Pacific Populations Research Articles

Pacific cod in the Anthropocene: An early life history perspective under changing thermal habitats

AbstractThe rapid decline in Pacific cod (Gadus macrocephalus, Gadidae) biomass following multiple Gulf of Alaska marine heatwaves (2014–2016 and 2019) may be one of the most dramatic documented changes in a sustainably managed marine fishery. As such, fisheries managers are exploring new recruitment paradigms for Pacific cod under novel environmental conditions. In this review, we address the challenges of managing and forecasting Pacific cod populations in the Eastern Pacific where thermal habitats for early life stages are undergoing varying rates of change across space and time. We use observational data to examine changes in distribution, abundance and demographics of the population from 1993 to 2020, and model contemporary and future changes of thermal habitat for both spawning success and age‐0 juvenile growth potential. Results indicate that reduced spawning habitat and early life stage abundance may be a precursor to regional population decline, but the recent apparent increases in size‐at‐age of pre‐recruits will have unknown impacts on future recruitment in these regions. We contend that continued monitoring of early life stages will be necessary to track changes in phenology and growth that likely determine size‐at‐age and the survival trajectories of year classes into the adult population. These include complex size‐ and temperature‐dependent energetics spanning seasonal habitats through the first winter. Climate‐ready management of Pacific cod will, therefore, require new process investigations beyond single‐season surveys focused on one‐life stage.

Community structure of demersal fish over the continental shelf off the southeastern coast of Hokkaido Island: The effect of eurythermy in dominant species

The seasonal dynamics of a boreal demersal fish community and the factor governing its structure have been analyzed, using a total of 169 Danish seine samples collected off the southeastern coast of Hokkaido Island where is an important nursery for Japan Pacific population of walleye pollock Gadus chalcogrammus. The sea floor of the area was covered by cold (<2 °C) Coastal Oyashio Water during spring which was replaced by Oyashio Water and Modified Soya Current Water by autumn. Antlered sculpin Enophrys dicerus was the dominant species accounting for 23.2% of total biomass followed by plain sculpin Myoxocephalus jaok (19.8%), Kamchatka flounder Atheresthes evermanni (8.2%) and walleye pollock (7.4%). Based on species composition and biomass, the samples were classified into the four faunal groups: i) upper-shelf assemblage in which antlered and plain sculpins in combined accounted for 61.4%, ii) mid-shelf assemblage dominated by antlered sculpin (27.0%) and various fish taxa iii) lower shelf assemblage dominated by gadids (32.8%) and iv) less abundant lower-shelf assemblage dominated by antlered sculpin (33.3%) and other cottoid species (30.4%). Depth was the most important factor determining the structure of assemblages accounting for 66.2% of the variance explained by environmental variables, outweighing the effects of season (19.4%) and temperature (14.4%). This result was ascribed to the eurythermy of the dominant species which persisted at relatively narrow depth ranges under the seasonally fluctuating thermal environments.

From colony to fallout: Artificial lights pose risk to seabird fledglings far from their natal colonies

AbstractSeabirds are at risk of decline from multiple threats, including artificial light resulting in their grounding (“fallout”). Without evidence, it can be assumed that seabirds travel short distances from natal colonies to their fallout location, potentially to the closest light source. To test this, a case study on wedge‐tailed shearwaters (Ardenna pacifica, ʻUaʻu kani) fledging from the island of Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi was conducted. To assess fallout locations in relation to natal colonies, we affixed identification bands to 4648 chicks at nine natal colonies prior to fledging from 2018 to 2022. Distances between fallout location and natal colony were mapped and fallout location characteristics (radiance, elevation, distances to nearest coastline, road, and colony) were analyzed for 27 banded fledglings that were discovered post‐fallout. The distance between the natal colony and fallout location was significantly greater than the distance between the nearest colony and the fallout location. Fallout often occurred on opposite coastlines from the natal colonies and at substantial distances (x¯ = 24.91 km), with one fallout event recorded on a different island from the natal colony. Our results demonstrate that all artificial lights, regardless of proximity to seabird colonies, may pose a threat to seabird fallout and that fallout is often occurring far from natal colonies and in inconsistent patterns. Collaborative, large‐scale, and multi‐island light management alteration, particularly during fledging periods, is critical in recovering Pacific Island seabird populations. Actions such as these will benefit not only light‐sensitive species such as seabirds and sea turtles but also human health and night‐sky viewing.

