Sampling a Littoral Fish Assemblage: Comparison of Small-Mesh Fyke Netting and Boat Electrofishing

We compared small-mesh (4-mm) fyke netting and boat electrofishing for sampling a littoral fish assemblage in Muskegon Lake, Michigan. We hypothesized that fyke netting selects for small-bodied fishes and electrofishing selects for large-bodied fishes. Three sites were sampled during May (2004 and 2005), July (2005 only), and September (2004 and 2005). We found that the species composition of captured fish differed considerably between fyke netting and electrofishing based on nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS). Species strongly associated with fyke netting (based on NMDS and relative abundance) included the brook silverside Labidesthes sicculus, banded killifish Fundulus diaphanus, round goby Neogobius melanostomus, mimic shiner Notropis volucellus, and bluntnose minnow Pimephales notatus, whereas species associated with electrofishing included the Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, catostomids (Moxostoma spp. and Catostomus spp.), freshwater drum Aplodinotus grunniens, walleye Sander vitreus, gizzard shad Dorosoma cepedianum, and common carp Cyprinus carpio. The total length of fish captured by electrofishing was 12.8 cm (95% confidence interval ¼ 5.5– 17.2 cm) greater than that of fish captured by fyke netting. Size selectivity of the gears contributed to differences in species composition of the fish captured, supporting our initial hypothesis. Thus, small-mesh fyke nets and boat electrofishers provided complementary information on a littoral fish assemblage. Our results support use of multiple gear types in monitoring and research surveys of fish assemblages. Copyright by the American Fisheries Society 2007, Originally published in the North American Journal of Fisheries Management 27: 825-831, 2007

Who I Am: The Meaning of Early Adolescents’ Most Valued Activities and Relationships, and Implications for Self-Concept Research

Self-concept research in early adolescence typically measures young people’s self-perceptions of competence in specific, adult-defined domains. However, studies have rarely explored young people’s own views of valued self-concept factors and their meanings. For two major self domains, the active and the social self, this mixed-methods study identified factors valued most by 526 young people from socioeconomically diverse backgrounds in Ireland (10-12 years), and explored the meanings associated with these in a stratified subsample (n = 99). Findings indicate that self-concept scales for early adolescence omit active and social self factors and meanings valued by young people, raising questions about content validity of scales in these domains. Findings also suggest scales may under-represent girls’ active and social selves; focus too much on some school-based competencies; and, in omitting intrinsically salient self domains and meanings, may focus more on contingent (extrinsic) rather than true (intrinsic) self-esteem

Machine and human observable differences in groups’ collaborative problem-solving behaviours

This paper contributes to our understanding of how to design learning analytics to capture and analyse collaborative problem-solving (CPS) in practice-based learning activities. Most research in learning analytics focuses on student interaction in digital learning environments, yet still most learning and teaching in schools occurs in physical environments. Investigation of student interaction in physical environments can be used to generate observable differences among students, which can then be used in the design and implementation of Learning Analytics. Here, we present several original methods for identifying such differences in groups CPS behaviours. Our data set is based on human observation, hand position (fiducial marker) and heads direction (face recognition) data from eighteen students working in six groups of three. The results show that the high competent CPS groups spend an equal distribution of time on their problem-solving and collaboration stages. Whereas, the low competent CPS groups spend most of their time in identifying knowledge and skill deficiencies only. Moreover, as machine observable data shows, high competent CPS groups present symmetrical contributions to the physical tasks and present high synchrony and individual accountability values. The findings have significant implications on the design and implementation of future learning analytics systems

Direct Hopf Bifurcation in Parametric Resonance of Hybridized Waves

We study parametric resonance of interacting waves having the same wave vector and frequency. In addition to the well-known period-doubling instability we show that under certain conditions the instability is caused by a Hopf bifurcation leading to quasiperiodic traveling waves. It occurs, for example, if the group velocities of both waves have different signs and the damping is weak. The dynamics above the threshold is briefly discussed. Examples concerning ferromagnetic spin waves and surface waves of ferro fluids are discussed.Comment: Appears in Phys. Rev. Lett., RevTeX file and three postscript figures. Packaged using the 'uufiles' utility, 33 k

Climate vulnerability assessment for Pacific salmon and steelhead in the California Current Large Marine Ecosystem.

