Shark detection probability from aerial drone surveys within a temperate estuary

Drones are easy to operate over metres-to-kilometre scales, making them potentially useful to monitor species distributions and habitat use in shallow estuaries with widely varying environmental conditions. To investigate the utility of drones for surveying bonnethead sharks (Sphyrna tiburo) across estuarine environmental gradients, we deployed decoys, fashioned to mimic sharks, in the field. Decoys were placed in two flight areas (0.8 km2 each) in shallow (&lt;2 m) water near Beaufort, N.C., on five days during 2015–2016. Survey flights were conducted using a fixed-wing drone (senseFly eBee) equipped with a digital camera. Images were indexed for combinations of six environmental factors across flights. Images representative of all (N = 36) observed environmental combinations were sent to a group of 15 scientists who were asked to identify sharks in each image. Non-parametric rank-sum comparisons and regression tree analysis on resultant detection probabilities highlighted depth as having the largest, statistically reliable influence on detection probabilities, with decreasing detection probabilities at increased depth. Detection probabilities were higher during midday flights, with notable effects of wind speed and cloud presence also apparent. Our study highlights depth as a first-order factor constraining the temperate estuarine habitats over which drones may reliably quantify sharks (i.e., <0.75 m)

Size Changes within a Southeastern United States Coastal Shark Assemblage: 1975–2018

Harvest may have myriad effects on target species, including a change in population size structure. To assess whether size shifts have occurred among managed coastal species of shark (superorder Selachimorpha), we examined the population size structure of 12 species caught during a nearly five-decade-long fishery-independent survey conducted in Onslow Bay, North Carolina, using standardized longline gear. We evaluated trends in mean fork length (FL), median FL, and index of maximum FL (L90%) for each species separately across time using linear regression models. We also examined trends in size-classes (200-mm bins) and catch per unit effort for each species over time. For 10 of the 12 species (excluding sample-size-constrained Tiger Shark Galeocerdo cuvier and Bull Shark Carcharhinus leucas), size structure metrics indicated decreasing sizes over time, although statistical confidence for these patterns varied across species and metrics. Strongest statistical support for declining sizes was observed for Blacknose Shark Carcharhinus acronotus (mean FL, median FL, L90%), Dusky Shark Carcharhinus obscurus (L90%), Smooth Dogfish Mustelus canis (L90%), and Atlantic Sharpnose Shark Rhizoprionodon terraenovae (L90%). Magnitude of decreases in L90% among these 10 species during the survey ranged from roughly 9% (Silky Shark Carcharhinus falciformis; 83-mm decrease) to 35% (Sandbar Shark Carcharhinus plumbeus; 541-mm decrease). Our findings indicate a potential for fishing pressure to exert directional selection on these coastal shark species, although further research is needed regarding the nature of size-dependent catchability and species-specific vital rates to adequately evaluate these dynamics. Furthermore, in addition to the removal of “great sharks,” decreasing sizes of small coastal sharks, such as Blacknose Shark, Smooth Dogfish, and Atlantic Sharpnose Shark (i.e., “mesopredators”), suggest that harvest may have pervasive effects on species throughout this assemblage

A randomised phase 2 study comparing different dose approaches of induction treatment of regorafenib in previously treated metastatic colorectal cancer patients (REARRANGE trial)

Altres ajuts: Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc.Purpose: The purpose of this article is to evaluate the safety of two regorafenib dose-escalation approaches in refractory metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients. Patients and methods: Patients with mCRC and progression during or within 3 months following their last standard chemotherapy regimen were randomised to receive the approved dose of regorafenib of 160 mg QD (arm A) or 120 mg QD (arm B) administered as 3 weeks of treatment followed by 1 week off, or 160 mg QD 1 week on/1 week off (arm C). The primary end-point was the percentage of patients with G3/G4 treatment-related adverse events (AEs) in each arm. Results: There were 299 patients randomly assigned to arm A (n = 101), arm B (n = 99), or arm C (n = 99); 297 initiated treatments (arm A n = 100, arm B n = 98, arm C n = 99: population for safety analyses). G3/4 treatment-related AEs occurred in 60%, 55%, and 54% of patients in arms A, B, and C, respectively. The most common G3/4 AEs were hypertension (19, 12, and 20 patients), fatigue (20, 14, and 15 patients), hypokalemia (11, 7, and 10 patients), and hand-foot skin reaction (8, 7, and 3 patients). Median overall survival was 7.4 (IQR 4.0-13.7) months in arm A, 8.6 (IQR 3.8-13.4) in arm B, and 7.1 (IQR 4.4-12.4) in arm C. Conclusions: The alternative regorafenib dosing schedules were feasible and safe in patients with mCRC who had been previously treated with standard therapy. There was a higher numerical improvement on the most clinically relevant AEs in the intermittent dosing arm, particularly during the relevant first two cycles. Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT02835924

