Emerging patterns of species richness, diversity, population density, and distribution in the skates (Rajidae) of Alaska

Six years of bottom-trawl survey data, including over 6000 trawls covering over 200 km2 of bottom area throughout Alaska’s subarctic marine waters, were analyzed for patterns in species richness, diversity, density, and distribution of skates. The Bering Sea continental shelf and slope, Aleutian Islands, and Gulf of Alaska regions were stratified by geographic subregion and depth. Species richness and relative density of skates increased with depth to the shelf break in all regions. The Bering Sea shelf was dominated by the Alaska skate (Bathyraja parmifera), but species richness and diversity were low. On the Bering Sea slope, richness and diversity were higher in the shallow stratum, and relative density appeared higher in subregions dominated by canyons. In the Aleutian Islands and Gulf of Alaska, species richness and relative density were generally highest in the deepest depth strata. The data and distribution maps presented here are based on species-level data collected throughout the marine waters of Alaska, and this article represents the most comprehensive summary of the skate fauna of the region published to date

The temperature tolerances of three species of marine fishes

The temperature tolerances of three species of marine fishes----Menidia menidia (common silverside), Pseudopleuronectes americanus (winter flounder), and Spheroides maculatus (northern swellfish)-have been determined. Following calculation of the median tolerance limit for various exposure times over a range of acclimation temperatures, the thermal tolerance was determined on a square graph by plotting lethal temperature against acclimation temperature. The tolerances determined are: 715°C squared for M. menidia; 635°C or 685°C squared for P. americanus, with cold tolerance limits of 1°C or 0°C, respectively; and 550°C squared for S. maculatus

Comparative biology and population dynamics of searobins (genus Prionotus) with emphasis on populations in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico

Eight species of Prionotus, collected from 5-100 m in the Gulf of Mexico along a cross-shelf transect off Freeport, Tx during October 1977-August 1981, were studied to determine life history patterns and how they partition resources. Only four species were abundant: P. tribulus, P. paralatus, P. longispinosus, and P. stearnsi. Prionotus spp. mature at 80 mm (P. stearnsi and P. rubio), 85 mm (P. tribulus and P. paralatus), 100 mm (P. ophryas), 105 mm (P. roseus), and 120 mm (P. longispinosus). Sizes at Age 1 were 99-140 mm (P. tribulus), 99-138 mm (P. longispinosus), 98-122 mm (P. paralatus), 75-125 mm (P. stearnsi), and 95-129 mm (P. ophryas). Most fish were less than 200 mm. Typical maximum sizes were 155-175 mm (P. tribulus), 145-160 mm (P. longispinosus), 160-165 mm (P. paralatus), 180-195 mm (P. rubio), 125 mm (P. stearnsi), and 155-160 mm (P. ophryas). Fish were typically 1-3 years old at these typical maximum sizes, and most were Age 1 and less. Apparent total annual mortality rates were 80-100%. The eight species fit into three categories based on their bathymetric distributions and community memberships: (1) members of the inshore white shrimp community which occurs from 5 m to about 16 m (P. tribulus); (2) members of the offshore brown shrimp community which occurs from about 36 to at least 100 m (P. paralatus, P. stearnsi, and P. roseus); and (3) members of a transition fauna which occurs between the outer edge of the white shrimp community and the inshore edge of the brown shrimp community from about 18-27 m (P. longispinosus, P. rubio, P. ophryas, and P. scitulus). Comparisons among species indicate a common pattern of population dynamics that favors r-strategy (short life spans, high mortality rates, and rapid turnover of biomass), but with temporally segregated spawning and spatially segregated distributions. Spawning grounds seem to lie toward the northcentral Gulf with current transport mechanisms carrying young toward the northwestern Gulf. Prionotus spp. from the northwestern Gulf show quite different life history attributes than their congeners from mid Atlantic and New England regions

