minimum brachytherapy tumor dose was strongly associated with improved FFLF (p = 0.001). A quadratic relationship was found between total biological effective dose and survival, with a trend toward optimal survival probability at 47 Gy minimum brachytherapy tumor dose (corresponding to about 65 Gy to 95% of the tumor volume); survival decreased with lower or higher doses. Two patients expired and one requires hospice care because of brain necrosis after brachytherapy doses > 63 Gy to 95% of the tumor volume with 60 Gy to > 18 cm 3 of normal brain. Conclusion: Although higher minimum brachytherapy tumor dose was strongly associated with better local control, a brachytherapy boost dose > 50-60 Gy may result in life-threatening necrosis. We recommend careful conformation of the prescription isodose line to the contrast enhancing tumor volume, delivery of a minimum brachytherapy

[Efficacy of low-dose tadalafil on ED assessed by Self-Esteem and Relationship Questionnaire].

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jing-Ping; Li, Fei; Guo, Wen-Bin; Zhou, Qi-Zhao; Liu, Cun-Dong; Mao, Xiang-Ming; Tan, Wan-Long; Zheng, Shao-Bin

2010-12-01

To explore the effects of low-dose oral tadalafil on self-esteem, confidence and sexual relationship in ED patients. We treated 17 ED patients with oral tadalafil at the low dose of 5 mg once daily for 12 weeks, and used the paired t test to compare their scores on The Self-Esteem and Relationship Questionnaire (SEAR) and IIEF-5 and the results of nocturnal penile tumescence (NPT) obtained by nocturnal electrobioimpedance volumetric assessment (NEVA) before and after the medication. The scores on SEAR and IIEF-5 were significantly increased (P P Low-dose oral tadalafil once daily can significantly improve the self-esteem, confidence, sexual relationship satisfaction and NPT of ED patients.

Mechanisms shaping size structure and functional diversity of phytoplankton communities in the ocean

Science.gov (United States)

Acevedo-Trejos, Esteban; Brandt, Gunnar; Bruggeman, Jorn; Merico, Agostino

2015-01-01

The factors regulating phytoplankton community composition play a crucial role in structuring aquatic food webs. However, consensus is still lacking about the mechanisms underlying the observed biogeographical differences in cell size composition of phytoplankton communities. Here we use a trait-based model to disentangle these mechanisms in two contrasting regions of the Atlantic Ocean. In our model, the phytoplankton community can self-assemble based on a trade-off emerging from relationships between cell size and (1) nutrient uptake, (2) zooplankton grazing, and (3) phytoplankton sinking. Grazing ‘pushes’ the community towards larger cell sizes, whereas nutrient uptake and sinking ‘pull’ the community towards smaller cell sizes. We find that the stable environmental conditions of the tropics strongly balance these forces leading to persistently small cell sizes and reduced size diversity. In contrast, the seasonality of the temperate region causes the community to regularly reorganize via shifts in species composition and to exhibit, on average, bigger cell sizes and higher size diversity than in the tropics. Our results raise the importance of environmental variability as a key structuring mechanism of plankton communities in the ocean and call for a reassessment of the current understanding of phytoplankton diversity patterns across latitudinal gradients. PMID:25747280

Grain elevator workers show work-related pulmonary function changes and dose-effect relationships with dust exposure.

Science.gov (United States)

Corey, P; Hutcheon, M; Broder, I; Mintz, S

1982-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine whether grain handlers underwent work-related changes in their pulmonary function and, if so, to examine the dose-effect relationships with dust exposure. The pulmonary function of grain handlers was measured at the beginning and end of work shifts over a period of one week, during which their exposure to dust was measured daily. The results showed changes indicative of a within-day obstructive change, in addition to a small restrictive defect occurring over the course of a week. Civic outside labourers who were examined as a control group showed a similar within-week obstructive change without any associated restriction of lung volume. The data on the grain handlers were also used to examine the dose-effect relationships of dust exposure, both on baseline pulmonary function and on within-day changes in these measurements. The baseline flow rates of workers who did not wear a mask were found to vary inversely with their average exposure to respirable dust. In addition, the flow rates underwent a within-day decrease that varied directly with their corresponding exposure to respirable dust and was unrelated to mask wearing. The median of the slopes for this relationship indicated that 50% of the subjects had a decrease of at least 923 ml/s in the value of their Vmax50%VC for each 1 mg/m3 increase in the concentration of respirable dust. Non-respirable dust did not have a measurable effect either on the baseline or the within-day changes in pulmonary function. The acute changes were unaffected by age, duration of employment, or extent of smoking. PMID:7138793

Nutrient regimes and their effect on distribution of phytoplankton in the Bay of Bengal

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Paul, J.T.; Ramaiah, N.; Sardessai, S.

of Plankton Research 27, 545– 556. Smayda, T.J., 1980. Phytoplankton species succession. In: Morris, I. (Ed.), The Physiological Ecology of Phytoplankton. University of California Press, Berkeley, pp. 493–570. Sournia, A., 1970. Les cyanophycees dans le...

Parametric relationships for gamma dose and irradiation homogeneity in a sewage sludge irradiator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krishnamurthy, K.

1986-01-01

A study on the inter-relationships between factors governing γ dose and irradiation homogeneity in a sewage sludge irradiator is presented here. The analysis involves a 60 Co irradiator of cylindrical irradiation geometry with batchwise operation for hygienisation of liquid sludge. The influence of the parameters such as the source-target geometry, strength of 60 Co sources in the irradiator, hygienisation dose and rheological and hydraulic characteristics of sewage sludge on the selection of the three critical factors viz. the pumping rate (P) required to maintain turbulent flow regime in the irradiation zone; the mininum re-circulation time (Tsub(m)) essential to achieve a certain degree of homogeneity of dose absorption in the fluid; and the irradiation time (Tsub(i)) required to impart the necessary dose for the desired hygienisation effect in the sludge has been discussed in detail and inter-relationships among these three factors have been worked out. The applicability of the relationships to a typical operating plant has also been elucidated. (author)

Evaluating correlation between geometrical relationship and dose difference caused by respiratory motion using statistical analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shin, Dong Seok; Kim, Dong Su; Kim, Tae Ho; Kim, Kyeong Hyeon; Yoon, Do Kun; Suh, Tae Suk [The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kang, Seong Hee [Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Cho, Min Seok [Asan Medical Center, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Noh, Yu Yoon [Eulji University Hospital, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2017-04-15

Three-dimensional dose (3D dose) can consider coverage of moving target, however it is difficult to provide dosimetric effect which occurs by respiratory motions. Four-dimensional dose (4D dose) which uses deformable image registration (DIR) algorithm from four-dimensional computed tomography (4DCT) images can consider dosimetric effect by respiratory motions. The dose difference between 3D dose and 4D dose can be varied according to the geometrical relationship between a planning target volume (PTV) and an organ at risk (OAR). The purpose of this study is to evaluate the correlation between the overlap volume histogram (OVH), which quantitatively shows the geometrical relationship between the PTV and OAR, and the dose differences. In conclusion, no significant statistical correlation was found between the OVH and dose differences. However, it was confirmed that a higher difference between the 3D and 4D doses could occur in cases that have smaller OVH value. No significant statistical correlation was found between the OVH and dose differences. However, it was confirmed that a higher difference between the 3D and 4D doses could occur in cases that have smaller OVH value.

Regime shift from phytoplankton to macrophyte dominance in a large river: Top-down versus bottom-up effects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ibanez, Carles, E-mail: carles.ibanez@irta.cat [IRTA Aquatic Ecosystems, Carretera Poble Nou, Km 5.5, 43540 St. Carles de la Rapita, Catalonia (Spain); Alcaraz, Carles; Caiola, Nuno; Rovira, Albert; Trobajo, Rosa [IRTA Aquatic Ecosystems, Carretera Poble Nou, Km 5.5, 43540 St. Carles de la Rapita, Catalonia (Spain); Alonso, Miguel [United Research Services S.L., Urgell 143, 08036 Barcelona, Catalonia (Spain); Duran, Concha [Confederacion Hidrografica del Ebro, Sagasta 24-26, 50071 Zaragoza, Aragon (Spain); Jimenez, Pere J. [Grup Natura Freixe, Major 56, 43750 Flix, Catalonia (Spain); Munne, Antoni [Agencia Catalana de l' Aigua, Provenca 204-208, 08036 Barcelona, Catalonia (Spain); Prat, Narcis [Departament d' Ecologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Diagonal 645, 08028 Barcelona Catalonia (Spain)

2012-02-01

The lower Ebro River (Catalonia, Spain) has recently undergone a regime shift from a phytoplankton-dominated to a macrophyte-dominated system. This shift is well known in shallow lakes but apparently it has never been documented in rivers. Two initial hypotheses to explain the collapse of the phytoplankton were considered: a) the diminution of nutrients (bottom-up); b) the filtering effect due to the colonization of the zebra mussel (top-down). Data on water quality, hydrology and biological communities (phytoplankton, macrophytes and zebra mussel) was obtained both from existing data sets and new surveys. Results clearly indicate that the decrease in phosphorus is the main cause of a dramatic decrease in chlorophyll and large increase in water transparency, triggering the subsequent colonization of macrophytes in the river bed. A Generalized Linear Model analysis showed that the decrease in dissolved phosphorus had a relative importance 14 times higher than the increase in zebra mussel density to explain the variation of total chlorophyll. We suggest that the described changes in the lower Ebro River can be considered a novel ecosystem shift. This shift is triggering remarkable changes in the biological communities beyond the decrease of phytoplankton and the proliferation of macrophytes, such as massive colonization of Simulidae (black fly) and other changes in the benthic invertebrate communities that are currently investigated. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We show a regime shift in a large river from phytoplankton to macrophyte dominance. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Two main hypotheses are considered: nutrient decrease and zebra mussel grazing. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Phosphorus depletion is found to be the main cause of the phytoplankton decline. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We conclude that oligotrophication triggered the colonization of macrophytes. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer This new regime shift in a river is similar to that described

Regime shift from phytoplankton to macrophyte dominance in a large river: Top-down versus bottom-up effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ibáñez, Carles; Alcaraz, Carles; Caiola, Nuno; Rovira, Albert; Trobajo, Rosa; Alonso, Miguel; Duran, Concha; Jiménez, Pere J.; Munné, Antoni; Prat, Narcís

2012-01-01

The lower Ebro River (Catalonia, Spain) has recently undergone a regime shift from a phytoplankton-dominated to a macrophyte-dominated system. This shift is well known in shallow lakes but apparently it has never been documented in rivers. Two initial hypotheses to explain the collapse of the phytoplankton were considered: a) the diminution of nutrients (bottom-up); b) the filtering effect due to the colonization of the zebra mussel (top-down). Data on water quality, hydrology and biological communities (phytoplankton, macrophytes and zebra mussel) was obtained both from existing data sets and new surveys. Results clearly indicate that the decrease in phosphorus is the main cause of a dramatic decrease in chlorophyll and large increase in water transparency, triggering the subsequent colonization of macrophytes in the river bed. A Generalized Linear Model analysis showed that the decrease in dissolved phosphorus had a relative importance 14 times higher than the increase in zebra mussel density to explain the variation of total chlorophyll. We suggest that the described changes in the lower Ebro River can be considered a novel ecosystem shift. This shift is triggering remarkable changes in the biological communities beyond the decrease of phytoplankton and the proliferation of macrophytes, such as massive colonization of Simulidae (black fly) and other changes in the benthic invertebrate communities that are currently investigated. - Highlights: ► We show a regime shift in a large river from phytoplankton to macrophyte dominance. ► Two main hypotheses are considered: nutrient decrease and zebra mussel grazing. ► Phosphorus depletion is found to be the main cause of the phytoplankton decline. ► We conclude that oligotrophication triggered the colonization of macrophytes. ► This new regime shift in a river is similar to that described in shallow lakes.

Seasonal and interannual variability in the taxonomic composition and production dynamics of phytoplankton assemblages in Crater Lake, Oregon

Science.gov (United States)

C. David, McIntire; Larson, Gary L.; Truitt, Robert E.

2007-01-01

Taxonomic composition and production dynamics of phytoplankton assemblages in Crater Lake, Oregon, were examined during time periods between 1984 and 2000. The objectives of the study were (1) to investigate spatial and temporal patterns in species composition, chlorophyll concentration, and primary productivity relative to seasonal patterns of water circulation; (2) to explore relationships between water column chemistry and the taxonomic composition of the phytoplankton; and (3) to determine effects of primary and secondary consumers on the phytoplankton assemblage. An analysis of 690 samples obtained on 50 sampling dates from 14 depths in the water column found a total of 163 phytoplankton taxa, 134 of which were identified to genus and 101 were identified to the species or variety level of classification. Dominant species by density or biovolume included Nitzschia gracilis, Stephanodiscus hantzschii, Ankistrodesmus spiralis, Mougeotia parvula, Dinobryon sertularia, Tribonema affine, Aphanocapsa delicatissima, Synechocystis sp., Gymnodinium inversum, and Peridinium inconspicuum. When the lake was thermally stratified in late summer, some of these species exhibited a stratified vertical distribution in the water column. A cluster analysis of these data also revealed a vertical stratification of the flora from the middle of the summer through the early fall. Multivariate test statistics indicated that there was a significant relationship between the species composition of the phytoplankton and a corresponding set of chemical variables measured for samples from the water column. In this case, concentrations of total phosphorus, ammonia, total Kjeldahl nitrogen, and alkalinity were associated with interannual changes in the flora; whereas pH and concentrations of dissolved oxygen, orthophosphate, nitrate, and silicon were more closely related to spatial variation and thermal stratification. The maximum chlorophyll concentration when the lake was thermally stratified

Variation of phytoplankton functional groups modulated by hydraulic controls in Hongze Lake, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, Chang; Pei, Haiyan; Hu, Wenrong; Hao, Daping; Doblin, Martina A; Ren, Ying; Wei, Jielin; Feng, Yawei

2015-11-01

Hongze Lake is a large, shallow, polymictic, eutrophic lake in the eastern China. Phytoplankton functional groups in this lake were investigated from March 2011 to February 2013, and a comparison was made between the eastern, western, and northern regions. The lake shows strong fluctuations in water level caused by monsoon rains and regular hydraulic controls. By application of the phytoplankton functional group approach, this study aims to investigate the spatial and temporal dynamics and analyze their influencing factors. Altogether, 18 functional groups of phytoplankton were identified, encompassing 187 species. In order to seek the best variable describing the phytoplankton functional group distribution, 14 of the groups were analyzed in detail using redundancy analysis. Due to the turbid condition of the lake, the dominant functional groups were those tolerant of low light. The predominant functional groups in the annual succession were D (Cyclotella spp. and Synedra acus), T (Planctonema lauterbornii), P (Fragilaria crotonensis), X1 (Chlorella vulgaris and Chlorella pyrenoidosa), C (Cyclotella meneghiniana and Cyclotella ocellata), and Y (Cryptomonas erosa). An opposite relationship between water level and the biomass of predominant groups was observed in the present study. Water level fluctuations, caused by monsoonal climate and artificial drawdown, were significant factors influencing phytoplankton succession in Hongze Lake, since they alter the hydrological conditions and influence light and nutrient availability. The clearly demonstrated factors, which significantly influence phytoplankton dynamics in Hongze Lake, will help government manage the large shallow lakes with frequent water level fluctuations.

Effects of Water Diversion from Yangtze River to Lake Taihu on the Phytoplankton Habitat of the Wangyu River Channel

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jiangyu Dai

2018-06-01

Full Text Available To reveal the effects of water diversion from the Yangtze River to Lake Taihu on the phytoplankton habitat of the main water transfer channel of the Wangyu River, we investigated the water’s physicochemical parameters and phytoplankton communities during the water diversion and non-diversion periods over the winters between 2014–2016, respectively. During the water diversion periods in the winter of 2014 and 2015, the nutrients and organic pollutant contents of the Wangyu River channel were significantly lower than those during the non-diversion period in 2016. Moreover, the phytoplankton diversities and relative proportions of Bacillariophyta during the diversion periods evidently increased during the water diversion periods in winter. The increase in the water turbidity content, the decrease in the contents of the permanganate index, and the total phosphorus explained only 21.4% of the variations in the phytoplankton communities between the diversion and non-diversion periods in winter, which revealed significant contributions of the allochthonous species from the Yangtze River and tributaries of the Wangyu River to phytoplankton communities in the Wangyu River. The increasing gradient in the contents of nutrients and organic pollutants from the Yangtze River to Lake Taihu indicated the potential allochthonous pollutant inputs along with the Wangyu River. Further controlling the pollutants from the tributaries of the Wangyu River is critical in order to improve the phytoplankton habitats in river channels and Lake Taihu.

Remote sensing observations of phytoplankton increases triggered by successive typhoons

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Lei; Zhao, Hui; Pan, Jiayi; Devlin, Adam

2017-12-01

Phytoplankton blooms in the Western North Pacific, triggered by two successive typhoons with different intensities and translation speeds under different pre-existing oceanic conditions, were observed and analyzed using remotely sensed chlorophyll-a (Chl-a), sea surface temperature (SST), and sea surface height anomaly (SSHA) data, as well as typhoon parameters and CTD (conductivity, temperature, and depth) profiles. Typhoon Sinlaku, with relatively weaker intensity and slower translation speed, induced a stronger phytoplankton bloom than Jangmi with stronger intensity and faster translation speed (Chl-a>0.18 mg·m‒3 versus Chl-aTaiwan Island. Translation speed may be one of the important mechanisms that affect phytoplankton blooms in the study area. Pre-existing cyclonic circulations provided a relatively unstable thermodynamic structure for Sinlaku, and therefore cold water with rich nutrients could be brought up easily. The mixed-layer deepening caused by Typhoon Sinlaku, which occurred first, could have triggered an unfavorable condition for the phytoplankton bloom induced by Typhoon Jangmi which followed afterwards. The sea surface temperature cooling by Jangmi was suppressed due to the presence of the thick upper-ocean mixed-layer, which prevented the deeper cold water from being entrained into the upper-ocean mixed layer, leading to a weaker phytoplankton augment. The present study suggests that both wind (including typhoon translation speed and intensity) and pre-existing conditions (e.g., mixed-layer depths, eddies, and nutrients) play important roles in the strong phytoplankton bloom, and are responsible for the stronger phytoplankton bloom after Sinlaku's passage than that after Jangmi's passage. A new typhoon-influencing parameter is introduced that combines the effects of the typhoon forcing (including the typhoon intensity and translation speed) and the oceanic pre-condition. This parameter shows that the forcing effect of Sinlaku was stronger than

Tests of the linearity assumption in the dose-effect relationship for radiation-induced cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cohen, A.F.; Cohen, B.L.

1980-01-01

The validity of the BEIR linear extrapolation to low doses of the dose-effect relationship for radiation induced cancer is tested by use of natural radiation making use of selectivity on type of cancer, smoking habits, sex, age group, geographic area and/or time period. For lung cancer, a linear interpolation between zero dose-zero effect and the data from radon-induced cancers in miners implies that the majority of all lung cancers among non-smokers are due to radon; since lung cancers in miners are mostly small-cell undifferentiated (SCU), a rather rare type in general, linearity over predicts the frequency of SCU lung cancers among non smokers by a factor of 10, and among non-smoking females age 25-44 by a factor of 24. Similarly, linearity predicts that the majority of all lung cancers early in this century were due to radon even after due consideration is given to cases missed by poor diagnostic efficiency (this matter is considered in some detail). For the 30-40 age range, linearity over predicts the total lung cancer rate at that time by a factor of 3-6; for SCU lung cancer, the over-prediction is by at least a factor of 10. Other causes of lung cancer are considered which further enhance the degree to which the linearity assumption over-estimates the effects of low level radiation. A similar analysis is applied to leukemia induced by natural radiation. It is concluded that the upper limit for this is not higher than estimates from the linearity hypothesis. (author)

Relating coccolithophore calcification rates to phytoplankton community dynamics: Regional differences and implications for carbon export

Science.gov (United States)

Poulton, Alex J.; Adey, Tim R.; Balch, William M.; Holligan, Patrick M.

2007-03-01

Recent measurements of surface coccolithophore calcification from the Atlantic Ocean (50°N-50°S) are compared to similar measurements from other oceanic settings. By combining the different data sets of surface measurements, we examine general and regional patterns of calcification relative to organic carbon production (photosynthesis) and other characteristics of the phytoplankton community. Generally, surface calcification and photosynthesis are positively correlated, although the strength of the relationship differs between biogeochemical provinces. Relationships between surface calcification, chlorophyll- a and calcite concentrations are also statistically significant, although again there is considerable regional variability. Such variability appears unrelated to phytoplankton community composition or hydrographic conditions, and may instead reflect variations in coccolithophore physiology. The contribution of inorganic carbon fixation (calcification) to total carbon fixation (calcification plus photosynthesis) is ˜1-10%, and we estimate a similar contribution from coccolithophores to total organic carbon fixation. However, these contributions vary between biogeochemical provinces, and occasionally coccolithophores may account for >20% of total carbon fixation in unproductive central subtropical gyres. Combining surface calcification and photosynthetic rates with standing stocks of calcite, particulate organic carbon, and estimated phytoplankton carbon allows us to examine the fates of these three carbon pools. The relative turnover times vary between different biogeochemical provinces, with no clear relationship to the overall productivity or phytoplankton community structure found in each province. Rather, interaction between coccolithophore physiology (coccolith production and detachment rates), species diversity (cell size), and food web dynamics (grazer ecology) may control the composition and turnover times of calcite particles in the upper ocean.

Time-effect relationship of immunological adaptive response induced by low dose X-irradiation in mice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao Yong; Gong Shouliang; Liu Shuzheng

1995-01-01

Kunming mice irradiated with whole-body X-rays were used to observe time-effect relationship of immunological adaptive response induced by ionizing radiation. The results showed that pre-irradiation dose of 75 mGy X-rays with the intervals of 6-48 h between pre-irradiation and challenge irradiation could induce immunological adaptive response in the spontaneous proliferation of thymocytes and the responses of splenocytes to Con A and LPS in mice at 18-24 h after challenge irradiation with 1.5-2.0 Gy X-rays

Effect of low dose radiation on apoptosis in mouse spleen

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Dong; Liu Jiamei; Chen Aijun; Liu Shuzheng

1999-01-01

Objective: To study the effect of whole body irradiation (WBI) with different doses of X-ray on apoptosis in mouse spleen. Methods: Time course changes and dose-effect relationship of apoptosis in mouse spleen induced by WBI were observed with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) qualitatively and TUNEL method semi-quantitatively. Results: Many typical apoptotic lymphocytes were found by TEM in mouse spleen after WBI with 2 Gy. No marked alterations of ultrastructure were found following WBI with 0.075 Gy. It was observed by TUNEL that the apoptosis of splenocytes increased after high dose radiation and decreased following low dose radiation (LDR). The dose-effect relationship of radiation-induced apoptosis showed a J-shaped curve. Conclusion: The effect of different doses of ionizing radiation on apoptosis in mouse spleen was distinct. And the decrease of apoptosis after LDR is considered a manifestation of radiation hormesis

Seasonal Variations in the Structure of Phytoplankton Communities near Nuclear Power Plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, S.-K.; Choi, H.-C.; Moon, H.-T.

2015-01-01

To investigate effects of thermal discharge effluent from nuclear power plants on the surrounding marine environment, especially on the phytoplankton community, environmental data gained by seasonal survey around Hanbit and Hanul nuclear power plants during the periods of 11 years from 1999 to 2009 were analysed. The data used were from environmental survey and assessment around Hanbit and Hanul nuclear power plants of Korea during the period of 11 years from 1999 to 2009. The purposes of this study are (1) to evaluate the effect of operation of nuclear power plants on phytoplankton community, (2) to find out whether the thermal discharge affected negatively phytoplankton community, and (3) to evaluate the difference of thermal discharge influence on phytoplankton community between West and East coastal area, Korea. Through this study, (1) quantitative evaluation of the effect of thermal discharge effluent on marine ecology, especially on abundance and biomass of phytoplankton were performed, (2) found that depending on the season, the effect of thermal discharge effluent from nuclear power plant on the marine environment is not always negative (i.e. warm water may increase or prevent decline of abundance in seasons with low temperature such as winter in Hanbit area), and (3) found that same thermal discharge effluent rate to different marine environments, such as west and east coast of Korea, does not result in same effect on the marine ecosystem. (author)

The relationship between external beam radiotherapy dose and chronic urinary dysfunction - A methodological critique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rosewall, Tara; Catton, Charles; Currie, Geoffrey; Bayley, Andrew; Chung, Peter; Wheat, Janelle; Milosevic, Michael

2010-01-01

Purpose: To perform a methodological critique of the literature evaluating the relationship between external beam radiotherapy dose/volume parameters and chronic urinary dysfunction to determine why consistent associations between dose and dysfunction have not been found. Methods and materials: The radiotherapy literature was reviewed using various electronic medical search engines with appropriate keywords and MeSH headings. Inclusion criteria comprised of; English language articles, published between 1999 and June 2009, incorporating megavoltage external beam photons in standard-sized daily fraction. A methodological critique was then performed, evaluating the factors affected in the quantification of radiotherapy dose and chronic urinary dysfunction. Results: Nine of 22 eligible studies successfully identified a clinically and statistically significant relationship between dose and dysfunction. Accurate estimations of external beam radiotherapy dose were compromised by the frequent use of dosimetric variables which are poor surrogates for the dose received by the lower urinary tract tissue and do not incorporate the effect of daily variations in isocentre and bladder position. The precise categorization of chronic urinary dysfunction was obscured by reliance on subjective and aggregated toxicity metrics which vary over time. Conclusions: A high-level evidence-base for the relationship between external beam radiotherapy dose and chronic urinary dysfunction does not currently exist. The quantification of the actual external beam dose delivered to the functionally important tissues using dose accumulation strategies and the use of objective measures of individual manifestations of urinary dysfunction will assist in the identification of robust relationships between dose and urinary dysfunction for application in widespread clinical practice.

Evolution of phytoplankton cultures after ultraviolet light treatment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martínez, L.F.; Mahamud, M.M.; Lavín, A.G.; Bueno, J.L.

2012-01-01

Introducing invasive species in new environments through ballast water is a specific problem of contamination and has recently become one of the main concerns of Maritime Organizations. Ultraviolet-C radiation (UV-C) is a technological alternative to prevent this maritime pollution. This study addresses the effect of UV-C on different phytoplankton cultures and also the ability to recover following exposure to damage. A UV-C low-pressure lamp irradiates the cultures. The distance from the source and the thickness of the layer prevent part of the energy from reaching the culture and the disinfective process is diminished. Some cultures such as Chlorella autotrophica and Chaetoceros calcitrans can easily recover from UV-C damage. However, Phaeocystis globosa does not have this ability. C. calcitrans forms cysts and exhibits two different behaviours depending on the dose applied.

Phytoplankton biovolume is independent from the slope of the size spectrum in the oligotrophic atlantic ocean

KAUST Repository

Moreno-Ostos, Enrique

2015-08-06

Modelling the size-abundance spectrum of phytoplankton has proven to be a very useful tool for the analysis of physical-biological coupling and the vertical flux of carbon in oceanic ecosystems at different scales. A frequent observation relates high phytoplankton biovolume in productive regions with flatter spectrum slope and the opposite in oligotrophic ecosystems. Rather than this, the relationship between high biovolume phytoplankton assemblages and flatter size-abundance spectra does not correspond with measurements of the phytoplankton community in the Atlantic Ocean open waters. As part of the Malaspina Circunnavegation Expedition, sixty seven sampling stations within the Atlantic Ocean covering six oceanographic provinces, at different seasons, produced a complete set of phytoplankton size-spectra whose slope and biovolume did not show any obvious interrelation. In these oligotrophic sites, small (procaryotes) and medium-size (nanoplankton) cells are responsible for the most part of biovolume, and their response to environmental conditions does not apply to changes in the size-abundance spectrum slope as expected in richer, large-cell dominated ecosystems.

European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology task force report on 'dose-response relationship in allergen-specific immunotherapy'.

Science.gov (United States)

Calderón, M A; Larenas, D; Kleine-Tebbe, J; Jacobsen, L; Passalacqua, G; Eng, P A; Varga, E M; Valovirta, E; Moreno, C; Malling, H J; Alvarez-Cuesta, E; Durham, S; Demoly, P

2011-10-01

For a century, allergen-specific immunotherapy (SIT) has proven to be an effective treatment for allergic rhinitis, asthma, and insect sting allergy. However, as allergen doses are frequently adapted to the individual patient, there are few data on dose-response relationship in SIT. Allergen products for SIT are being increasingly required to conform to regulatory requirements for human medicines, which include the need to demonstrate dose-dependent effects. This report, produced by a Task Force of the EAACI Immunotherapy Interest Group, evaluates the currently available data on dose-response relationships in SIT and aims to provide recommendations for the design of future studies. Fifteen dose-ranging studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria and twelve reported a dose-response relationship for clinical efficacy. Several studies also reported a dose-response relationship for immunological and safety endpoints. Due to the use of different reference materials and methodologies for the determination of allergen content, variations in study design, and choice of endpoints, no comparisons could be made between studies and, as a consequence, no general dosing recommendations can be made. Despite recently introduced guidelines on the standardization of allergen preparations and study design, the Task Force identified a need for universally accepted standards for the measurement of allergen content in SIT preparations, dosing protocols, and selection of clinical endpoints to enable dose-response effects to be compared across studies. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Mixed Beam Murine Harderian Gland Tumorigenesis: Predicted Dose-Effect Relationships if neither Synergism nor Antagonism Occurs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Siranart, Nopphon; Blakely, Eleanor A.; Cheng, Alden; Handa, Naval; Sachs, Rainer K.

