Evaluating remote site incubators to support restoration of Arctic Grayling in Michigan

Remote site incubators (RSIs) have been used to rear salmonid fish eggs along streams in the Pacific Northwest since the 1980s. Recently, the successful use of RSIs for Arctic Grayling Thymallus arcticus restoration in Montana has sparked a renewed interest to reestablish the species in Michigan. To support future reintroduction efforts of Arctic Grayling in Michigan, I evaluated RSIs in three Michigan streams during 2018 and 2019 using Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss eggs (as surrogates for Arctic Grayling). My objectives were to: (1) compare hatching success between two different RSI designs (19-L vs. 265-L RSIs), and (2) test whether the removal of dead eggs (“picking”) from 19-L RSIs affected hatching success. Overall survival (i.e., hatching success of all RSIs) in 2018 and 2019 was 41.3% and 52.4%, respectively. Survival between unpicked 19-L and 265-L RSIs by stream differed from 1.5% to 14.3% (mean = 5.8%) in 2018 and 0.2% to 0.4% (mean = 0.3%) in 2019. On average, the picked 19-L RSIs had greater survival—although not always statistically significant—than unpicked 19- L RSIs during both years (2018: mean = 1.6%, P = 0.27; 2019: mean = 10.4%, P = 0.02). I documented a positive correlation between survival and RSI flow rates, and a decline in survival when RSI flow rates could not be maintained above ~0.4 L/min. My results show that both 19-L and 265-L RSIs can be used successfully in Michigan streams. Moreover, my results suggest that removing dead eggs was most likely to improve survival when RSI flow rates cannot be maintained above 0.4 L/min

EFFECTS OF KAATSU TRAINING ON UPPER EXTREMITY SIZE AND STRENGTH

poster abstractConventional resistance training involves lifting heavy loads (~70% max-imal strength), which can be poorly tolerated or contraindicated in many clinical populations. KAATSU training is a novel training mode from Japan that combines muscle blood flow restriction with low load lifting (~20% max-imal strength). The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a KAATSU training program on upper extremity size and strength. Forty healthy subjects ages 18 to 30 were divided into exercise (EX) or control (CON) groups. Subjects reported to the laboratory three times per week for eight weeks. The EX group performed 3 sets of 15 repetitions of unilateral bicep curls and triceps extensions lifting loads equivalent to 20% of their predetermined maximal strength while wearing a pneumatic cuff to restrict blood flow on one arm (CUFF) and nothing on the other (NCUFF). The CON group did not perform any exercises but wore the cuff on one arm for a time comparable to the EX group. CUFF and NCUFF arms were randomly as-signed. Strength, girth, skin folds and tomography scans were taken pre-, during, and post-eight weeks. In the EX group, bicep curl (17.4% +4.1% and 18.7% +4.9%) and triceps extension (15.8% +3.4% and 10.7% +2.7%) strength increased significantly over the 8-week period for both the CUFF and NCUFF arms, respectively. No significant differences in strength occurred between the CUFF and NCUFF arms within the group. No strength changes were noted in the CON group for the CUFF and NCUFF arms. Arm girth and muscle cross-sectional area (mCSA) increased significantly in the EX subjects compared to the CON subjects, however no significant differ-ences were found when within group comparisons were made between the CUFF and NCUFF arms. This study indicates that KAATSU training can in-crease muscle strength and mCSA

