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Single-center studies support benefits of venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) as a method of intraoperative support. Propensity-matched data from a large cohort, however, are currently lacking. Therefore, our goal was to compare outcomes of intraoperative VA-ECMO and cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) during bilateral lung transplantation (LTx) with a propensity analysis.We performed a retrospective analysis of 795 consecutive primary adult LTx patients (June 1, 2011-December 26, 2020) using no intraoperative support (n = 210), VA-ECMO (n = 150), or CPB (n = 197). Exclusion criteria included LTx on venovenous-ECMO, single/redo LTx, ex vivo lung perfusion, and concomitant solid-organ transplantation or cardiac procedure. Propensity analysis was performed comparing patients who underwent intraoperative CPB or VA-ECMO.The propensity CPB group required more blood products at 72 hours (P = .02) and longer intensive care unit length of stay (P.001) and ventilator dependence days (P.001). There were no differences in cerebrovascular accident (P = 1), reintubation (P = .4), dialysis (P = .068), in-hospital mortality (P = .33), and 1-year (P = .67) and 3-year (P = .32) survival. The CPB group had a higher incidence of grade 3 primary graft dysfunction at 72 hours (P.001). Neither support strategy was a predictor of 1- and 3-year mortality in our multivariable model (VA-ECMO, P = .72 and P = .57; CPB, P = .45 and P = .91, respectively).Intraoperative VA-ECMO during lung transplantation was associated with fewer postoperative blood transfusions, shorter length of mechanical ventilation, and lower incidence of a grade 3 primary graft dysfunction at 72 hours. Although there were some differences in the postoperative course between the VA-ECMO and CPB groups, support type was not associated with differences in survival.

We examined cystic fibrosis (CF) patients and compared their clinical status at the time of primary versus double lung re-transplantation (re-DLTx) in order to better understand lung retransplant practice patterns.We performed a retrospective analysis of the UNOS Database identifying CF patients ≥18 years old undergoing re-DLTx (5/4/2005 and 12/4/2020). Baseline and clinical variables at the primary and re-DLTx were compared utilizing the paired student t-test. Graft survival was defined as time from surgery to retransplant and analyzed using Kaplan-Meier estimates.277 CF patients who underwent re-DLTx experienced a significantly worse 5-year survival when compared to the primary DLTx cohort (47.9% vs 58.8%, p = 0.00012). The following differences were observed comparing CF re-DLTx group to their primary DLTx: higher LAS score at the time of listing (50.66 vs 42.15, p 0.001) and transplant (62.19 vs 48.20, p 0.001), and increase LAS from the time of listing to transplant (+12.22 vs +7.23, p = 0.002). While serum albumin and total bilirubin were similar, CF patients had a higher creatinine (1.05 vs 0.74, p 0.001), dialysis (4.4% vs 0.6%, p 0.001), ECMO bridge to transplant rates (7.6% vs 4.0%, p 0.001), and higher oxygen requirements (5.95 vs 3.93, p 0.001) at the time of listing for a re-DLTx.Compared to their initial transplant, CF patients experience significant clinical decline in renal, cardiac, and pulmonary function at the time of lung retransplantation. This may indicate that an earlier evaluation and rehabilitation process may be necessary to identify patients earlier for lung retransplantation prior significant clinical decline.

Large groups of animals aggregate around resource hotspots, with group size often influenced by the heterogeneity of the environment. In most cases, the foraging success of individuals within groups is interdependent, scaling either constructively or destructively with group size. Here we used biologging tags, acoustic prey mapping, passive acoustic recording of social cues and remote sensing of surface currents to investigate an alternative scenario in which large, dense aggregations of southeast Atlantic humpback whales, Megaptera novaeangliae, and northeast Pacific blue whales, Balaenoptera musculus, were each associated with ephemeral krill aggregations large enough such that their availability to predators appeared to be influenced more by environmental features than by consumption, implying independence of group size and consumption rates. We found that the temporal scale and spatial extent of oceanographic drivers were consistent with the temporal scale and locations of predator aggregations, and additionally found that groups formed above bathymetric features known to promote zooplankton concentration. Additionally, we found calling behaviour counter-indicative of competition: blue whale foraging calls were anomalously high during observed aggregation time periods, suggesting signalling behaviour that could alert conspecifics to the location of high-quality resources. Modelled results suggest that the use of social information reduces the time required for individuals to discover and exploit high-quality resources, allowing for more efficient foraging without apparent costs to the caller. Thus, rorqual whales foraging in these environments appear to exhibit a social foraging strategy whereby a behaviour with negligible individual costs (signalling) provides information that enhances group foraging efficiency. The population density dependence of this social foraging strategy may help explain why some rorqual species were at first slow to recover from human exploitation, but have since increased more rapidly.

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) remains a common complication following lung transplantation despite universal routine DVT screening. Moreover, many of the previously reported risk factors are incompletely defined. We sought to explore the influence of DVT screening and to more definitively assess predisposing risk factors.A single-institution, retrospective, cohort study of 1141 patients undergoing lung transplantation from January 1, 2005, to December 31, 2014, was performed evaluating for the rate of DVT. Patients were given prophylactic subcutaneous heparin postoperatively. DVT events were noted if they occurred before 90 days after transplant. We compared DVT rates before and after 2008 when universal screening was implemented. We also evaluated the timing of DVT event and location (above the knee vs below the knee). DVTs were treated with standard anticoagulation therapy or an inferior cava filter when patients were unable to tolerate anticoagulation treatment. Univariable and multivariable models were used to identify risk factors for occurrence. A propensity match was performed to match groups across the eras, and a Cox regression was performed to identify differences in 1-year survival trajectory between cohorts.The rates of DVT before and after routine screening were 8.8% (36 DVT out of 412 transplants) and 17.3% (126 out of 729 transplants), respectively. These 2 rates were significantly different (P .01); moreover, the observed DVT incidence per year was not significantly different across the 6 years after universal DVT screening was implemented (P .90 for all comparisons). Observed DVT incidence at day 0 and day 14 were 3.8% and 3.8%, respectively, for the cohort before DVT protocols were established. Observed DVT incidence for the cohort after protocols were established at the same time points was 8.7% and 3.7%, respectively. Univariable analysis revealed that significant factors associated with a DVT include hypercholesterolemia (odds ratio [OR], 6.90; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.82-26.13; P .01), the number of days in the intensive care unit (OR, 1.03; 95% CI, 1.00-1.01; P .01), and the length of stay in the hospital (OR, 1.01; 95% CI, 1.01-1.02; P .01), whereas having quit smoking (vs never smoked) was associated with a decrease in DVT development (OR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.33-0.75; P .01). Multivariable analysis revealed 2 significant variables: hypercholesterolemia (OR, 8.13; 95% CI, 1.22-54.37; P = .03) and length of stay (OR, 1.03; 95% CI, 1.01-1.05; P .01). There was a trend for better 1-year survival in the post-2008 era (Exp[β], 1.49; P = .09).The rate of DVT diagnosis significantly increased after universal DVT screening was implemented. Furthermore, those patients undergoing lung transplantation with extended length of stay and hypercholesterolemia were prone to increased rates of DVT. There was a trend toward better 1-year survival in DVT-screened patients, suggesting DVT screening may result in beneficial outcomes.

