MSYR—should the information which has become available since selections were made for RMP development in 1987 have changed perceptions on the likely range and relative plausibilities of values for this parameter for baleen whales

It is argued that continued attempts to estimate MSYR from accumulating data, to refine the plausible range of values for this parameter and relative plausibilities within this range, cannot be other than a crucial component of the process of development (and, in due course, refinement) of the Revised Management Procedure (RMP) and of the interpretation of the results of the associated Implementation Simulation Trials (ISTs) for particular RMP applications. In 1987, when the range of MSYR values for RMP trials was first specified, four of the six independent sources of information available suggested definite "low" MSYR values (~1%). None of these four sources appears to have survived to the present. Estimates of MSYR for twenty populations have become available since 1987 - eleven based on population model fits and the balance on the relationship MSYR > r(0)/2. Two arguments advanced previously against the use of this last relationship are considered: the one is dismissed because it lacks support in empirical data, while the other appears negated by an analysis by Best (1993). In the fourteen cases where estimates of MSYR (in terms of uniform selectivity harvesting on the 1+ population) are determined with reasonable precision, most lie in the 2%-6% range, and only one of these has a lower 90 or 95% confidence/probability bound below 1%. Cases of low point estimates of MSYR show wide confidence intervals not incompatible with this 2-6% range. Thus, evidence forthcoming since 1987 (much of it subsequent to 1993 when the Scientific Committee last discussed this issue substantively) would seem to support a change in the Committee's perception at that time of the likely range of values for MSYR for baleen whale stocks, as well as informing judgments on the relative plausibilities of values within this range

Recruitment of Men Into a Pragmatic Rural Primary Care Weight Loss Trial

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 License which permits non-commercial use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access pages (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage).Men remain underrepresented in behavioral weight loss trials and are more difficult to recruit compared to women. We describe recruitment response of men and women into a mixed-gender behavioral weight loss trial conducted within 36 rural primary care clinics. Participants were recruited through primary care clinics via direct mailings (n = 15,076) and in-clinic referrals by their primary care provider (PCP). Gender differences were examined in response rate to direct mailings, study referral source, and rates of proceeding to study screening, being eligible, and enrolling. Men had a lower response rate to direct mailings than women (7.8% vs. 17.7%, p < .001). Men (vs. women) responding to the mailing were more likely to respond by opt-in postcard (64.6% vs. 56.8%) and less likely to respond by phone (33.9% vs. 39.6%), p = .002. Among potential participants contacting the study (n = 2413), men were less likely to report being referred by PCPs (15.2% vs. 21.6%; p < .001), but were just as likely to proceed to screening, be eligible, and enroll. Men and women were more likely to proceed to screening when referred by PCPs (93.3% vs. 95.4%) compared to direct mailings (74.2% vs. 73.9%). Enrolled men were older (p < .001), more likely to be married (p = .04), and had higher levels of education (p = .01). Men were less likely than women to respond to direct mailings and to be referred by their PCP, but after contacting the study, had similar screening, eligibility, and enrollment rates. Encouraging and training providers to refer men during clinic visits may help recruit more men into primary care-based weight loss trials.Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (OTO-1402-09413

Oceans of plenty? Challenges, advancements, and future directions for the provision of evidence-based fisheries management advice

Marine population modeling, which underpins the scientific advice to support fisheries interventions, is an active research field with recent advancements to address modern challenges (e.g., climate change) and enduring issues (e.g., data limitations). Based on discussions during the ‘Land of Plenty’ session at the 2021 World Fisheries Congress, we synthesize current challenges, recent advances, and interdisciplinary developments in biological fisheries models (i.e., data-limited, stock assessment, spatial, ecosystem, and climate), management strategy evaluation, and the scientific advice that bridges the science-policy interface. Our review demonstrates that proliferation of interdisciplinary research teams and enhanced data collection protocols have enabled increased integration of spatiotemporal, ecosystem, and socioeconomic dimensions in many fisheries models. However, not all management systems have the resources to implement model-based advice, while protocols for sharing confidential data are lacking and impeding research advances. We recommend that management and modeling frameworks continue to adopt participatory co-management approaches that emphasize wider inclusion of local knowledge and stakeholder input to fill knowledge gaps and promote information sharing. Moreover, fisheries management, by which we mean the end-to-end process of data collection, scientific analysis, and implementation of evidence-informed management actions, must integrate improved communication, engagement, and capacity building, while incorporating feedback loops at each stage. Increasing application of management strategy evaluation is viewed as a critical unifying component, which will bridge fisheries modeling disciplines, aid management decision-making, and better incorporate the array of stakeholders, thereby leading to a more proactive, pragmatic, transparent, and inclusive management framework–ensuring better informed decisions in an uncertain world

Suggestions for a way forward to further evaluate ageing error for Southern Hemisphere minke whales.

Paper SC/59/O8 provides a very helpful perspective and suggestions to help clarify the use of Antarctic minke whale age data in the commercial and research permit periods. On the basis of the paper, some areas for further work suggest themselves and these are outlined below. We recognise that these involve, in some cases, quite substantial additional work but believe that this will assist considerably in addressing the issues raised inter alia at the JARPA review meeting as well as during past IA sub-committee meetings and allow the valuable analyses involving both commercial and scientific permit data to be undertaken. The second experiment is designed to confirm the proposal in SC/59/O8 to limit analyses to using only data for animals aged six years and over

Regarding: ‘Explorative study to identify novel candidate genes related to oxaliplatin efficacy and toxicity using a DNA repair array'

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Tallimustine in advanced previously untreated colorectal cancer, a phase II study.

Tallimustine is a novel benzoyl mustard derivative from distamycin A with a unique mode of action. It is a DNA minor groove binder and produces highly sequence-specific alkylations. Previous studies have shown significant anti-tumour effects in animal models. We performed a phase II study in previously untreated patients with advanced colorectal cancer, using a schedule of i.v. bolus infusions of 900 microgram m-2 once every 4 weeks. Seventeen patients were enrolled, and no responses were documented in 14 evaluable patients. Toxicity mainly consisted a highly selective neutropenia, which warrants further investigation of this agent in combination with myeloid growth factors