Distinguishing the Impacts of Inadequate Prey and Vessel Traffic on an Endangered Killer Whale (Orcinus orca) Population

Managing endangered species often involves evaluating the relative impacts of multiple anthropogenic and ecological pressures. This challenge is particularly formidable for cetaceans, which spend the majority of their time underwater. Noninvasive physiological approaches can be especially informative in this regard. We used a combination of fecal thyroid (T3) and glucocorticoid (GC) hormone measures to assess two threats influencing the endangered southern resident killer whales (SRKW; Orcinus orca) that frequent the inland waters of British Columbia, Canada and Washington, U.S.A. Glucocorticoids increase in response to nutritional and psychological stress, whereas thyroid hormone declines in response to nutritional stress but is unaffected by psychological stress. The inadequate prey hypothesis argues that the killer whales have become prey limited due to reductions of their dominant prey, Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha). The vessel impact hypothesis argues that high numbers of vessels in close proximity to the whales cause disturbance via psychological stress and/or impaired foraging ability. The GC and T3 measures supported the inadequate prey hypothesis. In particular, GC concentrations were negatively correlated with short-term changes in prey availability. Whereas, T3 concentrations varied by date and year in a manner that corresponded with more long-term prey availability. Physiological correlations with prey overshadowed any impacts of vessels since GCs were lowest during the peak in vessel abundance, which also coincided with the peak in salmon availability. Our results suggest that identification and recovery of strategic salmon populations in the SRKW diet are important to effectively promote SRKW recovery

Dataset of spectral reflectances and hypercubes of submerged biofouled, pristine, and ocean-harvested marine litter

This dataset contains hyperspectral and hypercube measurements of several types of plastic debris.Contact: Robin de Vries, [email protected] measurements were collected with a Spectral Evolution SR-3501 spectroradiometer, in the filenames abbreviated as SE.Hypercube measurements were collected with a SPECIM IQ camera, abbreviated as SPECIM.The measurements were illuminated by natural sunlight in an outdoor laboratory setup.</p

Dataset of spectral reflectances and hypercubes of submerged biofouled, pristine, and ocean-harvested marine litter

This dataset contains hyperspectral and hypercube measurements of several types of plastic debris.Contact: Robin de Vries, [email protected] measurements were collected with a Spectral Evolution SR-3501 spectroradiometer, in the filenames abbreviated as SE.Hypercube measurements were collected with a SPECIM IQ camera, abbreviated as SPECIM.The measurements were illuminated by natural sunlight in an outdoor laboratory setup.</p

Religious Minorities

religion + life = politics We live in a “majority minority” city, in which some of those minorities are religious ones. In other places in our world, Christians are in the minority. How can we live together in peace, rather than violence? Given our differences, can we even pray together? What does it mean to be a member of a minority religion? How do minorities balance their religious-minority status with other aspects of their identity? What are the tensions? And what are the blessings

Money Value Art : State Funding, Free Markets, Big Pictures

The essays and artists’ projects in this collection explore the issue of arts funding in Canada, particularly in light of cuts in government funding. Twenty-two authors address a diverse range of topics in a variety of styles, from humorous personal anecdotes to sociological analysis. The editors intend to mark a moment of flux in Canadian culture, when global capitalism is the dominant model. Includes a timeline of arts funding in Canada from 1941 to 2001. Notes on contributors. Bibliography 2 p. Circa 200 bibl. ref

Factor XIa inhibition with asundexian after acute non-cardioembolic ischaemic stroke (PACIFIC-Stroke) : an international, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 2b trial

Background: Asundexian (Bayer AG, Leverkusen, Germany), an oral small molecule factor XIa (FXIa) inhibitor, might prevent thrombosis without increasing bleeding. Asundexian's effect for secondary prevention of recurrent stroke is unknown. Methods: In this randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 2b dose-finding trial (PACIFIC-Stroke), patients with acute (within 48 h) non-cardioembolic ischaemic stroke were recruited from 196 hospitals in 23 countries. Patients were eligible if they were aged 45 years or older, to be treated with antiplatelet therapy, and able to have a baseline MRI (either before or within 72 h of randomisation). Eligible participants were randomly assigned (1:1:1:1), using an interactive web-based response system and stratified according to anticipated antiplatelet therapy (single vs dual), to once daily oral asundexian (BAY 2433334) 10 mg, 20 mg, or 50 mg, or placebo in addition to usual antiplatelet therapy, and were followed up during treatment for 26–52 weeks. Brain MRIs were obtained at study entry and at 26 weeks or as soon as possible after treatment discontinuation. The primary efficacy outcome was the dose–response effect on the composite of incident MRI-detected covert brain infarcts and recurrent symptomatic ischaemic stroke at or before 26 weeks after randomisation. The primary safety outcome was major or clinically relevant non-major bleeding as defined by International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis criteria. The efficacy outcome was assessed in all participants assigned to treatment, and the safety outcome was assessed in all participants who received at least one dose of study treatment. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04304508, and is now complete. Findings: Between June 15, 2020, and July 22, 2021, 1880 patients were screened and 1808 participants were randomly assigned to asundexian 10 mg (n=455), 20 mg (n=450), or 50 mg (n=447), or placebo (n=456). Mean age was 67 years (SD 10) and 615 (34%) participants were women, 1193 (66%) were men, 1505 (83%) were White, and 268 (15%) were Asian. The mean time from index stroke to randomisation was 36 h (SD 10) and median baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score was 2·0 (IQR 1·0–4·0). 783 (43%) participants received dual antiplatelet treatment for a mean duration of 70·1 days (SD 113·4) after randomisation. At 26 weeks, the primary efficacy outcome was observed in 87 (19%) of 456 participants in the placebo group versus 86 (19%) of 455 in the asundexian 10 mg group (crude incidence ratio 0·99 [90% CI 0·79–1·24]), 99 (22%) of 450 in the asundexian 20 mg group (1·15 [0·93–1·43]), and 90 (20%) of 447 in the asundexian 50 mg group (1·06 [0·85–1·32]; t statistic –0·68; p=0·80). The primary safety outcome was observed in 11 (2%) of 452 participants in the placebo group versus 19 (4%) of 445 in the asundexian 10 mg group, 14 (3%) of 446 in the asundexian 20 mg group, and 19 (4%) of 443 in the asundexian 50 mg group (all asundexian doses pooled vs placebo hazard ratio 1·57 [90% CI 0·91–2·71]). Interpretation: In this phase 2b trial, FXIa inhibition with asundexian did not reduce the composite of covert brain infarction or ischaemic stroke and did not increase the composite of major or clinically relevant non-major bleeding compared with placebo in patients with acute, non-cardioembolic ischaemic stroke. Funding: Bayer AG