Linking vertical movements of large pelagic predators with distribution patterns of biomass in the open ocean.

Many predator species make regular excursions from near-surface waters to the twilight (200 to 1,000 m) and midnight (1,000 to 3,000 m) zones of the deep pelagic ocean. While the occurrence of significant vertical movements into the deep ocean has evolved independently across taxonomic groups, the functional role(s) and ecological significance of these movements remain poorly understood. Here, we integrate results from satellite tagging efforts with model predictions of deep prey layers in the North Atlantic Ocean to determine whether prey distributions are correlated with vertical habitat use across 12 species of predators. Using 3D movement data for 344 individuals who traversed nearly 1.5 million km of pelagic ocean in [Formula: see text]42,000 d, we found that nearly every tagged predator frequented the twilight zone and many made regular trips to the midnight zone. Using a predictive model, we found clear alignment of predator depth use with the expected location of deep pelagic prey for at least half of the predator species. We compared high-resolution predator data with shipboard acoustics and selected representative matches that highlight the opportunities and challenges in the analysis and synthesis of these data. While not all observed behavior was consistent with estimated prey availability at depth, our results suggest that deep pelagic biomass likely has high ecological value for a suite of commercially important predators in the open ocean. Careful consideration of the disruption to ecosystem services provided by pelagic food webs is needed before the potential costs and benefits of proceeding with extractive activities in the deep ocean can be evaluated.

Global spatial risk assessment of sharks under the footprint of fisheries.

Effective ocean management and the conservation of highly migratory species depend on resolving the overlap between animal movements and distributions, and fishing effort. However, this information is lacking at a global scale. Here we show, using a big-data approach that combines satellite-tracked movements of pelagic sharks and global fishing fleets, that 24% of the mean monthly space used by sharks falls under the footprint of pelagic longline fisheries. Space-use hotspots of commercially valuable sharks and of internationally protected species had the highest overlap with longlines (up to 76% and 64%, respectively), and were also associated with significant increases in fishing effort. We conclude that pelagic sharks have limited spatial refuge from current levels of fishing effort in marine areas beyond national jurisdictions (the high seas). Our results demonstrate an urgent need for conservation and management measures at high-seas hotspots of shark space use, and highlight the potential of simultaneous satellite surveillance of megafauna and fishers as a tool for near-real-time, dynamic management.

Clinical and Virological Outcome of Monoclonal Antibody Therapies Across SARS-CoV-2 Variants in 245 Immunocompromised Patients: A Multicenter Prospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Immunocompromised patients (ICPs) have an increased risk for a severe and prolonged COVID-19. SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were extensively used in these patients, but data from randomized trials that focus on ICPs are lacking. We evaluated the clinical and virological outcome of COVID-19 in ICPs treated with mAbs across SARS-CoV-2 variants. METHODS: In this multicenter prospective cohort study, we enrolled B-cell- and/or T-cell-deficient patients treated with casirivimab/imdevimab, sotrovimab, or tixagevimab/cilgavimab. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was quantified and sequenced weekly, and time to viral clearance, viral genome mutations, hospitalization, and death rates were registered. RESULTS: Two hundred and forty five patients infected with the Delta (50%) or Omicron BA.1, 2, or 5 (50%) variant were enrolled. Sixty-seven percent were vaccinated; 78 treated as outpatients, of whom 2 required hospital admission, but both survived. Of the 159 patients hospitalized at time of treatment, 43 (27%) required mechanical ventilation or died. The median time to viral clearance was 14 days (interquartile range, 7-22); however, it took >30 days in 15%. Resistance-associated spike mutations emerged in 9 patients in whom the median time to viral clearance was 63 days (95% confidence interval, 57-69; P < .001). Spike mutations were observed in 1 of 42 (2.4%) patients after treatment with 2 active mAbs, in 5 of 34 (14.7%) treated with actual monotherapy (sotrovimab), and 3 of 20 (12%) treated with functional monotherapy (ie, tixagevimab/cilgavimab against tixagevimab-resistant variant). CONCLUSIONS: Despite treatment with mAbs, morbidity and mortality of COVID-19 in ICPs remained substantial. Combination antiviral therapy should be further explored and may be preferred in severely ICPs.

Predicting lung function decline in cystic fibrosis: the impact of initiating ivacaftor therapy.