Ocean current patterns drive the worldwide colonization of eelgrass (Zostera marina).

Currents are unique drivers of oceanic phylogeography and thus determine the distribution of marine coastal species, along with past glaciations and sea-level changes. Here we reconstruct the worldwide colonization history of eelgrass (Zostera marina L.), the most widely distributed marine flowering plant or seagrass from its origin in the Northwest Pacific, based on nuclear and chloroplast genomes. We identified two divergent Pacific clades with evidence for admixture along the East Pacific coast. Two west-to-east (trans-Pacific) colonization events support the key role of the North Pacific Current. Time-calibrated nuclear and chloroplast phylogenies yielded concordant estimates of the arrival of Z. marina in the Atlantic through the Canadian Arctic, suggesting that eelgrass-based ecosystems, hotspots of biodiversity and carbon sequestration, have only been present there for ~243 ky (thousand years). Mediterranean populations were founded ~44 kya, while extant distributions along western and eastern Atlantic shores were founded at the end of the Last Glacial Maximum (~19 kya), with at least one major refuge being the North Carolina region. The recent colonization and five- to sevenfold lower genomic diversity of the Atlantic compared to the Pacific populations raises concern and opportunity about how Atlantic eelgrass might respond to rapidly warming coastal oceans.

Connectivity between white shark populations off Central California, USA and Guadalupe Island, Mexico

Marine animals often move beyond national borders and exclusive economic zones resulting in a need for trans-boundary management spanning multiple national jurisdictions. Highly migratory fish vulnerable to over-exploitation require protections at international level, as exploitation practices can be disparate between adjacent countries and marine jurisdictions. In this study we collaboratively conducted an analysis of white shark connectivity between two main aggregation regions with independent population assessment and legal protection programs; one off central California, USA and one off Guadalupe Island, Mexico. We acoustically tagged 326 sub-adult and adult white sharks in central California (n=210) and in Guadalupe Island (n=116) with acoustic transmitters between 2008-2019. Of the 326 tagged white sharks, 30 (9.20%) individuals were detected at both regions during the study period. We used a Bayesian implementation of logistic regression with a binomial distribution to estimate the effect of sex, maturity, and tag location to the response variable of probability of moving from one region to the other. While nearly one in ten individuals in our sample were detected in both regions over the study period, the annual rate of trans-regional movement was low (probability of movement = 0.015 yr-1, 95% credible interval = 0.002, 0.061). Sub-adults were more likely than adults to move between regions and sharks were more likely to move from Guadalupe Island to central California, however, sex, and year were not important factors influencing movement. This first estimation of demographic-specific trans-regional movement connecting US and Mexico aggregations with high seasonal site fidelity represents an important step to future international management and assessment of the northeastern Pacific white shark population as a whole.

Trends in State-Level Maternal Mortality by Racial and Ethnic Group in the United States

