The Nearshore Fish Fauna of Bonne Bay, a Fjord within Gros Morne National Park, Newfoundland

A standardized survey of the nearshore fish fauna of Bonne Bay, a fjord within Gros Morne National Park in western Newfoundland, was conducted using beach seines, gill-nets and bottom trawls during the month of June over a seven year period (2002- 2008). The survey documents the presence of 31 fish species (in 17 taxonomic families). Sampling sites varied in benthic habitat and associated fish assemblages. Both juvenile and adult life history stages of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) were present in Bonne Bay, suggesting the presence of a local population or “bay cod stock”. Acadian redfish (Sebastes fasciatus) live in the bay, and may be members of a genetically differentiable population of redfish. Striped wolfish (Anarhichas lupus), a fish species protected under Canada’s Species at Risk Act (SARA), inhabits Bonne Bay. Surrounded by Gros Morne National Park, this bay with a diverse fish fauna is a focus of local stewardship and conservation efforts

Sexually Coercive Male Chimpanzees Sire More Offspring

SummaryIn sexually reproducing animals, male and female reproductive strategies often conflict [1]. In some species, males use aggression to overcome female choice [2, 3], but debate persists over the extent to which this strategy is successful. Previous studies of male aggression toward females among wild chimpanzees have yielded contradictory results about the relationship between aggression and mating behavior [4–11]. Critically, however, copulation frequency in primates is not always predictive of reproductive success [12]. We analyzed a 17-year sample of behavioral and genetic data from the Kasekela chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) community in Gombe National Park, Tanzania, to test the hypothesis that male aggression toward females increases male reproductive success. We examined the effect of male aggression toward females during ovarian cycling, including periods when the females were sexually receptive (swollen) and periods when they were not. We found that, after controlling for confounding factors, male aggression during a female’s swollen periods was positively correlated with copulation frequency. However, aggression toward swollen females was not predictive of paternity. Instead, aggression by high-ranking males toward females during their nonswollen periods was positively associated with likelihood of paternity. This indicates that long-term patterns of intimidation allow high-ranking males to increase their reproductive success, supporting the sexual coercion hypothesis. To our knowledge, this is the first study to present genetic evidence of sexual coercion as an adaptive strategy in a social mammal

Species composition and habitat preferences of the nearshore fish fauna of Bonne Bay, Newfoundland

Determining biodiversity baseline is the first step toward establishing species monitoring and conservation programs. In this study we report on a 10-year survey of the fish fauna of Bonne Bay, a fjord surrounded by the Gros Morne National Park on the west coast of Newfoundland, Canada. The objectives of our study were: 1) to determine the fish fauna of Bonne Bay using standardized sampling methods; 2) to gather information on the habitats of fishes of conservation concern; and 3) to provide baseline information on Bonne Bay as a potential candidate for a National Marine Conservation Area (NMCA). Methods A survey of the fish fauna of the inner Bonne Bay was conducted each summer from 2002 to 2011 at multiple sites representing a range of fish habitats within the fjord. Sampling gears included two types of beach seine, gillnets with various mesh sizes and a bottom trawl. Species composition was statistically compared across sites within the fjord. Results We collected and identified 29 fish species from 17 families. Fish assemblages comprised anadromous, estuarine, and marine fish species, including a late-maturing type of winter skate (Leucoraja ocellata) that is rarely found in the adjacent waters of the northern Gulf of St. Lawrence. Similarity in species composition across sites reflected salinity, substrate composition, and presence of eelgrass (Zostera marina), but not the geographic distance between sites. Conclusions Bonne Bay’s adjacency to a United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Site, its diverse fish fauna that includes several species of conservation concern, its potential for education and enjoyment, and its stewardship by local people are suggestive of the future candidacy as a NMCA. The data presented here will help managers assess the potential of Bonne Bay as a National Marine Conservation Area

