Sea Otter, Enhydra lutris, mortalities in California, 1968 through 1993

Sea otter, Enhydra lutris, mortality in California and the relative contribution from specific causes was assessed for the 26 years from 1968 through 1993. There were 2,082 dead sea otters recorded from Tomales Bay (Marin County) south to Bluff Cove (Los Angeles County) during that period. The average number of carcasses recorded was 80 per year and seven per month. Sex was identified in 87% (n=1,819) of the cases and was composed of 47% female and 53% male. A relative age was assigned to 97% (n=2,017) of the cases and was composed of 28% pup, 18% subadult and 54% adult. Specific causes of death were determined for 26% (n=55 1) of the cases. The majority of these (n=381) were considered to be due to natural causes and included the following specific causes: shark bitten (n=78), probably shark bitten (n=106), other natural causes (n=140), and mating wounds (n=57). The remaining (n=170) were considered to be due to human-related causes and included the following specific causes: shot (n=72), probably shot (n=8), net drowned (n=76), and other human causes (n=14). The large proportion of carcasses without an identified specific cause of death prompted a more detailed necropsy effort in 1992 and 1993. During that period, 78 of the 232 recovered carcasses were examined by veterinary pathologists and a specific cause of death was determined in 76% (n=59) of the cases. This effort identified a wide range of specific causes of death that otherwise may have been categorized as "unknown without trauma". Considering the variety of diseases diagnosed in this expanded necropsy program, it would be prudent to continue this level of examination to refine our knowledge of sea otter pathology. (48pp.

Contextualizing the curée ritual in Master of Game:hunting as a performance of social order

Abstract. The ritual nature of medieval hunting has been widely noted by historians. Noble hunting practices in particular have been examined as rituals designed to project notions of noble ascendancy over society. In the medieval era, the noble hunt is generally presumed to have been a spectacle designed to underscore the natural hierarchy of society. Although the ritualistic nature of medieval hunting practices has generally been acknowledged, the ritual forms that these practices embraced have nonetheless generally not been examined. The present thesis aims to address this shortcoming by examining the ritual formulae of Master of Game within their proper historical and ritual context. In so doing, Master of Game will be considered as a unique point in the evolution of medieval hunting rituals which discloses not only methods for the mimesis of power in the early 15th century but also how these methods drew on contemporary religious ritual forms to achieve meaning. Similarities between hunting rituals and religious rituals will be highlighted, as will the interpellative role of the spectator. In examining how power and ritual intertwine in Master of Game, this thesis argues that contextualizing hunting rituals affords a more nuanced understanding of the ideological aims and means of noble hunting in the medieval era

Guanylate cyclase C as a target for prevention, detection, and therapy in colorectal cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Colorectal cancer remains the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States, and new strategies to prevent, detect, and treat the disease are needed. The receptor, guanylate cyclase C (GUCY2C), a tumor suppressor expressed by the intestinal epithelium, has emerged as a promising target. Areas covered: This review outlines the role of GUCY2C in tumorigenesis, and steps to translate GUCY2C-targeting schemes to the clinic. Endogenous GUCY2C-activating ligands disappear early in tumorigenesis, silencing its signaling axis and enabling transformation. Pre-clinical models support GUCY2C ligand supplementation as a novel disease prevention paradigm. With the recent FDA approval of the GUCY2C ligand, linaclotide, and two more synthetic ligands in the pipeline, this strategy can be tested in human trials. In addition to primary tumor prevention, we also review immunotherapies targeting GUCY2C expressed by metastatic lesions, and platforms using GUCY2C as a biomarker for detection and patient staging. Expert commentary: Results of the first GUCY2C targeting schemes in patients will become available in the coming years. The identification of GUCY2C ligand loss as a requirement for colorectal tumorigenesis has the potential to change the treatment paradigm from an irreversible disease of genetic mutation, to a treatable disease of ligand insufficiency

