Review of solutions for 3D hydrodynamic modeling applied to aquaculture in South Pacific atoll lagoons.

A workshop organized in French Polynesia in November 2004 allowed reviewing the current methods to model the three-dimensional hydrodynamic circulation in semi-enclosed atoll lagoons for aquaculture applications. Mollusk (e.g. pearl oyster, clam) aquaculture is a major source of income for South Pacific countries such as French Polynesia or Cook Islands. This aquaculture now requires a better understanding of circulation patterns to improve the spatial use of the lagoons, especially to define the best area to set larvae collectors. The pelagic larval duration of the relevant species (<20 days) and the size of the semi-closed lagoons (few hundreds of km2) drive the specifications of the model in terms of the spatial and temporal scale. It is considered that, in contrast with fish, mollusk larvae movements are limited and that their cycle occurs completely in the lagoon, without an oceanic stage. Atolls where aquaculture is productive are generally well-bounded, or semi-closed, without significant large and deep openings to the ocean. Nevertheless part of the lagoon circulation is driven by oceanic water inputs through the rim, ocean swells, tides and winds. Therefore, boundary conditions of the lagoon system are defined by the spatial structure of a very shallow rim (exposition and number of hoas), the deep ocean swell climate, tides and wind regimes. To obtain a realistic 3D numerical model of lagoon circulation with adequate forcing, it is thus necessary to connect in an interdisciplinary way a variety of methods (models, remote sensing and in situ data collection) to accurately represent the different components of the lagoon system and its specific boundary conditions. We review here the current methods and tools used to address these different components for a hypothetical atoll of the Tuamotu Archipelago (French Polynesia), representative of the semi-closed lagoons of the South Pacific Ocean. We hope this paper will serve as a guide for similar studies elsewhere and we provide guidelines in terms of costs for all the different stages involved.

Orchiectomy does not selectively increase adrenal androgen concentrations.

Prostatic carcinoma is androgen dependent and, therefore, treated by orchiectomy. However, adrenal androgen secretion remains intact after orchiectomy, and several investigators even reported an increase in serum adrenal androgen concentrations after orchiectomy. Such an increase in androgen secretion theoretically could promote tumor recurrence. To investigate this question, we obtained multiple blood samples from 10 men before, within 1 week after, and up to 6 months after orchiectomy for prostatic carcinoma. Serum testosterone concentrations became unmeasurable (less than 40 ng/dl) after orchiectomy. Three of the 10 patients had transient increases of at least 50% in both serum dehydroepiandrosterone (DHA) and cortisol after orchiectomy, presumably due to surgical stress, but mean serum DHA and DHA sulfate (DHAS) did not increase in the group as a whole. Subsequently, serum DHA and DHAS concentrations were similar to preoperative values in all patients. Therefore, we find no evidence to support the hypothesis that adrenal androgen concentrations increase after orchiectomy.

The specific red cell adherence test in transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder before and after radiotherapy in patients with blood group A.

Serial formalin-fixed specimens of bladder tumors before and after irradiation from 19 patients with blood group A were tested for the presence or absence of antigen by the specific red cell adherence test. All patients had at least grade B transitional cell cancer of the bladder. The specific red cell adherence test was negative before radiotherapy in 9 patients, 4 of whom (44 per cent) had positive tests after treatment. However, the test was positive before radiotherapy in 10 patients (56 per cent) and became negative after radiotherapy in only 1. Of the patients 47 per cent had tumors that were positive for specific red cell adherence before and after radiotherapy, and 26 per cent had tumors that were consistently negative for antigen.

Freeze-fracture characteristics of insect gustatory and olfactory sensilla. I. A comparison with vertebrate olfactory receptor cells with special reference to ciliary components.

Freeze-fracture data on antennal olfactory and labellar gustatory sensilla of the blowfly Calliphora vicina were compared with those of vertebrate olfactory organs. Insect antennal and vertebrate olfactory axons have similar diameters and show vesicular expansions; insect labellar axons are on average twice as thick and show no vesicular expansions. Vertebrate olfactory and insect labellar and antennal axons display similar intramembranous particle densities. Antennal axons show particle arrangements, resembling tight-junctions. The few extremely thick axons found in labella and antennae show particle arrangements resembling gap-junctions. In regions, proximal to the pores in the insect sensillar hairs, P-faces of olfactory and gustatory cilia show about 200 particles/microns2. The most proximal and distal portions of the sensory cilia, necklaces and regions in the vicinity of the hair pores respectively, were only encountered in antennal sensilla. P-faces of the ciliary membranes underneath these pores display 1,000-1,200 particles/microns2 in unbranched and branched cilia. These values agree with values found in vertebrate olfactory cilia. It is suggested that these high particle densities are related to entities involved in chemoreceptive activities. Accessory cell micropliae have P-face densities of 2,000-3,000 particles/microns2, values similar to those found in vertebrate supportive cell microvilli. The membranes of the accessory cells display septate-junctions in areas where these cells overlap themselves, each other and in places where they adhere to the exoskeleton or the basement membrane.

Effectiveness of prolonged hydrostatic dilatation of bladder.

Thirty-three patients with intractable frequency and 9 patients with hematuria from irradiation cystitis, bladder tumors or both underwent 54 prolonged hydrostatic dilatations of the bladder. Thirty-eitht per cent of patients with frequency had long-lasting improvement and 19 per cent had temporary relief. Eight patients in this group had multiple procedures, having improved temporarily after previous treatments. Six of the 9 patients with hematuria had appreciable palliative relief.