BACKGROUND: Modulator therapies that seek to correct the underlying defect in cystic fibrosis (CF) have revolutionized the clinical landscape. Given the heterogeneous nature of lung disease progression in the post-modulator era, there is a need to develop prediction models that are robust to modulator uptake. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective longitudinal cohort study of the CF Foundation Patient Registry (N = 867 patients carrying the G551D mutation who were treated with ivacaftor from 2003 to 2018). The primary outcome was lung function (percent predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 s or FEV1pp). To characterize the association between ivacaftor initiation and lung function, we developed a dynamic prediction model through covariate selection of demographic and clinical characteristics. The ability of the selected model to predict a decline in lung function, clinically known as an FEV1-indicated exacerbation signal (FIES), was evaluated both at the population level and individual level. RESULTS: Based on the final model, the estimated improvement in FEV1pp after ivacaftor initiation was 4.89% predicted (95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.90 to 5.89). The rate of decline was reduced with ivacaftor initiation by 0.14% predicted/year (95% CI: 0.01 to 0.27). More frequent outpatient visits prior to study entry and being male corresponded to a higher overall FEV1pp. Pancreatic insufficiency, older age at study entry, a history of more frequent pulmonary exacerbations, lung infections, CF-related diabetes, and use of Medicaid insurance corresponded to lower FEV1pp. The model had excellent predictive accuracy for FIES events with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.83 (95% CI: 0.83 to 0.84) for the independent testing cohort and 0.90 (95% CI: 0.89 to 0.90) for 6-month forecasting with the masked cohort. The root-mean-square errors of the FEV1pp predictions for these cohorts were 7.31% and 6.78% predicted, respectively, with standard deviations of 0.29 and 0.20. The predictive accuracy was robust across different covariate specifications. CONCLUSIONS: The methods and applications of dynamic prediction models developed using data prior to modulator uptake have the potential to inform post-modulator projections of lung function and enhance clinical surveillance in the new era of CF care.

Clinical significance of papillary thyroid carcinoma with solid/trabecular growth.

OBJECTIVE: The clinical relevance of solid/trabecular (ST) growth in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is unclear. In this study, we investigated the impact of any amount of ST growth on tumour characteristics and patient outcomes. Furthermore, we evaluated whether ST growth per se affected patients' prognosis in the absence of aggressive features, namely vascular invasion. DESIGN: We analysed 222 PTC patients followed up for more than 5 years in the Department of Endocrinology of the Instituto Português de Oncologia de Lisboa Francisco Gentil from 2002 to 2020. All PTC cases with any percentage of ST growth were included and compared with PTC without ST growth (1:2). Carcinomas with high-grade features were excluded. RESULTS: There were 74 PTC cases with ST growth and 148 without ST growth (median follow-up of 9.3 years). PTC-ST was associated with larger tumour size (p = 0.001) and increased frequency of vascular invasion (p < 0.001) compared with PTC. However, PTC-ST did not exhibit a higher incidence of extrathyroidal extension (p = 1.000) or lymph node metastasis (p = 0.433). Despite the significantly higher prevalence of distant metastasis in PTC-ST compared with PTC (p = 0.043), the significance is lost when the cases with vascular invasion were excluded (p = 0.347). The total radioiodine activity was higher in PTC-ST than in PTC (p = 0.008). Recurrence rates were similar between groups (p = 0.755). The 10-year overall survival and disease-free survival rates for PTC-ST were 94.6% and 98.6%, respectively, similar to the PCT without ST growth (p = 0.097 and p = 0.333, respectively). There was no evidence of an association between the presence of an ST component (p = 0.201) with the risk of death or recurrence, whereas the presence of distant metastasis significantly increased the risk of these events (hazard ratio 10.14, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The presence of ST growth was associated with several aggressive clinicopathological features. However, the risk of cancer recurrence and death for PTC-ST were similar to PTC. In the absence of vascular invasion, the clinical impact of ST growth alone is negligible.

Building use-inspired species distribution models: Using multiple data types to examine and improve model performance.

