Lake Champlain Sea Grant

PURPOSE: The aim of the current study is to compare clear cell ovarian carcinoma (CCOC) and papillary serous ovarian carcinoma (PSOC) with respect to their clinical features and expression of different regulators of cell cycle, apoptosis, and chemoresistance. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Women with stage III CCOC (n = 9) and those with stage III, poorly differentiated PSOC (n = 21) seen between 1996 and 2000 and treated with cytoreductive surgery followed by paclitaxel and platinum chemotherapy were compared in their demographic features, tumor marker profile, surgical substage, results of cytoreductive surgery, thromboembolic complications, response to chemotherapy, and tumor recurrence. Tumor samples were compared in their expression of p53, Bcl(2), Bcl(x), Bax, p21, p-glycoprotein (PGP), multi-drug resistance-associated protein (MRP), lung resistance protein (LRP), and glutathione S-transferase (GST) using immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Women with CCOC had significantly lower mean preoperative CA-125 values, lower surgical substage, less expression of p53, and more expression of p21 than women with PSOC (P = 0.037, 0.012, 0.008, and 0.009, respectively). Women with CCOC had less ascites, smaller amount of residual tumor, higher incidence of thromboembolism, chemoresistance, more expression of Bcl(2), and less expression of PGP than women with PSOC (P = 0.067, 0.078, 0.108, 0.114, 0.091, and 0.118, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Women with CCOC exhibit certain clinical and molecular differences compared to stage- and grade-matched women with PSOC. Women with CCOC have a smaller tumor volume and manifest different expressions of p53, p21, and Bcl(2) than women with PSOC. Although further studies with larger number of patients are needed, our findings indicate that chemoresistance in CCOC is probably not p53-dependent.

Endometriosis (the presence of endometrial glands and stroma outside of the uterine cavity) is a common gynecologic problem affecting 10% of women in the general population, 40% of women with infertility and 60% of women with chronic pelvic pain. Laparoscopy has revolutionized management of women with endometriosis. Diagnosis of endometriosis depends on visualization of endometriotic lesions and histologic confirmation. Endometriotic implants have a multitude of appearances: powder burns, red, blue-black, yellow, white, clear vesicular and peritoneal windows. Diagnostic laparoscopy is often combined with operative procedures to treat manifestations and symptoms of endometriosis. This often includes removal or laser vaporization of endometriotic implants, lysis of adhesions, restoration of normal anatomy and removal or fulguration of ovarian endometriomas (conservative surgery). Severe incapacitating endometriosis, recurrent endometriosis following conservative surgery and symptomatic endometriosis in women not desiring more children is often treated by laparoscopic unilateral or bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy or laparoscopically-assisted vaginal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (radical surgery). Endometriosis affecting the appendix, ureters, bladder wall and rectosigmoid colon could be treated with laparoscopic appendectomy, excision of endometriotic implants or laparoscopic colectomy and anastomosis, respectively. Hydrodis-section and use of CO2 super pulsed laser aid in removal of adherent endometriotic implants without damage to normal underlying structures. Robotic-assisted laparoscopic surgery promises to provide advantages in the management of women with severe endometriosis secondary to 3-dimensional visualization, decreasing surgeon's fatigue and hand tremors and improving surgical precision.

Several structures can be used to estimate ages of Micropterus salmoides (Largemouth Bass) and Micropterus dolomieu (Smallmouth Bass). Otoliths are often employed for these black bass age determinations, but processing otoliths can be time consuming and requires an investment in training and equipment. Scales and dorsal spines can also be analyzed to measure age, but precision and accuracy problems have been documented. Use of opercles to estimate age in Largmouth and Smallmouth Bass has not been previously examined. Utilization of both otoliths and opercles requires sacrificing the fish, but opercles are easier to remove and process than otoliths. In our study, four readers estimated the ages of the fish using each of the four structures. Opercles had the lowest coefficient of variation (CV) for both species (Largemouth Bass = 6.31, Smallmouth Bass = 5.23), but underestimated the ages of Largemouth Bass older than nine and Smallmouth Bass older than six, relative to otoliths. Opercles proved easier to prepare and read, and the results showed lower age-bias, higher precision, higher among-reader agreement, and less reader bias than scales and dorsal spines.