Evidence suggests that maternal mortality has been increasing in the US. Comprehensive estimates do not exist. Long-term trends in maternal mortality ratios (MMRs) for all states by racial and ethnic groups were estimated. To quantify trends in MMRs (maternal deaths per 100 000 live births) by state for 5 mutually exclusive racial and ethnic groups using a bayesian extension of the generalized linear model network. Observational study using vital registration and census data from 1999 to 2019 in the US. Pregnant or recently pregnant individuals aged 10 to 54 years were included. MMRs. In 2019, MMRs in most states were higher among American Indian and Alaska Native and Black populations than among Asian, Native Hawaiian, or Other Pacific Islander; Hispanic; and White populations. Between 1999 and 2019, observed median state MMRs increased from 14.0 (IQR, 5.7-23.9) to 49.2 (IQR, 14.4-88.0) among the American Indian and Alaska Native population, 26.7 (IQR, 18.3-32.9) to 55.4 (IQR, 31.6-74.5) among the Black population, 9.6 (IQR, 5.7-12.6) to 20.9 (IQR, 12.1-32.8) among the Asian, Native Hawaiian, or Other Pacific Islander population, 9.6 (IQR, 6.9-11.6) to 19.1 (IQR, 11.6-24.9) among the Hispanic population, and 9.4 (IQR, 7.4-11.4) to 26.3 (IQR, 20.3-33.3) among the White population. In each year between 1999 and 2019, the Black population had the highest median state MMR. The American Indian and Alaska Native population had the largest increases in median state MMRs between 1999 and 2019. Since 1999, the median of state MMRs has increased for all racial and ethnic groups in the US and the American Indian and Alaska Native; Asian, Native Hawaiian, or Other Pacific Islander; and Black populations each observed their highest median state MMRs in 2019. While maternal mortality remains unacceptably high among all racial and ethnic groups in the US, American Indian and Alaska Native and Black individuals are at increased risk, particularly in several states where these inequities had not been previously highlighted. Median state MMRs for the American Indian and Alaska Native and Asian, Native Hawaiian, or Other Pacific Islander populations continue to increase, even after the adoption of a pregnancy checkbox on death certificates. Median state MMR for the Black population remains the highest in the US. Comprehensive mortality surveillance for all states via vital registration identifies states and racial and ethnic groups with the greatest potential to improve maternal mortality. Maternal mortality persists as a source of worsening disparities in many US states and prevention efforts during this study period appear to have had a limited impact in addressing this health crisis.

Origins of green turtle fishery bycatch in the central pacific revealed by mixed genetic markers

Longline fishing vessels, such as those that target tuna or billfish, also unintentionally catch endangered marine turtle species on the high seas. The stock composition of this bycatch is often unknown but potentially complex, with individuals coming from many possible origins on an ocean-basin scale. To better understand the stock composition of green turtle (Chelonia mydas) bycatch we obtained 46 turtles, 27-91 cm in curved carapace length, caught by Hawaii- and American Samoa-based pelagic longline fishing vessels across large areas of the North- and South-central Pacific. We genotyped these at nine microsatellite loci and one mitochondrial DNA marker, and used a baseline of 1,043 nesting female green turtles from beaches across the Pacific for population assignment and mixed-stock analysis. By analyzing both marker types jointly we were able to increase power and genetically resolve ten baseline stocks of nesting females with mean self-assignment and simulated accuracies of 75-97%. Above the Equator, green turtle bycatch was composed mostly of individuals from Hawaiian and Eastern Pacific stocks, with a small number from the Western Pacific. Below the Equator, the most common stocks in the bycatch were from Australia and the Coral Sea, American Samoa and French Polynesia, and the Galápagos Islands. Overall, turtles originating from East, West, and Central Pacific breeding populations were major components of the bycatch, suggesting that the geographic ranges of these populations overlap across large tracts of ocean during the pelagic life history stages.

Nuclear genetic structure of the white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) from the Northeastern Pacific

The Northeastern Pacific (NEP) population of white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) is genetically distinct from the rest of the world. This uniqueness results from adult fidelity to central California and Guadalupe Island aggregations sites. The strong mitochondrial genetic structure between the white sharks of central California and Guadalupe Island is also present, which indicates female philopatry. To date, few studies using nuclear DNA have found evidence of genetic patterns in the NEP white shark population, which could indicate that these sharks exhibit sex-biased dispersal. In this study, we evaluated the genetic structure, connectivity, and genetic diversity of NEP white sharks using samples from the southern California Bight (SCB), Baja California (including Sebastian Vizcaino Bay), the Gulf of California, and Guadalupe Island (GI) using nDNA (i.e. microsatellite loci). A total of five loci were successfully genotyped in 54 individuals. The patterns found in this study indicated low levels of genetic diversity among all localities (observed heterozygosity: Ho = 0.47), likely due to a founder effect. A slight genetic structure was present for NEP localities in this study (FST = 0.045, P = 0.0001), mainly identified between the SCB and GI locations. A sibship assignment analysis indicated low and moderate probabilities of full- and half-siblings between white shark juveniles from coastal areas, suggesting a high degree of connectivity between nursery areas in the NEP. Our results suggest that juveniles can mask the genetic structure in coastal zones.

