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The demography of vertebrate populations is governed in part by processes operating at large spatial scales that have synchronizing effects on demographic parameters over large geographic areas, and in part, by local processes that generate fluctuations that are independent across populations. We describe a statistical model for the analysis of individual monitoring data at the multi-population scale that allows us to (1) split up temporal variation in survival into two components that account for these two types of processes and (2) evaluate the role of environmental factors in generating these two components. We derive from this model an index of synchrony among populations in the pattern of temporal variation in survival, and we evaluate the extent to which environmental factors contribute to synchronize or desynchronize survival variation among populations. When applied to individual monitoring data from four colonies of the Atlantic Puffin (Fratercula arctica), 67% of between-year variance in adult survival was accounted for by a global spatial-scale component, indicating substantial synchrony among colonies. Local sea surface temperature (SST) accounted for 40% of the global spatial-scale component but also for an equally large fraction of the local-scale component. SST thus acted at the same time as both a synchronizing and a desynchronizing agent. Between-year variation in adult survival not explained by the effect of local SST was as synchronized as total between-year variation, suggesting that other unknown environmental factors acted as synchronizing agents. Our approach, which focuses on demographic mechanisms at the multi-population scale, ideally should be combined with investigations of population size time series in order to characterize thoroughly the processes that underlie patterns of multi-population dynamics and, ultimately, range dynamics.

Despite contrasting population trends ranging from -3 to +11% per annum, the annual survival rates of Atlantic puffins Fratercula arctica in the 5 colonies spanning the species range in the east Atlantic were virtually identical over a 10 to 15 yr period, giving no support to the hypothesis that variation in population growth rates is driven by adult survival. The extent to which survival varied among years differed markedly between colonies. Similarities between colonies in the patterns of inter-annual variation in survival did not reflect similarities in wintering areas, as indicated by recoveries of ringed birds, nor the geographic proximity of the colonies. However, survival in 4 of the 5 colonies correlated with sea surface temperatures around each colony 2 yr earlier. The relationship between survival and sea temperature was positively correlated with the effects of sea temperature on recruitment of the Atlantic puffins main prey species, the lesser sandeel Ammodytes marinus, the herring Clupea harengus and the capelin Mallotus villosus.

Abstract Disclosure: M. Sofia: None. R. Modarelli: None. S. Molsberry: None. S. Denslow: None. D. Zaccaro: None. C. Kamoun: None. N.D. Shaw: None. Background: Primary dysmenorrhea (PD), or menstrual pain of uterine origin without pelvic pathology, affects up to 93% of adolescents and is a leading cause of school and work absenteeism. The theory that PD only occurs when progesterone levels fall in the late-luteal phase, triggering production of uterine prostaglandins, has dominated the literature. However, recent studies identifying PD among girls with anovulatory cycles cast doubt on this theory. We took advantage of an ongoing longitudinal study of healthy early post-menarchal girls to test the hypothesis that ovulation is associated with increased PD and to explore other participant factors associated with PD. Methods: Participants contributed daily urine samples to measure Cr-corrected LH, estrone conjugates, and pregnanediol-3-glucuronide [PdG], completed menstrual diaries, and reported dysmenorrhea symptoms using the 24-item Menstrual Symptom Questionnaire (MSQ) approximately biannually. A cycle was defined as ovulatory if peak PdG >2500 ng/mg Cr. Scores were natural log-transformed and modeled to assess associations with gynecologic age, ovulation, anxiety, depression, and physical activity exposures using generalized estimating equations with a normal distribution and autoregressive covariance structure. Models were adjusted for age at menarche, baseline BMI Z-score, race, ethnicity, maternal age at menarche, parental education and employment, and gynecologic age (ovulation models only). Results: The 43 participants were 12.38 ± 1.06 years old (mean ± SD) with a gynecologic age of 2.99 ± 2.22 months. The majority were non-Hispanic White and of normal weight. Average maternal age at menarche was 12.64 ± 1.09 years. Among parents of participants, most were both at least college-educated and nearly 50% were both employed. Participants completed 155 MSQs (1-9/participant). Dysmenorrhea scores increased over time (scores 1.14x higher for every 1-year increase in gynecologic age, p<0.001). Dysmenorrhea scores were 1.12x higher (p=0.03) if the preceding cycle was ovulatory vs. anovulatory and 1.11x higher if all cycles in the preceding 6 months were ovulatory vs all anovulatory (p=0.11). Gynecologic age remained significant in models with ovulation-based exposures, and maternal age at menarche was inversely associated with dysmenorrhea score (beta -0.08, p=0.04) in the model with gynecologic age as the exposure. Conclusion: In early-postmenarchal girls, dysmenorrhea scores were higher when associated with ovulatory cycles but also increased over time independent of ovulatory status, suggesting a pathophysiologic role for progesterone and other unknown factors. There was no association between age at menarche, BMI, race/ethnicity, and dysmenorrhea scores whereas maternal age at menarche was inversely associated with dysmenorrhea scores. Presentation: 6/1/2024