KAATSU TRAINING: PERCEPTIONS AND COMPLIANCE TO AN UPPER ARM EXERCISE PROGRAM

poster abstractKAATSU training is a novel Japanese training mode involving low load (~20% maximal strength) weightlifting combined with blood flow restriction to the muscles. Little is known about the sensations experienced during KAATSU training and whether clients will tolerate it. The purpose of this study was to assess perceived sensations, exertion rates, and compliance to an upper arm KAATSU training program. Forty healthy subjects ages 18 to 30 were divided into exercise (EX) or control (CON) groups. Subjects report-ed to the laboratory three times per week for eight weeks. The EX group performed 3 sets of 15 repetitions of unilateral bicep curls and triceps exten-sions lifting loads equivalent to 20% of their predetermined maximal strength while wearing a pneumatic cuff on one arm (CUFF) and nothing on the other (NCUFF). The CON group did not perform any exercises but wore the cuff on one arm for a time comparable to the EX group. CUFF and NCUFF arms were randomly assigned. Sensations (burning, aching, pressure, pins & needles) and perceived exertion were assessed using visual analog scales that included emotions and verbal cues. Compliance (percentage of subjects completing the pre- and post-testing) and adherence (percentage of ses-sions completed) were tracked to provide an indication of training tolerance. Compliance was 85.4% and 97% for the EX and CON groups, respectively. EX subjects completed 85.4% of their workouts while controls attended 90.4% of their sessions. The prominent sensation reported in the CUFF arm was pressure (moderate; 3.2 +0.6) followed by aching (weak; 1.7 +0.4). Ratings of perceived exertion were higher for the CUFF (3.2 +1.0, 5.1 +1.8, and 7.0 +2.5) versus NCUFF (1.5 +0.3, 2.4 +0.3, and 3.3 +0.4) arm for sets 1, 2, and 3, respectively. KAATSU training is well tolerated by those performing it and a viable alternative to conventional resistance exercise

Nanooptics of molecular-shunted plasmonic nanojunctions.

Gold nanoparticles are separated above a planar gold film by 1.1 nm thick self-assembled molecular monolayers of different conductivities. Incremental replacement of the nonconductive molecules with a chemically equivalent conductive version differing by only one atom produces a strong 50 nm blue-shift of the coupled plasmon. With modeling this gives a conductance of 0.17G(0) per biphenyl-4,4'-dithiol molecule and a total conductance across the plasmonic junction of 30G(0). Our approach provides a reliable tool quantifying the number of molecules in each plasmonic hotspot, here <200.We acknowledge financial support from EPSRC grant EP/ G060649/1, EP/I012060/1, EP/L027151/1, EP/K028510/1, ERC grant LINASS 320503. F.B. acknowledges support from the Winton Programme for the Physics of Sustainability. C.T. and J.A. acknowledge financial support from Project FIS2013- 41184-P from MINECO, ETORTEK 2014-15 of the Basque Department of Industry and IT756-13 from the Basque consolidated groups.This paper was originally published in Nano Letters under a CC-BY licence (F Benz, C Tserkezis, LO Herrmann, B de Nijs, A Sanders, DO Sigle, L Pukenas, SD Evans, J Aizpurua, JJ Baumberg, Nano Letters 2015, 15, 669−674

Dark sectors 2016 Workshop: community report

This report, based on the Dark Sectors workshop at SLAC in April 2016, summarizes the scientific importance of searches for dark sector dark matter and forces at masses beneath the weak-scale, the status of this broad international field, the important milestones motivating future exploration, and promising experimental opportunities to reach these milestones over the next 5-10 years

Distinct genetic control of parasite elimination, dissemination, and disease after Leishmania major infection

Elimination of pathogens is the basis of host resistance to infections; however, relationship between persisting pathogens and disease has not been clarified. Leishmania major infection in mice is an important model of host–pathogen relationship. Infected BALB/c mice exhibit high parasite numbers in lymph nodes and spleens, and a chronic disease with skin lesions, splenomegaly, and hepatomegaly, increased serum IgE levels and cytokine imbalance. Although numerous gene loci affecting these disease symptoms have been reported, genes controlling parasites’ elimination or dissemination have never been mapped. We therefore compared genetics of the clinical and immunologic symptomatology with parasite load in (BALB/c × CcS-11) F2 hybrids and mapped five loci, two of which control parasite elimination or dissemination. Lmr5 influences parasite loads in spleens (and skin lesions, splenomegaly, and serum IgE, IL-4, and IFNγ levels), and Lmr20 determines parasite numbers in draining lymph nodes (and serum levels of IgE and IFNγ), but no skin or visceral pathology. Three additional loci do not affect parasite numbers but influence significantly the disease phenotype—Lmr21: skin lesions and IFNγ levels, Lmr22: IL-4 levels, Lmr23: IFNγ levels, indicating that development of L. major-caused disease includes critical regulations additional to control of parasite spread

Global and national Burden of diseases and injuries among children and adolescents between 1990 and 2013

