Hours Of Darkness Research Articles

Two Catalan Poems

POETRY Two Catalan Poems by Gemma Gorga La bona educació L’estiu que complia set anys li van regalar un estoig de fusta amb un llapis i una goma. El llapis, perquè en rosegués la mina fins a trobar el nervi vague de la paraula. La goma, per esborrar la paraula abans de dir-la. El Sentit del Creixement Flors i barrets i ungles i portes creixen enfora. Si mai creixen endins és perforant el túnel terrós del dolor. Un dolor que coneixen coves i arrels i orelles i dones, que han après a créixer endins. Good Manners The summer she turned seven they gave her a wooden pencil case with a pencil and eraser. The pencil, so she could gnaw the lead until she found the vagus nerve of the word. The eraser, to erase the word before she could say it. Editorial note: From Mur, copyright © 2015 by Gemma Gorga. From the manuscript Late to the House of Words: Selected Poems of Gemma Gorga, English translation copyright © 2019 by Sharon Dolin. PHOTO: M. MAGGS/PIXABAY 22 WLT SUMMER 2019 Direction of Growth Flowers hats fingernails and doors grow outward. If they ever grew inward earth’s tunnel would be pierced with pain. A pain known by caves roots ears and women who have learned how to grow inward. Translations from the Catalan By Sharon Dolin Gemma Gorga was born in Barcelona in 1968, where she is a professor of medieval and Renaissance Spanish literature. Author of six collections of poetry, her most recent volume is Mur (2015), which won the Premi de la Critica de Poesia Catalana. Sharon Dolin (sharondolin. com) is the author of six poetry collections. She received grants from PEN and the Institut Ramon Llull for her translation of Gorga’s prose poems, Book of Minutes (Field Translation Series/Oberlin College Press, 2019). She lives in New York City and directs Writing About Art in Barcelona each June. SUMMER READS Daniel Simon’s Summer Reads Longing for some poets’ words—perhaps with an activist edge—to accompany him in the months ahead, Editor in Chief Daniel Simon envisions some quiet, sunny mornings with three recent books. Gabeba Baderoon The History of Intimacy: Poems Kwela Books In South African poet Gabeba Baderoon’s fourth collection of poems, the predominance of English jostles against Afrikaans, Xhosa, Arabic , and such Cape Malay expressions as “Daai is doenya se goete” (these are only earthly things). This phrase, spoken by Baderoon’s mother, to whom the book is dedicated, appears in the poem “No Name,” which recounts the erasure—both legal and cultural—of the author’s Muslim family while growing up on the Cape in the apartheid era of the 1970s and ’80s. Whether looking at black-and-white family photos in “Focal Length” or recalling the “ordinary tragedy” of housing discrimination in “The Flats,” the speaker in Baderoon’s poems lingers on the often-jagged edge of intimacy, all the while insisting that she belongs “on this earth.” Billy Bragg The Three Dimensions of Freedom Faber Social From Faber’s description of the book: “In this short and vital polemic, Billy Bragg argues that to protect ourselves from encroaching tyranny, we must look beyond this one-dimensional notion of what it means to be free and, by reconnecting liberty to equality and accountability, restore the individual agency engendered by the three dimensions of freedom.” Liberty, equality . . . accountability? If anyone can diagnose “the crisis of accountability in Western democracies” in a novel and interesting way, it must be Billy Bragg. C. D. Wright Casting Deep Shade: An Amble Inscribed to Beech Trees & Co. Photographs by Denny Moers Copper Canyon In an email, Frank Paino described this book to me: “Though not overtly a book on climate change, Casting Deep Shade invokes the magnificence of beech trees as emblematic of all we stand to lose in our hell-bent lurch toward destruction. Her quirky, memorable poems beg us: Listen.” In hours of darkness, I often recall one of my favorite lines by the late C. D. Wright (1949– 2016): “draw nearer my dear: never fear: the world spins nightly toward its brightness and we are on...

Effect of Different Photoperiods on Quality Attributes and Oxidative Stability of Breast Meat (M. Pectoralis Major) from Broilers

