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To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr.2007.09.003 Byline: Jaime Gomez-Gutierrez (a), Leah R. Feinberg (b), Tracy C. Shaw (b), William T. Peterson (c) Keywords: Euphausiids; Broadcast spawning; Brood size; Spawning areas; Upwelling; Oregon coast; USA Abstract: Brood sizes of 1259 adult female Euphausia pacifica and Thysanoessa spinifera were measured during 48h incubations (10[degrees]C, [+ or -]0.5[degrees]C) on 27 oceanographic cruises between July 1999 and September 2004. The data set includes measurements from several stations off Newport, Oregon (Newport Hydrographic line, 44[degrees]39'N) made over a 5-year period and measurements from 14 more extensive cruises at stations representative of continental shelf, slope, and oceanic waters off Oregon and California, USA. E. pacifica had similar brood sizes at inshore (200m) stations with an average of 151 and 139 eggs brood.sup.-1 fem.sup.-1, respectively. T. spinifera brood sizes were considerably higher at inshore stations -- particularly at Heceta Bank (44[degrees]N) and south of Cape Blanco (42[degrees]50'N) -- than at offshore stations, 155 and 107 eggs brood.sup.-1 fem.sup.-1, respectively. Average brood sizes of E. pacifica increased during the study period, from 125 (in 2000) to 171 eggs brood.sup.-1 fem.sup.-1 (in 2003). Average percentage of carbon weight invested in spawning (reproductive effort) was higher in E. pacifica ([approximately equal to]14%) than in T. spinifera ([approximately equal to]6%), because both species have similar brood size but T. spinifera females are larger than E. pacifica females and produce smaller eggs. Reproductive effort for both species was higher during summer 2002, probably associated with anomalous cool subarctic waters and high chl-a concentration observed during that summer. Brood sizes and chl-a values remained relatively high in 2003-2004 compared to the 1999-2001 period. Geographical and temporal variability in brood sizes for both species were significantly correlated with in situ measurements of chl-a concentration but not with sea surface temperature. No gravid females were collected during late autumn and winter cruises, thus the spawning season along the Oregon coast appears to extend from March through September for both species. However, T. spinifera usually starts reproductive activity earlier in the spring (March) than E. pacifica. Both species had their highest brood sizes in summer during the period of most intense upwelling, which is associated with an increase in regional phytoplankton standing stock. Author Affiliation: (a) College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University, 104 Ocean Administration Building, Corvallis, OR 97331-5503, USA (b) Cooperative Institute for Marine Resources Studies, Hatfield Marine Science Center, 2030 South Marine Science Drive, Newport, OR 97365, USA (c) NOAA/NMFS, Hatfield Marine Science Center, 2030 South Marine Science Drive, Newport, OR 97365, USA Article History: Received 30 June 2006; Revised 5 September 2007; Accepted 11 September 2007

We set out to develop a machine learning model capable of distinguishing patients presenting with ischemic stroke from a healthy cohort of subjects. The model relies on a 3-min resting electroencephalogram (EEG) recording from which features can be computed. Using a large-scale, retrospective database of EEG recordings and matching clinical reports, we were able to construct a dataset of 1385 healthy subjects and 374 stroke patients. With subjects often producing more than one recording per session, the final dataset consisted of 2401 EEG recordings (63% healthy, 37% stroke). Using a rich set of features encompassing both the spectral and temporal domains, our model yielded an AUC of 0.95, with a sensitivity and specificity of 93% and 86%, respectively. Allowing for multiple recordings per subject in the training set boosted sensitivity by 7%, attributable to a more balanced dataset. Our work demonstrates strong potential for the use of EEG in conjunction with machine learning methods to distinguish stroke patients from healthy subjects. Our approach provides a solution that is not only timely (3-minutes recording time) but also highly precise and accurate (AUC: 0.95). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Point-of-care ultrasound can be taught to pre-hospital providers • Point-of-care ultrasound allows for more timely diagnosis of several life-threatening conditions Advances in point-of-care ultrasound technology have allowed for the extension of emergency medicine ultrasound beyond the walls of the emergency department. Emergency medical system providers may benefit from the use of ultrasound. It has previously been shown that with a brief introductory course, novices can obtain and correctly interpret focused ultrasound examinations. The purpose of this study was to design a theory-driven point-of-care ultrasound curriculum to assess and develop ultrasound skill in prehospital providers. The resultant curriculum outlined in this paper encompasses a large array of skills that may be useful for different prehospital services to use to develop curriculum for their own needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The clinical learning environment helps to shape the professional identity of medical students. This process begins from existing personal identity and is influenced by various factors, including clinical experiences and clinical learning environment.Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine medical students' reflections as a way to identify and better characterize the modern struggles that medical students face, in order to inform the development of professional identity.Methods: Students rotating in their emergency medicine clerkship wrote reflections on dilemmas that highlighted common struggles of becoming a doctor. Qualitative analysis was performed to determine common themes from the essays. The research team coded 173 reflections and identified themes and major domains.Results: The first domain was Patient-Provider Conflict, including challenging patient (34%), difficult communication (25%), competing priorities between patients' interest and trainees need to learn (19%), and bias (13%). The second domain was Provider-Specific Issues, such as the "gray zone," in which there is not a clear standard of practice (29%), end-of-life care (14%), emotional struggle (6%), and fear of litigation (5%). The final domain was Systems Issues, such as cost of care (12%) and role of the emergency department (6%).Conclusions: The reflections point to a wide variety of challenges that students confront in practice that will contribute to how they develop into physicians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we assessed trophic interactions between microplankton and copepods by studying the functional response of egg production rates (EPR; eggs female −1 day −1 ) of the copepod Calanus marshallae to variations in microplankton biomass, species composition and community structure. Female C. marshallae and phytoplankton water samples were collected biweekly at an inner-shelf station off Newport, Oregon USA for four years, 2011–2014, during which a total of 1213 female C. marshallae were incubated in 63 experiments. On average, 80% of the females spawned with an overall mean EPR of 30.4. EPRs in spring (Apr–May, average of 40.2) were significantly higher than summer (Jun–Oct; 26.4). EPRs were intermediate in winter (Jan–Feb; 