Zoos and amphibian conservation: Evaluating the impact of “The Year of The Frog” Campaign

Background Understanding of the physiological effects of chytridiomycosis is crucial to worldwide amphibian conservation. Therefore, we analyzed the cardiac function of two anuran species (Xenopus laevis and Physalaemus albonotatus) with different susceptibilities to infection by the causative agent of chytridiomycosis, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (hereafter Bd). Methods We analyzed the in situ heart rate (fH - bpm), relative ventricular mass (RVM -%), and Ca2+ handling in heart of Bd infected animals compared to uninfected controls of both study species. Results Bd infection resulted in a 78% decrease in contraction force values in P. albonotatus when compared to the less susceptible X. laevis. This negative effect was even more evident (82%) for the cardiac pumping capacity. The time to reach peak tension was 125% longer in P. albonotatus than in X. laevis, and cardiac relaxation was 57% longer. Discussion These results indicate a delay in the cardiac cycle of P. albonotatus on a beat-to-beat basis, which was corroborated by the bradycardia observed in situ. In summary, Bd-sensitive species present impaired cardiac function, which could be a factor in mortality risk. The more pronounced effects of Bd in P. albonotatus may not only result from electrolyte imbalance, as previously reported, but also could be an effect of toxins produced by Bd. For X. laevis, the ability to promote cardiac adjustments seems to be an important homeostatic feature that allows greater tolerance to chytridiomycosis. This study provides new physiological mechanisms underlying the tolerance or susceptibility of amphibian species to chytridiomycosis, which determine their adaptability to survive in the affected environments.

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Captivity and exposure to the emerging fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans are linked to perturbation and dysbiosis of the amphibian skin microbiome

10.1101/339853 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Kieran A Bates ◽

Jennifer MG Shelton ◽

Victoria L Mercier ◽

Kevin P Hopkins ◽

Xavier A Harrison ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Fungal Pathogen ◽

Ex Situ ◽

Amphibian Conservation ◽

Skin Microbiome ◽

Amphibian Skin ◽

Triturus Cristatus ◽

Batrachochytrium Salamandrivorans ◽

Increased Risk ◽

The Impact

The emerging fungal pathogen, Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal) is responsible for the catastrophic decline of European salamanders and poses a threat to amphibians globally. The amphibian skin microbiome is strongly associated with disease outcome for several host-pathogen systems, yet its role in Bsal infection remains unresolved. In addition, many in-vivo Bsal studies to date have relied on specimens that have been kept in captivity for long periods without considering the influence of environment on the microbiome and how this may impact the host response to pathogen exposure. We characterised the impact of captivity and exposure to Bsal on the skin bacterial and fungal communities of two co-occurring European newt species, the smooth newt (Lissotriton vulgaris) and the great-crested newt (Triturus cristatus). Bsal infection and subsequent mortality in both newt species was associated with perturbation of the skin microbiome and possible dysbiosis. In addition, reduced microbial diversity and changes in microbiome structure accompanied the transition of newts from the wild to captivity, suggesting a possible decline in microbe-associated protection and increased risk of infection by opportunistic pathogens. Our findings advance current understanding of the role of host-associated microbiota in Bsal infection and highlight important considerations for ex-situ amphibian conservation programmes.

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The impact of salinity on early developmental stages in two sympatric spadefoot toads and implications for amphibian conservation in coastal areas

Hydrobiologia ◽

10.1007/s10750-016-3074-2 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 792 (1) ◽

pp. 357-366 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Florina Stănescu ◽

Diana Székely ◽

Paul Székely ◽

Sebastian Topliceanu ◽

Dan Cogălniceanu

Keyword(s):

Developmental Stages ◽

Coastal Areas ◽

Amphibian Conservation ◽

Spadefoot Toads ◽

Early Developmental Stages ◽

The Impact ◽

Early Developmental

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Formation of Lunar Craters and Bright Rays as a Result of Meteorite Impacts

Symposium - International Astronomical Union ◽

10.1017/s0074180900178404 ◽

1962 ◽

Vol 14 ◽

pp. 415-418

Author(s):

K. P. Stanyukovich ◽

V. A. Bronshten

Keyword(s):

Explosive Charge ◽

The Moon ◽

Meteorite Impacts ◽

The Earth ◽

Lunar Craters ◽

The Impact

The phenomena accompanying the impact of large meteorites on the surface of the Moon or of the Earth can be examined on the basis of the theory of explosive phenomena if we assume that, instead of an exploding meteorite moving inside the rock, we have an explosive charge (equivalent in energy), situated at a certain distance under the surface.

