Summer Population Research Articles

Assessing chemical composition and biological activity in Eucryphia cordifolia Cav. (Cunoniaceae): A study applying the ecological niche centrality hypothesis

Eucryphia cordifolia Cav. native to the forests of southern Chile, was used for medicinal purposes by the Mapuche people in ancient times. However, there are no recent studies on the biological properties of its leaves in their natural habitat. This study assessed how the location of E. cordifolia populations in their ecological niche (center or periphery) impacts the chemical composition, antioxidant activity, and antimicrobial properties of leaf extracts.Ultra-Liquid Chromatography with Diode Array Detector, coupled to Quadrupole-Time of Fly Mass Spectrometry was used to characterize the chemical composition of the extracts (UHPLC-DAD-QTOF). The antioxidant activity was assessed through DPPH, ABTS, and ORAC assays, and the total polyphenol content was determined using the Folin-Ciocalteu method. Antimicrobial activity was analyzed using methods such as agar diffusion, determination of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), and biofilm formation assay. The leaves extract contained 28 identified compounds, including flavonols, flavones, flavanols, and other bioactive compounds. The peripheral population exhibited higher antioxidant values based on ABTS and ORAC methods in autumn and spring, and higher total polyphenol levels only in autumn. The E. cordifolia extracts significantly inhibited the growth of E. coli, S. aureus, and P. aeruginosa, with minimum bactericidal concentration values ranging between 1.2 and 5.3 mg/mL, lower than in other studies. Additionally, the peripheral population displayed greater inhibition of C. glabrata biofilm formation compared to the centroid and intermediate populations in both summer and autumn. In conclusion, this first comprehensive investigation of E. cordifolia reveals that its leaves are a valuable source of bioactive compounds with biotechnological potential.

CLOCK gene circannual expression in cluster headache.

Cluster headache is a primary headache disorder characterized by bouts with circadian and circannual patterns. The CLOCK gene has a central role in regulating circadian rhythms. Here, we investigate the circannual CLOCK expression in a population of cluster headache patients in comparison to matched controls. Patients with cluster headache were sampled two to four times over at least one year, both in or outside bouts, one week after each solstice and equinox. The expression of CLOCK was measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in the peripheral blood. This study included 50 patients and 58 matched controls. Among the patient population, composed of 42/50 males (84%) with an average age of 44.6 years, 45/50 (90%) suffered from episodic cluster headache. Two to four samples were collected from each patient adding up to 161 samples, 36 (22.3%) of which were collected within a bout. CLOCK expression for cluster headache patients was considerably different from that of the control population in winter (p-value mean = 0.006283), spring (p-value mean = 0.000006) and summer (p-value mean = 0.000064), but not in autumn (p-value mean = 0.262272). For each season transition, the variations in CLOCK expression were more pronounced in the control group than in the cluster headache population. No statistically significant differences were found between bout and non-bout samples. No individual factors (age, sex, circadian chronotype, smoking and coffee habits or history of migraine) were related to CLOCK expression. We observed that CLOCK expression in cluster headache patients fluctuates less throughout the year than in the control population. Bout activity and lifestyle factors do not seem to influence CLOCK expression.

Seasonal and Treatment-Related Variation in 25-Hydroxy Vitamin D Concentration in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Background/Objectives: 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25-OH-D) is a fat-soluble compound that plays many essential functions, including bone formation, neuromuscular functions, and prevention of osteoporosis and inflammation. Recent data indicate that its metabolites are associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) progression and neuropathic pain in RA patients. We aimed to assess the effect of RA pharmacotherapy and seasonal variation on serum levels of 25-OH-D in RA patients who received treatment with methotrexate (MTX) or leflunomide (LEF) for at least one year. Methods: This study is a retrospective analysis of data collected from 101 patients with RA who received treatment for at least one year. All of them have supplemented 25-OH-D (2000 IU daily) for at least one year. Results: We observed a significant seasonal variation in 25-OH-D concentration (p = 0.004). Moreover, there were significant differences (p = 0.03) between LEF (50.63 ± 17.73 ng/mL) and MTX (34.73 ± 14.04 ng/mL) treatment groups, but only for the summer population. A correlation was observed between 25-OH-D and RA duration-once again, in the summer population (the whole group-r = -0.64; treatment subgroups-r = -0.82 for LEF and -0.61 for MTX). Deficiency of 25-OH-D (below 20 ng/mL) was confirmed in 28.7% of patients, while 18.8% had suboptimal 25-OH-D levels (20-30 ng/mL). Conclusions: Our results showed that both RA pharmacotherapy and seasonal variation affect the serum levels of 25-OH-D in patients with active RA.