ObjectivesIn the broiler industry, high photoperiod (the duration of light exposure per day) regimes have traditionally been utilized to increase yield of breast meat, as well as maximize feed intake and growth rate in the growing period. However, recent literature reports this practice may have adverse effects on broiler welfare, resulting in impaired mobility and increased incidence of leg abnormalities. However, little information available in the current literature regarding effects of photoperiod on meat quality attributes and oxidative stability of broiler meat. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the quality characteristics and lipid/protein oxidative stability of breast meat from broilers that were exposed to different photoperiod combinations.Materials and MethodsA total of 432 Ross 308 broiler chicks were allocated among 4 rooms each subjected to one of the following photoperiod treatments (hours Light: Dark): 20L:4D, 18L:6D, 16L:8D and 12L:12D, with 6 pens per treatment. At d 42, 2 broilers per pen (12 broilers/treatment) were randomly selected, harvested and air chilled for 24 h at 2°C. At l day postmortem, paired breast muscles (M. pectoralis) were collected for the meat quality analyses such as, water-holding capacity (drip/purge/cook loss), Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF), and display color for 7 d under fluorescent light (1450 lx). Lipid oxidation was assessed via the TBARS assay and protein oxidation by thiol content measured at d 1 and d 7 of display. The experimental design was randomized complete block design. Data were analyzed using the PROC MIXED procedure of SAS, and means were separated using least significant differences (P < 0.05).ResultsPhotoperiod had no effect on fillet yield and pH (P > 0.05). No significant difference in WBSF was found between treatments, although 12L:12D had a trend of higher WBSF (P = 0.08). Higher moisture loss during carcass chilling was found in carcasses from 20L:4D compared to 16L:8D and 12L:12D treatments (P < 0.05). No other measure of water-holding capacity was affected, though the 16L:8D treatment demonstrated a trend of higher freezing/thawing loss compared to other treatments (P = 0.06). Proximate moisture, protein and lipid contents were unaffected by photoperiod (P > 0.05), but higher ash was observed in 16L:8D over 20L:4D and 18L:6D (P < 0.05). Different photoperiod combinations affected color stability of breast meat during display (P < 0.05). Of note, fillets from 20L:4D maintained highest L* and hue angle, and least a* values (P < 0.05), indicating inferior color stability compared to other treatments. Oxidation increased with display, and fillets from 20L:4D and 18L:6D had higher TBARS over 12L:12D (P < 0.05); no photoperiod effect was observed in thiol content (P > 0.05).ConclusionResults suggest 20L:4D photoperiod regimes may be detrimental to meat quality, as carcasses from this treatment group had higher moisture loss during chilling, and color measurements characterized these fillets as being paler and more discolored than other treatments. Fillets from 12L:12D maintained lower TBARS than 20L:4D and 18L:6D, suggesting photoperiod regimes allowing more hours of dark may be beneficial in improving oxidative stability. Further studies determining the effects of photoperiod on quality and protein functionality of chicken meat for processing technological would be highly warranted.

Is there a role for melatonin in fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia, characterised by persistent pain, fatigue, sleep disturbance and cognitive dysfunction, is a central sensitivity syndrome that also involves abnormality in peripheral generators and in the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis. Heterogeneity of clinical expression of fibromyalgia with a multifactorial aetiology has made the development of effective therapeutic strategies challenging. Physiological properties of the neurohormone melatonin appear related to the symptom profile exhibited by patients with fibromyalgia and thus disturbance of it’s production would be compatible with the pathophysiology. Altered levels of melatonin have been observed in patients with fibromyalgia which are associated with lower secretion during dark hours and higher secretion during daytime. However, inconsistencies of available clinical evidence limit conclusion of a relationship between levels of melatonin and symptom profiles in patients with fibromyalgia. Administration of melatonin to patients with fibromyalgia has demonstrated suppression of many symptoms and an improved quality of life consistent with benefit as a therapy for the management of this condition. Further studies with larger samples, however, are required to explore the potential role of melatonin in the pathophysiology of fibromyalgia and determine the optimal dosing regimen of melatonin for the management of fibromyalgia.

GPS-Based Mobile Exercise Application: An Alternative Tool to Assess Spatio-Temporal Patterns of Visitors’ Activities in a National Park

The assessment of spatio-temporal patterns of visitors’ activities in national parks is essential to mitigate impacts to natural resources as well as manage experiences. With the use of a GPS-based mobile exercise application dataset, this study explored the spatio-temporal patterns of visitors’ activities in Seoraksan National Park, South Korea. A total of 1,206 anonymous mobile application users along with their 2,571 activity start points were acquired for January 2015 to December 2015. GIS-based hot spot analyses were employed to analyze the spatial patterns of activity points over time. Results indicated activity hot spots for hours (i.e., dawn, morning, afternoon, and evening) as well as risky points (i.e., falling-rocks, risk of structure collapse, or lightning) during dark hours (night) across seasons. Findings from this study can assist managers to allocate their spatio-temporal park management resources effectively to minimize environmental impacts, and enhance visitor experiences and safety. Furthermore, GPS-based mobile exercise application can be used as an alternative tool to assess spatio-temporal use of visitors in national parks.