Background: Ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) allows re-evaluation of lungs initially deemed not viable for transplantation. However, the mid- and long-term outcomes after transplanting EVLP-screened lungs in a multicenter setting are still unknown. Methods: This was a multicenter, prospective, nonrandomized clinical trial. Donor lungs initially deemed not suitable (n=208) were re-evaluated on EVLP. Lungs that met quality criteria after EVLP were transplanted (n=110). Transplants performed at the same institutions using standard-criteria lungs were enrolled as controls (n=116). Primary outcomes included grade 3 primary graft dysfunction (PGD) 72 hours post-transplant and 1- and 3-year survival. Secondary outcomes included PGD 24 and 48 hours post-transplant, pulmonary function, bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS) and quality of life. Findings: Half of the lungs placed on EVLP were transplanted (102/208, 49%). The incidence of severe PGD 72 hours post-transplant was not significant different from controls (13·6% vs 6·9%, p=0.09). Moreover, survival was not significantly different 1- and 3-years post-transplant (EVLP, 86%; control, 93%; p=0·09 and EVLP, 68%; control, 77%; p=0·14, respectively). There were also no differences in pulmonary function or the incidence of BOS up to 3 years post-transplant, and no difference in quality-of-life measures 1- and 3-years post-transplant. Interpretation: In this multicenter study, recipients of lungs that were re-evaluated on EVLP and deemed suitable for transplant had similar outcomes as a recipients of a standard lung transplant. EVLP offers the opportunity to screen donated lungs initially considered high risk and can safely increase the availability of transplantable lungs without compromising outcomes. Clinical Trial Registration Details: Registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT 01365429). Funding Information: XVIVO Perfusion, Inc. Declaration of Interests: We declare no competing interests. Ethics Approval Statement: The study was approved by each transplant center’s Institutional Review Board and the FDA. Participants provided written informed consent to participate in this study.

US EPA’s Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act Loan Program (WIFIA or the Program) was enacted in 2014 and became operational in 2017. The Program has now completed three rounds of loan application solicitations, each of which was fully subscribed with qualified applications. Publicly available information on selected applications is a significant data set on WIFIA results to date. On the surface, the Program appears to have had a successful start. But is it working as intended to improve US water infrastructure? What do WIFIA results indicate about its future trajectory, and whether the initial success is substantive and sustainable? And – most immediately – should the Program be considered in connection with federal policy responses to the COVID-19 crisis? This opinion paper examines these questions and offers preliminary conclusions on what the WIFIA Loan Program actually appears to be doing, why that is likely to be both useful and sustainable, and its possible role in post-pandemic policy.

Aims Respiratory disorders are a prominent component of Gulf War Illness. Although much of the underlying mechanisms of Gulf War Illness remain undefined, chronic immune dysfunction is a consistent feature of this multi-symptomatic, multi-organ disorder. Alveolar macrophages represent the predominant mononuclear phagocytes of the pulmonary mucosa, orchestrating the host response to pathogens and environmental stimuli. Herein, we sought to characterize the innate immune response of the pulmonary mucosa, with a focus on macrophages, to experimental respiratory exposure to two putative Gulf War Toxins (GWTs). Materials and methods Utilizing commercially available instrumentation, we evaluated the effect of aerosolized exposure to the pesticide malathion and diesel exhaust particulate (DEP) on the immune composition and inflammatory response of the lung in FVB/N mice using multiparametric spectral cytometry, cytokine analysis, and histology. Key findings Aerosolized GWTs induced gross pulmonary pathology with transient recruitment of neutrophils and sustained accumulation of alveolar macrophages to the lung for up to two weeks after exposure cessation. High-dimensional cytometry and unbiased computational analysis identified novel myeloid subsets recruited to the lung post-exposure driven by an influx of peripheral monocyte-derived progenitors. DEP and malathion, either alone or in combination, induced soluble mediators in bronchoalveolar lavage indicative of oxidative stress (PGF2α), inflammation (LTB4, TNFα, IL-12), and immunosuppression (IL-10), that were sustained or increased two weeks after exposures concluded. Significance These findings indicate that macrophage accumulation and pulmonary inflammation induced by GWTs continue in the absence of toxin exposure and may contribute to the immunopathology of respiratory Gulf War Illness.

A 3-week diversion of the Orange County Sanitation District effluent discharge into nearshore waters off Newport Beach, CA constituted a considerable injection of secondarily-treated effluent into the coastal ecosystem. The location ≈1.6 km from shore, shallow water depth (≈16 m), volume and nutrient content of the discharge (≈5.3 × 10 8 L day −1 of effluent with inorganic nitrogen concentration >2 mM) during the diversion raised concerns regarding the potential for stimulating phytoplankton blooms and, in particular, blooms of toxic species. Remarkably, phytoplankton standing stocks during the event and shortly thereafter did not reach values associated even with minor blooms historically observed in the region (generally −1 ), although shifts in community composition were observed. Diatom abundances increased early during the diversion, dinoflagellates, phototrophic picoplanktonic eukaryotes and other algae increased mid-diversion, and cyanobacteria ( Synechococcus , Prochlorococcus ) increased near the end of the diversion. Concentrations of domoic acid (a phycotoxin commonly present in the area) remained near or below detection throughout the diversion, and abundances of potentially-harmful algal species were unresponsive. Bacterial biomass increased during the diversion, and equaled or exceeded total phytoplankton biomass in most samples. Abundances of microbial grazers were also elevated during the diversion. We speculate that nutrient uptake by the bacterial biomass, acting in concert with or a response to a negative effect of disinfection byproducts associated with chlorination on phytoplankton physiology, played a significant role in muting the response of the phytoplankton to nutrients released in the effluent.