Modeling seasonal immune dynamics of honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) response to injection of heat-killed Serratia marcescens.

The honey bee, Apis mellifera L., is one of the main pollinators worldwide. In a temperate climate, seasonality affects the life span, behavior, physiology, and immunity of honey bees. In consequence, it impacts their interaction with pathogens and parasites. In this study, we used Bayesian statistics and modeling to examine the immune response dynamics of summer and winter honey bee workers after injection with the heat-killed bacteria Serratia marcescens, an opportunistic honey bee pathogen. We investigated the humoral and cellular immune response at the transcriptional and functional levels using qPCR of selected immune genes, antimicrobial activity assay, and flow cytometric analysis of hemocyte concentration. Our data demonstrate increased antimicrobial activity at transcriptional and functional levels in summer and winter workers after injection, with a stronger immune response in winter bees. On the other hand, an increase in hemocyte concentration was observed only in the summer bee population. Our results indicate that the summer population mounts a cellular response when challenged with heat-killed S. marcescens, while winter honey bees predominantly rely on humoral immune reactions. We created a model describing the honey bee immune response dynamics to bacteria-derived components by applying Bayesian statistics to our data. This model can be employed in further research and facilitate the investigating of the honey bee immune system and its response to pathogens.

In hot water: Interactions of temperature, nitrogen form and availability and photosynthetic and nitrogen uptake responses in natural Karenia brevis populations

During 2020–2021, an unusually prolonged bloom of the toxigenic dinoflagellate Karenia brevis persisted for more than 12 months along the Gulf coast of Florida, resulting in severe environmental effects. Motivated by the possibility that unusual nutrient conditions existed during summer 2021, the short-term interactions of temperature, nitrogen (N) forms (ammonium (NH4+), nitrate (NO3−), and urea) and availability on photosynthesis-irradiance responses and N uptake rates were examined in summer 2021 and compared to such responses from the earlier winter. Winter samples were exposed to temperatures of 15, 20, 25, 30 °C while summer samples were incubated at 15, 25, 30, 33 °C, representing the maximum range the cells might experience throughout the water column due to daytime surface heating or extreme weather events. Depending on thermal history of the cells, photosynthetic performance differed when cells were exposed to the same temperature, showing a capacity for thermal acclimation in this species. Although blooms generally do not persist throughout the summer, bloom biomass was remarkably higher in summer than during the winter. However, most of the photosynthetic parameters and N uptake rates, as well as total carbon (C) and N cell−1 were significantly lower in the summer populations, showing that the summer populations were photosynthetically and nutritionally stressed. When the summer cells were treated with urea, however, uptake rates and total C and N cell−1 were higher than with the other N substrates, especially in warmer waters, showing differential thermal responses depending on N forms.

High promiscuity among females of the invasive pest species Drosophila suzukii.

Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura, 1931), the spotted-wing drosophila, is a highly invasive fruit fly that spread from Southern Asia across most regions of Asia and, in the last 15 years, has invaded Europe and the Americas. It is an economically important pest of small fruits such as berries and stone fruits. Drosophila suzukii speciated by adapting to cooler, mountainous, and forest environments. In temperate regions, it evolved seasonal polyphenism traits which enhanced its survival during stressful winter population bottlenecks. Consequently, in these temperate regions, the populations undergo seasonal reproductive dynamics. Despite its economic importance, no data are available on the behavioural reproductive strategies of this fly. The presence of polyandry, for example, has not been determined despite the important role it might play in the reproductive dynamics of populations. We explored the presence of polyandry in an established population in Trentino, a region in northern Italy. In this area, D. suzukii overcomes the winter bottleneck and undergoes a seasonal reproductive fluctuation. We observed a high remating frequency in females during the late spring demographic explosion that led to the abundant summer population. The presence of a high degree of polyandry and shared paternity associated with the post-winter population increase raises the question of the possible evolutionary adaptive role of this reproductive behaviour in D. suzukii.