Switching and generation of ultrashort pulses using all-fibre devices

Serial and parallel interconnection of photonic devices is integral to the construction of any all-optical data processing system. This thesis presents results from a series of experiments centering on the use of the nonlinear-optical loop mirror (NOLM) switch in architectures for the manipulation and generation of ultrashort pulses. Detailed analysis of soliton switching in a single NOLM and cascade of two NOLM's is performed, centering on primary limitations to device operation, effect of cascading on amplitude response, and impact of switching on the characteristics of incident pulses. By using relatively long input pulses, device failure due to stimulated Raman generation is postponed to demonstrate multiple-peaked switching for the first time. It is found that while cascading leads to a sharpening of the overall switching characteristic, pulse spectral and temporal integrity is not significantly degraded, and emerging pulses retain their essential soliton character. In addition, by including an asymmetrically placed in-fibre Bragg reflector as a wavelength selective loss element in the basic NOLM configuration, both soliton self-switching and dual-wavelength control-pulse switching are spectrally quantised. Results are presented from a novel dual-wavelength laser configuration generating pulse trains with an ultra-low rms inter-pulse-stream timing jitter level of 630fs enabling application in ultrafast switching environments at data rates as high as 130GBits/s. In addition, the fibre NOLM is included in architectures for all-optical memory, demonstrating storage and logical inversion of a 0.5kByte random data sequence; and ultrafast phase-locking of a gain-switched distributed feedback laser at 1.062GHz, the fourteenth harmonic of the system baseband frequency. The stringent requirements for environmental robustness of these architectures highlight the primary weaknesses of the NOLM in its fibre form and recommendations to overcome its inherent drawbacks are presented

Strongyloidiasis in personnel of the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI)

Objective: to investigate the first reported cases of strongyloidiasis in the Solomon Islands, and to establish whether this disease poses a risk to personnel of the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI). Design, setting and participants: Retrospective review of the pathology database of the RAMSI Medical Facility in Honiara, Solomon Islands, for the period 1 July 2006 – 30 September 2007. Main outcome measures: number and clinical features of confirmed cases of Strongyloides stercoralis infestation, as diagnosed by serological tests or faecal microscopy. Results: fourteen confirmed cases of strongyloidiasis in previously healthy RAMSI participants were identified. Of 13 patients with notes available, symptoms documented at presentation included epigastric pain (10 patients), diarrhoea (7) and urticaria (4). Clinical disease in all patients responded to oral antihelminthic therapy (albendazole or ivermectin). Conclusions: Strongyloidiasis is endemic in the Solomon Islands and a risk for RAMSI personnel. Australian medical professionals should be aware of this potentially fatal and lifelong infestation, particularly the importance of an occupation history, appropriate diagnostic tests, effective treatment and adequate follow-up to document cure. We recommend implementation of a postdeployment screening program for strongyloidiasis

Structural disorder versus chiral magnetism in Cr1/3_{1/3}NbS2_2

The crystal structure of a disordered form of Cr$_{1/3}$NbS$_2$ has been characterized using diffraction and inelastic scattering of synchrotron radiation. In contrast to the previously reported symmetry (P6$_3$22), the crystal can be described by a regular twinning of an average P6$_3$ structure with three disordered positions of the Cr ions. Short-range correlations of the occupational disorder result in a quite intense and structured diffuse scattering; a static nature of the disorder was unambiguously attributed by the inelastic x-ray scattering. The diffuse scattering has been modeled using a reverse Monte-Carlo algorithm assuming a disorder of the Cr sub-lattice only. The observed correlated disorder of the Cr sub-lattice reduces the temperature of the magnetic ordering from 130 K to 88 K and drastically modifies the field dependence of the magnetization as it is evidenced by the SQUID magnetometery. We conclude, that in contrast to the helicoidal spin structure assumed for P6$_3$22 form, the compound under study is ferromagnetically ordered with a pronounced in-plane anisotropy

