This means IRT can be used to reveal how informative a measure is at all levels of the latent trait ( Baker, 2001). Although IRT can be used to assess the internal validity of a measure, correlates are needed to examine the impact on external validity. IRT analysis has been conducted with adult samples and shows that when check details the best performing items are chosen, shortened versions of personality inventories often have similar predictive capabilities (Thalmayer, Saucier, & Eigenhuis, 2011). Indeed, Reise and Henson (2000) found that after IRT the NEO-PI-R could be

greatly reduced and for many scales only the best four items were needed to produce comparable facet results. Such psychometric research has however not been carried out with younger populations. As well as delineating internal construct validity MAPK inhibitor this study uses several measures to examine external criterion validity including educational performance, current friendships and general well-being. These measures cover the domains of adolescent competence which are important for the successful negotiation of developmental tasks (Masten et al., 1995). Each personality trait is hypothesised to correlate to varying degrees with the different facets of adolescent competence and therefore go some way towards highlighting a personality pattern associated with individual differences in

competent adolescent functioning. It is hypothesised that Extraversion and Conscientiousness will be positively and Neuroticism

negatively associated with well-being (Siegler & Brummett, 2000). Likewise, elevated levels of Conscientiousness and Openness will be associated with school performance (Chamorro-Premuzic and Furnham, 2003 and De Fruyt et al., 2008). Finally we will examine whether Extraversion and Agreeableness are associated with the quality of current friendship (Scholte et al., 1997 and Selfhout et al., 2010). This study applies IRT methodology to the NEO-FFI in order to investigate how it can be utilised to improve the validity of personality measurement in a late adolescent population. Furthermore, an examination of external validity will explore which personality traits are associated with adolescent competence as indexed by measures of current well-being, friendships and school examination performance. Montelukast Sodium Participants were 470 English adolescents (295 females, 175 males) who completed the NEO-FFI; mean age 18.7 years (age range: 17.7–20.2 years, SD = 0.55). The participants are part of the ongoing ROOTS study; a longitudinal study of 1204 participants aged 14 years at first recruitment and reassessed at 15.5 and 17.5 years (Goodyer, Croudace, Dunn, Herbert, & Jones, 2010). At 17.5 years data were gathered about academic achievement; additionally participants completed a friendship satisfaction questionnaire (Goodyer, Wright, & Altham, 1989) and the Warwick–Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS; Tennant, Fishwick, Platt, Joseph, & Stewart-Brown, 2006).

However, previous studies have found evidence for parallel processing of nociceptive stimuli in S1 and S2 (Liang et al., 2011; Ploner GDC-0449 molecular weight et al., 2009), so differences in latency of S1 and S2 coding seem unlikely. Finally, Porro et al.’s location judgements differed from ours in two respects. They used a restricted portion of the hand dorsum between the thumb and index that was not stimulated in our study. Their participants named which of four locations was stimulated, while our participants judged only the proximal/distal dimension of any of 16 stimuli. These differences in stimulation may account for the different results. Additional studies are required to investigate whether S1 and S2 are differentially

involved in different types of location judgement and to compare the effects of single-pulse TMS to S1 and S2 applied at various latencies after nociceptive stimulation. Nevertheless, our study also has limitations. First, the effect observed is relatively small, amounting to a 6.25% decrease in accuracy of intensity judgements following S2 stimulation, relative to vertex control. Pain intensity is notoriously variable, even when nociceptive input remains constant (e.g., Iannetti et al., 2005). Thus, while our results suggest that S2 is involved in the precision or discriminative coding of pain

intensity, the clinical importance of this effect remains to be determined. Moreover, clinical interventions generally aim at reducing pain levels, rather than reducing sensitivity to pain. In particular, the absence of any TMS-induced bias in perceived pain level PCI-32765 supplier in our data suggests caution about any possible S2 interventions to reduce chronic pain. However, our result does help to answer a classic question in the basic science underlying pain. The question regarding whether parts of the ‘pain matrix’ produce nociceptive sensations and, if so, which ones, has long been controversial. Intracranial microstimulation studies previously suggested that only the insula and opercular regions were involved in the feeling of pain, because these Dichloromethane dehalogenase are the only areas which sometimes can evoke pain sensations when stimulated (Ostrowsky et al.,

2002). Our results provide direct and causal evidence that S2 is also involved in coding pain intensity. Second, invasive recording and fMRI studies in humans show nociceptive-related activity both on the S2 surface (e.g., Mazzola et al., 2012), and more deeply in the parietal operculum and insula (e.g., Frot et al., 2007). Given the depth and spatial specificity of TMS effects (Jalinous, 1991) presumably our S2 stimulation mainly affected the superficial area of S2. Our results cannot therefore clarify whether deeper parts of S2, and surrounding operculo-inusular regions also contribute to pain perception. This comment of course applies to other TMS studies of S2, which used similar localisation methods to ours (Bolognini et al., 2011; Kanda et al., 2003).