A comparison of summer, fall and winter estimates of monarch population size before and after milkweed eradication from crop fields in North America

Abstract Measures of the area occupied by overwintering monarchs in México since the mid‐1990s show a decline. Summer surveys of monarchs, however, do not show a similar decline. This discrepancy has led to the proposition that summer monarch numbers are actually stable and that increasing mortality during migration has led to declining overwintering numbers. A competing hypothesis is that this discrepancy is due to a sampling bias in the summer counts and that the summer population has declined because of the eradication of milkweed habitat from crop fields that occurred in the late 1990s through mid‐2000s. We posit that the sampling bias occurred during the period when milkweeds were declining in crop fields and resulted from not sampling in the crop fields. We examined three measures of the size of the population made in the fall during migration and four summer survey measures and compared them to the overwintering measures. Counts of migrating monarchs are not expected to have this sampling bias since migrants come from all habitats, including crop fields. During the period of milkweed eradication, counts of the migrating population were correlated with the size of the overwintering population, whereas summer survey counts were not. After milkweed eradication from crop fields, all population measures were correlated with one another. These results indicate that during the pre‐eradication period, summer counts were not an accurate measure of summer population size. Population trends observed at the overwintering site reflect factors, principally milkweed loss, that affect summer population size.

Seasonal distribution analysis of five lasiurine bat species: clues to migration patterns and behavior

Abstract Lasiurus is a bat genus recognised to have migratory species. However, little is known about the seasonal distribution for most of its species. We used spatial analysis of occurrence records and ecological niche modeling to evaluate the seasonal distributions of five species: Lasiurus borealis, Lasiurus frantzii, Lasiurus ega, Lasiurus xanthinus, and Lasiurus intermedius, to disentangle their seasonal distribution patterns. L. intermedius, L. xanthinus, and L. frantzii presented distinct seasonal patterns in the rate of occurrence records in different areas, which accumulate most records in the northern populations in summer. For L. borealis, we found seasonal variation throughout its entire distribution, with most records in summer and a progressive decline towards winter. In contrast, L. ega showed no seasonal changes in any region. In species with seasonal changes in their occurrences records, the projections of summer conditions did not predict their preferred winter conditions, suggesting these species occupy different ecological niches seasonally. We found seasonality in the northern areas of these species’ distributions, although we could not distinguish whether migration movements or torpor behaviors are the underlying cause. Conversely, we suggest that most central and southern populations of the five species do not exhibit seasonality and are year-round residents.

Estimates of protection levels against SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe COVID-19 in Germany before the 2022/2023 winter season: the IMMUNEBRIDGE project

PurposeDespite the need to generate valid and reliable estimates of protection levels against SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe course of COVID-19 for the German population in summer 2022, there was a lack of systematically collected population-based data allowing for the assessment of the protection level in real time.MethodsIn the IMMUNEBRIDGE project, we harmonised data and biosamples for nine population-/hospital-based studies (total number of participants n = 33,637) to provide estimates for protection levels against SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe COVID-19 between June and November 2022. Based on evidence synthesis, we formed a combined endpoint of protection levels based on the number of self-reported infections/vaccinations in combination with nucleocapsid/spike antibody responses (“confirmed exposures”). Four confirmed exposures represented the highest protection level, and no exposure represented the lowest.ResultsMost participants were seropositive against the spike antigen; 37% of the participants ≥ 79 years had less than four confirmed exposures (highest level of protection) and 5% less than three. In the subgroup of participants with comorbidities, 46–56% had less than four confirmed exposures. We found major heterogeneity across federal states, with 4–28% of participants having less than three confirmed exposures.ConclusionUsing serological analyses, literature synthesis and infection dynamics during the survey period, we observed moderate to high levels of protection against severe COVID-19, whereas the protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection was low across all age groups. We found relevant protection gaps in the oldest age group and amongst individuals with comorbidities, indicating a need for additional protective measures in these groups.