Autoantibodies against type I IFNs in patients with critical influenza pneumonia

In an international cohort of 279 patients with hypoxemic influenza pneumonia, we identified 13 patients (4.6%) with autoantibodies neutralizing IFN-alpha and/or -omega, which were previously reported to underlie 15% cases of life-threatening COVID-19 pneumonia and one third of severe adverse reactions to live-attenuated yellow fever vaccine. Autoantibodies neutralizing type I interferons (IFNs) can underlie critical COVID-19 pneumonia and yellow fever vaccine disease. We report here on 13 patients harboring autoantibodies neutralizing IFN-alpha 2 alone (five patients) or with IFN-omega (eight patients) from a cohort of 279 patients (4.7%) aged 6-73 yr with critical influenza pneumonia. Nine and four patients had antibodies neutralizing high and low concentrations, respectively, of IFN-alpha 2, and six and two patients had antibodies neutralizing high and low concentrations, respectively, of IFN-omega. The patients' autoantibodies increased influenza A virus replication in both A549 cells and reconstituted human airway epithelia. The prevalence of these antibodies was significantly higher than that in the general population for patients 70 yr of age (3.1 vs. 4.4%, P = 0.68). The risk of critical influenza was highest in patients with antibodies neutralizing high concentrations of both IFN-alpha 2 and IFN-omega (OR = 11.7, P = 1.3 x 10(-5)), especially those <70 yr old (OR = 139.9, P = 3.1 x 10(-10)). We also identified 10 patients in additional influenza patient cohorts. Autoantibodies neutralizing type I IFNs account for similar to 5% of cases of life-threatening influenza pneumonia in patients <70 yr old

The Habitats of 0-group Juvenile Atlantic Cod in Bonne Bay, a Fjord within Gros Morne National Park, Newfoundland

A standardized survey of Bonne Bay, a fjord located within Gros Morne National Park, Newfoundland, was conducted in the month of June during the years 2002 �– 2009 and in October 2009 to determine the fish species found in the nearshore waters of the bay. The survey was conducted using a 10 m beach seine, a 25 m beach seine, gillnets, and a bottom trawl to sample a variety of depths. The data for young-of-the-year (0-group) juvenile Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) were analyzed using the general linear model approach to determine the effect of study site and year on the number of 0-group cod collected per tow of the 25 m beach seine. This study found that there was no trend in juvenile cod abundance over time. Although the statistical relationship between site and abundance was close to significant, there was no overall trend in the number of juvenile cod collected at each site. This implies that all of the sampling sites are suitable habitat for juvenile cod. The sites differ in macrophyte vegetation (seaweed) coverage, bottom substrate type, water depth, seawater temperature, and salinity. It can be concluded that the nearshore waters of Bonne Bay serve as a nursery ground for juvenile cod. Given the economic and cultural importance of Atlantic cod, Bonne Bay is a focus of local fisheries stewardship and habitat conservation efforts

Movement patterns of Atlantic cod in Gilbert Bay, Labrador: Evidence for bay residency and spawning site fidelity

During three consecutive years of observation 23 Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) were tagged with ultrasonic transmitters as part of two experiments to determine the movement patterns of adult cod in the genetically distinctive population inhabiting Gilbert Bay, Labrador. Individual cod were relocated for periods up to 15 months, indicating year-round residency within the bay despite unimpeded access to the open ocean. The tracking data show that individual cod have a strong homing tendency. In experiment 1 displaced cod returned (homed) to their place of capture in a small arm separated from the rest of the bay by a shallow sill while non-displaced fish remained at their capture site. In experiment 2 some cod remained within 2 km of their capture/release site, a spawning area, while others ranged widely in Gilbert Bay before returning to this site. Whether an individual ranged widely or had more restricted movements was not related to size. Cod exhibited wider ranging movements in the spring and early summer, following spawning, than in the late summer and early autumn. The return of Gilbert Bay cod to specific locations in the inner part of the bay to overwinter and spawn is evidence of one mechanism that could have led to their genetic distinctiveness

Recent changes in the winter distribution and movements of northern Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua Linnaeus, 1758) on the Newfoundland-Labrador Shelf

Using catch data collected by fishery observers from the otter trawl fleet, we describe changes in the winter distribution of cod on the Newfoundland–Labrador Shelf between 1980 and 1992. We determined the relative abundance of cod in three areas of winter aggregation: south-east of Hamilton Bank, south-east of Belle Isle Bank and south-east of Funk Island Bank. The principal finding was that the cod, during their reproductive period, exhibited significant changes in distribution and behaviour, well before the stock showed signs of collapse. There were three indicators of these changes. First, there was a progressive disappearance of fish from the north with time. Most of the biomass was located in the Hamilton Bank area before 1984. By 1989, most of the fish were found at the Belle Isle Bank and south-east of Funk Island Bank locations and by 1991, only to the south (Funk Island Bank). Second, movements of the prespawning/spawning schools became more limited. Compared with the extensive along-shelf migrations, often covering distances of about 100 km, observed in earlier years, the fish schools after 1989 exhibited less movement to the north. Density of fish in the schools was highest in 1990. By 1991, the schools remained nearly stationary around 49°30′N, near the southern end of their distribution. Third, the schools spread over an increasingly greater range of depths. The greatest density of fish as reflected by high catch rates was generally observed no deeper than 600 m between 1980 and 1988. By 1989–1990, substantial catch rates were observed as deep as 1100 m, particularly to the north although catches continued to be considerable at the shallower depths. These changes in distribution and behaviour were generally coincident with the occurrence of anomalously cold ocean temperatures and heavy ice conditions, but no direct link between these changes and the environment was evident