2016-12-01

Complex mixed radiation fields exist in interplanetary space, and not much is known about their latent effects on space travelers. In silico synergy analysis default predictions are useful when planning relevant mixed-ion-beam experiments and interpreting their results. These predictions are based on individual dose-effect relationships (IDER) for each component of the mixed-ion beam, assuming no synergy or antagonism. For example, a default hypothesis of simple effect additivity has often been used throughout the study of biology. However, for more than a century pharmacologists interested in mixtures of therapeutic drugs have analyzed conceptual, mathematical and practical questions similar to those that arise when analyzing mixed radiation fields, and have shown that simple effect additivity often gives unreasonable predictions when the IDER are curvilinear. Various alternatives to simple effect additivity proposed in radiobiology, pharmacometrics, toxicology and other fields are also known to have important limitations. In this work, we analyze upcoming murine Harderian gland (HG) tumor prevalence mixed-beam experiments, using customized open-source software and published IDER from past single-ion experiments. The upcoming experiments will use acute irradiation and the mixed beam will include components of high atomic number and energy (HZE). We introduce a new alternative to simple effect additivity, "incremental effect additivity", which is more suitable for the HG analysis and perhaps for other end points. We use incremental effect additivity to calculate default predictions for mixture dose-effect relationships, including 95% confidence intervals. We have drawn three main conclusions from this work. 1. It is important to supplement mixed-beam experiments with single-ion experiments, with matching end point(s), shielding and dose timing. 2. For HG tumorigenesis due to a mixed beam, simple effect additivity and incremental effect additivity sometimes give

The concept of the effective dose

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jacobi, W.

1975-01-01

Irradiation of the human body by external or internal sources leads mostly to a simultaneous exposure of several organs. However, so far no clear and consistent recommendations for the combination of organ doses and the assessment of an exposure limit under such irradiation conditions are available. Following a proposal described in ICRP-publication 14 one possible concept for the combination of organ doses is discussed in this paper. This concept is based on the assumption that at low doses the total radiation detriment to the exposed person is given by the sum of radiation detriments to the single organs. Taking into account a linear dose-risk relationship, the sum of weighted organ doses leads to the definition of an 'Effective Dose'. The applicability and consequences of this 'Effective Dose Concept' are discussed especially with regard to the assessment of the maximum permissible intake of radionuclides into the human body and the combination of external and internal exposure. (orig.) [de

Global Ocean Phytoplankton

Science.gov (United States)

Franz, B. A.; Behrenfeld, M. J.; Siegel, D. A.; Werdell, P. J.

2014-01-01

Marine phytoplankton are responsible for roughly half the net primary production (NPP) on Earth, fixing atmospheric CO2 into food that fuels global ocean ecosystems and drives the ocean's biogeochemical cycles. Phytoplankton growth is highly sensitive to variations in ocean physical properties, such as upper ocean stratification and light availability within this mixed layer. Satellite ocean color sensors, such as the Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS; McClain 2009) and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS; Esaias 1998), provide observations of sufficient frequency and geographic coverage to globally monitor physically-driven changes in phytoplankton distributions. In practice, ocean color sensors retrieve the spectral distribution of visible solar radiation reflected upward from beneath the ocean surface, which can then be related to changes in the photosynthetic phytoplankton pigment, chlorophyll- a (Chla; measured in mg m-3). Here, global Chla data for 2013 are evaluated within the context of the 16-year continuous record provided through the combined observations of SeaWiFS (1997-2010) and MODIS on Aqua (MODISA; 2002-present). Ocean color measurements from the recently launched Visible and Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS; 2011-present) are also considered, but results suggest that the temporal calibration of the VIIRS sensor is not yet sufficiently stable for quantitative global change studies. All MODISA (version 2013.1), SeaWiFS (version 2010.0), and VIIRS (version 2013.1) data presented here were produced by NASA using consistent Chla algorithms.

Effects of Nitrogen Availability and Form on Phytoplankton Growth in a Eutrophied Estuary (Neuse River Estuary, NC, USA)

Science.gov (United States)

Paerl, Hans W.; Wetz, Michael S.

2016-01-01

Nitrogen availability and form are important controls on estuarine phytoplankton growth. This study experimentally determined the influence of urea and nitrate additions on phytoplankton growth throughout the growing season (March 2012, June 2011, August 2011) in a temperate, eutrophied estuary (Neuse River Estuary, North Carolina, USA). Photopigments (chlorophyll a and diagnostic photopigments: peridinin, fucoxanthin, alloxanthin, zeaxanthin, chlorophyll b) and microscopy-based cell counts were used as indicators of phytoplankton growth. In March, the phytoplankton community was dominated by Gyrodinium instriatum and only fucoxanthin-based growth rates were stimulated by nitrogen addition. The limited response to nitrogen suggests other factors may control phytoplankton growth and community composition in early spring. In June, inorganic nitrogen concentrations were low and stimulatory effects of both nitrogen forms were observed for chlorophyll a- and diagnostic photopigment-based growth rates. In contrast, cell counts showed that only cryptophyte and dinoflagellate (Heterocapsa rotundata) growth were stimulated. Responses of other photopigments may have been due to an increase in pigment per cell or growth of plankton too small to be counted with the microscopic methods used. Despite high nitrate concentrations in August, growth rates were elevated in response to urea and/or nitrate addition for all photopigments except peridinin. However, this response was not observed in cell counts, again suggesting that pigment-based growth responses may not always be indicative of a true community and/or taxa-specific growth response. This highlights the need to employ targeted microscopy-based cell enumeration concurrent with pigment-based technology to facilitate a more complete understanding of phytoplankton dynamics in estuarine systems. These results are consistent with previous studies showing the seasonal importance of nitrogen availability in estuaries, and also

Effects of iron stress on chromatic adaptation by natural phytoplankton communities in the Southern Ocean

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Leeuwe, M.A.; Timmermans, K.R.; Witte, H.J.; Kraay, G.W.; Veldhuis, M.J.W.; de Baar, H.J.W.

1998-01-01

Effects of iron stress on chromatic adaptation were studied in natural phytoplankton communities collected in the Pacific region of the Southern Ocean. Iron enrichment experiments (48 to 72 h) were performed, incubating plankton communities under white, green and blue light respectively, with and

The dose-response relationship for UV-tumorigenesis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gruijl, F.R. de.

1982-01-01

The main objective of the investigations was to extend the knowledge on experimental UV-carcinogenesis and to use the experimental results as guidelines for developing a dose-response model for UV-carcinogenesis. The animal experiments carried out were all long-term ones. It was decided that - in anticipation of the data to be obtained - a model for such an assessment should be developed using the experimental results available at the start of the present study (1977). This initial study is presented. The results of two animal experiments are presented, which show that UV radiation is capable of inducing a systemic effect that enhances the de novo formation of UV induced tumors. The results of the main experiment are presented. In this experiment groups of mice were subjected to daily exposure to a certain dose of UV radiation in order to find the dose-response relationship. The relation between the daily dose and the duration of the treatment till the appearance of tumors (for instance, as measured by the yield) was ascertained for tumors of different sizes. It appears that the growth of a tumor is dose-independent, and, therefore, only the initiation of a tumor is dose-dependent. Finally an experiment is presented in which it was measured that, if a mouse is subjected to daily UV exposure, the transmission of the epidermis in the shortwave UV region decreases continuously. This decrease is due to hyperplasia of the epidermis, i.e., thickening of the epidermis by an increase in the number of cells per unit surface area. (Auth.)

Phytoplankton-bacterial interactions mediate micronutrient colimitation at the coastal Antarctic sea ice edge.

Science.gov (United States)

Bertrand, Erin M; McCrow, John P; Moustafa, Ahmed; Zheng, Hong; McQuaid, Jeffrey B; Delmont, Tom O; Post, Anton F; Sipler, Rachel E; Spackeen, Jenna L; Xu, Kai; Bronk, Deborah A; Hutchins, David A; Allen, Andrew E

2015-08-11

Southern Ocean primary productivity plays a key role in global ocean biogeochemistry and climate. At the Southern Ocean sea ice edge in coastal McMurdo Sound, we observed simultaneous cobalamin and iron limitation of surface water phytoplankton communities in late Austral summer. Cobalamin is produced only by bacteria and archaea, suggesting phytoplankton-bacterial interactions must play a role in this limitation. To characterize these interactions and investigate the molecular basis of multiple nutrient limitation, we examined transitions in global gene expression over short time scales, induced by shifts in micronutrient availability. Diatoms, the dominant primary producers, exhibited transcriptional patterns indicative of co-occurring iron and cobalamin deprivation. The major contributor to cobalamin biosynthesis gene expression was a gammaproteobacterial population, Oceanospirillaceae ASP10-02a. This group also contributed significantly to metagenomic cobalamin biosynthesis gene abundance throughout Southern Ocean surface waters. Oceanospirillaceae ASP10-02a displayed elevated expression of organic matter acquisition and cell surface attachment-related genes, consistent with a mutualistic relationship in which they are dependent on phytoplankton growth to fuel cobalamin production. Separate bacterial groups, including Methylophaga, appeared to rely on phytoplankton for carbon and energy sources, but displayed gene expression patterns consistent with iron and cobalamin deprivation. This suggests they also compete with phytoplankton and are important cobalamin consumers. Expression patterns of siderophore- related genes offer evidence for bacterial influences on iron availability as well. The nature and degree of this episodic colimitation appear to be mediated by a series of phytoplankton-bacterial interactions in both positive and negative feedback loops.

Successional pattern of phytoplankton (>55μm in Lekki lagoon, Nigeria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Taofikat Abosede Adesalu

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Lagoons are dominant features along large stretches of the West Africa coast. These freshwater environments are very valuable areas where phytoplankton constitute the basis of aquatic food webs. In order to know the effects of environmental variables on phytoplankton, a study of the successional pattern of phytoplankton in Lekki lagoon was carried out monthly for two years (June 2003-May 2005. Phytoplankton samples were collected from 12 stations using a plankton net of 55μm mesh, and samples preserved in 4% unbuffered formalin. Besides, surface water samples were taken for physico-chemical analysis. For each year, the seasonal distribution and succession of dominant phytoplankton followed different patterns. Phytoplankton abundance was higher during the dry season (November-April for the two annual cycles. The diatoms (Aulacoseira granulate and A. granulata var angustissima and blue green algaes, Microcystis aeruginosa, Merismopedia tennuissima and Trichodesmium lacustre showed this trend by being the abundant species in some of these months. For the rainy season, the green alga Mougeotia sp. dominated. The replacement of one form by another throughout seasonal cycles was probably controlled by the changes in environmental variables such as rainfall, nitratenitrogen and phosphate-phosphorus.

Effects of CO2 on particle size distribution and phytoplankton abundance during a mesocosm bloom experiment (PeECE II

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Schartau

2008-04-01

Full Text Available The influence of seawater carbon dioxide (CO2 concentration on the size distribution of suspended particles (2–60 μm and on phytoplankton abundance was investigated during a mesocosm experiment at the large scale facility (LFS in Bergen, Norway, in the frame of the Pelagic Ecosystem CO2 Enrichment study (PeECE II. In nine outdoor enclosures the partial pressure of CO2 in seawater was modified by an aeration system to simulate past (~190 μatm CO2, present (~370 μatm CO2 and future (~700 μatm CO2 CO2 conditions in triplicates. Due to the initial addition of inorganic nutrients, phytoplankton blooms developed in all mesocosms and were monitored over a period of 19 days. Seawater samples were collected daily for analysing the abundance of suspended particles and phytoplankton with the Coulter Counter and with Flow Cytometry, respectively. During the bloom period, the abundance of small particles (2 levels. At that time, a direct relationship between the total-surface-to-total-volume ratio of suspended particles and DIC concentration was determined for all mesocosms. Significant changes with respect to the CO2 treatment were also observed in the phytoplankton community structure. While some populations such as diatoms seemed to be insensitive to the CO2 treatment, others like Micromonas spp. increased with CO2, or showed maximum abundance at present day CO2 (i.e. Emiliania huxleyi. The strongest response to CO2 was observed in the abundance of small autotrophic nano-plankton that strongly increased during the bloom in the past CO2 mesocosms. Together, changes in particle size distribution and phytoplankton community indicate a complex interplay between the ability of the cells to physiologically respond to changes in CO2 and size selection. Size of cells is of general importance for a variety of processes in marine systems such as diffusion-limited uptake of substrates, resource allocation, predator-prey interaction, and gravitational settling

Some aspects of time-dose relationships

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sugawara, Tadashi; Koito, Kazumitsu; Aihara, Toshinori

1985-01-01

One hundred thirty-seven patients with non-small cell lung cancers, 57 with oral cavity cancers and 98 with postoperative breast cancers treated with external radiotherapy from 1974 to 1980 were analyzed to determine optimal trends of time-dose relationships. Superiorities of fractionation factors were examined by comparing the relative local recurrence or expire rates among the subgroups prognostically homogenized in each entities of the diseases. Faborable fractionation factors for the former two diseases were those in which treatment was given in shortened over-all times, and frequently with low fraction dose to the considerably high daily dose. These results indicate the superiority of accelerated fractionation regime to conventional one in the treatment of those diseases. In contrast, any optimal trend was not found with postoperative breast cancers but total dose administered more than 43 Gy. (author)

Occurrence and biosynthesis of carotenoids in phytoplankton.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Jim Junhui; Lin, Shaoling; Xu, Wenwen; Cheung, Peter Chi Keung

2017-09-01

Naturally occurring carotenoids are important sources of antioxidants, anti-cancer compounds and anti-inflammatory agents and there is thus considerable market demand for their pharmaceutical applications. Carotenoids are widely distributed in marine and freshwater organisms including microalgae, phytoplankton, crustaceans and fish, as well as in terrestrial plants and birds. Recently, phytoplankton-derived carotenoids have received much attention due to their abundance, rapid rate of biosynthesis and unique composition. The carotenoids that accumulate in particular phytoplankton phyla are synthesized by specific enzymes and play unique physiological roles. This review focuses on studies related to the occurrence of carotenoids in different phytoplankton phyla and the molecular aspects of their biosynthesis. Recent biotechnological advances in the isolation and characterization of some representative carotenoid synthases in phytoplankton are also discussed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Phytoplankton community and limnochemistry of Piburger See (Tyrol, Austria 28 years after lake restoration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hansjörg THIES

2002-02-01

Full Text Available Phytoplankton community and limnochemistry of Piburger See, a small soft-water, meromictic lake situated at 913 m a.s.l. in a crystalline area of the Central Eastern Alps of Tyrol (Austria, were investigated 28 years after the beginning of lake restoration. Although long-term data of the lake show a declining trend in total phosphorus concentrations and phytoplankton biovolume, the response of Piburger See to the restoration measures carried out in 1970 was delayed by about 20 years. At present the lake is approaching its former oligotrophic level. The most evident difference between the past and present phytoplankton species composition of Piburger See is the actual absence of the Cyanophycean Oscillatoria limosa C. A. Agardh, which markedly increased during the first two decades after the lake restoration (1970-1987. The phytoplankton biovolume recorded in 1998 was lower than in the 1970s and 1980s, while seasonal patterns were similar to those recorded before and later on in the lake restoration. The lowest annual phytoplankton biovolume in 1998 occurred in early winter, while the absolute maximum was observed in metalimnetic water layers in late spring. In 1998 the intra-annual patterns of phytoplankton biovolume and chlorophyll-a compare well. Phytoplankton succession started in early 1998 under ice with coccal green algae followed by flagellated Chrysophyceae during spring. The mid-summer phytoplankton community was dominated by centric Bacillariophyceae, which were later replaced by coccal Cyanophyceae. During autumn, Dinophyceae and Chrysophyceae prevailed. Epilimnetic dominance of centric diatoms during mid summer appears to be a new feature, which in 1998 was related to a strong depletion of dissolved silica and nitrate. Long-term water chemistry and phytoplankton data were checked against local weather data in order to explain the delay in the re-oligotrophication process of Piburger See. However, no clear relationship could be

Emergence of Algal Blooms: The Effects of Short-Term Variability in Water Quality on Phytoplankton Abundance, Diversity, and Community Composition in a Tidal Estuary

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Todd A. Egerton

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Algal blooms are dynamic phenomena, often attributed to environmental parameters that vary on short timescales (e.g., hours to days. Phytoplankton monitoring programs are largely designed to examine long-term trends and interannual variability. In order to better understand and evaluate the relationships between water quality variables and the genesis of algal blooms, daily samples were collected over a 34 day period in the eutrophic Lafayette River, a tidal tributary within Chesapeake Bay’s estuarine complex, during spring 2006. During this period two distinct algal blooms occurred; the first was a cryptomonad bloom and this was followed by a bloom of the mixotrophic dinoflagellate, Gymnodinium instriatum. Chlorophyll a, nutrient concentrations, and physical and chemical parameters were measured daily along with phytoplankton abundance and community composition. While 65 phytoplankton species from eight major taxonomic groups were identified in samples and total micro- and nano-phytoplankton cell densities ranged from 5.8 × 106 to 7.8 × 107 cells L−1, during blooms, cryptomonads and G. instriatum were 91.6% and 99.0%, respectively, of the total phytoplankton biomass during blooms. The cryptomonad bloom developed following a period of rainfall and concomitant increases in inorganic nitrogen concentrations. Nitrate, nitrite and ammonium concentrations 0 to 5 days prior were positively lag-correlated with cryptomonad abundance. In contrast, the G. insriatum bloom developed during periods of low dissolved nitrogen concentrations and their abundance was negatively correlated with inorganic nitrogen concentrations.

Relationship between mutation frequency of GPA locus and cumulative dose among medical diagnostic X-ray workers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Jixian; Yu Wenru; Li Benxiao; Fan Tiqiang; Li Zhen; Gao Zhiwei; Chen Zhenjun; Zhao Yongcheng

2000-01-01

Objective: To explore the feasibility of using GPA locus mutation assay as a bio-dosimeter for occupational exposure to ionizing radiation. Methods: An improved technique of GPA locus mutation assay was used in th study. The frequencies of mutant RBC in peripheral blood of 55 medical X-ray workers and 50 controls employed in different calendar-year periods were detected. The relationship between mutation frequencies (MFs) and period of entry, working years and cumulative doses were analyzed. Results: The MFs were significantly elevated among X-ray workers employed before 1970. This finding is similar to the result of cancer epidemiological study among medical X-ray workers , in which the cancer risk was significantly increased only X-ray workers employed before 1970. The MFs of GPA increased with increasing cumulative dose. The dose-effect relationship of Nφ MF with cumulative dose was closer than that of NN MF. Conclusion: There are many problems to be solved for using GPA MF assay as a bio-dosimeter such as individual variation, specificity and calibration curve of dose-effect relationship

The role of neutron activation analysis and radioanalytical methods in dose-effect relationship studies for the setting of trace metal protection criteria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sabbioni, E.; Pietra, R.; Edel, J.; Goetz, L.

1986-01-01

In order to prepare a scientifically accurate health protection criteria documents for trace metals integrated multidisciplinary research is necessary. In particular, the rational for structuring the documents should be based primarily on the two major questions of exposure and response. Unfortunately, in a majority of cases there is a paucity of relevant data to the establishment of dose-effect relationships. This work intends to show the role that neutron activation analysis and radiotracers with very high specific radioactivity have in solving problems relevant for establishment dose-effect relationships for trace metals. Typical applications in the different research areas involved in the preparation of the protection criteria, from source and exposure to levels and forms of trace metals in humans, are presented. (author)

Climate effects on phytoplankton floral composition in Chesapeake Bay

Science.gov (United States)

Harding, L. W.; Adolf, J. E.; Mallonee, M. E.; Miller, W. D.; Gallegos, C. L.; Perry, E. S.; Johnson, J. M.; Sellner, K. G.; Paerl, H. W.

2015-09-01

Long-term data on floral composition of phytoplankton are presented to document seasonal and inter-annual variability in Chesapeake Bay related to climate effects on hydrology. Source data consist of the abundances of major taxonomic groups of phytoplankton derived from algal photopigments (1995-2004) and cell counts (1985-2007). Algal photopigments were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and analyzed using the software CHEMTAX to determine the proportions of chlorophyll-a (chl-a) in major taxonomic groups. Cell counts determined microscopically provided species identifications, enumeration, and dimensions used to obtain proportions of cell volume (CV), plasma volume (PV), and carbon (C) in the same taxonomic groups. We drew upon these two independent data sets to take advantage of the unique strengths of each method, using comparable quantitative measures to express floral composition for the main stem bay. Spatial and temporal variability of floral composition was quantified using data aggregated by season, year, and salinity zone. Both time-series were sufficiently long to encompass the drought-flood cycle with commensurate effects on inputs of freshwater and solutes. Diatoms emerged as the predominant taxonomic group, with significant contributions by dinoflagellates, cryptophytes, and cyanobacteria, depending on salinity zone and season. Our analyses revealed increased abundance of diatoms in wet years compared to long-term average (LTA) or dry years. Results are presented in the context of long-term nutrient over-enrichment of the bay, punctuated by inter-annual variability of freshwater flow that strongly affects nutrient loading, chl-a, and floral composition. Statistical analyses generated flow-adjusted diatom abundance and showed significant trends late in the time series, suggesting current and future decreases of nutrient inputs may lead to a reduction of the proportion of biomass comprised by diatoms in an increasingly diverse

UV absorption reveals mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs in Tatra mountain lake phytoplankton

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jerzy Dera

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Enhanced absorption of UV radiation, an effect characteristic of mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs, is reported in samples of phytoplankton from six lakes in the Tatra Mountains National Park (Poland. It was demonstrated that the mass-specific UV absorption coefficients for the phytoplankton in these lakes increased with altitude above sea level. Based on a comparison with the phytoplankton of Alpine lakes, investigated earlier by other authors (cited in this paper, it may be inferred that the phytoplankton of Tatra mountain lakes produce MAAs, which protect plant cells from UV light, the intensity of which increases with altitude.

The Community Structure of Phytoplankton in Seagrass Ecosystem and its Relationship with Environmental Characterstics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gede Iwan Setiabudi

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The aimed of this study was to determine  the plankton communities and its relationship with the chemical and physical condition in seagrass ecosystem at Pegametan Bay. The composition and abundance of plankton were observed in the sea water underneath the surface and were identified based on the guideline of Illustration of the Marine Plankton of Japan. The water quality was measured in situ using WQC HI 9829. The water sample was measured using closed reflux spectrometry for COD, TOC analyzer for DOC and APHA 2102 (4500 method for Nt and Pt. There are 27 species of plankton identified, which can be classified into three groups. Diatom group consists of 18 species with a 74.56% abundance. The non-litoral group consists of 6 species with a 23.35% abundance. Moreover, dinoflagellate group consist of 3 species with a 2.09% abundance. An abundance of plankton greater than 104 cell.L-1 was found in diatome group (Nitzschia sp., Thalassiosira sp., Chaetoceros sp., Flagillaria sp., Thalassiothrix sp., and Melosira sp. and non-litoral group (Oscillatoria sp. and Spirogyra sp.. The abundance of those species indicated the algae bloom phenomenon. Dinophysis sp. was also identified, which was harmful algal blooms.How to CiteSetiabudi, G. I., Bengen, D. G., Effendi, H., & Radjasa, O. K. (2016. The Community Structure of Phytoplankton in Seagrass Ecosystem and its Relationship with Environmental Characterstics. Biosaintifika: Journal of Biology & Biology Education, 8(3, 257-269.

Phytoplankton distribution in three thermally distinct reactor cooling reservoirs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilde, E.W.

1983-01-01

Phytoplankton community structure was studied in relation to physicochemical characteristics of three South Carolina reservoirs in close proximity and of similar age and bottom type. Thermal alteration, resulting from the input of cooling water from a nuclear reactor, was substantially different in each reservoir. This provided an opportunity to compare water temperature effects separated from season. Water temperature (when examined independently in statistical models) appeared to be less important than other environmental variables in determining phytoplankton community structure. Pond C, a reservoir receiving intensely heated effluent (> 20 0 C ΔT), displayed low species diversity (Shannon-Weaver H 0 C in summer. Par Pond, having a maximum ΔT of 5 0 C, displayed no temperature-induced alteration of phytoplankton community structure

A recalculation of the age dependent dose-effect-relationship of the life span study of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kottbauer, M.M.; Fleck, C.M.; Schoellnberger, H.

1996-01-01

The basis of the presented model is the multistage process of carcinogenesis as a biological effect. It provides simultaneously the age-dependent mortality of spontaneous and radiation induced solid tumors and dose-effect relationships at any age after exposure. The model has been used to describe the solid cancer mortality rates of the atomic bomb survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It has characteristics of both relative and absolute risk projections depending on the age of exposure. (author)

State of Climate 2011 - Global Ocean Phytoplankton

Science.gov (United States)

Siegel, D. A.; Antoine, D.; Behrenfeld, M. J.; d'Andon, O. H. Fanton; Fields, E.; Franz, B. A.; Goryl, P.; Maritorena, S.; McClain, C. R.; Wang, M.;

Tolerance of polar phytoplankton communities to metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Echeveste, P.; Tovar-Sánchez, A.; Agustí, S.

2014-01-01

Large amounts of pollutants reach polar regions, particularly the Arctic, impacting their communities. In this study we analyzed the toxic levels of Hg, Cd and Pb to natural phytoplankton communities of the Arctic and Southern Oceans, and compared their sensitivities with those observed on phytoplankton natural communities from temperate areas. Mercury was the most toxic metal for both Arctic and Antarctic communities, while both Cd and Pb were toxic only for the Antarctic phytoplankton. Total cell abundance of the populations forming the Arctic community increased under high Cd and Pb concentrations, probably due to a decrease of the grazing pressure or the increase of the most resistant species, although analysis of individual cells indicated that cell death was already induced at the highest levels. These results suggest that phytoplankton may have acquired adapting mechanisms to face high levels of Pb and Cd in the Arctic Ocean. Highlights: • First study analyzing the toxicity of Hg, Cd or Pb to natural polar phytoplankton. • Arctic Ocean communities highly resistant to Cd and Pb, but not to Hg. • Southern Ocean communities sensitive to Cd, Pb and Hg. • Both communities incorporated Pb at a similar level. • Arctic phytoplankton may have acquired adapting mechanisms against Cd and Pb. -- Polar phytoplankton communities are tolerant to Cd and Pb, specially the Arctic ones, suggesting the acquisition of adapting mechanisms to face metals' toxicity

Diabetogenic action of streptozotocin: relationship of dose to metabolic response

Science.gov (United States)

Junod, Alain; Lambert, André E.; Stauffacher, Werner; Renold, Albert E.

1969-01-01

The relationship between the dose of intravenously administered streptozotocin (a N-nitroso derivative of glucosamine) and the diabetogenic response has been explored by use of the following indices of diabetogenic action: serum glucose, urine volume, and glycosuria, ketonuria, serum immunoreactive insulin (IRI), and pancreatic IRI content. Diabetogenic activity could be demonstrated between the doses of 25 and 100 mg/kg, all indices used showing some degree of correlation with the dose administered. Ketonuria was only seen with the largest dose, 100 mg/kg. The most striking and precise correlation was that between the dose and the pancreatic IRI content 24 hr after administration of the drug, and it is suggested that this represents a convenient test system either for both related and unrelated beta cytotoxic compounds or for screening for modifying agents or antidiabetic substances of a novel type. Ability to produce graded depletion of pancreatic IRI storage capacity led to an analysis of the relationship between pancreatic IRI content and deranged carbohydrate metabolism. Abnormal glucose tolerance and insulin response were seen when pancreatic IRI was depleted by about one-third, while fasting hyperglycemia and gross glycosuria occurred when the depletion had reached two-thirds and three-quarters, respectively. The mild yet persistent anomaly produced by the lowest effective streptozotocin dose, 25 mg/kg, exhibits characteristics resembling the state of chemical diabetes in humans and might thus warrant further study as a possible model. Finally, the loss of the diabetogenic action of streptozotocin by pretreatment with nicotinamide was confirmed and was shown to be a function of the relative doses of nicotinamide and streptozotocin and of the interval between injections. PMID:4241908

Dysphagia and trismus after concomitant chemo-Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (chemo-IMRT) in advanced head and neck cancer; dose-effect relationships for swallowing and mastication structures.

Science.gov (United States)

van der Molen, Lisette; Heemsbergen, Wilma D; de Jong, Rianne; van Rossum, Maya A; Smeele, Ludi E; Rasch, Coen R N; Hilgers, Frans J M

2013-03-01

Prospective assessment of dysphagia and trismus in chemo-IMRT head and neck cancer patients in relation to dose-parameters of structures involved in swallowing and mastication. Assessment of 55 patients before, 10-weeks (N=49) and 1-year post-treatment (N=37). Calculation of dose-volume parameters for swallowing (inferior (IC), middle (MC), and superior constrictors (SC)), and mastication structures (e.g. masseter). Investigation of relationships between dose-parameters and endpoints for swallowing problems (videofluoroscopy-based laryngeal Penetration-Aspiration Scale (PAS), and study-specific structured questionnaire) and limited mouth-opening (measurements and questionnaire), taking into account baseline scores. At 10-weeks, volume of IC receiving ≥60 Gy (V60) and mean dose IC were significant predictors for PAS. One-year post-treatment, reported problems with swallowing solids were significantly related to masseter dose-parameters (mean, V20, V40 and V60) and an inverse relationship (lower dose related to a higher probability) was observed for V60 of the IC. Dose-parameters of masseter and pterygoid muscles were significant predictors of trismus at 10-weeks (mean, V20, and V40). At 1-year, dose-parameters of all mastication structures were strong predictors for subjective mouth-opening problems (mean, max, V20, V40, and V60). Dose-effect relationships exist for dysphagia and trismus. Therefore treatment plans should be optimized to avoid these side effects. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

UV-radiation and skin cancer dose effect curves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Henriksen, T.; Dahlback, A.; Larsen, S.H.