In previous studies of laparoscopic surgery for women with ovarian cysts, most patients had small cysts. The present prospective study evaluated the laparoscopic approach in 33 consecutive women operated on during a 7-year period for ovarian cysts having a maximum diameter of 10 cm or more. All had laboratory and radiological features suggesting benign disease. Participants ranged in age from 17 to 73 years, averaging 45 years. The mean body mass index was 30, with a range of 21 to 42. Prospective patients whose maximum cyst diameter exceeded 30 cm were excluded from the study. Laparoscopic surgery proved effective in all but 2 instances, for a success rate of 94%. Two patients with adhesions were converted to laparotomy. No surgical or postoperative complications were recorded. Operating time averaged 82 minutes, and estimated blood loss, 89 mL. The hospital stay averaged just under 1 day; more than two-thirds of patients were discharged on the day of surgery. The procedures most frequently performed were unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (SO) and laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy with bilateral SO. Cysts were extracted by aspiration through the vagina in 11 cases, by a lower quadrant incision in 5, and via an umbilical incision in 15. The most common pathologic finding was serous cystadenoma, followed by mucinous cystadenoma, dermoid, endometriosis, benign epithelial-lined cyst, and—in 2 cases—borderline ovarian tumor. All 4 women who were pregnant at the time of laparoscopic surgery, from 14 to 18 estimated weeks of gestational age, had a good outcome. These findings support accumulating evidence that laparoscopic surgery is an effective and safe procedure for removing large benign ovarian cysts.

Ovarian cancer continues to be the leading cause of death secondary to gynecologic cancers among women in the western world. Current treatment of ovarian cancer entails a combination of surgery and chemotherapy. Currently, 1st-line chemotherapy consists of a combination of carboplatin and paclitaxel to which approximately 80% of women respond. Women who do not respond to chemotherapy or have a recurrence within 6 months of treatment have dismal prognoses. Women who respond to chemotherapy usually stay in remission for 1-3 years and then have tumor recurrence. Women with recurrent ovarian cancer can be treated with secondary cytoreduction followed by chemotherapy or by chemotherapy alone. Women with recurrent ovarian cancer usually succumb to their disease despite occasional good response to chemotherapy. Despite the fact that new chemotherapeutic drugs have been found effective among women with ovarian cancer, the prognosis of women with the disease continues to be poor. Advances in survival will depend on development of more accurate screening techniques and the development of new paradigms in treatment.

Abstract Lake Champlain is consistently ranked as one of the top fisheries for black bass Micropterus spp. in the United States. Tournament fishing on the lake has become increasingly popular, with dozens of tournaments held annually since the early 2000s and at least 60 more planned for 2017. The largest of these tournaments launch from Plattsburgh, New York, and their frequency has generated concerns among fishery managers and the public over post-weigh-in mortality and stockpiling. However, relatively little is known about the disposition of tournament-caught black bass in large (>750 km2) lake systems. To address this information gap, we T-bar-tagged 1,141 Largemouth Bass M. salmoides and 1,160 Smallmouth Bass M. dolomieu collected from tournament anglers launching from Plattsburgh during 2011 and 2012. Additionally, 38 Largemouth Bass and 53 Smallmouth Bass caught during professional bass tournaments were implanted with radio tags prior to release. Angler-reported T-bar recaptures yielded a 9.8% recovery rate, with over half of the tag recoveries occurring within the first month postrelease, primarily within 5 km of their release. Radio-tagged fish were tracked for up to 383 d following release into Cumberland Bay, 1 km northeast of Plattsburgh. Overall, 43% of radio-tagged Largemouth Bass and 56% of radio-tagged Smallmouth Bass left the bay, although there was variation in dispersal patterns between years. One T-bar-tagged fish and no radio-tagged fish returned to their proximate capture locations. Despite the absence of fish returning to their original capture location, results from both T-bar tagging and radiotelemetry suggest that long-term (>1 month) stockpiling in Cumberland Bay is not an issue. However, short-term (<1 month) stockpiling, coupled with an abundance of publicly accessible fishing areas in Plattsburgh, may warrant concern for increased black bass mortality during the weeks after release. Received April 24, 2016; accepted February 8, 2017 Published online April 4, 2017

Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of death for all gynecologic malignancies in developed countries, largely owing to the late stage of diagnosis. Despite response to initial surgery and chemotherapy, more than 65% of patients will have recurrent or persistent diseases. Approximately 50% of patients with recurrent ovarian cancer are asymptomatic. Recurrences are often diagnosed using a combination of tests, including cancer antigen 125, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography scan. The most significant prognostic factor among women with recurrent ovarian cancer is the length of time from initial diagnosis to recurrence. Treatment of recurrent ovarian cancer involves chemotherapy, with or without surgery. In selected patients, secondary cytoreductive surgery might significantly improve survival. Radiotherapy may have a role in the treatment of a small group of patients with localized symptomatic masses. New treatment modalities for women with recurrent ovarian cancer are needed, as none of the available treatments are curative.

Abstract Lake Champlain is a treasured resource for recreation, tourism, and drinking water situated in New York, Vermont (U.S.), and Québec (Canada). Because its shores span two states and two countries, management strategies for the lake require strong cross‐boundary partnerships and cooperation. In recent decades, increased prevalence of harmful cyanobacteria blooms has impacted public health and recreation. A lake‐wide cyanobacteria monitoring program was established in 2001 with an emphasis on water sample collection and analysis to inform management strategies. In 2012, this program transitioned from laboratory‐based analyses at a limited number of locations to a visual assessment protocol validated by water samples. This transition opened the door to more effective and widespread monitoring, communication, and inclusion of a greater number of monitoring locations and stakeholders. Today, through a unique partnership of community scientist volunteers, public beach managers, nonprofit organizations, and state and federal agencies, a comprehensive network of trained cyanobacteria monitors generates timely data on water quality conditions to relay critical public health information. The majority of these reports are provided by trained community scientist volunteers, strengthening the geographic coverage of the program and the environmental literacy of lake users. This program now trains hundreds of community scientists, documents thousands of water quality condition reports annually, and communicates cyanobacteria conditions to the public via an online Cyanobacteria Tracker map. In this article, we describe the evolution of this successful program, discuss key findings from analysis of these volunteer‐collected data, and suggest how similar programs could be effectively developed in other regions.

BACKGROUND: Pelvic masses can arise from gynecologic, nongynecologic, intraperitoneal and retroperitoneal structures. A retroperitoneal lipoma presenting as an adnexal mass is exceedingly rare. CASE: A 27-year-old, healthy woman had pelvic discomfort and was found to have pelvic organ displacement to the left side and a right adnexal mass. Ultrasonography revealed an echogenic adnexal mass, and computed tomography suggested a lipoma. At laparotomy a large, right, retroperitoneal broad ligament lipoma was found and excised completely without difficulty. DISCUSSION: Gynecologists should be aware of the possibility of retroperitoneal broad ligament lipomatous tumors presenting as adnexal masses.

The popularity of catch and release tournaments targeting largemouth ( Micropterus salmoides ) and smallmouth ( M. dolomieu ) bass has continued to increase over the past few decades. In 2008, Lake Champlain hosted 95 tournaments, including several large-scale events hosted in Plattsburgh, NY. As in any catch-and-release fishery, released fish exhibit varying amounts and types of stress, potentially generating sub-lethal population-level impacts. Due to the large volume of fish that move through catch and release tournaments, blood chemistry analysis is generally outside of the temporal and financial constraints of tournament organizers. External indicators of stress can be used to determine stress levels in large numbers of fish. We adapted some of these indicators (e.g., wounding, response to stimuli) from research in marine and commercial fisheries to assess fish stress following weigh-in at Plattsburgh-based catch and release tournaments. Additionally, we collected data including fish measurements, lake temperature, fish capture locations, and information on tournament handling practices to determine which external factors influenced fish stress levels. Generalized linear models showed increased likelihood of elevated stress levels as a positive function of ambient lake temperature, fish size, and livewell transport distance. Comparison of results with existing research on bass stress are consistent with our models, indicating that external signs of stress can be used to evaluate black bass stress levels at catch-and-release tournaments.

