An Overview of Marine Biodiversity in United States Waters

Marine biodiversity of the United States (U.S.) is extensively documented, but data assembled by the United States National Committee for the Census of Marine Life demonstrate that even the most complete taxonomic inventories are based on records scattered in space and time. The best-known taxa are those of commercial importance. Body size is directly correlated with knowledge of a species, and knowledge also diminishes with distance from shore and depth. Measures of biodiversity other than species diversity, such as ecosystem and genetic diversity, are poorly documented. Threats to marine biodiversity in the U.S. are the same as those for most of the world: overexploitation of living resources; reduced water quality; coastal development; shipping; invasive species; rising temperature and concentrations of carbon dioxide in the surface ocean, and other changes that may be consequences of global change, including shifting currents; increased number and size of hypoxic or anoxic areas; and increased number and duration of harmful algal blooms. More information must be obtained through field and laboratory research and monitoring that involve innovative sampling techniques (such as genetics and acoustics), but data that already exist must be made accessible. And all data must have a temporal component so trends can be identified. As data are compiled, techniques must be developed to make certain that scales are compatible, to combine and reconcile data collected for various purposes with disparate gear, and to automate taxonomic changes. Information on biotic and abiotic elements of the environment must be interactively linked. Impediments to assembling existing data and collecting new data on marine biodiversity include logistical problems as well as shortages in finances and taxonomic expertise

The National Early Warning Score and its subcomponents recorded within ±24 hours of emergency medical admission are poor predictors of hospital-acquired acute kidney injury

YesBackground: Hospital-acquired Acute Kidney Injury (H-AKI) is a common cause of avoidable morbidity and mortality. Aim: To determine if the patients’ vital signs data as defined by a National Early Warning Score (NEWS), can predict H-AKI following emergency admission to hospital. Methods: Analyses of emergency admissions to York hospital over 24-months with NEWS data. We report the area under the curve (AUC) for logistic regression models that used the index NEWS (model A0), plus age and sex (A1), plus subcomponents of NEWS (A2) and two-way interactions (A3). Likewise for maximum NEWS (models B0,B1,B2,B3). Results: 4.05% (1361/33608) of emergency admissions had H-AKI. Models using the index NEWS had the lower AUCs (0.59 to 0.68) than models using the maximum NEWS AUCs (0.75 to 0.77). The maximum NEWS model (B3) was more sensitivity than the index NEWS model (A0) (67.60% vs 19.84%) but identified twice as many cases as being at risk of H-AKI (9581 vs 4099) at a NEWS of 5. Conclusions: The index NEWS is a poor predictor of H-AKI. The maximum NEWS is a better predictor but seems unfeasible because it is only knowable in retrospect and is associated with a substantial increase in workload albeit with improved sensitivity.The Health Foundatio

The taxonomy of the Didemnidae (Ascidiacea) of the central Pacific, including Indo-Pacific records

Typescript.Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hawaii, 1965.Bibliography: leaves 184-193.xi, 193 l illus., tables (part fold.)The Ascidlacea--phylum Chordata, sUbphylum Tunicata--as a larva has a notochord and a dorsal nerve cord; as an adult, pharyngeal gl I I slits. Unlike the mature Thaliacea and Larvacea of the Tunicata, the ad~lt ascidian is sessile. Members of the family Didemnidae are distinguished from all other colonial ascidians, which also bud as weI I as reproduce sexually, by pyloric budding and by the frequent occurrence of stellate calcareous spicules. Little taxonomic work has been carried out on Pacific Ocean didemnid ascidians except in marginal areas. Didemnids are abundant coral-reef animals and in some areas are the only ascldians found. The purpose of the present study is to examine various didemnid fauna of the central Pacific area in an attempt to clarify the taxonomic position of these members of the fami Iy Didemnidae. The bases for generic and specific determinations are re-evaluated, an extensive collection of specimens is identified, and pertinent taxonomic problems are clarified and, occasionally, resolved

Non-natives: 141 scientists object [Letter]

Peer reviewe