Understanding I-Kiribati wellbeing and its implications for health and social services

INTRODUCTION: Pacific people in Aotearoa New Zealand are a fast-growing population, and research shows that they do not experience the same health benefits others do. While effort has been made to better understand the needs of this population, the results remain largely unchanged. Additionally, practice methods and research to better understand the needs of this group tend to accommodate the more dominant Pacific populations, while less research has gone into understanding the smaller Pacific ethnic populations such as I-Kiribati. This research sought to explore I-Kiribati meanings of wellbeing and how these understandings contribute to creating more culturally appropriate social services. METHODS: The research employed semi-structured interviews to explore the perspectives and experiences of five I-Kiribati professionals working in health and social services. Recruitment was through purposive sampling. FINDINGS: The findings outline important aspects that contribute to the wellbeing of both Kiribati and other Pacific groups, factors preventing Pacific minority groups from accessing social services, such as language barriers, acculturation issues, and lack of cultural knowledge and understanding within health, and social services. The findings also suggested the importance of utilising cultural knowledge to inform social work practice, as well as the need for service providers to expand their understanding of the Kiribati culture through more collaboration with Kiribati communities throughout Aotearoa New Zealand. CONCLUSION: The findings aid further understanding of wellbeing, knowledge on the Kiribati culture and needs of this group, while also informing practice methods for enhanced engagement to best meet the needs of ethnic minority groups.

A Pacific addictions perspective: a qualitative study exploring barriers and solutions for Pacific substance and behavioural addictions services in Aotearoa, New Zealand

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine the views from Pacific addiction service providers with the aim of exploring perceived barriers and solutions for Pacific substance and behavioural addiction services in Aotearoa, New Zealand.Design/methodology/approachOne-on-one semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight Pacific alcohol other drugs and gambling health professionals in New Zealand. Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. A general inductive thematic analysis was then used to identify themes.FindingsPacific alcohol other drugs (AOD) services have adapted well to the COVID climate; stigma and time remain persistent barriers to access for clients. Pacific AOD services expressed concerns regarding their disconnect with primary health care and the need for collaboration and partnership. Pacific AOD models of care and workforce development would be encouraged, supported and provisioned with increased and stable funding within the sector.Research limitations/implicationsThe lack of prioritisation and adequate funding that Pacific AOD services continue to face needs to be addressed. This will ensure that the expansion of Pacific AOD services is not only sustainable in regards to growing the Pacific AOD workforce but can also safeguard the responsiveness of the Pacific AOD sector to the changing demographics and increasing AOD needs of future Pacific populations in New Zealand.Practical implicationsStigma, timing of AOD services and the disconnect between primary and secondary Pacific addictions continue to hinder accessibility to AOD services for Pacific people. The findings highlight that Pacific AOD services require a health system embedded in equity, operating to protect, foster, enhance Pacific models of addiction care and service delivery.Social implicationsThe lack of prioritisation and adequate funding that Pacific AOD services continue to face needs to be addressed. This will ensure that the expansion of Pacific AOD services is not only sustainable in regards to growing the Pacific AOD workforce but can also safeguard the responsiveness of the Pacific AOD sector to the changing demographics and increasing AOD needs of future Pacific populations in New Zealand.Originality/valueIt has been over a decade since the last study identifying the effectiveness of Pacific AOD services. The findings highlight that Pacific AOD services require a health system embedded in equity, operating to protect, foster, enhance Pacific models of addiction care and service delivery. The lack of prioritisation and adequate funding that Pacific AOD services continue to face needs to be addressed. This will ensure that the expansion of Pacific AOD services is not only sustainable in regards to growing the Pacific AOD workforce but can also safeguard the responsiveness of the Pacific AOD sector to the changing demographics and increasing AOD needs of future Pacific populations in New Zealand.