1988-08-01

Norwegian skin cancer data were used in an attempt to arrive at the dose effect relationship for UV-carcinogenesis. The Norwegian population is relatively homogenous with regard to skin type and live in a country where the annual effective UV-dose varies by approximately 40 percent. Four different regions of the country, each with a broadness of 1 o in latitude (approximately 111 km), were selected . The annual effective UV-doses for these regions were calculated assuming normal ozone conditions throughout the year. The incidence of malignant melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer (mainly basal cell carcinoma) in these regions were considered and compared to the annual UV-doses. For both these types of cancer a quadratic dose effect curve seems to be valid. Depletions of the ozone layer results in larger UV-doses which in turn may yield more skin cancer. The dose effect curves suggest that the incidence rate will increase by an ''amplification factor'' of approximately 2

Temperature affects the size-structure of phytoplankton communities in the ocean

KAUST Repository

López-Urrutia, Ángel

2015-03-05

The strong inverse correlation between resource availability and temperature in the ocean poses a challenge to determine the relative effect of these two variables on the size-structure of natural phytoplankton communities. Maranon et al (2012) compiled a dataset of concurrent temperature and resource level proxies that they claim disentangled the effect of temperature from that of resource supply. They concluded that the hypothesis that temperature per se plays a direct role in controlling phytoplankton size structure should be rejected. But our reanalysis of their data reaches a very different conclusion and suggests that they failed to separate the effects of temperature from the effects of resources. Although we obviously concur with Maranon et al (2012) in the long-known predominance of small phytoplankton cells under oligotrophic conditions, from our point of view this should not deter us from considering temperature as an important explanatory variable at a global scale since we show that, for the vast oligotrophic areas of the world\\'s oceans where chlorophyll concentrations are below <1 g L-1 temperature explains a high proportion of the variability in the size distribution of phytoplankton communities, a variability that can not be explained on the basis of the resource level proxies advocated by Maranon et al. (2012).

Phytoplankton Monitoring Network - Phytoplankton Analysis with Associated Collection Information

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — A qualitative collection of data that includes salinity, temperature, phytoplankton counts and abundance ratios obtained from surface tows in the estuarine and...

Radiation dose in cardiac SPECT/CT: An estimation of SSDE and effective dose

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdollahi, Hamid; Shiri, Isaac; Salimi, Yazdan; Sarebani, Maghsoud; Mehdinia, Reza; Deevband, Mohammad Reza; Mahdavi, Seied Rabi; Sohrabi, Ahmad; Bitarafan-Rajabi, Ahmad

2016-01-01

Aims: The dose levels for Computed Tomography (CT) localization and attenuation correction of Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) are limited and reported as Volume Computed Tomography Dose Index (CTDIvol) and Dose-Length Product (DLP). This work presents CT dose estimation from Cardiac SPECT/CT based on new American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) Size Specific Dose Estimation (SSDE) parameter, effective dose, organ doses and also emission dose from nuclear issue. Material and methods: Myocardial perfusion SPECT/CT for 509 patients was included in the study. SSDE, effective dose and organ dose were calculated using AAPM guideline and Impact-Dose software. Data were analyzed using R and SPSS statistical software. Spearman-Pearson correlation test and linear regression models were used for finding correlations and relationships among parameters. Results: The mean CTDIvol was 1.34 mGy ± 0.19 and the mean SSDE was 1.7 mGy ± 0.16. The mean ± SD of effective dose from emission, CT and total dose were 11.5 ± 1.4, 0.49 ± 0.11 and 12.67 ± 1.73 (mSv) respectively. The mean ± SD of effective dose from emission, CT and total dose were 11.5 ± 1.4, 0.49 ± 0.11 and 12.67 ± 1.73 (mSv) respectively. The spearman test showed that correlation between body size and organ doses is significant except thyroid and red bone marrow. CTDIvol was strongly dependent on patient size, but SSDE was not. Emission dose was strongly dependent on patient weight, but its dependency was lower to effective diameter. Conclusion: The dose parameters including CTDIvol, DLP, SSDE, effective dose values reported here are very low and below the reference level. This data suggest that appropriate CT acquisition parameters in SPECT/CT localization and attenuation correction are very beneficial for patients and lowering cancer risks.

Radiation dose in cardiac SPECT/CT: An estimation of SSDE and effective dose

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abdollahi, Hamid, E-mail: Hamid_rbp@yahoo.com [Department of Medical Physics, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Shiri, Isaac [Department of Medical Physics, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Salimi, Yazdan [Biomedical Engineering and Medical Physics Department, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Sarebani, Maghsoud; Mehdinia, Reza [Department of Medical Physics, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Deevband, Mohammad Reza [Biomedical Engineering and Medical Physics Department, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Mahdavi, Seied Rabi [Department of Medical Physics, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Radiation Biology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Sohrabi, Ahmad [Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Bitarafan-Rajabi, Ahmad, E-mail: bitarafan@hotmail.com [Department of Medical Physics, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Department of Nuclear Medicine, Rajaei Cardiovascular, Medical and Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2016-12-15

Aims: The dose levels for Computed Tomography (CT) localization and attenuation correction of Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) are limited and reported as Volume Computed Tomography Dose Index (CTDIvol) and Dose-Length Product (DLP). This work presents CT dose estimation from Cardiac SPECT/CT based on new American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) Size Specific Dose Estimation (SSDE) parameter, effective dose, organ doses and also emission dose from nuclear issue. Material and methods: Myocardial perfusion SPECT/CT for 509 patients was included in the study. SSDE, effective dose and organ dose were calculated using AAPM guideline and Impact-Dose software. Data were analyzed using R and SPSS statistical software. Spearman-Pearson correlation test and linear regression models were used for finding correlations and relationships among parameters. Results: The mean CTDIvol was 1.34 mGy ± 0.19 and the mean SSDE was 1.7 mGy ± 0.16. The mean ± SD of effective dose from emission, CT and total dose were 11.5 ± 1.4, 0.49 ± 0.11 and 12.67 ± 1.73 (mSv) respectively. The mean ± SD of effective dose from emission, CT and total dose were 11.5 ± 1.4, 0.49 ± 0.11 and 12.67 ± 1.73 (mSv) respectively. The spearman test showed that correlation between body size and organ doses is significant except thyroid and red bone marrow. CTDIvol was strongly dependent on patient size, but SSDE was not. Emission dose was strongly dependent on patient weight, but its dependency was lower to effective diameter. Conclusion: The dose parameters including CTDIvol, DLP, SSDE, effective dose values reported here are very low and below the reference level. This data suggest that appropriate CT acquisition parameters in SPECT/CT localization and attenuation correction are very beneficial for patients and lowering cancer risks.

Dose-effect relationship for cataract induction after single-dose total body irradiation and bone marrow transplantation for acute leukemia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kempen-Harteveld, M. Loes van; Belkacemi, Yazid; Kal, Henk B.; Labopin, Myriam; Frassoni, Francesco

2002-01-01

Purpose: To determine a dose-effect relationship for cataract induction, the tissue-specific parameter, α/β, and the rate of repair of sublethal damage, μ value, in the linear-quadratic formula have to be known. To obtain these parameters for the human eye lens, a large series of patients treated with different doses and dose rates is required. The data of patients with acute leukemia treated with single-dose total body irradiation (STBI) and bone marrow transplantation (BMT) collected by the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation were analyzed. Methods and Materials: The data of 495 patients who underwent BMT for acute leukemia, who had STBI as part of their conditioning regimen, were analyzed using the linear-quadratic concept. The end point was the incidence of cataract formation after BMT. Of the analyzed patients, 175 were registered as having cataracts. Biologic effective doses (BEDs) for different sets of values for α/β and μ were calculated for each patient. With Cox regression analysis, using the overall chi-square test as the parameter evaluating the goodness of fit, α/β and μ values were found. Risk factors for cataract induction were the BED of the applied TBI regimen, allogeneic BMT, steroid therapy for >14 weeks, and heparin administration. To avoid the influence of steroid therapy and heparin on cataract induction, patients who received steroid or heparin treatment were excluded, leaving only the BED as a risk factor. Next, the most likely set of α/β and μ values was obtained. With this set, the cataract-free survival rates were calculated for specific BED intervals, according to the Kaplan-Meier method. From these calculations, cataract incidences were obtained as function of the BED at 120 months after STBI. Results: The use of BED instead of the TBI dose enabled the incidence of cataract formation to be predicted in a reasonably consistent way. With Cox regression analysis for all STBI data, a maximal chi-square value was

Dose response relationship at low doses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schull, W.J.

1992-01-01

The data that have accrued in Hiroshima and Nagasaki on the effects of ionizing radiation on the developing human brain are reviewed. Effects considered are severe mental retardation, lowered IQ scores, decline in school performance, seizures, other neuropsychological effects, and small head size. All these factors may be related to radiation doses received by the mother during pregnancy. (L.L.) 3 figs., tab., 7 refs

Indicators: Phytoplankton

Science.gov (United States)

Phytoplankton are free-floating, microscopic algae that inhabit the sunlit, upper layer of most freshwater and marine environments. They are usually responsible for the color and clarity of lakes, wetlands, rivers, streams and estuaries.

A prospective study of marine phytoplankton and reported ...

Science.gov (United States)

BACKGROUND: Blooms of marine phytoplankton may adversely affect human health. The potential public health impact of low-level exposures is not well established, and few prospective cohort studies of recreational exposures to marine phytoplankton have been conducted.OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the association between phytoplankton cell counts and subsequent illness among recreational beachgoers.METHODS:We recruited beachgoers at Boquer6n Beach, Puerto Rico, during the summer of 2009. We conducted interviews at three time points to assess baseline health, water activities, and subsequent illness. Daily water samples were quantitatively assayed for phytoplankton cell count. Logistic regression models, adjusted for age and sex, were used to assess the association between exposure to three categories of phytoplankton concentration and subsequent illness.RESULTS: During 26 study days, 15,726 individuals successfully completed all three interviews. Daily total phytoplankton cell counts ranged from 346 to 2,012 cells/ml (median, 712 cells/ml). The category with the highest (≥75th percentile) total phytoplankton cell count was associated with eye irritation [adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 1.30; 95% confidence interval (Cl): 1.01, 1.66], rash (OR = 1.27; 95% Cl: 1.02, 1.57), and earache (OR = 1.25; 95% Cl: 0.88, 1.77). In phytoplankton group-specific analyses, the category with the highest Cyanobacteria counts was associated with respiratory illness (OR = 1.37; 95% Cl: 1.12, 1

Free zinc ion and dissolved orthophosphate effects on phytoplankton from Coeur d'Alene Lake, Idaho

Science.gov (United States)

Kuwabara, J.S.; Topping, B.R.; Woods, P.F.; Carter, J.L.

2007-01-01

Coeur d'Alene Lake in northern Idaho is fed by two major rivers: the Coeur d'Alene River from the east and the St. Joe River from the south, with the Spokane River as its outlet to the north. This phosphorus-limited lake has been subjected to decades of mining (primarily for zinc and silver) and other anthropogenic inputs. A 32 full-factorial experimental design was used to examine the interactive effects of free (uncomplexed) zinc ion and dissolved-orthophosphate concentrations on phytoplankton that were isolated from two sites along a longitudinal zinc-concentration gradient in Coeur d'Alene Lake. The two sites displayed different dominant taxa. Chlorella minutissima, a dominant species near the southern St. Joe River inlet, exhibited greater sensitivity to free Zn ions than Asterionella formosa, collected nearer the Coeur d'Alene River mouth with elevated dissolved-zinc concentrations. Empirical phytoplankton-response models were generated to describe phytoplankton growth in response to remediation strategies in the surrounding watershed. If dissolved Zn can be reduced in the water column from >500 nM (i.e., current concentrations near and down stream of the Coeur d'Alene River plume) to management of phosphorus inputs by surrounding communities will ultimately determine the limnologic state of the lake.

Biodiversity effects on resource use efficiency and community turnover of plankton in Lake Nansihu, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, Wang; Zhang, Huayong; Zhang, Jian; Zhao, Lei; Miao, Mingsheng; Huang, Hai

2017-04-01

The relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning is a central issue in ecology, especially in aquatic ecosystems due to the ecophysiological characteristics of plankton. Recently, ecologists have obtained conflicting conclusions while analyzing the influence of species diversity on plankton resource use efficiency (RUE) and community turnover. In this study, both phytoplankton and zooplankton communities were investigated seasonally from 2011 to 2013 in Lake Nansihu, a meso-eutrophic and recovering lake in China. The effects of phytoplankton diversity on RUE of phytoplankton (RUE PP ), zooplankton (RUE ZP ), and community turnover were analyzed. Results showed that both phytoplankton species richness and evenness were positively correlated with RUE PP . RUE ZP had a negative relationship with phytoplankton species richness, but a weak unimodal relationship with phytoplankton evenness. Cyanobacteria community had the opposite influence on RUE PP and RUE ZP . Thus, cyanobacteria dominance will benefit RUE PP in eutrophic lakes, but the growth and reproduction of zooplankton are greatly limited. The strong negative relationship between total phosphorus and RUE ZP confirmed these results. Phytoplankton community turnover tended to decrease with increasing phytoplankton evenness, which was consistent with most previous studies. The correlation coefficient between phytoplankton species richness and community turnover was negative, but not significant (p > 0.05). Therefore, phytoplankton community turnover was more sensitive to the variation of evenness than species richness. These results will be helpful in understanding the effects of species diversity on ecosystem functioning in aquatic ecosystems.

An explanation for the multiplicative and the additive dose-effect relationship with the single-hit model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kottbauer, M.M.; Fleck, C.M.; Schoellnberger, H.

1997-01-01

For solid tumors and for leukemia the excess cancer rate after a single radiation dose D is different. The multiplicative model describes the excess solid tumor probability rate which is proportional to the background rate of cancer and dependent on dose D. The additive model describes the excess probability rate for leukaemia which is proportional to the dose D but unrelated to the spontaneous rate of cancer. A second great difference between the two models is the duration of the increased cancer probability rate. The multiplicative mode predicts that the additional cancer risk persist the whole lifetime after exposure and the additive model predicts excess risk over a period of time. With the Single-hit model (SHM) which is a multistage cancer model both dose-response relationships can be described. It will be shown that only small differences in the derivation will lead to the different relationships. We then analyze the incidence data of leukemia (1950-1987) and of all solid tumors (1958-1987) of the atomic bomb survivors. (author)

Chromosomal damage after Iodine-131 treatment for differentiated thyroid cancer: in vivo dose-effect relationship

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nguyen, V.K.; Nguyen, X.P.; Truong, Q.X.

2007-01-01

Full text: Although it is well known that radiation induces chromosomal aberrations, there is a lack of information on the in- vivo dose-effect relationship in patients receiving Iodine-131 treatment and the results of previous studies are controversial. In this study, the dicentric chromosomal aberrations (DCA) analysis method was employed to investigate acute and late chromosomal damage (CD) in the peripheral lymphocytes of 58 differentiated thyroid cancer patients who received dose 1,1 GBq of Iodine-131 (group A), and 34 patients who received dose 3,7 GBq of Iodine- 131 (group B). The mean 100 metaphase spreads were scored for each subject. The DCA frequencies in cultured peripheral lymphocytes were determined before treatment to assess basal DCA frequencies, on the 3rd day to assess acute DCA frequencies and 6 months later to assess late DCA frequencies. The basal, acute and late DCA frequencies were divided into two groups: 0,18%, 2,14% and 0,53% (group A) and 0,18%, 2,12 % and 0,89% (group B), respectively, and these values differed significantly at various time after treatment (p 2 = 0,987), and group B as Y= 32,71 + 0,189 X. (r = 0,9381, R 2 = 0,880). However, there was an interesting difference in comparison with in- vitro studies, in that we found the coefficient β to have a negative value, suggesting the disappearance of damaged lymphocytes from peripheral circulation in a dose- dependent manner following Iodine-131 treatment. Further studies are therefore needed to clarify the effect of the negative β value on biological dosimetry approach in continuous internal low LET radiation, as in the case of Iodine-131 treatment. (author)

Promotion Effect of Asian Dust on Phytoplankton Growth and Potential Dissolved Organic Phosphorus Utilization in the South China Sea

Science.gov (United States)

Chu, Qiang; Liu, Ying; Shi, Jie; Zhang, Chao; Gong, Xiang; Yao, Xiaohong; Guo, Xinyu; Gao, Huiwang

2018-03-01

Dust deposition is an important nutrient source to the South China Sea (SCS), but few in situ experiments were conducted on phytoplankton response to the deposition. We conducted onboard incubation experiments at three stations near Luzon Strait in the SCS, with addition of multiple dissolved inorganic nutrients, Asian dust, and rainwater. From our results, nitrogen and phosphorus were both urgently needed for phytoplankton growth in the SCS, indicated by the evident Chl a response to the addition of nitrogen and phosphorus together. Almost no evident response was observed by adding phosphorus or iron alone to incubation waters, although a delayed response of Chl a in mass concentration was observed by adding nitrogen alone. The latter implied a possible utilization of dissolved organic phosphorus because of insufficient dissolved inorganic phosphorus in incubation waters. Under such nutrient condition, Asian dust showed an apparent promotion effect on phytoplankton growth by providing sufficient amounts of nitrogen but low phosphorus. Meanwhile, it was found that large sized (> 5 μm) phytoplankton community showed different responses to dust addition at different stations. At stations A3 and A6, Chaetoceros spp. became the dominant species during the bloom period, while at station WG2, Nitzschia spp. became dominant. In combination with different initial nutrients and Chl a levels at the three stations, the different phytoplankton community evolution implied the response difference to external inputs between oligotrophic (stations A3 and A6) and ultraoligotrophic (station WG2) conditions in the SCS.

Seasonal Variability of Mesozooplankton Feeding Rates on Phytoplankton in Subtropical Coastal and Estuarine Waters

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mianrun Chen

2017-06-01

Full Text Available In order to understand how mesozooplankton assemblages influenced phytoplankton in coastal and estuarine waters, we carried out a monthly investigation on mesozooplankton composition at two contrasting stations of Hong Kong coastal and estuarine waters and simultaneously conducted bottle incubation feeding experiments. The assemblage of mesozooplankton was omnivorous at both stations with varying carnivory degree (the degree of feeding preference of protozoa and animal food to phytoplankton and the variations of carnivory degree were significantly associated with microzooplankton biomass (ciliates for the coastal station, both ciliates and dinoflagellates for the estuarine stations and physical environmental parameters (primarily salinity. High carnivory was primarily due to high composition of noctilucales, Corycaeus spp., Oithona spp. and Acartia spp. Results of feeding experiments showed that grazing impacts on phytoplankton ranged from −5.9 to 17.7%, while the mean impacts were just <4% at both stations. The impacts were size-dependent, by which mesozooplankton consumed around 9% of large-sized phytoplankton while indirectly caused an increase of 4% of small-sized phytoplankton. Mesozooplankton clearance rate on phytoplankton, calculated from the log response of chlorophyll a concentrations by the introduction of bulk grazers after 1-day incubation, was significantly reduced by increasing carnivory degree of the mesozooplankton assemblage. The mechanism for the reduction of mesozooplankton clearance rate with increasing carnivory degree was primarily due to less efficient of filtering feeding and stronger trophic cascades due to suppression of microzooplankton. The feeding rates of mesozooplankton on microzooplankton were not obtained in this study, but the trophic cascades indirectly induced by mesozooplankton carnivorous feeding can be observed by the negative clearance rate on small-sized phytoplankton. Overall, the main significance of

Toxic effects of chlorinated organic compounds and potassium dichromate on growth rate and photosynthesis of marine phytoplankton

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kusk, Kresten Ole; Nyholm, Niels

1992-01-01

The toxic effects of potassium dichromate (K2Cr2O7), 3,4-dichloroaniline (DCA) and 2,4-dichlorophenol (DCP) on the photosynthesis of natural marine phytoplankton and five species of marine microalgae were investigated. Effect concentrations corresponding to a 50 % depression of photosynthesis (6h...

PHYTOPLANKTON OF CASPIAN

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Aysha Sharapatinovna Gasanova

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Aim. The composition of the species of the phytoplankton in the Russian sector of the Caspian Sea in conditions of transgression, anthropogenic and chemical contamination has been studied.Location.The Russian sector of the Caspian SeaMethods. The phytoplankton samples were collected at the depths of 8 – 50m by the use of the Nansen bathometer and subsequently were fixed in 4% formalin. The office processing was carried out in a box of Nozhotta type, which has the volume of 0.1 ml and the triplicate surface, under the light microscope of Biolam P15. The system of domestic diamotologists was used during the classification of Bacillariaphyta, as for the classification of Dinophyta, the Dodge scheme was applied. Cyanophyta algae were classified according to the system of A.A. Elenkina with the amendments adopted by A.I. Proshkin-Lavrenko and V.V. Makarova. The classification of the Chlorophyta division has been done according to the Smith system.Results, main conclusions. Presented the taxonomic structure and the lists of species of the phytoplankton community in the sea coastal shallow waters Russian sector of the Caspian Sea have been presented. A high floristic diversity and domination of small cell forms are characteristics of the modern structure of the coastal shoal waters of the Dagestan part of the Caspian Sea. The auttaclimatizant of 1934, Pseudosolenia calcaravis, has not been discovered in the plankton of the researched water area. The phytoplankton community has been represented by 58 species of six groups: Cyanophyta, Bacillariaphyta, Dinophyta, Euglenophyta, Chlorophyta and the small flagellate. Bacillariaphyta were the basis of both the taxonomic diversity and the biomass. Cyanophita prevailed in number.

Five Years of Experimental Warming Increases the Biodiversity and Productivity of Phytoplankton

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Yvon-Durocher, Gabriel; Allen, Andrew P.; Cellamare, Maria; Dossena, Matteo; Gaston, Kevin J.; Leitao, Maria; Montoya, José M.; Reuman, Daniel C.; Woodward, Guy; Trimmer, Mark

2015-01-01

Phytoplankton are key components of aquatic ecosystems, fixing CO2 from the atmosphere through photosynthesis and supporting secondary production, yet relatively little is known about how future global warming might alter their biodiversity and associated ecosystem functioning. Here, we explore how the structure, function, and biodiversity of a planktonic metacommunity was altered after five years of experimental warming. Our outdoor mesocosm experiment was open to natural dispersal from the regional species pool, allowing us to explore the effects of experimental warming in the context of metacommunity dynamics. Warming of 4°C led to a 67% increase in the species richness of the phytoplankton, more evenly-distributed abundance, and higher rates of gross primary productivity. Warming elevated productivity indirectly, by increasing the biodiversity and biomass of the local phytoplankton communities. Warming also systematically shifted the taxonomic and functional trait composition of the phytoplankton, favoring large, colonial, inedible phytoplankton taxa, suggesting stronger top-down control, mediated by zooplankton grazing played an important role. Overall, our findings suggest that temperature can modulate species coexistence, and through such mechanisms, global warming could, in some cases, increase the species richness and productivity of phytoplankton communities. PMID:26680314

The time factor in dose-effect relationships

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jones, H.B.; Grendon, A.; White, M.R.; California Univ., Berkeley

1976-01-01

The assumption that carcinogenic risk is proportional to dose fails to consider that probable time of actual cancer incidence. The time lag between exposure and carcinogenic effect for radiation and chemical agents varies as Dosesup(-1/n), with napproximately3. A model is offered explaining that concentration of initially altered cells depends on dose, whereas their chance for development into tumours on their proximity, which varies as Dsup(-1/3). Because of biological variability, n has a range of values. The model implies that tumours resulting from a single exposure should be closely distributed in time, producing a pulse of cases and subsequently being essentially without effect. Testing of the Dsup(-1/3) rule was extended and its model, by further refinement of methods, applied to radiogenic leukaemia risk and to the effect of urethan in inducing lung tumours in mice with and without radiation exposure as a possible cocarcinogen. Radiation did not affect the tumour yield from urethan in mice. Radiogenic leukaemia and lung tumours induced by urethan both occur in proportion to exposure, but the time of their occurrence is limited to a short interval in relation to life span. Similarly, in murine or in human radiogenic leukaemia, leukaemia risk occurs in proportion to exposure, but the time of occurrences is limited to a short interval in relation to life span. In both sets of observations, as well as in other test systems of carcinogenesis, the peak of occurrence or the mean latent period is roughly inversely related to Dsup(-1/3). Applied to lung tumours and leukaemia, the spread of cases about the peak incidence was found to be typically less than a fifth of the life span. Exposure risks do not continue to act over life span. Neoplastic disease risk from carcinogens levels too low to be tested experimentally, theoretically usually lies beyond the life span. The social and economic consequences of a theoretically calculated number of deaths due to those

Environmental gradients regulate the spatio-temporal variability of phytoplankton assemblages in the Can Gio Mangrove Biosphere Reserve, Vietnam

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Pham, Thanh-Luu

2017-12-01

This paper covers spatial and temporal variation in phytoplankton communities and physico-chemical variables in the Can Gio Mangrove Biosphere Reserve (CGMBR), Vietnam, based on field measurement conducted monthly at nine stations during February 2009 to January 2010. Species diversity, richness and phytoplankton abundance were calculated. Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) was used to investigate the relationship between environmental factors and phytoplankton community. A total of 126 species were recorded with a clear dominance of Bacillariophyceae, which formed about 76.4% of the total phytoplankton counts with an annual average of 44.900 cells/L. Other algal classes like Dinophyceae, Cyanophyceae and Chrysophyceae sustained low counts, forming collectively about 14% of the total abundance of phytoplankton. Although Chaetoceros and Coscinodiscus were the most dominant genera, Schroederella and Skeletonema showed high abundance during the studied period. Among the nine environmental parameters tested in this study, salinity, nitrate and ammonium were found to be significantly different between two seasons. On the other hand, no significant difference was found between stations for the studied variables. Results of CCA indicated that phytoplankton assemblage in the CGMBR was influenced by salinity, nitrate and phosphate concentration. This is the first study simultaneously investigating the phytoplankton communities and their environment in this area and it is essential in order to set up the baseline of future studies.

Phytoplankton assemblage of a small, shallow, tropical African reservoir.

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Mustapha, Moshood K

2009-12-01

I measured physico-chemical properties and phytoplankton in the small, shallow tropical reservoir of Oyun (Offa, Nigeria) between January 2002 and December 2003. I identified 25 phytoplankton genera in three sampling stations. Bacillariophyceae dominated (75.3%), followed by Chlorophyceae (12.2%), Cyanobacteria (11.1%) and Desmidiaceae (0.73%). The high amount of nutrients (e.g. nitrate, phosphate, sulphate and silica) explain phytoplankton heterogeneity (p<0.05). Phytoplankton was abundant during the rainy season, but the transition period had the richest assemblage and abundance. Fluctuations in phytoplankton density were a result of seasonal changes in concentration of nutrients, grazing pressure and reservoir hydrology. The reservoir is eutrophic with excellent water quality and a diverse phytoplankton assemblage: fish production would be high. These conditions resulted from strategies such as watershed best management practices (BMPs) to control eutrophication and sedimentation, and priorities for water usage established through legislation. Additional measures are recommended to prevent oligotrophy, hypereutrophy, excessive phytoplankton bloom, toxic cyanobacteria, and run-off of organic waste and salts.

Environmental biogeography of near-surface phytoplankton in the southeast Pacific Ocean

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Hardy, John; Hanneman, Andrew; Behrenfeldt, Michael; Horner, Rita

1996-10-01

Biogeographic interpretation of large-scale phytoplankton distribution patterns in relation to surface hydrography is essential to understanding pelagic food web dynamics and biogeochemical processes influencing global climate. We examined the abundance and biomass of phytoplankton in relation to physical and chemical parameters in the southeast Pacific Ocean. Samples were collected along longitude 110°W, between 10°N and 60°S during late austral summer. Patterns of taxa abundance and hydrographic variables were interpreted by principal components analysis. Five distinct phytohydrographic regions were identified: (i) a north equatorial region of moderate productivity dominated by small flagellates, low nitrate and low-to-moderate pCO 2; (ii) a south equatorial region characterized by high primary productivity dominated by diatoms, high nutrient levels, and relatively high pCO 2; (iii) a central gyre region characterized by low productivity dominated by small flagellates, low nitrate, and high pCO 2; (iv) a sub-Antarctic region with moderate productivity dominated by coccolithophores, moderate nitrate concentrations, and low pCO 2; and (v) an Antarctic region with high productivity dominated by diatoms, very high nitrate, and low pCO 2. Productivity and average phytoplankton cell size were positively correlated with nitrate concentration. Total phytoplankton abundance was negatively correlated with pCO 2, photosynthetically active radiation, and ultraviolet-B radiation. The interaction between phytoplankton carbon assimilation, atmospheric CO2, and the inhibitory effect of ultraviolet radiation could have implications for the global climate. These data suggest that the effects would be greatest at southern mid-latitudes (40-50°S) where present phytoplankton production and predicted future increases in UV-B are both relatively high.

Phytoplankton Assessment in Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve

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SPIRIDON Cosmin

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The term ”plankton” refers to those microscopic aquatic forms having little or no resistance to currents and living free-floating and suspended, in open or pelagic waters. Phytoplankton development has different consequences depending on biomass quality and quantity, the overgrowth result being eutrophication process. The eutrophication intensity can cause both a lower water transparency, by excessive algal growth, to fish death in the area. In this study, it was presented the ecological status and phytoplankton biomass dynamic, in the Danube branches from upstream to downstream. The measurements have been made in 2013, in March, June, September and November, using spectrofluorometer for algal biomass determination and a microscope for qualitative analyses of phytoplankton species. Shannon-Wiener index was calculated to compare phytoplankton species diversity. Also, the biodegradable organic matter loading the ecosystem was determined by computing the Saprobic index. The values obtained do not exceed the eutrophication limits according to the Water Framework Directive, transposed into Romanian legislation by Order 161/2006, with normal concentrations for rheophile ecosystems, as Danube's branches. In this area, water currents and high water turbidity inhibit phytoplankton growth, in contrast to lacustrine ecosystems, where light penetration to depths favors the development of different phytoplankton groups.

Decadal phytoplankton dynamics in response to episodic climatic disturbances in a subtropical deep freshwater ecosystem.