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The Geosciences Applied to Lunar Exploration

Symposium - International Astronomical Union ◽

10.1017/s0074180900178222 ◽

1962 ◽

Vol 14 ◽

pp. 169-257 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

J. Green

Keyword(s):

Lunar Surface ◽

Probable Mechanism ◽

Point Of View ◽

Lunar Exploration ◽

Geological Model ◽

Apply Geophysics ◽

Surface Features ◽

The Impact

The term geo-sciences has been used here to include the disciplines geology, geophysics and geochemistry. However, in order to apply geophysics and geochemistry effectively one must begin with a geological model. Therefore, the science of geology should be used as the basis for lunar exploration. From an astronomical point of view, a lunar terrain heavily impacted with meteors appears the more reasonable; although from a geological standpoint, volcanism seems the more probable mechanism. A surface liberally marked with volcanic features has been advocated by such geologists as Bülow, Dana, Suess, von Wolff, Shaler, Spurr, and Kuno. In this paper, both the impact and volcanic hypotheses are considered in the application of the geo-sciences to manned lunar exploration. However, more emphasis is placed on the volcanic, or more correctly the defluidization, hypothesis to account for lunar surface features.

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Asteroid and Comet Impact Speeds upon Mars: Significance for Panspermia and the Supply of Organics

International Astronomical Union Colloquium ◽

10.1017/s0252921100014718 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 161 ◽

pp. 197-201 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Duncan Steel

Keyword(s):

Probability Distributions ◽

Regions Of Interest ◽

Significant Fraction ◽

Organic Chemicals ◽

Impact Speed ◽

The Mean ◽

The Impact

AbstractWhilst lithopanspermia depends upon massive impacts occurring at a speed above some limit, the intact delivery of organic chemicals or other volatiles to a planet requires the impact speed to be below some other limit such that a significant fraction of that material escapes destruction. Thus the two opposite ends of the impact speed distributions are the regions of interest in the bioastronomical context, whereas much modelling work on impacts delivers, or makes use of, only the mean speed. Here the probability distributions of impact speeds upon Mars are calculated for (i) the orbital distribution of known asteroids; and (ii) the expected distribution of near-parabolic cometary orbits. It is found that cometary impacts are far more likely to eject rocks from Mars (over 99 percent of the cometary impacts are at speeds above 20 km/sec, but at most 5 percent of the asteroidal impacts); paradoxically, the objects impacting at speeds low enough to make organic/volatile survival possible (the asteroids) are those which are depleted in such species.

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Organic Syntheses During the Impact of a Comet with a Gaseous Planet

International Astronomical Union Colloquium ◽

10.1017/s0252921100014706 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 161 ◽

pp. 189-195

Author(s):

Cesare Guaita ◽

Roberto Crippa ◽

Federico Manzini

Keyword(s):

Polymeric Material ◽

Molecular Form ◽

Parent Compound ◽

Blue Filter ◽

Organic Syntheses ◽

The Impact

AbstractA large amount of CO has been detected above many SL9/Jupiter impacts. This gas was never detected before the collision. So, in our opinion, CO was released from a parent compound during the collision. We identify this compound as POM (polyoxymethylene), a formaldehyde (HCHO) polymer that, when suddenly heated, reformes monomeric HCHO. At temperatures higher than 1200°K HCHO cannot exist in molecular form and the most probable result of its decomposition is the formation of CO. At lower temperatures, HCHO can react with NH3 and/or HCN to form high UV-absorbing polymeric material. In our opinion, this kind of material has also to be taken in to account to explain the complex evolution of some SL9 impacts that we observed in CCD images taken with a blue filter.