Fine scale mapping of the structure and composition of a tidal ebb plume from a highly modified coastal lagoon (Elkhorn Slough, California, USA) was conducted by combining in situ, observational data sets from surface underway mapping, autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) profiles, drifter tracking and the analysis of plume structure indices. The results reveal a 6-m-deep, jet-like, sediment laden plume extending one km offshore at low tide, which becomes entrained in the prevailing nearshore circulation. The plume that exits the slough is significantly different from the water that enters the slough. The rapidly evolving discharge plume is associated with elevated and highly correlated ( r = 0.93 ) concentrations of dissolved organic matter and nitrate. While dissolved constituents remain in the shallow plume and are transported northward with the prevailing current, sediment may settle quickly through the water column and can be transported southwestward with the littoral currents. This study illustrates the applications of AUVs, when coupled with additional datasets, for generating higher resolution observational snapshots of dynamic and ephemeral tidal plumes. The results provide unique perspective on small-scale dynamics of an estuarine plume and its influence on coastal ecology.

For over 50 years scientists have represented the speed of sound in sea water (V) as an ad hoc high order polynomial with up to 42 coefficients linking temperature, pressure, and salinity, or via an equation of state with 104 coefficients. While this has allowed accurate calculation of sound speed profiles, these are formulations with no underlying molecular basis. We show that a simple van 't Hoff formulation with a plot of lnV versus 1/T, where T is the absolute temperature, as a basis leads to a simpler formulation with minimal error with at most only 28 coefficients required. This finding suggests that the dominant control on the speed of sound within the oceanic range appears to have the form of simple reversible equilibria within the water structure system and that V mimics, or may be treated as resulting from, a simple pressure perturbation between apparent equilibria within the water structures. The van 't Hoff slope is indicative of an endothermic reaction in which the sound wave loses energy into the ocean. Since sound speed profiles are fundamentally separable into their temperature and depth (pressure) dependencies their partial correlation with some chemical profiles appears to offer a potentially powerful proxy for separating the typically comingled properties of temperature and depth in describing ocean chemical profiles and rates.

Fronts influence the structure and function of coastal marine ecosystems. Due to the complexity and dynamic nature of coastal environments and the small scales of frontal gradient zones, frontal research is difficult. To advance this challenging research we developed a method enabling an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) to detect and track fronts, thereby providing high-resolution observations in the moving reference frame of the front itself. This novel method was applied to studying the evolution of a frontal zone in the coastal upwelling environment of Monterey Bay, California, through a period of variability in upwelling intensity. Through 23 frontal crossings in four days, the AUV detected the front using real-time analysis of vertical thermal stratification to identify water types and the front between them, and the vehicle tracked the front as it moved more than 10 km offshore. The physical front coincided with a biological front between strongly stratified phytoplankton-enriched water inshore of the front, and weakly stratified phytoplankton-poor water offshore of the front. While stratification remained a consistent identifier, conditions on both sides of the front changed rapidly as regional circulation responded to relaxation of upwelling winds. The offshore water type transitioned from relatively cold and saline upwelled water to relatively warm and fresh coastal transition zone water. The inshore water type exhibited an order of magnitude increase in chlorophyll concentrations and an associated increase in oxygen and decrease in nitrate. It also warmed and freshened near the front, consistent with the cross-frontal exchange that was detected in the high-resolution AUV data. AUV-observed cross-frontal exchanges beneath the surface manifestation of the front emphasize the importance of AUV synoptic water column surveys in the frontal zone.

Near-coastal retention of larvae affects the ecology of many marine species. In coastal upwelling ecosystems having strong offshore transport, larval ecology is greatly influenced by nearshore retention in bays and in the lee of headlands. Further, frontal dynamics along the periphery of retention zones can drive larval accumulation and transport. The purpose of this study is to examine larval distributions and associated processes across a retention zone and its peripheral front in the coastal upwelling environment of Monterey Bay, California, USA. During fall 2009 an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) was used to observe environmental variability at high resolution and acquire targeted water samples. Invertebrate larvae in samples were subsequently identified and quantified using molecular methods. To infer ecological processes we examine larval distributions in relation to environmental processes revealed by the AUV data and the greater regional observing system. As a window into biological–physical interactions that may concentrate motile larvae in convergence zones, we examine more extensive in situ and remote sensing observations that describe distribution patterns of motile phytoplankton. During the 10-day study intensification of upwelling caused flow of cold water into the bay and formation of an upwelling front. Drifter and satellite observations showed retention of near-surface water within the bay inshore of the front, where a bloom of motile phytoplankton intensified. Larval distributions were related to processes inferred at a range of scales. At the scale of the retention zone, dense phytoplankton accumulations indicated concentration of motile plankton in a convergence zone created by flow toward the coast, as well as nutritional support for larvae. At the scale of the front, velocity and water property measurements indicated convergence between cold deep-shelf water transported shoreward along shoaling bathymetry and the overlying warm surface water, influencing plankton accumulation and vertical transport. At the finest scales resolved, aerial photography revealed banded accumulations of dense phytoplankton bloom patches and narrow foam lines, common indicators of small-scale convergence zones and consistent with internal wave processes. Exceptionally high larval concentrations were detected in samples from locations affected by frontal and internal wave dynamics. This study illustrates how autonomous feature recognition and targeted sampling with an AUV, applied within the greater context of multidisciplinary observation across regional to small scales, can advance plankton ecology research.

