Modeling larval connectivity of coral reef organisms in the Kenya-Tanzania region

Most coral reef organisms have a bipartite life-cycle; they are site attached to reefs as adults but have pelagic larval stages that allow them to disperse to other reefs. Connectivity among coral reef patches is critical to the survival of local populations of reef organisms, and requires movement across gaps that are not suitable habitat for recruitment. Knowledge of population connectivity among individual reef habitats within a broader geographic region of coral reefs has been identified as key to developing efficient spatial management strategies to protect marine ecosystems. The study of larval connectivity of marine organisms is a complex multidisciplinary challenge that is difficult to address by direct observation alone. An approach that couples ocean circulation models with individual based models (IBMs) of larvae with different degrees of life-history complexity has been previously used to assess connectivity patterns in several coral reef regions (e.g., the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) and the Caribbean). We applied the IBM particle tracking approach to the Kenya-Tanzania region, which exhibits strong seasonality in the alongshore currents due to the influence of the monsoon. A 3-dimensional (3D) ocean circulation model with 2 km horizontal resolution was coupled to IBMs that track virtual larvae released from each of 661 reef habitats, associated with 15 distinct regions. Given that reefs provide homes to numerous species, each with distinctive, and in aggregate very diverse life-histories, several life-history scenarios were modeled to examine the variety of dispersal and connectivity patterns possible. We characterize virtual larvae of Acropora corals and Acanthurus surgeonfish, two coral reef inhabitants with greatly differing pelagic life-histories, to examine the effects of short (50 days) pelagic larval durations (PLD), differences in swimming abilities (implemented as reef perception distances), and active depth keeping in reef connectivity. Acropora virtual larvae were modeled as 3D passive particles with a precompetency period of 4 days, a total PLD of 12 days and a perception distance of 10 m. Acanthurus virtual larvae were characterized by 50 days precompetency period, a total PLD of 72 days and a perception distance of 4 km. Acanthurus virtual larvae were modeled in two ways — as 3D passive particles and including an idealized ontogenetic vertical migration behavior. A range of distances within which larvae were able to perceive reefs and directionally swim to settle on them during the competency period were evaluated. The influence of interannual environmental variations was assessed for two years (2000, 2005) of contrasting physics. The spatial scale of connectivity is much smaller for the short PLD coral, with successful connections restricted to a 1° radius (~100 km) around source reefs. In contrast, long distance connections from the southern to the northernmost reefs (~950 km) are common for virtual Acanthurids. Successful settlement for virtual Acropora larvae was 20% overall, with cross-region recruitment much increased compared to the coral larvae. Approximately 8% of Acropora larvae that successfully settled, recruited to their source reef (self-recruitment), an important proportion compared to only 1-2 % self-recruitment for Acanthurus. These rates and dispersal distances are similar to previous modelling studies of similar species in other coral reef regions and agree well with the few observational studies within the Kenya-Tanzania region

“We Are Asking Why You Treat Us This Way. Is It Because We Are Negroes?” A Reparations-Based Approach to Remedying the Trump Administration’s Cancellation of TPS Protections for Haitians

This Article places the Trump Administration’s decision to cancel TPS for Haitians within the longer history of U.S. racism and exclusion against Haiti and Haitians, observes the legal challenges against this decision and their limitations, and imagines a future that repairs the harms caused by past and current racist policies. First, this Article briefly outlines the history of exclusionary, race-based immigration laws in the United States, and specifically how this legal framework, coupled with existing anti-Black ideologies in the United States, directly impacted Haitians and Haitian immigrants arriving in the United States. Next, the Article provides an overview of the TPS decision-making process, the Trump Administration’s openly racist comments against Haitians and other people of color before and during the decision-making process to cancel TPS, and the departure from the established administrative process for TPS cancellation. The Article then reviews the legal challenges against TPS cancellation and the arguments that the decision violated the Equal Protection Clause and how such efforts reveal the limitations of litigation as a tool to achieve social justice. Looking towards the future, this Article discusses reparations and remittances as creative ways to repair some of the damage wrought by the United States’ history of racial discrimination in immigration and foreign policy against Haitians. Specifically, this Article explores three solutions: (1) recognizing the harms caused specifically to Haitians by the United States’ exclusionary foreign affairs and immigration policies; (2) using material and non-material forms of reparations, including extending TPS, offering a pathway for citizenship for TPS holders, or offering Haitian TPS recipients benefits to public programs; and (3) valuing the role remittances play in affirming Haitians’ autonomy and working towards eroding decades of imperialistic treatment of Haitians

