Abstract
One of the main drivers of marine ecosystem change is fishing activity, bottom trawling being the most intensive fishing practice affecting benthic ecosystems worldwide. In the western ...Mediterranean Sea, Norway lobster stocks present signs of overexploitation due to trawling pressure, as their biomass and abundance have decreased abruptly during the last few years. No-take fishery reserves, a type of marine protected area where fishing is prohibited, could be efficient management measures to recover Norway lobster overexploited populations and coexisting demersal megafauna. Adopting a BACI (before–after control–impact) approach, we performed experimental fishing surveys before and after 4 years of the implementation of a deep-sea no-take reserve in the northwestern Mediterranean. After 4 years of closure, the Norway lobster population increased in abundance, biomass, body size, and trophic level in the no-take reserve. Our approach also revealed an increase in Norway lobster biomass beyond its boundaries, suggesting a spillover effect. Other demersal fish species also increased in biomass and abundance in the no-take reserve. Based on the results of this study, we suggest that no-take reserves might be an effective measure for recovering the Norway lobster stock and some species present in the same habitat.
Probabilistic caries risk assessment models (P-CRA), such as the Cariogram, are promising tools to planning treatments in order to control and prevent caries. The usefulness of these models for ...informing patients and medical decision-making depends on 2 properties known as discrimination and calibration. Current common assessment of P-CRA models, however, ignores calibration, and this can be misleading. The aim of this paper was to provide tools for a proper assessment of calibration of the P-CRA models and improve calibration when lacking. A combination of standard calibration tools (calibration plot, calibration in-the-large, and calibration slope) and 3 novel measures of calibration (the Calibration Index and 2 related metrics, E50 and E90) are proposed to evaluate if a P-CRA model is well calibrated. Moreover, an approach was proposed and validated using data from a previous follow-up study performed on children evaluated by means of a reduced Cariogram model; Platt scaling and isotonic regression were applied showing a lack of calibration. The use of the Cariogram overestimates the actual risk of new caries for forecast probabilities <0.5 and underestimates the risk for forecast probabilities >0.6. Both Platt scaling and isotonic regression were able to significantly improve the calibration of the reduced Cariogram model, preserving its discrimination properties. The average specificity and sensitivity for both Platt scaling and isotonic regression using the cut-off point p= 0.5 were >83 and their sum well exceeded 160. The benefits of the proposed calibration methods are promising, but further research in this field is required.
Abstract In this study we investigated the effect of supplementing the diet of the growing male rat with different levels of calcium (from low to higher than recommended intakes at constant Ca/P ...ratio), on multiple factors (bone mass, strength, size, geometry, material properties, turnover) influencing bone strength during the bone accrual period. Rats, age 28 days were supplemented for 4 weeks with high Ca (1.2%), adequate Ca (0.5%) or low Ca level (0.2%). Bone metabolism and structural parameters were measured. No changes in body weight or food intake were observed among the groups. As anticipated, compared to the adequate Ca intake, low-Ca intake had a detrimental impact on bone growth (33.63 vs. 33.68 mm), bone strength (− 19.7% for failure load), bone architecture (− 58% for BV/TV) and peak bone mass accrual (− 29% for BMD) due to the hormonal disruption implied in Ca metabolism. In contrast, novel, surprising results were observed in that higher than adequate Ca intake resulted in improved peak bone strength (106 vs. 184 N/mm for the stiffness and 61 vs. 89 N for the failure load) and bone material properties (467 vs. 514 mPa for tissue hardness) but these effects were not accompanied by changes in bone mass, size, microarchitecture or bone turnover. Hormonal factors, IGF-I and bone modeling were also evaluated. Compared to the adequate level of Ca, IGF-I level was significantly lower in the low-Ca intake group and significantly higher in the high-Ca intake group. No detrimental effects of high Ca were observed on bone modeling (assessed by histomorphometry and bone markers), at least in this short-term intervention. In conclusion, the decrease in failure load in the low calcium group can be explained by the change in bone geometry and bone mass parameters. Thus, improvements in mechanical properties can be explained by the improved quality of intrinsic bone tissue as shown by nanoindentation. These results suggest that supplemental Ca may be beneficial for the attainment of peak bone strength and that multiple factors linked to bone mass and strength should be taken into account when setting dietary levels of adequate mineral intake to support optimal peak bone mass acquisition.