The purpose of this study was to further our understanding of the role of the coastal physical oceanographic environment as a dynamic and constantly evolving habitat for plankton. Over a 3-week period in the summer of 2010, an array of moorings were deployed and shipboard and autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) surveys were conducted to investigate the association between physical processes and plankton distributions over the Monterey Bay, California inner shelf. Acoustic backscatter, chlorophyll-a fluorescence, and high-resolution zooplankton imagery data collected during the shipboard surveys were used to map the distributions of phytoplankton and zooplankton; and profiles of temperature, salinity, oxygen, and nitrate from the AUV characterized the physical and chemical environment. A synthesis of underway and moored time series data provided insight into the histories of water masses in the area, and facilitated tracking of internal wave groups as they propagated towards shore. A near-bottom intrusion of recently-upwelled water was found to be strongly influenced by the diurnal tide, resulting in daily across-shelf excursions past the mooring array at the 20-m isobath. Behind the leading edge of the intrusion, the water column was highly stratified in temperature, salinity, oxygen, and nitrate; and thin layers of phytoplankton and zooplankton persisted at the upper boundary of the intrusion. In ambient waters shoreward of the intrusion, stratification was weak; copepod, appendicularian, and gelatinous zooplankton abundances were relatively low; and phytoplankton and acoustic backscatter were broadly distributed throughout the lower half of the water column. The arrival of two shoreward-propagating internal wave groups observed during the shipboard survey corresponded with disparate responses in plankton distribution. In the wake of the first wave group, phytoplankton and zooplankton layers thinned or converged; in the wake of the second wave group, an eight-fold increase in gelatinous zooplankton was observed. These findings reveal a strong coupling between physical processes and the abundance and vertical distribution of plankton. It is necessary to understand the underlying physical environment in order to understand the complex distribution of organisms in the sea.

A 27 year old female presented for fertility preservation prior to undergoing pelvic radiotherapy. She had previously undergone a radical laparoscopic hysterectomy for cervical carcinoma seven months earlier. A trans-vaginal oocyte aspiration was not advisable due to a vaginal recurrence of the disease. Due to a polycystic ovarian morphology (PCO), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) priming with no human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) trigger was performed prior to oophorectomy followed by ex-vivo oocyte aspiration and in vitro maturation (IVM). All visualized follicles were punctured and follicular fluid aspirated. There were 22 immature oocytes identified and placed into maturation culture for 24 h. After this time, 15 oocytes were deemed to be mature and suitable for vitrification. Following an additional 24 h in maturation culture of the remaining 7 oocytes, three more were suitable for cryopreservation. The patient recovered well and progressed to radiotherapy three days later. This report demonstrates the use of IVM treatment to store oocytes for oncology patients in time-limited circumstances., Highlights • A patient sought fertility preservation treatment prior to cancer therapy. • The patient had polycystic ovarian morphology. • We performed in vitro maturation on oocytes collected at the time of oophorectomy. • Twenty-two immature oocytes were collected. • A total of 18 oocytes were suitable for vitrification and were cryopreserved.

Traditional dogma suggests that intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) should be performed to ensure successful oocyte fertilization in an in-vitro maturation (IVM) cycle. This study postulated that there would be no difference in the fertilization rate when ICSI was compared with IVF. This hypothesis was tested in a randomized trial of IVF versus ICSI in IVM. A total of 150 immature oocytes were collected in eight cycles of IVM for patients diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Patients were primed with minimal FSH before transvaginal oocyte aspiration. Sibling oocytes were inseminated by 50% IVF and 50% ICSI. There was no significant difference in fertilization, useable or total blastocyst development between the two insemination technique groups. Clinical pregnancy results for combined fresh and cryopreserved transfers were identical between the two insemination techniques with a total of two fresh and five cryopreserved IVF-inseminated embryos resulting in three clinical pregnancies (42.9%) and five fresh and two cryopreserved ICSI-derived embryos resulting in three clinical pregnancies (42.9%). This research has shown IVF to be a legitimate fertilization technique for IVM oocytes in PCOS patients and provides a greater awareness of the use of a fertilization method previously not utilized with IVM. In-vitro maturation (IVM) is an alternative treatment method to traditional IVF. Due to the minimal use of stimulating hormones in this treatment, IVM has a lower risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, it can be used for fertility preservation in cancer patients and it is more cost conservative. Early research into the effects of IVM showed a hardening effect on the membrane surrounding the egg (the zona pellucida). It was initially believed that, to overcome this hardening in order to allow the egg to be fertilized, spermatozoa would need to be injected into the egg using intracytoplasmic sperm injection. Due to recent advances in hormonal stimulation protocols (FSH priming) and culture conditions, we postulated that, for patients suffering from polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), fertilization, embryo development and clinical pregnancy would not be superior in the injected oocytes compared with those inseminated by IVF. We found that by using the two insemination techniques on sibling oocytes from eight PCOS patients, there was no significant difference in fertilization, useable or total blastocyst development (day 5 or 6 embryos) and that clinical pregnancy results were identical. This research provides a greater awareness of a fertilization technique which is not normally utilized for IVM treatment, providing a less invasive, more cost-effective approach for the patient.

Recent advances in robotic technologies provide new opportunities to conduct high-resolution sampling of patchily distributed zooplankton and associated environmental variables. We used two robots and molecular probes to assess the temporal and spatial variability of zooplankton in water samples obtained from Monterey Bay, California. The Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) Dorado is a mobile platform that carries ten, 1.8-L bottles ("Gulpers") capable of rapidly acquiring discrete seawater samples, and an extensive sensor suite for gathering contextual environmental data during day-long expeditions. Molecular assays were conducted ex situ at a shore-based laboratory. In contrast, the Environmental Sample Processor (ESP) was deployed as a stationary (moored) device capable of repeatedly “sipping” water to conduct in situ molecular assays and record environmental data during month-long deployments. Molecular analyses were conducted with the sandwich hybridization assay (SHA), which employed 18S ribosomal RNA oligonucleotide probes designed to detect calanoid and podoplean copepods, and the larvae of barnacles, mussels, polychaete worms, brachyuran crabs, and invasive green crabs (Carcinus maenas). Both the stationary and mobile sampling protocols revealed the greatest zooplankton diversity and abundance in relatively warm waters, higher in chlorophyll and lower in salinity and nitrate. Diversity and abundance were least in recently upwelled waters with the inverse conditions. High-resolution sampling revealed that while calanoid copepods were generally associated with elevated chlorophyll, they were most abundant in upwelling fronts, in some cases. These narrow features appear to provide favorable conditions for the growth and aggregation of certain zooplankton.