Heatwaves and their health risks: knowledge, risk perceptions and behaviours of the German population in summer 2022.

Heatwaves are becoming more common and impact health. We conducted a representative survey in June 2022 in Germany to determine people's knowledge and protective behaviours on heat days. In data from 953 respondents, we found that a large proportion informed themselves about upcoming heat days, but there are considerable gaps in knowledge. While knowledge was not related to taking up protecting behaviour, other predictors were (e.g. risk perception). Health campaigns should therefore not only aim to improve knowledge but also address risk perceptions, facilitate social learning, communicate social norms and remove barriers that prevent protective behaviours.

Weed phyto-sociology and diversity in relation to conservation agriculture and weed management strategies in Northwestern Himalayas of India

To create weed management techniques capable of improving agroecosystem sustainability, it is essential to comprehend the different weed flora composition and diversification dynamics in conservation agriculture production systems. In North Western Himalaya from 2018 to 2020, evaluation of various tillage techniques with and without residue incorporation and weed management techniques on diverse weed flora composition was performed. Fifteen treatment amalgamations of five tillages viz. CT (conventional tillage) in maize-CT in wheat, CT-ZT (ZT, zero tillage), ZT-ZT, ZT-ZTR (ZTR, zero tillage in amalgamation with remainder integration) & ZTR-ZTR and three weed management practices viz. H (suggested herbicide in maize)-H (suggested herbicide in wheat), IWM-IWM (IWM, integrated weed supervision) & HW-HW; (HW, hand weeding) were calculated in strip plot design. Significant differences (p = 0.05) of weed density and total weed count were recorded during summer (maize) and winter (wheat) seasons. Among tillage treatments, lowest weed population and total weed population were recorded in conservation tillage (ZTR-ZTR) in summer and conservative tillage followed by zero tillage in winter season (CT-ZT), respectively. IWM-IWM and H-H had a least weed population and total weed population in summer and winter seasons, respectively. Highest important value index during summer and winter seasons was recorded in Echinochloa colona (55.90%) and Avena ludoviciana (76.99%), respectively. Higher Shannon Wiener index and Evenness were recorded for CT+HW-CT+HW (1.83, 0.91) and ZT+IWM-ZTR+IWM (1.73, 0.86) which indicate higher weed species diversity during summer and winter seasons, respectively. ZTR-ZTR led to less diverse weed diversity compared to intensive conventional tillage (CT-CT) practices. However, higher Simpson’s diversity was recorded for CT+HW-CT+HW, i.e. 0.83 and 0.82 for maize and wheat, respectively, compared to the other conventional tillage treatments. This study helps in understanding the crop-weed relation such that the implementation of sound and economic weeds management strategies. Further, long-term experiments are required in order to interpret the complicated relationships of diverse weed species under different tillage and weed management strategies for sustainable and adoptive conservation agriculture production system for North Western Himalayas.

Long-term trends in migrating Brassicogethes aeneus in the UK.

The pollen beetle (Brassicogethes aeneus) causes significant yield loss in oilseed rape (Brassica napus). Predicting population changes remains a scientific challenge, especially since its phenology and abundance varies dramatically over space and time. We used generalized additive models to investigate the long-term trends in pollen beetle annual, seasonal and monthly counts from Rothamsted 12.2 m suction-traps. We hypothesised that the beetle's abundance is positively related to the area of oilseed rape at a national and regional level. We used random forest models to investigate the inter-generational relationship within years. Although Brassicogethes aeneus annual counts and area of oilseed rape grown in the UK both increased by 162% and 113%, respectively, over the time period studied, they were not significantly related. The size of the immigrating pollen beetle population (up to 1 June) can be explained both by the size of the population in the previous summer and prevailing winter temperatures, indicating a positive feedback mechanism. Currently, pollen beetle numbers continue to increase in the UK, meaning that control issues may persist. However the relationship between counts in spring, during the susceptible phase of the crop, and counts in the previous summer indicates that it may be possible to forecast the counts of the spring migration of Brassicogethes aeneus a few months in advance using suction-trap samples, which could aid decisions on control options. © 2023 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Tropospheric formaldehyde levels infer ambient formaldehyde-induced brain diseases and global burden in China, 2013–2019

