A user-friendly tool to evaluate the effectiveness of no-take marine reserves.

Marine reserves are implemented to achieve a variety of objectives, but are seldom rigorously evaluated to determine whether those objectives are met. In the rare cases when evaluations do take place, they typically focus on ecological indicators and ignore other relevant objectives such as socioeconomics and governance. And regardless of the objectives, the diversity of locations, monitoring protocols, and analysis approaches hinder the ability to compare results across case studies. Moreover, analysis and evaluation of reserves is generally conducted by outside researchers, not the reserve managers or users, plausibly thereby hindering effective local management and rapid response to change. We present a framework and tool, called "MAREA", to overcome these challenges. Its purpose is to evaluate the extent to which any given reserve has achieved its stated objectives. MAREA provides specific guidance on data collection and formatting, and then conducts rigorous causal inference analysis based on data input by the user, providing real-time outputs about the effectiveness of the reserve. MAREA's ease of use, standardization of state-of-the-art inference methods, and ability to analyze marine reserve effectiveness across ecological, socioeconomic, and governance objectives could dramatically further our understanding and support of effective marine reserve management.

PUP MORTALITY AND EVIDENCE FOR PATHOGEN EXPOSURE IN GALAPAGOS SEA LIONS (ZALOPHUS WOLLEBAEKI) ON SAN CRISTOBAL ISLAND, GALAPAGOS, ECUADOR.

The Galapagos sea lion ( Zalophus wollebaeki ), an endangered species, experiences high pup mortality (up to 100%) in years when El Niño events reduce food supply in the Galapagos Islands. Mortality of pups in non-El Niño years is estimated to be 5% in undisturbed colonies. From 2009 to 2012 we observed high pup mortality (up to 67%) in colonies close to the Galapagos capital, Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, where contact with humans, domestic animals, and rats is frequent. Gross postmortem findings from 54 pups included hemorrhagic lesions in liver and congestion in lungs; histopathology suggested a possible association with infectious diseases. Evidence of Leptospira infection was found in five out of seven samples collected in 2010. Canine distemper viral (CDV) RNA was detected in tissues from six sea lions (in 2011-12), four of which were confirmed by nucleotide sequencing. The absence of CDV antibodies in 109 juvenile animals tested in 2014 at urban and remote colonies could indicate that the CDV infection observed in 2011 was likely confined to a few animals. Our results indicated that Galapagos sea lions have been exposed at least to two pathogens, Leptospira and CDV; however, the impact of these infections on the sea lions is unclear.

[Asymptomatic human infection from contact with dogs: a case of human ehrlichiosis]. / Infección humana asintomática por contacto con perros. Un caso de ehrlichiosis humana.

INTRODUCTION: Living with dogs leads one to consider the necessity of identifying canine infections found in the people with whom the dogs live. OBJECTIVE: Dogs which were clinically and serologically positive with the infections Ehirlichia canis, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Borrelia burgdorferi, and Dirofilaria Immitis were sought. People with the same infections were also identified. MATERIAL AND METHODS: From a population of 80 dogs identified in the villages of San Bartolo Coyotepec and San Agustín Etla (suburbs peripheral to the city of Oaxaca, Mexico), 27 dogs were selected for study, all of which had adenomegaly, hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, and fevers of at least 43° C. Using enzyme immunoassay in this population of dogs and their closest human contacts, antibodies for Ehirlichia canis, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Borrelia burgdorferi, and the antigen for Dirofilaria immitis were sought. Positive results in humans were confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). RESULTS: Ten dogs with the clinical signs mentioned above tested positive for antibodies to Ehrlichia canis; two cases tested positive for Anaplasma phagocytophilum; one case tested positive for Dirofilaria Immitis. From human contact, one person tested positive for Ehirlichia canis; this case was confirmed by DNA amplification by means of PCR. CONCLUSION: It is necessary to identify the population of sick dogs in order to reduce related infections in people.

Interaction of the protein C activation peptide with platelets.

The peptide NH(2)-DTEDQEDQVDPR-COOH is released during activation of protein C zymogen. We measured the effect of a synthetic peptide with an amino acid sequence similar to that of the natural peptide on platelets from healthy individuals using platelet aggregometry. We found that this synthetic peptide inhibits platelet aggregation induced by thrombin; furthermore, it diminishes mobilization of intraplatelet calcium. Molecular docking showed weak interaction between the synthetic peptide and thrombin. Our findings suggest that this synthetic peptide may interact with a receptor located on the platelet cell membrane.