Does relatedness influence migratory timing and behaviour in Atlantic salmon smolts?

Aggregating and moving with relatives may enable animals to increase opportunities for kin selection to occur. To gain group-living benefits, animals must coordinate their behaviour. Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar, demonstrate both territoriality and schooling: the two key social behaviours performed by fish. In this investigation we compared the migratory timing and behaviour of six distinct full-sibling groups of tagged S. salar smolts with a large control sample from the same wild population. The results clearly demonstrate that the incidence of schooling and diel migratory timing is not significantly influenced by relatedness, and this adds further support to the hypothesis that S. salar smolt migration is primarily an adaptive response to environmental conditions, rather than a behaviour based solely on genetics or kin-biased behaviour. Used in conjunction with the results of two previous investigations, this is the first study to illustrate that kin discrimination among full-sibling groups of parr does not lead to kin-biased schooling in smolts. Thus, even within the same full-sibling groups, the extent of kin-biased behaviour in fish can both differ within a life history stage under varying ecological conditions and shift from one life history stage to the next

Is the War on Poverty attacking mental illness?

Based on a 2-year study of Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO) programs in a large urban center, this paper examines the potential of Community Action Centers for serving low-income clients with emotional problems. The processing, referral and follow-up patterns of the indigenous counseling staff are described. Strategies for mental health agencies are developed for enhancing their links with these programs and increasing the impact of the War on Poverty on mental illness .Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/44328/1/10597_2005_Article_BF01457167.pd

Trends in the Prevalence of Acute Kidney Injury in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction

Comparative Medicine - OneHealth and Comparative Medicine Poster SessionIntroduction: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is common in patients (pts) with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), and associated with permanent renal impairment and death. While guidelines increasingly emphasize the importance of AKI prevention, whether the rates of AKI changed over time is unknown. Methods: We studied 35,425 pts hospitalized with AMI in 66 U.S. centers from 2000-08 using Health Facts, a national database with detailed information on in-hospital renal function. AKI was defined as absolute creatinine increase of ≥ 0.3 mg/dL or relative increase of ≥50%. Temporal trends in AKI during the 9-year study period were evaluated using hierarchical logistic regression, adjusting for secular changes in baseline creatinine and other known AKI predictors. Results: From 2000-08, mean age increased (66.9 vs 68.8 yrs), as did baseline creatinine (1.4 vs 1.5 mg/dL), rate of cardiogenic shock (5.1 vs 6.3%), diabetes (30.4 vs 35.8%), coronary angiography (57 vs 68%), and PCI (30.2 vs 45.2%, P<0.001 for all comparisons). Despite increase in AKI risk factors, the rates of AKI declined steadily (Figure). The trend of decreasing AKI rates persisted after multivariable adjustment (P=0.01). Conclusions: While AKI still affects nearly 1 in 4 AMI pts, the rates of AKI declined significantly from 2000-08, despite the aging population and rising prevalence of AKI risk factors. These findings may reflect the impact of increased clinician awareness, better risk stratification, and AKI prevention efforts during this time period

A Complete Expression Profile of Matrix-Degrading Metalloproteinases in Dupuytren’s Disease

Dupuytren’s disease (DD) is a common fibrotic condition of the palmar fascia, leading to deposition of collagen-rich cords and finger contractions. The metzincin superfamily contains key enzymes in the turnover of collagen and other extracellular matrix macromolecules. A number of broad-spectrum matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors, used in cancer clinical trials, caused side effects of DD-like contractures. We tested the hypothesis that changes in the expression of specific metalloproteinases underlie or contribute to the fibrosis and contracture seen in DD. We collected tissue from patients with DD and used normal palmar fascia as a control. We profiled the expression of the entire matrix metalloproteinase (MMP), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMP), and a disintegrin and metalloproteinase domain with thrombospondin motif (ADAMTS) gene families in these tissues using real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. A number of metalloproteinases and inhibitors are regulated in DD. The expression of 3 key collagenases, MMP1, MMP13, and MMP14 is increased significantly in the DD nodule, as is the expression of the collagen biosynthetic enzyme ADAMTS14. The expression of MMP7, an enzyme with broad substrate specificity, is increased in the DD nodule and remains equally expressed in the DD cord. TIMP1 expression is increased significantly in DD nodule compared with normal palmar fascia. This study measured the expression of all MMP, ADAMTS, and TIMP genes in DD. Contraction and fibrosis may result from: (1) increased collagen biosynthesis mediated by increased ADAMTS-14; (2) an increased level of TIMP-1 blocking MMP-1– and MMP-13–mediated collagenolysis; and (3) contraction enabled by MMP-14–mediated pericellular collagenolysis (and potentially MMP-7), which may escape inhibition by TIMP-1. The complete expression profile will provide a knowledge-based approach to novel therapeutics targeting these genes