Comparative Analysis of Fatal Pedestrian Crashes between Kansas and USA

Due to the increasing trend of population growth and urbanization, pedestrians form one of the largest single road user groups. However, they are the most neglected group among all road users. Pedestrian safety is now a growing concern in the USA. Identifying the factors associated with fatal pedestrian crashes plays a key role in developing efficient and effective strategies to enhance pedestrian safety. This study addresses safety issues by identifying contributory factors associated with fatal pedestrian crashes in Kansas and the USA. For Kansas, the study uses KARS (Kansas Accident Reporting System) database while for the USA FARS (Fatality Analysis Reporting System) database has been used. Different variables considered in this study are human variables (age, and gender), environmental variables (atmospheric condition and light condition), time (time of day, day of week, and crash month), location (intersection vs. mid-block), and roadway variables (speed limit). Different factors that are found to have an association with fatal pedestrian crashes are male pedestrians, older pedestrians, weekend, off peak hours, winter months, dark hours, non-intersection, clear atmospheric conditions, higher speed limit. The findings from Kansas have been compared with that from the USA. This study helps to implement potential countermeasures by identifying the factors that have an association with fatal pedestrian crashes.

The Makings of a Leader: A Review of Doris Kearns Goodwin's Leadership in Turbulent Times

The Makings of a LeaderA Review of Doris Kearns Goodwin's Leadership in Turbulent Times Madison Stern (bio) Doris Kearns Goodwin. Leadership in Turbulent Times. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2018. 473 pages. Hardcover $30 From red apparel emblazoned with the phrase "Make America Great Again" to increasingly divided rhetoric in American politics, any citizen of the world cannot help but watch as the United States devours itself with its own polarized system. Some argue that the era of American hegemony is over in part due to isolationist policies.1 As the future begins to look less certain for the country, one must ask: what American era are we hailing as great, and what made it so? In Leadership in Turbulent Times, Doris Kearns Goodwin examines the effects that four leaders in American history had on the country in some of its darkest hours. Good-win, a Pulitzer Prize winner and renowned historian with over fifty years of experience, follows Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Lyndon B. Johnson through their lives. The book, enlivening history with its heavy reliance on firsthand accounts of the four men in action, begins with the ripples of their upbringing and their interest in politics and travels with them all the way to their deaths. All four have very divergent experiences, though Goodwin identifies certain facets of their lives, such as personal tragedy and good timing, as key in their success as leaders. Though the book focuses entirely on the past without reference to the modern day, Goodwin's critique of modern leadership shines through the prose. Goodwin's book examines the importance of adept leadership in times of division, though the traits that make these leaders well-suited for their times vary. Becoming the Man Goodwin's stories of the four men's vastly different childhoods show the importance of character that goes beyond formation by mere circumstances. Abraham Lincoln, her first study, displays humility and a voracious mind as he grows up in poverty, with anecdotes of the future president walking miles to find a proper English grammar book or borrowing books and candlelight from neighbors.2 She particularly highlights his empathy, noting his "ability to put himself in the place of others, to imagine their situations and identify with their feelings."3 For Goodwin, this early empathy, mixed with a growing ambition and an unsurpassed eloquence, would later become one of the key features of his leadership style that she applauds. In Franklin Roosevelt, she recognizes his adaptability, gained through continual shifts in his life circumstances after his father's health declined.4 For Goodwin, these vignettes of the great men's youths aim to provide the reader both a vivid, engaging story and the honest truth that no single formula made these men. Each grew up in his unique situation, with varying degrees [End Page 154] of parenting and wealth and different paths that led them eventually to politics. Living Up to the Challenges A key aspect of the narrative of each life that Goodwin focuses on is the personal tragedy that befalls each leader in turn. From these tragedies, Goodwin asserts, these men learned some of their most critical lessons as they dragged themselves up through the darkness and came out the other end. Certainly, just as their early lives are different, so too are their tragedies. Lincoln copes with crippling depression, while Theodore Roosevelt says that "the light has gone out" of his life after losing his mother and wife within twenty-four hours, and Franklin Roosevelt is paralyzed by a sudden polio infection.5 In this, Lyndon B. Johnson's narrative of losing an election to the Senate seems a little bit out of place. It particularly stands out since the other men had experienced their own failures in politics, and those failures did not break them down, only pushed them to question their previous tactics. However, the ability to overcome adversity through reflection and personal strength remains a theme that Goodwin identifies in their later successes as leaders. This section also helps to humanize these revered men by telling some of the lesser-known stories of their struggles as they moved toward their leadership...

