Determination Of Age, Sex And Origin Of Guillemots (<i>Uria aalge</i>) And Razorbills (<i>Alca torda</i>) Killed In Oilspills And Other Incidents

Large numbers of auks (Alcidae) have died in recent years in a variety of mortality incidents, many of which resulted from oil pollution. This thesis explores the background to determining age, sex and origin of Guillemots Uria aalge and Razorbills Alca torda involved in such incidents, and presents data resulting from the examination of these birds. Ageing factors considered were cloacal bursa, supra-orbital ridge, gonad size, wing and bill measurements, and bill grooves in Razorbills. Most ageing factors were mutually supportive, though as yet there were only few confirmations from known-age birds. Sex determination was usually straight-forward, based on gonadal inspection. Especially in adults, males were on average shorter-winged and bigger—billed than females in both, species; however, individual birds could not safely be sexed from external measurements. Sex ratios, from various mortality incidents, were mainly equal in Razorbills of all ages and in adult Guillemots. Origins of Razorbills could be fixed morphometrically from size (as indicated by winglength and bill depth), which separated most birds of the form torda (breeding in Scandinavia and Russia) from those of the form islandica (breeding in France, Britain, Ireland, Faroe and Iceland). Guillemots could be fixed more closely using three parameters which increased clinally through western Europe towards the north: winglength, proportion of bridled birds, and degree of colour saturation of upperparts. A knowledge of the age, sex and origin of auks involved in mortality incidents is important in contexts of conservation and of population ecology. Present knowledge could be particularly improved through the implementation of a minimum standard system of examination of auks killed in incidents; the storage and study of known-age (ringed) auk corpses; and the acquisition of more data on fine—grain taxonomy in European auks

Effects of Commission Errors during Noncontingent Reinforcement

Noncontingent reinforcement (NCR) is a behavioral treatment in which a reinforcer is provided at set intervals independently of responding. Although NCR is commonly used, effects of inconsistent implementation (i.e., implementation with integrity failures) during NCR were previously unknown. The current study included six participants, but full-integrity NCR suppressed problem behavior for only three participants. Thus, we evaluated effects of one kind of integrity failure, reinforcement of problem behavior, on NCR outcomes for three children who engaged in inappropriate vocalizations maintained by access to tangible items. Effects of commission errors were idiosyncratic across participants

Effects of Blended Integrity Failures on Reinforcement-Based Interventuions

Reinforcement-based interventions reduce problematic behavior when implemented as designed. However, the effectiveness of these interventions may decrease when deviations from treatment protocols (i.e., treatment-integrity errors) occur. Treatment-integrity errors differentially impact reinforcement-based interventions based on multiple factors, including how frequently errors occur and the intervention type. Even nominally acceptable integrity values (e.g., 80%) may be detrimental depending on the intervention. To evaluate this possibility and directly compare the effectiveness of multiple reinforcement-based interventions, we conducted two within-subject evaluations using laboratory arrangements. For both experiments, we recruited four undergraduate students to participate in a computer task that involved clicking on moving circles to earn points. During Experiment 1, we compared the effectiveness of Fixed-Time Schedules (FT) and Extinction (i.e., Noncontingent Reinforcement) and Differential Reinforcement of Alternative Behavior (DRA) when implemented at 80% integrity. During Experiment 2, we compared the effectiveness of ratio-based DRA (DRA with a ratio schedule maintaining alternative behavior) and interval-based DRA (DRA with an interval schedule maintaining alternative behavior). Results were idiosyncratic across participants. However, DRA with a ratio schedule was the only consistently effective intervention when implemented at 80% integrity; neither FT nor interval-based DRA were consistently effective when implemented at 80% integrity. Implications for research on effects of treatment-integrity errors and applied practice are discussed

Let’s Talk: A Study of the Impact of Gendered Racial Socialization on African American Adolescent Girls’ Mental Health

Internalized racial oppression in African American girls is understudied within research. As people of color are victimized by racism, they may internalize it, developing ideas, beliefs, actions and behaviors that support or collude with racism (Bivens, 1995). This internalized racism has its own systemic reality and its own negative consequences in the lives and communities of people of color. Understanding the way negative racial messages influence the mental health of African American adolescent girls allows for the development of intervention and prevention methods to reduce symptomology of depression, anxiety, and stress. In order for African American girls and young women to develop a healthy sense of self, families must prepare them to cope with the realities of experiencing intersecting oppression (i.e., racism and sexism; Edmondson Bell & Nkomo 1998; Lewis et al. 2013). This may occur through an African American-specific process of gendered racial socialization (Brown et al. 2016). While some research has examined the relationship between racial discrimination and race related stress outcomes (Buford, 2009) or internalized racial oppression on ethnic identity and self-efficacy (La Mar, 2018), there are no current studies that have looked at the impact of internalized gendered racial oppression (IGRO) on negative affect of African American adolescent girls or possible ways to moderate this impact. This study identifies a relationship between IGRO and depression, anxiety and stress symptoms while isolating messages of gendered racial pride and empowerment (GRPE) that reduce these symptoms in Black adolescent girls. To test the hypothesis, GRPE socialization moderates the relationship between IGRO socialization and indicators of psychological wellbeing (i.e., depressive, anxiety, and stress symptoms) this study analyzed the responses of 287 Black adolescent girls (MAge = 15.40) who completed questionnaires assessing the study variables of interest as part of a larger parent-teen dyadic study. A series of hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted. Models of the main effects of IGRO and GRPE on depression (R 2 = .04), anxiety (R 2 = .04), and stress (R 2 = .04) were significant (all ps \u3c .001), suggesting these variables accounted for significant variance in the mental health symptoms. For depression, increases in both IGRO (b=.83, p \u3c .001) and GRPE (b=.20, p \u3c .05) were associated with increases in reported depression symptoms. However, examination of the interaction (b=-.16, p \u3c .01) via simple slopes suggested that the Black girls reported higher levels of GRPE, the negative impact of IGRO on depressive symptoms was attenuated. Indeed, at the highest levels of GRPE, the effect of IGRO on depressive symptoms was reduced to non-significance. Similar patterns emerged for teen anxiety and stress, with increased IGRO associated with increasing symptom endorsement and increasing GRPE attenuating this effect. These findings suggest that it is particularly important for African-American youth to receive messages conveying pride and empowerment on being a black girl to aid in reducing the mental health symptoms associated with IGRO. By identifying key messages of gendered racial socialization, this study has the potential to educate parents and teachers on the impact of their messages on children’s mental health. Implications and future directions regarding gendered racial socialization of Black teenaged girls are discussed.https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/gradposters/1053/thumbnail.jp

