A production modeling approach to the assessment of the horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus) population in Delaware Bay

Horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus) is harvested commercially, used by the biomedical industry, and provides food for migrating shorebirds, particularly in Delaware Bay. Recently, decreasing crab population trends in this region have raised concerns that the stock may be insufficient to fulfill the needs of these diverse user groups. To assess the Delaware Bay horseshoe crab population, we used surplus production models (programmed in ASPIC), which incorporated data from fishery-independent surveys, fishery-dependent catch-per-unit-of-effort data, and regional harvest. Results showed a depleted population (B2003/=0.03−0.71) BMSY and high relative fishing mortality /FMSY=0.9−9.5). Future harvest (F2002strategies for a 15-year period were evaluated by using population projections with ASPICP software. Under 2003 harvest levels (1356 t), population recovery to BMSY would take at least four years, and four of the seven models predicted that the population would not reach BMSY within the 15year period. Production models for horseshoe crab assessment provided management benchmarks for a species with limited data and no prior stock assessmen

Differences in Perceptions of Supervisee Contribution: Supervisors’ vs. Supervisees’ Evaluations

Supervisees’ behaviors contribute to or detract from effective supervision. The purpose of this study was to compare supervisors’ evaluations of supervisee contribution behaviors with that of supervisees’ self-assessments using the Adapted Supervisee Utilization Rating Form (SURF). Statistically significant differences in the ratings indicate that supervisors perceive their supervisees as more proactive and open than supervisees perceive themselves. To create a milieu in which supervisees feel safe enough to share their work with supervisors and encourage supervisees to take initiative in their own learning, the researchers make the following recommendations: (1) following ACES best practices for monitoring and assessing supervisees, (2) using appropriate supervisor self-disclosure, and (3) adopting a solution-focused approach to supervision

Differences in Perceptions of Supervisee Contribution: Supervisors’ vs. Supervisees’ Evaluations

Supervisees’ behaviors contribute to or detract from effective supervision. The purpose of this study was to compare supervisors’ evaluations of supervisee contribution behaviors with that of supervisees’ self-assessments using the Adapted Supervisee Utilization Rating Form (SURF). Statistically significant differences in the ratings indicate that supervisors perceive their supervisees as more proactive and open than supervisees perceive themselves. To create a milieu in which supervisees feel safe enough to share their work with supervisors and encourage supervisees to take initiative in their own learning, the researchers make the following recommendations: (1) following ACES best practices for monitoring and assessing supervisees, (2) using appropriate supervisor self-disclosure, and (3) adopting a solution-focused approach to supervision