Figuring Korean Futures: Children's Literature in Modern Korea by Dafna Zur

Reviewed by: Figuring Korean Futures: Children's Literature in Modern Korea by Dafna Zur Yeojoo Lim (bio) Figuring Korean Futures: Children's Literature in Modern Korea, by Dafna Zur. Stanford UP 2017. Tongsim is a Korean word which is a "combination of the character tong for child and sim for heart/mind" (6). The concept of tongsim, or the child-heart as Dafna Zur translated, has been recognized as the most essential element of children's literature for most Koreans for a century. Even though the interpretation and the application of the concept slightly varies by scholars and writers, no one can deny the natural and tight connection between Korean children's literature and the concept of the child-heart. With Figuring Korean Futures: Children's Literature in Modern Korea, Dafna Zur focuses on this relationship. As in the title of the book, "Figuring Korean Futures," Zur pays special attention to the point that the figure of the child was recognized as the future and hope of the nation during the colonial and postcolonial periods of Korea. She insists the concept of the child-heart—the perspective on [End Page 205] children as pure and innocent beings untouched by the burden from the past—worked as a driving force among intellectuals and writers to dream about a brighter future even in the darkest hours. Based on the idea that texts and images in the children's magazines exhibit the desire for modernization and nation-building, Zur traces children's periodicals published between 1908, when the first magazine for youth appeared, and 1950, when the Korean War broke out. The introduction to Figuring Korean Futures, "The Child and Modern Korea," explains the historical, political, and social background of the emergence of child-heart and its relationship with Korean children's literature. Indicating that the term child-heart has been used indiscriminately so far and thus obscured the meaning of children to different interest groups in different periods, Zur argues that she intends to "flesh out this term and trace its political and social contours" through this book (6). Chapter 1, "The Youth Magazine in Early Colonial Korea," begins with introducing two literary figures who had great influence on the history of Korean literature in the early twentieth century—Ch'oe Nam-sŏn and Yi Kwang-su. Zur mentions that both Ch'oe and Yi "saw youth as the only group capable of carrying Korea forward into a new future" (32). She indicates the purpose of Ch'oe's first magazine, Sonyŏn, which was first published in 1908, was to educate and reform Korea's youth, most of whom were still illiterate and had no reading materials for pleasure. By thoroughly analyzing texts and images from Sonyŏn, Zur demonstrates how this magazine pursued delivering modern knowledge to Korean youth and encouraging them to build a spatial sense of nation. Her keen analysis also points out that the adventure and development of Korean youth were only encouraged within the boundaries of a Japanese colonial framework. Zur argues that despite its contribution to Korean children's literature by providing pleasure reading materials for youth, Sonyŏn did not confront the important question of what it means to be young people in a politically unstable country that was on the verge of colonization. In explaining these intellectuals' longing for Korea's modernization in the early twentieth century, Zur refers to Yi's manifesto, "On the Centrality of Children," which severely criticized Korea's old tradition, even to say "Let us feast on our parent's blood … and destroy the graves of the ancestors" (45). While reading this chapter, I was quite bewildered, because there was no mention that Yi's manifesto was extremely controversial at that time. Zur also neglects to reveal that Ch'oe and Yi [End Page 206] were notorious pro-Japanese collaborators. Even though the two intellectuals were Korean independence activists in the beginning, they later changed their minds and became enthusiastic supporters of Japanese rule. They encouraged Korean youth to volunteer for the Imperial Army and extolled the greatness of the Japanese emperor when they were still influential literary authorities. Absence of this information is particularly noticeable given...

RESEARCH ON TECHNICAL CONDITION OF VEHICLE LIGHTING SYSTEM WITH THE USING MODERN DEVICES

While investigating traffic accidents that took place during darkness hours on unlighted area of carriage way, investigating authorities are interested in reasons that, from a technical point of view, could lead vehicle to run down a pedestrian or a stationary obstacle, to a collision of vehicles. Furthermore, while performing research on technical condition of a vehicle lighting system using modern equipment, forensic autotechnician experts are faced with problems related to the lack of skills in using such equipment. Moreover, while solving certain issues related to the technical state of lighting system, posed questions are not fully disclosed by forensic autotechnician experts, “narrow” conclusions are made, so far as during examining technical state of vehicle lighting system, most forensic autotechnician experts do not apply to State Standard DSTU 3649:2010 requirements. This article details the order of actions of specialists, forensic experts while performing research on technical state of the vehicle lighting system using the modern OMA 684D device. The minimum values of headlamp intensity for certain types of headlights bulbs in according to Rules ECE UNO (Economic Commission for Europe the United Nations Organization) requirements are described. Recommendations for use of DSTU 3649:2010 are given while performing research technical condition of vehicle lighting system. To obtain result values in candelas, as required by DSTU 3649:2010, the calculation of the translation of the values of headlamps light intensity from luxes to candelas is offered. Minimum and maximum values of the headlamps light intensity for certain types of light distribution according to DSTU 3649:2010 are also indicated. The decoding of headlight types with values of light intensity is given. For better perception of the correctness of the research results, images of the control points location depending on the type of light distribution are indicated.