N. norvegicus
supports one of the most commercially-important fisheries in the Mediterranean, and there is considerable interest in developing non-invasive sampling stock assessment methods. ...Currently, stock assessments are conducted via trawling or by UnderWater TeleVision (UWTV) surveys with limited capacity to provide direct population data due to the burrowing behavior of the species. Here, we used acoustic telemetry to characterize the burrow emergence and movement patterns of
N. norvegicus
in relation to internal tides and inertial currents in deep-sea habitats of the northwestern Mediterranean. We deployed acoustic tags on 25 adults between May and June 2019, and collected up to 4 months of detection data from each tag. Tagged lobsters spent approximately 12% of their time in door-keeping (i.e., detections at burrow entrance with no displacements) but differences existed among the different behavioral rhythms identified. We observed that mixed day-night, tidal and inertial rhythms in field settings were similar to those observed in laboratory tests. The presence of mixed day-night and tidal periodicity poses the question of why
N. norvegicus
exhibits flexible responses to environmental cues other than photoperiod. It is possible that tidal regulation of locomotor activity could reduce energy expenditure in relation to hydrodynamic drag. Inertial periodicity occurs in animals with no clear burrowing-oriented activity (always present on the seabed). Possibly, inertial-related movements are the result of a disruption of the biological clock. Our results are discussed in the context of how burrow emergence rhythms may bias UWTV surveys and how novel in situ monitoring approaches address these biases.
Ghrelin, the endogenous ligand of the GH secretagogue receptor, has been recently involved in a wide array of biological functions, including signaling of energy insufficiency and energy homeostasis. ...On the basis of the proven reproductive effects of other regulators of energy balance, such as the adipocyte-derived hormone leptin, we hypothesized that systemic ghrelin may participate in the control of key aspects of reproductive function. To test this hypothesis, the effects of daily treatment with ghrelin were assessed in rats, pair-fed with control animals, in two relevant reproductive states, puberty and gestation, which are highly dependent on proper energy stores. Daily sc injection of ghrelin (0.5 nmol/12 h; between postnatal d 33 and 43) significantly decreased serum LH and testosterone levels and partially prevented balanopreputial separation (as an external index of puberty onset) in pubertal male rats. On the contrary, chronic administration of ghrelin to prepubertal females, between postnatal d 23 and 33, failed to induce major changes in serum levels of gonadotropins and estradiol, nor did it modify the timing of puberty, as estimated by the ages at vaginal opening and first estrus. Moreover, females treated with ghrelin at puberty subsequently displayed normal estrous cyclicity and were fertile. Conversely, ghrelin administration (0.5 nmol/12 h) during the first half of pregnancy (d 1–11) resulted in a significant decrease in pregnancy outcome, as estimated by the number of pups born per litter, without changes in the number of successful pregnancies at term or gestational length. Overall, our data indicate that persistently elevated ghrelin levels, as a putative signal for energy insufficiency, may operate as a negative modifier of key reproductive states, such as pregnancy and (male) puberty onset.
We have studied, for the first time, variations in absolute surface geostrophic currents (SGC) using satellite data only. The proposed approach combines 18 years’ altimetry data, which provide ...reliable measurements of absolute sea level (ASL), with a gravity field and steady-state ocean circulation explorer geoid model to obtain dynamic topography, and achieves unprecedented precision and accuracy. Our proposal overcomes the main limitations of existing approaches based solely on altimetry data (which suffer from lack of an independent reference for derivation of ASL maps), and approximations based on in-situ data (which are characterized by a sparse and inhomogeneous coverage in time and space). Features of annual variations of SGC are also addressed. As a result of our study we provide new absolute SGC climatology in the form of a 52-week data set of surface current fields, gridded at quarter degree longitude and latitude resolution and resolving spatial scales as short as 140 km. For presentation, this data set is averaged monthly and the results, presented as monthly climatology, are compared with climatology based on in-situ observations from drifter data.