Acute aortic syndrome: nationwide study of epidemiology, management, and outcomes.

Epidemiological studies on acute aortic syndrome (AAS) have relied largely on unverified administrative coding, leading to wide-ranging estimates of incidence. This study aimed to evaluate the incidence, management, and outcomes of AAS in Aotearoa New Zealand. This was a national population-based retrospective study of patients presenting with an index admission of AAS from 2010 to 2020. Cases from the Ministry of Health National Minimum Dataset, National Mortality Collection, and the Australasian Vascular Audit were cross-verified with hospital notes. Poisson regression adjusted for sex and age was used to investigate trends over time. During the study interval, 1295 patients presented to hospital with confirmed AAS, including 790 with type A (61.0 per cent) and 505 with type B (39.0 per cent) AAS. A total of 290 patients died out of hospital between 2010 and 2018. The overall incidence of aortic dissection including out-of-hospital cases was 3.13 (95 per cent c.i. 2.96 to 3.30) per 100 000 person-years, and this increased by an average of 3 (95 per cent c.i. 1 to 6) per cent per year after adjustment for age and sex adjustment on Poisson regression, driven by increasing type A cases. Age-standardized rates of disease were higher in men, and in Māori and Pacific populations. The management strategies used, and 30-day mortality rates among patients with type A (31.9 per cent) and B (9.7 per cent) disease have remained constant over time. Mortality after AAS remains high despite advances over the past decade. The disease incidence and burden are likely to continue to increase with an ageing population. There is impetus now for further work on disease prevention and the reduction of ethnic disparities.

Patterns of overlapping habitat use of juvenile white shark and human recreational water users along southern California beaches.

Juvenile white sharks (JWS) of the Northeastern Pacific population are present in nearshore southern California waters and form mixed size class (~1.5-3 m) aggregations for weeks to months, often within 500 m of shore. These nearshore beach habitats are heavily used for human recreation (e.g., surfing, swimming, body boarding, wading, and standup paddleboarding) and the amount of spatio-temporal overlap between JWS and humans is currently unknown. Increases in human population and the Northeastern Pacific population of white sharks have raised concern over human beach safety. To determine spatio-temporal JWS-human overlap at various spatial scales (e.g., across the entire southern California coastline, across different distances from shore, and within specific beach locations), 26 beach locations across southern California were surveyed monthly resulting in 1644 aerial drone surveys between January 2019 to March 2021. Thirteen environmental variables were assessed to predict when spatio-temporal overlap between JWS and water users was highest. Coast-wide distribution of JWS was clumped, limiting human-shark co-occurrence to specific locations, with 1096 of 1204 JWS observations occurring at Carpinteria and Del Mar Beach locations. Nearshore distribution indicated JWS are often close enough to the wave break to interact with some water users (median = 101 m, range = 2-702 m), although JWS had the most spatial overlap with stand-up paddlers. Daily human-shark co-occurrence was 97% at beaches where JWS aggregations had formed, and human activity showed high spatial overlap at shark aggregation sites. Although there is higher seasonal human-shark spatio-temporal overlap where aggregations form in southern California, the number of unprovoked shark bites across southern California is extremely low. This study provides evidence that high human-shark spatio-temporal overlap does not lead to an increased bite frequency in southern California, and there are a number of possible explanations as to why JWS are not biting water users despite daily encounters.

