Species Composition, Abundance, and Vertical Distribution of the Stomiid (Pisces: Stomiiformes) Fish Assemblage of the Gulf of Mexico

Species composition, abundance, and vertical distribution of the stomiid fish assemblage were investigated in the eastern Gulf of Mexico, a low-latitude, oligotrophic oceanic ecosystem. Seventy-two described species, representing 18 genera, and one undescribed species were identified from 1155 trawl samples. With an additional 10 species reported elsewhere, the stomiid species number now known equals 83, making the Stomiidae the most diverse fish family in the Gulf of Mexico. The assemblage was dominated by three species,Photostomias guernei, Chauliodus sloani and Stomias affinis. These species, as well as four other common species, exhibited an asynchronous diel vertical migration pattern (450–900 m during day; 20–300, 550–900 m at night). The percentage of the populations of the three dominant species migrating daily ranged from 50–70%. Two other patterns occurred in less abundant species: synchronous migration (400–700 m during the day, 0–200 m at night); and, possible migration from the bathypelagial (\u3e 1000 m during day; 50–300 m at night). Minimum abundance and biomass estimates for the entire assemblage were 1.86 × 105 individuals and 35.3 kg DW•km-2 in the upper 1000 m. Stomiids comprised approximately 10% of the micronekton standing stock in the eastern Gulf. Extrapolating eastern Gulf data to the world warm-water mesopelagial, abundance results suggest that stomiids are the dominant mesopelagic upper-trophic level predatory fishes, and as such may serve as key trophic mediators in the transfer of energy in these ecosystems

Routine care of peripheral intravenous catheters versus clinically indicated replacement: randomised controlled trial

Objective To compare routine replacement of intravenous peripheral catheters with replacement only when clinically indicated

The Bathypelagic Biome of the Atlantic Ocean: Character and Ecological Discreteness of the Fish Fauna

Recent global synthetic analyses have revealed that marine taxonomic inventories are far from complete, nowhere more so than in the deep-pelagic ocean. At over a billion km3, it is the largest biome on Earth, yet only a tiny fraction of the biogeographic records include the bathypelagic fauna. This data gap served as the impetus for recent deepwater surveys, many of which have altered our perceptions of pelagic ecosystems. Here we examine data from four deep-pelagic (0-5000+ m) sampling programs in the Atlantic (60°N-25°S) in order to assess the character of bathypelagic fish communities with respect to faunal distinctiveness and ecological connectivity. Regions studied include the Gulf of Mexico, Sargasso 702 Sea, eastern North/South Atlantic, and mid-North Atlantic. Quantitative analyses give contrasting pictures with respect to faunal composition and ecosystem operation. The discreteness of the bathypelagic zone is exhibited faunistically by the suite of ―holobathypelagic‖ species found only below 1000 m, most of which are highly modified morphologically. Geometric abundance class analyses reveal that the character of relative species abundance distributions between the meso- and bathypelagic zones is fundamentally dissimilar; the former exhibit a much higher proportion of common species, while the latter exhibit a much higher percentage of rarer species. From a community energetics perspective, however, the bathy- and mesopelagic zones are highly interconnected. Approximately 70% of fish species collected below 1000 m are also found in the mesopelagic zone, and in the far North Atlantic, are also found in the epipelagial. These species comprised 66 to \u3e90% of individuals collected below 1000 m in the regions sampled. In the mid-North Atlantic, these species contribute to the unexpected water-column biomass maximum observed between 1500-2300 m. Thus, the ―transient‖ taxa (primarily mesopelagic migrators and spanner taxa) add considerably to the ichthyofaunal diversity of the world ocean below 1000 m, and appear to be the vectors that support the diverse array of holobathypelagic fishes whose taxonomic composition is dominated by piscivores. Data from the four regions studied suggests that classic pelagic biogeographic boundaries do not apply to bathypelagic realm, as shared species are the rule rather than the exception. Last, cumulative species curves suggest we are far from understanding the true complexity of the bathypelagic zone

Interactions Between Zooplankton and Karenia brevis in the Gulf of Mexico.