Species distribution models (SDMs) are becoming an important tool for marine conservation and management. Yet while there is an increasing diversity and volume of marine biodiversity data for training SDMs, little practical guidance is available on how to leverage distinct data types to build robust models. We explored the effect of different data types on the fit, performance and predictive ability of SDMs by comparing models trained with four data types for a heavily exploited pelagic fish, the blue shark (Prionace glauca), in the Northwest Atlantic: two fishery dependent (conventional mark-recapture tags, fisheries observer records) and two fishery independent (satellite-linked electronic tags, pop-up archival tags). We found that all four data types can result in robust models, but differences among spatial predictions highlighted the need to consider ecological realism in model selection and interpretation regardless of data type. Differences among models were primarily attributed to biases in how each data type, and the associated representation of absences, sampled the environment and summarized the resulting species distributions. Outputs from model ensembles and a model trained on all pooled data both proved effective for combining inferences across data types and provided more ecologically realistic predictions than individual models. Our results provide valuable guidance for practitioners developing SDMs. With increasing access to diverse data sources, future work should further develop truly integrative modeling approaches that can explicitly leverage the strengths of individual data types while statistically accounting for limitations, such as sampling biases.

A Decade of Experience With Alemtuzumab Therapy for Severe or Glucocorticoid-Resistant Kidney Transplant Rejection.

Alemtuzumab is used as lymphocyte-depleting therapy for severe or glucocorticoid-resistant kidney transplant rejection. However, the long-term efficacy and toxicity of alemtuzumab therapy are unclear. Therefore, all cases of alemtuzumab anti-rejection therapy between 2012 and 2022 in our institution were investigated. Graft survival, graft function, lymphocyte depletion, serious infections, malignancies, and patient survival were analyzed and compared with a reference cohort of transplanted patients who did not require alemtuzumab anti-rejection therapy. A total of 225 patients treated with alemtuzumab were identified and compared with a reference cohort of 1,668 patients. Over 60% of grafts was salvaged with alemtuzumab therapy, but graft survival was significantly poorer compared to the reference cohort. The median time of profound T- and B lymphocyte depletion was 272 and 344 days, respectively. Serious infection rate after alemtuzumab therapy was 54.1/100 person-years. The risk of death (hazard ratio 1.75, 95%-CI 1.28-2.39) and infection-related death (hazard ratio 2.36, 95%-CI 1.35-4.11) were higher in the alemtuzumab-treated cohort. In conclusion, alemtuzumab is an effective treatment for severe kidney transplant rejection, but causes long-lasting lymphocyte depletion and is associated with frequent infections and worse patient survival outcomes.

Direct measurement of cruising and burst swimming speeds of the shortfin mako shark (Isurus oxyrinchus) with estimates of field metabolic rate.

The shortfin mako shark is a large-bodied pursuit predator thought to be capable of the highest swimming speeds of any elasmobranch and potentially one of the highest energetic demands of any marine fish. Nonetheless, few direct speed measurements have been reported for this species. Here, animal-borne bio-loggers attached to two mako sharks were used to provide direct measurements of swimming speeds, kinematics and thermal physiology. Mean sustained (cruising) speed was 0.90 m s-1 (±0.07 s.d.) with a mean tail-beat frequency (TBF) of 0.51 Hz (±0.16 s.d.). The maximum burst speed recorded was 5.02 m s-1 (TBFmax = 3.65 Hz) from a 2 m long female. Burst swimming was sustained for 14 s (mean speed = 2.38 m s-1 ), leading to a 0.24°C increase in white muscle temperature in the 12.5 min after the burst. Routine field metabolic rate was estimated at 185.2 mg O2 kg-1 h-1 (at 18°C ambient temperature). Gliding behaviour (zero TBF) was more frequently observed after periods of high activity, especially after capture when internal (white muscle) temperature approached 21°C (ambient temperature: 18.3°C), indicating gliding probably functions as an energy recovery mechanism and limits further metabolic heat production. The results show shortfin mako sharks generally cruise at speeds similar to other endothermic fish - but faster than ectothermic sharks - with the maximum recorded burst speed being among the highest so far directly measured among sharks, tunas and billfishes. This newly recorded high-oxygen-demand performance of mako sharks suggests it may be particularly vulnerable to habitat loss due to climate-driven ocean deoxygenation.

Effect of a preventive strategic control program, with imidocarb dipropionate, against tick fever agents in dairy calves.