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Ko, Chia-Ying; Lai, Chao-Chen; Hsu, Huang-Hsiung; Shiah, Fuh-Kwo

2017-02-01

Information of the decadal timescale effects of episodic climatic disturbances (i.e., typhoons) on phytoplankton in freshwater ecosystems have received less attention and fewer seasonal evaluations partly due to the lack of long-term time-series monitoring data in typhoon prevailing areas. Through field observations of a total 36 typhoon cases in a subtropical deep freshwater ecosystem in the period of 2005-2014, we quantified phytoplankton biomass, production and growth rate in response to meteorological and hydrological changes in the weeks before, during and after typhoons between summer and autumn, and also investigated the effects of typhoon characteristics on the aforementioned phytoplankton responses. The results showed that phytoplankton exposed to typhoon disturbances generally exhibited an increasing trend over the weeks before, during and after typhoons in summer but varied in autumn. The correlations and multivariate regressions showed different contributions of meteorological and hydrological variables to individual phytoplankton responses before, during and after typhoons between seasons. The post-typhoon weeks (i.e., within two weeks after a typhoon had passed) were especially important for the timeline of phytoplankton increases and with a detectable seasonal variation that the chlorophyll a concentration significantly increased in autumn whereas both primary production and growth rate were associated with significant changes in summer. Additionally, phytoplankton responses during the post-typhoon weeks were significantly different between discrete or continuous types of typhoon events. Our work illustrated the fact that typhoons did influence phytoplankton responses in the subtropical deep freshwater ecosystem and typhoon passages in summer and autumn affected the phytoplankton dynamics differently. Nevertheless, sustained and systematic monitoring in order to advance our understanding of the role of typhoons between seasons in the modulation of

Dose-response relationships for environmentally mediated infectious disease transmission models.

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Andrew F Brouwer

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Environmentally mediated infectious disease transmission models provide a mechanistic approach to examining environmental interventions for outbreaks, such as water treatment or surface decontamination. The shift from the classical SIR framework to one incorporating the environment requires codifying the relationship between exposure to environmental pathogens and infection, i.e. the dose-response relationship. Much of the work characterizing the functional forms of dose-response relationships has used statistical fit to experimental data. However, there has been little research examining the consequences of the choice of functional form in the context of transmission dynamics. To this end, we identify four properties of dose-response functions that should be considered when selecting a functional form: low-dose linearity, scalability, concavity, and whether it is a single-hit model. We find that i middle- and high-dose data do not constrain the low-dose response, and different dose-response forms that are equally plausible given the data can lead to significant differences in simulated outbreak dynamics; ii the choice of how to aggregate continuous exposure into discrete doses can impact the modeled force of infection; iii low-dose linear, concave functions allow the basic reproduction number to control global dynamics; and iv identifiability analysis offers a way to manage multiple sources of uncertainty and leverage environmental monitoring to make inference about infectivity. By applying an environmentally mediated infectious disease model to the 1993 Milwaukee Cryptosporidium outbreak, we demonstrate that environmental monitoring allows for inference regarding the infectivity of the pathogen and thus improves our ability to identify outbreak characteristics such as pathogen strain.

Competition between a nonallelopathic phytoplankton and an allelopathic phytoplankton species under predation.

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Kengwoung-Keumo, Jean-Jacques

2016-08-01

We propose a model of two-species competition in the chemostat for a single growth-limiting, nonreproducing resource that extends that of Roy [38]. The response functions are specified to be Michaelis-Menten, and there is no predation in Roy's work. Our model generalizes Roy's model to general uptake functions. The competition is exploitative so that species compete by decreasing the common pool of resources. The model also allows allelopathic effects of one toxin-producing species, both on itself (autotoxicity) and on its nontoxic competitor (phytotoxicity). We show that a stable coexistence equilibrium exists as long as (a) there are allelopathic effects and (b) the input nutrient concentration is above a critical value. The model is reconsidered under instantaneous nutrient recycling. We further extend this work to include a zooplankton species as a fourth interacting component to study the impact of predation on the ecosystem. The zooplankton species is allowed to feed only on the two phytoplankton species which are its perfectly substitutable resources. Each of the models is analyzed for boundedness, equilibria, stability, and uniform persistence (or permanence). Each model structure fits very well with some harmful algal bloom observations where the phytoplankton assemblage can be envisioned in two compartments, toxin producing and non-toxic. The Prymnesium parvum literature, where the suppressing effects of allelochemicals are quite pronounced, is a classic example. This work advances knowledge in an area of research becoming ever more important, which is understanding the functioning of allelopathy in food webs.

Phytoplankton global mapping from space with a support vector machine algorithm

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de Boissieu, Florian; Menkes, Christophe; Dupouy, Cécile; Rodier, Martin; Bonnet, Sophie; Mangeas, Morgan; Frouin, Robert J.

2014-11-01

In recent years great progress has been made in global mapping of phytoplankton from space. Two main trends have emerged, the recognition of phytoplankton functional types (PFT) based on reflectance normalized to chlorophyll-a concentration, and the recognition of phytoplankton size class (PSC) based on the relationship between cell size and chlorophyll-a concentration. However, PFTs and PSCs are not decorrelated, and one approach can complement the other in a recognition task. In this paper, we explore the recognition of several dominant PFTs by combining reflectance anomalies, chlorophyll-a concentration and other environmental parameters, such as sea surface temperature and wind speed. Remote sensing pixels are labeled thanks to coincident in-situ pigment data from GeP&CO, NOMAD and MAREDAT datasets, covering various oceanographic environments. The recognition is made with a supervised Support Vector Machine classifier trained on the labeled pixels. This algorithm enables a non-linear separation of the classes in the input space and is especially adapted for small training datasets as available here. Moreover, it provides a class probability estimate, allowing one to enhance the robustness of the classification results through the choice of a minimum probability threshold. A greedy feature selection associated to a 10-fold cross-validation procedure is applied to select the most discriminative input features and evaluate the classification performance. The best classifiers are finally applied on daily remote sensing datasets (SeaWIFS, MODISA) and the resulting dominant PFT maps are compared with other studies. Several conclusions are drawn: (1) the feature selection highlights the weight of temperature, chlorophyll-a and wind speed variables in phytoplankton recognition; (2) the classifiers show good results and dominant PFT maps in agreement with phytoplankton distribution knowledge; (3) classification on MODISA data seems to perform better than on SeaWIFS data

Single event effects and total ionizing dose effects of typical VDMOSFET devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lou Jianshe; Cai Nan; Liu Jiaxin; Wu Qinzhi; Wang Jia

2012-01-01

In this work, single event effects and total ionizing dose effects of typical VDMOSFET irradiated by 60 Co γ-rays and 252 Cf source were studied. The single event burnout and single event gate rupture (SEB/SEGR) effects were investigated, and the relationship between drain-source breakdown voltage and ionizing dose was obtained. The results showed that the VDMOSFET devices were sensitive to SEB and SEGR, and measures to improve their resistance to SEB and SEGR should be considered seriously for their space applications. The drain-source breakdown voltage was sensitive to total ionizing dose effects as the threshold voltage. In assessing the devices' resistance to the total ionizing dose effects, both the threshold voltage and the drain-source breakdown voltage should be taken into account. (authors)

Phytoplankton virus production negatively affected by iron limitation

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Hans A Slagter

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Fe-limited monocultures of the ubiquitous algae Micromonas pusilla and Phaeocystis globosa were infected with their respective viruses (MpV and PgV to ascertain the effect of Fe-limitation on phytoplankton host-virus dynamics. The effect of the viral shunt on Fe concentrations and bioavailability is starting to gain attention, since not only is Fe released through lysis, but also its solubility is increased by the simultaneous release of Fe-binding dissolved organic ligands. However, the effect of Fe-limitation on the process of viral lysis itself is poorly understood. In this study fine adjustment of a seawater-based culture medium including the use of ultra-clean trace metal conditions and protocols allowed for Fe-limited growth at nanomolar amounts as opposed to micromolar amounts typically employed in culturing. Viral lysates derived from Fe-limited and Fe-replete (for comparison hosts were cross-inoculated in hosts of both Fe treatments, to judge the quality of the resulting lysate as well as the effect of Fe introduction after initial infection. For both phytoplankton host-virus systems, the virus burst size reduced strongly under Fe stress, i.e. on average 28 ±1% of replete. Moreover, the MpV virus progeny showed highly reduced infectivity of 30±7%, whereas PgV infectivity was not affected. A small addition of Fe to Fe-limited cultures coming from the Fe-replete lysate counteracted the negative effect of Fe-limitation on phytoplankton virus production to some extent (but still half of replete, implying that the physiological history of the host at the moment of infection was an important underlying factor. These results indicate that Fe-limitation has the strong potential to reduce the loss of phytoplankton due to virus infection, thereby affecting the extent of Fe-cycling through the viral shunt. To what extent this affects the contribution of viral lysis-induced organic ligand release needs further study.

Phytoplankton abundance in relation to the quality of the coastal water – Arabian Gulf, Saudi Arabia

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Mostafa Abdel Mohsen El Gammal

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Phytoplankton abundance in relation to some physicochemical characters of the costal water of Arabian Gulf (Saudi Arabia was studied for one year. The sampling program included 15 locations in Dammam, Saihat, Al-Qatif, Al-Awamia and Safwa. Water samples were analyzed monthly for these parameters; temperature, pH, salinity, dissolved oxygen, nitrite, nitrate, ammonia, carbon dioxide, total chloride, reactive orthophosphate and total phosphorus and alkalinity, also phytoplankton communities were identified and Chlorophyll a was estimated. The results showed that, the high phytoplankton density attaining the maximum (190.3 × 104/m3 during May and June, and the minimum (10.4 × 104/m3 during November and December. Forty Five species belonging to 5 phytoplankton groups were recorded. Bacillariophyceae was the first dominant group forming 48% of the total phytoplankton communities (23 species. The dominant species of Bacillariophyceae were Pleurosigma strigosum, Pleurosigma elongatum, Lyrella clavata, Rhizosolenia shrubsolei, Cylindrotheca closterium, Nitzschia panduriform, Nitzschia longissimia, Amphora sp and Stephanopyxis. Dinophyceae was the second dominant group and formed 31% of the total phytoplankton communities (10 species; the dominant species were Ceratium fusus, Heterosigma sp, Ceratium furca, Prorocentrum triestium, Protoperidinium sp, Gyrodinium spirale, Noctiluca scintillans and Scrippsiella trochoidea. Cyanophyceae formed 13% (5 species where Nostoc sp, Oscillatoria and Merismopedia sp were the dominant species. Chlorophyceae had 8% (6 species; Scendesmus sp., Chlorella sp., Chlamydomonas sp., Dunaliella salina and Nannochloropsis sp were the dominant species. The Euglinophyceae was rare only one species (Euglina sp. The relationship was positive between the phytoplankton, chlorophyll a and carbon dioxide while negative amongst dissolved oxygen and total nitrogen. This research indicated that the relation between water quality

The development and decline of phytoplankton blooms in the southern Benguela upwelling region

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brown, P.C.

1986-10-01

Productivity/chlorophyll a relationship are investigated with a view to estimating phytoplankton productivity from extensive chlorophyll a measurements in the southern Benguela region. Phytoplankton bloom dynamics in newly upwelled water off the Cape Peninsula are investigated on five different occasions during the upwelling season. A drogue was used to tag a 'parcel' of upwelled water which was monitored for between 4 and 8 days. In upwelling source water, mean chlorophyll a concentrations were typically low (0.7 mg.m -3 ) and nutrient concentrations were high (nitrates, silicates and phosphates were 20.8, 16.6 and 1.88 mmol.m -3 respectively). Along the drogue tracks nutrients decreased rapidly in the euphotic zone as chlorophyll increased to peak at concentrations of up to 26 mg.m -3 . Elemental changes in nitrates, silicates, phosphates and oxygen were used to estimate primary productivity. These 'Redfield productivity estimates' were similar to 14 C-uptake productivity but lower than estimates obtained from changes in particle volume. Daily rates of 14 C-uptake water column productivity ranged between 0.94 and 14.01 g C.m -2 .d -1 (mean 3.80 g C.m -2 .d -1 ) and were similar to or higher than productivity estimates reported for other upwelling areas. Phytoplankton biomass in the upper 50 metres ranged between 8 and 506 mg chll a. m -2 (mean 208 mg chll a.m -2 ). The temporal scale of phytoplankton bloom development was investigated in terms of changes in chlorophyll a concentrations in the euphotic zone. The build up and decline of the primary phytoplankton (diatom) bloom in newly upwelled water occurred within 6-8 days. The initiation of blooming was controlled by the stability of the water body. The decline of the bloom was associated with reduced nutrient levels and is considered to result mainly from phytoplankton cells sinking out of the surface layers

Amplified Arctic warming by phytoplankton under greenhouse warming.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Jong-Yeon; Kug, Jong-Seong; Bader, Jürgen; Rolph, Rebecca; Kwon, Minho

2015-05-12

Phytoplankton have attracted increasing attention in climate science due to their impacts on climate systems. A new generation of climate models can now provide estimates of future climate change, considering the biological feedbacks through the development of the coupled physical-ecosystem model. Here we present the geophysical impact of phytoplankton, which is often overlooked in future climate projections. A suite of future warming experiments using a fully coupled ocean-atmosphere model that interacts with a marine ecosystem model reveals that the future phytoplankton change influenced by greenhouse warming can amplify Arctic surface warming considerably. The warming-induced sea ice melting and the corresponding increase in shortwave radiation penetrating into the ocean both result in a longer phytoplankton growing season in the Arctic. In turn, the increase in Arctic phytoplankton warms the ocean surface layer through direct biological heating, triggering additional positive feedbacks in the Arctic, and consequently intensifying the Arctic warming further. Our results establish the presence of marine phytoplankton as an important potential driver of the future Arctic climate changes.

Effects of low concentrations of glyphosate-based herbicide factor 540® on an agricultural stream freshwater phytoplankton community.

Science.gov (United States)

Smedbol, Élise; Gomes, Marcelo Pedrosa; Paquet, Serge; Labrecque, Michel; Lepage, Laurent; Lucotte, Marc; Juneau, Philippe

2018-02-01

Residual glyphosate from glyphosate based herbicides (GBH) are ubiquitously detected in streams draining agricultural fields, and may affect phytoplankton communities present in these ecosystems. Here, the effects of the exposure (96 h) of a phytoplankton community collected in an agricultural stream to various glyphosate concentrations (1, 5, 10, 50, 100, 500 and 1000 μg l -1 ) of Factor 540 ® GBH were investigated. The lowest GBH concentration of 1 μg l -1 reduced chlorophyll a and carotenoid contents. Low glyphosate concentrations, such as 5 and 10 μg l -1 , promoted changes in the community's structure and reduced the diversity of the main algal species. At glyphosate concentrations ranging from 50 to 1000 μg l -1 , the phytoplankton community's composition was modified and new main species appeared. The highest glyphosate concentrations (500 and 1000 μg l -1 ) affected the shikimate content, the lipid peroxidation and the activity of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase and ascorbate peroxidase). These results indicate that GBH can modify structural and functional properties of freshwater phytoplankton communities living in streams located in agricultural areas at glyphosate concentrations much inferior to the 800 μg l -1 threshold set by the Canadian guidelines for the protection of aquatic life. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Phytoplankton and the Macondo oil spill: A comparison of the 2010 phytoplankton assemblage to baseline conditions on the Louisiana shelf.

Science.gov (United States)

Parsons, M L; Morrison, W; Rabalais, N N; Turner, R E; Tyre, K N

2015-12-01

The Macondo oil spill was likely the largest oil spill to ever occur in United States territorial waters. We report herein our findings comparing the available baseline phytoplankton data from coastal waters west of the Mississippi River, and samples collected monthly from the same sampling stations, during and after the oil spill (May-October, 2010). Our results indicate that overall, the phytoplankton abundance was 85% lower in 2010 versus the baseline, and that the species composition of the phytoplankton community moved towards diatoms and cyanobacteria and away from ciliates and phytoflagellates. The results of this study reaffirm the view that phytoplankton responses will vary by the seasonal timing of the oil spill and the specific composition of the spilled oil. The trophic impacts of the purported lower abundance of phytoplankton in 2010 coupled with the observed assemblage shift remain unknown. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Physicochemical Flux and Phytoplankton diversity in Shagari ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

USER

2007-03-20

Mar 20, 2007 ... distribution of phytoplankton species were also determined. Phytoplankton classes ... could have a significant impact on water quality. (Carpenter and Kitchell ..... Environmental Impact assessment Report on proposed Shagari ...

[Phytoplankton and zooplankton of the industrial reservoir R-9 (Lake Karachay)].

Science.gov (United States)

Priakhin, E A; Triapitsina, G A; Atamaniuk, N I; Osipov, D I; Stukalov, P M; Ivanov, I A; Popova, I Ia; Akleev, A V

2012-01-01

Planktonic communities of the Reservoir-9 (Lake Karachay, storage reservoir of liquid medium-level radioactive waste of the Mayak Production Association) are exposed to the severe radioactive forcing (in 2010 the total beta-activity of the water was 1.8 x 10(7) Bq/L, total alpha-activity was 1.1 x 10(4) Bq/L), aswell as to the chemical contamination (level of nitrates in water 4.1 g/L). The calculated values of the absorbed dose rate were 130 Gy/day for phytoplankton and 4.0 Gy/day for zooplankton. Extremely low species diversity, the overwhelming dominance of one species (phytoplankton is close to a monoculture of ubiquitous cyanobacteria Geitlerinema amphibium, zooplankton--to a monoculture of rotifers Hexarthrafennica), wide fluctuations in numbers of algae, a low number of zooplankton were the most substantial characteristics of the plankton communities in Lake Karachay. So, plankton communities status is a sign of environmental retrogress in this ecosystem.

Community structure characteristics of phytoplankton in zhalong wetland, china

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, N.; Zang, S.S.

2015-01-01

In autumn 2010, the phytoplankton samples were collected in Zhalong Wetland. A total of 347 species belonging to 78 genera,6 phyla were identified, Chlorophyta and Bacillariophyta were dominated phytoplankton communities, including 143 species of Chlorophyta, 116 species of Bacillariophyta, 45 species of Cyanophyta, 39 species of Euglenophyta, 3 species of Pyrrophyta, 1 species of Chrysophyta. In the core area 66 genera, 222 species were identified, in the buffer area 63 genera, 210 species were identified, in the experiment area 63 genera, 167 species were identified. The dominant species in Zhalong Wetland included Cyclotella meneghiniana, Chlorella vulgaris, Trachelomonas volvocina, Nitzschia sp.. The average phytoplankton density was 12.13*10/sup 6/ in Zhalong Wetland, the phytoplankton density of Bacillariophyta was highest (32.82*10/sup 6/ ind L/sup -1/), and then Chlorophyta (23.73*10/sup 6/ ind L/sup -1/) and Cyanophyta (11.43*106 ind L-1), respectively. The results of cluster analysis showed that phytoplankton community structure could be divided into three types, and within-group similarities of phytoplankton community structure was not high, but inter-group non-similarity was high. Based on the species composition, phytoplankton density, phytoplankton pollution indicator, it suggested that Zhalong Wetland was mesotrophic state. (author)

Simultaneous effects of light intensity and phosphorus supply on the sterol content of phytoplankton.

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Maike Piepho

Full Text Available Sterol profiles of microalgae and their change with environmental conditions are of great interest in ecological food web research and taxonomic studies alike. Here, we investigated effects of light intensity and phosphorus supply on the sterol content of phytoplankton and assessed potential interactive effects of these important environmental factors on the sterol composition of algae. We identified sterol contents of four common phytoplankton genera, Scenedesmus, Chlamydomonas, Cryptomonas and Cyclotella, and analysed the change in sterol content with varying light intensities in both a high-phosphorus and a low-phosphorus approach. Sterol contents increased significantly with increasing light in three out of four species. Phosphorus-limitation reversed the change of sterol content with light intensity, i.e., sterol content decreased with increasing light at low phosphorus supply. Generally sterol contents were lower in low-phosphorus cultures. In conclusion, both light and phosphorus conditions strongly affect the sterol composition of algae and hence should be considered in ecological and taxonomic studies investigating the biochemical composition of algae. Data suggest a possible sterol limitation of growth and reproduction of herbivorous crustacean zooplankton during summer when high light intensities and low phosphorus supply decrease sterol contents of algae.

The effect of UV-B radiation on photosynthesis and respiration of phytoplankton, benthic macroalgae and seagrasses.

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Larkum, A W; Wood, W F

1993-04-01

Several species of marine benthic algae, four species of phytoplankton and two species of seagrass have been subjected to ultraviolet B irradiation for varying lengths of time and the effects on respiration, photosynthesis and fluorescence rise kinetics studied. No effect on respiration was found. Photosynthesis was inhibited to a variable degree in all groups of plants after irradiation over periods of up to 1 h and variable fluorescence was also inhibited in a similar way. The most sensitive plants were phytoplankton and deep-water benthic algae. Intertidal benthic algae were the least sensitive to UV-B irradiation and this may be related to adaptation, through the accumulation of UV-B screening compounds, to high light/high UV-B levels. Inhibition of variable fluorescence (Fv) of the fluorescence rise curve was a fast and sensitive indicator of UV-B damage. Two plants studied, a brown alga and a seagrass, showed very poor recovery of Fv over a period of 32 h.

Relationship between human tooth enamel free radical concentration and radiation dose

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou Yongzeng; Wang Jiadong; Jia Xiaomei; Wu Ke; Cong Jianbo; Sun Cunpu

1999-01-01

Free radical concentrations of 25 adult tooth enamel samples were measured by electron spin resonance (ESR) technique in this paper, and the relationship between free radical concentration of tooth enamel and radiation dose was also investigated. In the 25 adult enamel samples they are 16 male samples and 9 female samples, Ages of tooth donors range from 18-41 years. Difference in background ESR signal intensity between male and female samples was no observed; free radical concentration (or increment of radiation-induced free radical concentration) in tooth enamel increases linearly with increasing of radiation dose. In the case of radiation accident, the study results of this paper could be applied to dose estimation when conditions of ESR measurement of exposed individual tooth enamel are similar to measurement conditions of dose-effect calibration curve in this paper

Monitoring natural phytoplankton communities

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Haraguchi, L.; Jakobsen, H. H.; Lundholm, Nina

2017-01-01

-consuming and/or expensive, limiting sampling frequency. The use of faster methods, such as flow cytometry, has become more frequent in phytoplankton studies, although comparisons between this technique and traditional ones are still scarce. This study aimed to assess if natural phytoplankton communities...... carbon biomass with PFCM, applying the same conversion factors as for microscopy. Biomasses obtained with PFCM, estimated from live cells, were higher than microscopy for natural samples. We conclude that PFCM results are comparable to classical techniques, yet the data from PFCM had poor taxonomic...

Resource Supply Overrides Temperature as a Controlling Factor of Marine Phytoplankton Growth

Science.gov (United States)

Marañón, Emilio; Cermeño, Pedro; Huete-Ortega, María; López-Sandoval, Daffne C.; Mouriño-Carballido, Beatriz; Rodríguez-Ramos, Tamara

2014-01-01

The universal temperature dependence of metabolic rates has been used to predict how ocean biology will respond to ocean warming. Determining the temperature sensitivity of phytoplankton metabolism and growth is of special importance because this group of organisms is responsible for nearly half of global primary production, sustains most marine food webs, and contributes to regulate the exchange of CO2 between the ocean and the atmosphere. Phytoplankton growth rates increase with temperature under optimal growth conditions in the laboratory, but it is unclear whether the same degree of temperature dependence exists in nature, where resources are often limiting. Here we use concurrent measurements of phytoplankton biomass and carbon fixation rates in polar, temperate and tropical regions to determine the role of temperature and resource supply in controlling the large-scale variability of in situ metabolic rates. We identify a biogeographic pattern in phytoplankton metabolic rates, which increase from the oligotrophic subtropical gyres to temperate regions and then coastal waters. Variability in phytoplankton growth is driven by changes in resource supply and appears to be independent of seawater temperature. The lack of temperature sensitivity of realized phytoplankton growth is consistent with the limited applicability of Arrhenius enzymatic kinetics when substrate concentrations are low. Our results suggest that, due to widespread resource limitation in the ocean, the direct effect of sea surface warming upon phytoplankton growth and productivity may be smaller than anticipated. PMID:24921945

Connecting pigment composition and dissolved trace elements to phytoplankton population in the southern Benguela Upwelling zone (St. Helena Bay)

Science.gov (United States)

Das, Supriyo Kumar; Routh, Joyanto; Roychoudhury, Alakendra N.; Veldhuis, Marcel J. W.; Ismail, Hassan E.

2017-12-01

Rich in upwelled nutrients, the Southern Benguela is one of the most productive ecosystems in the world ocean. However, despite its ecological significance the role of trace elements influencing phytoplankton population in the Southern Benguela Upwelling System (SBUS) has not been thoroughly investigated. Here, we report pigment composition, macronutrients (nitrate, phosphate and silicate) and concentrations of dissolved Cd, Co, Fe and Zn during late austral summer and winter seasons in 2004 to understand the relationship between the selected trace elements and phytoplankton biomass in St. Helena Bay (SHB), which falls within the southern boundary of the SBUS. Chlorophyll a concentrations indicate higher phytoplankton biomass associated with high primary production during late summer in SHB where high diatom population is inferred from the presence of fucoxanthin. Diminished phytoplankton biomass and a shift from diatoms to dinoflagellates as the dominant phytoplankton taxa are indicated by diagnostic pigments during late winter. Dissolved trace elements (Cd, Co and Zn) and macronutrients play a significant role in phytoplankton biomass, and their distribution is affected by biological uptake and export of trace elements. Continuous uptake of Zn by diatoms may cause an onset of Zn depletion leading to a period of extended diatom proliferation during late summer. Furthermore, the transition from diatom to dinoflagellate dominated phytoplankton population is most likely facilitated by depletion of trace elements (Cd and Co) in the water column.

Response of ocean phytoplankton community structure to climate change over the 21st century: partitioning the effects of nutrients, temperature and light

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I. Marinov

2010-12-01

regionally varying and sometimes counterbalancing impacts on phytoplankton biomass and structure, with nutrients and temperature dominant in the 45° S–45° N band and light-temperature effects dominant in the marginal sea-ice and subpolar regions. As predicted, decreases in nutrients inside the 45° S–45° N "critical nutrient" band result in diatom biomass decreasing more than small phytoplankton biomass. Further stratification from global warming could result in geographical shifts in the "critical nutrient" threshold and additional changes in ecology.

Radiation dose-response relationship of micronucleus occurrence in pollen mother cells of tradescantia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Jin Kyu; Kim, Yeon Ku; Song, Hi Sup

1999-01-01

This study was carried out to investigate the radiation dose-response of micronucleus frequencies in Tradescantia pollen mother cells. The number of micronuclei increased in the tetrads as a result of chromosome deletion after irradiation. The maximal frequency of micronucleus showed a good dose-response relationship in the range of dose 0∼50 cGy. On the basis of the relationship, a dose of 1 cGy resulted in two additional micronuclei in 100 tetrads. The radiation dose-response relationship of micronucleus occurrence is prerequisite to biological monitoring of radiation and can be modified for biological risk assessment of toxicants, and to safety test of water or soil integrity

Defining a dose-response relationship for prostate external beam radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trada, Yuvnik; Plank, Ash; Martin, Jarad

2013-01-01

We aimed to quantify a relationship between radiotherapy dose and freedom from biochemical failure (FFBF) in low- and intermediate-risk prostate cancer. To reduce confounding we used data with a standardised end–point, mature follow-up, low competing risk of metastatic failure, conventional fractionation and separate reporting for outcomes with hormonal therapy (HT). A systematic review of the literature was carried out. Studies that reported the use of radiotherapy alone in 1.8–2Gy fractions in low- and intermediate-risk prostate cancer were included. The primary end–point was Phoenix definition 5-year FFBF. A logistic regression was used to quantify the dose–response relationship. Data from eight studies with 3037 patients met the inclusion criteria. The data from 810 low-risk patients and 2245 intermediate-risk patients were analysed. A strong association between radiotherapy dose and FFBF was found in low- and intermediate-risk patients managed with radiotherapy alone. In low-risk patients not treated with HT the dose required to achieve 50% biochemical tumour control (TCD 50 ) is 52.0 Gy and the slope of the dose–response curve at TCD 50 (γ 50 ) is 2.1%/Gy. At 78Gy this represented a FFBF of 90.3%. In intermediate-risk patients not treated with HT the TCD 50 is 64.7Gy and γ 50 is 3.2%/Gy. At 78 Gy this translated into a FFBF of 84.3%. HT had a small effect for low-risk patients and an inconsistent effect for intermediate-risk men. A strong association was found between radiation dose and biochemical outcome in both low- and intermediate-risk patients. Standardised reporting of results from future studies will make future analyses more robust.

Recognition of key regions for restoration of phytoplankton communities in the Huai River basin, China

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Changsen; Liu, Changming; Xia, Jun; Zhang, Yongyong; Yu, Qiang; Eamus, Derek

2012-02-01

SummaryHealthy phytoplankton communities are the basis of healthy water ecosystems, and form the foundation of many freshwater food webs. Globally many freshwater ecosystems are degraded because of intensive human activities, so water ecosystem restoration is a burning issue worldwide. Selection of key regions for phytoplankton-related restoration is crucial for an effective aquatic eco-restoration. This paper presents a practical method for identification of key regions for phytoplankton-related restoration, using random forests (RFs) method to cluster sites based on dominance, biodiversity, water chemistry and ecological niche. We sampled phytoplankton for species richness and relative abundance and water quality in the Huai River basin (HRB), China to determine the phytoplankton communities' composition and structure and characterize of their ecological niches. A wider mean niche breadth of a species usually leads to a greater overlap with the niche of other species. Using these data and water quality indices, we identified the key regions for phytoplankton-related river restoration activities. Results indicate that our method for recognition of key regions is effective and practical and its application to the HRB identified the Northern Plain area as the key region for restoration. This area is severely polluted and contributes significantly to the HRB phytoplankton communities. Phytoplankton in this region is highly adaptable to environmental change and therefore will be relatively unharmed by environmental instability induced by restoration measures. During restoration, indices of water temperature, total phosphorus and chemical oxygen demand can be altered with little negative influence on phytoplankton communities, but measures that increase ammonia-nitrogen concentration would be highly detrimental. These results will provide valuable information for policy makers and stakeholders in water ecosystem restoration and sustainable basin management in the HRB.

