A study of biting midge populations and an assessment of Bluetongue virus presence in southern Ontario, with a visual dichotomous key to the North American genera of Ceratopogonidae

Biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) are flying insects that feed on blood in order to produce eggs. Due to their bloodfeeding habits, some species act as vectors for viruses, many of which affect ruminant animals. This establishes ceratopogonids as possible threats to livestock farmers, and therefore it is important to understand their distribution and habits. This study focussed on collecting biting midge specimens from localities across Ontario where livestock farms are present, and determining if they were carrying Bluetongue virus (BTV). Fourteen livestock farms were sampled to assess presence of ceratopogonid vectors. Captured Culicoides specimens were subjected to RT-qPCR analysis to test for BTV. The North American vector for BTV (Culicoides sonorensis) was collected at multiple localities, constituting the first record of this species in Ontario. Identity of C. sonorensis specimens was verified using molecular analysis of three gene regions: CO1, ITS1, and EF1α. Gene sequences for Culicoides variipennis, a species easily confused with C. sonorensis, were also analyzed. Analysis revealed that EF1α introns differed between the species and may be useful as molecular identifiers. Sequences for all three gene regions were submitted to the National Center for Biotechnology Information gene database. The Brock University Rothamsted Trap operated during the summer seasons of 2013 to 2017, collecting insects at ~12m above ground on a daily basis. Collected biting midges were identified to genus, and genus tallies were compared with five climate variables using redundancy analysis (RDA) to determine factors that affect the activity of collected genera. Phenological patterns of Bezzia, Culicoides, and Probezzia were compared in detail to temperature values. A literature search was performed to evaluate progression of BTV and epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus (EHDV) across North America since their initial detections in the 1950s. Records detailing virus outbreaks were analyzed and maps displaying the chronological progression of BTV and EHDV were created, providing a visual representation of their dispersal patterns. Finally, a dichotomous key to the Nearctic biting midge genera was constructed and illustrated with high-definition photography to show key characters. This key aids with taxonomic identification of the 35 recognized genera occurring north of Mexico

Thinking About How to Evaluate Your Program? These Strategies Will Get You Started

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An Examination of the Challenge and Threat State and Sport Performance Relationship While Controlling for Past Performance

A challenge state is associated with superior performance compared to a threat state in a variety of performance domains (e.g., sport, aviation, education). However, in the challenge and threat (C/T) literature, between-subjects variability in past performance is often inconsistently controlled for. Here, we aimed to investigate the effects of C/T states on performance using two methods to control for past performance. Experiment 1 used previous performance statistics in a between-subjects design and Experiment 2 used a within-subject design. In Experiment 1, regression analysis showed that cardiovascular correlates of C/T states predicted cricket batting performance in 45 amateur cricketers. In Experiment 2, between- and within-subject analysis found that past performance was the only predictor of subsequent golf putting performance in 40 noncompetitive golfers. Taken together, the findings challenge the role that C/T states play in predicting performance under pressure after controlling for past performance

Vermont Agency of Transportation Employee Retention and Knowledge Management Study

In 2015, the Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) developed a new strategic plan that included five goals that would support the agency’s mission and vision. Goal 5 of the plan is: Develop a workforce to meet the strategic needs of the agency. VTrans leaders were concerned with the loss of employees due to turnover and the subsequent impact of knowledge loss on the operations of the agency. This applied research study used a mixed methods approach in data gathering to help determine the state of employee retention and knowledge management (KM) at VTrans and to provide tools that could help with both retention and KM issues. Key steps in this study involved an organizational assessment of turnover and KM practices at VTrans, a scan of other state DOTs concerning retention and KM practices, and a pilot project to address both issues. With guidance provided by a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), the decision was made to focus most of the research in specific units of the Highway Division

We asked English footballers about the traumatic impact of racial abuse – their answers were sobering

© 2024, The Conversation Trust (UK) Limited. This is an open access article under the Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivatives CC BY-ND licence, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0

Context Affects Quiet Eye Duration and Motor Performance Independent of Cognitive Effort

