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The presence of inflammatory cells on bronchoalveolar lavage is often used to predict disease activity and the need for therapy in systemic sclerosis-associated interstitial lung disease.To evaluate whether lavage cellularity identifies distinct subsets of disease and/or predicts cyclophosphamide responsiveness.Patients underwent baseline lavage and/or high-resolution computed tomography as part of a randomized placebo-controlled trial of cyclophosphamide versus placebo (Scleroderma Lung Study) to determine the effect of therapy on forced vital capacity. Patients with 3% or greater polymorphonuclear and/or 2% or greater eosinophilic leukocytes on lavage and/or ground-glass opacification on computed tomography were eligible for enrollment.Lavage was performed in 201 individuals, including 141 of the 158 randomized patients. Abnormal cellularity was present in 101 of these cases (71.6%) and defined a population with a higher percentage of men (P = 0.04), more severe lung function, including a worse forced vital capacity (P = 0.003), worse total lung capacity (P = 0.005) and diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (P = 0.004), more extensive ground-glass opacity (P = 0.005), and more extensive fibrosis in the right middle lobe (P = 0.005). Despite these relationships, the presence or absence of an abnormal cell differential was not an independent predictor of disease progression or response to cyclophosphamide at 1 year (P = not significant).The presence of an abnormal lavage in the Scleroderma Lung Study defined patients with more advanced interstitial lung disease but added no additional value to physiologic and computed tomography findings as a predictor of progression or treatment response. Clinical trial registered with www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT 000004563).

A novel toxicity method to determine sublethal and lethal effects of manmade contaminants on the bioluminescence output from marine dinoflagellates has been developed and tested over the course of 16 years. The toxicity system, QwikLite™, was developed for the sole purpose of evaluating the potential toxicity of various materials used in bay sediments, storm water discharges, industrial discharges from Naval facilities, and antifoulant paints. Bioluminescence inhibition was observed in the following dinoflagellates: Lingulodinium polyedrum (formerly known as Gonyaulax polyedra), Ceratocorys horrida, Pyrocystis noctiluca, Pyrocystis lunula, Pyrocystis fusiformis, and Pyrophacus steinii. Cultured cells were exposed to various concentrations of contaminants from hours through 10 days. Further application with bioluminescent dinoflagellates in a variety of toxicity testing schemes have shown that these species can be used as a screening assay organism in lieu of the more costly, labor intensive bioassays presently in use.

This study compared the sensitivity of two rapid toxicity tests, QwikLite and Microtox, to seven metals and ammonia. Both of these tests measure a reduction in light production from bioluminescent microorganisms (dinoflagellates and marine bacteria, respectively) as a means of toxicity detection and are simple and inexpensive to conduct compared to many standardized acute toxicity tests. For QwikLite tests, three marine dinoflagellate species (Lingulodinium polyedrum, Ceratocorys horrida, and Pyrocystis noctiluca) were separately evaluated following a 24-h exposure period. The marine bacterium, Vibrio fischeri, was used in the Microtox tests, in 15-min exposures to the same metal preparations as those used for the QwikLite tests. The QwikLite tests were generally one to two orders of magnitude more sensitive than the Microtox tests, as indicated by lower median effects concentrations (EC(50)). Both QwikLite and Microtox, however, resulted in similar toxicity rankings for the metals tested. The dinoflagellate species used in the QwikLite tests responded similarly for most compounds tested, with L. polyedrum appearing to be somewhat more sensitive than the other two species for most metals evaluated. QwikLite was also more comparable in sensitivity to several commonly used standardized toxicity tests. As with all toxicity tests, species selection for QwikLite should take into account study-specific factors, including the potential for sensitivity to confounding factors, such as ammonia.