Amoebophrya is a marine parasite recently found to infect and kill bloom-forming dinoflagellates in the California Current System (CCS). However, it is unknown whether parasitism by Amoebophrya can control dinoflagellate blooms in major eastern boundary upwelling systems, such as the CCS. We quantified the abundance of a common bloom-forming species Akashiwo sanguinea and prevalence of its parasite (i.e., % infected cells) in surface water samples collected weekly from August 2005 to December 2008 at the Santa Cruz Wharf (SCW), Monterey Bay, CA. Additionally, we measured physical and chemical properties at the SCW and examined regional patterns of wind forcing and sea surface temperature. Relative abundance of the net phytoplankton species was also analyzed to discern whether or not parasitism influences net phytoplankton community composition. Epidemic infection outbreaks (>20% parasite prevalence in the host species) may have contributed to the end or prevented the occurrence of A. sanguinea blooms, whereas low parasite prevalence was associated with short-term (≤2 weeks) A. sanguinea blooms. The complete absence of parasitism in 2007 was associated with an extreme A. sanguinea bloom. Anomalously strong upwelling conditions were detected in 2007, suggesting that A. sanguinea was able to outgrow Amoebophrya and ‘escape’ parasitism. We conclude that parasitism can strongly influence dinoflagellate bloom dynamics in upwelling systems. Moreover, Amoebophrya may indirectly influence net phytoplankton species composition, as species that dominated the net phytoplankton and developed algal blooms never appeared to be infected.

Glucose enhances memory in a variety of species. In humans, glucose administration enhances episodic memory encoding, although little is known regarding the neural mechanisms underlying these effects. Here we examined whether elevating blood glucose would enhance functional MRI (fMRI) activation and connectivity in brain regions associated with episodic memory encoding and whether these effects would differ depending on the emotional valence of the material. We used a double-blind, within-participants, crossover design in which either glucose (50 g) or a saccharin placebo were administered before scanning, on days approximately 1 week apart. We scanned healthy young male participants with fMRI as they viewed emotionally arousing negative pictures and emotionally neutral pictures, intermixed with baseline fixation. Free recall was tested at 5 min after scanning and again after 1 day. Glucose administration increased activation in brain regions associated with successful episodic memory encoding. Glucose also enhanced activation in regions whose activity was correlated with subsequent successful recall, including the hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, and other regions, and these effects differed for negative vs. neutral stimuli. Finally, glucose substantially increased functional connectivity between the hippocampus and amygdala and a network of regions previously implicated in successful episodic memory encoding. These findings fit with evidence from nonhuman animals indicating glucose modulates memory by selectively enhancing neural activity in brain regions engaged during memory tasks. Our results highlight the modulatory effects of glucose and the importance of examining both regional changes in activity and functional connectivity to fully characterize the effects of glucose on brain function and memory.

Exaggerated cardiovascular reactivity to stress is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Further, individual differences in stressor-evoked cardiovascular reactivity covary with the functionality of corticolimbic brain systems, particularly areas of the cingulate cortex. What remains unclear, however, is how individual differences in personality traits interact with cingulate functionality in the prediction of stressor-evoked cardiovascular reactivity. Accordingly, we tested the associations between (i) a particular personality trait, Agreeableness, which is associated with emotional reactions to conflict, (ii) resting state functional connectivity within the cingulate cortex, and (iii) stressor-evoked blood pressure (BP) reactivity. Participants (N = 39, 19 men, aged 20–37 years) completed a resting functional connectivity MRI protocol, followed by two standardized stressor tasks that engaged conflict processing and evoked BP reactivity. Agreeableness covaried positively with BP reactivity across individuals. Moreover, connectivity analyses demonstrated that a more positive functional connectivity between the posterior cingulate (BA31) and the perigenual anterior cingulate (BA32) covaried positively with Agreeableness and with BP reactivity. Finally, statistical mediation analyses demonstrated that BA31–BA32 connectivity mediated the covariation between Agreeableness and BP reactivity. Functional connectivity within the cingulate appears to link Agreeableness and a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, stressor-evoked BP reactivity.

During the 2005 Layered Organization in the Coastal Ocean (LOCO) field program in Monterey Bay, California, we integrated intensive water column surveys by an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) with satellite and mooring data to examine the spatiotemporal scales and processes of phytoplankton thin-layer development. Surveying inner to outer shelf waters repeatedly between August 18 and September 6, the AUV acquired 6841 profiles. By the criteria: [(1) thickness ≤3 m at the full-width half-maximum, (2) peak chlorophyll at least twice the local background concentrations, and (3) a corresponding peak in optical backscattering], thin layers were detected in 3978 (58%) of the profiles. Average layer thickness was 1.4 m, and average intensity was 13.5 μg l−1 above (3.2x) background. Thin layers were observed at depths between 2.6 and 17.6 m, and their depths showed diurnal vertical migration of the layer phytoplankton populations. Horizontal scales of thin-layer patches ranged from 10,000 m. A thin-layer index (TLI), computed from layer frequency, intensity and thinness, was highest in mid-shelf waters, coincident with a frontal zone between bay waters and an intrusion of low-salinity offshore waters. Satellite observations showed locally enhanced chlorophyll concentrations along the front, and in situ observations indicated that phytoplankton may have been affected by locally enhanced nutrient supply in the front and concentration of motile populations in a convergence zone. Minimum TLI was furthest offshore, in the area most affected by the intrusion of offshore, low-chlorophyll waters. Average thin-layer intensity doubled during August 25–29, in parallel with warming at the surface and cooling within and below the thermocline. During this apparent bloom of thin-layer populations, density oscillations in the diurnal frequency band increased by an order of magnitude at the shelfbreak and in near-bottom waters of the inner shelf, indicating the role of internal tidal pumping from Monterey Canyon onto the shelf. This nutrient transport process was mapped by the AUV. Peak TLI was observed on August 29 during a nighttime survey, when phytoplankton were concentrated in the nutricline. Empirical orthogonal function decomposition of the thin-layer particle size distribution data from this survey showed that throughout the inner to outer shelf survey domain, the layers were dominated by phytoplankton having a cross-section of ∼50 μm. This is consistent with the size of abundant Akashiwo sanguinea cells observed microscopically in water samples. During a subsequent and stronger intrusion of low-salinity offshore waters, spatially-averaged vertical density stratification decreased by > 50%, and phytoplankton thin layers disappeared almost completely from the AUV survey domain.