La roya negra (Mycosphaerella fijiensis Morelet) del plátano y del banano, 1. Ciclo de vida del patógeno bajo las condiciones del Urabá.

Con el objeto de establecer el ciclo de vida de Mycosphaerella fijensis y caracterizar los síntomas de la enfermedad, se realizaron inoculaciones en hojas de plantas de banano y plátano con ascosporas del hongo y 2 técnicas diferentes. Los síntomas de la enfermedad formados sobre las hojas infectadas, coincidieron con las descripciones efectuadas en Hawai y Centroamérica. El período de incubación durante el invierno fue 18 dias en banano y 29 en plátano, y el período de latencia o ciclo asexual fue de 26 y 34 días, respectivamente. El ciclo sexual hasta la formación de ascosporas duró 49 días en banano y 64 en plátano. Durante los meses de verano el ciclo asexual duró 37 días en banao y 41 en plátano, y el ciclo sexual 84 días en banano y 115 en plátano, presentando una mayor duración con respecto al invierno, por efecto de las condiciones ambientales. Durante su fase asexual que aparece desde el estado de estría, el hongo presenta características morfológicas idénticas al descrito como Paracercospora fijiensisPlátano-Musa sapientumBanano- Musa acuminata - Musa paradisiac

Fungicides Aplication as a Potential Method Against Witches'Broom (Crinipellis perniciosa of Cocoa)

An experiment was carried out to find an alternative for the control of Crinipellis perniciosa. The systemic fungicides pyracarbolid, oxicarboxin, triadimephon and a mineral oil were evaluated under field conditions. Three types of brooms were sprayed twice during the highest peak of sporulation. A high inhibition of sporulation was observed with mineral oil alone or mixed with fungicides. Good sporulation inhibition was also observed when oxicarboxin was applied in water. Sporulation of brooms on trees was lower in those sprayed with oil or fungicides in oil. Green and dry brooms detached from trees and hugh up under the canopy, produced significantly fewer basidiocarps than the control. An integrated program of control could be used taking in consideration the fungicide effectivity, spray cover and disease cycle.Buscando alternativas de control contra Crinipellis perniciosa, los fungicidas sistémicos pyracarbolid, oxicarboxin, triadimephon y el aceite agricola fueron evaluados baja condiciones de campo. Dos aspersiones de fungicida se aplicaron a tres tipos de escobas durante Ia época de mayor esporulación. Una alta inhibición en Ia formación de basidiocarpos se obtuvo con el aceite solo o en cualquiera de sus mezclas. De los fungicidas aplicados en agua, el oxicarboxin presentó buen cornportamiento. Las escobas verdes adheridas a los árboles fueron eficientemente inhibidas por el aceite o sus mezclas. Las escobas verdes y secas removidas de los árboles presentaron significativamente menos basidiocarpos que el control. La efectividad del fungicida, Ia cobertura y el ciclo del hongo son discutidos dentro de un contexto de control integrado de Ia enfermedad.Cacao-Theobroma caca

Trends in Characteristics of Patients Listed for Liver Transplantation Will Lead to Higher Rates of Waitlist Removal Due to Clinical Deterioration

