The alarm reaction of coho salmon parr is impaired by the carbamate fungicide IPBC.

To determine whether the carbamate fungicide IPBC alters the olfactory-mediated behavioral and physiologic alarm responses of coho salmon parr (Oncorhynchus kisutch), groups of coho were exposed to skin extract (an alarm pheromone source) under a variety of conditions. In the 3min following skin extract exposure, freezing behavior was significantly increased (In the 3 min following skin extract exposure, freezing behavior was significantly increased under darkness (IR lighting) but not ambient lighting (25.3+/-2.6% and 7.5+/-5.7%, respectively; Delta calculated as: [(time (s) after/time (s) before)-1]x100%), and so IR was used for further experiments. Physiologically, following skin extract exposure, plasma cortisol concentration was increased at 0.5h (58.1+/-14.6ng/ml versus 4.32+/-1.31ng/ml, exposed versus control), hematocrit (Hct) was increased at 2h (50.4+/-1.0% versus 41.7+/-1.6%), and leucocrit (Lct) was decreased at 0.5 and 2h (0.534+/-0.114 and 0.13+/-0.01% versus 1.23+/-0.20%). After 0.5h exposures to 0, 1, 10 and 100microg/l IPBC and skin extract, the time spent dashing (>5cm/s) increased significantly (323+/-118%) in the first minute after skin extract exposure, but was absent in IPBC-exposed coho. Freezing behavior increased after skin extract exposure with control and 1microg/l IPBC exposures (11.0+/-3.0% and 17.7+/-11.0%, respectively), but was absent after 10microg/l and decreased after 100microg/l IPBC. Physiologically, Hct and plasma lactate concentration were significantly increased above controls after 1microg/l IPBC exposure (Hct: 45.7+/-1.6% versus 34.0+/-1.6%, lactate: 12.8+/-1.2mM versus 3.30+/-1.2mM). After 10microg/l exposure, IPBC alone elicited a stress response similar to skin extract. However in the 100microg/l treatment group the stress parameters were not different from controls. These findings suggest that the behavioral and physiologic alarm responses of juvenile salmonids may be impaired by acute exposure to > or =1microg/l IPBC.

Association of Hepatitis C Virus With Alcohol Use Among U.S. Adults: NHANES 2003-2010.

INTRODUCTION: Excessive alcohol use exacerbates morbidity and mortality among hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected people. The purpose of this study was to describe self-reported patterns of alcohol use and examine the association with HCV infection and other sociodemographic and health-related factors. METHODS: Data from 20,042 participants in the 2003-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were analyzed in 2014. Estimates were derived for self-reported demographic characteristics, HCV-RNA (indicative of current HCV infection) status, and alcohol use at four levels: lifetime abstainers, former drinkers, non-excessive current drinkers, and excessive current drinkers. RESULTS: Former drinkers and excessive current drinkers had a higher prevalence of HCV infection (2.2% and 1.5%, respectively) than never or non-excessive current drinkers (0.4% and 0.9%, respectively). HCV-infected adults were estimated to ever drink five or more drinks/day almost every day at some time during their lifetime about 3.3 times more often (43.8% vs 13.7%, p<0.001) than those who were never infected with HCV. Controlling for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, and having a usual source of health care, HCV infection was significantly associated with excessive current drinking (adjusted prevalence ratio, 1.3; 95% CI=1.1, 1.6) and former drinking (adjusted prevalence ratio, 1.3; 95% CI=1.1, 1.6). CONCLUSIONS: Chronic HCV infection is associated with both former and excessive current drinking. Public health HCV strategies should implement interventions with emphasis on alcohol abuse, which negatively impacts disease progression for HCV-infected individuals.