[26], which were identified by sequencing and advanced bioinformatics analysis of small fragment RNAs. These miRNAs were used to design the miRNA array based on Agilent miRNA chip technology. Total RNA was extracted using mirVanamiRNA Isolation Kit (Applied Biosystems/Ambion, Austin, TX, United States), and RNA concentrations were determined with a NanoDrop ND-1000 spectrophotometer (NanoDrop Technologies, Wilmington, DE, United States). Following this, a total of 120 ng of total check details RNA was fluorescently labeled with Cyanine 3-pCp, and hybridized onto the arrays for 18–20 h at 55 °C. Slides were scanned by an Agilent microarray scanner G2565BA and

the images obtained were processed with Feature Extraction Software 9.5.3.1 (also from Agilent). Intensity values were processed using Cluster

3.0 software whereby data were normalized, log transformed, and median centered [27]. Only normalized miRNAs with less than 20% missing values across the samples were included in the subsequent analyses. Content of Threonine, Lysine, Serine and Phenylalanine was quantified by HPLC (Waters Selleck Dolutegravir 2695, Waters Alliance). Briefly, 1.0 g dry leaf powder was placed in 50 mL Erlenmeyer flask after sifting with a 40 mm mesh sieve. Totals of 200 μL of 0.1 mg mL− 1 internal standard solution and 50 mL of ultrapure water were added, and then ultrasonic vibration was conducted for 60 min at room temperature. The resulting suspension was filtered through a 0.45 μm membrane filter. Subsequently, 50 μL of C-X-C chemokine receptor type 7 (CXCR-7) the filtrate was added to a hydrolysis tube, where it was combined with 70 μL AccQ-1 derivatization buffer solution. A shock treatment of 10 s of vigorous stirring using a vortex followed while 20 μL AccQ-2A amino acid derivatization reagent was added. An additional 10 s of shaking was needed after the first vortexing was finished. The extract was then placed in an oven for the full derivatization reaction at 55 °C for 10 min. The solution was then used for HPLC analysis. Total sugar and fructose content

was quantified spectrophotometrically with a Dionex ICS-2000 + ED40. The fresh sample was ground in liquid nitrogen. An aliquot of 0.5 g of ground powder for each sample was then placed into 100-mL volumetric flasks each with 70 mL of deionized water added. Extraction by ultrasound was used for 1 h. The volume was set to the 100-mL mark and separated for 15 min under centrifugation at 9000 r min− 1. The supernatant was filtered using a membrane of 0.45 μm pore size (Tianjin Jinteng Experiment Equipment Co., Tianjin, China) to remove impurities, and then passed over a RP pre-treatment column to remove pigments and macromolecules. Finally 0.20 mL of the filtered liquid was taken, diluted to 10.0 mL, and passed through a second membrane of 0.22 μm pore size (Tianjin Jinteng Experiment Equipment Co., Tianjin, China), which the resulting effluent was analyzed. Peak area was quantified by software accompanied with the equipment.

Further work on spatial typologies is currently being conducted within the European Observation Network for Territorial Development and Cohesion (ESPON) which has recently funded projects compiling spatial typologies [13] and a project exploring European Seas Development

Opportunities and Risks (ESaTDOR) which includes the development of a maritime region typology [14]. This paper reports on the findings of a pilot study that was undertaken to test the development of a data informed spatial typology for the Baltic Sea. The Baltic Sea is a comparatively shallow sea with nine adjoining countries and intense anthropogenic activities. The area benefits from a large assortment of data on anthropogenic activities and environmental click here conditions. The aim of

the study was to assess the applicability and value of such a spatial typology for MSP. The paper starts with a short pen picture of the study site covering its environmental, social and economic characteristics and the current status of MSP related activities in the region. This is then followed by an explanation of the methodology used in the typology development and an account of the study findings. The paper concludes with a discussion of key issues raised by the exercise and the implications for future typology learn more development to promote more sophisticated and place sensitive approaches to MSP. The Baltic Sea is a semi-enclosed sea covering an area of approximately