The main complication of percutaneous iliosacral screw fixation is implant malposition, which can lead to vascular and nerve damage. The anatomical variability of the sacrum can make screw insertion ...difficult under fluoroscopic guidance. Among the methods described to improve the accuracy of this technique, stands out the use of computed tomography (CT). The aim of this study is to compare the results of iliosacral screw insertion with fluoroscopy or CT navigation.
Retrospective cohort study of 66 iliosacral screws in 56 patients during 11 years. The screws were inserted with fluoroscopy in the operating room or with CT in the radiodiagnosis area. We collected data on patient characteristics, lesions, treatment, and clinical and radiological results.
Forty-seven screws were inserted with fluoroscopy and 19 with CT. A percentage of 18.2 of screws perforated the S1 osseous corridor. All of them were inserted with fluoroscopy guidance (0 vs. 34%; p<0.01). Those operated with CT accumulated more sacral dysmorphism criteria than those operated with fluoroscopy (2.2 vs. 1.6; p=0.02). The S1 corridor on the axial CT view was narrower in those in whom perforation had occurred (18.8 vs. 21.0mm; p=0.02). Two cases with perforation developed S1 radiculalgia. Two endopelvic screws had to be removed.
We advise the use of CT guidance for iliosacral screw insertion in patients with sacral dysmorphism or narrow S1 corridors in facilities where other navigation methods are not available.
La principal complicación de la osteosíntesis percutánea con tornillos iliosacros es la malposición del implante que puede ocasionar lesiones vasculares y nerviosas. La variabilidad anatómica del sacro llega a dificultar la inserción del tornillo bajo control fluoroscópico. De entre los métodos descritos para mejorar la precisión de esta técnica, destaca el uso de la tomografía computarizada (TC). El objetivo del estudio es comparar los resultados de la implantación de tornillos iliosacros con fluoroscopia y TC.
Estudio de cohortes retrospectivo sobre 66 tornillos iliosacros implantados en 56 pacientes durante 11 años. Estos fueron introducidos con fluoroscopia en el quirófano o con TC en el área de radiodiagnóstico. Recogimos datos sobre las características de los sujetos, sus lesiones, el tratamiento y los resultados clínicos y radiológicos.
Cuarenta y siete tornillos fueron implantados con fluoroscopia y 19 con TC. El 18,2% de los tornillos perforaba el corredor S1. Todos ellos se intervinieron con fluoroscopia (0 vs. 34%; p < 0,01). Pese a ello, los intervenidos en TC acumulaban más criterios de dismorfismo sacro que los intervenidos con fluoroscopia (2,2 vs. 1,6; p = 0,02). El corredor S1 en la TC axial era más estrecho en aquellos en que se había producido una perforación (18,8 vs. 21,0 mm; p = 0,02). Dos casos con perforación desarrollaron una radiculalgia S1. Fue necesario retirar 2 tornillos endopélvicos.
Aconsejamos el uso de la guía por TC para la inserción de tornillos iliosacros en pacientes con sacros displásicos o corredores estrechos en S1 en instalaciones que no dispongan de otros métodos de navegación.
