Several studies have documented fish populations changing in response to long-term warming. Over the past decade, sea surface temperatures in the Gulf of Maine increased faster than 99% of the global ...ocean. The warming, which was related to a northward shift in the Gulf Stream and to changes in the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation and Pacific Decadal Oscillation, led to reduced recruitment and increased mortality in the region's Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) stock. Failure to recognize the impact of warming on cod contributed to overfishing. Recovery of this fishery depends on sound management, but the size of the stock depends on future temperature conditions. The experience in the Gulf of Maine highlights the need to incorporate environmental factors into resource management.
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BFBNIB, NMLJ, NUK, ODKLJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
The timing of recurring biological and seasonal environmental events is changing on a global scale relative to temperature and other climate drivers. This study considers the Gulf of Maine ecosystem, ...a region of high social and ecological importance in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean and synthesizes current knowledge of (a) key seasonal processes, patterns, and events; (b) direct evidence for shifts in timing; (c) implications of phenological responses for linked ecological‐human systems; and (d) potential phenology‐focused adaptation strategies and actions. Twenty studies demonstrated shifts in timing of regional marine organisms and seasonal environmental events. The most common response was earlier timing, observed in spring onset, spring and winter hydrology, zooplankton abundance, occurrence of several larval fishes, and diadromous fish migrations. Later timing was documented for fall onset, reproduction and fledging in Atlantic puffins, spring and fall phytoplankton blooms, and occurrence of additional larval fishes. Changes in event duration generally increased and were detected in zooplankton peak abundance, early life history periods of macro‐invertebrates, and lobster fishery landings. Reduced duration was observed in winter–spring ice‐affected stream flows. Two studies projected phenological changes, both finding diapause duration would decrease in zooplankton under future climate scenarios. Phenological responses were species‐specific and varied depending on the environmental driver, spatial, and temporal scales evaluated. Overall, a wide range of baseline phenology and relevant modeling studies exist, yet surprisingly few document long‐term shifts. Results reveal a need for increased emphasis on phenological shifts in the Gulf of Maine and identify opportunities for future research and consideration of phenological changes in adaptation efforts.
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DOBA, FZAB, GIS, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Background Asthma with neutrophil predominance is challenging to treat with corticosteroids. Novel treatment options for asthma include those that target innate immune activity. Recent literature has ...indicated a significant role for IL-1β in both acute and chronic neutrophilic asthma. Objective This study used inhaled endotoxin (LPS) challenge as a model of innate immune activation to (1) assess the safety of the IL-1 receptor antagonist anakinra in conjunction with inhaled LPS and (2) to test the hypothesis that IL-1 blockade will suppress the acute neutrophil response to challenge with inhaled LPS. Methods In a phase I clinical study 17 healthy volunteers completed a double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study in which they received 2 daily subcutaneous doses of 1 mg/kg anakinra (maximum dose, 100 mg) or saline (placebo). One hour after the second treatment dose, subjects underwent an inhaled LPS challenge. Induced sputum was assessed for neutrophils 4 hours after inhaled LPS. The effect of anakinra compared with placebo on airway neutrophil counts and airway proinflammatory cytokine levels after LPS challenge was compared by using a linear mixed-model approach. Results Anakinra pretreatment significantly diminished airway neutrophilia compared with placebo. LPS-induced IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8 levels were significantly reduced during the anakinra treatment period compared with those seen after placebo. Subjects tolerated the anakinra treatment well without an increased frequency of infections attributable to anakinra treatment. Conclusions Anakinra effectively reduced airway neutrophilic inflammation and resulted in no serious adverse events in a model of inhaled LPS challenge. Anakinra is a potential therapeutic candidate for treatment of asthma with neutrophil predominance in diseased populations.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
Wildfire smoke exposure causes increased emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and premature deaths.3 Firefighters deployed to wildland fires are frequently exposed to PM levels well in ...excess of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for PM with a diameter of 2.5 μm or less (PM2.5) or PM with a diameter of 10 μm or less (PM10). Field studies of wildland firefighters reported worsened lung function and increased nonspecific bronchial reactivity during a fire season compared with preseason values.4 Neutrophil counts and inflammatory cytokine levels were increased in the airways and peripheral blood of firefighters after work shifts.5 Intracellular antioxidant enzymes, such as glutathione-S-transferase mu-1 (GSTM1), regulate cellular and mucosal oxidative stress. In previously published experiments using this method,E1 WSP diameter size was measured at approximately 0.1 μm. The only other gas present in significantly increased amounts when compared with clean air exposure was carbon monoxide, although it was not present at high enough concentrations to alter blood carboxyhemoglobin levels.Regression analysis Linear regression models were generated to further explore the relationship between GSTM1 genotype and WSP-induced sputum neutrophilia and to examine the effect of other participant factors on airway response to wood smoke, such as age, sex, body mass index, and baseline sputum inflammation. The regression equation for the OLS models (one containing the baseline to 6-hour postexposure data and the other containing the baseline to 24-hour postexposure data) was as follows: Δi=β0+β1GSTM1sufficienti+εi Age (y), mean (SD) 28.9 (6.6) Sex Male 13 Female 14 Race White 17 African American 6 Asian 1 Other 3 Ethnicity Hispanic/Latino 4 Not Hispanic/Latino 23 BMI (kg/m2), mean (SD) 26.6 (5.1) Table E1 Demographic information for study volunteers (n = 27) Change in sputum %PMNs after WSP exposure GEE OLS (6 h after WSP) OLS (24 h after WSP) β Coefficient (SE) Intercept 1705.625† (627.374) 502.585 (857.265) 3047.637∗ (1181.002) GSTM1 sufficient −28.217† (6.918) −19.876∗ (8.870) −30.791∗ (13.773) Observations 51 26 25 R2 0.666 0.632 Adjusted R2 0.358 0.265 Residual SE 18.071 (df = 13) 25.457 (df = 12) F statistic 2.162 (df = 12; 13) 1.721 (df = 12; 12) Table E2 Results of regression models for sputum neutrophil response to WSP inhalation
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
A growing body of evidence suggests that use of race terms in spirometry reference equations underestimates disease burden in Black populations, which may lead to disparities in pulmonary disease ...outcomes. Data on asthma-specific health consequences of using race-adjusted spirometry are lacking.
