Inter-annual and seasonal trends in cetacean distribution, density and abundance off southern California

The article of record as published may be located at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr2.2014.10.008Funded by Naval Postgraduate SchoolTrends in cetacean density and distribution off southern California were assessed through visual line- transect surveys during thirty-seven California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigations (CalCOFI) cruises from July 2004–November 2013. From sightings of the six most commonly encountered cetacean species, seasonal, annual and overall density estimates were calculated. Blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus), fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) and humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) were the most frequently sighted baleen whales with overall densities of 0.91/1000 km2 (CV 1⁄4 0.27), 2.73/ 1000 km2 (CV 1⁄4 0.19), and 1.17/1000 km2 (CV 1⁄4 0.21) respectively. Species specific density estimates, stratified by cruise, were analyzed using a generalized additive model to estimate long-term trends and correct for seasonal imbalances. Variances were estimated using a non-parametric bootstrap with one day of effort as the sampling unit. Blue whales were primarily observed during summer and fall while fin and humpback whales were observed year-round with peaks in density during summer and spring respectively. Short-beaked common dolphins (Delphinus delphis), Pacific white-sided dolphins (Lagen- orhynchus obliquidens) and Dall’s porpoise (Phocoenoidesdalli) were the most frequently encountered small cetaceans with overall densities of 705.83/1000 km2 (CV1⁄40.22), 51.98/1000 km2 (CV1⁄40.27), and 21.37/1000 km2 (CV 1⁄4 0.19) respectively. Seasonally, short-beaked common dolphins were most abun- dant in winter whereas Pacific white-sided dolphins and Dall’s porpoise were most abundant during spring. There were no significant long-term changes in blue whale, fin whale, humpback whale, short- beaked common dolphin or Dall’s porpoise densities while Pacific white-sided dolphins exhibited a significant decrease in density across the ten-year study. The results from this study were fundamentally consistent with earlier studies, but provide greater temporal and seasonal resolution.Funding was provided by the Chief of Naval Operations Environmental Readiness Division, the United States Navy’s Pacific Fleet, the Naval Postgraduate School Grant #N00244-11-1-027, and the Naval Facilities Engineering Command Living Marine Resources Pro- gramFunding was provided by the Chief of Naval Operations Environmental Readiness Division, the United States Navy’s Pacific Fleet, the Naval Postgraduate School Grant #N00244-11-1-027, and the Naval Facilities Engineering Command Living Marine Resources Pro- gra

Zoop to poop: assessment of microparticle loads in gray whale zooplankton prey and fecal matter reveal high daily consumption rates

The ocean continues to be a sink for microparticle (MP) pollution, which includes microplastics and other anthropogenic debris. While documentation of MP in marine systems is now common, we lack information on rates of MP ingestion by baleen whales and their prey. We collected and assessed MP loads in zooplankton prey and fecal samples of gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus) feeding in coastal Oregon, USA and produced the first estimates of baleen whale MP consumption rates from empirical data of zooplankton MP loads (i.e., not modeled). All zooplankton species examined were documented gray whale prey items (Atylus tridens, Holmesimysis sculpta, Neomysis rayii) and contained an average of 4 MP per gram of tissue, mostly of the microfiber morphotype. We extrapolated MP loads in zooplankton prey to estimate the daily MP consumption rates of pregnant and lactating gray whales, which ranged between 6.5 and 21 million MP/day. However, these estimates do not account for MP ingested from ambient water or benthic sediments, which may be high for gray whales given their benthic foraging strategy. We also assessed MP loads in fecal samples from gray whales feeding in the same spatio-temporal area and detected MP in all samples examined, which included microfibers and significantly larger morphotypes than in the zooplankton. We theorize that gray whales ingest MP via both indirect trophic transfer from their zooplankton prey and directly through indiscriminate consumption of ambient MPs when foraging benthically where they consume larger MP morphotypes that have sunk and accumulated on the seafloor. Hence, our estimated daily MP consumption rates for gray whales are likely conservative because they are only based on indirect MP ingestion via prey. Our results improve the understanding of MP loads in marine ecosystems and highlight the need to assess the health impacts of MP consumption on zooplankton and baleen whales, particularly due to the predominance of microfibers in samples, which may be more toxic and difficult to excrete than other MP types. Furthermore, the high estimated rates of MP consumption by gray whales highlights the need to assess health consequences to individuals and subsequent scaled-up effects on population vital rates