The Fish Fauna of Gilbert Bay, Labrador: a Marine Protected Area in the Canadian Subarctic Coastal Zone

The Marine Protected Area in Gilbert Bay, Labrador is the first established in the subarctic coastal zone of eastern Canada. A standardized survey of the fish fauna of Gilbert Bay was initiated during the ice-free season of 2004 to provide baseline information on the fish present in water less than 15 m deep. Beach seines and gill-nets sampled three management zones within the bay which are afforded different levels of protection from human activity. The 25 species in 15 families recorded belong to five ecological guilds: (1) estuarine and marine fish resident in the bay; (2) anadromous species transiting the bay; (3) marine species which migrate into the bay to spawn; (4) offshore-spawning marine fish for which the bay is a nursery area; and (5) marine species which occasionally migrate into the bay to feed. Gilbert Bay lies in a transition zone between Arctic and coldtemperate biogeographical provinces, and its fish fauna is dissimilar from a cold-temperate fish assemblage described for Trinity Bay in eastern Newfoundland

Data from: Sexually coercive male chimpanzees sire more offspring

In sexually reproducing animals, male and female reproductive strategies often conflict. In some species, males use aggression to overcome female choice, but debate persists over the extent to which this strategy is successful. Previous studies of male aggression toward females among wild chimpanzees have yielded contradictory results about the relationship between aggression and mating behavior. Critically, however, copulation frequency in primates is not always predictive of reproductive success. We analyzed a 17-year sample of behavioral and genetic data from the Kasekela chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) community in Gombe National Park, Tanzania, to test the hypothesis that male aggression toward females increases male reproductive success. We examined the effect of male aggression toward females during ovarian cycling, including periods when the females were sexually receptive (swollen) and periods when they were not. We found that, after controlling for confounding factors, male aggression during a female’s swollen periods was positively correlated with copulation frequency. However, aggression toward swollen females was not predictive of paternity. Instead, aggression by high-ranking males toward females during their nonswollen periods was positively associated with likelihood of paternity. This indicates that long-term patterns of intimidation allow high-ranking males to increase their reproductive success, supporting the sexual coercion hypothesis. To our knowledge, this is the first study to present genetic evidence of sexual coercion as an adaptive strategy in a social mammal

Infectious Keratitis after Photorefractive Keratectomy in the United States Army and Navy

Purpose: To review the incidence, culture results, clinical course, management, and visual outcomes of infectious keratitis after photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) at 6 Army and Navy refractive surgery centers. Design: Retrospective study. Participants: Twelve thousand six hundred sixty-eight Navy and Army sailors and service members. Methods: Army and Navy refractive surgery data banks were searched for cases of infectious keratitis. A retrospective chart review and query of the surgeons involved in the care of those patients thus identified provided data regarding preoperative preparation, perioperative medications, treatment, culture results, clinical course, and final visual acuity. Results: Between January 1995 and May 2004, we performed a total of 25337 PRK procedures at the 6 institutions. Culture proven or clinically suspected infectious keratitis developed in 5 eyes of 5 patients. All patients received topical antibiotics perioperatively. All cases presented 2 to 7 days postoperatively. Cultures from 4 cases grew Staphylococcus, including 2 methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). One case of presumed infectious keratitis was culture negative. There were no reported cases of mycobacterial or fungal keratitis. In addition, we identified 26 eyes with corneal infiltrates in the first postoperative week that were felt to be sterile, and which resolved upon removal of the bandage contact lens and increasing antibiotic coverage. Conclusions: Infectious keratitis is a rare but potentially vision-threatening complication after PRK. It is often caused by gram-positive organisms, including MRSA. Early diagnosis, appropriate laboratory testing, and aggressive antimicrobial therapy can result in good outcomes. © 2006 American Academy of Ophthalmology