Incidence, trends, and survival of oropharyngeal squamous cell cancer in Aotearoa New Zealand, 2006–2020

BackgroundAn increasing trend of oropharyngeal cancer (OPC) has been reported in several countries with different demographic characteristics, and often attributed to increases in human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. The survival of patients with OPC has steadily improved, especially for those with positive HPV status. This study assessed the incidence, trends, and survival of OPC in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ) by age at diagnosis, sex and ethnicity. MethodsThe study included all 2109 patients resident in NZ with a primary diagnosis of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma from 2006 to 2020, identified from the National Cancer Registry. We assessed age-standardised incidence rate (ASR), annual percent change (APC) and overall and relative survival rates. ResultsThe average annual incidence of OPC was 2.2 per 100,000 population. There was a steady increase of 4.9% per year over 15 years. Although the incidence rates were higher in males over the study period, the overall rate of increase was similar in males (4.9%) and in females (4.3%). The incidence was highest in the 50–69-year group (8.8/100,000 population). This age group had an incidence that increased by 7.5% per year to 2018, and then declined. The main increase in rates was seen between the birth cohort of 1946–50 and that of 1956–60. The increase in incidence was seen in Māori and Pākehā/European populations, but no increase was seen in Pacific or Asian populations. The 5-year overall relative survival rate improved from 69% in 2006‐13 to 78% in 2014–20. Survival rates were lower in older patients, females, and Māori patients. ConclusionThis study confirmed a substantial increase in OPC incidence in NZ, with some evidence to suggest a recent slowing in this increase. Māori and Pākehā/European had the highest incidence, while Pacific and Asian populations showed the lowest rates and no increase over the study period. Survival rates have improved over time, but remained lower in some demographic groups.

DOT-WINGED CRAKE PORZANA SPILOPTERA (RALLIDAE; DURNFORD, 1877) IN CHILE: NEW RECORDS AND A REVIEW OF THE STATUS OF PACIFIC POPULATIONS

We report new records of the Dot-winged Crake Porzana spiloptera in southern Chile, an almost unknown species distributed mainly in Argentina and recently discovered in Chile. The occasional capture of a juvenile of the species at Cruces River wetland (39°S), and the analysis of sound recordings obtained to explore the acoustic attributes of urban wetland soundscapes, made it possible to discuss the status of the Pacific populations of the species. The new records show that P. spiloptera has a resident status and suggest that the presence of the species in Chile went historically unnoticed, and that it has been confused with the Black Rail Laterallus jamaicensis. Comprehensive surveys and dedicated research that provide fundamental biological aspects such as the current distribution, population abundance, habitat requirements, and main threats for these secretive rails are urgently needed for their conservation.

An integrated catch-at-age model for analyzing the variability in biomass of Pacific sardine (Sardinops sagax) from the Gulf of California, Mexico

Knowledge of the population dynamics and changes in the abundance of Pacific sardine fishery is relevant for fishery management. In this study, an integrated catch-at-age model (ASAP) was performed on 47 fishing seasons (1971−2018) ofSardinops sagaxin the Gulf of California, including five indices of relative abundance (survey catch rate, acoustic surveys, egg and larvae, spawning probability, and bird diet index). The ASAP model showed the importance of age group 0 (recruits); this is the most important age group in the Pacific sardine fishery, and its abundance has consequences for the variability of the total abundance of the species. In this study, the spawning and acoustic indices denoted the changes in abundance of Pacific sardine population better than the survey catch rate and bird diet ratio. Historically, the total biomass is estimated to have varied from 461 thousand to 4.82 million t. In the 1970s and 1980s, a peak biomass close to three million tons was reached, and in the second peak from the mid-1990s to the late 2000s, the total biomass varied between 3.26 and 4.82 million t. When the spawning biomass was at least 750 x 103t, the recruitment (age group 0) showed high values, promoting high catches in the subsequent years. The annual fishing mortality estimates did not show a rise related to the periods of high harvestable biomass; therefore, the catch records were low in comparison to the harvestable biomass estimated from ASAP, and the annual fishing mortalities were less than 0.22 during periods of high abundance. The changes in biomass and the variability observed in the Pacific sardine fishery were validated for the model diagnostics; the retrospective patterns did not identify poor fits to data, therefore the robustness of the model can be used for management purposes. According to the Kobe phase plot, the Pacific sardine fishery in the Gulf of California has been fully exploited with an apparent stable level of harvest.

