Dietary Analysis of Batfishes (Lophiiformes: Ogcocephalidae) in the Gulf of Mexico

Stomach content analyses, performed on three species of batfishes, Halieutichthys aculeatus, Ogcocephalus declivirostris, and Ogcocephalus pantosticus collected in the Gulf of Mexico in summer (June-July) and fall (Oct.-Nov.) 2002 and 2003, revealed a variety of benthic invertebrates, particularly gastropods, polychaete worms, and xanthid crabs. Schoener\u27s dietary overlap indices (Sl) were calculated between the three species within the same seasons, and within each species between seasons. SI values indicated that each species consumed a different assemblage of prey and that two of the species exhibited temporal variation in diet

Onshore Transport of Elopomorph Leptocephali and Glass Eels (Pisces: Osteichthyes) in the Florida Keys

The influx of elopomorph leptocephali and glass eels to Florida Bay was monitored on 160 nights from January through December 1993. Metamorphic leptocephali and glass eels were both captured in channel nets moored in Channel Five near Long Key, FL. Eighty-eight percent of the 2,811 leptocephali collected were speckled worm eels (Myrophis punctatus, n = 2,486). The remaining 12% of leptocephali consisted of nine species, including key worm eels (Ahlia egmontis, n = 153), shrimp eels (Ophichthus gomesi, n = 69), and moray eels (Gymnothorax spp., n = 33). The glass eels collected were Myrophis punctatus (n = 230) and Ahlia egmontis (n = 34). Recruitment of leptocephali and glass eels into Florida Bay was seasonal. Myrophis punctatus leptocephali recruited into Florida Bay during fall and winter and were most abundant during November-January. Peak periods of recruitment were associated with nighttime moonless flood tides, strong onshore winds, and easterly (along-shelf) winds. Ahlia egmontis leptocephali recruited during January-April. Ophichthus gomesi was the only species with major recruitment during the summer and fall (July-November). All of the glass eels were captured from January to April

Current velocity and catch efficiency in sampling settlement-stage larvae of coral-reef fishes

Light traps and channel nets are fixed-position devices that involve active and passive sampling, respectively, in the collection of settlement-stage larvae of coral-reef fishes. We compared the abundance, taxonomic composition, and size of such larvae caught by each device deployed simultaneously near two sites that differed substantially in current velocity. Light traps were more selective taxonomically, and the two sampling devices differed significantly in the abundance but not size of taxa caught. Most importantly, light traps and channel nets differed greatly in their catch efficiency between sites: light traps were ineffective in collecting larvae at the relatively high-current site, and channel nets were less efficient in collecting larvae at the low-current site. Use of only one of these sampling methods would clearly result in biased and inaccurate estimates of the spatial variation in larval abundance among locations that differ in current velocity. When selecting a larval sampling device, one must consider not only how well a particular taxon may be represented, but also the environmental conditions under which the device will be deployed

Screening and brief interventions for hazardous and harmful alcohol use in probation services: a cluster randomised controlled trial protocol

Background: A large number of randomised controlled trials in health settings have consistently reported positive effects of brief intervention in terms of reductions in alcohol use. However, although alcohol misuse is common amongst offenders, there is limited evidence of alcohol brief interventions in the criminal justice field. This factorial pragmatic cluster randomised controlled trial with Offender Managers (OMs) as the unit of randomisation will evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of different models of screening to identify hazardous and harmful drinkers in probation and different intensities of brief intervention to reduce excessive drinking in probation clients. Methods and design: Ninety-six OMs from 9 probation areas across 3 English regions (the North East Region (n = 4) and London and the South East Regions (n = 5)) will be recruited. OMs will be randomly allocated to one of three intervention conditions: a client information leaflet control condition (n = 32 OMs); 5-minute simple structured advice (n = 32 OMs) and 20-minute brief lifestyle counselling delivered by an Alcohol Health Worker (n = 32 OMs). Randomisation will be stratified by probation area. To test the relative effectiveness of different screening methods all OMs will be randomised to either the Modified Single Item Screening Questionnaire (M-SASQ) or the Fast Alcohol Screening Test (FAST). There will be a minimum of 480 clients recruited into the trial. There will be an intention to treat analysis of study outcomes at 6 and 12 months post intervention. Analysis will include client measures (screening result, weekly alcohol consumption, alcohol-related problems, re-offending, public service use and quality of life) and implementation measures from OMs (the extent of screening and brief intervention beyond the minimum recruitment threshold will provide data on acceptability and feasibility of different models of brief intervention). We will also examine the practitioner and organisational factors associated with successful implementation. Discussion. The trial will evaluate the impact of screening and brief alcohol intervention in routine probation work and therefore its findings will be highly relevant to probation teams and thus the criminal justice system in the UK. © 2009 Newbury-Birch et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd

Light States in Chern-Simons Theory Coupled to Fundamental Matter

Motivated by developments in vectorlike holography, we study SU(N) Chern-Simons theory coupled to matter fields in the fundamental representation on various spatial manifolds. On the spatial torus T^2, we find light states at small `t Hooft coupling \lambda=N/k, where k is the Chern-Simons level, taken to be large. In the free scalar theory the gaps are of order \sqrt {\lambda}/N and in the critical scalar theory and the free fermion theory they are of order \lambda/N. The entropy of these states grows like N Log(k). We briefly consider spatial surfaces of higher genus. Based on results from pure Chern-Simons theory, it appears that there are light states with entropy that grows even faster, like N^2 Log(k). This is consistent with the log of the partition function on the three sphere S^3, which also behaves like N^2 Log(k). These light states require bulk dynamics beyond standard Vasiliev higher spin gravity to explain them.Comment: 58 pages, LaTeX, no figures, Minor error corrected, references added, The main results of the paper have not change

Screening and brief interventions for hazardous and harmful alcohol use in primary care: a cluster randomised controlled trial protocol

A large number of randomised controlled trials in health settings have consistently reported positive effects of brief intervention in terms of reductions in alcohol use. However,although alcohol misuse is common amongst offenders, there is limited evidence of alcohol brief interventions in the criminal justice field. This factorial pragmatic cluster randomised controlledtrial with Offender Managers (OMs) as the unit of randomisation will evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of different models of screening to identify hazardous and harmful drinkers in probation and different intensities of brief intervention to reduce excessive drinking in probation clients. Ninety-six OMs from 9 probation areas across 3 English regions (the NorthEast Region (n = 4) and London and the South East Regions (n = 5)) will be recruited. OMs will berandomly allocated to one of three intervention conditions: a client information leaflet control condition (n = 32 OMs); 5-minute simple structured advice (n = 32 OMs) and 20-minute brieflifestyle counselling delivered by an Alcohol Health Worker (n = 32 OMs). Randomisation will be stratified by probation area. To test the relative effectiveness of different screening methods all OMs will be randomised to either the Modified Single Item Screening Questionnaire (M-SASQ) orthe Fast Alcohol Screening Test (FAST). There will be a minimum of 480 clients recruited into the trial. There will be an intention to treat analysis of study outcomes at 6 and 12 months postintervention. Analysis will include client measures (screening result, weekly alcohol consumption,alcohol-related problems, re-offending, public service use and quality of life) and implementation measures from OMs (the extent of screening and brief intervention beyond the minimum recruitment threshold will provide data on acceptability and feasibility of different models of brief intervention). We will also examine the practitioner and organisational factors associated with successful implementation.The trial will evaluate the impact of screening and brief alcohol intervention in routine probation work and therefore its findings will be highly relevant to probation teams and thus the criminal justice system in the UK

Overcoming the Internet Impasse through Virtualization

Abstract: The current Internet is at an impasse because new architectures cannot be deployed, or even adequately evaluated. This paper urges the community to confront this impasse, and suggests a way virtualization might be used to overcome it. In the process, we discuss the nature of architecture and the debate between purists and pluralists. 1