Blooms of the toxic dinoflagellate K. brevis are common in the Gulf of Mexico, yet no in situ studies of the interactions between zooplankton and K. brevis in the Gulf of Mexico have been conducted. Zooplankton numerical abundance, biomass and taxonomic composition of nonbloom and K. brevis bloom stations within the ECOHAB study area were compared. At nonbloom stations, the most important determinant species were Parvolcalanus crassirostris, Oithona colcarva and Paracalanus quasimodo at the 5-m isobath and P. quasimodo, O. colcarva and Oikopleura dioka at the 25-m isobath. There was considerable overlap between the 5 and 25-m isobaths, with 9 species contributing to the top 90% of numerical abundance at both isobaths. Within K. brevis blooms Acartia tonsa, Centropages velificatus, Temora turbinata, Evadne tergestina, O. colcarva, O. dioika, and P. crassirostris were consistently dominant. Variations between non-bloom and bloom assemblages were evident, including variations in numerical abundance and biomass and the reduction in numerical abundance of 3 key species. Calculated grazing pressure proved insufficient to terminate K. brevis blooms, despite occasional grazing hot spots

Towards clinical translation of 7 Tesla MRI in the human brain

Clinical translation of 7 tesla (T) MRI of the brain promises high image quality and potentially improved clinical diagnosis for patients compared to current standard lower field-strength MRI at 1.5 and 3T. Here we describe how physics principles underlying ultra-high field (UHF) strength MRI affect 7T image quality, and how these can be exploited to translate 7T brain imaging into clinical practice. UHF MRI profits from higher inherent signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and a resultant increase in achievable spatial resolution or acceleration factors; increase in sensitivity to magnetic susceptibility differences and a higher amplitude of the Blood Oxygen Level Dependent (BOLD) signal; increase in longitudinal relaxation time; and increased frequency dispersion and spectral resolution in MR spectroscopy. Examples are presented of different brain pathologies, which are better illustrated on 7T compared to lower field strength by applying sequences and imaging techniques that exploit these intrinsic strengths of 7T MRI. This includes imaging of various vascular pathologies, epilepsy and brain tumours

Acta Community Theatre’s ‘cycle of engagement’ and foundation worker programme: creating pathways into cultural participation and work

This article expounds acta’s model of participatory community theatre developed over the years since the organisation was founded in 1985. It examines how acta’s commitment to access and participation has come to be enshrined in the ‘cycle of engagement’ which offers multiple pathways into and through participation in theatre making. Recently, these pathways into experiencing and making theatre have been extended into (paid) training and employment through the launch of the Foundation Worker (FW) programme. The article examines acta’s Foundation Worker programme which offers first jobs with training and mentoring to those new to the community/participtory arts workforce, whether recent arts graduates, community theatre participants or civil society/third sector workers. It is argued that the co-articulation of the cycle of engagement and the Foundation Worker programme reflects acta’s democratic and developmental ethos of theatre making. The aim of this piece is to contextualise acta’s history and development as a community theatre company and to outline the pathways into employment and training that acta’s FW programme offers. The paper is co-authored with acta and FWs (in third-person voice) after a focus group at the acta Centre, Bedminster, in July 2019, with follow up over email

Cardiovascular sequalae of trastuzumab and anthracycline in long-term survivors of breast cancer

Objectives: Long-term follow-up of patients treated with trastuzumab largely focuses on those with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) on treatment completion. This study sought to evaluate the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors, overt cardiovascular disease and cardiac imaging abnormalities using cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR), in participants with normal LVEF on completion of trastuzumab±anthracycline therapy at least 5 years previously. Methods: Participants with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive breast cancer treated with trastuzumab±anthracycline ≥5 years previously were identified from a clinical database. All participants had normal LVEF prior to, and on completion of, treatment. Participants underwent clinical cardiovascular evaluation, ECG, cardiac biomarker evaluation and CMR. Left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD) was defined as LVEF <50%. Results: Forty participants were recruited between 15 March 2021 and 19 July 2022. Median time since completion of trastuzumab was 7.8 years (range 5.9–10.8 years) and 90% received prior anthracycline. 25% of participants had LVSD; median LVEF was 55.2% (Q1–Q3, 51.3–61.2). 30% of participants had N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide >125 pg/mL and 8% had high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T >14 ng/L. 33% of participants had a new finding of hypertension. 58% had total cholesterol >5.0 mmol/L, 43% had triglycerides >1.7 mmol/L and 5% had a new diagnosis of diabetes. Conclusions: The presence of asymptomatic LVSD, abnormal cardiac biomarkers and cardiac risk factors in participants treated with trastuzumab and anthracycline at least 5 years previously is common, even in those with normal LVEF on completion of treatment. Our findings reinforce the relevance of comprehensive evaluation of cardiovascular risk factors following completion of cancer therapy, in addition to LVEF assessment

Sharing of carbapenemase-encoding plasmids between Enterobacteriaceae in UK sewage uncovered by MinION sequencing