Effective individual culture system for in vitro production of bovine embryos

Estabeleceu-se um protocolo novo e eficaz de cultivo individual de embriões bovinos sem o uso de cocultivo e sem compartilhamento de meio visando à análise do metabolismo individual do embrião. Para isso, embriões foram produzidos in vitro por protocolos convencionais em três diferentes tipos de meio: KSOM, SOFaa e KSOM seguido por SOFaa no dia 2. Os zigotos presumíveis foram divididos em seis grupos: controles (cultivo em grupo – C-KSOM, C-SOFaa e C-KS) e sistema de poços individuais (W-KSOM, W-SOFaa e W-KS). As taxas de clivagem foram avaliadas nos dias 2 e 7, respectivamente. Além disso, a quantificação relativa de transcritos relacionados a importantes processos metabólicos (GLUT1, GLUT3, GSK3, SOD1, HSPD1 e G6PD) foi avaliada nos blastocistos dos grupos C-KS e W-KS. Os resultados mostram que as taxas de clivagem foram maiores apenas no grupo W-KSOM quando comparado ao grupo C-KSOM, enquanto a taxa de blastocistos diferiu apenas entre os grupos C e W-SOF. Além disso, a análise da expressão gênica mostrou que blastocistos cultivados em grupo ou em sistema de poços individuais são semelhantes quanto à expressão gênica. Assim, a conclusão obtida foi que o sistema individual proposto pode ser utilizado como um protocolo alternativo eficiente para o cultivo individual de embriões de bovino, uma vez que suas características permanecem semelhantes àquelas do sistema convencional de produção de embriões.A new and effective protocol to culture bovine embryos without coculture and with individualized culture media has been established, which would allow the study of a single embryo’s metabolism. For this purpose, bovine embryos were produced in vitro by standard protocols in three different types of media: KSOM, SOFaa, and KSOM followed by SOFaa at day 2. Presumptive zygotes were divided into six groups: control, cultured in groups (C-KSOM, C-SOFaa, and C-KS), and individual well system (W-KSOM, W-SOFaa, and W-KS). Cleavage and blastocyst rates were assessed on days 2 and 7 respectively. Relative quantification of transcripts related to important metabolic processes (GLUT1, GLUT3, GSK3, SOD1, HSPD1, G6PD) were assessed in C-KS and W-KS blastocysts. Results show that cleavage was significantly higher only in W-KSOM when compared to C-KSOM, while blastocyst rates differ only between C-SOF and W-SOF. All the other comparisons did not present statistical difference. Moreover, gene expression analysis revealed that blastocysts cultured in groups and in the individual well system present similar transcription patterns. Thus, the obtained conclusion was that the individual well system performed could be used as an effective alternative protocol for individual culture of bovine embryos, since the rates are similar to routine group culture

Programa de treinamento profissional e estágio supervisionado: uma comparação a respeito de suas contribuições em relação à construção de saberes práticos na formação inicial

he present work aims to analyze practical training experiences in teaching degrees, especially in the pedagogy course. The supervised internship, which is mandatory in all teacher training courses in the country, was analyzed alongside the Professional Training Program, a project conceived by the Federal University of Juiz de Fora in collaboration with the João XXIII College of Application. The work seeks to understand to what extent these experiences collaborate in the preparation of teachers with regard to contact with good references that will serve their future professional practices. For this, a bibliographical research was carried out to understand the origin of the internship and the challenges faced to achieve its objectives. At the same time, will be present a project for the Professional Training Program, indicating its contributions to initial training. The conclusion indicates that most internship experiences do not fulfill the role they are proposed for a number of reasons, while the Professional Training Program stands as a counterpoint, offering students who participate in it the construction of knowledge and skills that are indispensable for practical significant teachers.O presente trabalho objetiva analisar experiências de formação prática nas licenciaturas, em especial no curso de pedagogia. O estágio supervisionado, obrigatório em todos os cursos de formação de professores do país, foi analisado ao lado do Programa de Treinamento Profissional, projeto idealizado pela Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora em colaboração com o Colégio de Aplicação João XXIII. O trabalho busca compreender em que medida estas experiências colaboram na preparação dos professores no que diz respeito ao contato com boas referências que servirão às suas práticas profissionais futuras. Para isto, foi feita uma pesquisa bibliográfica para entender a origem do estágio e os desafios enfrentados para a realização de seus objetivos. Paralelamente, apresentamos um projeto do Programa de Treinamento Profissional, indicando suas contribuições na formação inicial. A conclusão indica que a maioria das experiências de estágio não cumpre o papel ao qual se propõe por uma série de motivos, enquanto o Programa de Treinamento Profissional se coloca como contraponto, oferecendo aos estudantes que dele participam a construção de conhecimentos e habilidades indispensáveis a práticas docentes significativas

Interactions Between an Apex Predator and Mesopredators Across a Landscape with Human Interference