Importance The literature focuses on mortality among children younger than 5 years. Comparable information on nonfatal health outcomes among these children and the fatal and nonfatal burden of diseases and injuries among older children and adolescents is scarce. Objective To determine levels and trends in the fatal and nonfatal burden of diseases and injuries among younger children (aged <5 years), older children (aged 5-9 years), and adolescents (aged 10-19 years) between 1990 and 2013 in 188 countries from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2013 study. Evidence Review Data from vital registration, verbal autopsy studies, maternal and child death surveillance, and other sources covering 14 244 site-years (ie, years of cause of death data by geography) from 1980 through 2013 were used to estimate cause-specific mortality. Data from 35 620 epidemiological sources were used to estimate the prevalence of the diseases and sequelae in the GBD 2013 study. Cause-specific mortality for most causes was estimated using the Cause of Death Ensemble Model strategy. For some infectious diseases (eg, HIV infection/AIDS, measles, hepatitis B) where the disease process is complex or the cause of death data were insufficient or unavailable, we used natural history models. For most nonfatal health outcomes, DisMod-MR 2.0, a Bayesian metaregression tool, was used to meta-analyze the epidemiological data to generate prevalence estimates. Findings Of the 7.7 (95% uncertainty interval [UI], 7.4-8.1) million deaths among children and adolescents globally in 2013, 6.28 million occurred among younger children, 0.48 million among older children, and 0.97 million among adolescents. In 2013, the leading causes of death were lower respiratory tract infections among younger children (905 059 deaths; 95% UI, 810 304-998 125), diarrheal diseases among older children (38 325 deaths; 95% UI, 30 365-47 678), and road injuries among adolescents (115 186 deaths; 95% UI, 105 185-124 870). Iron deficiency anemia was the leading cause of years lived with disability among children and adolescents, affecting 619 (95% UI, 618-621) million in 2013. Large between-country variations exist in mortality from leading causes among children and adolescents. Countries with rapid declines in all-cause mortality between 1990 and 2013 also experienced large declines in most leading causes of death, whereas countries with the slowest declines had stagnant or increasing trends in the leading causes of death. In 2013, Nigeria had a 12% global share of deaths from lower respiratory tract infections and a 38% global share of deaths from malaria. India had 33% of the world’s deaths from neonatal encephalopathy. Half of the world’s diarrheal deaths among children and adolescents occurred in just 5 countries: India, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Pakistan, Nigeria, and Ethiopia. Conclusions and Relevance Understanding the levels and trends of the leading causes of death and disability among children and adolescents is critical to guide investment and inform policies. Monitoring these trends over time is also key to understanding where interventions are having an impact. Proven interventions exist to prevent or treat the leading causes of unnecessary death and disability among children and adolescents. The findings presented here show that these are underused and give guidance to policy makers in countries where more attention is needed

Quantitative measurement of olivine composition in three dimensions using helical-scan X-ray micro-tomography

Olivine is a key constituent in the silicate Earth; its composition and texture informs petrogenetic understanding of numerous rock types. Here we develop a quantitative and reproducible method to measure olivine composition in three dimensions without destructive analysis, meaning full textural context is maintained. The olivine solid solution between forsterite and fayalite was measured using a combination of three-dimensional (3D) X-ray imaging techniques, 2D backscattered electron imaging, and spot-analyses using wavelength-dispersive electron probe microanalysis. The linear attenuation coefficient of natural crystals across a range of forsterite content from ∼73–91 mol% were confirmed to scale linearly with composition using 53, 60, and 70 kV monochromatic beams at I12-JEEP beamline, Diamond Light Source utilizing the helical fly-scan acquisition. A polychromatic X-ray source was used to scan the same crystals, which yielded image contrast equivalent to measuring the mol% of forsterite with an accuracy of 3 mm domains within a large crystal of San Carlos forsterite that varies by ∼2 Fo mol%. This offers a solution to an outstanding question of inter-laboratory standardization, and also demonstrates the utility of 3D, non-destructive, chemical measurement. To our knowledge, this study is the first to describe the application of XMT to quantitative chemical measurement across a mineral solid solution. Our approach may be expanded to calculate the chemistry of other mineral systems in 3D, depending upon the number, chemistry, and density of end-members

Multiomics in the central Arctic Ocean for benchmarking biodiversity change

Multiomics approaches need to be applied in the central Arctic Ocean to benchmark biodiversity change and to identify novel species and their genes. As part of MOSAiC, EcoOmics will therefore be essential for conservation and sustainable bioprospecting in one of the least explored ecosystems on Earth