Genetic differentiation between inshore and offshore populations of northern shrimp (Pandalus borealis)

Many marine organisms have a permanent presence both inshore and offshore and spawn in multiple areas, yet their status as separate populations or stocks remain unclear. This is the situation for the northern shrimp (Pandalus borealis) around the Arctic Ocean, which in northern Norway represents an important income for a small-scale coastal fishery and a large-vessel offshore fleet. In Norwegian waters, we uncovered two distinct genetic clusters, viz. a Norwegian coastal and a Barents Sea cluster. Shrimps with a mixed heritage from the Norwegian coastal and the Barents Sea clusters, and genetically different from both, inhabit the fjords at the northernmost coast (Finnmark). Genetic structure between fjords did not display any general trend, and only the Varangerfjord in eastern Finnmark displayed significant genetic structure within the fjord. Shrimps in the Finnmark fjords differed in some degree from shrimps both in the adjacent Barents Sea and along the rest of the coast and should probably be considered a separate management unit

The Role of Psychological Readiness in Return to Sport Assessment After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

Background: Knowledge about the predictive value of return to sport (RTS) test batteries applied after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) is limited. Adding assessment of psychological readiness has been recommended, but knowledge of how this affects the predictive ability of test batteries is lacking. Purpose: To examine the predictive ability of a RTS test battery on return to preinjury level of sport and reinjury when evaluation of psychological readiness was incorporated. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. Methods: A total of 129 patients were recruited 9 months after ACLR. Inclusion criteria were age ≥16 years and engagement in sports before injury. Patients with concomitant ligamentous surgery or ACL revision surgery were excluded. Baseline testing included single-leg hop tests, isokinetic strength tests, the International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) Subjective Knee Form 2000, a custom-made RTS questionnaire, and the Anterior Cruciate Ligament-Return to Sport after Injury (ACL-RSI) scale. The RTS criteria were IKDC 2000 score ≥85% and ≥85% leg symmetry index on hop and strength test. At a 2-year follow-up evaluation, further knee surgery and reinjuries were registered and the RTS questionnaire was completed again. Regression analyses and receiver operating characteristic analyses were performed to study the predictive ability of the test battery. Results: Out of the 103 patients who completed the 2-year follow-up, 42% returned to their preinjury level of sport. ACL-RSI 9 months after surgery (odds ratio [OR], 1.03) and age (OR, 1.05) predicted RTS. An ACL-RSI score <47 indicated that a patient was at risk of not returning to sport (area under the curve 0.69; 95% CI, 0.58-0.79), with 85% sensitivity and 45% specificity. The functional tests did not predict RTS. Six patients sustained ACL reinjuries and 7 underwent surgery for other knee complaints/injuries after RTS testing. None of the 29 patients who passed all RTS criteria, and were therefore cleared for RTS, sustained a second knee injury. Conclusion: ACL-RSI and age were predictors of 2-year RTS, while functional tests were not informative. Another main finding was that none of the patients who passed the 85% RTS criteria sustained another knee injury.publishedVersio

High Resolution MEMS Accelerometers to Estimate VO2 and Compare Running Mechanics between Highly Trained Inter-Collegiate and Untrained Runners

BACKGROUND: The purposes of this study were to determine the validity and reliability of high resolution accelerometers (HRA) relative to VO(2) and speed, and compare putative differences in HRA signal between trained (T) and untrained (UT) runners during treadmill locomotion. METHODOLOGY: Runners performed 2 incremental VO(2max) trials while wearing HRA. RMS of high frequency signal from three axes (VT, ML, AP) and the Euclidean resultant (RES) were compared to VO(2) to determine validity and reliability. Additionally, axial rms relative to speed, and ratio of axial accelerations to RES were compared between T and UT to determine if differences in running mechanics could be identified between the two groups. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Regression of RES was strongly related to VO(2), but T was different than UT (r = 0.96 vs 0.92; p<.001) for walking and running. During walking, only the ratio of ML and AP to RES were different between groups. For running, nearly all acceleration parameters were lower for T than UT, the exception being ratio of VT to RES, which was higher in T than UT. All of these differences during running were despite higher VO(2), O(2) cost, and lower RER in T vs UT, which resulted in no significant difference in energy expenditure between groups. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNFICANCE: These results indicate that HRA can accurately and reliably estimate VO(2) during treadmill locomotion, but differences exist between T and UT that should be considered when estimating energy expenditure. Differences in running mechanics between T and UT were identified, yet the importance of these differences remains to be determined

