Exploring the spatial variation of mercury in the Gulf of St. Lawrence using northern gannets as fish samplers.

Mercury (Hg) is a ubiquitous and pervasive environmental contaminant with detrimental effects on wildlife, which originates from both natural and anthropogenic sources. Its distribution within ecosystems is influenced by various biogeochemical processes, making it crucial to elucidate the factors driving this variability. To explore these factors, we employed an innovative method to use northern gannets (Morus bassanus) as biological samplers of regurgitated fish in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. We assessed fish total Hg (THg) concentrations in relation to their geographical catch location as well as to pertinent biotic and anthropogenic factors. In small fish species, trophic position, calculated from compound-specific stable nitrogen isotopes in amino acids, emerged as the most influential predictor of THg concentrations. For large fish species, THg concentrations were best explained by δ13C, indicating higher concentrations in inshore habitats. No anthropogenic factors, such as pollution, shipping traffic, or coastal development, were significantly related to THg concentrations in fish. Moreover, previously published THg data in mussels sampled nearby were positively linked with THg concentrations in gannet prey, suggesting consistent mercury distribution across trophic levels in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Our findings point to habitat-dependent variability in THg concentrations across multiple trophic levels. Our study could have many potential uses in the future, including the identification of vulnerability hotspots for fish populations and their predators, or assessing risk factors for seabirds themselves by using biologically relevant prey.

Independence in managing one's finances after traumatic brain injury.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: To establish whether the budgeting task of the Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) Profile discriminates individuals with a traumatic brain injury (TBI) from healthy controls and to identify the nature of the observed difficulties. METHOD: This study tested 27 adults with moderate or severe TBI and 27 controls matched for age, sex and education on the budgeting task of the IADL Profile. The budgeting task is a complex real-world problem involving the preparation of a yearly budget for an individual living on a fixed income with the goal of saving money to purchase a car. MAIN RESULTS: The results showed that TBI subjects, the majority of whom had documented frontal lesions and/or diffuse axonal injury based on CT scan reports, were more likely than control subjects to experience difficulties on all task-related operations (planning, carrying out and verifying attainment of goal), with planning being particularly affected. These deficits were shown to impact on financial abilities, an issue of particular concern for TBI individuals reporting full responsibility of their finances. CONCLUSIONS: The budgeting task of the IADL Profile discriminates TBI subjects from controls. Planning was shown to be the most significant difficulty underlying reduced independence in the task.

E-cadherin and beta-catenin mRNA levels throughout colon cancer progression.

BACKGROUND: Although E-cadherin and beta-catenin are key regulators in tumor invasion and proliferation, few studies have been undertaken on the expression of these genes at the messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) level in relation to the progression of colon cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this study, tissue samples from colectomy (n = 37) or hepatectomy (n = 23) were collected in both tumor and adjacent normal tissues. Real-time quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction was used to quantify E-cadherin and beta-catenin mRNAs in reference to 18S RNA. RESULTS: E-cadherin and beta-catenin levels in colon carcinomas were not statistically different compared with adjacent normal mucosa and were not correlated with tumor, nodes, and metastases (TNM) stage. Conversely, E-cadherin and beta-catenin levels were significantly higher in liver metastases than in adjacent normal tissue. Interestingly, we found that E-cadherin level in liver metastases was correlated to the TNM stage of the related primary tumor: a higher E-cadherin level was found for State I-II TNM. In addition, a high expression of E-cadherin in liver metastases was associated with a lower occurrence of extra-hepatic metastases after resection of liver metastases. CONCLUSION: Taken together, these data show that E-cadherin and beta-catenin expressions are regulated throughout colon cancer progression.

Temperature and heart rate as stress indicators of handled common eider.

Three eider ducks were handled every 4 min for 16 min to measure their cloacal temperature. This simple handling triggered a rise in their core temperatures from 41.5+/-0.6 degrees C at minute 0 to 43.5+/-0.5 degrees C at minute 16. This increase in body temperature occurred with no obvious motor load from the eiders, but was facilitated by peripheral vasoconstriction and, moreover, was blocked significantly by salicylate, suggesting that the increase in temperature was due to fever. After 10 days of similar handling, the mean fever-like responses displayed by the ducks was significantly lower than their responses of day one, showing a habituation to the emotional stimulation. The eider's heart rate was measured continuously before, during and for a 10-min session following a 1-min handling period. Results showed that the eiders displayed a tachycardia during handling and for 2-3 min posthandling. Such tachycardia is another sign of emotion in animals [Am J Psychol 39 (1927) 106]. Our study showed therefore that eider ducks are prone to emotions and, when emotionally stressed, will display a fever-like response and a tachycardia. Our results on ducks are similar to responses obtained from studies on more terrestrial birds in similar conditions (e.g., chicken [Physiol Behav 69 (2000) 541]), but are in opposition to the bradycardia and the observed decreases in temperature [Hvalradets Skr 22 (1940) 1; Acta Physiol Scand 46 (1959) 231] of birds forcibly submerged.

Planning acute psychiatric services: a survey of current practice.

Several factors have combined to make planning for acute psychiatric inpatient services an important concern of health planners. We report on a nationwide survey of the planning methods used by state health planning agencies to certify need for acute psychiatric services. The results indicate that very few state agencies have developed sophisticated planning methods. The majority use simple bed-to-population ratios, which vary widely from state to state, or rely on past utilization to predict future demands. One-fourth of the states have no method for determining need. The implications of these findings for informed, meaningful planning of psychiatric services are discussed.