387,000 km2[15]. Connections to other seas Interleukin-2 receptor exist via the Danish Straits and Kiel Canal only. Limited inflows of saline water together with strong riverine freshwater inflows result in one of the world’s largest brackish water bodies. Salinity gradients from west to east and from south to north (e.g. surface salinities of 20 PSU in the Kattegat and 1–2 PSU in the northern Bothnian Bay) have led to a unique mix of marine and freshwater species, as well as to a few true brackish water species. At the same time the limited exchange of water results in water retention times of up to 30 years—along with the organic and inorganic matter it contains [16]. The Baltic Sea, which is home to more than 85 million people in its catchment area, is due to its geographical, climatological, and oceanographic characteristics highly sensitive to environmental impacts of human activities. This sea is comparatively small with only very few areas having a distance of more than 50 nm to the nearest coastline which facilitates a high density of anthropogenic activities. Entering or leaving the Baltic Sea 93,057 ships passed the two entrances Skaw and Kiel Canal in 2009 [17] and [18]. Estimations assume that more than 1.6 million leisure boats of all sizes are used [17].

Plasticizing agents commonly used for thermoplastic starch production include water and glycerol (Alves et al., 2007, Famá et al., 2006,

Famá et al., 2007, Jangehud and Chinnan, 1999, Mali et al., 2006 and Parra et al., 2004), polyethylene glycol (Parra et al., 2004) and other polyols, such as sorbitol, mannitol and sugars (Kechichian et al., 2010, Talja et al., 2008 and Veiga-Santos et al., 2008). Some authors consider that the glycerol, a polyalcohol found naturally in a combined form as glycerides in animal and vegetable this website fats and oils, is the best plasticizer for water soluble polymers (Bertuzzi et al., 2007, Jangehud and Chinnan, 1999 and Müller et al., 2008). The hydroxyl groups present in glycerol are responsible for inter and intramolecular find more interactions (hydrogen bonds) in polymeric chains, providing films with a more flexible structure and adjusting them to the packaging production process (Souza et al., 2010). Sucrose, which is a non-toxic, edible and low cost biodegradable raw material, has shown a higher plasticizing efficiency when compared

to sorbitol and glycerol. However, evidence of sucrose crystallization during storage was reported. Some authors have demonstrated the possibility of substituting sucrose by inverted sugar that has a lower tendency to crystallize, increasing film-forming suspension viscosity, making it more difficult for crystals to form (Veiga-Santos et al., 2008). In this way, the association of cassava starch with plasticizers as glycerol, sucrose, and inverted sugar can promote alterations in the films, justifying the study of these additives

to develop a potential and ecological alternative to the synthetic packaging of several food products (Parra et al., 2004). To overcome high permeability caused by the plasticizer, other additives are used. In this area, the production of bionanocomposites has proven to be a promising option, since polymer composites are increasingly gaining importance as substitute check details materials due to their superior tensile properties, making them especially suited for transportation and packaging applications. Mineral clays are technologically important and are mainly composed of hydrated aluminosilicate with neutral or negative charged layers (Wilhelm et al., 2003). Clay is a potential filler; itself a naturally abundant mineral that is toxin-free and can be used as one of the components for food, medical, cosmetic and healthcare products (Chen & Evans, 2005). Moreover, clay is environmentally friendly and inexpensive. Clay/starch composites have been the most frequently studied, demonstrating a potential for improvement of tensile strength, Young’s modulus, water resistance and decrease of the water vapor permeability of starches from many different sources (Avella et al., 2005, Chiou et al., 2007, Cyras et al., 2008, Kampeerapappun et al., 2007, McGlashan and Halley, 2003 and Tang et al., 2008).

0 mmol/L). After 24 weeks, 7-point SMPG (mmol/L) reported in the BIAsp BID + Sit arm was significantly lower versus the BIAsp QD + Sit arm 90 min after breakfast (difference: −1.07

[95% CI −1.65; −0.50]), before lunch (difference: −1.12 [95% CI −1.56; −0.67]), 90 min after lunch (difference: −1.29 [95% CI −1.81; −0.78]) and before dinner (difference: −1.25 [95% CI −1.74; −0.76]). A similar trend was observed for the comparison between BIAsp BID and BIAsp QD + Sit, but the BID groups were not significantly different to each other ( Fig. 3). The proportion of HbA1c responders check details (<7.0%) was 59.8% with BIAsp BID + Sit, 46.5% with BIAsp QD + Sit and 49.7% with BIAsp BID. The odds of reaching HbA1c <7.0% with BIAsp BID + Sit were significantly higher versus BIAsp BID (BIAsp BID vs. BIASp BID + Sit odds ratio [OR] 0.60 [95% CI 0.39; 0.93], P = 0.022) and vs. BIAsp QD + Sit (OR 1.85 [95% CI 1.20; 2.85], P = 0.005);