Transdermal fluorescence detection of a dual fluorophore system for noninvasive point-of-care gastrointestinal permeability measurement

The intestinal mucosal barrier prevents macromolecules and pathogens from entering the circulatory stream. Tight junctions in this barrier are compromised in inflammatory bowel diseases, environmental enteropathy, and enteric dysfunction. Dual sugar absorption tests are a standard method for measuring gastrointestinal integrity, however, these are not clinically amenable. Herein, we report on a dual fluorophore system and fluorescence detection instrumentation for which gastrointestinal permeability is determined in a rat small bowel disease model from the longitudinal measured transdermal fluorescence of each fluorophore. This fluorophore technology enables a specimen-free, noninvasive, point-of-care gastrointestinal permeability measurement which should be translatable to human clinical studies

A prominence eruption from the Sun to the Parker Solar Probe with multi-spacecraft observations

In the early hours of 2021 April 25, the Solar Probe Cup on board Parker Solar Probe registered the passage of a solar wind structure characterized by a clear and constant He2+/H+ density ratio above 6% during three hours. The He2+ contribution remained present but fainting and intermittent within a twelve-hour window. Solar Orbiter and Parker Solar Probe were in nearly perfect quadrature, allowing for optimal observing configuration in which the material impacting the Parker Solar Probe was in the Solar Orbiter plane of the sky and visible off the limb. In this work, we report the journey of the helium-enriched plasma structure from the Sun to the Parker Solar Probe by combining multi-spacecraft remote-sensing and in situ measurements. We identify an erupting prominence as the likely source, behind the Sun relative to the Earth, but visible to multiple instruments on both the Solar-Terrestrial Relations Observatory-A and Solar Orbiter. The associated CME was also observed by coronagraphs and heliospheric imagers from both spacecrafts before reaching the Parker Solar Probe at 46 R⊙, 8 h after the spacecraft registered a crossing of the heliospheric current sheet. Except for extraordinary helium enhancement, the CME showed ordinary plasma signatures and a complex magnetic field with an overall strength enhancement. The images from the Wide-field Imager for Solar Probe (WISPR) aboard Parker Solar Probe show a structure entering the field of view a few hours before the in situ crossing, followed by repetitive transient structures that may be the result of flying through the CME body. We believe this to be the first example of a CME being imaged by WISPR directly before and during being detected in situ. This study highlights the potential of combining the Parker Solar Probe in situ measurements in the inner heliosphere with simultaneous remote-sensing observations in (near) quadrature from other spacecrafts

Escherichia coli O157 Exposure in Wyoming and Seattle: Serologic Evidence of Rural Risk

We tested the hypothesis that rural populations have increased exposure to Escherichia coli O157:H7. We measured circulating antibodies against the O157 lipopolysaccharide in rural Wyoming residents and in blood donors from Casper, Wyoming, and Seattle, Washington, by enzyme immunoassay (EIA). EIA readings were compared by analysis of variance and the least squares difference multiple comparison procedure. Rural Wyoming residents had higher antibody levels to O157 LPS than did Casper donors, who, in turn, had higher levels than did Seattle donors (respective least squares means: 0.356, 0.328, and 0.310; p<0.05, Seattle vs. Casper, p<0.001, rural Wyoming vs. either city). Lower age was significantly correlated with EIA scores; gender; and, in rural Wyoming, history of bloody diarrhea, town, duration of residence, and use of nontreated water at home were not significantly correlated. These data suggest that rural populations are more exposed to E. coli O157:H7 than urban populations

Morphological and Geochemical Evidence of Eumelanin Preservation in the Feathers of the Early Cretaceous Bird, Gansus yumenensis

Recent studies have shown evidence for the preservation of colour in fossilized soft tissues by imaging melanosomes, melanin pigment containing organelles. This study combines geochemical analyses with morphological observations to investigate the preservation of melanosomes and melanin within feathers of the Early Cretaceous bird, Gansus yumenensis. Scanning electron microscopy reveals structures concordant with those previously identified as eumelanosomes within visually dark areas of the feathers but not in lighter areas or sedimentary matrices. Fourier transform infrared analyses show different spectra for the feathers and their matrices; melanic functional groups appear in the feather including carboxylic acid and ketone groups that are not seen in the matrix. When mapped, the carboxylic acid group absorption faithfully replicates the visually dark areas of the feathers. Electron Paramagnetic Resonance spectroscopy of one specimen demonstrates the presence of organic signals but proved too insensitive to resolve melanin. Pyrolysis gas chromatography mass spectrometry shows a similar distribution of aliphatic material within both feathers that are different from those of their respective matrices. In combination, these techniques strongly suggest that not only do the feathers contain endogenous organic material, but that both geochemical and morphological evidence supports the preservation of original eumelanic pigment residue