Despite strong interest in short term process effects on dinoflagellates there have been few investigations on the seasonality of marine bioluminescence. Long term aspects of the development of bioluminescence are unknown for most oceans. The present study was designed to cast light on this question. A station for measuring bioluminescence was established in August 1993 at San Clemente Island (SCI), 100 km offshore of Southern California. Bioluminescence was measured with a moored bathyphotometer (MOORDEX) hourly through February 1996. Other environmental parameters such as nutrients, chlorophyll, and associated plankton species were measured and collected on a monthly and quarterly basis (Lapota et al. 1997). In the present study, plankton samples were collected and tested for bioluminescence on a quarterly basis to: 1) determine which dinoflagellate species were bioluminescent and 2) observe differences in light output on a seasonal basis. The latter is an important consideration because seasonal changes in bioluminescence from dinoflagellates might possibly indicate a response to regional seasonal environmental changes. These factors include the available nutrients and light for the photosynthetic species (Ceratium, Gonyaulax1, Pyrocystis) and the availability of diatoms and smaller algal cells consumed by the heterotrophic Protoperidinium dinoflagellates. Seasonal changes in light output will affect the bioluminescence light budget of all species. Published light budgets are limited and specific for limited oceanic areas, the number of species tested, or modeled to predict bioluminescence output based on the calculated cell surface area. This study will complement earlier laboratory work and enlarge these observations by identifying distinct seasonal differences in bioluminescence of open ocean dinoflagellates over a two year period.

While many oceanographic studies have focused on the distribution of bioluminescence in the marine environment (Stukalin 1934, Tarasov 1956, Seliger et al. 1961, Clarke and Kelly 1965, Bityukov 1967, Lapota and Losee 1984, Swift et al. 1985, Lapota et al. 1988, Batchelder and Swift 1989, Lapota et al. 1989, Lapota and Rosenberger 1990, Neilson et al. 1995, Ondercin et al. 1995, Swift et al. 1995), little understanding of the seasonality and sources of planktonic bioluminescence in coastal waters and open ocean has emerged. Some previous studies with respect to annual cycles of bioluminescence were severely limited in duration as well as in the methods used to quantify bioluminescence (Bityukov 1967, Tett 1971). Only a few studies have measured bioluminescence on an extended basis, and these were short in duration, usually less than 2 years with long intervals between sets of measurements (Bityukov 1967, Yentsch and Laird 1968, Tett 1971). Others report data collected at different times of the year (Batchelder and Swift 1989, Batchelder et al. 1992, Buskey 1991) but do not address the seasonality of bioluminescence. Thus the detailed temporal variability of bioluminescence has never been characterized continuously over several years. Lack of such long-term studies leaves unanswered important questions regarding the role of bioluminescence in successional phenomena

In response to increased evidence of ecosystem damage by toxic antifouling paints, many researchers have developed nontoxic silicone fouling release coatings. The fouling release capability of these Systems may be improved by adding nonbonding silicone oils to the coating matrix. This idea has been tested by comparing the adhesion strength of hard- and soft-fouling organisms on a cured polydimethylsilicone (PDMS) network to that of the same network containing free polydi-methyldiphenylsilicone (PDMDPS) oil at five exposure sites in North America and Hawaii. Fouling coverage is discussed, together with the bioadhesion data, to emphasize that although these coatings foul the fouling is easily removed. The partitioning of the incorporated oil upon exposure of the coatings to a simulated marine environment containing sediment was determined. Less than 1.1 wt% of the incorporated oil was lost from the coating over one year, and the toxicity of these coatings was shown to be minimal to shrimp and fish. Brush abrasion wear was greater for coatings containing free oil, but the modulus of elasticity was not appreciably decreased by the addition of 10wt% free oil.

Oceanic and coastal bioluminescence in surface waters, in many instances, is produced by microscopic dinoflagellates. Their light emission is usually observed at a maximum during the night hours and markedly inhibited during the day. This diel periodicity has never been observed in situ for identified species and never before in heterotrophic Protoperidinium dinoflagellates. Pronounced differences in stimulable bioluminescence measured with bathyphotometers in Vestfjord, Norway in September 1990 correlated with simultaneous ship-board laboratory experiments. Cells of both the photosynthetic Ceratium fusus and heterotrophic Protoperidinium curtipes showed a pronounced inhibition of bioluminescence during the day and maximum bioluminescence at night.