Correcting for Mortality Among Patients Lost to Follow Up on Antiretroviral Therapy in South Africa: A Cohort Analysis

Loss to follow-up (LTF) challenges the reporting of antiretroviral treatment (ART) programmes, since it encompasses patients alive but lost to programme and deaths misclassified as LTF. We describe LTF before and after correction for mortality in a primary care ART programme with linkages to the national vital registration system

Search for dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks in √s = 13 TeV pp collisions with the ATLAS detector

A search for weakly interacting massive particle dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks is presented. Final states containing third-generation quarks and miss- ing transverse momentum are considered. The analysis uses 36.1 fb−1 of proton–proton collision data recorded by the ATLAS experiment at √s = 13 TeV in 2015 and 2016. No significant excess of events above the estimated backgrounds is observed. The results are in- terpreted in the framework of simplified models of spin-0 dark-matter mediators. For colour- neutral spin-0 mediators produced in association with top quarks and decaying into a pair of dark-matter particles, mediator masses below 50 GeV are excluded assuming a dark-matter candidate mass of 1 GeV and unitary couplings. For scalar and pseudoscalar mediators produced in association with bottom quarks, the search sets limits on the production cross- section of 300 times the predicted rate for mediators with masses between 10 and 50 GeV and assuming a dark-matter mass of 1 GeV and unitary coupling. Constraints on colour- charged scalar simplified models are also presented. Assuming a dark-matter particle mass of 35 GeV, mediator particles with mass below 1.1 TeV are excluded for couplings yielding a dark-matter relic density consistent with measurements

Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome

The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead

Evaluating the Effect of Beauty on Labor Market Outcomes: A Review of the Literature.

An important underlying determinant of wage discrimination, as well as the gender wage gap is the way the labor market rewards individual physical attractiveness. This article surveys the extensive empirical literature of the effect of physical attractiveness on labor market outcomes. Particular attention is given to the channels through which attractiveness may affect individual labor market outcomes and the way attractiveness affects gender wage differentials. Further research is needed on the effect of attractiveness within occupations in order to provide more evidence on its productivity-enhancing channel of transmission and the effect this has on the gender wage gap

EVALUATION OF PRIMARY ELBOW OSTEOARTHRITIS USING HIGH-RESOLUTION PERIPHERAL QUANTITATIVE COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY: A PILOT STUDY

