41 research outputs found
Bird collisions with power lines: prioritizing species and areas by estimating potential population-level impacts
Biodiversity ResearchAim: Power lines can represent an important source of bird mortality through collision.
The identification of more susceptible species, in terms of expected populationlevel
impacts, requires detailed biological and mortality information that is often
difficult to obtain. Here, we propose a species prioritization method based on relatively
easily accessed information, aimed to identify both species and areas with the
potentially highest extinction risk due to collision with power lines.
Location: As a case study, we applied this method to the communities of resident
breeding birds of Spain and Portugal.
Methods: For each considered species, the method takes into account the morphobehavioural
susceptibility to collision with power lines, the susceptibility to extinction
and the spatial exposure to collision with power lines.
Results: Our method highlighted that the most susceptible species were large, longlived
and slowâreproducing birds, often habitat specialists with hazardous behavioural
traits (especially flight height and flocking flight), with high spatial exposure to
collision risk with power lines and unfavourable conservation status. Based on the
distribution ranges of these species, we produced a map of hotspots for extinction
risk due to collision of such priority species for each country. These areas should be
considered a priority for the implementation of mitigation measures including route
planning and wire marking.
Main conclusions: Overall, the proposed method can be applied to any bird community
in any geographic area of the world where information on powerâline distribution
and published information on species traits, distribution and conservation status is
available, generating valuable lists of both priority species and areas in which collision
risk with power lines can potentially produce local or even global extinctionsinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
LIFE Adaptamed Laymanâs Report. Action E13. LIFE14 CCA/ES/000612
Aguas de Font Vella y LanjarĂł
Informe Layman Life Adaptamed. AcciĂłn E13. LIFE14 CCA/ES/000612
Aguas de Font Vella y LanjarĂł
Deregressed EBV as the response variable yield more reliable genomic predictions than traditional EBV in pure-bred pigs
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Genomic selection can be implemented by a multi-step procedure, which requires a response variable and a statistical method. For pure-bred pigs, it was hypothesised that deregressed estimated breeding values (EBV) with the parent average removed as the response variable generate higher reliabilities of genomic breeding values than EBV, and that the normal, thick-tailed and mixture-distribution models yield similar reliabilities.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Reliabilities of genomic breeding values were estimated with EBV and deregressed EBV as response variables and under the three statistical methods, genomic BLUP, Bayesian Lasso and MIXTURE. The methods were examined by splitting data into a reference data set of 1375 genotyped animals that were performance tested before October 2008, and 536 genotyped validation animals that were performance tested after October 2008. The traits examined were daily gain and feed conversion ratio.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Using deregressed EBV as the response variable yielded 18 to 39% higher reliabilities of the genomic breeding values than using EBV as the response variable. For daily gain, the increase in reliability due to deregression was significant and approximately 35%, whereas for feed conversion ratio it ranged between 18 and 39% and was significant only when MIXTURE was used. Genomic BLUP, Bayesian Lasso and MIXTURE had similar reliabilities.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Deregressed EBV is the preferred response variable, whereas the choice of statistical method is less critical for pure-bred pigs. The increase of 18 to 39% in reliability is worthwhile, since the reliabilities of the genomic breeding values directly affect the returns from genomic selection.</p
Mapping carcass and meat quality QTL on Sus Scrofa chromosome 2 in commercial finishing pigs
Quantitative trait loci (QTL) affecting carcass and meat quality located on SSC2 were identified using variance component methods. A large number of traits involved in meat and carcass quality was detected in a commercial crossbred population: 1855 pigs sired by 17 boars from a synthetic line, which where homozygous (A/A) for IGF2. Using combined linkage and linkage disequilibrium mapping (LDLA), several QTL significantly affecting loin muscle mass, ham weight and ham muscles (outer ham and knuckle ham) and meat quality traits, such as Minolta-L* and -b*, ultimate pH and Japanese colour score were detected. These results agreed well with previous QTL-studies involving SSC2. Since our study is carried out on crossbreds, different QTL may be segregating in the parental lines. To address this question, we compared models with a single QTL-variance component with models allowing for separate sire and dam QTL-variance components. The same QTL were identified using a single QTL variance component model compared to a model allowing for separate variances with minor differences with respect to QTL location. However, the variance component method made it possible to detect QTL segregating in the paternal line (e.g. HAMB), the maternal lines (e.g. Ham) or in both (e.g. pHu). Combining association and linkage information among haplotypes improved slightly the significance of the QTL compared to an analysis using linkage information only
Changing the culture of assessment: the dominance of the summative assessment paradigm
Background
Despite growing evidence of the benefits of including assessment for learning strategies within programmes of assessment, practical implementation of these approaches is often problematical. Organisational culture change is often hindered by personal and collective beliefs which encourage adherence to the existing organisational paradigm. We aimed to explore how these beliefs influenced proposals to redesign a summative assessment culture in order to improve studentsâ use of assessment-related feedback.
Methods
Using the principles of participatory design, a mixed group comprising medical students, clinical teachers and senior faculty members was challenged to develop radical solutions to improve the use of post-assessment feedback. Follow-up interviews were conducted with individual members of the group to explore their personal beliefs about the proposed redesign. Data were analysed using a socio-cultural lens.
Results
Proposed changes were dominated by a shared belief in the primacy of the summative assessment paradigm, which prevented radical redesign solutions from being accepted by group members. Participantsâ prior assessment experiences strongly influenced proposals for change. As participants had largely only experienced a summative assessment culture, they found it difficult to conceptualise radical change in the assessment culture. Although all group members participated, students were less successful at persuading the group to adopt their ideas. Faculty members and clinical teachers often used indirect techniques to close down discussions. The strength of individual beliefs became more apparent in the follow-up interviews.
Conclusions
NaĂŻve epistemologies and prior personal experiences were influential in the assessment redesign but were usually not expressed explicitly in a group setting, perhaps because of cultural conventions of politeness. In order to successfully implement a change in assessment culture, firmly-held intuitive beliefs about summative assessment will need to be clearly understood as a first step
Gastrointestinal decontamination in the acutely poisoned patient
ObjectiveTo define the role of gastrointestinal (GI) decontamination of the poisoned patient.Data sourcesA computer-based PubMed/MEDLINE search of the literature on GI decontamination in the poisoned patient with cross referencing of sources.Study selection and data extractionClinical, animal and in vitro studies were reviewed for clinical relevance to GI decontamination of the poisoned patient.Data synthesisThe literature suggests that previously, widely used, aggressive approaches including the use of ipecac syrup, gastric lavage, and cathartics are now rarely recommended. Whole bowel irrigation is still often recommended for slow-release drugs, metals, and patients who "pack" or "stuff" foreign bodies filled with drugs of abuse, but with little quality data to support it. Activated charcoal (AC), single or multiple doses, was also a previous mainstay of GI decontamination, but the utility of AC is now recognized to be limited and more time dependent than previously practiced. These recommendations have resulted in several treatment guidelines that are mostly based on retrospective analysis, animal studies or small case series, and rarely based on randomized clinical trials.ConclusionsThe current literature supports limited use of GI decontamination of the poisoned patient
Use of raptor models to reduce avian collisions with powerlines
Volume: 33Start Page: 154End Page: 15