32.5). Interannually, EPRs were significantly higher in 2014 than 2011 and 2012. Total chlorophyll a (Chl a ) concentration and diatom abundance both were significantly higher in summer while no seasonal differences were found in abundance of dinoflagellates, ciliates or Cryptophytes. Although total Chl a showed no interannual differences in bulk biomass of phytoplankton, community structure analysis indicated differences among years. More diverse diatom communities were observed in 2013 and 2014 compared to 2011 and 2012. Relationships between EPR and potential food variables (phytoplankton and ciliates) were significant by season: a hyperbolic functional response was found between EPR and total Chl a in winter–spring and summer, separately, and between EPR and ciliate abundance in winter–spring; a linear model fit best the functional response of EPR to diatom abundance in summer. The estimate of potential population recruitment rate (the number of females × EPR; eggs day −1 m −2 ) was highest in spring (Apr–May), and annually was highest in 2013 (11,660), followed by 2011 (6209), 2012 (3172) and 2014 (1480). Our observations of in situ EPR were far higher than published laboratory rates of 23.5, calling into question our past laboratory studies that used mono-algae cultures as food for copepods. Moreover, an increasing number of studies (including this study) are showing an apparent greater importance of ciliates as a nutritious food source for Calanus species demonstrating the importance of the microbial loop to secondary production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: An algal bloom caused by the dinoflagellate Akashiwo sanguinea was observed in October–November 2009 along the central Oregon coast (44.6°N), off Newport, Oregon, U.S.A. In this paper, the conditions are described which led to the development and demise of this bloom. The bloom was observed for 1 month from 5-October until 4-November with the peak of abundance on 19-October (347,615cellsL−1). The A. sanguinea bloom followed September blooms of the diatoms Pseudo-nitzschia spp, Chaetoceros debilis, and the dinoflagellate Prorocentrum gracile. The bloom occurred when nitrate and silicate concentrations were <2μM and <8μM, respectively, and when the water column was stratified. This A. sanguinea dinoflagellate bloom event was closely related to the anomalous upwelling conditions in 2009: upwelling ceased early, at the end of August, whereas a normal upwelling continues into early October. This relaxation extended to near the end of September as a prolonged downwelling event, but then active upwelling reappeared in October and November. The explanation for the occurrence of the A. sanguinea bloom in October may be related to a combination of a prior diatom bloom, a stratified water column with low nutrient concentration in September, and an active upwelling event in October. As for the ultimate source of the cells, the hypothesis is that the seed stock for the A sanguinea bloom off Oregon was southward transport of cells from the Washington coast where a massive bloom of A. sanguinea was first observed in September 2009. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Growth rates and intermolt periods for Euphausia pacifica were determined from individual growth rate (IGR) experiments carried out over a 7-year period (2000–2006) on euphausiids collected off the Oregon Coast. Adult growth rates averaged 0.020mm total length (TL) day−1 during the summer upwelling season and 0.011mm TL day−1during the winter downwelling season. Average intermolt period (IMP) was 8d during upwelling and 11d during downwelling. Growth rates and IMPs were highly variable, and were not related to surface chl-a concentration or length of the euphausiid. Negative growth occurred at all times of year. Negative growth rates during winter downwelling were most likely related to poor feeding conditions, while negative growth rates during the summer upwelling season were likely a result of the euphausiids investing ingested energy towards reproduction rather than somatic growth. Growth rates from this study using the IGR method were generally lower than E. pacifica growth rates from other studies that used the cohort analysis method. Since negative growth rates are difficult to capture using cohort analysis, we calculated a seasonal growth rate using only the positive values from our experiments to compare with cohort analysis growth rates. These seasonal positive growth rates were 0.08mmTLd−1 (2.4mmmonth−1) for the upwelling season and 0.04mmTLd−1 (1.2mmmonth−1) for the downwelling season, equivalent to weight-specific growth rates of 0.0135d−1 (upwelling) and 0.0089d−1 (downwelling), and are comparable to rates obtained in other studies using cohort analysis. Highest annual growth rates during upwelling were measured in 2004 (warm) and 2006 (cold), suggesting that E. pacifica is less affected by warm and cool periods than other types of zooplankton, such as copepods. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Thysanoessa spinifera eggs were sampled biweekly from 1997–2005 along a transect extending off the coast of Newport, OR, USA. T. spinifera eggs were typically found in greatest abundance at NH05, our shallower mid-shelf station, and in lowest abundance at NH25, our offshore, deep-water station beyond the shelf break. In most years small peaks in density of T. spinifera eggs were found in late winter (February–March) and/or spring (April–May) along with large, prolonged peaks in summer, from July–September. However, it was more common to find egg densities of <1m−3 or to find no eggs at all (58–91% of sampling dates per year had densities <1m−3 at NH05). We found that egg densities were significantly positively correlated with chlorophyll a concentrations during the winter and spring (r 2=0.52 and 0.55 respectively, p<0.001), but not during summer. We did not find a significant correlation between egg densities and female densities. When winters were stormy, as in 1998, 1999 and 2000 the first eggs of Thysanoessa spinifera were not observed at any station until after upwelling was initiated later in the spring. However, in other years eggs were likely to be found earlier in the year if there were fewer storms, or winter or spring upwelling events that were not followed by a large storm. In most years, spawning continued until the upwelling season ended in the autumn, however this trend ceased in 2003–2005 and spawning was interrupted earlier in the season. Overall, we found that chlorophyll a peaks and egg peaks increased in magnitude in the later part of our study. We have concluded that T. spinifera is likely an intermittent spawner, whose ovaries are not constantly mature and prepared for spawning, despite the presence of ocean conditions that are suitable for spawning. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Catheter-related bacteremia (CRB) is a frequent complication of tunneled dialysis catheters, and Enterococcus is a common infecting organism. CRB may be treated by instilling an antibiotic lock into the catheter lumen in conjunction with systemic antibiotics. The efficacy of this approach in Enterococcus bacteremia is unknown.Design: Quality improvement report.Setting& Participants: 64 catheter-dependent hemodialysis outpatients with vancomycin-sensitive Enterococcus bacteremia treated with a uniform antibiotic lock protocol. Clinical outcomes were tracked prospectively. QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PLANS: Patients received intravenous vancomycin for 3 weeks in conjunction with a vancomycin lock instilled into both catheter lumens after each dialysis session.Measures: Treatment failure was defined as persistent fever 48 hours after initiation of antibiotic therapy or recurrent Enterococcus bacteremia within 90 days. A clinical cure was defined as fever resolution without recurrent bacteremia. Major infection-related complications within 6 months were documented.Results: Treatment failure occurred in 25 patients (39%) because of persistent fever in 10 and recurrent bacteremia in 15. Treatment success occurred in 39 patients (61%). A serious complication of Enterococcus CRB occurred in 4 of 64 patients (6%); endocarditis in 1 and osteomyelitis in 3. The frequency of serious complications was 16% (4 of 25 patients) in those with treatment failure compared with 0% (0 of 39 patients) in those with treatment success (P = 0.01).Limitations: This was a single-center study. We did not measure serum vancomycin.Conclusions: An antibiotic lock protocol permits catheter salvage in 61% of hemodialysis patients with Enterococcus CRB. Serious complications occur in 6% of patients and are more common in those with treatment failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Phoretic stages of the exuviotrophic apostome Gymnodinioides pacifica were examined using transmission and scanning electron microscopy (TEM and SEM). TEM revealed that the mature cyst wall possesses 2 or 3 layers differing by the presence or absence of the third inner layer. This inner layer may represent a different form of the middle wall material. The inner cyst layer is approximately 0.15μm thick and has striations with a periodicity of ∼19nm. The middle cyst layer has a variable thickness and the outer dense layer is ∼0.1μm thick. The 3 layered cyst wall had a thickness of 0.3–0.7μm and averaged 0.5μm. Advanced phoront stages were enclosed by fully formed cyst walls or by cyst walls thinned to ∼0.1μm, as the phoronts prepared to excyst prior to host ecdysis. Additionally, we report the fine structure of the rosette, trichocysts, nuclei, food plaquettes, oral fiber, and other cytoplasmic inclusions. SEM revealed an outer cyst wall layer connected to the secreted peduncle material, which was observed to extend over a wide (15μm) area on the host setae. Cysts were usually attached at their posterior ends or, less frequently, along their side. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A new species of apostome ciliate, Gymnodinioides pacifica n. sp. from the euphausiid Euphausia pacifica is described. The ciliated protozoan encysts on the setae of the appendages, telson and antennae. It excysts and enters the exoskeleton of the host after moulting, where it feeds on exuvial fluid. The phoront and trophont stages of this ciliate are described. The ciliature of the trophont has the following characteristics that distinguish it from the other species of Gymnodinioides: (1) a short kinety 9a (ciliary row 9a or K9a), approximately half of the length of falciform field 8, that extends from the anterior end of the cell posteriorly to the level of K1, (2) a straight K5a, perpendicular to K5b, K6, and K7, and (3) two distinct bands of kineties, K9b–K5b and K4–K1. In addition to those on the host E. pacifica, phoront cysts of similar shape were observed on Thysanoessa spinifera, T. gregaria, T. inspinata, T. longipes, and Nematoscelis difficilis. High prevalence rates were recorded (83%) for these apostome cysts on E. pacifica and T. spinifera during summer collections from the Oregon and Washington coasts. Additionally, we report other apostome ciliate symbionts of euphausiids, including Phtorophrya sp., which preys on apostomes in the genus Gymnodinioides. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We sampled a single station in the coastal zone off Newport OR (9 km from shore; 60 m water depth) on 206 occasions during 12 years: 1969–1973, 1983 and 1996–2001. We used cluster analysis, ordinations, and indicator species analysis (ISA) to describe temporal variations in copepod community composition. Copepod community structure during summer was distinctly different from winter. Cluster analysis showed that the transition between winter and summer communities occurred early March/April in the 1970s, late (May/June) in the late 1990s, but in (March/April) since spring 2000. Seven copepod assemblages were identified: four were found during the summer upwelling season, two during large El Nin˜o events, and one during winter. Interannual variations in the composition of the summer assemblages was seen: most sampling dates from the summers of 1970, 1973, 2000 and 2001 clustered into one group, and dates from 1971, 1972, and 1999 clustered into a second group. The 1983 and 1998 El Nin˜o events clustered together, but subdivided into “early El Nin˜o” and “late El Nin˜o” communities. The summer of 1969 corresponded with a weak El Nin˜o event but clustered differently from both the other El Nin˜o events and other summer clusters. Samples collected during the 1972 El Nin˜o event clustered with “normal” summers. Non-metric multidimensional ordination analysis showed that two axes accounted for 87% of the variability in community composition; Axis 1 was associated with the influence of El Nin˜o events and seasonal downwelling, and Axis 2 was associated with upwelling-induced productivity. ISA showed Centropages abdominalis, Acartia longiremis, and Microcalanus pusillus as indicators of upwelling; Corycaeus anglicus, Calanus pacificus, and Ctenocalanus vanus as good indicators of El Nin˜o; and Ctenocalanus vanus, Clausocalanus, and Calocalanus styliremis as good indicators of winter conditions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Previous studies of zooplankton communities off the central Oregon coast have been primarily descriptive or have focused on only a few taxa. To more formally explore patterns in zooplankton community structure, we used cluster analysis, Non-metric Multidimensional Scaling (NMDS) ordination, and Indicator Species Analysis to examine seasonal, El Nin˜o/La Nin˜a, and onshore/offshore differences in community composition. Hydrographic and zooplankton data were collected off Newport, Oregon (44.7°N) at eight stations between 8 and 105 km from shore (60-2900 m water depth), on 15 cruises between Jan 1998 and Sept 2000 as part of the US GLOBEC Northeast Pacific Long-Term Observation Program. Zooplankton were collected with a 202 μm, 0.5 m diameter ring net lifted vertically at 30 m min−1 from 100 m, to the surface.The 1997/1998 El Nin˜o played an important role in structuring the zooplankton community from the beginning of our sampling in January 1998 through November 1998. The “El Nin˜o” group identified by cluster analysis and NMDS ordination was highly diverse and was characterized by taxa with offshore and subtropical neritic affinities. When the El Nin˜o group was present, there was no onshelf-offshelf gradient in community composition as was seen during “normal” summers. The “El Nin˜o” group was preceded and followed by a “Transitional” group with slightly lower diversity that existed through the spring of 1999. By summer 1999, conditions had returned to “normal.”Summer upwelling strongly affected the structure of zooplankton assemblages in the “normal” years of 1999 and 2000, leading to differences between nearshore and offshore zooplankton groups. The zooplankton assemblages sampled on the continental shelf during these summers were unique, composed of boreal neritic species (such as the copepods Calanus marshallae, Pseudocalanus mimus, and Acartia longiremis) and larvae of several meroplanktonic taxa, whereas the off-shelf assemblages resembled the winter zooplankton assemblages which were comprised of subtropical neritic and Transition Zone species. The spatial extent of the continental shelf group present during the summer upwelling season varied between early and late summer; differences may be related to the integrated strength and duration of the north winds over the upwelling season. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Hydrographic and ocean drifter measurements made along the Oregon coast indicate that the spatial structure of the coastal upwelling system differs in waters to the north and the south of Cape Blanco, Oregon. North of the Cape, a 10–30 km wide zone of coastal upwelling parallels the coast, but south of the Cape, increased wind stress leads to a seaward expansion of the upwelling system and cold upwelled water extends 50–100 km offshore. Because the hydrography and the transport differ, we hypothesize that zooplankton distributions will differ as well. In this paper we investigate differences in copepod distributions and copepod community composition between the waters north and south of Cape Blanco. Five cruises were conducted in 1998 and 1999, which were years of contrasting ocean conditions; there was a strong El Nin˜o in 1998, which was followed by a strong La Nin˜a in 1999. Copepod biomass did not differ between the El Nin˜o and La Nin˜a periods; however, species composition of the copepod assemblages differed vastly. During the 1998 El Nin˜o, the copepod community was dominated by subtropical neritic and warm-water offshore species. During the 1999 La Nin˜a, the zooplankton community was dominated by cold water boreal neritic species. The warm water species were widely distributed in shelf and slope waters in 1998, whereas in 1999, they were found primarily offshore of central Oregon, but over the shelf off northern California. During the summer upwelling season of both years, copepod community composition in shelf waters differed significantly from slope waters in the region to the north of the Cape, however, community composition was the same in shelf and slope waters in the region south of the Cape. These results lead us to suggest that offshore transport by the upwelling jet may be an important mechanism controlling copepod community structure south of Cape Blanco. When we examined these patterns in community composition on a species-by-species basis, among the dominant boreal copepod species, Pseudocalanus mimus and Acartia longiremis were displaced offshore and maintained high population densities in the waters south of Cape Blanco whereas densities of Calanus marshallae and Centropages abdominalis declined in the waters south of the Cape. Thus, the interaction between the boreal copepods and the waters north versus south of Blanco is species-specific. Species may be either lost or retained depending upon interactions between vertical current shear and their vertical distributions. Alternatively, there may be a differential ability among species to survive and reproduce in waters offshore and south of Cape Blanco. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Aim: Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) has emerged as a promising resuscitation strategy for select patients suffering from refractory out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), though limited data exist regarding the best practices for ECPR initiation after OHCA.Methods: We utilized a modified Delphi process consisting of two survey rounds and a virtual consensus meeting to systematically identify detailed best practices for ECPR initiation following adult non-traumatic OHCA. A modified Delphi process builds content validity and is an accepted method to develop consensus by eliciting expert opinions through multiple rounds of questionnaires. Consensus was achieved when items reached a high level of agreement, defined as greater than 80% responses for a particular item rated a 4 or 5 on a 5-point Likert scale.Results: Snowball sampling generated a panel of 14 content experts, composed of physicians from four continents and five primary specialties. Seven existing institutional protocols for ECPR cannulation following OHCA were identified and merged into a single comprehensive list of 207 items. The panel reached consensus on 101 items meeting final criteria for inclusion: Prior to Patient Arrival (13 items), Inclusion Criteria (8), Exclusion Criteria (7), Patient Arrival (8), ECPR Cannulation (21), Go On Pump (18), and Post-Cannulation (26).Conclusion: We present a list of items for ECPR initiation following adult nontraumatic OHCA, generated using a modified Delphi process from an international panel of content experts. These findings may benefit centers currently performing ECPR in quality assurance and serve as a template for new ECPR programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the ocean, dominant physical processes often change at various spatial and temporal scales. Here, we examined associations between large-scale physical forcing indexed by the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), regional ocean conditions including alongshore currents in relation to the abundance of two subarctic oceanic copepods, Neocalanus plumchrus, and N. cristatus in the offshore portions of the northern California Current (NCC) system in spring of 1998–2008. We found significant relationships between the abundance of copepods, water temperature, and alongshore currents with a lag of two or four months in response to the PDO in the NCC system. During the growth season in March/April both subarctic copepod species displayed consistent cross-shelf patterns with shoreward decreasing gradient in abundance, and were negatively correlated with the PDO, sea water temperature, and alongshore currents. Our studies highlight the responses of regional ocean conditions to large-scale physical forcing and illustrate the potential for Neocalanus copepods as unique vectors for a new understanding of the ecological response in the offshore oceanic waters of the NCC system to climate variability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rhino-orbital cerebral mucormycosis (ROCM) is a rare infection caused by an invasive fungus and found predominantly in immunocompromised patients. The presentation of ROCM ranges from a mild headache, fever, and sinusitis to vision loss, altered mental status, and facial disfigurement secondary to local tissue invasion. ROCM can cause significant morbidity and mortality and requires prompt diagnosis with timely evaluation by surgical and infectious disease specialists. Cases of ROCM have been reported extensively in internal medicine, infectious disease, and otolaryngology literature. However, there are very few reports in emergency medicine literature in the United States. A 72-year-old woman presented to the Emergency Department (ED) with altered mental status, 4 days of left-sided facial numbness and weakness, and sudden facial pain, swelling, and erythema. Laboratory analysis was consistent with diabetic ketoacidosis. Noncontrast computed tomography of the head and magnetic resonance imaging of the brain demonstrated findings indicative of invasive fungal infection of the left sinus and orbit with extension to the cavernous sinus and surrounding cranial nerves. She was initiated on broad-spectrum antifungals, but based on the