INTRODUCTION Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease characterized by morphological and histological change of bone and cartilage. A feature of this disease is the development of osteophytes, which alter the structure of the bone. Changes in bone structure are especially common in the olecranon fossa of the humerus [1]. With the advent of high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT), researchers have been able to examine the microarchitecture of human bone in vivo. Using HR-pQCT one can evaluate both structural and density parameters of bone. Primary OA of the elbow has a unique disease progression. While standard radiographs are used in diagnosis of this disease, these images cannot provide information on joint microarchitecture. To the best of our knowledge, microarchitectural changes in primary elbow OA have not been examined. Prior to this study, HR-pQCT technology has only allowed for in vivo imaging of peripheral sites. With second generation scanners, images of the elbow in vivo can be obtained due to the larger diameter field of view and longer gantry. The current project involved developing a scanning protocol appropriate for this population and anatomical region to explore the effects of this disease on the underlying bone structure. Examining the microarchitectural changes could provide insight into the pathophysiology of this disease. METHODS One male subject with primary OA (aged 47) and three age and gender matched, healthy controls (aged 36-59) were recruited. Elbow pain and function were recorded using the PREE questionnaire [2].  Image data of the participants’ dominant humerus were acquired using a HR-pQCT scanner (XtremeCTII; Scanco Medical). To minimize movement artifacts, the subjects were instructed to remain still and their arms were immobilized using a custom-made, padded, carbon fibre support that provided rigidity and comfort. A scout view ensured the region of interest was correctly defined; a trained operator manually aligned the reference line to ensure the entire region was scanned. A 40.79mm scan consisting of 672 slices was obtained to capture the distal humerus including the olecranon fossa (Figure 1) using a protocol similar to the manufacturer’s standard for other anatomical regions (61μm nominal isotropic voxel size, 43ms integration time, 900 projections). Images were contoured manually and subsequently evaluated using Image Processing Language (v5.15, Scanco Medical). RESULTS A scan protocol consisting of a single scan of four stacks was determined to be most appropriate for this population to minimize scan duration (15min) and movement while still capturing the area of interest. However, motion artifacts were still noted in many scans. The resulting images showed great variability in the anatomy of the olecranon fossa. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS Prior to this study, in vivo HR-pQCT images of the elbow had not been obtained. Through this pilot project a scan protocol to capture the olecranon fossa of the humerus was developed. The variability in the anatomy of the region has led to difficulty in isolating the area of interest, thus making quantitative analysis of microarchitecture more complex. Future directions include scanning additional subjects and finalizing how to determine the borders of the olecranon fossa to enable quantitative analysis of bone microarchitecture in this region. Studying this region will increase our understanding of the pathophysiology of OA.

Team Communication: A Persistent Problem Across Hospital Environments

Poster presented during the Medical and Drug-Delivery Devices Track

Canadian breast cancer guidelines: Have they made a difference?

BACKGROUND: A principal objective of the Canadian Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Care and Treatment of Breast Cancer was to reduce the variation in the way that breast cancer was being treated. To evaluate whether this goal has been reached, we examined variations among surgeons for 4 measures of surgical care and tested for differences in province-wide rates and in variations among surgeons before and after the guidelines were released. METHODS: We studied a population-based cohort of 7022 women living in Manitoba in whom breast cancer was diagnosed from 1995 to 2003 inclusive. Demographic, tumour and treatment information was obtained from the Manitoba Cancer Registry. We examined 4 measures of care: breast-conserving surgery, axillary assessment in invasive disease, axillary node dissection in noninvasive disease and the adequacy of axillary node dissection. Generalized linear models were used to test for significant variations in care among surgeons and to test for differences in province-wide rates and variations in these rates among surgeons before and after introduction of the guidelines. RESULTS: We found clinically significant variations in the province-wide rates of all 4 measures examined. These variations were statistically significant for all measures except axillary node dissection in noninvasive disease. No significant differences in either the province-wide rates or in variations in these rates among surgeons before and after introduction of the guidelines were found for any of the measures. INTERPRETATION: Our results suggest that the Canadian breast cancer guidelines are not meeting their stated objective. New strategies for guideline dissemination and implementation may be required

SequenceJuxtaposer: Fluid navigation for large-scale sequence comparison in context

SequenceJuxtaposer is a sequence visualization tool for the exploration and comparison of biomolecular sequences. We use an information visualization technique called “accordion drawing ” that guarantees three key properties: context, visibility, and frame rate. We provide context through the navigation metaphor of a rubber sheet that can be smoothly stretched to show more details in the areas of focus, while the surrounding regions of context are correspondingly shrunk. Landmarks, such as motifs or differences between aligned base pairs, are guaranteed to be visible even if located in the shrunken areas of context. Our graphics infrastructure for progressive rendering provides immediate responsiveness to user interaction by guaranteeing that we redraw the scene at a target frame rate. SequenceJuxtaposer supports interaction at 20 frames per second when browsing collections of several hundred sequences that comprise over 1.7 million total base pairs. 1 Introduction and Prior Work Biomolecular sequence comparisons are essential in understanding underlying genomic patterns. Current sequence browsers [Hu02, Ke02, Wh] support examining the data i