however, as observed with the primary endpoint, the BIAsp QD + Sit group was not significantly different versus the BIAsp BID group. The proportion of responders achieving HbA1c <7.0% without hypoglycaemia was 41.5% with BIAsp BID + Sit, 39.2% with BIAsp QD + Sit and 27.9% with BIAsp BID. The odds for reaching target without hypoglycaemia were significantly higher with BIAsp BID + Sit versus BIAsp BID (BIASp BID vs. BIAsp BID + Sit OR 0.48 [95% CI 0.30; 0.76], P = 0.002), but were not significantly different versus BIAsp QD + Sit (OR 1.13 [95% this website CI 0.73; 1.75], P = 0.595).

In contrast to the trend observed with the primary endpoint, the odds for reaching target without hypoglycaemia with BIAsp QD + Sit were significantly higher versus BIAsp BID (BIASp BID vs. BIASp QD + Sit OR 0.54 [95% CI 0.34; 0.86], P = 0.009) by the end of the study. Overall confirmed Rho hypoglycaemia rates were 1.17, 1.50 and 2.24 episodes/patient-year in the BIAsp QD + Sit, BIAsp BID + Sit and BIAsp BID groups, respectively (Table 2). The rate of confirmed hypoglycaemic episodes was significantly lower in the BIAsp QD + Sit group versus the BIAsp BID group (BIAsp BID vs. BIAsp QD + Sit rate ratio 1.84 [95% CI 1.12; 3.01], P = 0.015), but there was no significant difference versus the BIAsp BID + Sit group or between the two BID groups. Too few severe hypoglycaemia episodes were reported for statistical analysis. No significant differences in nocturnal hypoglycaemia were reported. The proportion of patients who experienced treatment-emergent AEs was similar across groups: 44.6% with BIAsp BID + Sit, 47.4% with BIAsp QD + Sit and 50.0% with BIAsp BID, with corresponding event rates of 209.9, 281.2 and 262.2 events/100 subject exposure-years, respectively. AEs reported in ≥5% of the study population included nasopharyngitis (4.2–5.7%), influenza (2.6–5.7%), headache (3.6–5.7%) and diarrhoea (0.5–5.3%).

Holth et al. (2010) exposed Atlantic cod for 11 months to artificial PW containing APs, PAHs and phenol at PD0332991 solubility dmso high (PAH 5.4 μg L−1; AP

11.4 μg L−1) and low (PAH 0.54 μg L−1; AP 1.14 μg L−1) concentrations. Exposure was continuous as well as 2 weeks pulsed mode for the high concentration. A range of toxicologically relevant genes were differentially expressed following exposure, including AhR-responsive genes (CYP1A, UDP-GT) and genes relevant to immune function (complement C3, MHC 1, CYP27B), apoptosis (PERP), and oxidative stress (hepcidin, serotransferrin, glutathione peroxidase). Estimated spawning time was significantly delayed in the exposed females, but not in relation to dose. Gross health parameters (condition factor, liver somatic index, gonadosomatic index, and hematocrit), frequency of micronucleated erythrocytes, oxidative stress in whole blood, and survival were not affected. Holth et al. (2011) reported reduced LMS of head kidney cells after two weeks at the highest concentration. The LMS reduction was dose related over the whole 11 months period and did not adapt to the exposures.

No differences in peroxisomal GW3965 order proliferation, measured as acyl-CoA oxidase activity in head kidney, were detected between treatments, although gender differences and change over time were observed in acyl-CoA oxidase activity. In conclusion, LMS in head kidney cells appeared to be a sensitive biomarker for exposure of Atlantic cod to oil related compounds. Induction of the cytochrome P-450 detoxification enzyme system after exposure to oil and other organic contaminants has been amply documented. Elevated hepatic CYP1A activity was found in Atlantic cod caged for 6 weeks about 200 m from MRIP the PW

