Pacific herring, Clupea pallasi, studies and fishery management in Tomales Bay 1992-93, with notes on Humboldt Bay and Crescent City area landings

The 1992-93 spawning biomass estimate for Pacific herring, Clupea pallasi, in Tomales Bay increased for the fourth year in a row to 4,078 tons. This is the highest estimate since the 1986-87 season. The December spawning biomass total of 1,346 tons was the second highest December escapement total since surveys began in 1972-73. A total of 3.58 million m2 of eelgrass, Zostera marina, was measured in Tomales Bay this season. Eelgrass density increased in the majority of beds. The commercial catch of 222 tons was taken entirely from Tomales Bay since outer Bodega Bay was closed to herring fishing during the season. Gill net mesh size was increased to 2.125 inches from 2.0 inches this season. Herring aged 4,5, and 6 comprised 92% by number of the season's herring catch. Mean weight of herring for each age decreased while mean length for all ages combined increased slightly. Tomales Bay herring samples indicated that older year-classes, missing in commercial catch samples, were present prior to the January start of the commercial fishery. The abundance of 4-yr-old herring was low in samples from variable-mesh and commercial gill nets, indicating less than average recruitment of the 1989 year-class. In Humboldt Bay the 1992-93 season commercial herring catch totalled 28.6 tons, less than half of the 60-ton quota. Crescent City area herring fishermen nearly caught their 30-ton quota with a total of 28.5 tons landed. No spawning biomass estimate is available for the 1992-93 season for either area. (29pp.

Pacific herring, Clupea pallasi, studies and fishery management in Tomales Bay, 1993-94, with notes on Humbolt and Crescent City area landings

The 1993-94 spawning biomass estimate for Pacific herring, Clupea pallasi, in Tomales Bay declined 40% from last season to 2,449 tons. Although this estimate is below the 20-year average of 4,700 tons, the spawning biomass estimate this year is close to the post 1982 El Nino 11-year average of 2,054 tons. The overall trend of increasing biomass since the 1989-90 season still continues. There were eight distinct spawns this season, the most in five years, with the largest spawn occurring in late January. A total of 3.5 million m2 of eelgrass, Zostera marina, was measured in Tomales Bay this season. Eelgrass density increased in the majority of the beds. The commercial gillnet fleet in Tomales Bay caught a total of 219 tons of herring this season yielding an exploitation rate of 8.9%. Herring aged four, five, and six comprised 90% by number of this season's commercial gill net catch. Mean weight of herring ages three, six, and seven decreased slightly over last season while increases were seen for ages four, five, and eight. Mean length of commercial caught herring increased slightly over 1992-93. Department variable-mesh gill nets caught a total of 455 herring of which 232 were aged. The dominant age class was four-yr-olds comprising 27% of the sample by number, followed by six-yr-olds representing the highly successful 1988 year class. In Humboldt Bay, the 1993-94 commercial catch of 62.8 tons was about 5% over the 1993-94 season quota of 60 tons and was well above Humboldt Bay's 21-year average catch of 40.4 tons. Crescent City area herring fishermen caught 32.5 tons, approximately 2% over the season quota for the Crescent City area. The 1993-94 season commercial catch is well above the 20-year average of 23.7 tons for this area. (31pp.