Marine mammal hotspots across the circumpolar Arctic

Aim: Identify hotspots and areas of high species richness for Arctic marine mammals. Location: Circumpolar Arctic. Methods: A total of 2115 biologging devices were deployed on marine mammals from 13 species in the Arctic from 2005 to 2019. Getis-Ord Gi* hotspots were calculated based on the number of individuals in grid cells for each species and for phyloge-netic groups (nine pinnipeds, three cetaceans, all species) and areas with high spe-cies richness were identified for summer (Jun-Nov), winter (Dec-May) and the entire year. Seasonal habitat differences among species’ hotspots were investigated using Principal Component Analysis. Results: Hotspots and areas with high species richness occurred within the Arctic continental-shelf seas and within the marginal ice zone, particularly in the “Arctic gateways” of the north Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Summer hotspots were generally found further north than winter hotspots, but there were exceptions to this pattern, including bowhead whales in the Greenland-Barents Seas and species with coastal distributions in Svalbard, Norway and East Greenland. Areas with high species rich-ness generally overlapped high-density hotspots. Large regional and seasonal dif-ferences in habitat features of hotspots were found among species but also within species from different regions. Gap analysis (discrepancy between hotspots and IUCN ranges) identified species and regions where more research is required. Main conclusions: This study identified important areas (and habitat types) for Arctic marine mammals using available biotelemetry data. The results herein serve as a benchmark to measure future distributional shifts. Expanded monitoring and teleme-try studies are needed on Arctic species to understand the impacts of climate change and concomitant ecosystem changes (synergistic effects of multiple stressors). While efforts should be made to fill knowledge gaps, including regional gaps and more com-plete sex and age coverage, hotspots identified herein can inform management ef-forts to mitigate the impacts of human activities and ecological changes, including creation of protected areas

Coexisting Cyclic Parthenogens Comprise a Holocene Species Flock in Eubosmina

Background: Mixed breeding systems with extended clonal phases and weak sexual recruitment are widespread in nature but often thought to impede the formation of discrete evolutionary clusters. Thus, cyclic parthenogens, such as cladocerans and rotifers, could be predisposed to ‘‘species problems’ ’ and a lack of discrete species. However, species flocks have been proposed for one cladoceran group, Eubosmina, where putative species are sympatric, and there is a detailed paleolimnological record indicating a Holocene age. These factors make the Eubosmina system suitable for testing the hypotheses that extended clonal phases and weak sexual recruitment inhibit speciation. Although common garden experiments have revealed a genetic component to the morphotypic variation, the evolutionary significance of the morphotypes remains controversial. Methodology/Principal Findings: In the present study, we tested the hypothesis of a single polymorphic species (i.e., mixing occurs but selection maintains genes for morphology) in four northern European lakes where the morphotypes coexist. Our evidence is based on nuclear DNA sequence, mitochondrial DNA sequence, and morphometric analysis of coexisting morphotypes. We found significant genetic differentiation, genealogical exclusivity, and morphometric differentiation for coexisting morphotypes. Conclusions: We conclude that the studied morphotypes represent a group of young species undergoing speciation wit

Automated Multi-Skill Shift Design for Hospitals

For labour intensive organizations, finding a good match between the predicted workload and the scheduled workforce work capacity is crucial: One important step in this matching process is shift design and it have received surprisingly little research attention even though good shift design is a prerequisite for an efficient roster. In this paper we present a prototype that automates multi-skill shift design for hospitals. The idea originates from discussions with two Norwegian hospital that also been involved in the development process with ideas, criticisms, and data provision. Our experiment shows very good results, in some cases optimal solutions are found within seconds or a few minutes

Germinating fission yeast spores delay in G1 in response to UV irradiation

Background Checkpoint mechanisms prevent cell cycle transitions until previous events have been completed or damaged DNA has been repaired. In fission yeast, checkpoint mechanisms are known to regulate entry into mitosis, but so far no checkpoint inhibiting S phase entry has been identified. Results We have studied the response of germinating Schizosaccharomyces pombe spores to UV irradiation in G1. When germinating spores are irradiated in early G1 phase, entry into S phase is delayed. We argue that the observed delay is caused by two separate mechanisms. The first takes place before entry into S phase, does not depend on the checkpoint proteins Rad3, Cds1 and Chk1 and is independent of Cdc2 phosphorylation. Furthermore, it is not dependent upon inhibiting the Cdc10-dependent transcription required for S phase entry, unlike a G1/S checkpoint described in budding yeast. We show that expression of Cdt1, a protein essential for initiation of DNA replication, is delayed upon UV irradiation. The second part of the delay occurs after entry into S phase and depends on Rad3 and Cds1 and is probably due to the intra-S checkpoint. If the germinating spores are irradiated in late G1, they enter S phase without delay and arrest in S phase, suggesting that the delay we observe upon UV irradiation in early G1 is not caused by nonspecific effects of UV irradiation. Conclusions We have studied the response of germinating S. pombe spores to UV irradiation in G1 and shown that S phase entry is delayed by a mechanism that is different from classical checkpoint responses. Our results point to a mechanism delaying expression of proteins required for S phase entry