TRY plant trait database – enhanced coverage and open access

Plant traits—the morphological, anatomical, physiological, biochemical and phenological characteristics of plants—determine how plants respond to environmental factors, affect other trophic levels, and influence ecosystem properties and their benefits and detriments to people. Plant trait data thus represent the basis for a vast area of research spanning from evolutionary biology, community and functional ecology, to biodiversity conservation, ecosystem and landscape management, restoration, biogeography and earth system modelling. Since its foundation in 2007, the TRY database of plant traits has grown continuously. It now provides unprecedented data coverage under an open access data policy and is the main plant trait database used by the research community worldwide. Increasingly, the TRY database also supports new frontiers of trait‐based plant research, including the identification of data gaps and the subsequent mobilization or measurement of new data. To support this development, in this article we evaluate the extent of the trait data compiled in TRY and analyse emerging patterns of data coverage and representativeness. Best species coverage is achieved for categorical traits—almost complete coverage for ‘plant growth form’. However, most traits relevant for ecology and vegetation modelling are characterized by continuous intraspecific variation and trait–environmental relationships. These traits have to be measured on individual plants in their respective environment. Despite unprecedented data coverage, we observe a humbling lack of completeness and representativeness of these continuous traits in many aspects. We, therefore, conclude that reducing data gaps and biases in the TRY database remains a key challenge and requires a coordinated approach to data mobilization and trait measurements. This can only be achieved in collaboration with other initiatives

Global Retinoblastoma Presentation and Analysis by National Income Level

Importance: Early diagnosis of retinoblastoma, the most common intraocular cancer, can save both a child's life and vision. However, anecdotal evidence suggests that many children across the world are diagnosed late. To our knowledge, the clinical presentation of retinoblastoma has never been assessed on a global scale. Objectives: To report the retinoblastoma stage at diagnosis in patients across the world during a single year, to investigate associations between clinical variables and national income level, and to investigate risk factors for advanced disease at diagnosis. Design, Setting, and Participants: A total of 278 retinoblastoma treatment centers were recruited from June 2017 through December 2018 to participate in a cross-sectional analysis of treatment-naive patients with retinoblastoma who were diagnosed in 2017. Main Outcomes and Measures: Age at presentation, proportion of familial history of retinoblastoma, and tumor stage and metastasis. Results: The cohort included 4351 new patients from 153 countries; the median age at diagnosis was 30.5 (interquartile range, 18.3-45.9) months, and 1976 patients (45.4) were female. Most patients (n = 3685 84.7%) were from low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). Globally, the most common indication for referral was leukocoria (n = 2638 62.8%), followed by strabismus (n = 429 10.2%) and proptosis (n = 309 7.4%). Patients from high-income countries (HICs) were diagnosed at a median age of 14.1 months, with 656 of 666 (98.5%) patients having intraocular retinoblastoma and 2 (0.3%) having metastasis. Patients from low-income countries were diagnosed at a median age of 30.5 months, with 256 of 521 (49.1%) having extraocular retinoblastoma and 94 of 498 (18.9%) having metastasis. Lower national income level was associated with older presentation age, higher proportion of locally advanced disease and distant metastasis, and smaller proportion of familial history of retinoblastoma. Advanced disease at diagnosis was more common in LMICs even after adjusting for age (odds ratio for low-income countries vs upper-middle-income countries and HICs, 17.92 95% CI, 12.94-24.80, and for lower-middle-income countries vs upper-middle-income countries and HICs, 5.74 95% CI, 4.30-7.68). Conclusions and Relevance: This study is estimated to have included more than half of all new retinoblastoma cases worldwide in 2017. Children from LMICs, where the main global retinoblastoma burden lies, presented at an older age with more advanced disease and demonstrated a smaller proportion of familial history of retinoblastoma, likely because many do not reach a childbearing age. Given that retinoblastoma is curable, these data are concerning and mandate intervention at national and international levels. Further studies are needed to investigate factors, other than age at presentation, that may be associated with advanced disease in LMICs. © 2020 American Medical Association. All rights reserved

Varix of the heart causing outflow tract obstruction

We report a case about a neonate who died of severe subaortic stenosis due to a giant vascular dilation of the left ventricular outflow tract. We emphasize the fatal result of this benign lesion and make differential diagnosis with haemangiomas and valvular blood cysts

Subcutaneous fat necrosis of newborn children

We report a case of subcutaneous fat necrosis of a newborn child which appeared 9 days after birth and was cured without any complications. We propose the reclassification of the etiological factors accompanying this lesion by classifying them in a plurietiological syndrome with some basic or essential factors and other causative factors

Análisis de los mecanismos de producción de las lesiones leves por accidentes de trabajo en la construcción en España Analysis of the mechanisms of minor occupational injuries in the construction industry in Spain