Bowhead Whales Along the Chukotka Coast in Autumn

Bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus) were seen in autumn 1992 and 1993 only along the northern coast of Chukotka, Russia, although an extensive area of the Chukchi Sea was searched during ship cruises. Single-day counts for 76 and 50 bowheads were made on 1 October 1992 and 3 October 1993, respectively, with only a few whales seen on other days. Whales seen between Cape Schmidt and Cape Vankarem on 1 October 1992 appeared to be feeding, but there was no means to detect or sample subsurface forage that year. On 3 October 1993, bowheads appeared to be feeding in an area where a 5 m x 8 km patch of zooplankton was identified, via acoustics, at 25-30 m in water 35 m deep. A vertical-tow sample near the patch indicated the euphausiid Thysanoessa rachii, a common bowhead prey species, was abundant in the water column. The location of the zooplankton patch corresponded with a sharp salinity (proxy density) gradient. In addition, whale distribution coincided with a surface thermal boundary, identified by satellite-borne Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) imagery. The confinement of bowhead sightings to the northern coast of Chukotka in 1992-93 corresponds to reports from autumn surveys in 1979, 1980 and 1990, while the association of whales with physical oceanographic fronts is similar to findings from a study of bowhead feeding areas in the southern Beaufort Sea. These observations suggest that the Chukotka coast may be an important feeding or staging area for the Bering Sea stock and that oceanographic patterns influencing whale occurrence may be identifiable from standard oceanographic measurements.Key words: bowhead whale, Balaena mysticetus, migration, Chukchi Sea, Bering Sea, Chukotka, Thysanoessa rachii, satellite imagery, AVHRRDurant l'automne de 1992 et celui de 1993, on n'a pu observer de baleines boréales (Balaena mysticetus) que le long de la côte nord de Chukotka (Russie), bien que des recherches aient eu lieu dans une zone étendue de la mer des Tchouktches lors de croisières en bateau. Des comptages de 76 et 50 baleines boréales ont été obtenus respectivement le 1er octobre 1992 et le 3 octobre 1993, alors qu'on n'en a observé que quelques-unes les autres jours. Les baleines observées entre Cape Schmidt et Cape Vankarem le 1er octobre 1992 semblaient être en train de s'alimenter, mais on ne disposait pas de moyens pour détecter le genre de nourriture sous la surface, ni pour en prélever un échantillon cette année-là. Le 3 octobre 1993, les baleines semblaient s'alimenter là où une plaque de zooplancton de 5 m x 8 km avait été identifiée par méthode acoustique entre 25 et 30 m de profondeur, dans une zone de 35 m de fond. Un échantillon prélevé par hâlage vertical près de la plaque a indiqué que l'euphausiacé Thysanoessa rachii, une proie courante de la baleine boréale, était abondant dans la colonne d'eau. L'emplacement de la plaque de zooplancton correspondait à un fort gradient de salinité (approximation par la densité). De plus, la distribution des baleines coïncidait avec une limite thermique de surface identifiée au moyen de l'imagerie par radiomètre perfectionné à très haute résolution, transporté par satellite. Le confinement des observations de baleines à la côte nord de Chukotka en 1992-93 correspond aux rapports des relevés d'automne de 1979, 1980 et 1990, tandis que l'association des baleines à des fronts physiques océanographiques cadre avec les résultats d'une étude des zones d'alimentation de la baleine boréale dans le sud de la mer de Beaufort. Ces observations suggèrent que la côte de Chukotka pourrait être une importante zone d'alimentation ou de rassemblement pour la population de la mer de Béring, et que les caractéristiques océanographiques qui influencent la présence des baleines pourraient être identifiables à partir des mesures océanographiques courantes.Mots clés: baleine boréale, Balaena mysticetus, migration, mer des Tchouktches, mer de Béring, Chukotka, Thysanoessa rachii, imagerie par satellite, radiomètre perfectionné à très haute résolutio

Predicting Developmental Morphology in Switchgrass and Big Bluestem

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) and big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii Vitman) are important warm-season grasses in livestock production systems in the central and eastern USA. The objectives of this study were to quantify the morphological development of ‘trailblazer’ switchgrass and \u27Pawnee\u27 big bluestem and to evaluate day of the year (DOY) and growing degree day (GDD) as predictors of switchgrass and big blnestem morphological stage. Pure stands of each species were sampled at weekly intervals in 1990 and 1991 at Mead, NE, and classified as to mean stage count (MSC) and mean stage weight (MSW). Prediction equations for MSC and MSW were developed based on DOY and GDD. The validation study was harvested at 2-wk intervals in 1992 and 1993 at Mead, NE, and Manhattan, KS, and classified as to MSC and MSW. Switchgrass and big bluestem MSC and MSW were related linearly in all environments. Linear DOY calibration equations accounted for 96% of the variation in switchgrass MSC across four environments, which indicates that switchgrass development was related to photoperiod and that general management recommendations could be based on DOY in the central Great Plains. Quadratic GDD calibration equations accounted for 83% of the variation in big bluestem MSC across four environments, which indicates that big bluestem development is more difficult to predict and management recommendations in the central Great Plains should be based on morphological development (which is best predicted by GDD). The comprehensive growth staging system gave repeatable results for quantifying the morphological development of switchgrass and big blnestem. The morphological development of switchgrass and big bluestem can be reliably predicted for adapted cultivars in the central Great Plains during years with near-normal precipitation using DOY and GDD because of the determinate growth habit of these grasses

Adolescent Overweight and Obesity in Ireland—Trends and Sociodemographic Associations Between 1990 and 2020

Background: Overweight and obesity in adolescence is a growing issue and can have a range of both short- and long-term consequences on health. Objectives: To analyse trends in adolescent weight status in Ireland across a 30-year period and to examine the influence of sociodemographic factors on overweight/obesity in Irish adolescents over time. Methods: Body composition and body mass index weight status of Irish adolescents were compared using data from three nationally representative, cross-sectional Irish national food consumption surveys from 1990, 2006 and 2020. Adjusted analysis of associations between socio-demographic factors with the risk of adolescent overweight/obesity at each time point were examined. Results: The prevalence of Irish adolescents with overweight/obesity has increased significantly in recent years, with 24% of adolescents living with overweight/obesity in 2020 compared to 18% in 2006 and 13% in 1990 (p \u3c 0.001). Of note is a substantial increase in the prevalence of obesity, with 8% of adolescents living with obesity in 2020 compared to 3% in 2006 and 0.5% in 1990 (p \u3c 0.001). A lower affluence social class was associated with 3.95 increased odds of adolescent overweight/obesity (95%CI 2.06-7.61) (p \u3c 0.001) in 2020 only, with 41% of adolescents from the lowest affluence social class affected by overweight/obesity. Parental education level was inversely associated with the risk of adolescent overweight/obesity in 2006 and 2020, with a stronger effect in 2020. Conclusion: There is an increasing prevalence of adolescents living with overweight/obesity in Ireland, with evidence of a growing socioeconomic gradient of overweight/obesity where adolescents affected by socioeconomic disadvantage are most at risk

