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Spawning Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) provide marine‐derived resources (MDR) to freshwater food webs in the form of eggs, flesh and maggots that consume salmon carcasses, all of which positively impact stream‐dwelling fish growth. Pink salmon (O. gorbuscha) are widely distributed throughout coastal catchments along the North Pacific Ocean and display increased spawning abundances in odd years, owing to a fixed 2‐year life history. While many studies have found that foraging and growth of stream‐dwelling salmonids are improved by increased adult salmon spawning abundance, few studies have investigated the importance of alternating pink salmon spawning abundance between years.Here, we examined how patterns of pink salmon spawning abundance impact the foraging and growth of juvenile coho salmon (O. kisutch). First, we used bioenergetic simulations to generate a hypothesis that coho salmon growth would increase during odd relative to even years. We then collected empirical juvenile coho salmon diet and growth data from a Southeast Alaska catchment in 2021 (pink salmon spawning) and 2022 (no pink salmon spawning). Field data were compared against simulation predictions to understand impacts of biennial pink salmon spawning patterns on juvenile coho salmon growth.Empirical growth data revealed similar patterns to bioenergetic simulations. Age‐1 coho salmon grew 16.6 mm longer and 5.5 g heavier on average in 2021 compared to 2022. Age‐0 coho salmon displayed minor growth differences between years.These results support bioenergetic model predictions and suggest that patterns of pink salmon spawning abundance can impart interannual growth disparities to juvenile coho salmon. Moreover, we show that distinct spawning characteristics of Pacific salmon species are important when understanding patterns of MDR transfer and growth responses in stream fishes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pulsed subsidy events create ephemeral fluxes of hyper‐abundant resources that can shape annual patterns of consumption and growth for recipient consumers. However, environmental conditions strongly affect local resource availability for much of the year, and can heavily impact consumer foraging and growth patterns prior to pulsed subsidy events. Thus, a consumer's capacity to exploit pulse subsidy resources may be influenced by antecedent environmental conditions, but this has rarely been shown in nature and is unknown in aquatic ecosystems.Here, we sought to understand the importance of hydrologic variation and a salmon pulse subsidy on the foraging and growth patterns of two stream salmonids in a coastal southeast Alaska drainage.To do this, we sampled fish stomach contents at a high temporal frequency (daily–weekly measurements) and analyzed fish consumption rates in relation to streamflow and pulse subsidy resource availability. We then explored the influence of interannual hydrologic variation on access to pulse subsidy resources (i.e. whether fish exceeded an egg consumption gape limit) in a bioenergetic simulation.Prior to Pink Salmon spawning, Dolly Varden and Coho Salmon displayed distinct and nonlinear flow‐foraging relationships, where forage for both species consisted primarily of macroinvertebrates. During this time period, consumption maxima coincided with baseflow and the highest observed flow conditions, and consumption minima were observed at severe low‐water and intermediate flow values. After salmon spawning began, forage was not significantly related to flow and consisted primarily of salmon eggs. Further, consumption rates increased overall, and foraging patterns did not appear to be affected by flow in either species. Bioenergetic simulations revealed that patterns of interannual hydrologic variation may shift Coho Salmon growth trajectories among years.Together, our results suggest that access to marine pulse subsidy resources may depend on whether antecedent hydrologic conditions are suitable for juvenile salmonids to grow large enough to consume salmon eggs by the onset of spawning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hatch timing in autumn- spawning stream salmonids is poorly understood in the subarctic region because snow cover prevents direct sampling of cryptic early life stages. Otolith micro- increment analysis was used to infer hatch dates of white- spotted charr Salvelinus leucomaenis (Pallas) and masu salmon Oncorhynchus masou (Brevoort) in a mainstem- tributary network in northern Japan. Accuracy and precision were validated by ageing hatchery individuals with known hatch date ranges. In July 2018, 93 wild young- of- the- year white- spotted charr and 81 masu salmon were collected and aged. Masu salmon hatched, on average, 24 days earlier (mean = February 8) than white- spotted charr (March 4), and hatch dates spanned a minimum of 2 months for each species. In masu salmon, hatch dates of individuals collected in the mainstem were nearly 3 weeks earlier than those in a tributary. This study provided knowledge on intra- and inter- specific variation in hatch timing of native salmonids in a subarctic stream network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Patients with short bowel syndrome (SBS) are dependent on parenteral nutrition (PN) while their bowel attempts to compensate. Our objective was to create an SBS disease severity score to predict the probability of achieving enteral autonomy (EA).Methods: A retrospective cohort study of children with SBS managed by our Intestinal Rehabilitation Program was completed. Data abstracted included demographic, bowel anatomy, and outcome variables including conjugated bilirubin (CB) and enteral nutrition (EN) tolerated 6 months postoperatively. Univariate analysis and Cox proportional hazards (CPH) model were performed. A score was created based on weighting of coefficients. An α-value of < 0.05 was considered significant.Results: One hundred