Human activities have populated the planet with domestic animals like livestockwhile also eliminating wild species that could conflict with them. We investigatedfactors affecting predator occurrence in semiarid landscapes of centralArgentina and tested for evidence of mesopredator release at large scales. Ourstudy region has a few, small protected areas interspersed within a mosaic of livestockranches and game hunting grounds. We hypothesized that mesopredatorswould avoid spatial and temporal overlap with the apex predator, the puma, butthat human activities (i.e., cattle raising and trophy hunting) would dampen top-downeffects and mediate habitat use of smaller carnivores.Fil: Zanón Martínez, Juan Ignacio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa; ArgentinaFil: Seoane, Javier. Universidad Autónoma de Madrid; EspañaFil: Kelly, Marcella J.. Virginia Tech University; Estados UnidosFil: Sarasola, José Hernán. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa; ArgentinaFil: Travaini, Alejandro. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia Austral. Unidad Académica Caleta Olivia. Centro de Investigaciones Puerto Deseado; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Assessing carnivore spatial co‐occurrence and temporal overlap in the face of human interference in a semi‐arid forest

Apex predators drive top-down effects in ecosystems and the loss of such species can trigger mesopredator release. This ecological process has been well documented in human-modified small areas, but for management and conservation of ecological communities, it is important to know which human factors affect apex predator occurrence and which mediate mesopredators release at large scales. We hypothesized that mesopredators would avoid spatial and temporal overlap with the apex predator, the puma; but that human perturbations (i.e. cattle raising and trophy hunting) would dampen top-down effects and mediate habitat use. We installed 16 camera traps in each of 45, 10x10-km grid cells in the Caldén forest region of central Argentina resulting in 706 total stations covering 61,611km2. We used single-season occupancy and two-species co-occurrence models and calculated the species interaction factor (SIF) to explore the contributions of habitat, biotic, and anthropic variables in explaining co-occurrence between carnivore pairs. We also used kernel density estimation techniques to analyze temporal overlap in activity patterns of the carnivore guild. We found that puma habitat use increased with abundance of large prey and with proximity to protected areas. Geoffroy´s cats and skunks spatially avoided pumas and this effect was strong and mediated by distance to protected areas and game reserves, but pumas did not influence pampas fox and pampas cat space use. At medium and low levels of puma occupancy, we found evidence of spatial avoidance between 3 pairs of mesocarnivores. All predators were mostly nocturnal and crepuscular across seasons and mesopredators showed little consistent evidence of changing activity patterns with varying levels of puma occupancy or human interference. We found potential for mesopredator release at large scale, especially on the spatial niche axis. Our results suggest that a combination of interacting factors, in conjunction with habitat features and intervening human activities, may make mesopredator release unlikely or difficult to discern at broad scales. Overall, we believe that promoting the creation of new protected areas linked by small forest patches would likely lead to increased predator and prey abundances, as well as the interactions among carnivores inside and outside of protected areas.Fil: Zanón Martínez, Juan Ignacio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa. Facultad de Ciencia Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Recursos Naturales. Centro para el Estudio y Conservación de Aves Rapaces; ArgentinaFil: Seoane, Javier. Universidad Autónoma de Madrid; EspañaFil: Kelly, Marcella J.. Virginia Tech University; Estados UnidosFil: Sarasola, José Hernán. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa. Facultad de Ciencia Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Recursos Naturales. Centro para el Estudio y Conservación de Aves Rapaces; ArgentinaFil: Travaini, Alejandro. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia Austral. Unidad Académica Caleta Olivia. Centro de Investigaciones Puerto Deseado; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