Objetivos: La construcción es la actividad económica que registró mayor número de lesiones por accidentes de trabajo (LAT) con baja en jornada en España (25,6%), de las cuales el 98,5% eran leves con casi 5 millones de días perdidos en 2000. Esto ocurre después de adoptarse numerosas normas preventivas en los últimos años. El objetivo fue identificar los mecanismos específicos de LAT leves en la construcción. Métodos: El total de LAT leves en la construcción fue 235.853 durante el año 2000. De ellas se seleccionaron las ocurridas en la «construcción general de inmuebles y obras de ingeniería civil» (n = 155.044), tanto en el conjunto de trabajadores como en albañiles y peones de la construcción. Como actividad de referencia se seleccionó la «actividad financiera y de seguros» (n = 2.019). Las LAT por afección no traumática (infarto, etc.) fueron el grupo control (n = 167), asumiendo que el riesgo de LAT no traumática era independiente de la actividad económica. La odds ratio (OR) se ajustó por edad, sexo, antigüedad en la empresa, tipo de contrato y tamaño de la empresa, mediante modelos de regresión logística no condicional. Resultados: Los mecanismos de producción más específicos de LAT en la construcción, respecto a los de las finanzas y seguros, fueron, para el conjunto de trabajadores, la proyección de partículas (OR = 33,0; IC del 95%, 15,3-70,8) y los golpes por objetos (OR = 18,2; IC del 95%, 9,7-34,1). Los mismos que también se identificaron en albañiles y peones. Conclusiones: Las actividades orientadas a prevenir las LAT leves en la construcción deben tener en cuenta estos mecanismos de producción, especialmente la proyección de partículas, a pesar de que su frecuencia respecto a otros mecanismos de producción sea baja. Los estudios de casos y controles constituyen una alternativa útil para el análisis de las LAT.<br>Objectives: The construction industry produces the highest number of occupational injuries in Spain (25.6%). Of these, 98.5% were minor injuries with 5 million workdays lost in 2000. This occurred even after the recent introduction of numerous health and occupational safety regulations. The objective of the present study was to identify the specific mechanisms of minor occupational injuries in the construction sector. Methods: In 2000, there were 235,853 minor occupational injuries in the construction industry. From these, injuries in «general construction and civil engineering» were selected (n = 155,044). These injuries affected both the total number of workers in the sector as well as bricklayers and unskilled construction workers. «Insurance and financial activities» (n = 2,019) were selected as a reference economic sector. Minor occupational injuries due to nontraumatic processes (heart attack, etc.) were taken as a control group (n = 167), assuming that the risk of nontraumatic processes was independent of economic activities. Odds ratios (OR) were adjusted by age, sex, years of work experience, type of employment and company size through nonconditional logistic regression models. Results: The mechanisms with the highest risk of minor occupational lesions in construction workers as a group compared with employees in the financial sector were projection of fragments (OR = 33.0; 95% CI, 15.3-70.8) and being struck by objects (OR = 18.2; CI 95%, 9.7-34.1). These were also the most specific mechanisms of injury in the subgroup of bricklayers and unskilled construction workers. Conclusions: Activities aimed at preventing minor occupational injuries in the construction sector should be orientated towards these mechanisms, especially projection of fragments despite the low frequency of this mechanism compared with that of other mechanisms. Case-control design is a useful alternative approach for research into occupational injuries

Análisis de los mecanismos de producción de las lesiones leves por accidentes de trabajo en la construcción en España

Objetivos: La construcción es la actividad económica que registró mayor número de lesiones por accidentes de trabajo (LAT) con baja en jornada en España (25,6%), de las cuales el 98,5% eran leves con casi 5 millones de días perdidos en 2000. Esto ocurre después de adoptarse numerosas normas preventivas en los últimos años. El objetivo fue identificar los mecanismos específicos de LAT leves en la construcción. Métodos: El total de LAT leves en la construcción fue 235.853 durante el año 2000. De ellas se seleccionaron las ocurridas en la «construcción general de inmuebles y obras de ingeniería civil» (n = 155.044), tanto en el conjunto de trabajadores como en albañiles y peones de la construcción. Como actividad de referencia se seleccionó la «actividad financiera y de seguros» (n = 2.019). Las LAT por afección no traumática (infarto, etc.) fueron el grupo control (n = 167), asumiendo que el riesgo de LAT no traumática era independiente de la actividad económica. La odds ratio (OR) se ajustó por edad, sexo, antigüedad en la empresa, tipo de contrato y tamaño de la empresa, mediante modelos de regresión logística no condicional. Resultados: Los mecanismos de producción más específicos de LAT en la construcción, respecto a los de las finanzas y seguros, fueron, para el conjunto de trabajadores, la proyección de partículas (OR = 33,0; IC del 95%, 15,3-70,8) y los golpes por objetos (OR = 18,2; IC del 95%, 9,7-34,1). Los mismos que también se identificaron en albañiles y peones. Conclusiones: Las actividades orientadas a prevenir las LAT leves en la construcción deben tener en cuenta estos mecanismos de producción, especialmente la proyección de partículas, a pesar de que su frecuencia respecto a otros mecanismos de producción sea baja. Los estudios de casos y controles constituyen una alternativa útil para el análisis de las LAT