IGlarLixi provides a higher derived time-in-range versus insulin glargine 100 U/mL or lixisenatide in Asian Pacific people with type 2 diabetes: A post hoc analysis.

To evaluate the efficacy of iGlarLixi in Asian Pacific (AP) population with type 2 diabetes (T2D) using derived time-in-ranges calculated from seven-point self-measured blood glucose. Two phase III trials were analyzed. LixiLan-O-AP was performed in insulin-naive T2D patients (n=878) randomized to iGlarLixi, glargine 100 units/mL (iGlar), or lixisenatide (Lixi). LixiLan-L-CN was performed in insulin-treated T2D patients (n=426) randomized to iGlarLixi or iGlar. Changes in derived time-in-ranges from baseline to end-of-treatment (EOT) and estimated treatment differences (ETDs) were analyzed. The proportions of patients achieving ≥70% derived time-in-range (dTIR), ≥5% dTIR improvement, and the composite triple target (≥70% dTIR, <4% derived time-below-the-range [dTBR], and <25% derived time-above-the-range [dTAR]) were calculated. The changes from baseline to EOT in dTIR with iGlarLixi were greater versus iGlar (ETD1 : 11.45% [95% CI, 7.66 to 15.24]) or Lixi (ETD2 : 20.54% [95% CI, 15.74 to 25.33]) in LixiLan-O-AP, and versus iGlar (ETD: 16.59% [95% CI, 12.09 to 21.08]) in LixiLan-L-CN. In LixiLan-O-AP, the proportions of patients achieving ≥70% dTIR or ≥5% dTIR improvement at EOT with iGlarLixi were 77.5% and 77.8%, respectively, higher than with iGlar (61.1% and 75.3%) or Lixi (47.0% and 53.0%). In LixiLan-L-CN, the proportions of patients achieving ≥70% dTIR or ≥5% dTIR improvement at EOT were 71.4% and 59.8% with iGlarLixi, greater than with iGlar (45.4% and 39.5%). More patients achieved the triple target with iGlarLixi compared with iGlar or Lixi. iGlarLixi achieved greater improvements in dTIR parameters vs. iGlar or Lixi in insulin-naïve and insulin-experienced AP people with T2D. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Phenological shifts and mismatch with marine productivity vary among Pacific salmon species and populations.

Global climate change is shifting the timing of life-cycle events, sometimes resulting in phenological mismatches between predators and prey. Phenological shifts and subsequent mismatches may be consistent across populations, or they could vary unpredictably across populations within the same species. For anadromous Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.), juveniles from thousands of locally adapted populations migrate from diverse freshwater habitats to the Pacific Ocean every year. Both the timing of freshwater migration and ocean arrival, relative to nearshore prey (phenological match/mismatch), can control marine survival and population dynamics. Here we examined phenological change of 66 populations across six anadromous Pacific salmon species throughout their range in western North America with the longest time series spanning 1951-2019. We show that different salmon species have different rates of phenological change but that there was substantial within-species variation that was not correlated with changing environmental conditions or geographic patterns. Moreover, outmigration phenologies have not tracked shifts in the timing of marine primary productivity, potentially increasing the frequency of future phenological mismatches. Understanding population responses to mismatches with prey are an important part of characterizing overall population-specific climate vulnerability.

GEOGRAPHIC VARIATIONS IN THE SHAPE OF THE UPPER TOOTHROW OF THE ARTCIC FOX (&lt;i&gt;VULPES LAGOPUS&lt;/i&gt; L. 1758): EFFECTS OF ASYMMETRY AND ALLOMETRY