outfall at the Ekofisk oil field both in 2008 (Sundt et al., 2008) and 2009 (Brooks et al., 2009). Hasselberg et al. (2004) showed that force feeding of Atlantic cod for 4 weeks with a paste containing 0.02–80 ppm of a mixture of four different APs induced a slight dose-dependent increase of hepatic CYP1A activity in females, but not in males. The increase was not reflected in the CYP1A-mediated EROD (ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase) activity, implying that APs inhibited the CYP1A enzyme activity in vivo. In vitro studies with pooled liver microsomes from Atlantic cod confirmed the inhibition, and that the APs also inhibited CYP3A enzyme activity in vitro, but to a lesser extent. Such inhibition complicates the interpretation of cytochrome P-450 detoxification enzyme responses in the monitoring of PW discharges. Increase in hepatic CYP1A activity was also seen by Meier et al. (2010) exposing early juvenile Atlantic cod (3–6 months of age) to 1% PW for 3 months. Sundt et al. (2011) exposed Atlantic cod to PW in laboratory and field experiments and found CYP1A induction after exposure to 0.

Fibreplug™: the fibreplug (CryoLogic Ltd, Melbourne, Australia) holding a 5 μl droplet was plunged directly into liquid nitrogen, held for 1 min, and the

warming procedure was performed as detailed for the vitrification block. The transparent glassy appearance during cooling and warming was used to identify vitrified solution, and a milky appearance was used to identify crystallization or devitrification. Six replicates were used for each see more cryoprotectant concentration for each vitrification device tested, and the experiments were repeated three times. Twenty-four vitrification solutions (VS) containing combinations of cryoprotectants at different concentrations were prepared in 90% L-15 medium for testing. Vitrifying ability of the single cryoprotectant solutions was taken into account when choosing the combinations to formulate the vitrification solutions Sunitinib in vitro (Table 2). Methanol was used at 1.5 M based on our previous studies which showed no negative effect on zebrafish ovarian follicles viability after 30 min incubation [unpublished results]. Furthermore, sucrose and glucose were added as non-permeating CPAs in order to increase

the solution’s viscosity and therefore, aiding vitrification. The transparent glassy appearance during cooling and warming was also used to identify vitrified solutions. Six replicates were used for each VS tested for each vitrification device, and the experiments were repeated three times. Following isolation, ovarian tissue fragments (3 × 2 × 1 mm) containing approximately 15 stage III follicles were randomly distributed in 6-well plates (3 fragments in each well). First, follicles were exposed to L-15 click here medium containing 1.5 M methanol for 30 min at room temperature. Subsequently, follicles were exposed to vitrification solutions for 3 min in a stepwise manner: 1.5 min at 50% of the final VS concentration + 1.5 min at 100% VS concentration. Afterwards the CPAs were gradually removed in 3 steps (2 min for each step), and ovarian follicles were washed three times in L-15 medium. Control ovarian follicles

were kept in L-15 medium for 30 min at room temperature. In order to test the ovarian follicles viability after exposure to VS, trypan blue (TB) staining was used to assess membrane integrity (see details in Section 2.6.1). For each vitrification solution three replicates were used and toxicity tests were repeated three times. For vitrification, ovarian tissue fragments were exposed to vitrification solutions as described above (Section 2.4). Following incubation in vitrification solutions, ovarian follicles were vitrified using either plastic straws or fibreplug as described below: Plastic straw: follicles were aspirated in 0.25 ml plastic straws by suction with a 5 ml syringe. The loaded straws were plunged directly into liquid nitrogen, and stored in liquid nitrogen for 20 min. Warming was performed by plunging the straws into a water bath at 28 °C.

, 2000). Since 1969, there has been clear inter-annual variability in deep-water formation in the Gulf of Lion (Mertens and Schott, 1997), which is the main deep water formation area in the WMB (Bethoux et al., 2002). Of the few other deep-water formation areas in the WMB, the main ones are in the Balearic (Salat and Font, 1987) and Ligurian (Sparnocchia et al., 1995) seas. The water exchange through the Gibraltar Strait is considered a two-layer

water flow, surface Atlantic water inflowing to the WMB above a lower outflow from the WMB. This exchange is affected by several factors, such as tides, atmospheric pressure, the steric effect, the geostrophic effect across the Strait, strait bathymetry, and wind (Bormans and Garrett, 1989a, Bormans and Garrett, 1989b, Delgado et al., 2001, Menemenlis et al., www.selleckchem.com/products/INCB18424.html 2007 and Tsimplis and Josey, 2001). Tsimplis and Bryden (2000) estimated the average Atlantic inflow to the Mediterranean basin to be 0.78 ± 0.17 × 106 m3 s−1 from 23 January 1997 to 23 April 1997. Garcia-Lafuente et al. (2002) demonstrated that the surface Atlantic flow through the Gibraltar Strait was slightly smaller, i.e., 0.72 × 106 m3 s−1 from 26 October 1997 to 27 March 1998. Soto-Navarro www.selleckchem.com/products/cilengitide-emd-121974-nsc-707544.html et al. (2010) calculated the surface Atlantic inflow