Although air pollutions cause human diseases, no epidemiological study has investigated the effect of exposure to air pollutants on brain diseases in the general population. Our objective was to examine the association between tropospheric airborne pollutants and human health risk and global burden, especially, attributable to indoor formaldehyde (FA) pollution in China. The data of tropospheric pollutants, such as: CO, NO, O3, PM2.5 or PM10, SO2, and FA in China, 2013–2019, which were derived from the database of satellite remote-sensing, were first calculated and then analyzed them according to satellite cloud pictures. The rate of prevalence, incidence, deaths, years of life lost (YLLs), years lived with disability (YLDs), and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) of the Chinese population was obtained from the Global Burden of Diseases (GBD 2010). A linear regression analysis was used to evaluate the relationship between tropospheric FA concentrations and GBD indexes of human brain diseases, the numbers of fire plot, the average summer temperature, population density and car sales in China from 2013 to 2019. Our results showed that the levels of tropospheric FA could reflect the degree of indoor air FA pollution on a nationwide scale in China; in particular, only tropospheric FA exhibited a positive correlation with the rates of both prevalence and YLDs in brain diseases including: Alzheimer's disease (AD) and brain cancer, but not in Parkinson's disease and depression. In particular, the spatial-temporal changes in tropospheric FA levels were consistent with the geographical distribution of FA exposure-induced AD and brain cancer in both sex old adults with age (60–89). In addition, summer average temperature, car sales and population density were positively correlated with tropospheric FA levels in China, 2013–2019. Hence, mapping of tropospheric pollutants could be used for air quality monitoring and health risk assessment.

Trends in Chinook salmon spawner abundance and total run size highlight linkages between life history, geography and decline

AbstractChinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, Salmonidae) are foundational to social‐ecological systems of the Northeast Pacific Rim and exhibit a rich diversity of life histories including in their adult migration timing, age at critical life‐history transitions and marine feeding distributions. In recent decades Chinook have experienced declines across much of their native range; however, changes in productivity and abundance have rarely been evaluated in relation to life‐history variation. To understand trends in Chinook salmon production, and how they are related to life history, we compiled time series data from the Fraser River to the Sacramento River on total run size (pre‐fishery abundance) and escapement (post‐fishery spawner abundance) and fit time series models to estimate trends across this bioregion. Our analysis revealed that most Chinook populations are declining, with negative trends in escapement (57 of 79) and total run (16 of 23) size. Trends were most acutely negative for interior spring Chinook in the Fraser, Columbia and Snake Rivers and most populations in California. Summer and fall Chinook had mixed trends, with several summer and fall upriver bright populations in the interior Columbia and Fraser exhibiting increases in abundance from the 1990s to 2019. Our research reveals widespread declines of this important species, but local complexity in trends that are mediated by population‐level life history, migratory behaviours and watershed‐scale restoration actions. Understanding linkages between life histories and resilience should inform rebuilding efforts for Chinook salmon and highlight the need to conserve intraspecific biodiversity.

Long-term monitoring of cycles in Clethrionomys rutilus in the Yukon boreal forest.