Knowing the displacement capacity and mobility patterns of industrially exploited (i.e., fished) marine resources is key to establishing effective conservation management strategies in human-impacted ...marine ecosystems. Acquiring accurate behavioral information of deep-sea fished ecosystems is necessary to establish the sizes of marine protected areas within the framework of large international societal programs (e.g., European Community H2020, as part of the Blue Growth economic strategy). However, such information is currently scarce, and high-frequency and prolonged data collection is rarely available. Here, we report the implementation of autonomous underwater vehicles and remotely operated vehicles as an aid for acoustic long-baseline localization systems for autonomous tracking of Norway lobster (
), one of the key living resources exploited in European waters. In combination with seafloor moored acoustic receivers, we detected and tracked the movements of 33 tagged lobsters at 400-m depth for more than 3 months. We also identified the best procedures to localize both the acoustic receivers and the tagged lobsters, based on algorithms designed for off-the-shelf acoustic tags identification. Autonomous mobile platforms that deliver data on animal behavior beyond traditional fixed platform capabilities represent an advance for prolonged, in situ monitoring of deep-sea benthic animal behavior at meter spatial scales.
Complicated urinary tract infections (cUTIs) are among the most frequent health-care-associated infections. In patients with cUTI,
deserves special attention, since it can affect patients with ...serious underlying conditions. Our aim was to gain insight into the risk factors and prognosis of
cUTIs in a scenario of increasing multidrug resistance (MDR).
This was a multinational, retrospective, observational study at 20 hospitals in south and southeastern Europe, Turkey, and Israel including consecutive patients with cUTI hospitalized between January 2013 and December 2014. A mixed-effect logistic regression model was performed to assess risk factors for
and MDR
cUTI.
Of 1,007 episodes of cUTI, 97 (9.6%) were due to
. Resistance rates of
were: antipseudomonal cephalosporins 35 of 97 (36.1%), aminoglycosides 30 of 97 (30.9%), piperacillin-tazobactam 21 of 97 (21.6%), fluoroquinolones 43 of 97 (44.3%), and carbapenems 28 of 97 (28.8%). The MDR rate was 28 of 97 (28.8%). Independent risk factors for
cUTI were male sex (OR 2.61, 95% CI 1.60-4.27), steroid therapy (OR 2.40, 95% CI 1.10-5.27), bedridden functional status (OR 1.79, 95% CI 0.99-3.25), antibiotic treatment within the previous 30 days (OR 2.34, 95% CI 1.38-3.94), indwelling urinary catheter (OR 2.41, 95% CI 1.43-4.08), and procedures that anatomically modified the urinary tract (OR 2.01, 95% CI 1.04-3.87). Independent risk factors for MDR
cUTI were age (OR 0.96, 95% CI 0.93-0.99) and anatomical urinary tract modification (OR 4.75, 95% CI 1.06-21.26). Readmission was higher in
cUTI patients than in other etiologies (23 of 97 23.7% vs 144 of 910 15.8%,
=0.04), while 30-day mortality was not significantly different (seven of 97 7.2% vs 77 of 910 8.5%,
=0.6).
Patients with
cUTI had characteristically a serious baseline condition and manipulation of the urinary tract, although their mortality was not higher than that of patients with cUTI caused by other etiologies.
We present a data-based approach to study the mean and the climatology of the surface geostrophic currents (SGC) for the Mediterranean Sea, using satellite ocean surface altimetry observations for 22 ...years (1993–2014) in conjunction with the geoid solution derived from the space mission of GOCE (gravity field and steady-state ocean circulation explorer; Release 4). The resultant product is the Mediterranean SGC velocity field, that we denote by SGC
G
O
C
E
-
A
l
t
, given in spatial resolution of 1/4
∘
and monthly time resolution. It exhibits smaller scales and lower dynamic intensities in comparison with open oceans, making the Mediterranean Sea a challenging test case for our satellite-based analysis. The mean SGC
G
O
C
E
-
A
l
t
is largely consistent with previous findings but with additional circulation features in time and space. We also compare our results with the SGC output from the regional hydrodynamic model of Mercator that assimilates satellite altimetry, satellite sea surface temperature, and in situ observations. The prominent SGC features agree well not only on the large and subbasin scales but also in the widespread mesoscale dynamics. We find, however, comparatively lower intensities than the Mercator model in general, with differences that are on average around 7 cm/s, but might reach 13 cm/s in some coastal areas.
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