Volunteer water monitoring programs generate new scientific knowledge, contribute data to decision-making processes, and increase social networks, technical knowledge, and skills of participants. Declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic threatened the ability of these programs to continue to engage volunteers to achieve such outcomes. A national water monitoring network hosted a brainstorming webinar to facilitate communication across programs to identify potential solutions to pandemic-influenced challenges. Following that webinar, a survey of United States and Canadian volunteer monitoring programs that was conducted about 3 months into the pandemic revealed that 72% of 80 responding programs planned to carry on through the 2020 field season despite most having experienced delayed starts. Other common program modifications implemented in the first months of the pandemic included adding COVID-19 safety information to program guidance, changing field team composition, monitoring timing and logistics, and adopting new communications strategies. Most programs reported loss or anticipated loss in number of data observations (74%) and volunteers (66%), while 44% reported known or anticipated losses in funding. Seventeen percent of responding programs were able to swiftly develop distance learning tools to train participants, which led to increased program capacity to reach broader audiences.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the true incidence of Müllerian and mesothelial lymph node involvement in serous and mucinous borderline ovarian tumors (BLOT) with serial sectioning and immunohistochemistry. STUDY DESIGN: Formalinfixed, paraffin-embedded lymph node blocks from patients with serous (N = 21) and mucinous (N = 5) BLOT who underwent lymphadenectomy between 1995 and 2002 were serially sectioned at 5 microm levels with 3 consecutive sections taken at surface, 125 microm and 475 microm. One slide from each level was stained with hematoxylin-eosin (H-E), cytokeratin (AE1-AE3, DAKO) and calretinin (DAKO). Lymph node involvement was defined as epithelioid cells recognized by H-E and confirmed by immunoreaction with keratin (Müllerian) and calretinin (mesothelial) or identified by immunohistochemistry alone. The results obtained by serial sectioning and immunohistochemistry were compared with those obtained by routine histologic examination at the time of the original surgery. RESULTS: A total of 240 lymph nodes (215 from patients with serous and 25 from patients with mucinous BLOT) were examined. Original pathologic examination identified lymph node involvement in 29/215 lymph nodes from 21 patients with serous BLOT. Twelve of the 21 patients with serous BLOT (57%) and none of the 5 patients with mucinous BLOT (0%) demonstrated Müllerian lymph node involvement. Serial sectioning and keratin immunostaining identified Müllerian involvement in 4 (1.6%) and 10 (4.2%) additional nodes not diagnosed in original sections, respectively. However, no additional node-positive patients were identified. Mesothelial involvement was identified in 2 patients (2/26, 7.6%). CONCLUSION: Patients with serous BLOT have a high incidence of Müllerian lymph node involvement. Distinction between Müllerian and mesothelial differentiation may require immunohistochemical study. Compared with routine histologic examination, serial sectioning and immunohistochemical examination yield a higher number of involved lymph nodes.

Objective: To assess the efficacy, side effects and progression-free interval of a modified regimen of the combination ofgemcitabine and cisplatin among women with recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer. Methods: Twenty-eight women with recurrent epithelial ovarian, primary peritoneal or fallopian tube cancers were treated withgemcitabine (500 mg/m 2 ) followed by cisplatin (50 mg/m 2 ) on days one and eight every three weeks. Patients’ demographics,response, side effects, and progression-free interval were recorded. Result: The median age of patients was 61 (range 44-74 years). Twenty-three (82.1%) patients had platinum-sensitive and five(17.9%) had platinum-resistant tumors. The median number of prior chemotherapy regimens was two (range 1-4) and ninepatients had > three prior regimens. The median number of cycles was six (range 2-10). Seventeen (60.7%) patients respondedto chemotherapy (11 complete and six partial), six had stable disease and five had progression. The response rate was 69.6%and 20% among women with platinum-sensitive and platinum-resistant tumors, respectively ( P = .024). The median (range)progression-free interval was six (2-12) and nine (4-12) months among all patients and patients who responded to chemotherapy,respectively. Four patients had dose reductions, four had delays and three had their chemotherapy terminated secondary to toxicityor patient desire. There were no chemotherapy-related mortality or hospital admissions. The incidence of grade 3-4 neutropenia,anemia, thrombocytopenia, and nausea or vomiting was 32.1%, 10.7%, 35.7%, and 10.7%, respectively. Conclusion: The combination gemcitabine and cisplatin is highly effective among women with recurrent ovarian cancerincluding those who are heavily pre-treated and is reasonably tolerated. Although, the combination is effective among womenwith plantinum-resistant tumors, these women have a lower response than women with platinum-sensitive tumors.