BACKGROUND: Changes in the epidemiology of end-stage liver disease may lead to increased risk of dropout from the liver transplant waitlist. Anticipating the future of liver transplant waitlist characteristics is vital when considering organ allocation policy. METHODS: We performed a discrete event simulation to forecast patient characteristics and rate of waitlist dropout. Estimates were simulated from 2015 to 2025. The model was informed by data from the Organ Procurement and Transplant Network, 2003 to 2014. National data are estimated along with forecasts for 2 regions. RESULTS: Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis will increase from 18% of waitlist additions to 22% by 2025. Hepatitis C will fall from 30% to 21%. Listings over age 60 years will increase from 36% to 48%. The hazard of dropout will increase from 41% to 46% nationally. Wait times for transplant for patients listed with a Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) between 22 and 27 will double. Region 5, which transplants at relatively higher MELD scores, will experience an increase from 53% to 64% waitlist dropout. Region 11, which transplants at lower MELD scores, will have an increase in waitlist dropout from 30% to 44%. CONCLUSIONS: The liver transplant waitlist size will remain static over the next decade due to patient dropout. Liver transplant candidates will be older, more likely to have nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and will wait for transplantation longer even when listed at a competitive MELD score. There will continue to be significant heterogeneity among transplant regions where some patients will be more likely to drop out of the waitlist than receive a transplant

Declining liver graft quality threatens the future of liver transplantation in the United States

National liver transplantation (LT) volume has declined since 2006, in part because of worsening donor organ quality. Trends that degrade organ quality are expected to continue over the next 2 decades. We used the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) database to inform a 20-year discrete event simulation estimating LT volume from 2010 to 2030. Data to inform the model were obtained from deceased organ donors between 2000 and 2009. If donor liver utilization practices remain constant, utilization will fall from 78% to 44% by 2030, resulting in 2230 fewer LTs. If transplant centers increase their risk tolerance for marginal grafts, utilization would decrease to 48%. The institution of "opt-out" organ donation policies to increase the donor pool would still result in 1380 to 1866 fewer transplants. Ex vivo perfusion techniques that increase the use of marginal donor livers may stabilize LT volume. Otherwise, the number of LTs in the United States will decrease substantially over the next 15 years. In conclusion, the transplant community will need to accept inferior grafts and potentially worse posttransplant outcomes and/or develop new strategies for increasing organ donation and utilization in order to maintain the number of LTs at the current level

Propiedades psicométricas del cuestionario de percepción de justicia en la lectura de la prensa deportiva

Introducción. El presente estudio analiza las propiedades psico- métricas del cuestionario de percepción de justicia en la lectura de la pren- sa deportiva. Apoyados en la teoría organizacional del ámbito del trabajo (Greenberg, 1987) y en el cuestionario de percepción de justicia de Colquitt (2001), se adaptaron los conceptos al ámbito de la prensa deportiva, dado que no existen instrumentos que midan la inuencia de la lectura de la prensa deportiva sobre la percepción de justicia de los lectores. Método. La muestra se compuso de 220 participantes, 166 hombres y 54 mujeres, con edades de 20,72 ± 3,08 años (18-41 años). Se realizaron análisis factoriales exploratorio y conrmatorio para analizar la estructura factorial del cues- tionario con dos submuestras divididas aleatoriamente. Resultados. Los resultados mostraron la viabilidad y adecuación de una estructura con tres factores (justicia informacional, justicia interpersonal, justicia distributiva) con adecuados índices de ajuste de validez y abilidad, mostrando eviden- cias consistentes de la estructura factorial obtenida. Discusión. Disponer de un instrumento válido para medir la percepción de justicia que origina la lectura de la prensa deportiva en los lectores podrá en el futuro originar lí- neas de investigación de gran interés social y cientíco. Estas líneas podrán abrir nuevos conocimientos en la psicología del deporte que nos permitan actuar de modo más adecuado en el tratamiento de los eventos deportivos mediáticos.