Spatial analyses of marine mammal stranding data can be used to identify stranding patterns and improve surveillance and monitoring. Using ArcGIS and SaTScan, we analyzed 12 years (2002–2014) of dead ...beachcast marine mammals from San Juan County, Washington, to better understand patterns of carcass deposition. We plotted the locations for 631 dead marine mammals and aggregated strandings into 1,000 m segments of shoreline. “Hot spots” included beach segments with significantly higher carcass deposition according to the Getis‐Ord Gi* statistic in ArcGIS or beach segments that were encompassed by significant spatial clusters using the discrete Poisson model in SatTScan. We identified 52 hot spots for harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) in ArcGIS and 62 hot spots in SaTScan with 81% agreement between methods. Carcass deposition showed a strong relationship with locations having high proximity to public pedestrian access points, suggesting increased reporting effort in those areas. Stranding frequency was also higher on beach segments with longer fetch and nearly level or gentle slopes. Beaches with these geomorphic characteristics, especially those without high proximity to public access, would be ideal locations to actively survey to improve high quality carcass collection during times of high expected mortality and limited resources.
To identify new candidate therapeutic targets for glioblastoma multiforme, we combined functional genetics and glioblastoma network modeling to identify kinases required for the growth of ...patient-derived brain tumor-initiating cells (BTIC) but that are dispensable to proliferating human neural stem cells (NSC). This approach yielded BUB1B/BUBR1, a critical mitotic spindle checkpoint player, as the top-scoring glioblastoma lethal kinase. Knockdown of BUB1B inhibited expansion of BTIC isolates, both in vitro and in vivo, without affecting proliferation of NSCs or astrocytes. Mechanistic studies revealed that BUB1B's GLE2p-binding sequence (GLEBS) domain activity is required to suppress lethal kinetochore-microtubule (KT-MT) attachment defects in glioblastoma isolates and genetically transformed cells with altered sister KT dynamics, which likely favor KT-MT instability. These results indicate that glioblastoma tumors have an added requirement for BUB1B to suppress lethal consequences of altered KT function and further suggest that sister KT measurements may predict cancer-specific sensitivity to BUB1B inhibition and perhaps other mitotic targets that affect KT-MT stability.
Currently, no effective therapies are available for glioblastoma, the most frequent and aggressive brain tumor. Our results suggest that targeting the GLEBS domain activity of BUB1B may provide a therapeutic window for glioblastoma, as the GLEBS domain is nonessential in untransformed cells. Moreover, the results further suggest that sister KT distances at metaphase may predict sensitivity to anticancer therapeutics targeting KT function.
This qualitative study aims to learn about the experiences of first year teachers as they rapidly transitioned to remote teaching during the global Covid-19 crisis in March 2020. Additionally, the ...murder of George Floyd shortly thereafter exacerbated racial turmoil, impacting communities, students and families simultaneously. As the shift was sudden and drastic, and the first year of teaching is already quite challenging with a large learning curve, we seek to highlight the experiences of beginning teachers during Covid-19, and specifically focus on their strengths, assets and resilience, adding to the literature on asset-based perspectives of beginning teachers. Using data from individual journals and focus groups involving 15 first year urban and suburban teachers, we assert that first year teachers were assets to their school communities due to their technological strengths and their equity-based teacher preparation.
Endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) is a widely used option for patients with suitable vascular anatomy who have a large infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). Patients with small AAAs are ...managed with careful surveillance and it is a common concern that their anatomy may change with AAA growth, and their option for EVAR may become limited. Device innovation has resulted in expanded ranges of anatomy that may be eligible for EVAR. This study sought to identify changes in anatomic eligibility for repair with contemporary endovascular devices in AAA patients, monitored by computed tomography scan over the course of 2 years.
Patients from the Non-Invasive Treatment of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Clinical Trial (N-TA3CT, NCT01756833) were included in this analysis. Females had baseline AAA maximum transverse diameter between 3.5 and 4.5 cm, and males had baseline maximum transverse diameter between 3.5 and 5.0 cm. Patients were included in this analysis if they completed pre-enrollment and 2-year follow-up computed tomography imaging. Pertinent anatomic measurements were performed on a postprocessing workstation in a centralized imaging core laboratory. EVAR candidacy was determined by measuring proximal aortic neck diameter, AAA length, and infrarenal neck angulation. Patients were considered to be eligible for EVAR if they qualified for at least one of the seven studied devicesʼ instructions for use at baseline and at 2 years. A paired t test analysis was used to detect differences in aortic measurements over 2 years, and the McNemar test was used to compare eligibility over 2 years.