Chemical Composition of Spirulina platensis which Cultivated in Photobioreactors with Different Photoperiodes

&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Spirulina platensis&lt;/em&gt; known as filamentous cyanobacteria, single-celled and spiral-shaped. It is often called blue-green microalgae. This study aimed to determine the effect of photoperiod on the characteristic of &lt;em&gt;S. platensis&lt;/em&gt; which were cultivated in a controlled photobioreactor (FK) and uncontrolled photobioreactor (FTK). The observed characteristics include the growth curves, dried weight of biomass, carbohydrates content, protein, fat and bioactive compounds. The research used Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with two replications. &lt;em&gt;S. platensis&lt;/em&gt; was cultured in 10 L volume using combination of urea, organic fertilizer RI1 and Plant catalyst (URC medium) at 24:0, 16:8, 12:12 and 6:18 (light hours:dark hours) photoperiods. The results showed the controlled photobioreactor (FK) with 24:0 photoperiods had Optical Density (0.882), dried biomass (0.31 g/L) and carbohydrate (25.85%) highest than those of other treatments. Uncontrolled photobioreactor (FTK) with photoperiods 12:12 and 16:8 had the higher protein content (58,44%) than of other treatments. The highest total fat (6.60%) occurred in photoperiod 6:18. The results of bioactive compounds based on phytochemical analysis for the whole treatment positively contained flavonoids, phenols, steroids and saponins.&lt;/p&gt;

Trade in War's Darkest Hour: Churchill and Roosevelt's Daring 1941 Atlantic Meeting that Linked Global Economic Cooperation to Lasting Peace and Security

A single page of text from the 1941 Atlantic Charter is a powerful reminder that the desire for peace and security drove the creation of today's global economic system. The global rules that underpin our multilateral economic system were a direct reaction to the Second World War and desire for it never to repeat.

Modern lighting systems for livestock enterprises

The constant rise in electricity prices, at least 10% each year, makes livestock growers pay a lot of attention to finding ways to reduce their costs. Between different types of lighting, including in the field of agriculture, the leader in developed countries is LED. The main advantage of LED technology is energy efficiency. Properly selected intensity and duration of illumination have a very positive effect on health, fertility, well-being and productivity of dairy cattle and poultry. The 16-hour illumination regime at a level of 150–200 lux followed by 8-hour darkness leads to an increase in milk yield by 15%, increased fertility, reduced intervals between calving and early diagnosis of animal diseases. We recommend to keep at least 150 lux for 16–18 hours, and then 8–6 hours of darkness for quality pig development. The farrowing room requires 16 hours of light followed by an 8-hour period of darkness. The minimum level of illumination for horses is 150–200 lux. This level of illumination coupled with the 16-hour lighting regime and the subsequent 8-hour darkness gives positive results in reproduction, making a significant impact on hormonal levels and fertility of horses. The traditional incandescent lamps, while performing their lighting functions, lose thermal energy production to 95% of electricity, and only 5% turns into useful light energy. When operating LED bulbs 40–50% of electric energy is converted into light energy. Thus, the efficiency of LED lamps is 5–10 times higher than that of incandescent lamps. The biggest drawback of LED bulbs is their value, but the use of LED devices can save up to 70% of electricity. Energy-saving lamps save up to 80% of energy, sometimes even more. Obviously this becomes, if you translate interest in hryvnia. At a considerable cost of fluorescent lamps (LEDs) and LEDs during their work (from 6-12 thousand h and up to 50 thousand h.) It is possible to save 165–1314 UAH. And this is on one lamp. The main difference is the price for the lamps themselves. LL costs about 25 UAH, and LED – 80–250 UAH. The fairly high cost is compensated for a long time. Lamps can serve from 4 years (L) to 12 years (LED lamps). In animal husbandry, as in one of the most energy intensive industries, the use of LED systems is most relevant, since it allows you to reduce the cost of production.

CHANGES OF SUBCIRCADIAN RHYTHMS OF INDICATORS OF THE PROOXIDANT AND ANTIOXIDANT DEFENSE SYSTEM IN THE KIDNEY OF RATS WITH TETRACHLOROMETHANE INTOXICATION AND CORRECTION OF MELATONIN

