Fwd: thesis conference update

[Angela Leasca]

It looks like nobody from WV is coming today, but here are Vicki's comments on our thesis. 

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Blazer, Vicki" <vbl...@usgs.gov>
Date: April 17, 2015 at 11:30:24 AM EDT
To: Angela Leasca <ale...@terpmail.umd.edu>, "Lance T. Yonkos" <lyo...@umd.edu>
Subject: Re: thesis conference update

Angela,

I am sorry to say I will not be able to attend the Gemstone presentation and discussion. I've been coughing and feeling bad for almost two weeks and I finally went to the doctor this morning. I have pneumonia and since I need to be in the field most of the next month I decided to listen to the doctor and rest!!

I did read the report and was very impressed. It is well done and contains some important results. My main concern is the conclusion that largemouth bass may be poorly suited as a model for investigations into endocrine disruption under standard laboratory scenarios. Couldn't it be just as likely your laboratory exposures were not ideally suited for understanding EDC effects on bass? For instance, was there any attempt to see if the LMB from the hatchery had intersex? Could have there been EDCs in the food. It has been suggested in a number of papers that control Vtg induction and intersex may be linked to EDCs in water sources or food. As you noted exposure times (earlier since the youngest fish exposed were well beyond period of sexual differentiation) and exposure concentrations may have been issues.

Good luck.

Vicki

On Wed, Apr 15, 2015 at 1:08 PM, Angela Leasca <ale...@terpmail.umd.edu> wrote:

Dear Dr. Blazer and Dr. Iwanowicz,

We are looking forward to seeing you on Friday! The thesis conference is held in the Riggs Alumni Center, which is a small building located between lot 1 and the football stadium. Our presentation is scheduled to begin at 5:15pm, but we ask that you arrive at 4:45 and report to the discussant check in table in the Rotunda of the building. There is a document with complete directions and parking information attached, but if you arrive after 4pm you may park in lot 1 for free.

At the conference, we will present for approximately 25 minutes, followed by 10 minutes of questions from discussants and 10 minutes of questions from the general audience. After the formal presentation, we will meet in a private room with all team members and discussants for one hour of informal feedback, continued discussion on the presentation, and discussion about any comments on our written thesis. Please have any written comments about the thesis or edits ready for us at this time.  For more information about the schedule of events, you may visit http://gemstone.umd.edu/academics/thesis-conference.html .

Please let me know if you have any questions and which one of you will be here.

Best,
Angela Leasca and Team Bass

--

Vicki Blazer, PhD

U.S. Geological Survey

Fish Health Branch, Leetown Science Center

11649 Leetown Road

Kearneysville, WV 25430

(304) 724 4434