Paris Agreement could prevent regional mass extinctions of coral species.

Coral reef ecosystems are expected to undergo significant declines over the coming decades as oceans become warmer and more acidic. We investigate the environmental tolerances of over 650 Scleractinian coral species based on the conditions found within their present-day ranges and in areas where they are currently absent but could potentially reach via larval dispersal. These "environmental envelopes" and connectivity constraints are then used to develop global forecasts for potential coral species richness under two emission scenarios, representing the Paris Agreement target ("SSP1-2.6") and high levels of emissions ("SSP5-8.5"). Although we do not directly predict coral mortality or adaptation, the projected changes to environmental suitability suggest considerable declines in coral species richness for the majority of the world's tropical coral reefs, with a net loss in average local richness of 73% (Paris Agreement) to 91% (High Emissions) by 2080-2090 and particularly large declines across sites in the Great Barrier Reef, Coral Sea, Western Indian Ocean, and Caribbean. However, at the regional scale, we find that environmental suitability for the majority of coral species can be largely maintained under the Paris Agreement target, with 0%-30% potential net species lost in most regions (increasing to 50% for the Great Barrier Reef) as opposed to 80%-90% losses under High Emissions. Projections for subtropical areas suggest that range expansion will give rise to coral reefs with low species richness (typically 10-20 coral species per region) and will not meaningfully offset declines in the tropics. This work represents the first global projection of coral species richness under oceanic warming and acidification. Our results highlight the critical importance of mitigating climate change to avoid potentially massive extinctions of coral species.

Biological traits of marine benthic invertebrates in Northwest Europe.

Biological traits analysis (BTA) provides insight into causes and consequences of biodiversity change that cannot be achieved using traditional taxonomic approaches. However, acquiring information on biological traits (i.e., the behavioural, morphological, and reproductive characteristics of taxa) can be extremely time-consuming, especially for large community datasets, thus hindering the successful application of BTA. Here, we present information on ten key biological traits for over a thousand marine benthic invertebrate taxa surveyed in Northwest Europe (mainly the UK shelf). Scores of 0 to 3 are provided to indicate our confidence that taxa exhibit each possible mode of trait expression. The information was acquired over a decade through an extensive appraisal of relevant sources, including peer-reviewed papers, books, online material and, where necessary, professional judgement. These data may be inspected, used, and augmented by fellow researchers, thus assisting in the wider application of BTA in marine benthic ecology.

Species-Specific Effects on Ecosystem Functioning Can Be Altered by Interspecific Interactions.

Biological assemblages are constantly undergoing change, with species being introduced, extirpated and experiencing shifts in their densities. Theory and experimentation suggest that the impacts of such change on ecosystem functioning should be predictable based on the biological traits of the species involved. However, interspecific interactions could alter how species affect functioning, with the strength and sign of interactions potentially depending on environmental context (e.g. homogenous vs. heterogeneous conditions) and the function considered. Here, we assessed how concurrent changes to the densities of two common marine benthic invertebrates, Corophium volutator and Hediste diversicolor, affected the ecological functions of organic matter consumption and benthic-pelagic nutrient flux. Complementary experiments were conducted within homogenous laboratory microcosms and naturally heterogeneous field plots. When the densities of the species were increased within microcosms, interspecific interactions enhanced effects on organic matter consumption and reduced effects on nutrient flux. Trait-based predictions of how each species would affect functioning were only consistently supported when the density of the other species was low. In field plots, increasing the density of either species had a positive effect on organic matter consumption (with no significant interspecific interactions) but no effect on nutrient flux. Our results indicate that species-specific effects on ecosystem functioning can be altered by interspecific interactions, which can be either facilitative (positive) or antagonistic (negative) depending on the function considered. The impacts of biodiversity change may therefore not be predictable based solely on the biological traits of the species involved. Possible explanations for why interactions were detected in microcosms but not in the field are discussed.

Open anterior repair without routine capsulorraphy for traumatic anterior shoulder instability in a community setting.

Anterior shoulder instability repairs often are performed but rarely reported in community practices. This study assessed outcomes after open anterior repairs without routine capsulorraphy by a community surgeon. Repairs were performed in 64 consecutive shoulders; patient self-assessment questionnaires were mailed to all patients after a minimum follow-up of 2 years. Eighty-three percent reported excellent or good modified Rowe scores at mean follow-up of 5 years. Patients who reported 100% elevation had better outcomes than those who did not report 100% elevation, whereas patients who reported 100% external or internal rotation had comparable outcomes to patients who did not report 100% rotation. Open anterior repair without routine capsulorraphy yielded good outcomes in this community setting.

Ipsilateral combination Monteggia and Galeazzi injuries in an adult patient: a case report.

Monteggia fractures represent approximately 1 to 2 percent of forearm fractures, whereas Galeazzi fractures represent 3 to 6 percent. The combination of these injuries in the same extremity is an exceedingly rare occurrence. We report a case of ipsilateral combination Monteggia and Galeazzi fractures in an adult patient. The patient was treated with anatomic reduction and rigid internal fixation. The radius was stabilized with a 3.5-millimeter dynamic compression plate (Synthes USA, Paoli, PA, U.S.A.) and the olecranon with tension band fixation. The radiocapitellar and distal radioulnar joint relationships were restored; the fractures healed; and the patient proceeded to obtain a satisfactory functional result at one year.

Management of massive pulmonary embolism after jejuno-ileal bypass for morbid obesity.

Four patients developed massive pulmonary embolism after jejuno-ileal bypass for morbid obesity. All patients were in Greenfield's Class IV and were in shock. Severe hypoxia was evidenced in their blood gases. The patients were managed with digitalis, diuretics, Solu-Medrol (methylprednisolone sodium succinate), oxygen, and heparin therapy. Each patient underwent partial vena cava interruption with Mobin Uddin's umbrella, and all four survived without residual complications.