HST Grism Observations of a Gravitationally Lensed Redshift 10 Galaxy

We present deep spectroscopic observations of a Lyman-break galaxy candidate (hereafter MACS1149-JD) at $z\sim9.5$ with the $\textit{Hubble}$ Space Telescope ($\textit{HST}$) WFC3/IR grisms. The grism observations were taken at 4 distinct position angles, totaling 34 orbits with the G141 grism, although only 19 of the orbits are relatively uncontaminated along the trace of MACS1149-JD. We fit a 3-parameter ($z$, F160W mag, and Ly$\alpha$ equivalent width) Lyman-break galaxy template to the three least contaminated grism position angles using an MCMC approach. The grism data alone are best fit with a redshift of $z_{\mathrm{grism}}=9.53^{+0.39}_{-0.60}$ ($68\%$ confidence), in good agreement with our photometric estimate of $z_{\mathrm{phot}}=9.51^{+0.06}_{-0.12}$ ($68\%$ confidence). Our analysis rules out Lyman-alpha emission from MACS1149-JD above a $3\sigma$ equivalent width of 21 \AA{}, consistent with a highly neutral IGM. We explore a scenario where the red $\textit{Spitzer}$/IRAC $[3.6] - [4.5]$ color of the galaxy previously pointed out in the literature is due to strong rest-frame optical emission lines from a very young stellar population rather than a 4000 \AA{} break. We find that while this can provide an explanation for the observed IRAC color, it requires a lower redshift ($z\lesssim9.1$), which is less preferred by the $\textit{HST}$ imaging data. The grism data are consistent with both scenarios, indicating that the red IRAC color can still be explained by a 4000 \AA{} break, characteristic of a relatively evolved stellar population. In this interpretation, the photometry indicate that a $340^{+29}_{-35}$ Myr stellar population is already present in this galaxy only $\sim500~\mathrm{Myr}$ after the Big Bang.Comment: Accepted to ApJ. This is the accepted versio

Exploring and interpreting spatiotemporal interactions between native and invasive carnivores across a gradient of rainforest degradation

Studies of elusive carnivores often rely on passive sampling when investigating either spatial or temporal interactions. However, inference on behavioral mechanisms are usually lacking. We present an analysis that combines previously published spatial co-occurrence estimates and temporal kernel density estimates to explore spatiotemporal interspecific interactions. We do so by deriving a spatiotemporal value (STV) that is a relative measure of potential interaction in both niche dimensions, across a gradient of degradation, for rainforest carnivore pairs in Madagascar. We also use a conceptual framework to provide insight into the potential behavioral mechanisms of habitat selection. Of the six native and three invasive carnivores, we estimate the spatiotemporal interactions for twelve pairings, which range from no spatial/temporal relationship (n = 5) to spatiotemporal aggregation or segregation (n = 7). We visualized these spatiotemporal interactions along a fragmentation gradient and demonstrate that these interactions are not static, as STV overlap increases with increasing anthropogenic disturbance. Of the three invasive carnivores (free-ranging dogs Canis familiaris, cats Felis species, and small Indian civets Viverricula indica) the latter had the highest number of spatial occurrence (n = 4) and spatiotemporal overlap (n = 4) relationships with native carnivores. Our results highlight the potential for increasing direct and indirect interactions between native and invasive species as forest degradation and invasive predators increase. Our approach allows us to better understand adaptive behaviors, plasticity in temporal activity, community assemblage, and to develop targeted conservation strategies to manage ecological communities in rapidly changing ecosystems

Observational limits on type 1 active galactic nucleus rate in COSMOS

We present black hole masses and accretion rates for 182 Type 1 active galactic nuclei (AGNs) in COSMOS. We estimate masses using the scaling relations for the broad H β, Mg ii, and C iv emission lines in the redshift ranges 0.16 < z < 0.88, 1 < z < 2.4, and 2.7 < z < 4.9. We estimate the accretion rate using an Eddington ratio LI/L_(Edd) estimated from optical and X-ray data.We find that very few Type 1 AGNs accrete below LI/L_(Edd) ∼ 0.01, despite simulations of synthetic spectra which show that the survey is sensitive to such Type 1 AGNs. At lower accretion rates the broad-line region may become obscured, diluted, or nonexistent. We find evidence that Type 1 AGNs at higher accretion rates have higher optical luminosities, as more of their emission comes from the cool (optical) accretion disk with respect to shorter wavelengths. We measure a larger range in accretion rate than previous works, suggesting that COSMOS is more efficient at finding low accretion rate Type 1 AGNs. However, the measured range in accretion rate is still comparable to the intrinsic scatter from the scaling relations, suggesting that Type 1 AGNs accrete at a narrow range of Eddington ratio, with LI/L_(Edd) ∼ 0.1