Phytoplankton bioassays have been used as biological tools in assessing environmental impact from contaminants. Series of experiments were designed to measure the acute and sublethal effects of heavy metals (tributyltin, copper, and zinc) and storm drain effluent on the light output from marine bioluminescent dinoflagellates (Pyrocystis lunula in earlier experiments and Gonyaulax polyedra in later experiments). Cultured cells were exposed to various concentrations of a metal or storm drain effluent from hours up to 11 days. Measurable differences in light output have been observed in as little as 3 h when compared to control cells.... CIVAPP: Environmental programs, CIVAPP: Marine biology, CIVAPP: Analytical chemistry.

Temporal and spatial measurements of the toxicity (EC50), chemical speciation, and complexation capacity (Cu-CC) of copper in waters from San Diego Bay suggest control of the Cu-CC over copper bioavailability. While spatial distributions of total copper (CuT) indicate an increase in concentration from the mouth toward the head of San Diego Bay, the distribution of aqueous free copper ion (Cu(II)aq) shows the opposite trend. This suggests that the bioavailability of copper to organisms decreases toward the head of the bay, and is corroborated by the increase in the amount of copper needed to reach an EC50, observed for larval stages of three marine invertebrates (Mediterranean mussel, Mytilus galloprovincialis, sand dollar, Dendraster excentricus, and purple sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus), and by the increase in Cu-CC heading into the head of the bay. The amount of Cu(II)aq required to produce a 50% reduction in normal larval development (referred to here as pCuTox,) of the mussel, the most sensitive of the three marine invertebrates, was generally at or above approximately 1 x 10(-11) mol L(-1) equivalents of Cu (i.e., pCuTox approximately 11 = -(log [Cu(II)aq])). These results suggest that the copper complexation capacity in San Diego Bay controls copper toxicity by keeping the concentration of Cu(II)aq at nontoxic levels.

Very little is known about the seasonality and sources of planktonic bioluminescence in coastal waters along most continents as are the underlying environmental conditions basic to understanding and prediction. There is little doubt that to adequately understand and predict planktonic bioluminescence in any ocean, measurements must be conducted on a continual basis to account for the interannual variability. The long term goal of this project was to understand the interannual dynamics of coastal and open ocean bioluminescence with particular reference to the seasonality of planktonic bioluminescence.

A bioluminescence chemical oceanography research cruise ( Varifront III ) through the Sea of Cortez from November through December 1981 provided an opportunity to investigate plankton associated with a brilliant and extensive display of surface water bioluminescence at the north end of Ballenas Channel. New observations of bioluminescence were made on larval stages of the euphausiid Nyctiphanes simplex Hansen (Calyptopis II, Furcilia I, II, and III, and juveniles) and Euphausia eximia Hansen (Calyptopis I), the Calanoida copepods Centropages furcatus Dana, Paracalanus indiens Wolfenden, Acrocalanus longicornis Giesbrecht, the Cyclopoida copepods Corycaeus (Corycaeus) speciousus Dana, Corycaeus (Onychocorycaeus) latus Dana, and several dinoflagellates Ceratium breve Ostenfeld and Schmidt, Ceratium horridum Gran, and Ceratium gibberum Gourret. These observations indicate the increasing importance of some of the smaller copepods and larval euphausiids contributing to surface bioluminescence.