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Hydrogen Cyanide Polymers from the Impact of Comet P/Shoemaker-Levy 9 on Jupiter

International Astronomical Union Colloquium ◽

10.1017/s025292110001469x ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 161 ◽

pp. 179-187

Author(s):

Clifford N. Matthews ◽

Rose A. Pesce-Rodriguez ◽

Shirley A. Liebman

Keyword(s):

Amino Acids ◽

Solar System ◽

Hydrogen Cyanide ◽

Nitrogen Heterocycles ◽

Laboratory Studies ◽

Heterogeneous Solids ◽

The Many ◽

Comet Halley ◽

The Impact ◽

By Products

AbstractHydrogen cyanide polymers – heterogeneous solids ranging in color from yellow to orange to brown to black – may be among the organic macromolecules most readily formed within the Solar System. The non-volatile black crust of comet Halley, for example, as well as the extensive orangebrown streaks in the atmosphere of Jupiter, might consist largely of such polymers synthesized from HCN formed by photolysis of methane and ammonia, the color observed depending on the concentration of HCN involved. Laboratory studies of these ubiquitous compounds point to the presence of polyamidine structures synthesized directly from hydrogen cyanide. These would be converted by water to polypeptides which can be further hydrolyzed to α-amino acids. Black polymers and multimers with conjugated ladder structures derived from HCN could also be formed and might well be the source of the many nitrogen heterocycles, adenine included, observed after pyrolysis. The dark brown color arising from the impacts of comet P/Shoemaker-Levy 9 on Jupiter might therefore be mainly caused by the presence of HCN polymers, whether originally present, deposited by the impactor or synthesized directly from HCN. Spectroscopic detection of these predicted macromolecules and their hydrolytic and pyrolytic by-products would strengthen significantly the hypothesis that cyanide polymerization is a preferred pathway for prebiotic and extraterrestrial chemistry.

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Unusual Microstructure in Shock-Compacted Graphite

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100069363 ◽

1970 ◽

Vol 28 ◽

pp. 474-475

Author(s):

Lucien F. Trueb

Keyword(s):

Mechanical Characteristic ◽

Compression Wave ◽

Gray Zone ◽

Flyer Plate ◽

Compacted Graphite ◽

The Impact

Crushed and statically compressed Madagascar graphite that was explosively shocked at 425 kb by means of a planar flyer-plate is characterized by a black zone extending for 2 to 3 nun below the impact plane of the driver. Beyond this point, the material assumes the normal gray color of graphite. The thickness of the black zone is identical with the distance taken by the relaxation wave to overtake the compression wave.The main mechanical characteristic of the black material is its great hardness; steel scalpels and razor blades are readily blunted during attempts to cut it. An average microhardness value of 95-3 DPHN was obtained with a 10 kg load. This figure is a minimum because the indentations were usually cracked; 14.8 DPHN was measured in the gray zone.

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Drug Induced Changes in Cell Organelles

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100100299 ◽

1968 ◽

Vol 26 ◽

pp. 110-111

Author(s):

Sarah A. Luse

Keyword(s):

Clinical Medicine ◽

Cell Organelles ◽

Riboflavin Deficiency ◽

Drug Induced ◽

New Era ◽

Health And Disease ◽

In The Beginning ◽

Cellular Pathology ◽

Induced Changes ◽

The Impact

In the mid-nineteenth century Virchow revolutionized pathology by introduction of the concept of “cellular pathology”. Today, a century later, this term has increasing significance in health and disease. We now are in the beginning of a new era in pathology, one which might well be termed “organelle pathology” or “subcellular pathology”. The impact of lysosomal diseases on clinical medicine exemplifies this role of pathology of organelles in elucidation of disease today.Another aspect of cell organelles of prime importance is their pathologic alteration by drugs, toxins, hormones and malnutrition. The sensitivity of cell organelles to minute alterations in their environment offers an accurate evaluation of the site of action of drugs in the study of both function and toxicity. Examples of mitochondrial lesions include the effect of DDD on the adrenal cortex, riboflavin deficiency on liver cells, elevated blood ammonia on the neuron and some 8-aminoquinolines on myocardium.

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