Chemoprophylaxis with dipropionate imidocarb (IMD) is a method adopted to prevent cattle tick fever (TF). Sixty weaned dairy heifers (±60 days old), without previous exposure to Rhipicephalus microplus ticks, were housed in Tifton paddocks and were subsequently exposed to R. microplus ticks and monitored up to 315 days old. Thirty animals were kept as controls (T01) and 30 received five preventive strategic treatments with IMD at 21-day intervals (T02). The heifers were monitored weekly by means of packed cell volume (PCV) and blood smears to evaluate the presence of TF agents. Salvage treatments (ST) with diminazene and enrofloxacin were administered when animals showed PCV ≤ 24%. The A. marginale prevalence was 39.3% and 37.7%, B. bovis 6.0%, and 7.3%, and B. bigemina 16.3% and 13.7% for T01 and T02, respectively. Regarding PCV values, group T01 showed lower PCV than group T02, between 119 and 161 days of life, but when animals were 196, 210, 217, and between 252 to 301 days old, an inversion occurred. The IMD treatment protocol was effective in group T02 from day 91 to 175 while treatment was being administered, but from day 182 to 315 after the IMD treatment protocol was completed, the number of salvage treatments against TF agents performed in T02 group increased significantly. The sequential application of IMD treatments with intervals less than 21 days is not recommended.

Toward a decade of ocean science for sustainable development through acoustic animal tracking.

The ocean is a key component of the Earth's dynamics, providing a great variety of ecosystem services to humans. Yet, human activities are globally changing its structure and major components, including marine biodiversity. In this context, the United Nations has proclaimed a Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development to tackle the scientific challenges necessary for a sustainable use of the ocean by means of the Sustainable Development Goal 14 (SDG14). Here, we review how Acoustic animal Tracking, a widely distributed methodology of tracking marine biodiversity with electronic devices, can provide a roadmap for implementing the major Actions to achieve the SDG14. We show that acoustic tracking can be used to reduce and monitor the effects of marine pollution including noise, light, and plastic pollution. Acoustic tracking can be effectively used to monitor the responses of marine biodiversity to human-made infrastructures and habitat restoration, as well as to determine the effects of hypoxia, ocean warming, and acidification. Acoustic tracking has been historically used to inform fisheries management, the design of marine protected areas, and the detection of essential habitats, rendering this technique particularly attractive to achieve the sustainable fishing and spatial protection target goals of the SDG14. Finally, acoustic tracking can contribute to end illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing by providing tools to monitor marine biodiversity against poachers and promote the development of Small Islands Developing States and developing countries. To fully benefit from acoustic tracking supporting the SDG14 Targets, trans-boundary collaborative efforts through tracking networks are required to promote ocean information sharing and ocean literacy. We therefore propose acoustic tracking and tracking networks as relevant contributors to tackle the scientific challenges that are necessary for a sustainable use of the ocean promoted by the United Nations.

Evaluation of anxiety, depression and sleep quality in full-time teleworkers.

BACKGROUND: Mental health-related positive and negative aspects of telework are understudied. This study aimed to evaluate anxiety, depression and sleep quality in full-time teleworkers during lockdown imposed by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and explore potential relationships between these variables, sociodemographic characteristics, quality of life and perceived productivity. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 143 full-time teleworkers. Participants were assessed for anxiety, depression and sleep quality using validated clinical instruments. RESULTS: This study found a high prevalence of poor sleep quality (74%, N = 106). Participants reported anxiety/depressive symptoms with the predominance of anxiety and very high levels of sleep impairment. Better sleep quality was associated with longer sleep duration and better job satisfaction, whereas the use of hypnotic medication and higher depression/anxiety scores seem to point a correlation with sleep impairment. Anxiety/depression positively correlated with worse sleep quality and negatively associated with quality of life. Male sex was negatively associated with perceived productivity. CONCLUSIONS: A higher prevalence of poor sleep quality was found in comparison with other studies performed during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as high levels of anxiety and depression. These results highlight the relevance of considering the potential negative impact of telework on mental health.

Range Extension of Mesophotic Kelps (Ochrophyta: Laminariales and Tilopteridales) in the Central North Atlantic: Opportunities for Marine Forest Research and Conservation.

Kelp was first recorded for the remote warm-temperate Azores archipelago (central North Atlantic) in 1971, when a few Laminaria specimens were collected on the Formigas Bank at depths beyond conventional SCUBA diving reach. A shortage of technical means and projects targeting mesophotic environments has since kept this offshore marine protected area as the single known kelp occurrence site. Here, we present new kelp records collected on previously unexplored mesophotic reefs using remote imaging systems, open- and closed-circuit SCUBA diving, and fisheries bycatch information. The new data extend the known distribution range of kelp in the Azores 350 km to the west and 25 km to the southwest, henceforth including several island shelves in the eastern and central Azores. In addition to the previously recorded Laminaria ochroleuca, kelp specimens with a morphology akin to Phyllariopsis brevipes subsp. brevipes are also reported. For the first time, seabed imagery is used to document the depth-wise diversity of the Azores kelp beds and their associated biota. Our findings emphasize the poor knowledge that persists in regard to Macaronesia's mesophotic environments located beyond conventional SCUBA diving limits. The new on-shelf kelp occurrences add conservation value to coastal areas and should facilitate island-based research. However, their greater proximity to land-based impacts and exposure to climate change also raise management needs.