extent of the infection, was not a surgical candidate. She subsequently transitioned to a comfort-based plan of care and died 6 days after initial ED presentation. Early recognition and initiation of treatment can potentially mitigate the devastating outcomes of ROCM, therefore it is critical to be aware of this condition and have a high level of suspicion in susceptible patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple plankton models serve as useful platforms for testing our understanding of the mechanisms underlying ecosystem dynamics. A simple, one-dimensional plankton model was developed to describe the dynamics of nitrate, ammonium, two phytoplankton size-classes, meso-zooplankton, and detritus in the Oregon upwelling ecosystem. Computational simplicity was maintained by linking the biological model to a one-dimensional, cross-shelf physical model driven by the daily coastal upwelling index. The model sacrificed resolution of regional-scale and along-shore (north to south) processes and assumed that seasonal productivity is primarily driven by local cross-shelf Ekman transport of surface waters and upwelling of nutrient-rich water from depth. Our goals were to see how well a simple plankton model could capture the general temporal and spatial dynamics of the system, test system sensitivity to alternate parameter set values, and observe system response to the effective scale of potential retention mechanisms. Model performance across the central Oregon shelf was evaluated against two years (2000–2001) of chlorophyll and copepod time-series observations. While the modeled meso-zooplankton biomass was close in scale to the observed copepod biomass, phytoplankton was overestimated relative to that inferred from the observed surface chlorophyll concentration. Inshore, the system was most sensitive to the nutrient uptake kinetics of diatom-size phytoplankton and to the functional grazing response of meso-zooplankton. Meso-zooplankton was more sensitive to alternate parameter values than was phytoplankton. Reduction of meso-zooplankton cross-shelf advection rates (crudely representing behavioral retention mechanisms) reduced the scale of model error relative to the observed seasonal mean inshore copepod biomass but had little effect of the modeled meso-zooplankton biomass offshore nor upon phytoplankton biomass across the entire shelf. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We synthesize information on changes in ecosystems of the North Pacific at seasonal, interannual, and event time scales. Three approaches are used to cope with inadequate temporal, spatial and trophic resolution in generating this synthesis. First, we use highly spatially and temporally resolved data on physical forcing and chlorophyll (SeaWiFS data from 1998 to 2005) to describe basin-wide spatial patterns and seasonal to interannual time scales. The second approach is to compare time series of zooplankton at selected spatial sites at which sampling resolution is sufficient to describe seasonal biomass/abundance patterns, and where multiple years of data exist to examine interannual variability. The third approach is to infer trophic relationships, and broaden the first two approaches to higher trophic levels, by examining the impacts of several event scale phenomena on many trophic levels, but only over a rather limited geographic region. The 8years of satellite chlorophyll data clearly show that interannually persistent seasonal patterns exist in most regions in the North Pacific, even in the tropical waters. From frequency analysis (Lomb periodograms), the annual cycle was the strongest in most regions, but in the tropics and eastern boundary current regions, periods greater than 1year were significant. In mid- to high-latitude regions, periods of less than 1year were also significant in addition to the annual period indicating double peaks with varying intervals. Seasonal progression of the timing of annual peak chlorophyll concentration in the North Pacific showed a different pattern compared with the Atlantic or Indian Ocean, largely due to the presence of the subarctic high nutrient–low chlorophyll (HNLC) and equatorial upwelling regions, which had later phytoplankton blooms than would have been predicted based on a simple equatorial to pole progression of bloom timing. Seasonal cycles in zooplankton were more or less synchronized (concomitant with or slightly lagged) with those of phytoplankton with a few exceptions. Exceptions occur in the Eastern Subarctic Gyre where annual peaks of chlorophyll occur in autumn, after the peak in zooplankton biomass. Interannual variation of annually averaged chlorophyll in 30 regions show three patterns, one positively related to El Niño, one negatively related to El Niño, and one with longer-scale variation, possibly related to climate regimes. Nine regions did not match any of the three patterns. Interannual variation in zooplankton abundance/biomass from selected regions indicates that El Niño may be the major source of interannual variability with its effects modulated by longer-scale variation, such as by the Pacific Decadal Oscillation. Two well-documented environmental events in the Northern California Current, in 2002 and 2005, exemplify how short-term disruption in atmospheric forcing causes changes in ocean hydrography and circulation that has significant impacts on primary production and ripple effects throughout multiple trophic levels of the ecosystem. We conclude that a closer look at the data often yields interesting results that might not necessarily be gained by considering the broad generalizations. Specifically, we observe that short-term disruptions of the ecosystem at the primary producer level may impact higher trophic levels in nonlinear ways that lead to unpredic impacts when one considers the entire food chain. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper presents a new high-resolution version of the solar EUV irradiance model for aeronomic calculations (HEUVAC) that is designed to facilitate comparisons with measured spectra and enable more accurate calculations of ionization rates, airglow emission rates, and photoelectron calculations. The HEUVAC model bins can range from 0.1 to 100nm and extends the EUV model below 5nm. The new solar EUV irradiance calculations with the high resolution irradiance model show good agreement with the most recent solar EUV irradiance measurements from the solar EUV experiment (SEE) instrument on the thermosphere, ionosphere, mesosphere, energetics, and dynamics satellite. Also, photoelectron fluxes calculated from both the SEE measured and EUVAC modeled solar EUV irradiances agree well with photoelectron flux measurements by the FAST satellite. The good agreement of the EUVAC and SEE derived photoelectron fluxes with the FAST measured fluxes at solar maximum lends support to an earlier finding that the previous reference solar EUV irradiances from the Atmosphere Explorer measurements need to be adjusted upward by a factor of 2–3 below 25nm wavelength. This result is important for remote sensing of the ionosphere and thermosphere because, as this paper shows, the airglow emission rates calculated using the SEE and HEUVAC models are 50% higher than those based on earlier solar EUV irradiance models. The calculations also show that for solar maximum conditions on 21 April 2002, most of the degradation of the escaping photoelectron flux takes place below 1000km altitude. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The location and size of euphausiid aggregations (patches) were identified using acoustic volume backscattering strength at 38 and 120kHz and vertically stratified MOCNESS sampling during a US GLOBEC cruise off southern Oregon and northern California in August 2000. Euphausiid patches were clustered inshore of Heceta Bank (44.0°N) and off Cape Blanco (42.8°N), but were not common elsewhere. The distribution of euphausiid patches throughout the study area was correlated with that of near-surface chlorophyll. We suggest that Heceta Bank and Cape Blanco were zones of plankton retention and concentration along the shelf and slope, and also that large offshore meanders in the equatorward upwelling jet carried upwelled water, chlorophyll, and euphausiids offshore. In particular, the complex interaction of mesoscale physical features, shoaling bottom topography, and diel vertical migration created large patches of euphausiids. These euphausiid patches, probably persisting on timescales of days to weeks, could function as relatively large and persistent resources for euphausiid predators. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Morphological taxonomic methods are currently insufficient to satisfy the rising demand for taxonomic information and rapid sample turnover required to support conservation and resource management efforts. Next generation DNA sequencing (NGS) is capable of rapidly producing taxonomic assessments for a broad diversity of organisms present in environmental samples. To achieve taxonomic coverage of similar breadth, multiple morphologists who tend to specialize by taxonomic group would be required. Unfortunately, both morphological and molecular approaches are subject to various methodological biases. Accurate assessment (both taxonomic composition and abundances) of marine zooplankton assemblages is a critical component of effective ecosystem-based conservation and resource management efforts. To address this need and determine the extent of agreement between methods, morphological data was compared to 454 NGS results for zooplankton assemblages collected in plankton net tows from northern Monterey Bay, California. Results indicate areas of agreement between data sets, but also characterize biases specific to each method. Morphological analyses provided life history stage and biomass information for many zooplankton taxa. The NGS data included 313 bp from the 3′ end of the mitochondrial cytochrome- c -oxidase subunit-I ( COI ; 3234 OTUs) region and 365 bp from the 5′ end of the large subunit of the nuclear ribosomal RNA ( 28S ; 1669 OTUs). Results of NGS analysis corroborated the presence of 40 of the 61 morphologically identified genera and species. For some organisms, NGS provided finer taxonomic resolution where morphological data or knowledge was limited. Correlations between biomass and NGS percent sequence abundances were significant for some, but not all taxa, and were gene-specific in some cases (i.e., COI —Diplostraca, Polychaeta, Callianassidae, Clausocalanidae, Oncaeidae, Podonidae, Evadne , Neotrypaea , Oncaea , Podon , Psuedocalanus ; 28S —Euphausiacea, Euphausiidae, Oncaeidae, Oncaea ). Despite various methodological biases, both data sets were in agreement with respect to alpha diversity indices generated for zooplankton assemblages collected at four sampling stations. These results suggest that a partnership between morphological and molecular methods represents a powerful tool, that when used appropriately, can effectively extend taxonomic assessment capabilities to better address present needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Temporal variability in the daily growth rate (DGR) of the Humboldt Current krill, Euphausia mucronata , was studied in eighteen incubation experiments off the coast of Dichato, central Chile (36.5°S), carried out in 2011–2014. Intermolt period (IMP) was derived from the molting rate method in order to estimate the DGRs. Mean IMP was 9.2 ± 4.8 days (range: 2.9–18.7 d). Overall mean DGR was 0.03 ± 0.13 mm d − 1 . DGR showed a dome-shaped pattern, with a higher mean DGR when upwelling was moderate (0.06 ± 0.04 mm d − 1 ) than intense (0.01 ± 0.00 mm d − 1 ) or weak (0.01 ± − 0.01 mm d − 1 ). This dome-shaped trend was observed in chlorophyll- a concentrations (Chla) at similar upwelling regimens. E. mucronata DGR variability was best explained by a generalized linear model which included the contribution of the Equatorial Subsurface Water, temperature, dissolved oxygen and Chla as predictor variables. Results suggest that E. mucronata is better adapted to grow under upwelling conditions when it can take advantage of high biological productivity, although the species growth is not limited when weak upwelling or even downwelling occurs. Analysis of the duration of the upwelling events suggest that E. mucronata growth is limited (shrinking) when upwellings last > 10 days. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The accumulation of domoic acid (DA) and saxitoxins (STX), phycotoxins produced by some species of Pseudo-nitzschia and Alexandrium , respectively, in coastal food webs are a focus of research on the West Coast of the United States due to the deleterious effects they have on coastal ecosystems and economies. Results are presented from the 2007–2012 Monitoring Oregon Coastal Harmful Algae (MOCHA) project, the Oregon coast's first HAB monitoring and research program. Both historical toxin databases and more detailed case-study observations of individual HAB events are compiled to provide the first detailed overview of HAB occurrence in this region. These results are also presented in the context of informing future HAB monitoring in this and other upwelling regimes affected by STX and DA. A 2009–2010 warming event was associated with the greatest HAB activity during the MOCHA project, including anomalously high sea surface temperatures and shellfish harvesting closures due to STX and DA in 2009 and 2010, respectively. In regards to HAB monitoring, it is shown that (1) razor clams are a more sensitive indicator of DA than mussels; (2) water column concentrations of particulate domoic acid greater than 10 3 ng L −1 can be used as a threshold for early-warning of shellfish DA toxicity and (3) approximately bi-weekly, or shorter, monitoring of Alexandrium in the surf zone and/or offshore can provide advance notice of STX contamination of shellfish. Both of the latter two metrics gain added value when coupled with local wind stress, a proxy of downwelling/relaxation events that facilitate greater interaction between offshore blooms and shellfish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ocean conditions can greatly impact lower trophic level prey assemblages in marine ecosystems, with effects of ocean state propagating to higher trophic levels. In many regions throughout their range, common murre ( Uria aalge ) exhibit narrow dietary breadth in feeding chicks and therefore are vulnerable to recruitment failures of dominant prey species during the breeding season. Contrastingly, common murres nesting in the northern California Current off Oregon, exhibit high species diversity and variability in dominant prey consumed. We studied the diets of common murres over 10 years between 1998 and 2011, a period in which the northern California Current experienced dramatic interannual variability in ocean conditions. Likewise, murre diets off Oregon varied considerably. Interannual variation in murre chick diets was influenced by environmental drivers occurring before and during the