University of North Carolina at Wilmington

About: University of North Carolina at Wilmington is a education organization based out in Wilmington, North Carolina, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Poison control. The organization has 3329 authors who have published 6797 publications receiving 186308 citations.

Effects of variations in carbonate chemistry on the calcification rates of Madracis auretenra (= Madracis mirabilis sensu Wells, 1973): bicarbonate concentrations best predict calcification rates

Abstract: Physiological data and models of coral calcification indicate that corals utilize a combination of seawater bicarbonate and (mainly) respiratory CO2 for calcification, not seawater carbonate. However, a number of investigators are attributing observed negative effects of experimental seawater acidification by CO2 or hydrochloric acid additions to a reduction in seawater carbonate ion concentration and thus aragonite saturation state. Thus, there is a discrepancy between the physiological and geochemical views of coral biomineralization. Furthermore, not all calcifying organisms respond negatively to decreased pH or saturation state. Together, these discrepancies suggest that other physiological mechanisms, such as a direct effect of reduced pH on calcium or bicarbonate ion transport and/or variable ability to regulate internal pH, are responsible for the variability in reported experimental effects of acidification on calcification. To distinguish the effects of pH, carbonate concentration and bicarbonate concentration on coral calcification, incubations were performed with the coral Madracis auretenra (= Madracis mirabilis sensu Wells, 1973) in modified seawater chemistries. Carbonate parameters were manipulated to isolate the effects of each parameter more effectively than in previous studies, with a total of six different chemistries. Among treatment differences were highly significant. The corals responded strongly to variation in bicarbonate concentration, but not consistently to carbonate concentration, aragonite saturation state or pH. Corals calcified at normal or elevated rates under low pH (7.6‐7.8) when the seawater bicarbonate concentrations were above 1800lM. Conversely, corals incubated at normal pH had low calcification rates if the bicarbonate concentration was lowered. These results demonstrate that coral responses to ocean acidification are more diverse than currently thought, and question the reliability of using carbonate concentration or aragonite saturation state as the sole predictor of the effects of ocean acidification on coral calcification.

The Effect of Instructor-created Video Programs to Teach Students with Disabilities: A Literature Review

Abstract: This paper summarizes the results of a review of the empirical literature (1999–2003) focusing on the use of instructor-created video recording incorporating personalized video to teach individuals...

Mother-child conversations about gender : understanding the acquisition of essentialist beliefs

Abstract: This monograph provides the first in-depth look at how mothers and young children talk about gender, to discover the potential role of language in fostering gender stereotypes. Mothers and their sons/daughters, who were 2- ,4- , or 6- years of age, were videotaped discussing a picture book that focused on gender. A consistent contrast was found between mothers' explicit endorsement of gender stereotypes and implicit emphasis on gender. Although mothers rarely expressed gender stereotypes directly, they emphasized gender concepts indirectly, by referring to gender categories, providing gender labels, contrasting males and females, and giving approval to their children's stereotyped statements. With increasing age, children were more focused on gender categories and stereotypes, but also more gender-egalitarian. Gender-egalitarian items (e.g., a female fire-fighter) were associated with less overt stereotyping, but also with more implicit talk about gender. Altogether, mothers' language input conveys a wealth of subtle messages about gender from which children may construct their own beliefs.

A competitive ELISA to detect brevetoxins from Karenia brevis (formerly Gymnodinium breve) in seawater, shellfish, and mammalian body fluid

Abstract: We developed a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to analyze brevetoxins, using goat anti-brevetoxin antibodies obtained after immunization with keyhole limpet hemocyanin-brevetoxin conjugates, in combination with a three-step signal amplification process. The procedure, which used secondary biotinylated antibodies, streptavidine-horseradish peroxidase conjugate, and chromogenic enzyme substrate, was useful in reducing nonspecific background signals commonly observed with complex matrices. This competitive ELISA detected brevetoxins in seawater, shellfish extract and homogenate, and mammalian body fluid such as urine and serum without pretreatment, dilution, or purification. We investigated the application of this technique for shellfish monitoring by spiking shellfish meat with brevetoxins and by analyzing oysters from two commercial shellfish beds in Florida that were exposed to a bloom of Karenia brevis (formerly Gymnodinium breve). We performed brevetoxin analysis of shellfish extracts and homogenates by ELISA and compared it with the mouse bioassay and receptor binding assay. The detection limit for brevetoxins in spiked oysters was 2.5 microg/100 g shellfish meat. This assay appears to be a useful tool for neurotoxic shellfish poisoning monitoring in shellfish and seawater, and for mammalian exposure diagnostics, and significantly reduces the time required for analyses.