Comparing sleep quality in institutionalized and non-institutionalized elderly individuals.

Objectives: Sleep is a physiological function essential to general health and well-being. Insomnia is a sleep disorder frequently reported by older adults. Institutionalization in nursing care homes may contribute to increase the risk of sleep disorders in this population. The aim of this exploratory study was to compare sleep quality among a group of institutionalized (GI) and a group of non-institutionalized (GNI) elderly individuals.Method: We selected 100 individuals over 65 years of age. Participants were divided into two groups (N = 50 in each group) according to their institutionalization status (GI and GNI). The following assessment instruments were used: Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Inventory (PSQI), Epworth Sonolence Scale (ESS) and Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). Study groups were compared in their sociodemographic, social and clinical characteristics with statistical analysis performed to detect correlations between variables.Results: GI elderly presented worse overall sleep quality and higher levels of daytime somnolence and depressive symptoms. A positive correlation was found between sleep quality, daytime sleepiness (ESS) (p < 0.01) and depressive symptoms (GDS) (p < 0.01).Conclusions: Our results are consistent with the possibility that elderly individuals admitted to long-term care and residential institutions present with worse sleep quality. Higher levels of depressive symptoms, lower occupational activity and sunlight exposure are specifically associated with a worse sleep quality. Further studies with larger and more diverse samples, including community-dwelling individuals, may be important to consolidate these findings.

Quantifying the swimming gaits of veined squid (Loligo forbesii) using bio-logging tags.

Squid are mobile, diverse, ecologically important marine organisms whose behavior and habitat use can have substantial impacts on ecosystems and fisheries. However, as a consequence in part of the inherent challenges of monitoring squid in their natural marine environment, fine-scale behavioral observations of these free-swimming, soft-bodied animals are rare. Bio-logging tags provide an emerging way to remotely study squid behavior in their natural environments. Here, we applied a novel, high-resolution bio-logging tag (ITAG) to seven veined squid, Loligo forbesii, in a controlled experimental environment to quantify their short-term (24 h) behavioral patterns. Tag accelerometer, magnetometer and pressure data were used to develop automated gait classification algorithms based on overall dynamic body acceleration, and a subset of the events were assessed and confirmed using concurrently collected video data. Finning, flapping and jetting gaits were observed, with the low-acceleration finning gaits detected most often. The animals routinely used a finning gait to ascend (climb) and then glide during descent with fins extended in the tank's water column, a possible strategy to improve swimming efficiency for these negatively buoyant animals. Arms- and mantle-first directional swimming were observed in approximately equal proportions, and the squid were slightly but significantly more active at night. These tag-based observations are novel for squid and indicate a more efficient mode of movement than suggested by some previous observations. The combination of sensing, classification and estimation developed and applied here will enable the quantification of squid activity patterns in the wild to provide new biological information, such as in situ identification of behavioral states, temporal patterns, habitat requirements, energy expenditure and interactions of squid through space-time in the wild.

Small-scale fishers' perception of the implementation of the EU Landing Obligation regulation in the outermost region of the Azores.

The archipelago of the Azores (mid-north Atlantic Ocean) is an outermost region of the European Union (EU) in which small-scale fisheries are a strong component of the local economy. Bottom longlining and handlining are the most important Azorean fisheries in landing values, fishing vessels and fishers. Despite their high selectivity and low discards, these fisheries can be highly impacted by the implementation of the Landing Obligation (LO). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with Azorean small-scale fishers to document their perceptions about discards and the LO, and to ascertain the mitigation measures they already implement or could further implement to avoid unwanted catch. Results suggest that most fishers strongly oppose the LO, perceiving it as inadequate to their fisheries. Several discard avoidance measures are already commonly used by most fishers, of which hook size and changing areas where there are too many undersized or over-quota individuals, are believed to be the most efficient. Additional measures to further improve selectivity and avoid unwanted catch appear limited. The recent conversion of many bottom longliners to handlining and the exemptions foreseen as part of the LO for the region might help Azorean fishers to mitigate the potential impacts of the LO.