It has recently been shown that inner shelf waters of NE Monterey Bay, California function as an “extreme bloom incubator”, frequently developing dense “red tide” blooms that can rapidly spread. Located within the California Current upwelling system, this open bay is strongly influenced by oceanographic dynamics resulting from cycles of upwelling favorable winds and their relaxation and/or reversal. Different wind forcing causes influx of different water types that originate outside the bay: cold nutrient-rich waters during upwelling and warm nutrient-poor waters during relaxation. In this study, we examine how the bay's bloom incubation area can interact with highly variable circulation to cause red tide spreading, dispersal and retention. This examination of processes is supported by satellite, airborne and in situ observations of a major dinoflagellate bloom during August and September of 2004. Remote sensing of high spatial, temporal and spectral resolution shows that the bloom originated in the NE bay, where it was highly concentrated in a narrow band along a thermal front. Upwelling circulation rapidly spread part of the bloom, mixing cool waters of an upwelling filament with warm bloom source waters as they spread. Vertical migration of the dinoflagellate populations was mapped by autonomous underwater vehicle surveys through the spreading bloom. Following bloom expansion, a two-day wind reversal forced intrusion of warm offshore waters that dispersed much of the bloom. Upwelling winds then resumed, and the bloom was further dispersed by an influx of cold water. Throughout these oceanographic responses to changing winds, an intense bloom persisted in sheltered waters of the NE bay, where extreme blooms are most frequent and intense. Microscopic examination of surface phytoplankton samples from the central bay showed that spreading of the bloom from the NE bay and mixing with regional water masses resulted in significantly increased abundance of dinoflagellates and decreased abundance of diatoms. Similar dinoflagellate bloom incubation sites are indicated in other areas of the California Current system and other coastal upwelling systems. Through frequent bloom development and along-coast transports, relatively small incubation sites may significantly influence larger regions of the coastal marine ecosystems in which they reside.

The red tide forming dinoflagellate genus Cochlodinium appears to be expanding globally, as well as blooming and/or causing more economic losses within its previously reported geographic distribution. Despite the widespread occurrence of this organism in the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian oceans, relatively few studies of its ecophysiology have been conducted. Here we summarize the ecophysiological characteristics through both a literature review and by assessing recent bloom events in Monterey Bay, CA, USA. Using this comparative approach, we identify the basic characteristics of this organism: Cochlodinium is found in both warm and cool (11–30 °C) waters in the western and eastern Pacific, respectively, at moderate salinities (30–34). The production of pelagic vegetative seed banks or benthic seed beds by this organism and ability to survive ballast water transport likely facilitate its ability to colonize and establish itself in new habitats. It is a strong vertical migrator capable of utilizing both inorganic and organic nitrogen sources as well as mixotrophy and may be associated with moderate nutrient loading. These characteristics provide Cochlodinium with an adaptive capability conducive to rapid colonization of newly opened ecological niches, which may partially explain the apparent global expansion of its geographic range and bloom frequency.

The need for major infrastructure renewal in the US is widely recognized. The amount of private-sector capital willing to invest in this renewal through innovative public-private partnerships (P3s) is at unprecedented levels. The latter is often talked about as an obvious way to address the former. Yet at every level of US government and across all infrastructure sectors progress in actually enacting P3s is frustratingly slow. Why?This short paper (written as a key-issues briefing memo for an upcoming P3 conference organized by the Cornell Program in Infrastructure Policy) proposes that the answer to this question is found in the inadequacy of current P3 measurement methodology with respect to the currently most relevant potential use of P3s in the US. The current standard P3 evaluation methodology, Value for Money (VfM), is primarily focused on measuring cost-efficiency, which was an important metric in the original, primarily European, application of the P3 approach. However, for most US state and local government cost-efficiency is not the most relevant factor in the infrastructure decision. Rather, the perception of increased funding risk in the post-2008 economic environment is currently preventing a higher level of needed public-sector infrastructure investment. Funding risk can be efficiently transferred to the private sector through P3 transactions. But since VfM does not measure the value of transferring funding risk adequately, it is difficult to make a compelling case for P3 transactions in the face of stakeholder skepticism and resistance.The paper proposes that P3 evaluation methodologies be improved to include (1) better measurement of public sector cost of capital in the VfM framework and (2) the addition of another analytical dimension focused on funding risk transfer, called ‘Value for Funding’. Federal infrastructure policy can support the development and adoption of improved P3 measurement methodologies.

Value for Money (VfM) is the standard evaluation framework for infrastructure public-private partnership (P3) alternatives to traditional public-sector project procurement and financing. VfM’s primary focus is on a net present value cost comparison between the alternatives. However, in light of the challenges that US state and local governments face in the current economic environment, an additional analytical framework that explicitly expands the focus to include public-sector funding and fiscal issues in the evaluation of an infrastructure P3 would be useful in many cases. We are calling this new framework a ‘Value for Funding’ (VfF) approach. This paper presents an example of a VfF approach applied to a specific topic, the risk-absorption features of various types of P3 contracts with respect to US state and local public-sector deficits. More generally, the paper outlines a stochastic methodology for the comparative assessment of P3 and traditional alternatives that will likely be the basis of much other VfF analysis, especially where the funding stream is relatively independent of specific project operation and the public sector is fiscally constrained.

