Restorative function of offshore longline mussel farms with ecological benefits for commercial crustacean species.

Offshore ocean aquaculture is expanding globally to meet the growing demand for sustainable food production. At the United Kingdom's largest longline mussel farm, we assessed the potential for the farm to improve the habitat suitability for commercially important crustaceans. Modelled distribution patterns (GAM & GLM) predicted the low complexity seabed beneath the mussel farm was 34-94 % less suitable for European lobster (Homarus gammarus) and brown crab (Cancer pagurus) than nearby rocky reefs. The mussel farm operations, however, contributed large amounts of living mussels and shell material to the seabed. Acoustic telemetry revealed that H.gammarus remained within the farm for between 2 and 283 days using both the farm anchors and areas of seabed dominated by fallen mussels for refuge. In contrast, C. pagurus movements showed no affinity to either the farm infrastructure or benthic habitat under the farm. Stable isotope analysis indicated a high dietary niche overlap in C. pagurus and H. gammarus (67.8 and 84.6 %) between the mussel farm (mixed muddy sediment) and nearby rocky reef. Our mixed-methods suggest that the mussel farm augments structural complexity on the seabed providing refuge and similar feeding opportunities for lobster and crab as their typical habitat on rocky reefs. Longline mussel farms can deliver profound biodiversity-positive effects through biogenic augmentation of degraded habitat for commercial species and potential for co-benefits to local fisheries.

Vertical arrays of artificial rockpools on a seawall provide refugia across tidal levels for intertidal species in the UK.

Eco-engineering of coastal infrastructure aims to address the insufficient intertidal habitat provided by coastal development and flood defence. There are numerous ways to enhance coastal infrastructure with habitat features, but a common method involves retrofitting artificial rockpools. Often these are 'bolt-on' units that are fixed to existing coastal infrastructure but there is a paucity of literature on how to optimise their arrangement for biodiversity. In this study, 24 artificial rockpools were installed at three levels between High Water Neaps and Mean Tide Level on a vertical concrete seawall on the south coast of the UK. The species abundance of the rockpools and adjacent seawall were surveyed at low tide for 2 years following rockpool installation and compared. Over the course of the study, sediment had begun to accumulate in some of the rockpools. At the 2-year mark, the sediment was removed and assessed for macrofauna. Algal biomass of the seawall and rockpools was estimated using previously obtained dry weight values for the dominant algae taxa. After 2 years, it was determined that artificial rockpools successfully increase species richness of seawalls, particularly at higher tidal levels where water-retaining refugia are crucial for many species. The rockpools hosted 37 sessile taxa and 9 sessile taxa were recorded on the seawall. Rockpools increased the vertical elevation for brown canopy-forming seaweeds by providing better attachment surfaces. Although the retained sediment only hosted 3 infaunal species, it was observed to provide shelter for shore crabs during surveys. As sea levels and ocean and air temperatures continue to rise, vertical eco-engineering arrangements will play a crucial role in allowing species to migrate up the tidal zone, negating habitat loss and localised extinction.

MT-125 Inhibits Non-Muscle Myosin IIA and IIB, Synergizes with Oncogenic Kinase Inhibitors, and Prolongs Survival in Glioblastoma.

We have identified a NMIIA and IIB-specific small molecule inhibitor, MT-125, and have studied its effects in GBM. MT-125 has high brain penetrance and retention and an excellent safety profile; blocks GBM invasion and cytokinesis, consistent with the known roles of NMII; and prolongs survival as a single agent in murine GBM models. MT-125 increases signaling along both the PDGFR- and MAPK-driven pathways through a mechanism that involves the upregulation of reactive oxygen species, and it synergizes with FDA-approved PDGFR and mTOR inhibitors in vitro . Combining MT-125 with sunitinib, a PDGFR inhibitor, or paxalisib, a combined PI3 Kinase/mTOR inhibitor significantly improves survival in orthotopic GBM models over either drug alone, and in the case of sunitinib, markedly prolongs survival in ∼40% of mice. Our results provide a powerful rationale for developing NMII targeting strategies to treat cancer and demonstrate that MT-125 has strong clinical potential for the treatment of GBM. Highlights: MT-125 is a highly specific small molecule inhibitor of non-muscle myosin IIA and IIB, is well-tolerated, and achieves therapeutic concentrations in the brain with systemic dosing.Treating preclinical models of glioblastoma with MT-125 produces durable improvements in survival.MT-125 stimulates PDGFR- and MAPK-driven signaling in glioblastoma and increases dependency on these pathways.Combining MT-125 with an FDA-approved PDGFR inhibitor in a mouse GBM model synergizes to improve median survival over either drug alone, and produces tumor free, prolonged survival in over 40% of mice.