Geographic variations in the shape of the upper cheek toothrow were studied using geometric morphometrics. For this, 288 specimens from 19 localities (North America, Eurasia, and Pacific and Arctic islands) were employed. Monomorphism of the toothrow for mainland foxes, both from North America and Eurasia, as well as the foxes from Greenland and St. Lawrence Island was found. The Arctic foxes of four Pacific island populations, i.e. two from the Commander Islands and two from the Pribilof Islands, differ significantly from the mainland counterparts in toothrow shape. The Arctic foxes from the Mednyi Island, the Bering Island and the Pribilof Islands differ from each other by toothrow shape as well. The Mednyi Island Arctic foxes show the shortest toothrow, a wide hard palate, and the most massive teeth. On the contrary, the Pribilof Islands Arctic foxes are the most small-toothed. Allometry does not affect geographic variations in the shape of the Arctic fox toothrow. High-level fluctuating asymmetry is found in the Mednyi Island and St. George Island Arctic foxes. Most probably the high level of fluctuating asymmetry is conditioned by both the extremely low genetic diversity as the result of a dramatic numbers decline in the recent past and the strong impact of heavy metals as the result of a coastal diet. We suppose that the same reasons. i.e. low genetic diversity and coastal diet, could have determined the high level of fluctuating asymmetry of the Arctic fox toothrow on the St. George Island.

Aerial survey perspectives on humpback whale resiliency in Maui Nui, Hawaiʻi, in the face of an unprecedented North Pacific marine warming event

AbstractAfter decades of population growth, the central stock of the North Pacific population of humpback whales, known as the Hawaiʻi Distinct Population Segment (HDPS), was delisted from its endangered status in 2016. At that time, however, an unprecedented heating event, the Pacific Marine Heatwave (PMH) was already underway. The PMH coincided with reports of major declines of sightings of humpback whales, including calves of the year, on both the Hawaiian wintering grounds and the feeding grounds of Southeast Alaska. To examine the resiliency of the HDPS, we conducted aerial surveys of the high‐density Maui Nui region immediately following the PMH event in 2019 and 2020, using distance sampling methods identical to those used in an earlier series (1993–2003). Results showed whale densities at or above those seen earlier, with mean density for 2020 highest overall. Crude birth rates (percent groups containing a calf) were similarly comparable to those recorded in the earlier series, with an increase from 2019 to 2020. Overall, results suggest the central North Pacific humpback whale population stock to be resilient in the face of this major climatic event.

Emergency presentation prior to lung cancer diagnosis: A national-level examination of disparities and survival outcomes

ObjectivesA recent multinational investigation of emergency presentation within 30 days of cancer diagnosis, conducted within the International Cancer Benchmarking Programme (ICBP), observed that New Zealand had the highest rate of emergency presentation prior to lung cancer diagnosis compared to other similar countries. Here we use national-level health data to further investigate these trends, focussing on ethnic disparities in emergency presentation prior to lung cancer diagnosis. We have also compared survival outcomes between those who had an emergency presentation in the preceding 30 days to those who did not. Materials and methodsOur study included all lung cancer registrations between 2007 and 2019 on the New Zealand Cancer Registry (N = 27,869), linked to national hospitalisation and primary healthcare data. We used descriptive (crude and age-standardised proportions) and logistic regression (crude and adjusted odds ratios) analyses to examine primary care access prior to cancer diagnosis, emergency hospitalisation up to and including 30 days prior to diagnosis, and one-year mortality post-diagnosis, both for the total population and between ethnicities. Regression models adjusted for age, sex, deprivation, rurality, comorbidity, tumour type and stage. ResultsWe found stark disparities by ethnic group, with 62% of Pacific peoples and 54% of Māori having an emergency presentation within 30 days prior to diagnosis, compared to 47% of Europeans. These disparities remained after adjusting for multiple covariates including comorbidity and deprivation (adj. OR: Māori 1.21, 95% CI 1.13–1.30; Pacific 1.50, 95% CI 1.31–1.71). Emergency presentation was associated with substantially poorer survival outcomes across ethnic groups (e.g. 1-year mortality for Māori: no emergency presentation 50%, emergency presentation 79%; adj. OR 2.40, 95% CI 2.10–2.74). ConclusionsThese observations reinforce the need for improvements in the early detection of lung cancer, particularly for Māori and Pacific populations, with a view to preventing diagnosis of these cancers in an emergency setting.