A glimpse into the future composition of marine phytoplankton communities

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Esteban eAcevedo-Trejos

2014-07-01

Full Text Available It is expected that climate change will have significant impacts on ecosystems. Most model projections agree that the ocean will experience stronger stratification and less nutrient supply from deep waters. These changes will likely affect marine phytoplankton communities and will thus impact on the higher trophic levels of the oceanic food web. The potential consequences of future climate change on marine microbial communities can be investigated and predicted only with the help of mathematical models. Here we present the application of a model that describes aggregate properties of marine phytoplankton communities and captures the effects of a changing environment on their composition and adaptive capacity. Specifically, the model describes the phytoplankton community in terms of total biomass, mean cell size, and functional diversity. The model is applied to two contrasting regions of the Atlantic Ocean (tropical and temperate and is tested under two emission scenarios: SRES A2 or ``business as usual'' and SRES B1 or ``local utopia''. We find that all three macroecological properties will decline during the next century in both regions, although this effect will be more pronounced in the temperate region. Being consistent with previous model predictions, our results show that a simple trait-based modelling framework represents a valuable tool for investigating how phytoplankton communities may reorganize under a changing climate.

Coupling of heterotrophic bacteria to phytoplankton bloom development at different pCO2 levels: a mesocosm study

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R. Thyrhaug

2008-07-01

Full Text Available The predicted rise in anthropogenic CO2 emissions will increase CO2 concentrations and decrease seawater pH in the upper ocean. Recent studies have revealed effects of pCO2 induced changes in seawater chemistry on a variety of marine life forms, in particular calcifying organisms. To test whether the predicted increase in pCO2 will directly or indirectly (via changes in phytoplankton dynamics affect abundance, activities, and community composition of heterotrophic bacteria during phytoplankton bloom development, we have aerated mesocosms with CO2 to obtain triplicates with three different partial pressures of CO2 (pCO2: 350 μatm (1×CO2, 700 μatm (2×CO2 and 1050 μatm (3×CO2. The development of a phytoplankton bloom was initiated by the addition of nitrate and phosphate. In accordance to an elevated carbon to nitrogen drawdown at increasing pCO2, bacterial production (BPP of free-living and attached bacteria as well as cell-specific BPP (csBPP of attached bacteria were related to the C:N ratio of suspended matter. These relationships significantly differed among treatments. However, bacterial abundance and activities were not statistically different among treatments. Solely community structure of free-living bacteria changed with pCO2 whereas that of attached bacteria seemed to be independent of pCO2 but tightly coupled to phytoplankton bloom development. Our findings imply that changes in pCO2, although reflected by changes in community structure of free-living bacteria, do not directly affect bacterial activity. Furthermore, bacterial activity and dynamics of heterotrophic bacteria, especially of attached bacteria, were tightly correlated to phytoplankton development and, hence, may also potentially depend on changes in pCO2.

Phytoplankton Virus Production Negatively Affected by Iron Limitation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Slagter, H.A.; Gerringa, L.J.A.; Brussaard, C.P.D.

2016-01-01

Fe-limited monocultures of the ubiquitous algae Micromonas pusilla and Phaeocystis globosa were infected with their respective viruses (MpV and PgV) to ascertain the effect of Fe-limitation on phytoplankton host-virus dynamics. The effect of the viral shunt on Fe concentrations and bioavailability

Phytoplankton ice-edge blooms in the marginal ice zone at Princess Astrid Coast in Antarctica

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Verlecar, X.N.; Dhargalkar, V.K.; Goswami, S.C.; Mhamal, N.P.

dominated the bloom conditions and nannoplankton (5 to 20 mu m) prevail the non-bloom periods while the picoplankton (less than 5 mu m) constituted a minor fraction during most of the period. Weekly changes in phytoplankton showed inverse relationship...

Effective radiation dose and eye lens dose in dental cone beam CT: effect of field of view and angle of rotation.

Science.gov (United States)

Pauwels, R; Zhang, G; Theodorakou, C; Walker, A; Bosmans, H; Jacobs, R; Bogaerts, R; Horner, K

2014-10-01

To quantify the effect of field of view (FOV) and angle of rotation on radiation dose in dental cone beam CT (CBCT) and to define a preliminary volume-dose model. Organ and effective doses were estimated using 148 thermoluminescent dosemeters placed in an anthropomorphic phantom. Dose measurements were undertaken on a 3D Accuitomo 170 dental CBCT unit (J. Morita, Kyoto, Japan) using six FOVs as well as full-rotation (360°) and half-rotation (180°) protocols. For the 360° rotation protocols, effective dose ranged between 54 µSv (4 × 4 cm, upper canine) and 303 µSv (17 × 12 cm, maxillofacial). An empirical relationship between FOV dimension and effective dose was derived. The use of a 180° rotation resulted in an average dose reduction of 45% compared with a 360° rotation. Eye lens doses ranged between 95 and 6861 µGy. Significant dose reduction can be achieved by reducing the FOV size, particularly the FOV height, of CBCT examinations to the actual region of interest. In some cases, a 180° rotation can be preferred, as it has the added value of reducing the scan time. Eye lens doses should be reduced by decreasing the height of the FOV rather than using inferior FOV positioning, as the latter would increase the effective dose considerably. The effect of the FOV and rotation angle on the effective dose in dental CBCT was quantified. The dominant effect of FOV height was demonstrated. A preliminary model has been proposed, which could be used to predict effective dose as a function of FOV size and position.

A threshold in the dose-response relationship for X-ray induced somatic mutation frequency in drosophila melanogaster

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koana, Takao; Sakai, Kazuo; Okada, M.O.

2004-01-01

The dose-response relationship of ionizing radiation and its stochastic effects has been thought to be linear without any thresholds for a long time. The basic data for this model was obtained from mutational assays using germ cells of male fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. However, cancer-causing activity should be examined more appropriately in somatic cells than in germ cells. In this paper, we examined the dose-response relationship of X-ray irradiation and somatic mutation in drosophila, and found a threshold at approximately 1 Gy in the DNA repair proficient flies. In the repair deficient siblings, the threshold was smaller and the inclination of the dose-response curve was five times steeper. These results suggest that the dose-response relationship between X-ray irradiation and somatic mutation has a threshold, and that the DNA repair function contributes to its formation. (author)

Physical requirements for measurement of radiation dose and their relationship to personnel dose meter design and use

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chabot, G.E. Jr.; Jimenez, M.A.; Skrable, K.W.

1978-01-01

This paper stems from the concerns of the authors with both the design of current personnel dose meters and the interpretation of dose information from them in light of the actual physical requirements to measure dose. These concerns have been reinforced and extended following a comparative study of the responses of particular TLD and film systems and as the result of a recent national survey on personnel dosimetry conducted by the authors. Among the major points discussed are the systems available for penetrating and shallow dose assessment, dose meter calibration, the measurement and interpretation of skin dose, and the deficiencies of neutron albedo dose meters for routine personnel use. Calibration considerations address the questions of whether or not a phantom should be used and the difference in interpretation of responses with and without a phantom; the relationship between calculated and measured doses; and electronic equilibrium considerations in the measurement of photon doses. Matters of importance in relation to skin dose measurement include techniques in use to interpret skin dose from dose meter response; the appropriateness of evaluation of the surface dose to the live skin layer versus the average dose to the live skin layer and the limitations and requirements on dose meter design with respect to the dose being evaluated; and the significance of dose meter response in relationship to currently used beta calibration standards. Regarding the use of TLD albedo type neutron dose meters currently available, considerations are extended to the strong energy spectral dependence of the dose meter response and the possibility of making significant over or underestimations of neutron dose equivalent, depending on the calibration techniques used and the spectral quality encountered. (author)

Effect of OX-VIRIN versus phytoplankton; Eficacia de OX.VIRIN frente a fitoplancton

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sevilla Miguel, E.; Peleato Sanchez, M. L.; Gomez-Moreno Calera, C.; Oros Monje, J.; Vergara Larrayad, Y.

2003-07-01

The effect of the peroxide biocides OX-VIRIN has been tested on the survival of several representative phytoplankton species. Scenedesmus vacuolatus green algae, Anabaena sp. PCC7120 filamentous cyanobacteria and Microcystis aeruginosa PCC7005 unicellular cyanobacteria have been used. The parameters used to control the effectiveness of the biocide have been the chlorophyll determination and re culture. It has been shown that OX-VIRIN at dosages of 0.2, 0.5 and 1% is lethal against Microcystis, Anabaena, and Scenedesmus vacuolatus (formerly called Chlorella fusca), being the first mentioned organisms the most sensible to the biocide. (Author)

Recent results on the linearity of the dose-response relationship for radiation-induced mutations in human cells by low dose levels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Traut, H.

1987-01-01

Five studies made by various authors in the last years are discussed, which are significant in that the response of human cells to low-dose irradiation is determined directly and not by extrapolation, and which also provide information on the mutagenic effects of low radiation doses. The results of these studies do not indicate any other than a linear response for induction of mutations by low-dose irradiation, nor are there any reasons observable for assuming the existence of a threshold dose. It is very likely therefore that cancer initiation at the low dose level also is characterized by a linear relationship. Although threshold dose levels cannot generally be excluded, and maybe are only too low to be detected by experiment, there is no plausible biophysical argument for assuming the existence of such microdose threshold. (orig./MG) [de

Biological effective dose studies in carcinoma of uterine cervix

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yadav, Poonam; Ramasubramanian, V.

2008-01-01

Cancer of cervix is the second most common cancer worldwide among women. Several treatments related protocols of radiotherapy have been followed over few decades in its treatment for evaluating the response. These physical doses varying on the basics of fractionation size, dose rate and total dose needed to be indicated as biological effective dose (BED) to rationalize these treatments. The curative potential of radiation therapy in the management of carcinoma of the cervix is greatly enhanced by the use of intracavitary brachytherapy. Successful brachytherapy requires the high radiation dose to be delivered to the tumor where as minimum radiation dose reach to surrounding normal tissue. Present study is aimed to evaluate biologically effective dose in patients receiving high dose-rate brachytherapy plus external beam radiotherapy based on tumor cell proliferation values in cancer of the cervix patients. The study includes 30 patients' data as a retrospective analysis. In addition determine extent of a dose-response relationship existing between the biological effective dose at Point A and the bladder and rectum and the clinical outcomes

Linear and non-linear dose-response functions reveal a hormetic relationship between stress and learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Zoladz, Phillip R; Diamond, David M

2008-10-16

Over a century of behavioral research has shown that stress can enhance or impair learning and memory. In the present review, we have explored the complex effects of stress on cognition and propose that they are characterized by linear and non-linear dose-response functions, which together reveal a hormetic relationship between stress and learning. We suggest that stress initially enhances hippocampal function, resulting from amygdala-induced excitation of hippocampal synaptic plasticity, as well as the excitatory effects of several neuromodulators, including corticosteroids, norepinephrine, corticotropin-releasing hormone, acetylcholine and dopamine. We propose that this rapid activation of the amygdala-hippocampus brain memory system results in a linear dose-response relation between emotional strength and memory formation. More prolonged stress, however, leads to an inhibition of hippocampal function, which can be attributed to compensatory cellular responses that protect hippocampal neurons from excitotoxicity. This inhibition of hippocampal functioning in response to prolonged stress is potentially relevant to the well-described curvilinear dose-response relationship between arousal and memory. Our emphasis on the temporal features of stress-brain interactions addresses how stress can activate, as well as impair, hippocampal functioning to produce a hormetic relationship between stress and learning.

Dynamics of living phytoplankton: Implications for paleoenvironmental reconstructions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barbosa, A B [Centre for Marine and Environmental Research (CIMA), Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro (Portugal)], E-mail: abarbosa@ualg.pt

2009-01-01

Phytoplankton is the dominant primary producer in aquatic ecosystems and is considered a gauge of ecological condition and change. Some phytoplankton groups, namely diatoms, dinoflagellates, and coccolithophores, produce morphological or chemical fossils that can be used for paleoenvironmental reconstruction. This study aims to review the processes that regulate dynamics in living phytoplankton and to highlight how this knowledge is used in paleoecological studies. The distribution patterns of phytoplankton in present-day aquatic ecosystems are shaped by the interplay between processes that regulate cell growth and cell death. Cell growth and cell death are regulated by the internal environment of phytoplankton (e.g., specific environmental tolerances, resource uptake properties, cell size, density and morphology, alternative nutritional strategies such as mixotrophy or N{sub 2} uptake, motility, intracellular storage capacities, grazing resistance properties), and by its external environment. The external environment includes variables dependent on the availability of resources (e.g., light intensity, concentration of CO{sub 2} and dissolved inorganic macronutrients and micronutrients, availability of living prey in case of mixotrophs) and variables independent of resources (e.g., temperature, salinity, turbulence, ultraviolet radiation, bioactive compounds, activity of grazers, viruses, and eukaryotic parasites). The importance of recently described loss processes, such as grazing by phagotrophic protists, viral lyses, and programmed cell death, is discussed in the context of its potential impact upon phytoplankton vertical fluxes. Examples of the use of different phytoplankton metrics (e.g. abundance, species composition, species morphology, and elemental composition) to infer contemporaneous as well as past environmental and ecological conditions are critically evaluated.

Dynamics of living phytoplankton: Implications for paleoenvironmental reconstructions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barbosa, A B

2009-01-01

Phytoplankton is the dominant primary producer in aquatic ecosystems and is considered a gauge of ecological condition and change. Some phytoplankton groups, namely diatoms, dinoflagellates, and coccolithophores, produce morphological or chemical fossils that can be used for paleoenvironmental reconstruction. This study aims to review the processes that regulate dynamics in living phytoplankton and to highlight how this knowledge is used in paleoecological studies. The distribution patterns of phytoplankton in present-day aquatic ecosystems are shaped by the interplay between processes that regulate cell growth and cell death. Cell growth and cell death are regulated by the internal environment of phytoplankton (e.g., specific environmental tolerances, resource uptake properties, cell size, density and morphology, alternative nutritional strategies such as mixotrophy or N 2 uptake, motility, intracellular storage capacities, grazing resistance properties), and by its external environment. The external environment includes variables dependent on the availability of resources (e.g., light intensity, concentration of CO 2 and dissolved inorganic macronutrients and micronutrients, availability of living prey in case of mixotrophs) and variables independent of resources (e.g., temperature, salinity, turbulence, ultraviolet radiation, bioactive compounds, activity of grazers, viruses, and eukaryotic parasites). The importance of recently described loss processes, such as grazing by phagotrophic protists, viral lyses, and programmed cell death, is discussed in the context of its potential impact upon phytoplankton vertical fluxes. Examples of the use of different phytoplankton metrics (e.g. abundance, species composition, species morphology, and elemental composition) to infer contemporaneous as well as past environmental and ecological conditions are critically evaluated.

Effects of the 1982-1983 El Niño on the marine phytoplankton off northern Chile

Science.gov (United States)

Avaria, Sergio; MuñOz, Pablo

1987-12-01

The evolution of phytoplankton was studied between December 1980 and August 1985. A total of 1269 net and water samples were obtained in 11 cruises as part of the Estudio Regional del Fenómeno El Niño-Chile Program covering the area extending from Arica (18°30'S) to Chañaral (26°20'S) from the coast to 200 n. mi (370 km) westward. In the period which preceded the 1982-1983 El Niño event, the coastal phytoplankton consisted predominantly of blooming diatom species which support a large phytoplanktonic biomass. The cell density up to 20 n. mi (37 km) off the coast was over 100 cells mL-1, with a maximum density nucleus near the coast, where values over 1000 cells mL-1 were found. With the anomalous conditions produced by El Niño in December 1982, changes were detected in the phytoplankton biomass and composition. There was a marked decrease in the biomass, the diatom dominance was restricted to a narrow coast band of 2 to 3 n. mi (3.7-5.5 km), and warm water species of diatoms and dinoflagellates reached the coast. These conditions reached their maximum intensity in May 1983. Phytoplankton started to return to normal conditions in December 1983 with a predominance of large diatoms, which support a biomass somewhat larger than that during El Niño. Small diatoms returned as the dominant species in large blooms in 1985. The cell numbers reached values similar to those during pre-Niño conditions, with a normal neritic and oceanic phytoplankton distribution. Red tides caused by the ciliate Mesodinium rubrum were common during normal conditions before and after El Niño.

The Importance of Phytoplankton Biomolecule Availability for Secondary Production

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Elina T. Peltomaa

2017-10-01

Full Text Available The growth and reproduction of animals is affected by their access to resources. In aquatic ecosystems, the availability of essential biomolecules for filter-feeding zooplankton depends greatly on phytoplankton. Here, we analyzed the biochemical composition, i.e., the fatty acid, sterol and amino acid profiles and concentrations as well as protein, carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus content of 17 phytoplankton monocultures representing the seven most abundant phytoplankton classes in boreal and sub-arctic lakes. To examine how the differences in the biochemical composition between phytoplankton classes affect their nutritional quality for consumers, we assessed the performance of Daphnia, on these diets. Furthermore, we defined the most important biomolecules regulating the somatic growth and reproduction of Daphnia, expecting that higher concentrations of certain biomolecules are needed for reproduction than for growth. Finally, we combined these results with phytoplankton field data from over 900 boreal and sub-arctic lakes in order to estimate whether the somatic growth of Daphnia is sterol-limited when the natural phytoplankton communities are cyanobacteria-dominated. Our analysis shows that Daphnia grows best with phytoplankton rich in sterols, ω-3 fatty acids, protein, and amino acids. Their reproduction follows food sterol and ω-3 concentration as well as C:P-ratio being two times higher in Daphnia feeding on cryptophytes than any other diet. Interestingly, we found that a high dietary ω-6 fatty acid concentration decreases both somatic growth and reproduction of Daphnia. When combined with phytoplankton community composition field data, our results indicate that zooplankton is constantly limited by sterols in lakes dominated by cyanobacteria (≥40% of total phytoplankton biomass, and that the absence of cryptophytes can severely hinder zooplankton production in nature.

Ammonium uptake by phytoplankton regulates nitrification in the sunlit ocean.

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Jason M Smith

Full Text Available Nitrification, the microbial oxidation of ammonium to nitrate, is a central part of the nitrogen cycle. In the ocean's surface layer, the process alters the distribution of inorganic nitrogen species available to phytoplankton and produces nitrous oxide. A widely held idea among oceanographers is that nitrification is inhibited by light in the ocean. However, recent evidence that the primary organisms involved in nitrification, the ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA, are present and active throughout the surface ocean has challenged this idea. Here we show, through field experiments coupling molecular genetic and biogeochemical approaches, that competition for ammonium with phytoplankton is the strongest regulator of nitrification in the photic zone. During multiday experiments at high irradiance a single ecotype of AOA remained active in the presence of rapidly growing phytoplankton. Over the course of this three day experiment, variability in the intensity of competition with phytoplankton caused nitrification rates to decline from those typical of the lower photic zone (60 nmol L-1 d-1 to those in well-lit layers (<1 nmol L-1 d-1. During another set of experiments, nitrification rates exhibited a diel periodicity throughout much of the photic zone, with the highest rates occurring at night when competition with phytoplankton is lowest. Together, the results of our experiments indicate that nitrification rates in the photic zone are more strongly regulated by competition with phytoplankton for ammonium than they are by light itself. This finding advances our ability to model the impact of nitrification on estimates of new primary production, and emphasizes the need to more strongly consider the effects of organismal interactions on nutrient standing stocks and biogeochemical cycling in the surface of the ocean.

Early Spring Phytoplankton Dynamics in the Western Antarctic Peninsula

Science.gov (United States)

Arrigo, Kevin R.; van Dijken, Gert L.; Alderkamp, Anne-Carlijn; Erickson, Zachary K.; Lewis, Kate M.; Lowry, Kate E.; Joy-Warren, Hannah L.; Middag, Rob; Nash-Arrigo, Janice E.; Selz, Virginia; van de Poll, Willem

2017-12-01

The Palmer Long-Term Ecological Research program has sampled waters of the western Antarctic Peninsula (wAP) annually each summer since 1990. However, information about the wAP prior to the peak of the phytoplankton bloom in January is sparse. Here we present results from a spring process cruise that sampled the wAP in the early stages of phytoplankton bloom development in 2014. Sea ice concentrations were high on the shelf relative to nonshelf waters, especially toward the south. Macronutrients were high and nonlimiting to phytoplankton growth in both shelf and nonshelf waters, while dissolved iron concentrations were high only on the shelf. Phytoplankton were in good physiological condition throughout the wAP, although biomass on the shelf was uniformly low, presumably because of heavy sea ice cover. In contrast, an early stage phytoplankton bloom was observed beneath variable sea ice cover just seaward of the shelf break. Chlorophyll a concentrations in the bloom reached 2 mg m-3 within a 100-150 km band between the SBACC and SACCF. The location of the bloom appeared to be controlled by a balance between enhanced vertical mixing at the position of the two fronts and increased stratification due to melting sea ice between them. Unlike summer, when diatoms overwhelmingly dominate the phytoplankton population of the wAP, the haptophyte Phaeocystis antarctica dominated in spring, although diatoms were common. These results suggest that factors controlling phytoplankton abundance and composition change seasonally and may differentially affect phytoplankton populations as environmental conditions within the wAP region continue to change.

Eutrophication effects on phytoplankton size-fractioned biomass and production at a tropical estuary.

Science.gov (United States)

Guenther, Mariana; Araújo, Moacyr; Flores-Montes, Manuel; Gonzalez-Rodriguez, Eliane; Neumann-Leitão, Sigrid

2015-02-28

Size-fractioned phytoplankton (pico, nano and microplankton) biomass and production were estimated throughout a year at Recife harbor (NE Brazil), a shallow well mixed tropical hypereutrophic estuary with short residence times but restricted water renewal. Intense loads of P-PO4 (maximum 14 μM) resulted in low N:P ratios (around 2:1), high phytoplankton biomass (B=7.1-72 μg chl-a L(-1)), production (PP=10-2657 μg C L(-1) h(-1)) and photosynthetic efficiency (P(B)=0.5-45 μg C μg chl-a(-1)), but no oxygen depletion (average O2 saturation: 109.6%). Nanoplankton dominated phytoplankton biomass (66%) but micro- and nanoplankton performed equivalent primary production rates (47% each). Production-biomass models indicate an export of the exceeding microplankton biomass during most of the year, possibly through grazing. The intense and constant nutrient and organic matter loading at Recife harbor is thus supporting the high microplankton productivity that is not accumulating on the system nor contributing to oxygen depletion, but supporting the whole system's trophic web. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Phytoplankton composition of Sazlidere Dam lake, Istanbul, Turkey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nese Yilmaz

2013-05-01

Full Text Available The phytoplankton composition of Sazlidere Dam lake was studied at 5 sampling sites between December 2003 - November 2005. A total of 67 taxa were recorded, representing Bacillariophyta (31, Chlorophyta (18, Cyanophyta (9, Chrysophyta (1, Cryptophyta (1, Dinophyta (3 and Euglenophyta (4. Bacillariophyta members constituted the dominant phytoplankton group in terms of species number. Nygaard’s compound index value and composition of phytoplankton indicate that the trophic state of Sazlidere Dam lake was changing from oligotrophic to mesotrophic.

Effects and Dose-Response Relationships of Motor Imagery Practice on Strength Development in Healthy Adult Populations: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Paravlic, Armin H; Slimani, Maamer; Tod, David; Marusic, Uros; Milanovic, Zoran; Pisot, Rado

2018-05-01

Motor imagery (MI), a mental simulation of a movement without overt muscle contraction, has been largely used to improve general motor tasks. However, the effects of MI practice on maximal voluntary strength (MVS) remain equivocal. The aims of this meta-analysis were to (1) estimate whether MI practice intervention can meaningfully improve MVS in healthy adults; (2) compare the effects of MI practice on MVS with its combination with physical practice (MI-C), and with physical practice (PP) training alone; and (3) investigate the dose-response relationships of MI practice. Seven electronic databases were searched up to April 2017. Initially 717 studies were identified; however, after evaluation of the study characteristics, data from 13 articles involving 370 participants were extracted. The meta-analysis was completed on MVS as the primary parameter. In addition, parameters associated with training volume, training intensity, and time spent training were used to investigate dose-response relationships. MI practice moderately improved MVS. When compared to conventional PP, effects were of small benefit in favour of PP. MI-C when compared to PP showed unclear effects. MI practice produced moderate effects in both upper and lower extremities on MVS. The cortical representation area of the involved muscles did not modify the effects. Meta-regression analysis revealed that (a) a training period of 4 weeks, (b) a frequency of three times per week, (c) two to three sets per single session, (d) 25 repetitions per single set, and (e) single session duration of 15 min were associated with enhanced improvements in muscle strength following MI practice. Similar dose-response relationships were observed following MI and PP. The present meta-analysis demonstrates that compared to a no-exercise control group of healthy adults, MI practice increases MVS, but less than PP. These findings suggest that MI practice could be considered as a substitute or additional training tool to

Function assessment of coastal ecosystem based on phytoplankton community structure

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Haraguchi, Lumi

2018-01-01

on phytoplankton community structure; and 3) investigating the role of planktonic communities on the cycling of dissolved organic matter. Those objectives were addressed focusing the temperate mesohaline estuary of Roskilde Fjord (Denmark). Paper I, explores the use of Pulse-shape recording flow cytometry (PFCM...... as an energy reservoir, buffering changes in the nutrient supply. Finally, the results embedded in this thesis demonstrate the importance of integrating different time scales to understand functioning of phytoplankton communities. Phytoplankton dynamics should not be regarded just in light of inorganic......This Ph.D. project aimed to improve the knowledge on phytoplankton community structure and its influence in the carbon transfer and nutrient cycling in coastal waters, by: 1) assessing the importance of phytoplankton

Phytoplankton calcification as an effective mechanism to prevent cellular calcium poisoning

Science.gov (United States)

Müller, M. N.; Ramos, J. Barcelos e.; Schulz, K. G.; Riebesell, U.; Kaźmierczak, J.; Gallo, F.; Mackinder, L.; Li, Y.; Nesterenko, P. N.; Trull, T. W.; Hallegraeff, G. M.

2015-08-01

Marine phytoplankton has developed the remarkable ability to tightly regulate the concentration of free calcium ions in the intracellular cytosol at a level of ~ 0.1 μmol L-1 in the presence of seawater Ca2+ concentrations of 10 mmol L-1. The low cytosolic calcium ion concentration is of utmost importance for proper cell signalling function. While the regulatory mechanisms responsible for the tight control of intracellular Ca2+ concentration are not completely understood, phytoplankton taxonomic groups appear to have evolved different strategies, which may affect their ability to cope with changes in seawater Ca2+ concentrations in their environment on geological time scales. For example, the Cretaceous (145 to 66 Ma ago), an era known for the high abundance of coccolithophores and the production of enormous calcium carbonate deposits, exhibited seawater calcium concentrations up to four times present-day levels. We show that calcifying coccolithophore species (Emiliania huxleyi, Gephyrocapsa oceanica and Coccolithus braarudii) are able to maintain their relative fitness (in terms of growth rate and photosynthesis) at simulated Cretaceous seawater calcium concentrations, whereas these rates are severely reduced under these conditions in some non-calcareous phytoplankton species (Chaetoceros sp., Ceratoneis closterium and Heterosigma akashiwo). Most notably, this also applies to a non-calcifying strain of E. huxleyi which displays a calcium-sensitivity similar to the non-calcareous species. We hypothesize that the process of calcification in coccolithophores provides an efficient mechanism to prevent cellular calcium poisoning and thereby offered a potential key evolutionary advantage, responsible for the proliferation of coccolithophores during times of high seawater calcium concentrations.

Relationship between dose and risk, and assessment of carcinogenic risks associated with low doses of ionizing radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tubiana, M.; Aurengo, A.

2005-01-01

This report raises doubts on the validity of using LNT (linear no-threshold) relationship for evaluating the carcinogenic risk of low doses (< 100 mSv) and even more for very low doses (< 10 mSv). The LNT concept can be a useful pragmatic tool for assessing rules in radioprotection for doses above 10 mSv; however since it is not based on biological concepts of our current knowledge, it should not be used without precaution for assessing by extrapolation the risks associated with low and even more so, with very low doses (< 10 mSv), especially for benefit-risk assessments imposed on radiologists by the European directive 97-43. The biological mechanisms are different for doses lower than a few dozen mSv and for higher doses. The eventual risks in the dose range of radiological examinations (0.1 to 5 mSv, up to 20 mSv for some examinations) must be estimated taking into account radiobiological and experimental data. An empirical relationship which has been just validated for doses higher than 200 mSv may lead to an overestimation of risks (associated with doses one hundred fold lower), and this overestimation could discourage patients from undergoing useful examinations and introduce a bias in radioprotection measures against very low doses (< 10 mSv). Decision makers confronted with problems of radioactive waste or risk of contamination, should re-examine the methodology used for the evaluation of risks associated with very low doses and with doses delivered at a very low dose rate. This report confirms the inappropriateness of the collective dose concept to evaluate population irradiation risks

Phytoplankton responses to aluminum enrichment in the South China Sea.