Dissemination of carbapenem resistance among pathogenic Gram-negative bacteria is a looming medical emergency. Efficient spread of resistance within and between bacterial species is facilitated by mobile genetic elements. We hypothesized that wastewater contributes to the dissemination of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE), and studied this through a cross-sectional observational study of wastewater in the East of England. We isolated clinically relevant species of CPE in untreated and treated wastewater, confirming that waste treatment does not prevent release of CPE into the environment. We observed that CPE-positive plants were restricted to those in direct receipt of hospital waste, suggesting that hospital effluent may play a role in disseminating carbapenem resistance. We postulated that plasmids carrying carbapenemase genes were exchanged between bacterial hosts in sewage, and used short-read (Illumina) and long-read (MinION) technologies to characterize plasmids encoding resistance to antimicrobials and heavy metals. We demonstrated that different CPE species ($\textit{Enterobacter kobei}$ and $\textit{Raoultella ornithinolytica}$) isolated from wastewater from the same treatment plant shared two plasmids of 63 and 280 kb. The former plasmid conferred resistance to carbapenems ($bla_\text{OXA-48}$), and the latter to numerous drug classes and heavy metals. We also report the complete genome sequence for $\textit{Enterobacter kobei}$. Small, portable sequencing instruments such as the MinION have the potential to improve the quality of information gathered on antimicrobial resistance in the environment.This publication presents independent research supported by the Health Innovation Challenge Fund (WT098600, HICF-T5-342), a parallel funding partnership between the Department of Health, UK, and the Wellcome Trust. C. L. is a Wellcome Trust Sir Henry Postdoctoral Fellow (110243/Z/15/Z). T. G. is a Wellcome Trust Research Training Fellow (103387/Z/13/Z)

Trends in suicide in Scotland 1981 – 1999: age, method and geography

BACKGROUND: Male suicide rates continued to increase in Scotland when rates in England and Wales declined. Female rates decreased, but at a slower rate than in England and Wales. Previous work has suggested higher than average rates in some rural areas of Scotland. This paper describes trends in suicide and undetermined death in Scotland by age, gender, geographical area and method for 1981 – 1999. METHODS: Deaths from suicide and undetermined cause in Scotland from 1981 – 1999 were identified using the records of the General Registrar Office. The deaths of people not resident in Scotland were excluded from the analysis. Death rates were calculated by area of residence, age group, gender, and method. Standardised Mortality Ratios (SMRs) and 95% confidence intervals were calculated for rates by geographical area. RESULTS: Male rates of death by suicide and undetermined death increased by 35% between 1981 – 1985 and 1996 – 1999. The largest increases were in the youngest age groups. All age female rates decreased by 7% in the same period, although there were increases in younger female age groups. The commonest methods of suicide in men were hanging, self-poisoning and car exhaust fumes. Hanging in males increased by 96.8% from 45 per million to 89 per million, compared to a 30.7% increase for self-poisoning deaths. In females, the commonest method of suicide was self-poisoning. Female hanging death rates increased in the time period. Male SMRs for 1981 – 1999 were significantly elevated in Western Isles (SMR 138, 95% CI 112 – 171), Highland (135, CI 125 – 147), and Greater Glasgow (120, CI 115 – 125). The female SMR was significantly high only in Greater Glasgow (120, CI 112 – 128). CONCLUSION: All age suicide rates increased in men and decreased in women in Scotland in 1981 – 1999. Previous findings of higher than expected male rates in some rural areas were supported. Rates were also high in Greater Glasgow, one of the most deprived areas of Scotland. There were changes in the methods used, with an increase in hanging deaths in men, and a smaller increase in hanging in women. Altered choice of method may have contributed to the increased male deaths

Spleen Vagal Denervation Inhibits the Production of Antibodies to Circulating Antigens

BACKGROUND: Recently the vagal output of the central nervous system has been shown to suppress the innate immune defense to pathogens. Here we investigated by anatomical and physiological techniques the communication of the brain with the spleen and provided evidence that the brain has the capacity to stimulate the production of antigen specific antibodies by its parasympathetic autonomic output. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: This conclusion was reached by successively demonstrating that: 1. The spleen receives not only sympathetic input but also parasympathetic input. 2. Intravenous trinitrophenyl-ovalbumin (TNP-OVA) does not activate the brain and does not induce an immune response. 3. Intravenous TNP-OVA with an inducer of inflammation; lipopolysaccharide (LPS), activates the brain and induces TNP-specific IgM. 4. LPS activated neurons are in the same areas of the brain as those that provide parasympathetic autonomic information to the spleen, suggesting a feed back circuit between brain and immune system. Consequently we investigated the interaction of the brain with the spleen and observed that specific parasympathetic denervation but not sympathetic denervation of the spleen eliminates the LPS-induced antibody response to TNP-OVA. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: These findings not only show that the brain can stimulate antibody production by its autonomic output, it also suggests that the power of LPS as adjuvant to stimulate antibody production may also depend on its capacity to activate the brain. The role of the autonomic nervous system in the stimulation of the adaptive immune response may explain why mood and sleep have an influence on antibody production