Integrating population biology into conservation management for endangered Nassau grouper Epinephelus striatus

This is the final version of the article. Available from the publisher via the DOI in this record.Groupers are a phylogenetically diverse group and include many ecologically and economically valuable predatory marine fishes that have experienced drastic population declines. Reproduction via spawning aggregations increases the vulnerability of grouper species such as Nassau grouper Epinephelus striatus to overfishing, and this is likely to be a major contributing factor to population declines. However, the lack of information pertaining to population structure and dynamics of Nassau grouper spawning aggregations has impeded effective ecosystem-based fisheries management for remaining stocks. Worldwide, The Bahamas has the largest number of known Nassau grouper spawning aggregations, yet very little is known about the overall status of groupers in the region. Landings of Nassau grouper in The Bahamas have declined by 86% in the last 20 years from a peak of 514 t in 1997. Available data suggest that existing management measures are failing in their attempts to prevent further declines. Effective management strategies are urgently needed that balance ecological and socioeconomic considerations to enable a sustainable Nassau grouper fishery. This review provides an analysis of the reproductive and population biology of Nassau grouper and a suggested framework to direct future research efforts for enhancing conservation management of this endangered marine fish species.Financial support was provided to K.D.S. from the Shirley Oakes Butler (Overseas) and (Bahamian) Charitable Trust via the Lyford Cay Foundation and the East Nassau Rotary Club Foundation and to C.P.D. by the Atlantis Blue Project Foundation and a grant to the Perry Institute for Marine Science by the Disney Conservation Fund’s Reverse The Decline Program

Integrating population biology into conservation management for endangered Nassau grouper Epinephelus striatus

This is the final version of the article. Available from the publisher via the DOI in this record.Groupers are a phylogenetically diverse group and include many ecologically and economically valuable predatory marine fishes that have experienced drastic population declines. Reproduction via spawning aggregations increases the vulnerability of grouper species such as Nassau grouper Epinephelus striatus to overfishing, and this is likely to be a major contributing factor to population declines. However, the lack of information pertaining to population structure and dynamics of Nassau grouper spawning aggregations has impeded effective ecosystem-based fisheries management for remaining stocks. Worldwide, The Bahamas has the largest number of known Nassau grouper spawning aggregations, yet very little is known about the overall status of groupers in the region. Landings of Nassau grouper in The Bahamas have declined by 86% in the last 20 years from a peak of 514 t in 1997. Available data suggest that existing management measures are failing in their attempts to prevent further declines. Effective management strategies are urgently needed that balance ecological and socioeconomic considerations to enable a sustainable Nassau grouper fishery. This review provides an analysis of the reproductive and population biology of Nassau grouper and a suggested framework to direct future research efforts for enhancing conservation management of this endangered marine fish species.Financial support was provided to K.D.S. from the Shirley Oakes Butler (Overseas) and (Bahamian) Charitable Trust via the Lyford Cay Foundation and the East Nassau Rotary Club Foundation and to C.P.D. by the Atlantis Blue Project Foundation and a grant to the Perry Institute for Marine Science by the Disney Conservation Fund’s Reverse The Decline Program

Historical processes and contemporary anthropogenic activities influence genetic population dynamics of Nassau grouper (Epinephelus striatus) within The Bahamas

This is the final version of the article. Available from Frontiers Media via the DOI in this record.Severe declines of endangered Nassau grouper (Epinephelus striatus) across The Bahamas and Caribbean have spurred efforts to improve their fisheries management and population conservation. The Bahamas is reported to hold the majority of fish spawning aggregations for Nassau grouper, however, the status and genetic population structure of fish within the country is largely unknown, presenting a major knowledge gap for their sustainable management. Between August 2014-February 2017, 464 individual Nassau grouper sampled from The Bahamas were genotyped using 15 polymorphic microsatellite loci to establish measures of population structure, genetic diversity and effective population size (N e ). Nassau grouper were characterized by mostly high levels of genetic diversity, but we found no evidence for geographic population structure. Microsatellite analyses revealed weak, but significant genetic differentiation of Nassau grouper throughout the Bahamian archipelago (Global FST 0.00236, p = 0.0001). Temporal analyses of changes in N e over the last 1,000 generations provide evidence in support of a pronounced historic decline in Bahamian Nassau grouper that appears to pre-date anthropogenic fishing activities. M-ratio results corroborate significant reductions in N e throughout The Bahamas, with evidence for population bottlenecks in three islands and an active fish spawning aggregation along with apparent signs of inbreeding at two islands. Current estimates of N e for Nassau grouper are considerably lower compared with historic levels. These findings represent important new contributions to our understanding of the evolutionary history, demographics and genetic connectivity of this endangered species, which are of critical importance for advancing their sustainable management.Molecular research was financially supported by the University of Exeter and research cruises were funded by the John G. Shedd Aquarium. Partial funding for KS was provided by the Shirley Oakes Butler Charitable Trust, Rotary Club of East Nassau and a private donation by I. de la Rocha