The subcircandian rhythms of TBA-reactive products content, aldehyde and ketone derivatives of DNFH, the activity of catalase in rat kidneys with tetrachloromethane intoxication on the conditions of experimental equality have been investigated. It was shown that intoxication with tetrachloromethane causes desynchronization of circadian rhythms of the studied indices. Five-single administration to intoxicated animals of melatonin on the conditions of experimental equality leads to the restoration of rhythms and the correction of absolute values of the investigated variables.The aim of the study. To investigate the effect of melatonin on subcircadian rhythms of free radical oxidation indicators in rat kidneys with tetrachloromethane intoxication on the conditions of experimental equality.Materials and methods. Research conducted on white nonlinear sexually mature male rats weighing 180 ± 10 g, which were kept under vivarium conditions with constant temperature (+200С) regime and artificial lighting with an intensity of 1500 lux in a mode of 12 hours of light up to 12 hours of darkness (12L:12D) throughout the experiment. After a 7-day simulation of light conditions the animals were separated into groups: 1st group – a control group of animals (intact animals); 2nd group – animals that were intradermally administered of melatonin solution; 3rd group – animals that were intragastric administered twice of tetrachloromethane solution; 4th group – intoxicated tetrachloromethane animals were intragastric administered of melatonin solution. Euthanasia of animals was carried out by decapitation under a light etheric anesthesia at 8.00, 12.00, 16.00 and at 20.00 o’clock. In the post-nuclear supernatants of the 5%-s kidney homogenates were determined: the content of TBA-reactive products, aldehyde and ketone derivatives of DNFH, catalase activity. The received digital data was processed statistically by the method of variation statistics using Student's t-test.Results. The state of free radical oxidation of lipids and proteins in rat kidneys under artificial lighting with an intensity of 1500 lux from 8.00 to 20.00 hr fluctuated within one indicator with an average value for the content of the TBA-reactive products – 41,1±1,59 µmol/g of tissue and for the content of the aldehyde and ketone derivatives of DNFH – 24,6±1,23 oz/g of tissue. Poisoning of animals with tetrachloromethane leads to increased oxidation of lipids and proteins in the ratkidneys at 16.00 h – forming a subcircadian rhythms with a pronounced maximum. Administration of melatonin to rats affected by tetrachloromethane on the conditions of experimental equality has led to a decrease in the absolute values of the content of free radical oxidation products of lipids and proteins in the kidney of animals during the day and has led to the restoration of the structure of subcircadian rhythms of the corresponding indices. The catalase (CAT) activity on the conditions of experimental equality acquired maximum values at 20.00 h (20,9±0,45 μmol/min/g of tissue), and the minimum – 19,9±0,52 μmol/min/g of tissue was at 8.00 and 16.00 h. In the conditions of toxic lesions with tetrachloromethane a sharp decrease on average by 45% in the activity of catalase was observed. The administration of melatonin resulted in an increase in the absolute values of activity of catalase in rat kidneys in comparison with the indicators of a group of animals which were intoxicated with CCl4 on average by 30%.Conclusions. 1. On the conditions of experimental equality under the artificial lighting with an intensity of 1500 lux subcircadian rhythms of the main indicators of pro- / antioxidant protection during light day in the rat kidneys have a small amplitude of oscillations. 2. Inoxication of rats with tetrachloromethane caused desinchrosis of indicators of free radical oxidation of macromolecules in the kidneys. 3. Five-single administration of melatonin has led to the restoration of the subcircadian rhythms of the investigated indicators.

Assessment of diurnal melatonin, cortisol, activity, and sleep−wake cycle in patients with and without diabetic retinopathy

ObjectiveTo assess the diurnal melatonin, cortisol, and activity/rest levels, as well as sleep quality, in patients with and without nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (DR). MethodsWe included 25 diabetic patients with DR and 29 without DR. A total of 21 healthy subjects constituted the control group. We assessed the circadian rhythm by actigraphy and diurnal salivary melatonin and cortisol measurements. Sleep quality was evaluated by actigraphy and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) questionnaires. Light exposure was quantified by actigraphy. The primary outcome was peak salivary melatonin level. Secondary outcomes were mean melatonin and cortisol levels during dark hours, activity−rest rhythm, sleep quality, as well as level of white, red, green, and blue light exposure. ResultsPeak melatonin concentration at 04:00 and mean nocturnal melatonin level were significantly reduced in all diabetic patients, regardless of retinopathy stage (p < 0.001). Levels of light exposures during dark hours were not significantly different in patients with and without DR and healthy controls. Only patients with DR showed increased intradaily variability in their activity−rest interval, indicating circadian misalignment (p = 0.04). Neither the objective actigraphic sleep quality parameters nor the subjective PSQI or ESS scores were significantly different between healthy controls and diabetic patients. ConclusionsReduced nocturnal melatonin concentration and increased fragmentation of activity−rest intervals revealed circadian rhythm disturbance in diabetic patients with DR.