Targets and self monitoring in hypertension: randomised controlled trial and cost effectiveness analysis

Objectives: To assess whether blood pressure control in primary care could be improved with the use of patient held targets and self monitoring in a practice setting, and to assess the impact of these on health behaviours, anxiety, prescribed antihypertensive drugs, patients’ preferences, and costs. \ud Design: Randomised controlled trial. \ud Setting: Eight general practices in south Birmingham. \ud Participants: 441 people receiving treatment in primary care for hypertension but not controlled below the target of < 140/85 mm Hg. \ud Interventions: Patients in the intervention group received treatment targets along with facilities to measure their own blood pressure at their general practice; they were also asked to visit their general practitioner or practice nurse if their blood pressure was repeatedly above the target level. Patients in the control group received usual care (blood pressure monitoring by their practice). \ud Main outcome measures: Primary outcome: change in systolic blood pressure at six months and one year in both intervention and control groups. Secondary outcomes: change in health behaviours, anxiety, prescribed antihypertensive drugs, patients’ preferences of method of blood pressure monitoring, and costs. \ud Results: 400 (91%) patients attended follow up at one year. Systolic blood pressure in the intervention group had significantly reduced after six months (mean difference 4.3 mm Hg (95% confidence interval 0.8 mm Hg to 7.9 mm Hg)) but not after one year (mean difference 2.7 mm Hg (-1.2 mm Hg to 6.6 mm Hg)). No overall difference was found in diastolic blood pressure, anxiety, health behaviours, or number of prescribed drugs. Patients who self monitored lost more weight than controls (as evidenced by a drop in body mass index), rated self monitoring above monitoring by a doctor or nurse, and consulted less often. Overall, self monitoring did not cost significantly more than usual care (£251 ($437; 364 euros) (95% confidence interval £233 to £275) versus £240 (£217 to £263). \ud Conclusions: Practice based self monitoring resulted in small but significant improvements of blood pressure at six months, which were not sustained after a year. Self monitoring was well received by patients, anxiety did not increase, and there was no appreciable additional cost. Practice based self monitoring is feasible and results in blood pressure control that is similar to that in usual care. \u

GUCY2C maintains intestinal LGR5+ stem cells by opposing ER stress

Long-lived multipotent stem cells (ISCs) at the base of intestinal crypts adjust their phenotypes to accommodate normal maintenance and post-injury regeneration of the epithelium. Their long life, lineage plasticity, and proliferative potential underlie the necessity for tight homeostatic regulation of the ISC compartment. In that context, the guanylate cyclase C (GUCY2C) receptor and its paracrine ligands regulate intestinal epithelial homeostasis, including proliferation, lineage commitment, and DNA damage repair. However, a role for this axis in maintaining ISCs remains unknown. Transgenic mice enabling analysis of ISCs (Lgr5-GFP) in the context of GUCY2C elimination (Gucy2c-/-) were combined with immunodetection techniques and pharmacological treatments to define the role of the GUCY2C signaling axis in supporting ISCs. ISCs were reduced in Gucy2c-/- mice, associated with loss of active Lgr5+ cells but a reciprocal increase in reserve Bmi1+ cells. GUCY2C was expressed in crypt base Lgr5+ cells in which it mediates canonical cyclic (c) GMPdependent signaling. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, typically absent from ISCs, was elevated throughout the crypt base in Gucy2c-/- mice. The chemical chaperone tauroursodeoxycholic acid resolved this ER stress and restored the balance of ISCs, an effect mimicked by the GUCY2C effector 8Br-cGMP. Reduced ISCs in Gucy2c-/-mice was associated with greater epithelial injury and impaired regeneration following sub-lethal doses of irradiation. These observations suggest that GUCY2C provides homeostatic signals that modulate ER stress and cell vulnerability as part of the machinery contributing to the integrity of ISCs. © Kraft et al

VI.—CRITICAL NOTICES

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