We performed a secondary analysis of 163 children from two observational asthma studies to determine the frequencies of participants with ppFEV1 < 80% (consistent with uncontrolled asthma) or ppFEV1 ≥ 80% using race-specific (GLI-African American or Caucasian) vs. race-neutral (GLI-Global) spirometry and their alignment with indicators of asthma control (Asthma Control Test™, ACT). Comparisons of mean ppFEV1 values were conducted using Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-rank tests. Two group comparisons were conducted using Wilcoxon rank-sum tests.
Data from 163 children (100 Black, 63 White) were analyzed. Mean ppFEV
was 95.4% (SD 15.8) using race-specific spirometry and 90.4% (16.3) using race-neutral spirometry (p < 0.0001). Among 54 Black children with uncontrolled asthma (ACT ≤ 19), 20% had ppFEV1 < 80% using race-specific spirometry compared to 40% using race-neutral spirometry. In Black children with controlled asthma (ACT > 19), 87% had ppFEV1 ≥ 80% using race-specific compared to 67% using race-neutral spirometry. Children whose ppFEV1 changed to ≤ 80% with race-neutral spirometry had lower FEV1/FVC compared to those whose ppFEV1 remained ≥ 80% 0.83 (0.07) vs. 0.77 (0.05), respectively; p = 0.04, suggesting greater airway obstruction. Minimal changes in alignment of ppFEV1 with ACT score were observed for White children.
Use of race-specific reference equations in Black children may increase the risk of inappropriately labeling asthma as controlled.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Preserving larger fish is often advocated as a conservation measure to help fish populations buffer environmental variation and fishing pressure. The rationale is that several size- and age-dependent ...reproductive traits confer a higher reproductive value to larger fish. The effects of variation in these reproductive traits on the dynamics of populations under various fishing patterns are however seldom evaluated. In this study, we develop a simulation model to evaluate how variation in three reproductive traits (fecundity-mass, hatching probability, and batch spawning) impacts the capacity of a fish population to withstand and recover from high fishing pressure. Biological functions of the model were calibrated based on the Gulf of Maine Atlantic cod stock, which is currently experiencing its lowest biomass level ever estimated. Results showed that variation in the shape of the fecundity-mass relationship had the most substantial impact on population resistance and recovery. Batch spawning and variation in hatching probability had limited impacts. Furthermore, results showed that preserving larger fish by imposing a slot fishery increased the resistance of the population to high fishing pressure, because it helped preserve the population reproductive potential determined by the high fecundity of large fish. The slot fishery, however, impeded population recovery, because it distributed the fishing pressure on intermediate-size classes which potential for biomass growth is maximal. This study underlines the importance of using precise size-dependent fecundity estimates when evaluating the productivity and sustainability of fisheries, as well as the importance of identifying priority among the components of population resilience (e.g. resistance or recovery) before implementing size-selective harvest strategies.
We are currently screening human volunteers to determine their sputum polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN) response 6- and 24-hours following initiation of exposure to wood smoke particles (WSP). ...Inflammatory responders (≥10% increase in %PMN) are identified for their subsequent participation in mitigation studies against WSP-induced airways inflammation. In this report we compared responder status (N = 52) at both 6 and 24 hr time points to refine/expand its classification, assessed the impact of the GSTM1 genotype, asthma status and sex on responder status, and explored whether sputum soluble phase markers of inflammation correlate with PMN responsiveness to WSP.
Six-hour responders tended to be 24-hour responders and vice versa, but 24-hour responders also had significantly increased IL-1beta, IL-6, IL-8 at 24 hours post WSP exposure. The GSTM1 null genotype significantly (p < 0.05) enhanced the %PMN response by 24% in the 24-hour responders and not at all in the 6 hours responders. Asthma status enhanced the 24 hour %PMN response in the 6- and 24-hour responders. In the entire cohort (not stratified by responder status), we found a significant, but very small decrease in FVC and systolic blood pressure immediately following WSP exposure and sputum %PMNs were significantly increased and associated with sputum inflammatory markers (IL-1beta, IL-6, IL-8, and PMN/mg) at 24 but not 6 hours post exposure. Blood endpoints in the entire cohort showed a significant increase in %PMN and PMN/mg at 6 but not 24 hours. Sex had no effect on %PMN response.
The 24-hour time point was more informative than the 6-hour time point in optimally and expansively defining airway inflammatory responsiveness to WSP exposure. GSTM1 and asthma status are significant effect modifiers of this response. These study design and subject parameters should be considered before enrolling volunteers for proof-of-concept WSP mitigation studies.
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DOBA, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Sulforaphane (SFN), a naturally occurring isothiocyanate found in cruciferous vegetables, is implicated as a possible therapy for airway inflammation via induction of the transcription factor ...NF-E2-related factor 2 (NRF2). In this proof-of-concept clinical study, we show that supplementation of SFN with broccoli sprout homogenate in healthy human subjects did not induce expression of antioxidant genes or protect against neutrophilic airway inflammation in an ozone-exposure model. Therefore, dietary sulforaphane supplementation is not a promising candidate for larger scale clinical trials targeting airway inflammation.
NCT01625130 . Registered 19 June, 2012.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
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