Anatomic Fat Depots and Coronary Plaque Among Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected and Uninfected Men in the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study.

Methods.  In a cross-sectional substudy of the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study, noncontrast cardiac computed tomography (CT) scanning for coronary artery calcium (CAC) scoring was performed on all men, and, for men with normal renal function, coronary CT angiography (CTA) was performed. Associations between fat depots (visceral adipose tissue [VAT], abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue [aSAT], and thigh subcutaneous adipose tissue [tSAT]) with coronary plaque presence and extent were assessed with logistic and linear regression adjusted for age, race, cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, body mass index (BMI), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) parameters. Results.  Among HIV-infected men (n = 597) but not HIV-uninfected men (n = 343), having greater VAT was positively associated with noncalcified plaque presence (odds ratio [OR] = 1.04, P < .05), with a significant interaction (P < .05) by HIV serostatus. Human immunodeficiency virus-infected men had lower median aSAT and tSAT and greater median VAT among men with BMI <25 and 25-29.9 kg/m(2). Among HIV-infected men, VAT was positively associated with presence of coronary plaque on CTA after adjustment for CVD risk factors (OR = 1.04, P < .05), but not after additional adjustment for BMI. There was an inverse association between aSAT and extent of total plaque among HIV-infected men, but not among HIV-uninfected men. Lower tSAT was associated with greater CAC and total plaque score extent regardless of HIV serostatus. Conclusions.  The presence of greater amounts of VAT and lower SAT may contribute to increased risk for coronary artery disease among HIV-infected persons

Cnidaria in UK coastal waters: description of spatio-temporal patterns and inter-annual variability

Note that the accepted version of this paper is available on open access in ORE at: http://hdl.handle.net/10871/15245Concern has been expressed over future biogeographical expansion and habitat capitalization by species of the phylum Cnidaria, as this may have negative implications on human activities and ecosystems. There is, however, a paucity of knowledge and understanding of jellyfish ecology, in particular species distribution and seasonality. Recent studies in the UK have principally focused on the Celtic, Irish and North Seas, but all in isolation. In this study we analyse data from a publicly- driven sightings scheme across UK coastal waters (2003–2011; 9 years), with the aim of increasing knowledge on spatial and temporal patterns and trends. We describe inter-annual variability, seasonality and patterns of spatial distribution, and compare these with existing historic literature. Although incidentally-collected data lack quantification of effort, we suggest that with appropriate data management and interpretation, publicly-driven, citizen-science-based, recording schemes can provide for large-scale (spatial and temporal) coverage that would otherwise be logistically and financially unattainable. These schemes may also contribute to baseline data from which future changes in patterns or trends might be identified. We further suggest that findings from such schemes may be strengthened by the inclusion of some element of effort-corrected data collection

Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin Levels Are Inversely Associated With Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in HIV-Infected and -Uninfected Men.

BackgroundNonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a leading cause of liver disease worldwide. Elevated sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) levels have been observed in the setting of HIV and may protect against some metabolic disorders. We aimed to investigate whether higher SHBG levels may protect against NAFLD in men with/without HIV.MethodsNAFLD was assessed using noncontrast computed tomography in 530 men in the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS) who drank <3 alcoholic drinks/d and were uninfected with chronic hepatitis C or B (340HIV+, 190HIV-). Morning serum samples were tested for SHBG, total testosterone (TT), and adiponectin. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess associations between HIV, SHBG, TT, adiponectin, and NAFLD.ResultsMedian SHBG was highest among HIV+/NAFLD- men and lowest among HIV-/NAFLD+ men. Adjusted for demographics, HIV, visceral adiposity, HOMA-IR, TT, and PNPLA3 genotype, higher SHBG was associated with lower odds of NAFLD (odds ratio [OR], 0.52 per doubling; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.34-0.80). In separate multivariable models without SHBG, HIV (OR, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.26-0.79) and higher adiponectin (OR, 0.66 per doubling; 95% CI, 0.49-0.89) were associated with lower NAFLD odds, whereas TT was not significantly associated (OR, 0.74 per doubling; 95% CI, 0.53-1.04). Adjusting for SHBG attenuated the associations of HIV (OR, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.34-1.08) and adiponectin (OR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.54-1.02) with NAFLD.ConclusionsSHBG levels were higher among HIV+ men, were independently associated with lower NAFLD, and could partially explain the associations of HIV and higher adiponectin with lower NAFLD in our cohort. These findings suggest that SHBG may protect against NAFLD, supporting further prospective and mechanistic studies

Forecasting neuromuscular recovery after anterior cruciate ligament injury: Athlete recovery profiles with generalized additive modeling

A retrospective analysis of longitudinally collected athlete monitoring data wasconducted to generate a model of neuromuscular recovery after anterior cruciateligament (ACL) injury and reconstruction (ACLR). Neuromuscular testing data in-cluding countermovement jump (CMJ) force‐time asymmetries and knee extensorstrength (maximum voluntary contractionext) asymmetries (between‐limb asymmetryindex—AI) were obtained from athletes with ACLR using semitendinosus (ST) au-tograft (n= 29; AI measurements: n= 494), bone patellar tendon bone autograft(n= 5; AI measurements:n= 88) and noninjured controls (n= 178; AI measurements:n= 3188). Explosive strength measured as the rate of torque development was alsocalculated. CMJ force‐time asymmetries were measured over discrete movementphases (eccentric deceleration phase, concentric phase). Separate additive mixedeffects models (additive mixed effects model [AMM]) were fit for each AI with amain effect for the surgical technique and a smooth term for the time since surgery(days). The models explained between 43% and 91% of the deviance in neuro-muscular recovery after ACLR. The mean time course was generated from the AMM.Comparative neuromuscular recovery profiles of an athlete with an acceleratedprogression and an athlete with a delayed progression after a serious multiligamentinjury were generated. Clinical Significance: This paper provides a new perspectiveon the utility of longitudinal athlete monitoring including routine testing to developmodels of neuromuscular recovery after ACLR that can be used to characterizeindividual progression throughout rehabilitation