Mapping cetacean sounds using a passive acoustic monitoring system towed by an autonomous Wave Glider in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean

Passive acoustic monitoring techniques provide a useful alternative to visual surveys for monitoring of marine mammals since they are less affected by adverse weather conditions. An autonomous unmanned Wave Glider, equipped with a towed hydrophone and recording system was used to collect acoustic data in the Brazilian offshore waters of the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean between 6 and 25 February 2016. Nearly continuous data were obtained during this period (light and dark hours) for the 750 km traveled. There were 165,130 high-frequency detections in 31 encounters, including 1789 whistles, 389 burst-pulse sounds, and 162,952 echolocation clicks. A total of 705 low-frequency tonal signals were recorded in 5 encounters. Although high-frequency detections occurred at all hours of the day, the majority occurred during dark hours. Low-frequency detections were not evenly spread through all hours of the day, with the majority of them occurring during dark hours. High-frequency and low-frequency detections represented 26% and 3% of the recording hours, respectively. Duration, the number of emissions, and ocean depth varied among acoustic encounters. Encounters composed by high-frequency sounds were separated into seven different groups, probably different species. One of the encounters presented whistles that were previously recorded in the Rio de Janeiro Coast for Steno bredanensis (Rough-toothed dolphins). All of the low-frequency encounters were composed of a type of Balaenoptera brydei (Bryde's whales) call. This type of data collection is un-precedented for the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean and highlighted the use of the sampled area by delphinids on different days and different times of the day, including the dark hours.

Come rain or come shine: environmental effects on the infective stages of Sparicotyle chrysophrii, a key pathogen in Mediterranean aquaculture

BackgroundEvidence concerning the environmental influence on monogenean transmission and infection processes is widely accepted, although only the effects of a limited number of abiotic factors on particular monogenean species have been explored. The current context of climate change calls for further research both on this subject, and also that concerning monogenean hosts, especially in aquaculture.MethodsIn this study, four experiments were used to assess the response of the infective stages of Sparicotyle chrysophrii, a pathogenic monogenean from gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata) cultures in the Mediterranean, to variations of temperature (from 10 °C to 30 °C), pH (7.0 and 7.9), photoperiod (LD 12:12, LD 0:24 and LD 24:0) and salinity (from 27 ppt to 47 ppt).ResultsThermal variations cause the strongest responses among the infective stages of S. chrysophrii, which reduced development and survival times as temperature increased. The optimal thermal range for maximum hatching success was found between 14 and 22 °C, whereas temperatures of 10 and 30 °C probably represent biological thermal limits. Reductions of development time and hatching rates were recorded at the lowest pH level, but hatching success remained above 50%, suggesting a certain degree of tolerance to slight pH variations. Photoperiod acts as an environmental cue synchronising the circadian hatching rhythm of S. chrysophrii with the first four hours of darkness. Response to a wide range of salinities was negligible, suggesting a high tolerance to variations of this abiotic factor.ConclusionsLarval development and hatching of S. chrysophrii are modulated according to environmental factors, mainly temperature, thus parasite-host coordination and successful infections are enhanced. Therefore, abiotic factors should be broadly considered to design treatments against this monogenean. The high tolerance to the predicted environmental variations over the next century reported for gilthead sea bream and herein exposed for S. chrysophrii suggests that neither will be notably affected by climate change in the western Mediterranean region.

High temperatures cause reduced growth, plant death and metabolic changes in eelgrass Zostera marina

MEPS Marine Ecology Progress Series Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout the JournalEditorsTheme Sections MEPS 604:121-132 (2018) - DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps12740 High temperatures cause reduced growth, plant death and metabolic changes in eelgrass Zostera marina Kathrine Jul Hammer1, Jens Borum1,*, Harald Hasler-Sheetal2,3, Erin C. Shields4, Kaj Sand-Jensen1, Kenneth A. Moore4 1Freshwater Biological Laboratory, Biological Institute, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark 2Nordcee, Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, 5230 Odense M, Denmark 3Villum Center for Bioanalytical Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, 5230 Odense M, Denmark 4Virginia Institute of Marine Science, School of Marine Science, College of William and Mary, Gloucester Point, VA 23062, USA *Corresponding author: jborum@bio.ku.dk ABSTRACT: We investigated temperature effects on eelgrass Zostera marina L. growing close to its southern distribution limit along the eastern coast of North America in Virginia, USA. We combined growth and survival experiments with microelectrode measurements of internal meristematic oxygen and analyses of metabolic compounds. Eelgrass shoots were grown at 3 different temperatures (22, 26 and 30°C) and field equivalent light levels (23% of sea surface insolation) for 28 d while water column oxygen concentration was kept at air saturation. Meristematic oxygen concentrations did not vary significantly with temperature, and meristems maintained a relatively high oxygen concentration (average: 38% air saturation) during dark hours. Despite high meristematic oxygen concentrations, shoots growing at 30°C exhibited increased mortality, reduced growth and reduced leaf production compared to shoots growing at 22 and 26°C. The leaf metabolome was significantly altered at 30°C, indicating an increase of reactive oxygen species. In addition, total nitrogen and metabolites related to the nitrogen cycle (amino acids, urea and γ-aminobutyric acid [GABA]) were low in the heat-stressed shoots, whereas soluble sugars increased. In conclusion, high temperature (30°C) has strong negative effects on eelgrass in the lower Chesapeake Bay, affecting growth, tissue integrity, nitrogen metabolism and protein/enzyme synthesis. Future global warming may likely deteriorate populations of eelgrass at its present southern distribution limit. KEY WORDS: Zostera marina · Temperature stress · Growth · Metabolomics · Climate change Full text in pdf format Supplementary material PreviousNextCite this article as: Hammer KJ, Borum J, Hasler-Sheetal H, Shields EC, Sand-Jensen K, Moore KA (2018) High temperatures cause reduced growth, plant death and metabolic changes in eelgrass Zostera marina. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 604:121-132. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps12740 Export citation RSS - Facebook - Tweet - linkedIn Cited by Published in MEPS Vol. 604. Online publication date: October 04, 2018 Print ISSN: 0171-8630; Online ISSN: 1616-1599 Copyright © 2018 Inter-Research.