RAD-Seq analysis and in situ monitoring of Nassau Grouper reveal fine-scale population structure and origins of aggregating fish

This is the final version. Available from Frontiers Media via the DOI in this record. RAD-seq data are available in the European Nucleotide Archive (ENA) via study accession number PRJEB36904. Sample accession numbers as ERX3958594–ERX3958689.Nassau grouper (Epinephelus striatus, Bloch 1792) are globally critically endangered and an important fishery species in The Commonwealth of The Bahamas (hereafter The Bahamas) and parts of the Caribbean, with an urgent need for better management and conservation. Here, we adopted a combined approach, integrating restriction-site-associated DNA sequencing (RAD-seq) and acoustic telemetry to establish country-wide demographic structure, diversity and connectivity, and the origins of Nassau grouper using an active fish spawning aggregation (FSA) in the central Bahamas. RAD-seq analysis of 94 Nassau grouper sampled from nine locations in The Bahamas generated a working dataset of 13,241 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Similar levels of genetic diversity were found among sampled locations. Evidence of population sub-structuring across The Bahamas was demonstrated and supported by discriminate analysis of principal components (DAPCs) along with analyses of molecular variance (AMOVAs). Associated acoustic telemetry data indicated Nassau grouper tagged at an active FSA in the central Bahamas during the 2016–2017 spawning season migrated to the Exumas at the conclusion of the spawning period. Telemetry data suggest the likely origins of five individuals, which traveled one-way distances of up to 176 km from the FSA in the central Bahamas to two sites within a no-take marine protected area (MPA). Analyses of high-resolution SNP markers (including candidate loci under selection) illustrated patterns of spatial structure and genetic connectivity not reflected by telemetry data alone. Nassau grouper from Exuma and Long Island appear to have genetic signatures that differ from other islands and from the Hail Mary FSA. Collectively, these findings provide novel information on the intraspecific population dynamics of Nassau grouper within The Bahamian archipelago and within an active FSA.Save Our Seas Foundatio

Reproductive risk factors for endometrial cancer among Polish women

We conducted a population-based case–control study of reproductive factors in Warsaw and Ló∂ź, Poland, in 551 incident endometrial cancer cases and 1925 controls. The reproductive variable most strongly related to risk was multiparity, with subjects with three or more births having a 70% lower risk than the nulliparous women. The reduced risk was particularly strong below 55 years of age. Subjects with older ages at a first birth were also at reduced risk even after adjustment for number of births. Ages at last birth or intervals since last birth were not strongly related to risk. Spontaneous abortions were unrelated to risk, but induced abortions were associated with slight risk increases (odds ratios=1.28, 95% confidence intervals 0.8–2.1 for 3+ vs no abortions). The absence of effects on risk of later ages at, or short intervals since, a last birth fails to support the view that endometrial cancer is influenced by mechanical clearance of initiated cells. Alternative explanations for reproductive effects should be sought, including alterations in endogenous hormones

Systematic review on quality control for drug management programs: Is quality reported in the literature?

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Maintaining quality of care while managing limited healthcare resources is an ongoing challenge in healthcare. The objective of this study was to evaluate how the impact of drug management programs is reported in the literature and to identify potentially existing quality standards.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This analysis relates to the published research on the impact of drug management on economic, clinical, or humanistic outcomes in managed care, indemnity insurance, VA, or Medicaid in the USA published between 1996 and 2007. Included articles were systematically analyzed for study objective, study endpoints, and drug management type. They were further categorized by drug management tool, primary objective, and study endpoints.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>None of the 76 included publications assessed the overall quality of drug management tools. The impact of 9 different drug management tools used alone or in combination was studied in pharmacy claims, medical claims, electronic medical records or survey data from either patient, plan or provider perspective using an average of 2.1 of 11 possible endpoints. A total of 68% of the studies reported the impact on plan focused endpoints, while the clinical, the patient or the provider perspective were studied to a much lower degree (45%, 42% and 12% of the studies). Health outcomes were only accounted for in 9.2% of the studies.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Comprehensive assessment of quality considering plan, patient and clinical outcomes is not yet applied. There is no defined quality standard. Benchmarks including health outcomes should be determined and used to improve the overall clinical and economic effectiveness of drug management programs.</p