Baseline studies of small rodent populations in undisturbed ecosystems are rare. We report here 50 years of monitoring and experimentation in Yukon of a dominant rodent species in the North American boreal forest, the red-backed vole Clethrionomys rutilus. These voles breed in summer, weigh 20-25 g, and reach a maximum density of 20 to 25 per ha. Their populations have shown consistent 3-4-year cycles for the last 50 years with the only change being that peak densities averaged 8/ha until 2000 and 18/ha since that year. During the last 25 years, we have measured food resources, predator numbers, and winter weather, and for 1-year social interactions, to estimate their contribution to changes in the rate of summer increase and the rate of overwinter decline. All these potential limiting factors could contribute to changes in density, and we measured their relative contributions statistically with multiple regressions. The rate of winter decline in density was related to both food supply and winter severity. The rate of summer increase was related to summer berry crops and white spruce cone production. No measure of predator numbers was related to winter or summer changes in vole abundance. There was a large signal of climate change effects in these populations. There is no density dependence in summer population growth and only a weak one in winter population declines. None of our results provide a clear understanding of what generates 3-4-year cycles in these voles, and the major missing piece may be an understanding of social interactions at high density.

Photoperiodic adaptation of aanat and clock gene expression in seasonal populations of Daphnia pulex

ABSTRACT Changes in day-length entrain the endogenous clock of organisms leading to complex responses to photoperiod. In long-lived organisms experiencing several seasons this response of the clock to photoperiod is phenotypically plastic. However, short-lived organisms often experience a single season without pronounced changes in day-length. For those, a plastic response of the clock to different seasons would not necessarily be adaptive. In aquatic ecosystems, zooplankton species like Daphnia live only for some weeks, i.e. one week up to ca. two months. However, they often show a succession of clones that are seasonally adapted to environmental changes. Here, we found that 16 Daphnia clones per each of three seasons ( = 48 clones) from the same pond and year differed in clock gene expression with a homogenous gene expression pattern in ephippia-hatched spring clones and a bimodal expression pattern in summer and autumn populations indicating an ongoing adaptation process. We clearly demonstrate that spring clones were adapted to a short, and summer clones to a long photoperiod. Furthermore, we found that gene expression of the melatonin-synthesis enzyme AANAT was always lowest in summer clones. In the Anthropocene, Daphnia’s clock might be disturbed by light-pollution and global warming. Since Daphnia is a key-organism in trophic carbon transfer, a disruption of its clock rhythm would be devastating for the stability of freshwater ecosystems. Our results are an important step in understanding the adaptation of Daphnia’s clock to environmental changes.

Whole-body adipose tissue multi-omic analyses in sheep reveal molecular mechanisms underlying local adaptation to extreme environments

The fat tail of sheep is an important organ that has evolved to adapt to extreme environments. However, the genetic mechanisms underlying the fat tail phenotype remain poorly understood. Here, we characterize transcriptome and lipidome profiles and morphological changes in 250 adipose tissues from two thin-tailed and three fat-tailed sheep populations in summer and winter. We implement whole-genome selective sweep tests to identify genetic variants related to fat-tails. We identify a set of functional genes that show differential expression in the tail fat of fat-tailed and thin-tailed sheep in summer and winter. These genes are significantly enriched in pathways, such as lipid metabolism, extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling, molecular transport, and inflammatory response. In contrast to thin-tailed sheep, tail fat from fat-tailed sheep show slighter changes in adipocyte size, ECM remodeling, and lipid metabolism, and had less inflammation in response to seasonal changes, indicating improved homeostasis. Whole-genome selective sweep tests identify genes involved in preadipocyte commitment (e.g., BMP2, PDGFD) and terminal adipogenic differentiation (e.g., VEGFA), which could contribute to enhanced adipocyte hyperplasia. Altogether, we establish a model of regulatory networks regulating adipose homeostasis in sheep tails. These findings improve our understanding of how adipose homeostasis is maintained, in response to extreme environments in animals.