© 2021 Human Kinetics. This is the accepted manuscript version of an article which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1123/jsep.2020-0026Extensive literature has shown the effect of ‘Quiet Eye’ (QE) on motor performance. However, little attention has been paid to the context in which tasks are executed(independent of anxiety) and the mechanisms that underpin the phenomenon. Here, we aimed to investigate the effects of context (independent of anxiety) on QE and performance while examining if the mechanisms underpinning QE are rooted in cognitive effort. In this study, 21novice participants completed golf putts while pupil dilation, QE duration, and putting accuracy were measured. Results showed putting to win was more accurate compared to the control (no context) condition and QE duration was longer when putting to win or tie a hole compared to control. There was no effect of context on pupil dilation. Results suggest that,while the task was challenging, performance scenarios can enhance representativeness of practice without adding additional load to cognitive resources, even for novice performers.Peer reviewe

Satellite remote sensing data for decision support in emerging agricultural economies

Satellite remote sensing observations of the Earth have transformed our ability to understand and quantify the impact of weather on agricultural growing conditions. Although satellite data have been integrated into government and policy decisions regarding food availability, the data are still not widely used by farmers. To be useful for a farm-level decision, satellite data must be localized and integrated into workflows across diverse agricultural systems to become useful. Here we show that improved availability and quality of satellite remote sensing, coupled with low cost processing and massive increases in rural connectivity, has meant commercial agriculture institutions in low income regions are increasingly using the information to drive their business

Clinical Outcomes to Exercise Training in Type 1 Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

AIMS: To establish the relationship between exercise training and clinical outcomes in people with type I diabetes. METHODS: Studies were identified through a MEDLINE search strategy, Cochrane Controlled Trials Registry, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus and Science Citation Index. The search strategy included a mix of key concepts related to exercise training; type 1 diabetes; glycaemic control for trials of exercise training in people with type 1 diabetes. Searches were limited to prospective randomized or controlled trials of exercise training in humans with type 1 diabetes lasting 12 weeks or more. RESULTS: In exercised adults there were significant improvements in body mass Mean Difference (MD): -2.20 kg, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) -3.79 -0.61, p=0.007; body mass index (BMI) MD: -0.39 kg/m2, 95% CI -0.75 -0.02, p=0.04; Peak VO2MD: 4.08 ml/kg/min, 95% CI 2.18 5.98, p<0.0001; and, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) MD: -0.21 mmol/L, 95% CI -0.33 -0.08, p=0.002. In exercised children there were significant improvements in insulin dose MD: -0.23 IU/kg, 95% CI -0.37 -0.09, p=0.002; waist circumference MD: -5.40 cm, 95% CI -8.45 -2.35, p=0.0005; LDL MD: -0.31 mmol/L, 95% CI -0.55 -0.06, p=0.02; and, triglycerides MD: -0.21 mmol/L, 95% CI -0.42 -0.0, p=0.04. There were no significant changes in glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1C%), fasting blood glucose, resting heart rate, resting systolic blood pressure or high density lipoproteins in either group. CONCLUSIONS: Exercise training improves some markers of type 1 diabetes severity; particularly body mass, BMI, Peak VO2and LDL in adults and insulin dose, waist circumference, LDL and triglycerides in children

Examining the theory of challenge and threat states in athletes: do predictions extend to academic performance?

Challenge and threat responses have been seen to predict success in meaningful performance environments, however, it is not as clear whether challenge and threat states predict academic outcomes. We tested if predictions from the Theory of Challenge and Threat in Athletes (TCTSA) can be extended to an academic context, by considering antecedents and outcomes of challenge and threat states as well as whether cardiovascular markers predicted academic performance. Thirty-six undergraduate students were asked to give speeches on an academic topic, and their cardiovascular responses, overall annual marks, and marks in a specific presentation assessment were recorded. Challenge and threat indexes failed to predict either of the performance measures. Limited support was found for other hypothesised relationships of the TCTSA, with challenge states predicting greater reinvestment, which was opposite to that hypothesised. Results suggest that predictions of the TCTSA may not be as pertinent in understanding goal pursuit in academic settings