We report measurements of dissolvable and particulate iron, particulate Al, nutrients and phytoplankton biomass in surface waters during the termination of one upwelling event and the initiation of a second event in August 2000. These events occurred in the area of the Ano Nuevo upwelling center off the coast of central California. The first event was observed after ∼8 days of continuous upwelling favorable winds, while the second event was observed through the onset of upwelling favorable winds to wind reversals ∼3 days later. Coincident with the upwelling signatures of low temperature and high salinity were significantly elevated concentrations of nitrate and silicate with average concentrations greater than 15 and 20 μM, respectively, during both upwelling events. Dissolvable Fe concentrations (TD-Fe) were significantly higher in the second event, 6.5 versus 1.2 nM Fe found in the first event. Nitrate was reduced by ∼5 μM day −1 within this second upwelled plume as compared to a drawdown of ∼2 μM day −1 within the first plume. Silicate was reduced in a ratio of 1.2 mol Si:mol NO 3 in the high Fe waters of the second plume as compared to a ratio of 2.2 in the lower Fe waters of the first plume. The observed differences in nutrient utilization are consistent with some degree of iron limitation. The area of increased dissolvable Fe in the second upwelling event was coincident with elevated particulate Fe concentrations, indicating the particulate pool as a possible source of the observed increase in TD-Fe. The elevated particulate Fe in surface waters was a result of resuspended sediments in the bottom boundary layer (BBL) of the shallow shelf being transported to the surface during upwelling. Particulate (and dissolvable) iron concentrations were significantly reduced as upwelling continued. This was most probably due to a decoupling of the BBL from upwelled source waters as the upwelling front moved offshore and/or reduced turbulence in the BBL as upwelling continued. The observed reduction in both particulate and dissolvable Fe, as upwelling continued to deliver macronutrients to surface waters, may result in varying levels of Fe limitation.

This manuscript contains a detailed description of the PHOBOS experiment as it is configured for the Year 2001 running period. It is capable of detecting charged particles over the full solid angle using a multiplicity detector and measuring identified charged particles near mid-rapidity in two spectrometer arms with opposite magnetic fields. Both of these components utilize silicon pad detectors for charged particle detection. The minimization of material between the collision vertex and the first layers of silicon detectors allows for the detection of charged particles with very low transverse momenta, which is a unique feature of the PHOBOS experiment. Additional detectors include a time-of-flight wall which extends the particle identification range for one spectrometer arm, as well as sets of scintillator paddle and Cherenkov detector arrays for event triggering and centrality selection.

The physical, chemical and biological perturbations in central California waters associated with the strong 1997–1998 El Nino are described and explained on the basis of time series collected from ships, moorings, tide gauges and satellites. The evolution of El Nino off California closely followed the pattern observed in the tropical Pacific. In June 1997 an anomalous influx of warm southerly waters, with weak signatures on coastal sea level and thermocline depth, marked the onset of El Nino in central California. The timing was consistent with propagation from the tropics via the equatorial and coastal wave-guide. By late 1997, the classical stratified ocean condition with a deep thermocline, high sea level, and warm sea surface temperature (SST) commonly associated with El Nino dominated the coastal zone. During the first half of 1998 the core of the California Current, which is normally detected several hundred kilometers from shore as a river of low salinity, low nutrient water, was hugging the coast. High nutrient, productive waters that occur in a north–south band from the coast to approximately 200 km offshore during cool years disappeared during El Nino. The nitrate in surface waters was less than 20% of normal and new production was reduced by close to 70%. The La Nina recovery phase began in the fall of 1998 when SSTs dropped below normal, and ocean productivity rebounded to higher than normal levels. The reduction in coastal California primary productivity associated with El Nino was estimated to be 50 million metric tons of carbon (5 × 10 13 g C). This reduction certainly had deleterious effects on zooplankton, fish, and marine mammals. The 1992–1993 El Nino was more moderate than the 1997–1998 event, but because its duration was longer, its overall chemical and biological impact may have been comparable. How strongly the ecosystem responds to El Nino appears related to the longer-term background climatic state of the Pacific Ocean. The 1982–1983 and 1992–1993 El Ninos occurred during the warm phase of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO). The PDO may have changed sign during the 1997–1998 El Nino, resulting in weaker ecological effects than would otherwise have been predicted based on the strength of the temperature anomaly.

During late spring 1997, a Gulf Stream warm-core ring (WCR) strongly in#uenced water mass and chlorophyll distributions along the southern #ank of Georges Bank. Entrainment of Georges Bank shelf water by the WCR, centered at the central southern #ank, persisted through May. By late May, shelf water encircled nearly the entire WCR, and horizontal convergence toward the central southern #ank was evident. Scotian Shelf water (SSW) extended across Northeast Channel, onto Georges Bank near the northeast peak, and along the southern #ank between the 60-m isobath and the shelfbreak front. SSW extended furthest southwest along the southern #ank shelfbreak. Satellite imagery from the ocean color and temperature sensor (OCTS) showed that by late May, in addition to the high chlorophyll concentrations within the entrained shelf water encircling the WCR, pigment rich bands of chlorophyll developed along the 60- and 100-m isobaths. Where this biological enhancement developed along ’100 km of the shelfbreak (100-m isobath), shelf waters extended furthest seaward due to entrainment by the WCR. The enhanced shelfbreak chlorophyll was sampled in situ along two transects separated by +40 km along shelf. Along both transects, the enhanced chlorophyll coincided with divergent cross-shelf#ow, maximum along-shelf#ow and minimum surface temperature. Coincidence of the highest surface chlorophyll and lowest surface temperature with divergent cross-shelf #ow is consistent with upwelling. Coincidence with along-shelf jets and their associated vertical shear is consistent with turbulent vertical mixing. The importance of turbulent vertical mixing was supported. Maximum velocity at the shelfbreak coincided with the subsurface temperature minimum of SSW near 30-m depth. Estimated gradient Richardson numbers (Ri) above the SSW were below critical ((0.25) within the shelfbreak chlorophyll maximum along both transects, and surface chlorophyll was signi"cantly, inversely correlated with Ri along the southern#ank. WCR entrainment of shelf water continued into June as

During the lifetime of the Coastal Zone Color Scanner, there were 21 instances in which both satellite-derived ocean color and sea-surface temperature are simultaneously available over large areas of the Sargasso Sea. These images reveal close correspondence between mesoscale structures observed in temperature and pigment fields. In general, higher (lower) pigment biomass occurs in mesoscale features consisting of cold (warm) temperature anomalies. This relationship is consistent with the idea that upward displacement of isopycnals at the base of the euphotic zone by mesoscale eddies is an important mechanism of nutrient supply in the region.