We included 192 patients in this analysis—168 male and 24 female. Of these patients, 85% were eligible for EVAR at baseline and 85% after 2 years of follow-up (P = 1.00; 95% confidence interval –0.034 to 0.034). Of the 164 EVAR candidates at baseline, 160 (98%) remained eligible over 2 years of surveillance. Insufficient neck length was the most common reason for both ineligibility at baseline (18 of 28 patients) as well as loss of candidacy over 2 years (3 of 4 patients).
The majority of patients eligible for EVAR when entering a surveillance program for small AAA remain eligible after 2 years. Substantial changes in AAA neck anatomy resulting in loss of EVAR treatment options are infrequent. Patients with anatomic AAA progression beyond EVAR eligibility remain candidates for complex EVAR and open repair.
Endangered Southern Resident killer whales (Orcinus orca) are fish‐eaters that preferentially prey on adult Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha). Despite being salmon specialists, individuals ...from all three killer whale pods (J, K, L) have been observed harassing and killing porpoises (family Phocoenidae) without consuming them. Retrospectively, we identified and analyzed 78 episodes of Southern Resident killer whales harassing porpoises between 1962 and 2020, of which 28 resulted in the porpoise's death (“phocoenacide”). Fifty‐six episodes involved harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena), 13 involved Dall's porpoise (Phocoenoides dalli), and the porpoise species was unreported for nine episodes. Southern Resident killer whales often targeted young porpoises that were similar in size to adult Chinook salmon. Both sexes participated in porpoise harassment. Juveniles engaged in the behavior the most; however, their rates of engagement were not found to differ significantly from most other age classes. The behavior was passed through generations and social groupings, as it was first observed in L pod and spread to the other two pods. Killer whales are highly complex animals known to exhibit social learning and cultural transmission of learned behaviors, but the reason(s) for this behavior is unknown. Hypotheses include the social and developmental benefits of play, hunting practice, or displaced epimeletic behavior.
This study uses an interpretive, qualitative research design to highlight beginning teacher perspectives of their experiences teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this study, we share the ...experiences of 15 K-12 educators who began their teaching careers in the 2019-2020 school year, whose first two years of teaching were marred by frequent changes and a constant unknown. Despite this, and perhaps because of this, they changed as educators-their own beliefs, their expectations for families and students, their pedagogy, and philosophy for the future. Findings from this study help highlight the strengths of beginning teachers (particularly during a pandemic) and ways a pandemic can affect the beliefs and practices of beginning teachers.
•The need for evidence-based programs and practices is growing.•Professionals may lack resources to identify and choose evidence-based programs.•Registers can assist professionals in choosing ...evidence-based programs.•Registers use different methods for reviewing and classifying programs.•Professionals should be aware that there are differences between registers.
Researchers, clinicians, and other professionals are increasingly in need of cost-effective, evidence-based programs and practices. However, these individuals may lack the time and, for some, the required expertise to search for and identify such interventions. To address this concern, several online registers that list or categorize programs according to their empirical evidence of effectiveness have been established. Although these registers are designed to simplify the task of selecting evidence-based interventions, the use of distinct review processes and standards by each register creates discrepancies in final program classifications, which can pose a challenge for users. The present case study highlights three programs that have been evaluated by more than one register and have received similar or different classifications. Reasons for inconsistencies are discussed, and several recommendations for evaluating organizations and register users are provided to enhance the functionality and ease of use of online program registers.
Approximately 5,000 Pacific harbor seals (Phoca vitulina richardii) reside year-round in San Juan County (SJC), Washington (US) in the center of the binational Salish Sea. We retrospectively analyzed ...total cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), mercury (Hg), magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), lead (Pb), selenium (Se), and zinc (Zn) in livers of dead stranded harbor seals (n=57) collected in SJC between 2009 and 2012 to identify age-related and regional patterns of trace element exposure. Consistent with prior studies of contaminants in pinnipeds, Hg, Cd, and Se concentrations increased with age, and Se:Hg molar ratios approached 1:1 in adult seals. Concentrations of Cd and Hg were below putative marine mammal toxicity thresholds. Mercury concentrations were comparable among Salish Sea populations. Although SJC is less urbanized with fewer industrial inputs than South Puget Sound (SPS), SJC nonpups had greater concentrations of Cd, Cu, and Zn, and pups had greater concentrations of Zn compared to SPS seals. We hypothesize these regional differences could be due to prey preference and availability or to natural geochemical processes. Reported concentrations inform future sampling protocols and can assist in tracking long-term temporal and spatial trends of trace elements in marine organisms.
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