breeding season, and at both basin and local scales. While clupeids (likely Pacific herring, Clupea pallasii ) were an important diet component throughout the study period, in some years murre diets were dominated by Pacific sand lance ( Ammodytes hexapterus ) and in other years by osmerids (likely whitebait smelt, Allosmerus elongatus and surf smelt, Hypomesus pretiosus ). Years in which the Pacific Decadal Oscillation and local sea surface temperatures were higher during summer also showed elevated levels of clupeids in murre diets, while years with higher North Pacific Gyre Oscillation index values and greater local winter ichthyoplankton biomass had fewer clupeids and more sand lance or smelts. Years with higher values of the Northern Oscillation Index during summer and an earlier spring transition showed higher proportion of smelts in the diets. Nesting phenology and reproductive success were negatively correlated with gradients in sand lance and clupeids, respectively, reflecting demographic consequences of environmental variability mediated through bottom-up food web dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Significant seabird mortality on the Oregon (OR) and Washington (WA) coast in 2009 has been attributed to a massive bloom of the dinoflagellate Akashiwo sanguinea (K. Hirasaka) G. Hansen & Ø. Moestrup. Initial, albeit limited, observations suggested this bloom began in WA and reached OR waters through southward transport. Here, we explore a combination of remote sensing products and an exceptional latitudinal dataset of plankton counts collected in the surfzone and offshore in OR and WA coastal waters. Records of satellite ocean color for this period support the new finding that blooms were concurrent in OR and WA waters, with no evidence for latitudinal propagation as had been previously suggested. Plankton analyses further indicate that there was a rapid and synchronized increase of A. sanguinea between late August and mid-September of 2009 along wide swaths of the OR and WA coasts. Bloom onset occurred during a prolonged quiescent and warm period in late August-early September, near the end of the March-October upwelling phase. An upwelling event in October likely contributed to foam production through vertical mixing of A. sanguinea rich waters. Bloom intensity peaked earlier and at higher levels in WA waters as compared to OR with cell concentrations exceeding 1.5 × 106 cells L-1 (WA) and ~350,000 cells L-1 (OR). In OR samples, A. sanguinea cells comprised upwards of 90% of dinoflagellate cell counts and ~30% of total phytoplankton cells. At some locations, A. sanguinea persisted well into November-December of 2009, during which time satellite sea surface temperature records indicated anomalously warm surface waters (up to ~5 °C greater than climatological means). Taken together, the data reveal a HAB event of a magnitude unprecedented in over a decade of observations. We hypothesize that these blooms originated from either a cryptic cyst bed and/or a pelagic seed bank of viable vegetative cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] We designed seasonal environmental multivariate indicators (MOCI). [•] MOCI reproduced known temporal variability and key events of anomalous conditions. [•] Subtropical transport decreased, subarctic increased, and upwelling intensified. [•] Seasonal MOCI did not relate to chlorophyll-a concentrations or krill abundance. [•] Seasonal MOCI explained variability in copepod biomass and seabird breeding success. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Upwelling in eastern boundary current systems is a primary driver of ecosystem productivity. Typically, peak upwelling occurs during spring and summer, but winter upwelling may also be important to ecosystem functions. In this study, we investigated the hypothesis that winter and spring/summer upwelling, operating through indirect trophic interactions, are important to a suite of top predators in the California Current. To test this hypothesis, we collated information on upwelling, chlorophyll-a concentrations, zooplankton and forage fish, and related these to predator responses including rockfish growth, salmon abundance, seabird productivity and phenology (timing of egg-laying), and whale abundance. Seabird diets served in part as food web indicators. We modeled pathways of response using path analysis and tested for significance of the dominant paths with multiple regression. We found support for the hypothesis that relationships between upwelling and top predator variables were mediated primarily by intermediate trophic levels. Both winter and summer upwelling were important in path models, as were intermediate lower and mid trophic level functional groups represented by chlorophyll-a, zooplankton, and forage fish. Significant pathways of response explained from 50% to 80% of the variation of seabird (Cassin’s auklet (Ptychoramphus aleuticus) and common murre (Uria aalge)), humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) and Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) dependent variables, whereas splitnose rockfish (Sebastes diploproa) showed no significant response pathways. Upwelling and trophic responses for salmon were established for both the year of ocean entry and the year of return, with zooplankton important in the year of ocean entry and forage fish important in the year of return. This study provides one of the first comparative investigations between upwelling and predators, from fish to marine mammals and birds within a geographically restricted area, demonstrates often difficult to establish “bottom-up” trophic interactions, and establishes the importance of seasonality of upwelling to various trophic connections and predator demographic traits. Understanding change in the seasonality of upwelling is therefore required to assess dynamics of commercially and recreationally important upper trophic level species in eastern boundary current ecosystems. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Both simple and more complex lower trophic ecosystem models were applied to the near shore pelagic zone of the California Current System. The ecosystem models were a simple nitrogen–phytoplankton–zooplankton (NPZ) model derived from that of Edwards et al. (J. Mar. Res. 58, 37–60, 2000), and a modified version of the more complex PICES North Pacific Ecosystem Model for Understanding Regional Oceanography (NEMURO), which includes both nitrogen and silicate cycles, as well as multiple phytoplankton and zooplankton components. These models were framed within two simplified physics models, similar to those constructed by Newberger et al. (J. Geophys. Res. 108 (3), 3061, doi:10. 1029/2001JC001182, 2003). The first physics model was a zero-dimensional closed system, used for structural analysis of the biological models. The second was a one-dimensional (horizontal, with no vertical structure) cross-shelf model of the mixed layer, used to examine the biological response to upwelling. The predictions of the two biological models within the one-dimensional physical framework were compared with observed nutrients, chlorophyll, and zooplankton on the Newport Hydrographic Line. Equilibrium behavior of the zero-dimensional models was similar to that in previous studies; differences between the models resulted primarily from differences in the density dependence of mortality. Both models were found to be highly sensitive to the same four parameters: source nitrate concentration, maximum grazing rate, zooplankton Ivlev constant, and zooplankton mortality rate. In the cross-shelf case, both biological models had a similar timing of phytoplankton response to upwelling, but maximum phytoplankton concentration and zooplankton dynamics differed, with the simpler NPZ model resulting in lower dissolved nutrients but higher plankton densities than the modified NEMURO model. While the modified NEMURO model provided a slightly better overall fit to observations, neither model was able to fully capture observed phytoplankton and zooplankton dynamics. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Ecosystem indicators track information about states and trends in ocean systems and are a valuable tool for ecosystem assessment and management. To ensure that indicators are used appropriately in both science and management contexts, it is important to understand the extent to which they represent broader spatial patterns. In the Northern California Current (NCC) off the Oregon and Washington state coasts in the USA, copepod metrics derived from data collected at a well-sampled station on the Newport Hydrographic (NH) Line ('NH05', five nmi offshore from Newport, OR, USA) are commonly used as indicators of the region's general ocean conditions. Using correlation analyses, we examined the utility of NH05 as a sentinel station (i.e. representative of a broader region) with respect to the abundance and biomass of warm-water and cold-water copepods in the NCC. Copepod correlations between NH05 and other locations in the NCC were higher for the warm-water copepods than the cold-water group, with correlations being slightly higher for abundance than biomass. Paracalanus parvus had the highest NH05 correlations among the warm-water copepod species, and Acartia longiremis had the highest NH05 correlations among the cold-water copepod species. We also broadened our analysis to evaluate other sampling sites as sentinel stations and found that some sites were equally or more representative of copepod dynamics in the NCC than NH05, though none of these sites tend to be sampled as often as NH05. This analysis emphasized that the warm-water copepods tend to be more similarly distributed in the NCC than the cold-water copepods, and thus their changes through time are better captured by most stations. In contrast, correlations among the cold-water copepods in the NCC vary by location and appear to be strongly related to depth, with the highest correlations at mid-shelf stations. • Copepod abundance correlations were higher than biomass correlations at NH05. • Warm-water copepods correlations were higher than cold-water copepod correlations. • Cold-water copepod correlations were related to station depth. • Paracalanus parvus had the highest correlations among the warm-water copepods. • Acartia longiremis had the highest correlations among the cold-water copepods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Gaussian mixture model identifies overlapping size modes in cohort data. • Method of identifying size modes improves ability to track cohorts over time. • Cohort growth and duration show a clear response to environmental conditions. • On average, E. pacifica juvenile stage lasts 6 mo and total lifespan is ~ 2 yrs. • Method applicable to search for climate effects in other time series data sets. Euphausia pacifica cohorts were identified from biweekly zooplankton samples collected on the Newport Hydrographic Line (Newport, Oregon, USA) from 2001 to 2011. Cohorts were identified using a Gaussian mixture model and tracked over time from the juvenile stage through adulthood. Initial size mode at the juvenile stage was typically 4–5 mm and final size modes ranged from 12 to 18 mm. In total, 28 cohorts were identified, of which 22 appear to be complete cohorts that were tracked from start to finish during the 11-year study period. Of these 22 cohorts, 19 were tracked for ≤1.5 years. The three cohorts tracked for >2 years grew more slowly than other cohorts, though their final size modes were similar. These three cohorts were associated with delayed upwelling and moderate chlorophyll concentrations, suggesting that their extended duration and slower growth were related to suboptimal environmental conditions. Growth rates calculated from cohort size modes decreased overall as animals reached adult size. Cohort analysis captured some instances of negative growth, particularly after animals reached a total length of 10 mm, similar to instantaneous growth rates (IGR) measured in a previous study. Survivorship curves were created from eggs and larvae for each year from 2001 to 2005. Survivorship was similar among years except in 2005 when upwelling and subsequent spawning were delayed by one month. Based on the survivorship curves, the E. pacifica juvenile stage lasts an average of six months and the total life span in the study area is approximately two years. Successful identification and tracking of cohorts suggests that euphausiids at station NH25 are representative of the overall population dynamics of Euphausia pacifica in the shelf-break region off the Oregon Coast. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The lipid profiles of E. pacifica and T. spinifera followed the upwelling cycle. • T. spinifera had higher C:N, total lipids, and proportions of storage lipids. • The highest C:N and lipid occurred in T. spinifera from August to October. • Increased lipid storage in T. spinifera was associated with diatom markers. • T. spinifera are likely amassing neutral storage lipids in the fall for overwintering. Krill are a key component of pelagic food webs where they are vital to the transfer of energy from phytoplankton to higher trophic levels. Krill have a high lipid content compared to other zooplankton and form dense aggregations, making them an important prey source for higher trophic level fish, seabirds, and marine mammals. The two dominant euphausiid species in the northern California Current (NCC) are Euphausia pacifica and Thysanoessa spinifera. E. pacifica is the most abundant species of euphausiid in the NCC, but T. spinifera has a higher potential energetic content due to its larger body size and higher lipid density. Most studies have inferred differences in lipid content and body condition between the two species, but few studies have quantified these differences in the NCC. Here, we report on the body condition, carbon and nitrogen content, as well as lipid and fatty acid composition of these two krill species, and the extent to which these metrics vary across season, year, and reproductive status. Body condition, elemental composition, and total lipids strongly differed between the species. T. spinifera had higher length-weight, Fulton's K, hepato-somatic index, carbon to nitrogen ratio, total lipid per wet weight, and storage lipid compared to E. pacifica , indicating that T. spinifera has a higher energetic value for predators. However, there were strong seasonal differences in the energetics of T. spinifera. Carbon and lipids were highest in non-reproductive T. spinifera from August through October. Although there were strong ontogenetic and inter-specific differences, the lipid and fatty acid compositions of both species followed a seasonal progression characterized by low lipids during the pre-upwelling period, an increase in lipids, triacylglycerols, and diatom markers during upwelling, and increased proportions of dinoflagellate and bacterial diet markers during the fall post-upwelling period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]