Combining acoustic telemetry with archival tagging to investigate the spatial dynamic of the understudied pollack, Pollachius pollachius.

Combining fish tracking methods is a promising way of leveraging the strengths of each approach while mitigating their individual weaknesses. Acoustic telemetry provides presence information as the fish move within receiver range, eliminating the need for tag recovery. Archival tags, on the other hand, record environmental variables on tag retrieval, enabling continuous path reconstruction of a fish beyond coastal regions. This study capitalizes on the combination of both methods for geolocating pollack, Pollachius pollachius, an understudied species of the northeast Atlantic, where declining stocks are raising concern. Essential knowledge of population structure and connectivity between essential habitats is critically lacking and could help inform stock assessment and management. The aims of the study were (1) to evaluate the feasibility of double-tagging pollack, known for being challenging to tag, and (2) to track seasonal movements across the Channel to gain first insights into pollack spatial ecology. In 2022, an extensive network of acoustic receivers was been deployed in the Channel along the French, English, and Belgian coasts as part of the Fish Intel project. We tagged 83 pollack with acoustic transmitters, among which 48 were double-tagged with data storage tags. Post-tagging survival assessment, conducted on a subset of 35 individuals, revealed a successful procedure with a 97% short-term survival rate. By October 2023, the acoustic telemetry network detected 30 out of 83 pollack at least once, with no large-scale movements observed across the Channel. Presence in the network fluctuates seasonally, peaking in summer, particularly among immature fish. Integrating acoustic detections with temperature and depth time series in a geolocation model enabled trajectory reconstruction of 10 recaptured pollack, seven of which were detected by the network. This combined tracking approach revealed coastal movements along the coast of Brittany in France, highlighting the ecological significance of the Iroise Sea for pollack throughout the year, particularly in summer. The geolocation model also suggested movements towards the entrance of the western Channel. This study highlights the complementarity of acoustic telemetry and archival tagging in reconstructing fish movements in their natural environment. As data accumulate, these innovative tracking methods promise to continually unveil new insights into the spatial ecology of the understudied pollack, which is essential for the species' management.

Basolateral amygdala corticotropin releasing factor receptor 2 interacts with nonmuscle myosin II to destabilize memory in males.

Preclinical studies show that inhibiting the actin motor ATPase nonmuscle myosin II (NMII) with blebbistatin (Blebb) in the basolateral amgydala (BLA) depolymerizes actin, resulting in an immediate, retrieval-independent disruption of methamphetamine (METH)-associated memory in male and female adult and adolescent rodents. The effect is highly selective, as NMII inhibition has no effect in other relevant brain regions (e.g., dorsal hippocampus [dPHC], nucleus accumbens [NAc]), nor does it interfere with associations for other aversive or appetitive stimuli, including cocaine (COC). To understand the mechanisms responsible for drug specific selectivity we began by investigating, in male mice, the pharmacokinetic differences in METH and COC brain exposure . Replicating METH's longer half-life with COC did not render the COC association susceptible to disruption by NMII inhibition. Therefore, we next assessed transcriptional differences. Comparative RNA-seq profiling in the BLA, dHPC and NAc following METH or COC conditioning identified crhr2, which encodes the corticotropin releasing factor receptor 2 (CRF2), as uniquely upregulated by METH in the BLA. CRF2 antagonism with Astressin-2B (AS2B) had no effect on METH-associated memory after consolidation, allowing for determination of CRF2 influences on NMII-based susceptibility. Pretreatment with AS2B prevented the ability of Blebb to disrupt an established METH-associated memory. Alternatively, combining CRF2 overexpression and agonist treatment, urocortin 3 (UCN3), in the BLA during conditioning rendered COC-associated memory susceptible to disruption by NMII inhibition, mimicking the Blebb-induced, retrieval-independent memory disruption seen with METH. These results suggest that BLA CRF2 receptor activation during memory formation in male mice can prevent stabilization of the actin-myosin cytoskeleton supporting the memory, rendering it vulnerable to disruption by NMII inhibition. CRF2 represents an interesting target for BLA-dependent memory destabilization via downstream effects on NMII.