The Lost Art of Long-Term Competition

“A disaster's right upon us,” Homer’s King Nestor tells the Greeks in the darkest hour of their siege of Troy. “Put heads together … if strategy's any use.”1 Today, the United States needs smart st...

Metastable Hydrated Carbonates from a Brine to Supply Carbon to Microalgae Harvested for Biofuel Production

In this paper, a study to develop a new process which combines mineral carbonation - or carbon dioxide (CO2) mineralization - with microalgae growth is presented. Carbon dioxide is used to precipitate nesquehonite (MgCO3-3H2O). The magnesium carbonate crystals are then dissolved in the presence of freshwater green microalgae Scenedesmus obliquus (S. obliquus) providing them carbon dioxide for cell growth as an alternative to either enriched CO2-gas or commercial sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3). The biomass of S. obliquus is eventually used to produce biogas by anaerobic digestion or bio-oil through fatty acid extraction. Systematic experiments of MgCO3-3H2O crystallization were carried out using MgCl2-NaOH-CO2 aqueous system. The tests were run at 25 oC and 1 bar of CO2. Dissolution experiments of the produced MgCO3-3H2O crystals were performed by incubating S. obliquus, at 25oC and atmospheric conditions, and for a photoperiod consisting of 14 hours of light and 10 hours of dark. Results show that the precipitation of MgCO3-3H2O reaches steady-state within a few minutes, producing needle-like crystals that can dissolve during algae growth. The values of the microalgae cell density after 7 days of growth in the test with MgCO3-3H2O and NaHCO3 are of the same order of magnitude (i.e., approximately 107 cells/mL). This suggests the use of MgCO3-3H2O is a promising alternative to commercial/captured gaseous CO2 and carbonates for microalgae growth.

The blood, by night and day

Stem Cells Many developmental events have now been associated with the daily cycle. But what is happening physiologically during the hours of light and dark? Bone turnover, immunity, and stem cell migration from the bone marrow are certainly affected. Golan et al. observed two peaks in bone marrow hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) after transient increases of norepinephrine and tumor necrosis factor. The nighttime peak increases melatonin secretion to maintain and replenish HSPCs and to reduce differentiation. By contrast, the morning peak increases differentiation and vascular permeability for blood replenishment. Hence, light and dark provide different signals that are crucial for blood cell activity and overall health. Cell Stem Cell 10.1016/j.stem.2018.08.002 (2018).

Arctic Coralline Algae Elevate Surface pH and Carbonate in the Dark.

Red coralline algae are projected to be sensitive to ocean acidification, particularly in polar oceans. As important ecosystem engineers, their potential sensitivity has broad implications, and understanding their carbon acquisition mechanisms is necessary for making reliable predictions. Therefore, we investigated the localized carbonate chemistry at the surface of Arctic coralline algae using microsensors. We report for the first time carbonate ion concentration and pH measurements ([CO32-]) at and above the algal surface in the microenvironment. We show that surface pH and [CO32-] are higher than the bulk seawater in the light, and even after hours of darkness. We further show that three species of Arctic coralline algae have efficient carbon concentrating mechanisms including direct bicarbonate uptake and indirect bicarbonate use via a carbonic anhydrase enzyme. Our results suggest that Arctic corallines have strong biological control over their surface chemistry, where active calcification occurs, and that net dissolution in the dark does not occur. We suggest that the elevated pH and [CO32-] in the dark could be explained by a high rate of light independent carbon fixation that reduces respiratory CO2 release. This mechanism could provide a potential adaptation to ocean acidification in Arctic coralline algae, which has important implications for future Arctic marine ecosystems.