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Zhou, Linbin; Liu, Jiaxing; Xing, Shuai; Tan, Yehui; Huang, Liangmin

2018-04-01

Compared to extensive studies reporting the aluminum (Al) toxicity to terrestrial plants and freshwater organisms, very little is known about how marine phytoplankton responds to Al in the field. Here we report the marine phytoplankton responses to Al enrichment in the South China Sea (SCS) using on-deck bottle incubation experiments during eight cruises from May 2010 to November 2013. Generally, Al addition alone enhanced the growth of diatom and Trichodesmium, and nitrogen fixation, but it inhibited the growth of dinoflagellates and Synechococcus. Nevertheless, Al addition alone did not influence the chlorophyll a concentration of the entire phytoplankton assemblages. By adding nitrate and phosphate simultaneously, Al enrichment led to substantial increases in chlorophyll a concentration (especially that of the picophytoplanktonenrichment. Further, by simultaneously adding different macronutrients and/or sufficient trace metals including iron, we found that the phytoplankton responses to Al enrichment were relevant to nutrients coexisting in the environment. Al enrichment may give some phytoplankton a competitive edge over using nutrients, especially the limited ones. The possible influences of Al on the competitors and grazers (predators) of some phytoplankton might indirectly contribute to the positive responses of the phytoplankton to Al enrichment. Our results indicate that Al may influence marine carbon cycle by impacting phytoplankton growth and structure in natural seawater. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Phytoplankton diversity in the bioremediation pool in PTAPB-BATAN Yogyakarta

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wijiyono; Artiningsih, Sri

2013-01-01

Research has been done on Phytoplankton Diversity in Bioremediation Pool in PTAPB-BATAN Yogyakarta. This study aims to determine the diversity of phytoplankton and phytoplankton species are numerous in the bioremediation pool in PTAPB BATAN. This study is an observational study conducted from September to November 2012. The population in this study is all kinds of phytoplankton that live in the bioremediation pool. The sample was filtered with all phytoplankton plankton net at each sampling point. This study was conducted to determine the point of sampling as much as 3 points, namely at the inlet, the center of the pond, and exit channel, with each point done 3 times repetition. Sampling was done by taking as much as 50 liters of water at each sample point, the water sample is filtered directly into the plankton net. Filtered water put into flakon bottles. Observation and identification of plankton were done in the laboratory. The research found as many as 21 species of phytoplankton consisting of Scenedesmus acuminatus, Scenedesmus quadricauda, Closterium moniiferum, Pleurosigma sp., Rivularia bullata, Chroococcus sp., Cocconeis sp., Pinnularia viridis, Navicula sp., Spirogyra sp., Thiopedia rosea, Cyclotella sp., Minidiscus sp., Achnantes sp., ChIorella sp., Oscillatoria sp., Hemiaulus sp., Surirella sp., Chattonella sp., Thalasiossira mala, Leuvenia sp. Phytoplankton density value of 5.330 ind / I. Phytoplankton diversity index value was 2.6062, included in the medium category. (author)

The light absorption by suspended particles, phytoplankton and dissolved organic matter in deep-and coastal waiters of the Black Sea impact on algorithms for remote sensing of chlorophyll -a-.

Science.gov (United States)

Churilova, T.; Suslin, V.; Berseneva, G.; Georgieva, L.

At present time for the analysis and prediction of marine ecosystem state Chlorophyll and Primary production models based on optical satellite data are widely used. However, the SeaWiFS algorithms providing the transformation of color images to chlorophyll maps give inaccurate estimation of chlorophyll "a" (Chl "a") concentration in the Black Sea - an overestimation approximately two times in summer and an underestimation - ~1,5 times during the large diatom bloom in winter-spring. A development of the regional Chl "a" algorithm requires an estimation of spectral characteristics of all light absorbing components and their relationships with Chl "a" concentration. With this aim bio-optical monitoring was organized in two fixed stations in deep-water central western part of the Black Sea and in shelf waters near the Crimea. The weekly monitoring in deep-waters region allowed to determine phytoplankton community succession: seasonal dynamics of size and taxonomic structure, development of large diatoms blooming in March and coccolithophores - in June. The significant variability in pigment concentration and species content of phytoplankton is accompanied by high variability in shape of the phytoplankton absorption spectra and in values of chl a-specific absorption coefficients. This variability had seasonal character depending mostly on the optical status of phytoplankton cells and partly on taxonomic structure of phytoplankton. The pigment packaging parameter fluctuated from 0.64-0.68 (October-December) to 0.95-0.97 (April-May). The package effect depended on intracellular pigment concentration and the size and geometry of cells, which change significantly over the year, because of extremely different environmental conditions. The relationships between phytoplankton specific absorption coefficients (at 412, 443, 490, 510, 555, 678 nm) and Chl "a" concentration have been described by power functions. The contribution of detritus to total particulate absorption

Spatial-temporal distribution of phytoplankton pigments in relation to nutrient status in Jiaozhou Bay, China

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, Peng; Yu, Zhigang; Deng, Chunmei; Liu, Shuxia; Zhen, Yu

2010-10-01

We conducted studies of phytoplankton and hydrological variables in a semi-enclosed bay in northern China to understand the spatial-temporal variability and relationship between these variables. Samples were collected during seven cruises in Jiaozhou Bay from November 2003 to October 2004, and were analyzed for temperature, nutrients and phytoplankton pigments. Pigments from eight possible phytoplankton classes (Diatoms, Dinoflagellates, Chlorophyceae, Prasinophyceae, Chrysophyceae, Haptophyceae, Cryptophyceae and Caynophyceae) were detected in surface water by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Phytoplankton pigment and nutrient concentrations in Jiaozhou Bay were spatially and temporally variable, and most of them were highest in the northern and eastern parts of the sampling regions in spring (May) and summer (August), close to areas of shellfish culturing, river estuaries, dense population and high industrialization, reflecting human activities. Chlorophyll a was recorded in all samples, with an annual mean concentration of 1.892 μg L -1, and fucoxanthin was the most abundant accessory pigment, with a mean concentration of 0.791 μg L -1. The highest concentrations of chlorophyll a (15.299 μg L -1) and fucoxanthin (9.417 μg L -1) were observed in May 2004 at the station close to the Qingdao Xiaogang Ferry, indicating a spring bloom of Diatoms in this area. Although chlorophyll a and other biomarker pigments showed significant correlations, none of them showed strong correlations with temperature and nutrients, suggesting an apparent de-coupling between the pigments and these hydrological variables. The nutrient composition and phytoplankton community composition of Jiaozhou Bay have changed significantly in the past several decades, reflecting the increasing nutrient concentrations and decline of phytoplankton cell abundance. The unchanged total chlorophyll a levels indicated that smaller species have filled the niche vacated by the larger

Retention time generates short-term phytoplankton blooms in a shallow microtidal subtropical estuary

Science.gov (United States)

Odebrecht, Clarisse; Abreu, Paulo C.; Carstensen, Jacob

2015-09-01

In this study it was hypothesised that increasing water retention time promotes phytoplankton blooms in the shallow microtidal Patos Lagoon estuary (PLE). This hypothesis was tested using salinity variation as a proxy of water retention time and chlorophyll a for phytoplankton biomass. Submersible sensors fixed at 5 m depth near the mouth of PLE continuously measured water temperature, salinity and pigments fluorescence (calibrated to chlorophyll a) between March 2010 and 12th of December 2011, with some gaps. Salinity variations were used to separate alternating patterns of outflow of lagoon water (salinity 24; 35% of the time). The two transition phases represented a rapid change from lagoon water outflow to marine water inflow and a more gradually declining salinity between the dominating inflow and outflow conditions. During the latter of these, a significant chlorophyll a increase relative to that expected from a linear mixing relationship was observed at intermediate salinities (10-20). The increase in chlorophyll a was positively related to the duration of the prior coastal water inflow in the PLE. Moreover, chlorophyll a increase was significantly higher during austral spring-summer than autumn-winter, probably due to higher light and nutrient availability in the former. Moreover, the retention time process operating on time scales of days influences the long-term phytoplankton variability in this ecosystem. Comparing these results with monthly data from a nearby long-term water quality monitoring station (1993-2011) support the hypothesis that chlorophyll a accumulations occur after marine inflow events, whereas phytoplankton does not accumulate during high water outflow, when the water residence time is short. These results suggest that changing hydrological pattern is the most important mechanism underlying phytoplankton blooms in the PLE.

Factors driving the spatiotemporal variability in phytoplankton in the Northern South China Sea

Science.gov (United States)

Wei, Na; Satheeswaran, Thangaraj; Jenkinson, Ian R.; Xue, Bing; Wei, Yuqiu; Liu, Haijiao; Sun, Jun

2018-06-01

The influence of oceanographic processes on phytoplankton diversity and community structure was examined during a cruise conducted from July to August 2012 in the northern South China Sea (nSCS). One hundred ninety seven seawater samples were collected and analyzed from 41 stations in the nSCS. A total of 215 species were identified belonging to 67 genera, mostly dominated by diatoms (67.36%) followed by dinoflagellates (28.16%). The mean cell abundance of diatoms and dinoflagellates were 1.954 × 103 cells L-1 and 0.817 × 103 cells L-1, respectively. Diatoms mainly distributed in coastal region whereas dianoflaglletes in the open sea. Margalaf's species richness (dMa) was maximum (3.96) at SQD1 station (Depth 15 m), whereas it was minimum (0.07) at SS1 (Depth 200 m). Further, Box-Whisker plot displayed that dissolved inorganic nutrients incresed with depth. Nevertheless, redundacy analysis reveled that phytoplankton density has a negative relationship with nutrients. Overall the presesant study provides latest in-depth information about how the factors influencing the phytoplankton density and diversity in the (nSCS) during summer based on the cruise data which could serve as a reference for the similar study.

Treating primary dysmenorrhoea with acupuncture: a narrative review of the relationship between acupuncture 'dose' and menstrual pain outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Armour, Mike; Smith, Caroline A

2016-12-01

A number of randomised controlled trials have been performed to determine the effectiveness or efficacy of acupuncture in primary dysmenorrhoea. The objective of this review was to explore the relationship between the 'dose' of the acupuncture intervention and menstrual pain outcomes. Eight databases were systematically searched for trials examining penetrating body acupuncture for primary dysmenorrhoea published in English up to September 2015. Dose components for each trial were extracted, assessed by the two authors and categorised by neurophysiological dose (number of needles, retention time and mode of stimulation), cumulative dose (total number and frequency of treatments), needle location and treatment timing. Eleven trials were included. Components of acupuncture dose were well reported across all trials. The relationship between needle location and menstrual pain demonstrated conflicting results. Treatment before the menses appeared to produce greater reductions in pain than treatment starting at the onset of menses. A single needle during menses may provide greater pain reduction compared to multiple needles. Conversely, multiple needles before menses were superior to a single needle. Electroacupuncture may provide more rapid pain reduction compared to manual acupuncture but may not have a significantly different effect on overall menstrual pain. There appear to be relationships between treatment timing and mode of needle stimulation, and menstrual pain outcomes. Needle location, number of needles used and frequency of treatment show clear dose-response relationships with menstrual pain outcomes. Current research is insufficient to make definitive clinical recommendations regarding optimum dose parameters for treating primary dysmenorrhoea. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Phytoplankton can actively diversify their migration strategy in response to turbulent cues.

Science.gov (United States)

Sengupta, Anupam; Carrara, Francesco; Stocker, Roman

2017-03-23

Marine phytoplankton inhabit a dynamic environment where turbulence, together with nutrient and light availability, shapes species fitness, succession and selection. Many species of phytoplankton are motile and undertake diel vertical migrations to gain access to nutrient-rich deeper layers at night and well-lit surface waters during the day. Disruption of this migratory strategy by turbulence is considered to be an important cause of the succession between motile and non-motile species when conditions turn turbulent. However, this classical view neglects the possibility that motile species may actively respond to turbulent cues to avoid layers of strong turbulence. Here we report that phytoplankton, including raphidophytes and dinoflagellates, can actively diversify their migratory strategy in response to hydrodynamic cues characteristic of overturning by Kolmogorov-scale eddies. Upon experiencing repeated overturning with timescales and statistics representative of ocean turbulence, an upward-swimming population rapidly (5-60 min) splits into two subpopulations, one swimming upward and one swimming downward. Quantitative morphological analysis of the harmful-algal-bloom-forming raphidophyte Heterosigma akashiwo together with a model of cell mechanics revealed that this behaviour was accompanied by a modulation of the cells' fore-aft asymmetry. The minute magnitude of the required modulation, sufficient to invert the preferential swimming direction of the cells, highlights the advanced level of control that phytoplankton can exert on their migratory behaviour. Together with observations of enhanced cellular stress after overturning and the typically deleterious effects of strong turbulence on motile phytoplankton, these results point to an active adaptation of H. akashiwo to increase the chance of evading turbulent layers by diversifying the direction of migration within the population, in a manner suggestive of evolutionary bet-hedging. This migratory behaviour

PHYTOPLANKTON AND BIOMASS DISTRIBUTION AT POTENTIAL OTEC SITES

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Johnson, P.W.; Horne, A.J.

1979-06-01

Net or large phytoplankton species composition and most phytoplankton abundance was measured at three OTEC sites. In the Gulf of Mexico and Hawaii, diatoms dominated while the blue-green algae Trichodesmium was most common at Puerto Rico. The species ratio of diatoms to dinoflagellates was approximately 1:1. The species diversity varied from site to site, Hawaii > Puerto Rico > Gulf of Mexico. Chlorophyll a, which is a measure of the pigment of all algae size ranges, showed a subsurface peak of 0.14-0.4 g per liter at 75 to 125 m. Occasional surface peaks up to 0.4 pg per liter occurred. Further refinement of collection techniques is needed to delineate the subtle environmental effects expected by OTEC plant discharges.

Phytoplankton and biomass distribution at potential OTEC sites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Johnson, P.W.; Horne, A.J.

1979-06-01

Net or large phytoplankton species composition and most phytoplankton abundance was measured at three OTEC sites. In the Gulf of Mexico and'Hawaii, diatoms dominated while the blue-green algae Trichodesmium was most common at Puerto Rico. The species ratio of diatoms to dinoflagellates was approximately 1:1. The species diversity varied from site to site, Hawaii > Puerto Rico > Gulf of Mexico. Chlorophyll a, which is a measure of the pigment of all algae size ranges, showed a subsurface peak of 0.14 to 0.4 g per liter at 75 to 125 m. Occasional surface peaks upto 0.4 ..mu..g per liter occurred. Further refinement of collection techniques is needed to delineate the subtle environmental effects expected by OTEC plant discharges.

Modelling the production of dimethylsulfide during a phytoplankton bloom

Science.gov (United States)

Gabric, Albert; Murray, Nicholas; Stone, Lewi; Kohl, Manfred

1993-12-01

Dimethylsulfide (DMS) is an important sulfur-containing atmospheric trace gas of marine biogenic origin. DMS emitted from the oceans may be a precursor of tropospheric aerosols and cloud condensation nuclei (CCN), thereby affecting the Earth's radiative balance and possibly constituting a negative feedback to global warming, although this hypothesis is still somewhat controversial. The revised conceptual model of the marine pelagic food web gives a central role to planktonic bacteria. Recent experiments have shown that consumption of dissolved DMS by microbial metabolism may be more important than atmospheric exchange in controlling its concentration in surface waters and hence its ventilation to the atmosphere. In this paper we investigate the effect of the marine food web on cycling of dissolved DMS in surface waters during a phytoplankton bloom episode. A nitrogen-based flow network simulation model has been used to analyze the relative importance of the various biological and chemical processes involved. The model predictions suggest that the concentration of DMS in marine surface waters is indeed governed by bacterial metabolism. Environmental factors that affect the bacterial compartment are thus likely to have a relatively large influence on dissolved DMS concentrations. The ecological succession is particularly sensitive to the ratio of phytoplankton to bacterial nutrient uptake rates as well the interaction between herbivore food chain and the microbial loop. Importantly for the design of field studies, the model predicts that peak DMS concentrations are achieved during the decline of the phytoplankton bloom with a typical time lag between peak DMS and peak phytoplankton biomass of 1 to 2 days. Significantly, the model predicts a relatively high DMS concentration persisting after the phytoplankton bloom due to excretion from large protozoa and zooplankton, which may be an additional explanation for the lack of correlation between DMS and chlorophyll a

Spatio-temporal organization of phytoplankton in Peipsi Lake

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sharov Andrey

2016-12-01

Full Text Available In the article, the results of the study of phytoplankton received at 16 stations of the Lake Peipsi in the spring (May, summer (August and autumn (October within the period of 2012–2015 were analyzed. 186 phytoplankton species were found. The list of mass taxa is given. It was noted that phytoplankton biomass had wide amplitude of annual average values in different lakes: Lake Peipsi/Chudskoe 2.1 ± 0.2 (0.3–23.0 mg / L; Lake Pihkva/Pskovskoe 5.4 ± 1.4 (0.4–34.0 mg / L and Lake Lämmijärv/Teploe 6.1 ± 1.2 (3.4–25.1 mg / l. According to species composition, structure and biomass of phytoplankton the lake belongs to the mesotrophic reservoirs with eutrophic features, as it was in previous years of observation. The water quality in the different parts of Lake Peipsi corresponded to conditionally pure water (1st quality class and slightly polluted one(2nd quality class. Correlation between characteristics of phytoplankton and the environmental factors (temperature, water level, transparency, N and P concentration in water was detected.

A multiomics approach to study the microbiome response to phytoplankton blooms.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Liyan

2017-06-01

Phytoplankton blooms are predictable features of marine and freshwater habitats. Despite a good knowledge base of the environmental factors controlling blooms, complex interactions between the bacterial and archaeal communities and phytoplankton bloom taxa are only now emerging. Here, the current research on bacterial community's structural and functional response to phytoplankton blooms is reviewed and discussed and further research is proposed. More attention should be paid on structure and function of autotrophic bacteria and archaea during phytoplankton blooms. A multiomics integration approach is needed to investigate bacterial and archaeal communities' diversity, metabolic diversity, and biogeochemical functions of microbial interactions during phytoplankton blooms.

Joint effect of freshwater plume and coastal upwelling on phytoplankton growth off the Changjiang River

Science.gov (United States)

Tseng, Y.-F.; Lin, J.; Dai, M.; Kao, S.-J.

2014-01-01

The Changjiang (Yangtze) River discharges vast amount of unbalanced nutrients (dissolved inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus with N / P ratio > 80 in general) into the East China Sea in summer. To study nutrient dynamics and P-stress potential for phytoplankton, a cruise was conducted in the Changjiang plume during summer 2011. With 3-D observations of nutrients, chlorophyll a (Chl a), and bulk alkaline phosphatase activity (APA), we concluded that the Changjiang Diluted Water and coastal upwelling significantly influenced the horizontal and vertical heterogeneities of phytoplankton P deficiency in the Changjiang plume. Allochthonous APA was detected at nutrient-enriched freshwater end. Excessive N (~ 10 to 112 μM) was observed throughout the entire plume surface. In the plume fringe featuring stratification and excess N, diapycnal phosphate supply was blocked and phytoplankton APA was stimulated for growth. We observed an upwelling just attaching to the turbidity front at seaward side where Chl a peaked yet much less APA was detected. An external phosphate supply from subsurface, which promoted phytoplankton growth but inhibited APA, was suggested to be sourced from the Nearshore Kuroshio Branch Current. In the so hydrographically complicated Changjiang plume, phosphate supply instead of its concentration may be more important in determining the expression of APA. Meanwhile, allochthonous APA may also alter the usefulness of APA as a P-stress indicator.

Comparison of Machine Learning Techniques in Inferring Phytoplankton Size Classes

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Shuibo Hu

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The size of phytoplankton not only influences its physiology, metabolic rates and marine food web, but also serves as an indicator of phytoplankton functional roles in ecological and biogeochemical processes. Therefore, some algorithms have been developed to infer the synoptic distribution of phytoplankton cell size, denoted as phytoplankton size classes (PSCs, in surface ocean waters, by the means of remotely sensed variables. This study, using the NASA bio-Optical Marine Algorithm Data set (NOMAD high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC database, and satellite match-ups, aimed to compare the effectiveness of modeling techniques, including partial least square (PLS, artificial neural networks (ANN, support vector machine (SVM and random forests (RF, and feature selection techniques, including genetic algorithm (GA, successive projection algorithm (SPA and recursive feature elimination based on support vector machine (SVM-RFE, for inferring PSCs from remote sensing data. Results showed that: (1 SVM-RFE worked better in selecting sensitive features; (2 RF performed better than PLS, ANN and SVM in calibrating PSCs retrieval models; (3 machine learning techniques produced better performance than the chlorophyll-a based three-component method; (4 sea surface temperature, wind stress, and spectral curvature derived from the remote sensing reflectance at 490, 510, and 555 nm were among the most sensitive features to PSCs; and (5 the combination of SVM-RFE feature selection techniques and random forests regression was recommended for inferring PSCs. This study demonstrated the effectiveness of machine learning techniques in selecting sensitive features and calibrating models for PSCs estimations with remote sensing.

Organ or tissue doses, effective dose and collective effective dose from X-ray diagnosis, in Japan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murayama, Takashi; Nishizawa, Kanae; Noda, Yutaka; Kumamoto, Yoshikazu; Iwai, Kazuo.

1996-01-01

Effective doses and collective effective doses from X-ray diagnostic examinations were calculated on the basis of the frequency of examinations estimated by a nationwide survey and the organ or tissue doses experimentally determined. The average organ or tissue doses were determined with thermoluminescence dosimeters put at various sites of organs or tissues in an adult and a child phantom. Effective doses (effective dose equivalents) were calculated as the sum of the weighted equivalent doses in all the organs or tissues of the body. As the examples of results, the effective doses per radiographic examination were approximately 7 mGy for male, and 9 mGy for female angiocardiography, and about 3 mGy for barium meal. Annual collective effective dose from X-ray diagnostic examinations in 1986 were about 104 x 10 3 person Sv from radiography and 118 x 10 3 person Sv from fluoroscopy, with the total of 222 x 10 3 person Sv. (author)

Growth of Phytoplankton in Different Fertilizer Media | KADIRI ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

... medium and there was no significant difference between Scenedesmus and Oscillatoria sp. whereas in the inorganic fertilizer, there was no significant difference between the growth response from all phytoplankton. All experiments lasted 14 days. Key words: Aquaculture, Phytoplankton Production, Biofertilizer, Inorganic

Diversity of phytoplankton in some domestic wastewater-fed urban fish pond ecosystems of the Chota Nagpur Plateau in Bankura, India

Science.gov (United States)

Das, Debjyoti; Pathak, Arabinda; Pal, Sudin

2018-06-01

The present limnological investigation is conducted to study the relationship between phytoplankton abundance and five important physicochemical factors in urban wastewater-fed seven fish ponds of Chota Nagpur Plateau area. A total number of 43 phytoplankton taxa representing four classes, namely Cyanophyceae (7), Chlorophyceae (29), Bacillariophyceae (5) and Euglenophyceae (2), are thriving in these ponds which may suggest that different nutrient-rich wastewater supports the diversity and abundance of the phytoplankton. Different values of diversity indices, results of post hoc analysis and rarefaction curve are depicted spatial variations of phytoplankton abundance and physicochemical factors. From the Principal Component Analysis, out of 43 phytoplankton species, 23 important species are extracted. The canonical correspondence analysis presents that most of the phytoplankton species densities are associated with higher values of the physicochemical variables in these ponds. Correspondingly, in the present study, Algal Genus Pollution Index (AGPI) is employed to study the water quality of seven sites. From the AGPI score, it is revealed that Site 4 has probable high organic pollution and Site 2 and Site 3 have moderate organic pollution. Therefore, long-term intensive studies and proper management are necessary to protect these ponds toward eutrophication and degradation, because these ponds not only act as a safeguard of livelihoods but also contribute significantly at local level food and water security and economic prosperity.

Connections between the growth of Arctica islandica and phytoplankton dynamics on the Faroe Shelf

Science.gov (United States)

Bonitz, Fabian; Andersson, Carin; Trofimova, Tamara

2017-04-01

In this study we use molluscan sclerochronological techniques in order to obtain closer insights into environmental and ecological dynamics of Faroe Shelf waters. The Faroe Shelf represents a special ecosystem with rich benthic and neritic communities, which also have great importance for many economically relevant fish stocks. Thus, a better understanding of seasonal and year-to-year phytoplankton and stratification dynamics would be useful because they also have implications for higher trophic levels. The water masses of the Faroe Shelf are fairly homogenous and isolated from off-shelf waters but at a certain depth, which is referred to as transition zone, seasonal stratification and horizontal exchange occur. Systematic observations and phytoplankton dynamic investigations have only been performed during the last 29 years but longer records are missing. Thus, we use the growth increment variability in long-lived Arctica islandica shells from the transition zone of the eastern Faroe Shelf to evaluate its potential to estimate on-shelf phytoplankton and stratification dynamics since previous studies have shown that the growth of A. islandica is highly dependent on food availability. We have built a shell-based master-chronology reaching back to the 17th century. Comparisons between the growth indices of our chronology and fluorescence data reveal significant positive relationships. In combination with an index that accounts for stratification even stronger correlations are obtained. This indicates that the growth of A. islandica is largely influenced by a combination of how much phytoplankton is produced and how much actually reaches the bottom, i.e. how well-mixed the water column is. Further significant positive correlations can also be found between the growth indices and other primary productivity data from the Faroe Shelf. In conclusion, our results suggest that the growth indices can be related to year-to-year changes in phytoplankton production and

Dose effect relationships in cervical and thoracic radiation myelopathies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Holdorff, B.

1980-01-01

The course and prognosis of radiation myelopathies are determined by 3 factors: the segmental (vertical) location of the lesion, the extent of the transverse syndrome (complete or incomplete) and the radiation dose. The median spinal dose in cervical radiation myelopathies with fatal outcome was higher than in survivals with an incomplete transverse syndrome. In thoracic radiation myelopathies a dose difference between complete and incomplete transverse syndromes could be found as well. Incomplete transverse syndromes as submaximum radiation injuries are more suitable for the determination of the spinal tolerance dose than complete transverse syndromes. The lowest threshold could be stated for cases following high-volume irradiation of the lymphatic system. (Auth.)

Phytoplankton calcification as an effective mechanism to alleviate cellular calcium poisoning

Science.gov (United States)

Müller, M. N.; Ramos, J. Barcelos e.; Schulz, K. G.; Riebesell, U.; Kaźmierczak, J.; Gallo, F.; Mackinder, L.; Li, Y.; Nesterenko, P. N.; Trull, T. W.; Hallegraeff, G. M.

2015-11-01

Marine phytoplankton have developed the remarkable ability to tightly regulate the concentration of free calcium ions in the intracellular cytosol at a level of ~ 0.1 μmol L-1 in the presence of seawater Ca2+ concentrations of 10 mmol L-1. The low cytosolic calcium ion concentration is of utmost importance for proper cell signalling function. While the regulatory mechanisms responsible for the tight control of intracellular Ca2+ concentration are not completely understood, phytoplankton taxonomic groups appear to have evolved different strategies, which may affect their ability to cope with changes in seawater Ca2+ concentrations in their environment on geological timescales. For example, the Cretaceous (145 to 66 Ma), an era known for the high abundance of coccolithophores and the production of enormous calcium carbonate deposits, exhibited seawater calcium concentrations up to 4 times present-day levels. We show that calcifying coccolithophore species (Emiliania huxleyi, Gephyrocapsa oceanica and Coccolithus braarudii) are able to maintain their relative fitness (in terms of growth rate and photosynthesis) at simulated Cretaceous seawater calcium concentrations, whereas these rates are severely reduced under these conditions in some non-calcareous phytoplankton species (Chaetoceros sp., Ceratoneis closterium and Heterosigma akashiwo). Most notably, this also applies to a non-calcifying strain of E. huxleyi which displays a calcium sensitivity similar to the non-calcareous species. We hypothesize that the process of calcification in coccolithophores provides an efficient mechanism to alleviate cellular calcium poisoning and thereby offered a potential key evolutionary advantage, responsible for the proliferation of coccolithophores during times of high seawater calcium concentrations. The exact function of calcification and the reason behind the highly ornate physical structures of coccoliths remain elusive.