Basolateral Amygdala Corticotrophin Releasing Factor Receptor 2 Interacts with Nonmuscle Myosin II to Destabilize Memory.

Inhibiting the actin motor ATPase nonmuscle myosin II (NMII) with blebbistatin (Blebb) in the basolateral amgydala (BLA) depolymerizes actin, resulting in an immediate, retrieval-independent disruption of methamphetamine (METH)-associated memory. The effect is highly selective, as NMII inhibition has no effect in other relevant brain regions (e.g. dorsal hippocampus [dPHC], nucleus accumbens [NAc]), nor does it interfere with associations for other aversive or appetitive stimuli, including cocaine (COC). To investigate a potential source of this specificity, pharmacokinetic differences in METH and COC brain exposure were examined. Replicating METH's longer half-life with COC did not render the COC association susceptible to disruption by NMII inhibition. Therefore, transcriptional differences were next assessed. Comparative RNA-seq profiling in the BLA, dHPC and NAc following METH or COC conditioning identified crhr2, which encodes the corticotrophin releasing factor receptor 2 (CRF2), as uniquely upregulated by METH in the BLA. CRF2 antagonism with Astressin-2B (AS2B) had no effect on METH-associated memory after consolidation, allowing for determination of CRF2 influences on NMII-based susceptibility after METH conditioning. Pretreatment with AS2B occluded the ability of Blebb to disrupt an established METH-associated memory. Alternatively, the Blebb-induced, retrieval-independent memory disruption seen with METH was mimicked for COC when combined with CRF2 overexpression in the BLA and its ligand, UCN3 during conditioning. These results indicate that BLA CRF2 receptor activation during learning can prevent stabilization of the actin-myosin cytoskeleton supporting the memory, rendering it vulnerable to disruption via NMII inhibition. CRF2 represents an interesting target for BLA-dependent memory destabilization via downstream effects on NMII.

Temporal decline in diarrhea episodes and mortality in Kiribati children two years following rotavirus vaccine introduction, despite high malnutrition rates: a retrospective review.

BACKGROUND: Kiribati introduced rotavirus vaccine in 2015. To estimate the impact of rotavirus vaccine on acute gastroenteritis (AGE) and severe acute malnutrition (SAM) among children under 5 in Kiribati, a retrospective review of inpatient and outpatient AGE and hospitalized SAM was undertaken. METHODS: Inpatient data for admissions and hospital deaths due to AGE, SAM and all-causes were collected for children under 5 from all hospitals on the main island, Tarawa, from January 2010-December 2013 (pre-rotavirus vaccine) and January 2016-September 2017 (post-rotavirus vaccine). National outpatient diarrhea data were collected from January 2010 to August 2017 for under 5. An interrupted time-series analysis was undertaken to estimate the effect of rotavirus vaccine on the rates of inpatient and outpatient AGE, inpatient SAM; and inpatient case fatality rates for AGE and SAM, were calculated pre- and post-rotavirus vaccine introduction. RESULTS: The incidence rate of AGE admissions from Tarawa and national AGE outpatient presentations significantly declined by 37 and 44%, respectively, 2 years following rotavirus vaccine introduction. There was a significant decline in the percentage of AGE contributing to all-cause under 5 admissions (12·8% vs. 7·2%, p < 0·001) and all-cause under-five mortality (15·9% vs. 5·7%, p = 0·006) pre- and post-rotavirus vaccine introduction. The estimated incidence rate of inpatient SAM decreased by 24% in under 5 s, 2 years following rotavirus vaccine introduction. CONCLUSIONS: AGE morbidity and mortality and hospitalized SAM rates have declined following rotavirus vaccine introduction in Kiribati children.