Distribution, identification and range expansion of the common Asellidae in Northern Europe, featuring the first record of Proasellus meridianus in the Nordic countries

Two out of the three common Asellidae species in Northern Europe are increasing their ranges, aided by human activities. Here we report the discovery of Proasellus coxalis (Dollfuss 1892) in new areas in Norway and the discovery of Proasellus meridianus (Racovitza 1919) for the first time in the Nordic countries, verified with DNA barcoding. A new, detailed photo-identification guide to Asellus aquaticus Linnaeus 1758, P. coxalis and P. meridianus is presented. In addition to head pattern, attention is drawn to the female pleopods as an easy way to differentiate between the two genera. Then detailed examination of male pleopods 1 and 2 can differentiate between P. coxalis and P. meridianus. The origins, competitive relationships and potential dispersal mechanisms of the two introduced species and the native A. aquaticus are explored. By examining the shipping activity at the small, freshwater port where P. meridianus was found, we highlight the great connectivity between many European brackish and freshwater ports and possible pathways for species transfer. The risk of trans-oceanic freshwater to freshwater (not just brackish and saltwater) species transfer through ballast water needs to be better communicated. Proasellus coxalis may have been introduced to the river system of Lake Stokkalandsvatnet together with fish transported in microaquaria used as live bait for fishingpublishedVersio

Status for havertbestandens ungeproduksjon langs norskekysten i 2001-2003

During September-October 2001-2003, registrations of grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) pups, including tagging, counting and staging of pups, were conducted along the Norwegian coast from Rogaland county in the south to Finnmark county in the north. Also other possible whelping areas along the Norwegian coast were surveyed. By combining results from 2001-2003 a total of 1184 pups were recorded. Froan in Sør-Trøndelag county and Koiøyene and Kongsfjord in Finnmark county were surveyed 3-4 times during the investigations, which made it possible to estimate a total number of 303 and 105 pups born in Froan and Koiøyene/Kongsfjord, respectively. The investigations resultet in a total minimum estimate of a grey seal pup production of about 1200 pups in Norwegian waters. Total population estimates were derived from estimates of number of pups born by estimating a range of 2 multipliers (4.28-5.35), based on observed annual growth rates of 12 % in other grey seal populations. This gave a total estimate of 5150-6440 one year and older (1+) grey seals in Norwegian waters. However, it is obvious that this is an underestimate of the pup production but data on on the lengths of pup stages are not available to estimate pup production based on one single count. Natural pup mortality during the whelping season was 1.2 %, and 49.5 % of the pups born were males. NORSK SAMMENDRAG:I løpet av september-desember 2001-2003 ble det gjennomført merkinger, tellinger og stadiebestemmelser av havertunger langs norskekysten fra Rogaland i sør til Finnmark i nord. Mulige nye kasteområder og områder i geografisk nærhet av kjente kasteområder ble også gjennomsøkt. Ved å kombinere resultatene i 2001-2003 ble det totalt registrert 1184 fødte havertunger på de ulike deler av norskekysten som var omfattet av dette studiet. De sørlige deler av Nordland, inkludert Hortavær i Nord-Trøndelag viste seg å være det området med størst tetthet av havert langs norskekysten med en produksjon på 345 havertunger. I Froan i Sør-Trøndelag og ved Koiøyene og Kongsfjorden i Finnmark ble det gjennomført flere tellinger i samme år slik at det der var mulig å estimere total ungeproduksjon, henholdsvis 303 unger i Froan og 105 unger tilsammen ved Koiøyene og Kongsfjorden. Dette ga et totalt estimat på landsbasis på rundt 1200 fødte unger. Det er nokså klart at ungeproduksjonen er noe høyere enn dette estimatet fordi mange områder kun er undersøkt en gang. Eksisterende data omkring havertungenes alder i de forskjellige utviklingstadier er imidlertid for unøyaktige til å kunne gi tilfredstillende estimater for ungeprodusjonen ved kun en telling. Basert på observerte vekstrater i havertbestander i andre områder på 12 % i året ble det estimert faktorer på mellom 4.28 og 5.35 for omregning mellom ungeproduksjon og bestanden av ett år og eldre dyr (1+). Dette resulterte i et estimat for totalbestanden på 5150-6440 havert (1+). Naturlig ungedødelighet under kasteperioden var 1.2 % og kjønnsfordelingen av havertungene var 49.5 % hanner og 50.5 % hunner