thirty-nine patients were analyzed (61% males). Ninety-five (68%) achieved EA. Patients possessing >50% residual small bowel (hazard ratio [HR] 2.68 [95% confidence interval {CI} 1.60-4.49], P < 0.001), ileocecal valve intact (HR 0.61 [95% CI 0.37-1.01], P < 0.055), and >50% enteral tolerance at 6 months (HR 5.70 [95% CI 2.77-11.74] P < 0.001) were positively associated with EA. CB >34 µmol/L (2 mg/dL) was negatively associated with EA (HR 0.42 [95% CI0.27-0.66], P < 0.001). A severity score was created by weighting CPH parameter estimates (small bowel length >50%, ileocecal valve intact, CB <34 µmol/L, and EN >50% for a maximum score of 8), and disease severity strata were developed (severe [25.7% EA], moderate [52.9% EA], and mild [97.1% EA]).Conclusion: We propose a pediatric SBS disease severity score that predicts probability of EA. The score allows prognostication of individual patients and could assist research by adjusting outcome reporting or stratifying recruitment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Health care is becoming increasingly transnational and a shift to more promotive and preventative approaches forms an integral part of addressing challenges to global health and health disparities. Community and public engagement programs are particularly well suited to successfully developing care that is resonant and meaningful in transnational contexts. Yet many existing programs do not take into account the diverse perspectives of the heterogeneous group of transnational patients, and guidelines that address their specific needs are still scarce. At the same time, little has been done to build a framework to share successful local programs with a broader community. We thus propose a global database of best practices and guidelines for transnational health‐care promotions to improve health care and well‐being across diverse communities, consisting of a three‐step assessment in order to successfully design locally adapted programs that are accepted by target populations and successfully engage transnational patients and their health‐care providers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: This paper is based on a theological symposium presented at the International Xenotransplantation Association's 14th Congress held in Baltimore, MD, September, 2017. Methods: The information explores the Jewish, Christian and Muslim theological perceptions and perspectives about cross‐species (ie pig‐to‐human) organ transplantation, the genetic alterations required in the organ‐source pig, and their potential to influence individual acceptance of the procedure. Results/Conclusions: This work should not be considered as the ultimate word about individual theological views, but rather as part of an ongoing conversation that will hopefully lead to wider consideration and exploration of these issues as xenotransplantation science advances towards clinical trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective - To determine clinical efficacy of the Crotalidae polyvalent immune Fab (ovine) antivenom (OPCA) against progressive crotalid envenomation in the dog as reflected in stabilization or improvement of snakebite severity scores (SSS). Additionally, due to the potential decreased half-life of the Fab antibodies in dogs we compared SSS between dogs receiving 2 different dosing regimes. Design - Prospective, clinical trial. Setting - Five veterinary emergency and critical care facilities. Animals - One hundred and fifteen client-owned Crotalid (rattlesnake) snake bitten dogs in whom worsening of the envenomation syndrome was observed before OPCA treatment. Interventions - In a multicenter randomized clinical trial a single dose (1 vial) of OPCA alone was compared with 2 doses (1/2 vial each) administered 6 hours apart. Standard supportive care was provided in all cases. Measurements and Main Results - Data were available for 115 patients, 9 of which were fatalities. All patients' clinical condition was documented with a standardized SSS system accounting for each major body system. Each fatality received maximum severity scores of 20. The mean severity score of the 115 patients decreased from 4.19 to 3.29 points and there was no difference between the 2 treatment groups. The mean severity score of the 107 patients without fatalities decreased from 4.16 to 2.15. Antivenin-related acute reactions occurred in 6 dogs (6%), and no serum sickness occurred within the 95 cases contacted at the 2-week posttreatment follow-up. Conclusions - In the first randomized trial in dogs of antivenin in the United States, OPCA effectively stabilized or terminated venom effects. There were no statistical differences detected between treatment groups within the study time frame. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

β-thalassemias result from diminished β-globin synthesis and are associated with ineffective erythropoiesis and secondary iron overload caused by inappropriately low levels of the iron regulatory hormone hepcidin. The serine protease TMPRSS6 attenuates hepcidin production in response to iron stores. Hepcidin induction reduces iron overload and mitigates anemia in murine models of β-thalassemia intermedia. To further interrogate the efficacy of an RNAi-therapeutic downregulating Tmprss6, β-thalassemic Hbb(th3/+) animals on an iron replete, an iron deficient, or an iron replete diet also containing the iron chelator deferiprone were treated with Tmprss6 siRNA. We demonstrate that the total body iron burden is markedly improved in Hbb(th3/+) animals treated with siRNA and chelated with oral deferiprone, representing a significant improvement compared to either compound alone. These data indicate that siRNA suppression of Tmprss6, in conjunction with oral iron chelation therapy, may prove superior for treatment of anemia and secondary iron loading seen in β-thalassemia intermedia., (© 2015 The Authors. American Journal of Hematology Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)