to the Mediterranean Sea through the Gibraltar Strait using observations (2004–2009) to be 0.81 × 106 m3 s−1. Finally, Dubois et al. (2012) presented the results of calculating the Atlantic surface flow through Gibraltar strait over the 1961–1990 period using several models, i.e., the CNRM (Météo-France, Centre National de Recherches Météorologiques), MPI (Max Planck Institute for Meteorology), INGV (Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia), LMD (Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique), Cediranib (AZD2171) and ENEA (Italian National Agency for New Technologies,

Energy and the Environment) models, to be 0.73, 0.75, 0.78, 0.91, and 1.06 × 106 m3 s−1, respectively. The water exchange through the Sicily Channel can be considered a two-layer baroclinic exchange modified by sea-level variations (Pierini and Rubino, 2001). This exchange has been investigated using CTD data (Astraldi et al., 1999 and Stansfield et al., 2002), numerical modelling (Bèranger et al., 2002 and Molcard et al., 2002), and sea surface height altimetry data (Shaltout and Omstedt, 2012). Astraldi et al. (1999) calculated the annual average surface flow through the Sicily Channel to be 1.1 × 106 m3 s−1 in the period from November 1993 to October 1997. Bèranger et al. (2002) estimated that the average surface flow over a 13-year period through the Channel was approximately 1.05 × 106 m3 s−1. Molcard et al. (2002) suggested that the transport across the Sicily Channel increases linearly with the actual mean density difference between the basins from 0.3 to 0.8 × 106 m3 s−1.

After a detailed inspection in 2009 we found that spawning beds seemed to be extremely patchy, where continuous egg deposits extended over a distance of ca 50–70 m, and in many cases much less (Figure 2). Herring eggs were present from Karklė to Palanga Protease Inhibitor Library high throughput (Figure 1), meaning that the Karklė spawning ground had successfully recovered from the ‘Globe Assimi’

oil-spill incident in 1981. Moreover, areas with detected spawning locations were larger than during previous mapping efforts (BaltNIIRH 1989). Our data suggest that most probably there are not two separate spawning locations but rather a single continuum, and that the previously reported pattern is due to the patchiness of the spawning beds. Generally Baltic herring does not spawn on soft bottom substrates (Rajasilta et al. 1989, Kääriä et al. 1997), but prefers hard substrates with vegetation. Most likely there are no preferences for specific algal species: for example, in the coastal waters of Finland Baltic herring spawns on at least 32 different plant species (Aneer 1989). During this study Baltic herring eggs were found on three different substrates: perennial red algae (F. lumbricalis and P. fucoides), and boulders without vegetation but overgrown by blue mussels Mytilus trossulus. The majority AZD6244 in vitro of eggs occurred

on F. lumbricalis (21 locations out of 25), P. fucoides (3 locations), and on M. trossulus (1 location). In earlier studies only F. lumbricalis meadows were regarded as a substrate important for Baltic herring reproduction ( BaltNIIRH 1989, Olenin & Labanauskas 1995, Maksimov et

al. 1996, Fedotova 2010). Although the significance of F. lumbricalis in providing spawning substrate is undeniable, other substrates were used too. Of total 98 points sampled, 64 had significant (more than 10%) F. lumbricalis cover, therefore eggs were present in only 32.8% (21 out of 64) of potentially suitable F. lumbricalis locations. The prolonged sampling period in 2009 allowed us to collect eggs at all developmental stages, from the very first (a–e) to the very last ones (p–q) ( Table 2). Comparing eggs collected on the same day from different depths ( Table 2, see 15 April and 23 April), it seems that the development of eggs laid in shallower areas was lagging behind that of eggs laid in deeper areas. It is known that Baltic herring spawns in waves ( Krasovskaya 2002): this could be the result of earlier Oxymatrine spawning in deeper areas. In this study three spawning locations were visited twice. Two of them (one with F. lumbricalis and one with M. trossulus) were visited on 7 April 2009, when eggs were found in the very early developmental stages (a–e). Three weeks later on F. lumbricalis we found eggs in the final developmental stages (p–q) and already empty egg shells, whereas no eggs or empty egg shells were present on M. trossulus. Since the two spawning locations are only 980 m apart and the respective depths are 8 and 8.5 m, indicating similar environmental conditions, the eggs on M.