The scientific basis for the establishment of threshold levels and dose response relationships of carcinogenesis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1975-01-01

The International Atomic Energy Agency hosted a two day Symposium from 2-3 December 1974 at its Headquarters, organized by the 'International Academy for Environmental Safety and the Forum fur Wissenschaft, Wirtschaft und Politik' on the subject 'Scientific Basis for the Establishment of Threshold. Levels and Dose Response Relationships of Carcinogenesis'. Following an introductory paper by the Radiation Biology Section of the Agency on 'Radiation Carcinogenesis - Dose Response Relationship, Threshold and Risk Estimates', a series of papers dealt with this problem in chemical carcinogenesis.It was suggested that more experiments should be done using non-human primates for tests of carcinogens, especially chemicals. Preliminary experiments using monkeys with a potent carcinogen - nitrosoamine - indicate that there could possibly be a dose where no effect can be observed during the 5 year period of study. It was also pointed out that the overall cost/benefit and risk/ benefit relationships should be taken into consideration in determining limits for chemicals which are potentially carcinogenic but are used routinely by the public and industries; these considerations have been weighed in setting exposure limits for radiation

Positive and negative feedback loops in nutrient phytoplankton interactions related to climate dynamics factors in a shallow temperate estuary (Vistula Lagoon, southern Baltic)

Science.gov (United States)

Kruk, Marek; Kobos, Justyna; Nawrocka, Lidia; Parszuto, Katarzyna

2018-04-01

This study aims to demonstrate that factors associated with climate dynamics, such as temperature and wind, affect the ecosystem of the shallow Vistula Lagoon in the southern Baltic and cause nutrient forms phytoplankton interactions: the growth of biomass and constraints of it. This occurs through a network of direct and indirect relationships between environmental and phytoplankton factors, including interactions of positive and negative feedback loops. Path analysis supported by structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test hypotheses regarding the impact of climate factors on algal assemblages. Increased phytoplankton biomass was affected directly by water temperature and salinity, while the wind speed effect was indirect as it resulted in increased concentrations of suspended solids (SS) in the water column. Simultaneously, the concentration of SS in the water was positively correlated with particulate organic carbon (POC), particulate nitrogen (PN), and particulate phosphorus (PP), and was negatively correlated with the total nitrogen to phosphorus (N:P) ratio. Particulate forms of C, N, and phosphorus (P), concentrations of soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) and nitrate and nitrite nitrogen (NO3-N + NO2-N), and ratios of the total N:P and DIN:SRP, all indirectly effected Cyanobacteria C concentrations. These processes influence other phytoplankton groups (Chlorophyta, Bacillariophyceae and the picophytoplankton fraction). Increased levels of SRP associated with organic matter (POC), which stemmed from reduced DIN:SRP ratios, contributed to increased Cyanoprokaryota and picophytoplankton C concentrations, which created a positive feedback loop. However, a simultaneous reduction in the total N:P ratio could have inhibited increases in the biomass of these assemblages by limiting N, which likely formed a negative feedback loop. The study indicates that the nutrients-phytoplankton feedback loop phenomenon can intensify eutrophication in a temperate lagoon

Phytoplankton chytridiomycosis: fungal parasites of phytoplankton and their imprints on the food web dynamics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Télesphore eSIME - NGANDO

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Parasitism is one of the earlier and common ecological interactions in the nature, occurring in almost all environments. Microbial parasites typically are characterized by their small size, short generation time, and high rates of reproduction, with simple life cycle occurring generally within a single host. They are diverse and ubiquitous in aquatic ecosystems, comprising viruses, prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Recently, environmental 18S-rDNA surveys of microbial eukaryotes have unveiled major infecting agents in pelagic systems, consisting primarily of the fungal order of Chytridiales (chytrids. Chytrids are considered the earlier branch of the Eumycetes and produce motile, flagellated zoospores, characterized by a small size (2-6 µm and a single, posterior flagellum. The existence of these dispersal propagules includes chytrids within the so-called group of zoosporic fungi, which are particularly adapted to the plankton lifestyle where they infect a wide variety of hosts, including fishes, eggs, zooplankton, algae, and other aquatic fungi but primarily freshwater phytoplankton. Related ecological implications are huge because chytrids can killed their hosts, release substrates for microbial processes, and provide nutrient-rich particles as zoospores and short fragments of filamentous inedible hosts for the grazer food chain. Furthermore, based on the observation that phytoplankton chytridiomycosis preferentially impacts the larger size species, blooms of such species (e.g. filamentous cyanobacteria may not totally represent trophic bottlenecks. Besides, chytrid epidemics represent an important driving factor in phytoplankton seasonal successions. In this review, I summarize the knowledge on the diversity, community structure, quantitative importance, and functional roles of fungal chytrids, primarily those who are parasites of phytoplankton, and infer the ecological implications and potentials for the food web dynamics and properties.

Dose-response functions for effects of acidic precipitation on vegetation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jacobson, J S; Troiano, J J

1983-01-01

Research on the effect of sulfuric and nitric acids, as well as other substances, in rain on plant growth has focused on quantifying the relationship between doses of acids in precipitation and plant response. After eight years, there has been no direct demonstration of harmful effects to plants by ambient acidic rain in North America, and there remains considerable uncertainty about the potential risk to cultivated and native plants. Current efforts to describe the relationships between dose of acidity and effects on plants need better experimental approaches if the results are to be more relevant to actual field situations. Mechanistic models that describe the physiological and biochemical basis for effects of acidic rain on plants will be needed to provide confidence in the predictions of plant response. 34 references, 1 figure.

Influence of Vitamin B Auxotrophy on Nitrogen Metabolism in Eukaryotic Phytoplankton

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Erin M Bertrand

2012-10-01

Full Text Available While nitrogen availability is known to limit primary production in large parts of the ocean, vitamin starvation amongst eukaryotic phytoplankton is becoming increasingly recognized as an oceanographically relevant phenomenon. Cobalamin (B12 and thiamine (B1 auxotrophy are widespread throughout eukaryotic phytoplankton, with over 50% of cultured isolates requiring B12 and 20% requiring B1. The frequency of vitamin auxotrophy in harmful algal bloom species is even higher. Instances of colimitation between nitrogen and B vitamins have been observed in marine environments, and interactions between these nutrients have been shown to impact phytoplankton species composition. This review evaluates the potential for interactive effects of nitrogen and vitamin B12 and B1 starvation in eukaryotic phytoplankton. B12 plays essential roles in amino acid and one-carbon metabolism, while B1 is important for primary carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism and likely useful as an anti-oxidant. Here we will focus on three potential metabolic interconnections between vitamin, nitrogen and sulfur metabolism that may have ramifications for the role of vitamin and nitrogen scarcities in driving ocean productivity and species composition. These include: (1 B12, B1, and N starvation impacts on osmolyte and antioxidant production, (2 B12 and B1 starvation impacts on polyamine biosynthesis, and (3 influence of B12 and B1 starvation on the diatom urea cycle and amino acid recycling through impacts on the citric acid cycle. We evaluate evidence for these interconnections and identify oceanographic contexts in which each may impact rates of primary production and phytoplankton community composition. Major implications include that B12 and B1 deprivation may impair the ability of phytoplankton to recover from nitrogen starvation and that changes in vitamin and nitrogen availability may synergistically impact harmful algal bloom formation.

Water quality status and phytoplankton composition in Soetendalvlei ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Three wetlands on the Agulhas Plain, for which no limnological information was available, were investigated in order to provide baseline data on their present water quality and phytoplankton community structure. Physicochemical variables were assessed and phytoplankton biomass and community analyses were ...

Nutrients and toxin producing phytoplankton control algal blooms

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

A phytoplankton-zooplankton prey-predator model has been investigated for temporal, spatial and spatio-temporal dissipative pattern formation in a deterministic and noisy environment, respectively. The overall carrying capacity for the phytoplankton population depends on the nutrient level. The role of nutrient ...

Population dynamics of light-limited phytoplankton : Microcosm experiments

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Huisman, Jef

This paper investigates the extent to which the predictions of an elementary model for light-limited growth are matched by laboratory experiments with light-limited phytoplankton. The model and experiments link the population dynamics of phytoplankton species with changes in the light gradient

Does biodiversity of estuarine phytoplankton depend on hydrology?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ferreira, JG; Wolff, WJ; Simas, TC; Bricker, SB

2005-01-01

Phytoplankton growth in estuaries is controlled by factors such as flushing, salinity tolerance, light, nutrients and grazing. Here, we show that biodiversity of estuarine phytoplankton is related to flushing, and illustrate this for some European estuaries. The implications for the definition of

Phosphorus physiological ecology and molecular mechanisms in marine phytoplankton.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Senjie; Litaker, Richard Wayne; Sunda, William G

2016-02-01

Phosphorus (P) is an essential nutrient for marine phytoplankton and indeed all life forms. Current data show that P availability is growth-limiting in certain marine systems and can impact algal species composition. Available P occurs in marine waters as dissolved inorganic phosphate (primarily orthophosphate [Pi]) or as a myriad of dissolved organic phosphorus (DOP) compounds. Despite numerous studies on P physiology and ecology and increasing research on genomics in marine phytoplankton, there have been few attempts to synthesize information from these different disciplines. This paper is aimed to integrate the physiological and molecular information on the acquisition, utilization, and storage of P in marine phytoplankton and the strategies used by these organisms to acclimate and adapt to variations in P availability. Where applicable, we attempt to identify gaps in our current knowledge that warrant further research and examine possible metabolic pathways that might occur in phytoplankton from well-studied bacterial models. Physical and chemical limitations governing cellular P uptake are explored along with physiological and molecular mechanisms to adapt and acclimate to temporally and spatially varying P nutrient regimes. Topics covered include cellular Pi uptake and feedback regulation of uptake systems, enzymatic utilization of DOP, P acquisition by phagotrophy, P-limitation of phytoplankton growth in oceanic and coastal waters, and the role of P-limitation in regulating cell size and toxin levels in phytoplankton. Finally, we examine the role of P and other nutrients in the transition of phytoplankton communities from early succession species (diatoms) to late succession ones (e.g., dinoflagellates and haptophytes). © 2015 Phycological Society of America.

Pigment signatures of phytoplankton communities in the Beaufort Sea

Science.gov (United States)

Coupel, P.; Matsuoka, A.; Ruiz-Pino, D.; Gosselin, M.; Marie, D.; Tremblay, J.-É.; Babin, M.

2015-02-01

Phytoplankton are expected to respond to recent environmental changes of the Arctic Ocean. In terms of bottom-up control, modifying the phytoplankton distribution will ultimately affect the entire food web and carbon export. However, detecting and quantifying changes in phytoplankton communities in the Arctic Ocean remains difficult because of the lack of data and the inconsistent identification methods used. Based on pigment and microscopy data sampled in the Beaufort Sea during summer 2009, we optimized the chemotaxonomic tool CHEMTAX (CHEMical TAXonomy) for the assessment of phytoplankton community composition in an Arctic setting. The geographical distribution of the main phytoplankton groups was determined with clustering methods. Four phytoplankton assemblages were determined and related to bathymetry, nutrients and light availability. Surface waters across the whole survey region were dominated by prasinophytes and chlorophytes, whereas the subsurface chlorophyll maximum was dominated by the centric diatoms Chaetoceros socialis on the shelf and by two populations of nanoflagellates in the deep basin. Microscopic counts showed a high contribution of the heterotrophic dinoflagellates Gymnodinium and Gyrodinium spp. to total carbon biomass, suggesting high grazing activity at this time of the year. However, CHEMTAX was unable to detect these dinoflagellates because they lack peridinin. In heterotrophic dinoflagellates, the inclusion of the pigments of their prey potentially leads to incorrect group assignments and some misinterpretation of CHEMTAX. Thanks to the high reproducibility of pigment analysis, our results can serve as a baseline to assess change and spatial or temporal variability in several phytoplankton populations that are not affected by these misinterpretations.

Phytoplankton community and environmental correlates in a coastal upwelling zone along western Taiwan Strait

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yu; Kang, Jian-hua; Ye, You-yin; Lin, Geng-ming; Yang, Qing-liang; Lin, Mao

2016-02-01

decreases with increasing water depth. The horizontal and transect distribution of phytoplankton abundance are both displayed in patchy size, and the peak area is the offshore waters from the east of Dongshan Island to the south of Zhangpu which is basically coincident with the thermohaline center of the upwelling, but the distribution range of phytoplankton high abundance is expanded out of the upwelling center. Phytoplankton abundances on 3 transects in offshore waters from the east of Dongshan Island to the south of Zhangpu are higher than that of nearshore waters and the other 5 transects. Moreover, the underlying current is accompanied by shade flora so as to offer a certain evidence for the presence of upwelling. Phytoplankton abundance at 30 m-depth and bottom both present low significant positive correlation with phosphate, while there are not significant correlations between the content of inorganic nitrogen and phytoplankton abundance in all water layers. The intensity and range of Fujian-guangdong coastal upwelling has a regulating effect on the species succession, abundance distribution and the location of phytoplankton peak area.

European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology task force report on 'dose-response relationship in allergen-specific immunotherapy'

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Calderón, M A; Larenas, D; Kleine-Tebbe, J

2011-01-01

For a century, allergen-specific immunotherapy (SIT) has proven to be an effective treatment for allergic rhinitis, asthma, and insect sting allergy. However, as allergen doses are frequently adapted to the individual patient, there are few data on dose-response relationship in SIT. Allergen prod...

Bioaccumulation of tritiated water in phytoplankton and trophic transfer of organically bound tritium to the blue mussel, Mytilus edulis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jaeschke, Benedict C.; Bradshaw, Clare

2013-01-01

Large releases of tritium are currently permitted in coastal areas due to assumptions that it rapidly disperses in the water and has a low toxicity due to its low energy emissions. This paper presents a laboratory experiment developed to identify previously untested scenarios where tritium may concentrate or transfer in biota relevant to Baltic coastal communities. Phytoplankton populations of Dunaliella tertiolecta and Nodularia spumigena were exposed at different growth-stages, to tritiated water (HTO; 10 MBq l −1 ). Tritiated D. tertiolecta was then fed to mussels, Mytilus edulis, regularly over a period of three weeks. Activity concentrations of phytoplankton and various tissues from the mussel were determined. Both phytoplankton species transformed HTO into organically-bound tritium (OBT) in their tissues. D. tertiolecta accumulated significantly more tritium when allowed to grow exponentially in HTO than if it had already reached the stationary growth phase; both treatments accumulated significantly more than the corresponding treatments of N. spumigena. No effect of growth phase on bioaccumulation of tritium was detectable in N. spumigena following exposure. After mussels were given 3 feeds of tritiated D. tertiolecta, significant levels of tritium were detected in the tissues. Incorporation into most mussel tissues appeared to follow a linear relationship with number of tritiated phytoplankton feeds with no equilibrium, highlighting the potential for biomagnification. Different rates of incorporation in species from a similar functional group highlight the difficulties in using a ‘representative’ species for modelling the transfer and impact of tritium. Accumulations of organic tritium into the mussel tissues from tritiated-phytoplankton demonstrate an environmentally relevant transfer pathway of tritium even when water-concentrations are reduced, adding weight to the assertion that organically bound tritium acts as a persistent organic pollutant. The

Relationships betwen mitotic delay and the dose rate of X radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yi, P.N.; Rha, C.K.; Evans, H.H.; Beer, J.Z.

1994-01-01

Upon exposure of cells to radiation delivered at a continuous low dose rate, cell proliferation may be sustained with the cells exhibiting a constant doubling time that is independent of the total dose. The doubling time or mitotic delay under these conditions has been shown to depend on the dose rate in HeLa, V79 and P388F cells. Reanalysis of the data for these particular cell lines shows that there is a threshold dose rate for mitotic delay, and that above the threshold there is a linear relationship between the length of mitotic delay and the logarithm of the dose rate which is referred to as the dose-rate response. We have observed the same relationships for L5178Y (LY)-R and LY-S cells exposed to low-dose-rate radiation. The threshold dose rates for LY-R, LY-S and P388F cells are similar (0.01-0.02 Gy/h) and are much lower than for V79 and HeLa cells. The slope of the dose-rate response curve is the greatest for HeLa cells, followed in order by LY-S, V79 and P388F cells, and finally by LY-R cells. The slopes for HeLa and LY-R cells differ by a factor of 35. 20 refs., 3 figs., 1 tab

Risk associated with toxic blooms of marine phytoplankton functional groups on Artemia franciscana

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana D’ors

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Objective: To study mortality of copepod Artemia franciscana against the occurrence of harmful marine algae and possible toxicological changes exhibited by binary and tertiary combinations of these harmful algae toxins. Methods: Tweenty four hours acute toxicity assays were performed with selected concentrations of Alexandrium minutum, Prorocentrum lima and Nitzschia N1c1 living cells. Additionally, the results were analyzed using the median-effect/combination index (CI-isobologram equation to assess possible changes in the toxic effect induced by phytoplankton functional groups. Results: Biotoxin equivalent values obtained by immunodetection were (2.12±0.10, (8.60±1.30 and (4.32±1.67 pg/cell for saxitoxin, okadaic acid and domoic acid, respectively. The 24-h LC50 values estimated to saxitoxin and okadaic acid equivalents were 4.06 and 6.27 µg/L, significantly below the value obtained for Nitzschia N1c1, which was established at 467.33 µg/L. CI analysis applied on phytoplankton assemblages showed that both ternary mixture as the binary combinations exhibited antagonic action on toxic effects in Artemia nauplii, which were significantly lower than the toxic effect exhibited by each species studied. Conclusions: These results show that, although these harmful algae represent a serious risk to estuarine zooplankton community, the presence of phytoplankton functional groups within the same bloom can reduce the potential risk compared to the expected risk when each of the phytoplankton groups are evaluated individually.

Latitudinal variation of phytoplankton communities in the western Arctic Ocean

Science.gov (United States)

Min Joo, Hyoung; Lee, Sang H.; Won Jung, Seung; Dahms, Hans-Uwe; Hwan Lee, Jin

2012-12-01

Recent studies have shown that photosynthetic eukaryotes are an active and often dominant component of Arctic phytoplankton assemblages. In order to explore this notion at a large scale, samples were collected to investigate the community structure and biovolume of phytoplankton along a transect in the western Arctic Ocean. The transect included 37 stations at the surface and subsurface chlorophyll a maximum (SCM) depths in the Bering Sea, Chukchi Sea, and Canadian Basin from July 19 to September 5, 2008. Phytoplankton (>2 μm) were identified and counted. A cluster analysis of abundance and biovolume data revealed different assemblages over the shelf, slope, and basin regions. Phytoplankton communities were composed of 71 taxa representing Dinophyceae, Cryptophyceae, Bacillariophyceae, Chrysophyceae, Dictyochophyceae, Prasinophyceae, and Prymnesiophyceae. The most abundant species were of pico- to nano-size at the surface and SCM depths at most stations. Nano- and pico-sized phytoplankton appeared to be dominant in the Bering Sea, whereas diatoms and nano-sized plankton provided the majority of taxon diversity in the Bering Strait and in the Chukchi Sea. From the western Bering Sea to the Bering Strait, the abundance, biovolume, and species diversity of phytoplankton provided a marked latitudinal gradient towards the central Arctic. Although pico- and nano-sized phytoplankton contributed most to cell abundance, their chlorophyll a contents and biovolumes were less than those of the larger micro-sized taxa. Micro-sized phytoplankton contributed most to the biovolume in the largely ice-free waters of the western Arctic Ocean during summer 2008.

Atlantic advection driven changes in glacial meltwater: Effects on phytoplankton chlorophyll-a and taxonomic composition in Kongsfjorden, Spitsbergen.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van de Poll, Willem; Maat, Douwe S.; Fischer, Philipp; Rozema, Patrick; Daly, Oonagh; Koppelle, Sebastiaan; Visser, Ronald; Buma, Anita

2016-01-01

Phytoplankton biomass and composition was investigated in a high Arctic fjord (Kongsfjorden, 79°N, 11°40′E) using year round weekly pigment samples collected from October 2013 to December 2014. In addition, phytoplankton dynamics supplemented with physical and chemical characteristics of the 2014

Simulated ocean acidification reveals winners and losers in coastal phytoplankton.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lennart T Bach

Full Text Available The oceans absorb ~25% of the annual anthropogenic CO2 emissions. This causes a shift in the marine carbonate chemistry termed ocean acidification (OA. OA is expected to influence metabolic processes in phytoplankton species but it is unclear how the combination of individual physiological changes alters the structure of entire phytoplankton communities. To investigate this, we deployed ten pelagic mesocosms (volume ~50 m3 for 113 days at the west coast of Sweden and simulated OA (pCO2 = 760 μatm in five of them while the other five served as controls (380 μatm. We found: (1 Bulk chlorophyll a concentration and 10 out of 16 investigated phytoplankton groups were significantly and mostly positively affected by elevated CO2 concentrations. However, CO2 effects on abundance or biomass were generally subtle and present only during certain succession stages. (2 Some of the CO2-affected phytoplankton groups seemed to respond directly to altered carbonate chemistry (e.g. diatoms while others (e.g. Synechococcus were more likely to be indirectly affected through CO2 sensitive competitors or grazers. (3 Picoeukaryotic phytoplankton (0.2-2 μm showed the clearest and relatively strong positive CO2 responses during several succession stages. We attribute this not only to a CO2 fertilization of their photosynthetic apparatus but also to an increased nutrient competitiveness under acidified (i.e. low pH conditions. The stimulating influence of high CO2/low pH on picoeukaryote abundance observed in this experiment is strikingly consistent with results from previous studies, suggesting that picoeukaryotes are among the winners in a future ocean.

Simulated ocean acidification reveals winners and losers in coastal phytoplankton.

Science.gov (United States)

Bach, Lennart T; Alvarez-Fernandez, Santiago; Hornick, Thomas; Stuhr, Annegret; Riebesell, Ulf

2017-01-01

The oceans absorb ~25% of the annual anthropogenic CO2 emissions. This causes a shift in the marine carbonate chemistry termed ocean acidification (OA). OA is expected to influence metabolic processes in phytoplankton species but it is unclear how the combination of individual physiological changes alters the structure of entire phytoplankton communities. To investigate this, we deployed ten pelagic mesocosms (volume ~50 m3) for 113 days at the west coast of Sweden and simulated OA (pCO2 = 760 μatm) in five of them while the other five served as controls (380 μatm). We found: (1) Bulk chlorophyll a concentration and 10 out of 16 investigated phytoplankton groups were significantly and mostly positively affected by elevated CO2 concentrations. However, CO2 effects on abundance or biomass were generally subtle and present only during certain succession stages. (2) Some of the CO2-affected phytoplankton groups seemed to respond directly to altered carbonate chemistry (e.g. diatoms) while others (e.g. Synechococcus) were more likely to be indirectly affected through CO2 sensitive competitors or grazers. (3) Picoeukaryotic phytoplankton (0.2-2 μm) showed the clearest and relatively strong positive CO2 responses during several succession stages. We attribute this not only to a CO2 fertilization of their photosynthetic apparatus but also to an increased nutrient competitiveness under acidified (i.e. low pH) conditions. The stimulating influence of high CO2/low pH on picoeukaryote abundance observed in this experiment is strikingly consistent with results from previous studies, suggesting that picoeukaryotes are among the winners in a future ocean.

Simulated ocean acidification reveals winners and losers in coastal phytoplankton

Science.gov (United States)

Alvarez-Fernandez, Santiago; Hornick, Thomas; Stuhr, Annegret; Riebesell, Ulf

2017-01-01

The oceans absorb ~25% of the annual anthropogenic CO2 emissions. This causes a shift in the marine carbonate chemistry termed ocean acidification (OA). OA is expected to influence metabolic processes in phytoplankton species but it is unclear how the combination of individual physiological changes alters the structure of entire phytoplankton communities. To investigate this, we deployed ten pelagic mesocosms (volume ~50 m3) for 113 days at the west coast of Sweden and simulated OA (pCO2 = 760 μatm) in five of them while the other five served as controls (380 μatm). We found: (1) Bulk chlorophyll a concentration and 10 out of 16 investigated phytoplankton groups were significantly and mostly positively affected by elevated CO2 concentrations. However, CO2 effects on abundance or biomass were generally subtle and present only during certain succession stages. (2) Some of the CO2-affected phytoplankton groups seemed to respond directly to altered carbonate chemistry (e.g. diatoms) while others (e.g. Synechococcus) were more likely to be indirectly affected through CO2 sensitive competitors or grazers. (3) Picoeukaryotic phytoplankton (0.2–2 μm) showed the clearest and relatively strong positive CO2 responses during several succession stages. We attribute this not only to a CO2 fertilization of their photosynthetic apparatus but also to an increased nutrient competitiveness under acidified (i.e. low pH) conditions. The stimulating influence of high CO2/low pH on picoeukaryote abundance observed in this experiment is strikingly consistent with results from previous studies, suggesting that picoeukaryotes are among the winners in a future ocean. PMID:29190760

Transuranium element toxicity: dose-response relationships at low exposure levels. Summary and speculative interpretation relative to exposure limits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thompson, R.C.

1975-01-01

A summary is given of information on transuranium element toxicity and the correlation of this information with current established exposure limits. It is difficult to calculate a biologically relevant radiation dose from deposited plutonium; it is exposure that must be controlled in order to prevent biological effect, and if the relationship between exposure and effect is known, then radiation dose is of no concern. There are extensive data on the effects of plutonium in bone. Results of studies at the University of Utah indicate that plutonium in beagles may be as much as ten times more toxic than radium. It has been suggested that this toxicity ratio may be even higher in man than in the beagle dog because of differences in surface-to-volume ratios and differences in the rate of burial of surface-deposited plutonium. The present capabilities for extrapolating dose-effect relationships seem to be limited to the setting of upper limits, based on assumptions of linearity and considerations related to natural background

Interannual Variation in Phytoplankton Class-specific Primary Production at a Global Scale

Science.gov (United States)

Rousseaux, Cecile; Gregg, Watson

2014-01-01

Phytoplankton is responsible for over half of the net primary production on earth. The knowledge on the contribution of various phytoplankton groups to the total primary production is still poorly understood. Data from satellite observations suggest that for upwelling regions, photosynthetic rates by microplankton is higher than that of nanoplankton but that when the spatial extent is considered, the production by nanoplankton is comparable or even larger than microplankton. Here, we used the NASA Ocean Biogeochemical Model (NOBM) combined with remote sensing data via assimilation to evaluate the contribution of 4 phytoplankton groups to the total primary production. Globally, diatoms were the group that contributed the most to the total phytoplankton production (approx. 50%) followed by coccolithophores and chlorophytes. Primary production by diatoms was highest in high latitude (>45 deg) and in major upwelling systems (Equatorial Pacific and Benguela system). We assessed the effects of climate variability on the class-specific primary production using global (i.e. Multivariate El Nino Index, MEI) and 'regional' climate indices (e.g. Southern Annular Mode (SAM), Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) and North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO)). Most interannual variability occurred in the Equatorial Pacific and was associated with climate variability. These results provide a modeling and data assimilation perspective to phytoplankton partitioning of primary production and contribute to our understanding of the dynamics of the carbon cycle in the oceans at a global scale.

Dose dependence on stochastic radiobiological effect in radiation risk estimation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Komochkov, M.M.

1999-01-01

The analysis of the results in dose -- effect relationship observation has been carried out on the cell and organism levels, with the aim to obtain more precise data on the risk coefficients at low doses. The results are represented by two contrasting groups of dose dependence on effect: a downwards concave and a J-shaped curve. Both types of dependence are described by the equation solutions of an assumed unified protective mechanism, which comprises two components: constitutive and adaptive or inducible ones. The latest data analysis of the downwards concave dependence curves shows a considerable underestimation of radiation risk in all types of cancer, except leukemia, for a number of critical groups in a population, at low doses comparing to the ICRP recommendations. With the dose increase, the decrease of the effect value per dose unit is observed. It may be possibly related to the switching of the activity of the adaptive protective mechanism, with some threshold dose values being exceeded

Dose-response relationship in local radiotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Hee Chul; Seong, Jinsil; Han, Kwang Hyub; Chon, Chae Yoon; Moon, Young Myoung; Suh, Chang Ok

2002-01-01

Purpose: Dose escalation using three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) is based on the hypothesis that increasing the dose can enhance tumor control. This study aimed to determine whether a dose-response relationship exists in local radiotherapy for primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods and Materials: One hundred fifty-eight patients were enrolled in the present study between January 1992 and March 2000. The exclusion criteria included the presence of an extrahepatic metastasis, liver cirrhosis of Child class C, tumors occupying more than two-thirds of the entire liver, and a performance status on the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group scale of more than 3. Radiotherapy was given to the field, including the tumor, with generous margin using 6- or 10-MV X-rays. The mean radiation dose was 48.2 ± 7.9 Gy in daily 1.8-Gy fractions. The tumor response was assessed based on diagnostic radiologic examinations, including a computed tomography scan, magnetic resonance imaging, and hepatic artery angiography 4-8 weeks after the completion of treatment. Liver toxicity and gastrointestinal complications were evaluated. Results: An objective response was observed in 106 of 158 (67.1%) patients. Statistical analysis revealed that the total dose was the most significant factor associated with the tumor response. The response rates in patients treated with doses 50 Gy were 29.2%, 68.6%, and 77.1%, respectively. Survivals at 1 and 2 years after radiotherapy were 41.8% and 19.9%, respectively, with a median survival time of 10 months. The rate of liver toxicity according to the doses 50 Gy was 4.2%, 5.9%, and 8.4%, respectively, and the rate of gastrointestinal complications was 4.2%, 9.9%, and 13.2%, respectively. Conclusions: The present study showed the existence of a dose-response relationship in local radiotherapy for primary HCC. Only the radiation dose was a significant factor for predicting an objective response. The results of this study showed that 3D

Dose response relationship in local radiotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Hee Chul; Seong, Jin Sil; Han, Kwang Hyub; Chon, Chae Yoon; Moon, Young Myoung; Song, Jae Seok; Suh, Chang Ok

2001-01-01

In this study, it was investigated whether dose response relation existed or not in local radiotherapy for primary hepatocellular carcinoma. From January 1992 to March 2000, 158 patients were included in present study. Exclusion criteria included the presence of extrahepatic metastasis, liver cirrhosis of Child's class C, tumors occupying more than two thirds of the entire liver, and performance status on the ECOG scale of more than 3. Radiotherapy was given to the field including tumor with generous margin using 6, 10-MV X-ray. Mean tumor dose was 48.2±7.9 Gy in daily 1.8 Gy fractions. Tumor response was based on diagnostic radiologic examinations such as CT scan, MR imaging, hepatic artery angiography at 4-8 weeks following completion of treatment. Statistical analysis was done to investigate the existence of dose response relationship of local radiotherapy when it was applied to the treatment of primary hepatocellular carcinoma. An objective response was observed in 106 of 158 patients, giving a response rate of 67. 1%. Statistical analysis revealed that total dose was the most significant factor in relation to tumor response when local radiotherapy was applied to the treatment of primary hepatocellular carcinoma. Only 29.2% showed objective response in patients treated with dose less than 40 Gy, while 68.6% and 77.1 % showed major response in patients with 40-50 Gy and more than 50 Gy, respectively. Child-Pugh classification was significant factor in the development of ascites, overt radiation induced liver disease and gastroenteritis. Radiation dose was an important factor for development of radiation induced gastroduodenal ulcer. Present study showed the existence of dose response relationship in local radiotherapy for primary hepatocellular carcinoma. Only radiotherapy dose was a significant factor to predict the objective response. Further study is required to predict the maximal tolerance dose in consideration of liver function and non-irradiated liver

Ecological assessment of the macrophytes and phytoplankton in El-Rayah Al-Behery, River Nile, Egypt

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amany M. Haroon

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The present study aimed to assess the effect of ecological factors on distribution and species composition of macrophytes and phytoplankton communities at El-Rayah Al-Behery. Changes in the quantitative and qualitative composition of the macrophytes and phytoplankton communities were detected in relation to season and sampling site. A total of eleven macrophytes and 100 phytoplankton species were identified. Among the macrophytes, the emergent species Echinochloa stagnina was the most dominant and widely distributed. Phytoplankton community is fairly diverse, related to 7 classes, which contains 3 main classes: Bacillariophyceae (28 taxa, Chlorophyceae (33 taxa and Cyanophyceae (23 taxa. According to statistical analysis, occurrence of most macrophytes species were reversely affected by DO, COD, BOD and PO4; and closely correlated with NO2, NO3, Temp. and pH values. However, nitrogen and phosphorus are considered as limiting factors for bacillariohyceae growth (r = 0.7. Both temperature and pH have a positive effect on the growth of chlorophyceae (r = 0.9 and 0.8, respectively; while dissolved oxygen is an important parameter that affects on the growth of cyanphyceae (r = 0.8. In addition, existence of Myriophyllium spicatum was associated with increasing of bacillariohyceae and total phytoplankton density (r = 0.7. However, the presence of Polygonum tomentosum was intensely related with chlorophyceae (r = 0.9 and Potamogeton nodosus and Polygonum tomentosum were positively correlated with cyanphyceae. In conclusion, the investigated area was characterized by different taxonomic composition of macrophytes and phytoplankton communities, which varied as a result of changing in water physiochemical characteristics as well as the interaction between different species. Keywords: Ecological assessment, Phytoplankton, Macrophytes

A Threshold Exists in the Dose-response Relationship for Somatic Mutation Frequency Inducted by X-ray Irradiation of Drosophia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koana, T.; Takashima, Y.; Okada, M. O.; Ikehata, M.; Miyakoshi, J.; Sakai, K.

