Long-Term Effects of the 1991 Gulf War on the Hydrocarbon Levels in Clams at Selected Areas of the Saudi Arabian Gulf Coastline

2000 ◽  
Vol 40 (5) ◽  
pp. 440-448 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.A Vazquez ◽  
K.W Allen ◽  
Y.M Kattan
Author(s):  
Ryan S. Mote ◽  
Jessica M. Carpenter ◽  
Rachel L. Dockman ◽  
Andrew J. Steinberger ◽  
Garret Suen ◽  
...  

The microbiota’s influence on host (patho) physiology has gained interest in the context of Gulf War Illness (GWI), a chronic disorder featuring dysregulation of the gut–brain–immune axis. This study examined short- and long-term effects of GWI-related chemicals on gut health and fecal microbiota and the potential benefits of Lacto-N-fucopentaose-III (LNFPIII) treatment in a GWI model. Male C57BL/6J mice were administered pyridostigmine bromide (PB; 0.7 mg/kg) and permethrin (PM; 200 mg/kg) for 10 days with concurrent LNFPIII treatment (35 μg/mouse) in a short-term study (12 days total) and delayed LNFPIII treatment (2×/week) beginning 4 months after 10 days of PB/PM exposure in a long-term study (9 months total). Fecal 16S rRNA sequencing was performed on all samples post-LNFPIII treatment to assess microbiota effects of GWI chemicals and acute/delayed LNFPIII administration. Although PB/PM did not affect species composition on a global scale, it affected specific taxa in both short- and long-term settings. PB/PM elicited more prominent long-term effects, notably, on the abundances of bacteria belonging to Lachnospiraceae and Ruminococcaceae families and the genus Allobaculum. LNFPIII improved a marker of gut health (i.e., decreased lipocalin-2) independent of GWI and, importantly, increased butyrate producers (e.g., Butyricoccus, Ruminococcous) in PB/PM-treated mice, indicating a positive selection pressure for these bacteria. Multiple operational taxonomic units correlated with aberrant behavior and lipocalin-2 in PB/PM samples; LNFPIII was modulatory. Overall, significant and lasting GWI effects occurred on specific microbiota and LNFPIII treatment was beneficial.


2005 ◽  
Vol 2005 (1) ◽  
pp. 869-872 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chuck Getter ◽  
Jacqui Michel ◽  
Miles Hayes

ABSTRACT Our team completed a broad multidisciplinary survey in 2003 characterizing several thousand transects along 850 km of oil-impacted shoreline to determine the impacts of the 1991 oil spill on the Saudi Arabian Gulf from the western end of Abu Ali Island to the Kuwait border. Salt marshes and tidal flats there form a very significant portion of the oil-impacted coastline. These habitats were heavily oiled in 1991 and significant loss of biological communities was reported then. Although a large scale response effort followed the spill, the size of the spill overwhelmed it. The overwhelming majority of the spill site is remote and will likely receive little or no cleanup and/or restoration effort. After completing the survey, we conducted an ecological survey at two selected salt marsh transects using line-intercept and quadrat counts counting macrovegetation and intertidal macroepibenthos within one impacted (recovering) and one unoiled (comparison) transect. The objective of our paper is to present useful highlights regarding the nature of the recovery of intertidal macroepibenthos and the vegetation associated with salt marshes. A continuing impact to key species and their assemblages is documented and discussed. We conclude that while recovery has progressed from initial reports of significant damages in 1991–1993 the overall recovery of the salt marshes is far from complete. Some areas of considerable size and importance show little or no sign of recovery. In summary, the oil spill of 1991 was arguably the largest coastal spill in history. Long-term effects are widespread, appear to be profoundly large-scale, and in some cases salt marshes show little sign of natural recovery.


1995 ◽  
Vol 1995 (1) ◽  
pp. 979-979 ◽  
Author(s):  
David A. Jones ◽  
Jaime Plaza ◽  
Iain Watt ◽  
Mahmoud al Sanei

ABSTRACT Five months after the impact of oil on the shores of Dawhat ad Dafi and Dawhat al Musallamiya, long-term biological monitoring was initiated on permanent transects (PTL) on representative habitats and similar but uncontaminated control habitats outside the area. Upper shore biota was virtually eliminated on all oiled shores, while lower shores showed a 60 to 90 percent mortality, depending on the substrate type. By September 1994, species diversity comparable to that of controls was present on the mid and lower regions of impacted shores. Abundances are still generally lower for most species on affected shores, and abnormal population density fluctuations for some species are still apparent.


Author(s):  
T. M. Seed ◽  
M. H. Sanderson ◽  
D. L. Gutzeit ◽  
T. E. Fritz ◽  
D. V. Tolle ◽  
...  

The developing mammalian fetus is thought to be highly sensitive to ionizing radiation. However, dose, dose-rate relationships are not well established, especially the long term effects of protracted, low-dose exposure. A previous report (1) has indicated that bred beagle bitches exposed to daily doses of 5 to 35 R 60Co gamma rays throughout gestation can produce viable, seemingly normal offspring. Puppies irradiated in utero are distinguishable from controls only by their smaller size, dental abnormalities, and, in adulthood, by their inability to bear young.We report here our preliminary microscopic evaluation of ovarian pathology in young pups continuously irradiated throughout gestation at daily (22 h/day) dose rates of either 0.4, 1.0, 2.5, or 5.0 R/day of gamma rays from an attenuated 60Co source. Pups from non-irradiated bitches served as controls. Experimental animals were evaluated clinically and hematologically (control + 5.0 R/day pups) at regular intervals.


Author(s):  
D.E. Loudy ◽  
J. Sprinkle-Cavallo ◽  
J.T. Yarrington ◽  
F.Y. Thompson ◽  
J.P. Gibson

Previous short term toxicological studies of one to two weeks duration have demonstrated that MDL 19,660 (5-(4-chlorophenyl)-2,4-dihydro-2,4-dimethyl-3Hl, 2,4-triazole-3-thione), an antidepressant drug, causes a dose-related thrombocytopenia in dogs. Platelet counts started to decline after two days of dosing with 30 mg/kg/day and continued to decrease to their lowest levels by 5-7 days. The loss in platelets was primarily of the small discoid subpopulation. In vitro studies have also indicated that MDL 19,660: does not spontaneously aggregate canine platelets and has moderate antiaggregating properties by inhibiting ADP-induced aggregation. The objectives of the present investigation of MDL 19,660 were to evaluate ultrastructurally long term effects on platelet internal architecture and changes in subpopulations of platelets and megakaryocytes.Nine male and nine female beagle dogs were divided equally into three groups and were administered orally 0, 15, or 30 mg/kg/day of MDL 19,660 for three months. Compared to a control platelet range of 353,000- 452,000/μl, a doserelated thrombocytopenia reached a maximum severity of an average of 135,000/μl for the 15 mg/kg/day dogs after two weeks and 81,000/μl for the 30 mg/kg/day dogs after one week.


2012 ◽  
Vol 43 (3) ◽  
pp. 42
Author(s):  
MITCHEL L. ZOLER
Keyword(s):  

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