Bellwethers of change: population modelling of North Pacific humpback whales from 2002 through 2021 reveals shift from recovery to climate response.

For the 40 years after the end of commercial whaling in 1976, humpback whale populations in the North Pacific Ocean exhibited a prolonged period of recovery. Using mark-recapture methods on the largest individual photo-identification dataset ever assembled for a cetacean, we estimated annual ocean-basin-wide abundance for the species from 2002 through 2021. Trends in annual estimates describe strong post-whaling era population recovery from 16 875 (± 5955) in 2002 to a peak abundance estimate of 33 488 (± 4455) in 2012.

Macronutrient composition of sea otter diet with respect to recolonization, life history, and season in southern Southeast Alaska.

The sea otter () population of Southeast Alaska has been growing at a higher rate than other regions along the Pacific coast. While good for the recovery of this endangered species, rapid population growth of this apex predator can create a human-wildlife conflict, negatively impacting commercial and subsistence fishing. Previous foraging studies throughout the sea otter range have shown they will reduce invertebrate prey biomass when recolonizing an area.

Whales in the carbon cycle: can recovery remove carbon dioxide?

The great whales (baleen and sperm whales), through their massive size and wide distribution, influence ecosystem and carbon dynamics. Whales directly store carbon in their biomass and contribute to carbon export through sinking carcasses. Whale excreta may stimulate phytoplankton growth and capture atmospheric CO; such indirect pathways represent the greatest potential for whale-carbon sequestration but are poorly understood.

Effective arteriovenous fistula alternative for hemodialysis access.

Background: The use of autologous arteriovenous fistulae (AVF) for hemodialysis (HD) is the gold standard; however, for many patients at tertiary referral centers, this is not an option.

Methods: We conducted a four year retrospective cohort study to evaluate HD access outcomes with AVF, bovine carotid artery (BCA), and polytetrafluoroethylene arteriovenous graft (PTFE).

Results: The study contained 416 AVF, 175 BCA, and 58 PTFE, N = 649.

Household waste behaviours among a community sample in Iran: an application of the theory of planned behaviour.

Understanding the factors influencing recycling behaviour can lead to better and more effective recycling programs in a community. The goal of this study was to examine factors associated with household waste behaviours in the context of the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) among a community sample of Iranians that included data collection at time 1 and at follow-up one year later at time 2. Study participants were sampled from households under the coverage of eight urban health centers in the city of Qazvin.

Recycling attitudes and behavior among a clinic-based sample of low-income Hispanic women in southeast Texas.

We examined attitudes and behavior surrounding voluntary recycling in a population of low-income Hispanic women. Participants (N = 1,512) 18-55 years of age completed a self-report survey and responded to questions regarding household recycling behavior, recycling knowledge, recycling beliefs, potential barriers to recycling (transportation mode, time), acculturation, demographic characteristics (age, income, employment, marital status, education, number of children, birth country), and social desirability. Forty-six percent of participants (n = 810) indicated that they or someone else in their household recycled.

Sociability of female bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops spp.) and chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes): Understanding evolutionary pathways toward social convergence.

On the northern tip of New Zealand's South Island, bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) occasionally pass through Admiralty Bay in large, fast-traveling groups of 100 or so individuals. Watching such a group race and splash through the water is reminiscent of a stampeding herd of ungulates, cetaceans' closest terrestrial ancestors. At other times, smaller social groups of bottlenose dolphins appear in the bay and provide a glimpse of the behavioral complexity that dolphins share with their distant relatives, the primates (Fig.

Human papillomavirus vaccine decision-making in Da Nang, Vietnam: perceived spousal and adolescent-parent concordance.

This descriptive study examined parents' perceptions of the role of mothers, fathers, and daughters in the decision to have their daughter receive the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine; perceived concordance between spouses and between parents and daughters; and the relationships between vaccine decision-making and (1) who takes the daughter to the doctor, and (2) the daughter's age. Health care workers (N=139) with a daughter 9-21 years old completed a self-administered questionnaire including demographic and HPV vaccine-related questions. Health care workers were employed by Da Nang General Hospital or the Da Nang Center for Reproductive Health Care in Vietnam.

A theory-based approach to understanding follow-up of abnormal Pap tests.

We applied a general theoretical framework to understand intentions to attend recommended follow-up for abnormal Pap results. Participants were 338 women attending university-affiliated clinics. Intention was associated with favorable attitudes toward follow-up (OR = 5.

Demographic, behavioral, and physical correlates of body esteem among low-income female adolescents.

Purpose: To examine demographic, behavioral, and physical correlates of body esteem among female adolescents of lower socioeconomic background.

Methods: Data were collected in a women's health clinic in southeast Texas as part of a larger investigation. A total of 271 female individuals aged 16-21 years completed the Body Esteem Scale (BES), which yields scores for total body esteem, sexual attractiveness, weight concern, and physical condition.

Satisfaction with care among low-income female outpatients.

Patient satisfaction correlates with important health behaviors and outcomes. Little is known about satisfaction in disadvantaged populations of different racial/ethnic backgrounds. The current study evaluated demographic and psychological correlates of patient satisfaction among a low-income, multiethnic sample of female outpatients attending cervical cancer screening.

Are women ready for the HPV vaccine?

Objective: An HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccine will be available soon. Because vaccination for both boys and girls will be critical to reduce the incidence of this disease, we evaluated the willingness of women to accept the HPV vaccine and to consent to having their children vaccinated.

Methods: A 20-item questionnaire was distributed to women who had children between the ages of 8 and 14 years, the likely age range of the children who will be targeted to receive the vaccine.

Poor knowledge regarding the Pap test among low-income women undergoing routine screening.

Context: Many women undergoing cervical cancer screening lack appropriate understanding of the Pap test. It is important to evaluate knowledge and informational needs about Pap testing among groups who may have difficulty accessing care or a relatively low likelihood of obtaining follow-up for an abnormal result, such as minority and low-income women.

Methods: A sample of 338 women undergoing cervical screening at two clinics in Texas completed a questionnaire measuring their knowledge of Pap testing and asking what specific information they would like to know about the test.

In-continuity hepatic resection for advanced hilar cholangiocarcinoma.

Background: The purpose of this study was to examine outcomes of patients undergoing concomitant hepatectomy and bile duct excision for advanced Klatskin tumors.

Methods: Thirty-one patients, 16 men and 15 women, with an average age of 64 years, underwent concomitant biliary and hepatic resections for Klatskin tumors. Outcomes, including complications and survival, are reported.