Abstract Disclosure: M. Sofia: None. R. Modarelli: None. S. Molsberry: None. S. Denslow: None. D. Zaccaro: None. C. Kamoun: None. N.D. Shaw: None. Background: Primary dysmenorrhea (PD), or menstrual pain of uterine origin without pelvic pathology, affects up to 93% of adolescents and is a leading cause of school and work absenteeism. The theory that PD only occurs when progesterone levels fall in the late-luteal phase, triggering production of uterine prostaglandins, has dominated the literature. However, recent studies identifying PD among girls with anovulatory cycles cast doubt on this theory. We took advantage of an ongoing longitudinal study of healthy early post-menarchal girls to test the hypothesis that ovulation is associated with increased PD and to explore other participant factors associated with PD. Methods: Participants contributed daily urine samples to measure Cr-corrected LH, estrone conjugates, and pregnanediol-3-glucuronide [PdG], completed menstrual diaries, and reported dysmenorrhea symptoms using the 24-item Menstrual Symptom Questionnaire (MSQ) approximately biannually. A cycle was defined as ovulatory if peak PdG >2500 ng/mg Cr. Scores were natural log-transformed and modeled to assess associations with gynecologic age, ovulation, anxiety, depression, and physical activity exposures using generalized estimating equations with a normal distribution and autoregressive covariance structure. Models were adjusted for age at menarche, baseline BMI Z-score, race, ethnicity, maternal age at menarche, parental education and employment, and gynecologic age (ovulation models only). Results: The 43 participants were 12.38 ± 1.06 years old (mean ± SD) with a gynecologic age of 2.99 ± 2.22 months. The majority were non-Hispanic White and of normal weight. Average maternal age at menarche was 12.64 ± 1.09 years. Among parents of participants, most were both at least college-educated and nearly 50% were both employed. Participants completed 155 MSQs (1-9/participant). Dysmenorrhea scores increased over time (scores 1.14x higher for every 1-year increase in gynecologic age, p<0.001). Dysmenorrhea scores were 1.12x higher (p=0.03) if the preceding cycle was ovulatory vs. anovulatory and 1.11x higher if all cycles in the preceding 6 months were ovulatory vs all anovulatory (p=0.11). Gynecologic age remained significant in models with ovulation-based exposures, and maternal age at menarche was inversely associated with dysmenorrhea score (beta -0.08, p=0.04) in the model with gynecologic age as the exposure. Conclusion: In early-postmenarchal girls, dysmenorrhea scores were higher when associated with ovulatory cycles but also increased over time independent of ovulatory status, suggesting a pathophysiologic role for progesterone and other unknown factors. There was no association between age at menarche, BMI, race/ethnicity, and dysmenorrhea scores whereas maternal age at menarche was inversely associated with dysmenorrhea scores. Presentation: 6/1/2024

Abstract Context In children, growth hormone (GH) pulses occur after sleep onset in association with slow-wave sleep (SWS). There have been no studies in children to quantify the effect of disrupted sleep on GH secretion. Objective This study aimed to investigate the effect of acute sleep disruption on GH secretion in pubertal children. Methods Fourteen healthy individuals (aged 11.3-14.1 years) were randomly assigned to 2 overnight polysomnographic studies, 1 with and 1 without SWS disruption via auditory stimuli, with frequent blood sampling to measure GH. Results Auditory stimuli delivered during the disrupted sleep night caused a 40.0 ± 7.8% decrease in SWS. On SWS-disrupted sleep nights, the rate of GH pulses during N2 sleep was significantly lower than during SWS (IRR = 0.56; 95% CI, 0.32-0.97). There were no differences in GH pulse rates during the various sleep stages or wakefulness in disrupted compared with undisrupted sleep nights. SWS disruption had no effect on GH pulse amplitude and frequency or basal GH secretion. Conclusion In pubertal children, GH pulses were temporally associated with episodes of SWS. Acute disruption of sleep via auditory tones during SWS did not alter GH secretion. These results indicate that SWS may not be a direct stimulus of GH secretion.

There are many interesting aspects to price fixing. Those that are generally accepted follow:

Today's editorial about education is timely. The prejudiced noise and shouting, our succession of failures in peace and war, our complete lack of appreciation as to the causes of poverty [of purse and mind] in the presence of an abundance [of goods and knowledge] are largely due to educa-...