Cardiac Telehealth Rehabilitation: Empowering the Patient

Coronary artery disease or coronary heart disease is one of the leading causes of death in the world. Center-based cardiac rehab has long been a sustainable answer for recovery from an acute coronary event. However, the COVID-19 pandemic halted in-person appointments for cardiac rehab patients. Therefore, patients and their healthcare team met virtually. The objective of this literature review is to discover the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of cardiac telerehabilitation, as it will likely have a more prominent role in patient recovery from acute myocardial infarctions. To determine this, a literature review was conducted based on recent studies involving coronary artery disease patients in a center-based cardiac rehab and telehealth style cardiac rehab. Twenty-one articles were reviewed, and five themes were revealed. These include lifestyle modifications, secondary prevention, patient-led care and adherence, technology during COVID-19, and cost-effectiveness. From these themes, a concept map was constructed. The literature revealed no statistically significant difference in patient outcomes between telehealth-based and center-based cardiac rehab. Telehealth rehab also demonstrated cost-effectiveness in various delivery methods including telephone, short messaging services, mobile applications, and video calls. Therefore, it can be concluded that cardiac telehealth rehab can be offered as a primary option for cardiac rehab. With the common barriers to attending in person cardiac rehab including schedule, geographical barriers, and the COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth rehab offers the patient relief of some of these barriers

Methods to Estimate the Comparative Effectiveness of Clinical Strategies that Administer the Same Intervention at Different Times

Clinical guidelines that rely on observational data due to the absence of data from randomized trials benefit when the observational data or its analysis emulates trial data or its analysis. In this paper, we review a methodology for emulating trials that compare the effects of different timing strategies, that is, strategies that vary the frequency of delivery of a medical intervention or procedure. We review trial emulation for comparing (i) single applications of the procedure at different times, (ii) fixed schedules of application, and (iii) schedules adapted to the evolving clinical characteristics of the patients. For illustration, we describe an application in which we estimate the effect of surveillance colonoscopies in patients who had an adenoma detected during the Norwegian Colorectal Cancer Prevention (NORCCAP) trial

Chromosome Model reveals Dynamic Redistribution of DNA Damage into Nuclear Sub-domains

Several proteins involved in the response to DNA double strand breaks (DSB) form microscopically visible nuclear domains, or foci, after exposure to ionizing radiation. Radiation-induced foci (RIF) are believed to be located where DNA damage is induced. To test this assumption, we analyzed the spatial distribution of 53BP1, phosphorylated ATM and gammaH2AX RIF in cells irradiated with high linear energy transfer (LET) radiation. Since energy is randomly deposited along high-LET particle paths, RIF along these paths should also be randomly distributed. The probability to induce DSB can be derived from DNA fragment data measured experimentally by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. We used this probability in Monte Carlo simulations to predict DSB locations in synthetic nuclei geometrically described by a complete set of human chromosomes, taking into account microscope optics from real experiments. As expected, simulations produced DNA-weighted random (Poisson) distributions. In contrast, the distributions of RIF obtained as early as 5 min after exposure to high LET (1 GeV/amu Fe) were non-random. This deviation from the expected DNA-weighted random pattern can be further characterized by relative DNA image measurements. This novel imaging approach shows that RIF were located preferentially at the interface between high and low DNA density regions, and were more frequent in regions with lower density DNA than predicted. This deviation from random behavior was more pronounced within the first 5 min following irradiation for phosphorylated ATM RIF, while gammaH2AX and 53BP1 RIF showed very pronounced deviation up to 30 min after exposure. These data suggest the existence of repair centers in mammalian epithelial cells. These centers would be nuclear sub-domains where DNA lesions would be collected for more efficient repair

Predictors of measles vaccination coverage among children 6-59 months of age in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

BackgroundMeasles is a significant contributor to child mortality in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), despite routine immunization programs and supplementary immunization activities (SIA). Further, national immunization coverage levels may hide disparities among certain groups of children, making effective measles control even more challenging. This study describes measles vaccination coverage and reporting methods and identifies predictors of vaccination among children participating in the 2013-2014 DRC Demographic and Health Survey (DHS).MethodsWe examined vaccination coverage of 6947 children aged 6-59 months. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to identify predictors of vaccination among children reporting vaccination via dated card in order to identify least reached children. We also assessed spatial distribution of vaccination report type by rural versus urban residence.ResultsUrban children with educated mothers were more likely to be vaccinated (OR = 4.1, 95% CI: 1.6, 10.7) versus children of mothers with no education, as were children in wealthier rural families (OR = 2.9, 95% CI: 1.9, 4.4). At the provincial level, urban areas more frequently reported vaccination via dated card than rural areas.ConclusionsResults indicate that, while the overall coverage level of 70% is too low, socioeconomic and geographic disparities also exist which could make some children even less likely to be vaccinated. Dated records of measles vaccination must be increased, and groups of children with the greatest need should be targeted. As access to routine vaccination services is limited in DRC, identifying and targeting under-reached children should be a strategic means of increasing country-wide effective measles control