Major ecological realignments are already occurring in response to climate change. To be successful, conservation strategies now need to account for geographical patterns in traits sensitive to climate change, as well as climate threats to species-level diversity. As part of an effort to provide such information, we conducted a climate vulnerability assessment that included all anadromous Pacific salmon and steelhead (Oncorhynchus spp.) population units listed under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Using an expert-based scoring system, we ranked 20 attributes for the 28 listed units and 5 additional units. Attributes captured biological sensitivity, or the strength of linkages between each listing unit and the present climate; climate exposure, or the magnitude of projected change in local environmental conditions; and adaptive capacity, or the ability to modify phenotypes to cope with new climatic conditions. Each listing unit was then assigned one of four vulnerability categories. Units ranked most vulnerable overall were Chinook (O. tshawytscha) in the California Central Valley, coho (O. kisutch) in California and southern Oregon, sockeye (O. nerka) in the Snake River Basin, and spring-run Chinook in the interior Columbia and Willamette River Basins. We identified units with similar vulnerability profiles using a hierarchical cluster analysis. Life history characteristics, especially freshwater and estuary residence times, interplayed with gradations in exposure from south to north and from coastal to interior regions to generate landscape-level patterns within each species. Nearly all listing units faced high exposures to projected increases in stream temperature, sea surface temperature, and ocean acidification, but other aspects of exposure peaked in particular regions. Anthropogenic factors, especially migration barriers, habitat degradation, and hatchery influence, have reduced the adaptive capacity of most steelhead and salmon populations. Enhancing adaptive capacity is essential to mitigate for the increasing threat of climate change. Collectively, these results provide a framework to support recovery planning that considers climate impacts on the majority of West Coast anadromous salmonids

High-sensitivity cardiac troponin I improves cardiovascular risk prediction in older men: HIMS (The Health in Men Study)

Background: The Framingham Risk Score estimates the 10-year risk of cardiovascular events. However, it performs poorly in older adults. We evaluated the incremental benefit of adding high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) to the Framingham Risk Score. Methods and Results: The HIMS (Health in Men Study) is a cohort study of community-dwelling men aged 70 to 89 years in Western Australia. Participants were identified from the electoral roll, with a subset undergoing plasma analysis. Hs-cTnI (Abbott Architect i2000SR) was measured in 1151 men without prior cardiovascular disease. The Western Australia Data Linkage System was used to identify incident cardiovascular events. After 10 years of follow-up, 252 men (22%) had a cardiovascular event (CVE+) and 899 did not (CVE–). The Framingham Risk Score placed 148 (59%) CVE+ and 415 (46%) CVE– in the high-risk category. In CVE– men, adding hs-cTnI affected the risk categories of 244 (27.2%) men, with 64.8% appropriately reclassified to a lower and 35.2% to a higher category, which decreased the number of high-risk men in the CVE– to 39%. In CVE+ men, adding hs-cTnI affected the risk categories of 61 (24.2%), with 50.8% appropriately reclassified to a higher and 49.2% to a lower category and 82.5% remaining above the 15% risk treatment threshold. The net reclassification index was 0.305 (P<0.001). Adding hs-cTnI increased the C-statistic modestly from 0.588 (95% CI, 0.552–0.624) to 0.624 (95% CI, 0.589–0.659) and improved model fit (likelihood ratio test, P<0.001). Conclusions: Adding hs-cTnI to the Framingham Risk Score provided incremental prognostic benefit in older men, especially aiding reclassification of individuals into a lower risk category

March 1964

Turf and Lawn Grass Association Better turf through research and Educatio

Minutes 1878

https://place.asburyseminary.edu/freemethodistminutesyearbooks/1016/thumbnail.jp