A Trade-Off between Somatosensory and Auditory Related Brain Activity during Object Naming But Not Reading.

The parietal operculum, particularly the cytoarchitectonic area OP1 of the secondary somatosensory area (SII), is involved in somatosensory feedback. Using fMRI with 58 human subjects, we investigated task-dependent differences in SII/OP1 activity during three familiar speech production tasks: object naming, reading and repeatedly saying "1-2-3." Bilateral SII/OP1 was significantly suppressed (relative to rest) during object naming, to a lesser extent when repeatedly saying "1-2-3" and not at all during reading. These results cannot be explained by task difficulty but the contrasting difference between naming and reading illustrates how the demands on somatosensory activity change with task, even when motor output (i.e., production of object names) is matched. To investigate what determined SII/OP1 deactivation during object naming, we searched the whole brain for areas where activity increased as that in SII/OP1 decreased. This across subject covariance analysis revealed a region in the right superior temporal sulcus (STS) that lies within the auditory cortex, and is activated by auditory feedback during speech production. The tradeoff between activity in SII/OP1 and STS was not observed during reading, which showed significantly more activation than naming in both SII/OP1 and STS bilaterally. These findings suggest that, although object naming is more error prone than reading, subjects can afford to rely more or less on somatosensory or auditory feedback during naming. In contrast, fast and efficient error-free reading places more consistent demands on both types of feedback, perhaps because of the potential for increased competition between lexical and sublexical codes at the articulatory level

Recruiting New Teachers to Urban School Districts: What Incentives Will Work

Explores the effectiveness of financial incentives in attracting qualified teachers to low-performing and hard-to-staff schools. Surveys teachers in training on factors in job choices and considers the size of an effective pay incentive and alternatives

Factors influencing wellbeing in young people during COVID-19: A survey with 6291 young people in Wales

COVID-19 infection and the resultant restrictions has impacted all aspects of life across the world. This study explores factors that promote or support wellbeing for young people during the pandemic, how they differ by age, using a self-reported online survey with those aged 8–25 in Wales between September 2020 and February 2021. Open-ended responses were analysed via thematic analysis to provide further context. A total of 6,291 responses were obtained from 81 education settings across Wales (including primary and secondary schools as well as sixth form, colleges and universities). Wellbeing was highest in primary school children and boys and lowest in those who were at secondary school children, who were girls and, those who preferred not to give a gender. Among primary school children, higher wellbeing was seen for those who played with lots of others (rather than alone), were of Asian ethnicity (OR 2.17, 95% CI: 1.26 to 4.3), had a safe play area (OR: 2.4, 95% CI: 1.67 to 2.56) and had more sleep. To support their wellbeing young people reported they would like to be able to play with their friends more. Among secondary school children those who were of mixed ethnicity reported lower wellbeing (OR: 5.14, 95% CI: 1.68 to 15.79). To support their wellbeing they reported they would like more support with mental health (due to anxiety and pressure to achieve when learning online). This study found self-reported wellbeing differed by gender, ethnicity and deprivation and found younger children report the need for play and to see friends to support wellbeing but older children/young people wanted more support with anxiety and educational pressures

Effects of dietary beta-agonist treatment, Vitamin D3 supplementation and electrical stimulation of carcasses on meat quality of feedlot steers

In this study, 20 young steers received no beta-adrenergic agonist (C), 100 animals all received zilpaterol hydrochloride, with 1 group only receiving zilpaterol (Z) while the other 4 groups received zilpaterol and vitamin D3 at the following levels and durations before slaughter: 7 million IU Vit D3 /animal/day for 3 days (3D7M); 7 million IU Vit D3/animal/day for 6 days (6D7M); 7 million IU Vit D3/animal/day for six days with 7 days no supplementation (6D7M7N) and 1 million IU Vit D3/animal/day for 9 days (9D1M). Left carcass sides were electrically stimulated (ES) and the right side not electrically stimulated (NES). Samples were aged for 3 or 14 days post mortem. Parameters included Warner Bratzler shear force (WBSF), myofibril filament length (MFL), sarcomere length and calpastatin and calpain enzyme activities. For drip loss and instrumental colour measurements, samples were analysed fresh (1 day post mortem) or vacuum-aged for 14 days post mortem. Both ES-treatment and prolonged aging reduced WBSF (P < 0.001). Treatments 6D7M, 6D7M7N and Z remained significantly tougher than C (P < 0.001), while 3D7M and 9D1M improved WBSF under NES conditions. ES was shown to be more effective at alleviating beta-adrenergic agonist induced toughness than high vitamin D3 supplementation. Aging increased drip loss, lightness, redness and yellowness while ES increased drip loss. In general, Z showed increased drip loss, lighter meat, and reduced redness. Vitamin D3 supplementation could not consistently overcome the adverse effects of zilpaterol hydrochloride in feedlot steers.Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2012.Animal and Wildlife Sciencesunrestricte