A large area radial silicon pad detector has been produced, tested, and installed for the WA98 experiment at CERN. This paper describes the structure and the first test results of the silicon sensors used in this detector. Double metal technology has been used to lead the signals from the inner pads to the edge of the sensitive region. The capacitance for each pad has been measured and is shown to vary according to the pad size. Signals from 90Sr radiation have been analysed, and a signal-to-noise ratio of over 30 has been achieved. The RMS noise varies with the capacitance of each pad, and the variation agrees with the specification of the preamplifier. No evidence of cross talk due to the capacitance coupling between two metal layers has been observed.

Phytoplankton pigment distributions in the South Atlantic Bight (SAB) during the unstratified period (November through April) and dynamics influencing these distributions are examined using multi-year Coastal Zone Color Scanner (CZCS) and Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) coverage, oceanographic and meteorological data from buoys and coastal stations, and Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center (FNMOC) wind fields. We examine: (1) long-term mean and event-related pigment distributions along the outer margin in relation to Gulf Stream and meteorological forcing, and (2) spatial coherence in pigment field temporal variation along the outer margin itself and between the outer margin and adjacent regimes. The highest mean unstratified period CZCS-derived chlorophyll (CZCS-Chl) is in the central SAB, immediately inshore of the region of the Gulf Stream offshore mode/Charleston Gyre. The highest event-related pigment concentrations are associated with the development of large-scale pigment field features, exhibiting along-shore orientation and association with development of temperature (SST) fronts. The role of wind and Gulf Stream forcing is supported in event studies of these features. Coherent temporal variation in CZCS-Chl is evident at along-shelf scales greater than that typical of Gulf Stream frontal eddies, particularly in the central SAB, where the coherence scale exceeds 600 km. Distinct pigment field coherence between the central SAB outer margin (ca. 400 km along-shore) and the Charleston Gyre/Gulf Stream offshore mode region is evident. The pigment field of middle shelf waters also exhibits significant coherence with that of the outer margin. The results show that non frontal eddy processes are important in determining the mean and event-related pigment distributions, as well as the spatial scale of coherent pigment field variation during the unstratified period.

Objectives To study whether the size and texture of oocytes/zygotes differ between in vitro maturation (IVM) and traditional IVF and to determine whether these affect the rate of fertilization and blastocyst development. Design Prospective case–control study. Setting Fertility clinic. Patient(s) The study involved 83 participants/cycles of IVF with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) or IVM treatment. Intervention(s) Participants were allocated to the following groups: patients with and without polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) undergoing ICSI (PCOS-ICSI and Control-ICSI), and patients with PCOS undergoing IVM (PCOS-IVM). All oocytes were cultured in an Embryoscope incubator. Main Outcome Measure(s) Oocyte/zygote sizes were recorded and texture parameters of the ooplasm were analyzed using ImageJ and maZda software. Measurements were recorded at five developmental stages: sperm injection, second polar body extrusion, the first pronuclei appearance, pronuclei disappearance, and immediately before cytokinesis. Result(s) Normally fertilized PCOS-IVM oocytes were significantly larger at the sperm injection and second polar body extrusion stages, compared with both the PCOS-ICSI and Control-ICSI groups. The PCOS-IVM oocytes were significantly larger at the pronuclei disappearance stage compared with the Control-ICSI group. Oocyte texture parameters were significantly different from both other treatment groups in the early developmental stages, although these were predominantly seen when compared with the Control-ICSI group. There were no significant differences in size or texture by the final stage of immediately before cytokinesis between any of the treatment groups. Conclusion(s) This study suggests that oocyte size and texture differ in the early stages of the first cell cycle.

The Federal Reserve System or the Fed is one of the most prestigious institutions in the world. Founded by the Federal Reserve Act in 1913, the Fed has the responsibility of setting the monetary policy of the U.S. The Fed’s actions affect the money supply in the U.S. market which has a direct influence on interest rates, growth and inflation. To better understand the role of the Fed we will first describe its structure and organization. We will then see who is really behind the central bank’s actions and who holds the reins of power inside the institution that plays the most important role in financial markets throughout the world. The monetary policy implemented by the Fed is closely monitored by major financial markets and institutions as it affects directly investments and security prices. We will explain clearly how the Fed conducts its monetary policy using three major tools to either decrease or increase money supply: Open market operations, adjusting the discount rate and adjusting the reserve requirement ratio. We examine the main objectives of the Fed’s monetary policies and how those objectives maintain a 'conflict of interest' relationship. A special interest we devote to a possible negative role that monetary policy may play in fuelling excessive asset price booms and we ask whether monetary policy should contradict the growth of asset price bubbles. Finally we examine the policies of the former chairman of the Fed Alan Greenspan (1987-2006) which contributed to the current crisis. We also assess the reaction to the crisis of the monetary policy of Ben Bernanke.

The process of commoditization has now entered its most significant phase. White collar work long the preserve of the educated elite is now going undergoing a significant transformation as it starts to commoditize. The principal impacts on the white collar employee include: • One company, but many owners as the impacts of foreign ownership, buy-outs by private equity and takeovers by rivals continue to change the pattern of company ownership as well as employment. Few of us can expect to remain within a single company that retains its ownership for a lengthy period of time and with this comes additional uncertainty and insecurity • The potential for most if not every white collar job being at risk from commoditization; perhaps not now, but certainly in the future. Remember, any job that can be codified is potentially at risk • An increase in low level, routine work at the expense of the intrinsically interesting work most white collar workers have come to expect. This does not necessarily mean that work will be any less pressured. Evidence is pointing to the intensification of routine white collar work which is becoming more demanding not less. • The loss of an obvious career path making it much harder to navigate through your working life. This is further compounded by the weakening of the relationship between education and employability which has until very recently been central to a successful career • Economic instability and income stagnation as the China Price moves to the white collar labour market.