2004-01-01

The dose-response relationship of ionizing radiation and its stochastic effects has been thought to be linear without any thresholds. The basic data for this model was obtained from mutational assays in the male germ cells of fruits fly Drosophila melanogaster. However, carcinogenic activity should be examined more appropriately in somatic cells than in germ cells. Here, the dose-response relationship of X- ray irradiation and somatic mutation is examined in Drosophila. A threshold at approximately 1Gy was observed in the DNA repair proficient flies. In the repair deficient siblings, the threshold was smaller and the inclination of the dose-response curve was much steeper. These results suggest that the dose-response relationship between X-ray irradiation and somatic mutation has a threshold, and that the DNA repair function contributes to its formation. (Author) 35 refs

The Effects of Climate Variability on Phytoplankton Composition in the Equatorial Pacific Ocean using a Model and a Satellite-Derived Approach

Science.gov (United States)

Rousseaux, C. S.; Gregg, W. W.

2012-01-01

Compared the interannual variation in diatoms, cyanobacteria, coccolithophores and chlorophytes from the NASA Ocean Biogeochemical Model with those derived from satellite data (Hirata et al. 2011) between 1998 and 2006 in the Equatorial Pacific. Using NOBM, La Ni a events were characterized by an increase in diatoms (correlation with MEI, r=-0.81, Pphytoplankton community in response to climate variability. However, satellite-derived phytoplankton groups were all negatively correlated with climate variability (r ranged from -0.39 for diatoms to -0.64 for coccolithophores, Pphytoplankton groups except diatoms than NOBM. However, the different responses of phytoplankton to intense interannual events in the Equatorial Pacific raises questions about the representation of phytoplankton dynamics in models and algorithms: is a phytoplankton community shift as in the model or an across-the-board change in abundances of all phytoplankton as in the satellite-derived approach.

Linking phytoplankton community size composition with temperature, plankton food web structure and sea–air CO2 flux

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hilligsøe, Karen Marie; Richardson, Katherine; Bendtsen, Jørgen

2011-01-01

Data collected at open water stations (depth>400m) in all major ocean basins in 2006–2008 are used to examine the relationship between the size structure of the phytoplankton community (determined by size fractionated chlorophyll filtration), temperature and inorganic nutrient availability...

Ammonium uptake by phytoplankton regulates nitrification in the sunlit ocean.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Jason M; Chavez, Francisco P; Francis, Christopher A

2014-01-01

Nitrification, the microbial oxidation of ammonium to nitrate, is a central part of the nitrogen cycle. In the ocean's surface layer, the process alters the distribution of inorganic nitrogen species available to phytoplankton and produces nitrous oxide. A widely held idea among oceanographers is that nitrification is inhibited by light in the ocean. However, recent evidence that the primary organisms involved in nitrification, the ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA), are present and active throughout the surface ocean has challenged this idea. Here we show, through field experiments coupling molecular genetic and biogeochemical approaches, that competition for ammonium with phytoplankton is the strongest regulator of nitrification in the photic zone. During multiday experiments at high irradiance a single ecotype of AOA remained active in the presence of rapidly growing phytoplankton. Over the course of this three day experiment, variability in the intensity of competition with phytoplankton caused nitrification rates to decline from those typical of the lower photic zone (60 nmol L-1 d-1) to those in well-lit layers (ammonium than they are by light itself. This finding advances our ability to model the impact of nitrification on estimates of new primary production, and emphasizes the need to more strongly consider the effects of organismal interactions on nutrient standing stocks and biogeochemical cycling in the surface of the ocean.

Application of a laser fluorometer for discriminating phytoplankton species

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Peng; Pan, Delu; Mao, Zhihua

2015-04-01

A portable laser-induced fluorescence system for discriminating phytoplankton species has been developed. It consists of a high pulsed repetition frequency (10-kHz) microchip laser at 405 nm, a reflective fluorescent probe and a broadband micro spectrometer. The measured fluorescent spectra were overlapped by various fluorescent components, and were then decomposed by a bi-Gaussian mixture model. A spectral shape description index was designed to characterize fluorescent spectral shapes for descriminating the phytoplankton species cultured in our laboratory. Using clustering analysis, the samples of eight phytoplankton species belonging to two divisions of Bacillariophyta and Dinophyta were divided into six categories: 1) Chaetoceros debilis, Thalassiosira rotula; 2) Prorocentrum donghaiense, Prorocentrum dentatum; 3) Gymnodinium simplex; 4) Alexandrium tamarense; 5) Karenia mikimotoi; and 6) Akashiwo sanguinea. The phytoplankton species belonging to Bacillariophyta were well separated from those belonging to Dinophyta. In addition, the phytoplankton species belonging to Dinophyta were successfully distinguished from each other at genus level. The portable system is expected to be used both in vivo and in the field.

phytoplankton diversity indices of Osse River, Edo State, Nigeria

African Journals Online (AJOL)

USER

The phytoplankton diversity indices of Osse River, Edo State, Nigeria, were investigated monthly from January ... In terms of abundance, Bacillariophyceae had the highest distribution of phytoplankton (79.00%), ...... erosion beach in Lagos.

Modeling investigation of the nutrient and phytoplankton variability in the Chesapeake Bay outflow plume

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Long; Xia, Meng

2018-03-01

The Chesapeake Bay outflow plume (CBOP) is the mixing zone between Chesapeake Bay and less eutrophic continental shelf waters. Variations in phytoplankton distribution in the CBOP are critical to the fish nursery habitat quality and ecosystem health; thus, an existing hydrodynamic-biogeochemical model for the bay and the adjacent coastal ocean was applied to understand the nutrient and phytoplankton variability in the plume and the dominant environmental drivers. The simulated nutrient and chlorophyll a distribution agreed well with field data and real-time satellite imagery. Based on the model calculation, the net dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) and phosphorus (DIP) flux at the bay mouth was seaward and landward during 2003-2012, respectively. The CBOP was mostly nitrogen-limited because of the relatively low estuarine DIN export. The highest simulated phytoplankton biomass generally occurred in spring in the near field of the plume. Streamflow variations could regulate the estuarine residence time, and thus modulate nutrient export and phytoplankton biomass in the plume area; in comparison, changing nutrient loading with fixed streamflow had a less extensive impact, especially in the offshore and far-field regions. Correlation analyses and numerical experiments revealed that southerly winds on the shelf were effective in promoting the offshore plume expansion and phytoplankton accumulation. Climate change including precipitation and wind pattern shifts is likely to complicate the driving mechanisms of phytoplankton variability in the plume region.

Heterotrophic bacterial responses to the winter–spring phytoplankton bloom in open waters of the NW Mediterranean

KAUST Repository

Gomes, Ana

2014-12-03

The response of planktonic heterotrophic prokaryotes to the NW Mediterranean winter–spring offshore phytoplankton bloom was assessed in 3 cruises conducted in March, April–May and September 2009. Bulk measurements of phytoplankton and bacterioplankton biomass and production were complemented with an insight into bacterial physiological structure by single-cell analysis of nucleic acid content [low (LNA) vs. high (HNA)] and membrane integrity (“Live” vs. “Dead” cells). Bacterial production empirical conversion factors (0.82±0.25 SE kg C mol leucine−1) were almost always well below the theoretical value. Major differences in most microbial variables were found among the 3 periods, which varied from extremely high phytoplankton biomass and production during the bloom in March (>1 g C m−2 d−1 primary production) to typically oligotrophic conditions during September stratification (<200 mg C m−2 d−1). In both these periods bacterial production was ~30 mg C m−2 d−1 while very large bacterial production (mean 228, with some stations exceeding 500 mg C m−2 d−1) but low biomass was observed during the April–May post-bloom phase. The contribution of HNA (30–67%) and “Live” cells (47–97%) were temporally opposite in the study periods, with maxima in March and September, respectively. Different relationships were found between physiological structure and bottom-up variables, with HNA bacteria apparently more responsive to phytoplankton only during the bloom, coinciding with larger average cell sizes of LNA bacteria. Moderate phytoplankton–bacterioplankton coupling of biomass and activity was only observed in the bloom and post-bloom phases, while relationships between both compartments were not significant under stratification. With all data pooled, bacteria were only weakly bottom-up controlled. Our analyses show that the biomass and production of planktonic algae and bacteria followed opposite paths in the transition from bloom to

Spatial and temporal patterns of phytoplankton abundance and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Bacillariophyta was the most abundant group (48.17% of total phytoplankton) and was uniformly distributed in all waters, followed by Cyanobacteria (33.33%), which decreased with distance offshore. Chlorophyta, the third highest in abundance (15.5%), increased with distance offshore. A total of 92 phytoplankton species ...

Response of phytoplankton assemblages isolated for short periods ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The response of phytoplankton assemblages isolated in enclosures for short periods of time was examined in hyper-eutrophic Lake Chivero (Harare, Zimbabwe), to determine the factors that influenced the structure of the phytoplankton community, after noticing a marked decline in the dominance of Microcystis aeruginosa ...

A Satellite-Based Lagrangian View on Phytoplankton Dynamics

Science.gov (United States)

Lehahn, Yoav; d'Ovidio, Francesco; Koren, Ilan

2018-01-01

The well-lit upper layer of the open ocean is a dynamical environment that hosts approximately half of global primary production. In the remote parts of this environment, distant from the coast and from the seabed, there is no obvious spatially fixed reference frame for describing the dynamics of the microscopic drifting organisms responsible for this immense production of organic matter—the phytoplankton. Thus, a natural perspective for studying phytoplankton dynamics is to follow the trajectories of water parcels in which the organisms are embedded. With the advent of satellite oceanography, this Lagrangian perspective has provided valuable information on different aspects of phytoplankton dynamics, including bloom initiation and termination, spatial distribution patterns, biodiversity, export of carbon to the deep ocean, and, more recently, bottom-up mechanisms that affect the distribution and behavior of higher-trophic-level organisms. Upcoming submesoscale-resolving satellite observations and swarms of autonomous platforms open the way to the integration of vertical dynamics into the Lagrangian view of phytoplankton dynamics.

A Satellite-Based Lagrangian View on Phytoplankton Dynamics.

Science.gov (United States)

Lehahn, Yoav; d'Ovidio, Francesco; Koren, Ilan

2018-01-03

The well-lit upper layer of the open ocean is a dynamical environment that hosts approximately half of global primary production. In the remote parts of this environment, distant from the coast and from the seabed, there is no obvious spatially fixed reference frame for describing the dynamics of the microscopic drifting organisms responsible for this immense production of organic matter-the phytoplankton. Thus, a natural perspective for studying phytoplankton dynamics is to follow the trajectories of water parcels in which the organisms are embedded. With the advent of satellite oceanography, this Lagrangian perspective has provided valuable information on different aspects of phytoplankton dynamics, including bloom initiation and termination, spatial distribution patterns, biodiversity, export of carbon to the deep ocean, and, more recently, bottom-up mechanisms that affect the distribution and behavior of higher-trophic-level organisms. Upcoming submesoscale-resolving satellite observations and swarms of autonomous platforms open the way to the integration of vertical dynamics into the Lagrangian view of phytoplankton dynamics.

Phytoplankton Assemblage Patterns in the Southern Mid-Atlantic Bight

Science.gov (United States)

Makinen, Carla; Moisan, Tiffany A. (Editor)

2012-01-01

As part of the Wallops Coastal Oceans Observing Laboratory (Wa-COOL) Project, we sampled a time-series transect in the southern Mid-Atlantic Bight (MAB) biweekly. Our 2-year time-series data included physical parameters, nutrient concentrations, and chlorophyll a concentrations. A detailed phytoplankton assemblage structure was examined in the second year. During the 2-year study, chlorophyll a concentration (and ocean color satellite imagery) indicated that phytoplankton blooms occurred in January/February during mixing conditions and in early autumn under stratified conditions. The chlorophyll a concentrations ranged from 0.25 microgram 1(exp -1) to 15.49 microgram 1(exp -1) during the 2-year period. We were able to discriminate approximately 116 different species under phase contrast microscopy. Dominant phytoplankton included Skeletonema costatum, Rhizosolenia spp., and Pseudo-nitzschia pungens. In an attempt to determine phytoplankton species competition/succession within the assemblage, we calculated a Shannon Weaver diversity index for our diatom microscopy data. Diatom diversity was greatest during the winter and minimal during the spring. Diatom diversity was also greater at nearshore stations than at offshore stations. Individual genera appeared patchy, with surface and subsurface patches appearing abruptly and persisting for only 1-2 months at a time. The distribution of individual species differed significantly from bulk variables of the assemblage (chlorophyll a ) and total phytoplankton assemblage (cells), which indicates that phytoplankton species may be limited in growth in ways that differ from those of the total assemblage. Our study demonstrated a highly diverse phytoplankton assemblage throughout the year, with opportunistic species dominating during spring and fall in response to seasonal changes in temperature and nutrients in the southern MAB.

Effects of low dose radiation and epigenetic regulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jiao Benzheng; Ma Shumei; Yi Heqing; Kong Dejuan; Zhao Guangtong; Gao Lin; Liu Xiaodong

2010-01-01

Purpose: To conclude the relationship between epigenetics regulation and radiation responses, especially in low-dose area. Methods: The literature was examined for papers related to the topics of DNA methylation, histone modifications, chromatin remodeling and non-coding RNA modulation in low-dose radiation responses. Results: DNA methylation and radiation can regulate reciprocally, especially in low-dose radiation responses. The relationship between histone methylation and radiation mainly exists in the high-dose radiation area; histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors show a promising application to enhance radiation sensitivity, no matter whether in low-dose or high-dose areas; the connection between γ-H2AX and LDR has been remained unknown, although γ-H2AX has been shown no radiation sensitivities with 1-15 Gy irradiation; histone ubiquitination play an important role in DNA damage repair mechanism. Moreover, chromatin remodeling has an integral role in DSB repair and the chromatin response, in general, may be precede DNA end resection. Finally, the effect of radiation on miRNA expression seems to vary according to cell type, radiation dose, and post-irradiation time point. Conclusion: Although the advance of epigenetic regulation on radiation responses, which we are managing to elucidate in this review, has been concluded, there are many questions and blind blots deserved to investigated, especially in low-dose radiation area. However, as progress on epigenetics, we believe that many new elements will be identified in the low-dose radiation responses which may put new sights into the mechanisms of radiation responses and radiotherapy. (authors)

Pigment specific in vivo light absorption of phytoplankton from estuarine, coastal and oceanic waters

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Stæhr, A.; Markager, S.; Sand-Jensen, K.

2004-01-01

The influence of phytoplankton photoacclimation and adaptation to natural growth conditions on the chlorophyll a-specific in vivo absorption coefficient (a* ph) was evaluated for samples collected in estuarine, coastal and oceanic waters. Despite an overall gradient in the physio......-chemical environment from estuaries, over coastal, to oceanic waters, no clear relationships were found between a* ph and the prevailing light, temperature, salinity and nutrient concentrations, indicating that short-term cellular acclimation was of minor importance for the observed variability in a* ph. The clear...... decline in a* ph from oceanic, over coastal, to estuarine waters was, however, strongly correlated with an increase in cell size and intracellular chlorophyll a (chl a) content of the phytoplankton, and a reduction of photosynthetic carotenoids relative to chl a. Variations in photoprotective carotenoids...

Development of a Continuous Phytoplankton Culture System for Ocean Acidification Experiments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cathryn Wynn-Edwards

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Around one third of all anthropogenic CO2 emissions have been absorbed by the oceans, causing changes in seawater pH and carbonate chemistry. These changes have the potential to affect phytoplankton, which are critically important for marine food webs and the global carbon cycle. However, our current knowledge of how phytoplankton will respond to these changes is limited to a few laboratory and mesocosm experiments. Long-term experiments are needed to determine the vulnerability of phytoplankton to enhanced pCO2. Maintaining phytoplankton cultures in exponential growth for extended periods of time is logistically difficult and labour intensive. Here we describe a continuous culture system that greatly reduces the time required to maintain phytoplankton cultures, and minimises variation in experimental pCO2 treatments over time. This system is simple, relatively cheap, flexible, and allows long-term experiments to be performed to further our understanding of chronic responses and adaptation by phytoplankton species to future ocean acidification.

Response of phytoplankton to an experimental fish culture in net cages in a subtropical reservoir.

Science.gov (United States)

Bartozek, E C R; Bueno, N C; Feiden, A; Rodrigues, L C

2016-01-01

This study aimed to evaluate nutrients concentration and spatial-temporal changes in phytoplankton biovolume during an experimental fish culture in net cages in a lateral arm of Salto Caxias reservoir, Brazil. Two sampling stations were placed in the affected lateral arm and other two in a cageless lateral arm. Neither abiotic variables nor phytoplankton biovolume presented significant differences between the treatments. Only temporal changes were confirmed by the analysis performed. Both lateral arms were classified as oligotrophic, reflecting low influence of the net cages. Phytoplankton growth seems to be limited by nitrogen. Biovolume values were, in general, low and five major functional groups were recognized (E, F, G, K and P). In summer higher biovolume values were observed and representatives of Chlorophyceae and Cyanobacteria belonging to the functional groups F and K, respectively, were the most important. In winter phytoplankton was mainly composed by Bacillariophyceae taxa from P group. G group was also restricted to winter and E group occurred in winter and summer. The variations recorded in phytoplankton structure appear to have been mainly influenced by seasonal changes in temperature, precipitation and nutrients availability. The effects of net cages on the abiotic variables and phytoplankton biovolume appear to have been small, probably due to the small number of net cages employed and the system dilution capacity. However, a permanent monitoring of phytoplankton is recommended, since this environment has a carrying capacity, from which the trophic state may increase.

Influence of the Yellow Sea Warm Current on phytoplankton community in the central Yellow Sea

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Xin; Chiang, Kuo-Ping; Liu, Su-Mei; Wei, Hao; Zhao, Yuan; Huang, Bang-Qin

2015-12-01

In early spring, a hydrological front emerges in the central Yellow Sea, resulting from the intrusion of the high temperature and salinity Yellow Sea Warm Current (YSWC). The present study, applying phytoplankton pigments and flow cytometry measurements in March of 2007 and 2009, focuses on the biogeochemical effects of the YSWC. The nutrients fronts were coincident with the hydrological front, and a positive linear relationship between nitrate and salinity was found in the frontal area. This contrast with the common situation of coastal waters where high salinity values usually correlate with poor nutrients. We suggested nutrient concentrations of the YSWC waters might have been enhanced by mixing with the local nutrient-rich waters when it invaded the Yellow Sea from the north of the Changjiang estuary. In addition, our results indicate that the relative abundance of diatoms ranged from 26% to 90%, showing a higher value in the YSCC than in YSWC waters. Similar distributions were found between diatoms and dinoflagellates, however the cyanobacteria and prasinophytes showed an opposite distribution pattern. Good correlations were found between the pigments and flow cytometry observations on the picophytoplankton groups. Prasinophytes might be the major contributor to pico-eukaryotes in the central Yellow Sea as similar distributional patterns and significant correlations between them. It seems that the front separates the YSWC from the coastal water, and different phytoplankton groups are transported in these water masses and follow their movement. These results imply that the YSWC plays important roles in the distribution of nutrients, phytoplankton biomass and also in the community structure of the central Yellow Sea.

Phytoplankton chlorophyll a biomass, composition, and productivity along a temperature and stratification gradient in the northeast Atlantic Ocean

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van de Poll, W. H.; Kulk, G.; Timmermans, K. R.; Brussaard, C. P. D.; van der Woerd, H. J.; Kehoe, M. J.; Mojica, K. D. A.; Visser, R. J. W.; Rozema, P. D.; Buma, A. G. J.

2013-01-01

Relationships between sea surface temperature (SST, > 10 m) and vertical density stratification, nutrient concentrations, and phytoplankton biomass, composition, and chlorophyll a (Chl a) specific absorption were assessed in spring and summer from latitudes 29 to 63 degrees N in the northeast

uv keratoconjunctivitis vs. established dose effect relationships

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gulvady, N.U.

1976-01-01

A patient who received a uv dose to his eyes 11 times greater than the photokeratitic threshold of Pitts and 4 1 / 2 times the photokeratitic threshold as found by Leach. The patient had severe keratoconjunctivitis for 3 days and did not develop any keratitis

Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy of Head and Neck Cancer Aiming to Reduce Dysphagia: Early Dose-Effect Relationships for the Swallowing Structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feng, Felix Y.; Kim, Hyungjin M.; Lyden, Teresa H.; Haxer, Marc J.; Feng, Mary; Worden, Frank P.; Chepeha, Douglas B.; Eisbruch, Avraham

2007-01-01

Purpose: To present initial results of a clinical trial of intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) aiming to spare the swallowing structures whose dysfunction after chemoradiation is a likely cause of dysphagia and aspiration, without compromising target doses. Methods and Materials: This was a prospective, longitudinal study of 36 patients with Stage III-IV oropharyngeal (31) or nasopharyngeal (5) cancer. Definitive chemo-IMRT spared salivary glands and swallowing structures: pharyngeal constrictors (PC), glottic and supraglottic larynx (GSL), and esophagus. Lateral but not medial retropharyngeal nodes were considered at risk. Dysphagia endpoints included objective swallowing dysfunction (videofluoroscopy), and both patient-reported and observer-rated scores. Correlations between doses and changes in these endpoints from pre-therapy to 3 months after therapy were assessed. Results: Significant correlations were observed between videofluoroscopy-based aspirations and the mean doses to the PC and GSL, as well as the partial volumes of these structures receiving 50-65 Gy; the highest correlations were associated with doses to the superior PC (p = 0.005). All patients with aspirations received mean PC doses >60 Gy or PC V 65 >50%, and GSL V 50 >50%. Reduced laryngeal elevation and epiglottic inversion were correlated with mean PC and GSL doses (p 70 >50%. Worsening patient-reported liquid swallowing was correlated with mean PC (p = 0.05) and esophageal (p 0.02) doses. Only mean PC doses were correlated with worsening patient-reported solid swallowing (p = 0.04) and observer-rated swallowing scores (p = 0.04). Conclusions: These dose-volume-effect relationships provide initial IMRT optimization goals and motivate further efforts to reduce swallowing structures doses to reduce dysphagia and aspiration

Biomass relations between phytoplankton and zooplankton in Goa waters

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Pant, A.; Matondkar, S.G.P.; Goswami, S.C.

Biomass of phytoplankton and zooplankton, measured as particulate oxidizable carbon, shows that at shallowest stations (5 m) there is large excess of phytoplankton organic carbon over zooplankton carbon in all the samples There is no significant...

Determining the behavioural dose-response relationship of marine mammals to air gun noise and source proximity.

Science.gov (United States)

Dunlop, Rebecca A; Noad, Michael J; McCauley, Robert D; Scott-Hayward, Lindsay; Kniest, Eric; Slade, Robert; Paton, David; Cato, Douglas H

2017-08-15

The effect of various anthropogenic sources of noise (e.g. sonar, seismic surveys) on the behaviour of marine mammals is sometimes quantified as a dose-response relationship, where the probability of an animal behaviourally 'responding' (e.g. avoiding the source) increases with 'dose' (or received level of noise). To do this, however, requires a definition of a 'significant' response (avoidance), which can be difficult to quantify. There is also the potential that the animal 'avoids' not only the source of noise but also the vessel operating the source, complicating the relationship. The proximity of the source is an important variable to consider in the response, yet difficult to account for given that received level and proximity are highly correlated. This study used the behavioural response of humpback whales to noise from two different air gun arrays (20 and 140 cubic inch air gun array) to determine whether a dose-response relationship existed. To do this, a measure of avoidance of the source was developed, and the magnitude (rather than probability) of this response was tested against dose. The proximity to the source, and the vessel itself, was included within the one-analysis model. Humpback whales were more likely to avoid the air gun arrays (but not the controls) within 3 km of the source at levels over 140 re. 1 µPa 2  s -1 , meaning that both the proximity and the received level were important factors and the relationship between dose (received level) and response is not a simple one. © 2017. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Directional and Spectral Irradiance in Ocean Models: Effects on Simulated Global Phytoplankton, Nutrients, and Primary Production

Science.gov (United States)

Gregg, Watson W.; Rousseaux, Cecile S.

2016-01-01

The importance of including directional and spectral light in simulations of ocean radiative transfer was investigated using a coupled biogeochemical-circulation-radiative model of the global oceans. The effort focused on phytoplankton abundances, nutrient concentrations and vertically-integrated net primary production. The importance was approached by sequentially removing directional (i.e., direct vs. diffuse) and spectral irradiance and comparing results of the above variables to a fully directionally and spectrally-resolved model. In each case the total irradiance was kept constant; it was only the pathways and spectral nature that were changed. Assuming all irradiance was diffuse had negligible effect on global ocean primary production. Global nitrate and total chlorophyll concentrations declined by about 20% each. The largest changes occurred in the tropics and sub-tropics rather than the high latitudes, where most of the irradiance is already diffuse. Disregarding spectral irradiance had effects that depended upon the choice of attenuation wavelength. The wavelength closest to the spectrally-resolved model, 500 nm, produced lower nitrate (19%) and chlorophyll (8%) and higher primary production (2%) than the spectral model. Phytoplankton relative abundances were very sensitive to the choice of non-spectral wavelength transmittance. The combined effects of neglecting both directional and spectral irradiance exacerbated the differences, despite using attenuation at 500 nm. Global nitrate decreased 33% and chlorophyll decreased 24%. Changes in phytoplankton community structure were considerable, representing a change from chlorophytes to cyanobacteria and coccolithophores. This suggested a shift in community function, from light-limitation to nutrient limitation: lower demands for nutrients from cyanobacteria and coccolithophores favored them over the more nutrient-demanding chlorophytes. Although diatoms have the highest nutrient demands in the model, their

A nonlocal and periodic reaction-diffusion-advection model of a single phytoplankton species.

Science.gov (United States)

Peng, Rui; Zhao, Xiao-Qiang

2016-02-01

In this article, we are concerned with a nonlocal reaction-diffusion-advection model which describes the evolution of a single phytoplankton species in a eutrophic vertical water column where the species relies solely on light for its metabolism. The new feature of our modeling equation lies in that the incident light intensity and the death rate are assumed to be time periodic with a common period. We first establish a threshold type result on the global dynamics of this model in terms of the basic reproduction number R0. Then we derive various characterizations of R0 with respect to the vertical turbulent diffusion rate, the sinking or buoyant rate and the water column depth, respectively, which in turn give rather precise conditions to determine whether the phytoplankton persist or become extinct. Our theoretical results not only extend the existing ones for the time-independent case, but also reveal new interesting effects of the modeling parameters and the time-periodic heterogeneous environment on persistence and extinction of the phytoplankton species, and thereby suggest important implications for phytoplankton growth control.

Phytoplankton Monitoring Network (PMN)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The Phytoplankton Monitoring Network (PMN) is a part of the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS). The PMN was created as an outreach program to connect...

The risk of low doses of ionising radiation and the linear no threshold relationship debate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tubiana, M.; Masse, R.; Vathaire, F. de; Averbeck, D.; Aurengo, A.

2007-01-01

The ICRP and the B.E.I.R. VII reports recommend a linear no threshold (L.N.T.) relationship for the estimation of cancer excess risk induced by ionising radiations (IR), but the 2005 report of Medicine and Science French Academies concludes that it leads to overestimate of risk for low and very low doses. The bases of L.N.T. are challenged by recent biological and animal experimental studies which show that the defence against IR involves the cell microenvironment and the immunologic system. The defence mechanisms against low doses are different and comparatively more effective than for high doses. Cell death is predominant against low doses. DNA repairing is activated against high doses, in order to preserve tissue functions. These mechanisms provide for multicellular organisms an effective and low cost defence system. The differences between low and high doses defence mechanisms are obvious for alpha emitters which show several greys threshold effects. These differences result in an impairment of epidemiological studies which, for statistical power purpose, amalgamate high and low doses exposure data, since it would imply that cancer IR induction and defence mechanisms are similar in both cases. Low IR dose risk estimates should rely on specific epidemiological studies restricted to low dose exposures and taking precisely into account potential confounding factors. The preliminary synthesis of cohort studies for which low dose data (< 100 mSv) were available show no significant risk excess, neither for solid cancer nor for leukemias. (authors)