Transmembrane Peptide-Induced Lipid Sorting and Mechanism of Lα-to-Inverted Phase Transition Using Coarse-Grain Molecular Dynamics

AbstractMolecular dynamics results are presented for a coarse-grain model of 1,2-di-n-alkanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, water, and a capped cylindrical model of a transmembrane peptide. We first demonstrate that different alkanoyl-length lipids are miscible in the liquid-disordered lamellar (Lα) phase. The transmembrane peptide is constructed of hydrophobic sites with hydrophilic caps. The hydrophobic length of the peptide is smaller than the hydrophobic thickness of a bilayer consisting of an equal mixture of long and short alkanoyl tail lipids. When incorporated into the membrane, a meniscus forms in the vicinity of the peptide and the surrounding area is enriched in the short lipid. The meniscus region draws water into it. In the regions that are depleted of water, the bilayers can fuse. The lipid headgroups then rearrange to solvate the newly formed water pores, resulting in an inverted phase. This mechanism appears to be a viable pathway for the experimentally observed Lα-to-inverse hexagonal (HII) peptide-induced phase transition

Ex-nihilo II: Examination Syllabi and the Sequencing of Cosmology Education

Cosmology education has become an integral part of modern physics courses. Directed by National Curricula, major UK examination boards have developed syllabi that contain explicit statements about the model of the Big Bang and the strong observational evidence that supports it. This work examines the similarities and differences in these specifications, addresses when cosmology could be taught within a physics course, what should be included in this teaching and in what sequence it should be taught at different levels.Comment: 9 pages. Accepted for publication in a special issue of Physics Educatio

Preoperative Exercise to Improve Fitness in Patients Undergoing Complex Surgery for Cancer of the Lung or Oesophagus (PRE-HIIT): Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial

Patients with cancer of the lung or oesophagus, undergoing curative treatment, usually require a thoracotomy and a complex oncological resection. These surgeries carry a risk of major morbidity and mortality, and risk assessment, preoperative optimisation, and enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) pathways are modern approaches to optimise outcomes. Pre-operative fitness is an established predictor of postoperative outcome, accordingly, targeting pre-operative fitness through exercise prehabilitation has logical appeal. Exercise prehabilitation is challenging to implement however due to the short opportunity for intervention between diagnosis and surgery. Therefore, individually prescribed, intensive exercise training protocols which convey clinically meaningful improvements in cardiopulmonary fitness over a short period need to be investigated. This project will examine the influence of exercise prehabilitation on physiological outcomes and postoperative recovery and, through evaluation of health economics, the impact of the programme on hospital costs

Effect of Genetic Variants, Especially CYP2C9 and VKORC1, on the Pharmacology of Warfarin

The genes encoding the cytochrome P450 2C9 enzyme (CYP2C9) and vitamin K-epoxide reductase complex unit 1 (VKORC1) are major determinants of anticoagulant response to warfarin. Together with patient demographics and clinical information, they account for approximately one-half of the warfarin dose variance in individuals of European descent. Recent prospective and randomized controlled trial data support pharmacogenetic guidance with their use in warfarin dose initiation and titration. Benefits from pharmacogenetics-guided warfarin dosing have been reported to extend beyond the period of initial dosing, with supportive data indicating benefits to at least 3 months. The genetic effects of VKORC1 and CYP2C9 in African and Asian populations are concordant with those in individuals of European ancestry; however, frequency distribution of allelic variants can vary considerably between major populations. Future randomized controlled trials in multiethnic settings using population-specific dosing algorithms will allow us to further ascertain the generalizability and cost-effectiveness of pharmacogenetics-guided warfarin therapy. Additional genome-wide association studies may help us to improve and refine dosing algorithms and potentially identify novel biological pathways

The first IEEE workshop on the Future of Research Curation and Research Reproducibility

This report describes perspectives from the Workshop on the Future of Research Curation and Research Reproducibility that was collaboratively sponsored by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) in November 2016. The workshop brought together stakeholders including researchers, funders, and notably, leading science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) publishers. The overarching objective was a deep dive into new kinds of research products and how the costs of creation and curation of these products can be sustainably borne by the agencies, publishers, and researcher communities that were represented by workshop participants.National Science Foundation Award #164101