Surface bioluminescence, temperature, and chlorophyll fluorescence data for a North Atlantic transect (Copenhagen, Denmark to Wilmington, NC) were analysed statistically. Bioluminescence standard deviations were highly correlated with mean levels ( r = 0.93, P « 0.01 ); the standard deviation to mean ratio was approximately 0.5. The gamma probability distribution function (pd) with k = 4, which has a standard deviation to mean ratio of 0.5, gave a reasonable fit to the bioluminescence pd's. Spectral analysis of bioluminescence data showed ocean structure (fronts, eddies, upwelling, etc.) in nearshore and North Atlantic Current waters at spatial scales >2−3 km. Structure generally was not observed at scales r = 0.67, P r = 0.76, P r = 0.98 for region averages) and with this ratio cubed ( r = 0.78, P

The Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea have been observed to exhibit surface bioluminescent displays unparalleled in intensity and spatial extent. In July 1985, we conducted bioluminescence measurements in the surface waters of the western Arabian Sea during the period of the southwest monsoon and to identify the causative plankton for these displays. While an intense stimulable bioluminescence signal was always present (range: 1 − 5 × 108 photons per second per cubic centimeter of turbulently flowing seawater, measured by an onboard underway photometer system), a unique type of bioluminescence display, known as “milky sea”, was observed on the ocean surface for 3 days. Luminous dinoflagellates, Zooplankton, and bacteria were isolated and tested in a shipboard laboratory photometer system for bioluminescent potential. Their light output values, together with abundance of luminous species present in collected plankton samples, indicated a stimulable bioluminescence field superimposed on a milky sea. The stimulable bioluminescence field was dominated by luminescent dinoflagellates, primarily Pyrocystis spp. and Protoperidinium spp. The Zooplankton contribution to the overall light budget was estimated at

[Nous signalons la premiere observation de bioluminescence chez les nauplii IV du copepode Metridia longa recueillis dans la mer de Norvege en 1983. Ces observations identifient une nouvelle source de luminescence produisant un pourcentage important de lumiere biolumiscente stimulee; cette source a ete observee en profondeur au moyen d'un systeme submersible bathyphotometrique. La bioluminescence a ete mesuree a partir de 7 nauplii testes, en laboratoire dans une chambre d'essais a plancton (LPTC). La duree d'eclairement variant de 0.16 a 2.08 secondes, l'emission lumineuse a donne une valeur moyenne de 2 x 10 9 photons par eclairement. Les nauplii presentent une emission lumineuse dont la valeur est similaire a celle observee chez les dinoflagellates luminescents Protoperidinium depressum., Nous signalons la premiere observation de bioluminescence chez les nauplii IV du copepode Metridia longa recueillis dans la mer de Norvege en 1983. Ces observations identifient une nouvelle source de luminescence produisant un pourcentage important de lumiere biolumiscente stimulee; cette source a ete observee en profondeur au moyen d'un systeme submersible bathyphotometrique. La bioluminescence a ete mesuree a partir de 7 nauplii testes, en laboratoire dans une chambre d'essais a plancton (LPTC). La duree d'eclairement variant de 0.16 a 2.08 secondes, l'emission lumineuse a donne une valeur moyenne de 2 x 10 9 photons par eclairement. Les nauplii presentent une emission lumineuse dont la valeur est similaire a celle observee chez les dinoflagellates luminescents Protoperidinium depressum.]

The Biological Environmental Arctic Project measured in situ bioluminescence and transmissionmetry to establish correlate for a predictive model of bioluminescence in near-surface arctic waters. Data were collected during Arctic West Summer 1986 from USCG POLAR STAR (WAGB 10). Included are many tables and charts. Keywords: BathyPhotometry; Plankton.

The Naval Ocean Systems Center And The Naval Oceanographic Office Have Been Making Measurements Of Bioluminescence In Conjunction With Other Oceanographic Parameters In Surface Waters (Upper 200 Meters) And To Depths Of 3650 Meters Using Submersible Vehicles. Biological Samples And Laboratory Measurements Of Individual Organisms' Flash Signatures Are Also Obtained. Pumped/ Closed (Closed In This Text Signifies Light Baffeled) Detectors Are Routinely Used For Surface And Depth Measurements Of Bioluminescence. An Open (Open Signifies Viewing Directly Out Into The Seawater) System Is Used In Conjunction With A Pumped Detector For Deep Dives. A Brief Overview Of The Instrumentation, Some Examples Of Data Obtained, And Conclusions Based On Measurements Are Presented.© (1984) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.