Satellite Tracking of Manta Rays Highlights Challenges to Their Conservation

We describe the real-time movements of the last of the marine mega-vertebrate taxa to be satellite tracked – the giant manta ray (or devil fish, Manta birostris), the world's largest ray at over 6 m disc width. Almost nothing is known about manta ray movements and their environmental preferences, making them one of the least understood of the marine mega-vertebrates. Red listed by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature as ‘Vulnerable’ to extinction, manta rays are known to be subject to direct and incidental capture and some populations are declining. Satellite-tracked manta rays associated with seasonal upwelling events and thermal fronts off the Yucatan peninsula, Mexico, and made short-range shuttling movements, foraging along and between them. The majority of locations were received from waters shallower than 50 m deep, representing thermally dynamic and productive waters. Manta rays remained in the Mexican Exclusive Economic Zone for the duration of tracking but only 12% of tracking locations were received from within Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). Our results on the spatio-temporal distribution of these enigmatic rays highlight opportunities and challenges to management efforts

Satellite tracking highlights difficulties in the design of effective protected areas for Critically Endangered leatherback turtles Dermochelys coriacea during the inter-nesting period

The globally distributed leatherback turtle Der- mochelys coriacea is subject to fisheries bycatch throughout its range. Protection from fisheries within pelagic foraging habitats is difficult to achieve but may be more tractable when populations are concentrated near neritic breeding and nesting grounds. We used satellite telemetry to de- scribe patterns of habitat utilization during the inter- nesting period for seven leatherback turtles nesting at Mayumba National Park in Gabon on the equatorial West African coast. The National Park includes critical nesting grounds and a marine protected area to 15 km offshore. Turtles dispersed widely from the nesting beach spending a mean of 62 - SD 26% of tracking time outside the confines of the National Park. This propensity to disperse is likely to increase the chance of deleterious interactions with fisheries in the region. Patterns of habitat utilization indicate the need for wider spatial scale planning on the West African continental shelf to enhance protection of leatherback turtles when they are seasonally occupying these habitats in great numbers for breeding and nesting

Long-term monitoring of sound exposure from shipping in coastal waters

Anthropogenic underwater noise from shipping is spatially and temporally pervasive throughout the world’s oceans, and has the potential to subject marine fauna to chronic noise exposure, the effects of which are poorly understood. Coastal waters are of particular concern due to the higher density of shipping activity and sensitive marine ecosystems (as well as potential waveguide effects). However, the high spatiotemporal variability of ambient noise in these regions presents a methodological challenge to long-term environmental assessment, which has previously focused on more acoustically stable deep-water observation sites. We present a method of characterising sound exposure from shipping using continuous passive acoustic monitoring combined with Automatic Identification System (AIS) shipping data. The method is applied to 9 days of data recorded in Falmouth Bay, UK, using a bottom-mounted autonomous recorder. An adaptive threshold is used to identify intermittent ship contributions to the 24-hr sound exposure level, and the spatial distribution of potential sources is analysed using AIS data. This indicates the spatiotemporal distribution of intermittent shipping noise sources, which can provide a more detailed understanding of anthropogenic noise in coastal waters and help to prioritise noise mitigation strategies in sensitive marine environments

NOTES ON THE NEST, BREEDING SEASON, AND ELEVATIONAL RANGE OF A RARE HUMMINGBIRD, THE PURPLE-BACKED SUNBEAM (AGLAEACTIS ALICIAE)

Abstract The breeding biology and phenology of the endangered hummingbird Purple-backed Sunbeam (Aglaeactis aliciae) are not well known. We report observations of nesting A. aliciae near El Molino, in La Libertad Department, Peru. On 11 March 2018, we found a female building a nest while on 10 March 2019 we found an incubating female. We describe specific characteristics of the nest and breeding behavior of nesting females. Based on our observations and that of others, the timing of nesting for this species seems to correspond to the mid-to-late rainy season, extending from at least March to May. Additionally, our sightings suggest a higher upper elevational range limit for this range-restricted Andean hummingbird than previously reported; the elevational range should be considered to be 2900–3700 m a.s.l.Resumen ∙ Notas sobre el nido, temporada reproductiva y rango elevacional del Colibrí de Alicia (Aglaeactis aliciae) La biología reproductiva y la fenología del Colibrí de Alicia (Aglaeactis aliciae) – una especie de colibrí amenazada – son poco conocidas. Aquí reportamos observaciones de nidificación de A. aliciae en El Molino, Departamento La Libertad, Perú. El 11 de marzo de 2018 encontramos una hembra construyendo un nido, mientras que el 10 de marzo de 2019 encontramos a una hembra incubando. Describimos las características del nido y el comportamiento reproductivo de las hembras. En base a nuestras observaciones e información previa sugerimos que la temporada de nidificación se desarrolla desde mediados a fines de la temporada húmeda, extendiéndose desde marzo a mayo. Nuestras observaciones también indican que la especie se encuentra a mayores altitudes que lo reportado previamente y que su rango altitudinal seria 2900–3700 m s.n.m