Epibenthic and mobile species colonisation of a geotextile artificial surf reef on the south coast of England.

With increasing coastal infrastructure and use of novel materials there is a need to investigate the colonisation of assemblages associated with new structures, how these differ to natural and other artificial habitats and their potential impact on regional biodiversity. The colonisation of Europe's first artificial surf reef (ASR) was investigated at Boscombe on the south coast of England (2009-2014) and compared with assemblages on existing natural and artificial habitats. The ASR consists of geotextile bags filled with sand located 220m offshore on a sandy sea bed at a depth of 0-5m. Successional changes in epibiota were recorded annually on differently orientated surfaces and depths using SCUBA diving and photography. Mobile faunal assemblages were sampled using Baited Remote Underwater Video (BRUV). Distinct stages in colonisation were observed, commencing with bryozoans and green algae which were replaced by red algae, hydroids and ascidians, however there were significant differences in assemblage structure with depth and orientation. The reef is being utilised by migratory, spawning and juvenile life-history stages of fish and invertebrates. The number of non-native species was larger than on natural reefs and other artificial habitats and some occupied a significant proportion of the structure. The accumulation of 180 benthic and mobile taxa, recorded to date, appears to have arisen from a locally rich and mixed pool of native and non-native species. Provided no negative invasive impacts are detected on nearby protected reefs the creation of novel yet diverse habitats may be considered a beneficial outcome.

Trends of radiopharmaceutical use at Mayo Clinic Rochester.

UNLABELLED: The field of radiology is continuously changing. The purpose of this study was to identify the effect of technologic advances on nuclear medicine during the past 15 y. METHODS: The number of radiopharmaceutical doses dispensed at Mayo Clinic (Rochester, Minnesota) from 1990 through 2004 was tracked. The number of doses was equivalent to the number of scans performed. RESULTS: Since 1990, the number of bone scans decreased by 38%. Brain scans using (99m)Tc have increased by 166%. The number of cardiac doses dispensed increased 184% from 1990 through 1999 but decreased 3% between 2000 and 2004. The number of lung scans decreased 52% from 1992 through 1999 and increased 66% from 1999 through 2004. The number of kidney scans decreased 67% since 1990. Since its introduction in 1993, the use of (111)In-pentetreotide has increased 16-fold. PET data showed a 602% increase in the number of procedures from 2001 through 2004. CONCLUSION: The number of bone, lung, and kidney scans has decreased because of advances in other imaging modalities. Although the number of cardiac imaging scans increased during most of the study period, the recent rate of growth has declined, possibly because of the availability of alternative procedures such as stress echocardiography. The number of brain and lung scans performed has increased, partially because of the development of new protocols. PET and tumor imaging have shown a substantial increase because of increasing numbers of approved indications and Medicare reimbursement.

Sensation seeking and the use and selection of media materials.

175 individuals recruited from urban universities (n=82) and the surrounding community (120 women, 55 men; 82 18- to 25-yr.-olds, 26 26- to 34-yr.-olds, 44 35- to 50-yr.-olds, 23 50 yr. old or over) completed a sensation seeking scale and measures of the frequency with which they used specific media and selected specific television programming, film, and music genres. Regression analyses showed Sensation Seeking to be associated positively with Movie Theatre Attendance and with the Selection of Urban Music Genres. Sensation Seeking was also associated negatively with Selection of Light Film Genres.