Population dynamics of walnut aphid, Chromaphis juglandicola Kaltenbach, 1843 (Hemiptera: Aphididae) on Juglans regia (Walnut) in Kashmir

Regarded as one of the economically important crops of Kashmir, walnut trees are vulnerable to insect pests and diseases leading to great economic losses every year, thus to have knowledge about various factors that leads to it, is indispensable. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the population dynamics in terms of abundance and distribution of Chromaphis juglandicola in response to biotic and abiotic factors. Sites were monitored for two years from January 2017 to December 2018, in which five trees were randomly selected from two sites and each site was visited fortnightly. The counted collected specimens were identified and sampling protocol was established by seasonal richness peaks. The data depicted that C. juglandicola showed definite seasonal trend with highest population in summer and lowest in autumn with peak population in the month of June. Further, it was observed aphidophagous coccinellids also played a significant role in controlling aphid population. Six beetles were reported during two years of study out of which Calvia punctata and Harmonia diamadata were most abundant.

Reduction in overwinter body condition and size of Pacific sand lance has implications for piscivorous predators during marine heatwaves

Acute anomalous ocean warming events, including marine heatwaves (MHWs), have significant effects on reproduction and survival of piscivorous seabirds. Additionally, MHWs have negative effects on seabird fish prey, exacerbating these consequences and resulting in population implications for seabirds. We evaluated the relative body condition of Pacific sand lance Ammodytes personatus, an important seabird forage species, in Haro Strait, a highly productive region of southern British Columbia, Canada. We compared body condition and length of fish cohorts that experienced the 2016 MHW year (MHW cohorts) with fish hatched during 3 subsequent post MHW years (2017-2019). Age-0 MHW cohorts had a seasonal decline in body condition in age-0 fish from 100% in the summer to 81% in the winter, while age-1 fish showed a decline from summer-fall highs of 93.5% to wintertime low of 79.5%. In comparison, post MHW cohorts had a winter body condition that was 2-4 times higher than their MHW cohorts. Similar to previous studies in Alaska during the MHW, age-1 fish failed to grow and reach the typical size that distinguishes them from age-0 fish. Poor sand lance condition and growth in winter may explain the ramifications of a warming ocean for top predators, including seabirds and Pacific salmon, which depend on these prey fish in Haro Strait. Our results support the idea that Haro Strait, which is influenced by estuarine circulation resulting in cooler temperatures than surrounding areas, serves as a climate refugium for sand lance populations in summer and provides buffering capacity to ocean climate warming events.

Association between outdoor air pollution and chronic rhinosinusitis patient reported outcomes

BackgroundThe aetiology of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is multifactorial with a complex interplay between environmental, microbial endogenous and genetic factors. The impact of outdoor air pollution on prevalence or severity of CRS remains largely unknown.MethodsReal-life geolocation data (2017–2018, Belgium) from 278 CRS patients (2576 health records) using the mySinusitisCoach mobile application were analysed to calculate the patients’ individual exposure to outdoor air pollutants (ozone (O3), black carbon (BC), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulate matter with diameter < 2.5 μm (PM2.5)) and to associate these pollutants with the patients’ sinus related symptoms measured at multiple occasions by visual analogue scale (VAS).ResultsThe adjusted seasonal model for the spring–summer (n = 1000 health entries, N = 83 patients) population revealed an increase of 6.07 (p < 0.0001) in overall CRS symptom scoring for an interquartile range (IQR) increase in exposure to O3 (26.9 μg/m3). An increase of 1.69 (p = 0.05) in total CRS symptom scoring was observed for an IQR increase of PM2.5 (7.1 µg/m3) exposure. Sex-stratified analysis in the spring–summer population showed significant interaction between air pollution and sex with male patients having higher total CRS symptom scores for an IQR increase in exposure to PM2.5 (3.52, p = 0.001), and O3 (8.33, p < 0.0001), while no significant association with symptom severity was seen in the female patients. In the analysis stratified by comorbid asthma, CRS patients with comorbid asthma had higher total CRS symptoms for an IQR increase in exposure to PM2.5 (2.58, p = 0.04) and O3 (7.72, p < 0.0001) while the patients without comorbid asthma had no significant symptom increases.ConclusionExposure to outdoor air pollution is associated with increased symptom severity in CRS patients. The extent to which CRS patients are sensitive to outdoor air pollution exposure varies per season and depends on their sex and comorbid asthma status. mHealth technology has the potential to reveal novel insights on the patients’ exposome and disease severity in the real-life situation.