104 research outputs found
An assessment of spatial and temporal variation in the diet of Cape clawless otters (Aonyx capensis) in marine environments
We studied the diet of Cape clawless otters (Aonyx capensis) at three sites along the eastern and southern coast of South Africa to assess possible spatial variation along a community species richness and biomass gradient associated with rocky shores.A total of 309 spraints representing two seasons (summer 2013/2014 and winter 2014) were collected and subsequently analysed. The percentage occurrence and percentage dry mass of numerous prey categories were compared between sites and seasons. Variation in the importance of prey
items was found between sites, whilst no variation was found between seasons within the same site. Crab was the most important prey item in the southernmost study area
(Tsitsikamma National Park) and at the northernmost study site (KwaZulu-Natal Coast), whilst lobster was the most important prey item in the central area (Mkambati Nature Reserve). Fish was the second most important prey item at all three sites. Our results suggest that otters are opportunistic feeders that are likely able to adapt to potential prey species and abundance changes associated with current and future anthropogenically driven changes. Furthermore, long-term, site-specific stability in diet suggests that monitoring
the diet of otters could provide some useful information on the status of shoreline
communities
Circumpolar habitat use in a deep–diving Southern Ocean predator: implications for foraging success and population trajectories
Prevalence of multiple non-communicable diseases risk factors among adolescents in 140 countries:A population-based study
BACKGROUND: Modifiable non-communicable disease (NCD) risk factors are becoming increasingly common among adolescents, with clustering of these risk factors in individuals of particular concern. The aim of this study was to assess global status of clustering of common modifiable NCD risk factors among adolescents. METHODS: We used latest available data from nationally representative survey for 140 countries, namely the Global School-based Student Health Survey, the Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children and the longitudinal study of Australian Children. Weighted mean estimates of prevalence with corresponding 95% confidence intervals of nine NCD risk factors - physical inactivity, sedentary behaviour, insufficient fruits and vegetable consumption, carbonated soft drink consumption, fast food consumption, tobacco use, alcohol consumption and overweight/obesity - were calculated by country, region and sex. FINDINGS: Over 487,565 adolescents, aged 11–17 years, were included in this study. According to trend analysis, prevalence of four or more NCD risk factors increased gradually over time. Prevalence of four or more NCD risk factors was 14.8% in 2003–2007 and increased to 44% in 2013–2017, an approximately three-fold increase (44.0%). Similar trends were also observed for three and two risk factors. Large variation between countries in the prevalence of adolescents with four or more risk factors was found in all regions. The country level range was higher in the South-East Asia Region (minimum Sri Lanka = 8%, maximum Myanmar = 84%) than Western Pacific Region (minimum China = 3%, maximum Niue = 72%), European Region (minimum Sweden = 13.9%, maximum Ireland = 66.0%), African Region (minimum Senegal = 0.8%, maximum Uganda = 82.1%) and Eastern Mediterranean Region (minimum Libya = 0.2%, maximum Lebanon = 80.2%). Insufficient vegetable consumption, insufficient fruit consumption and physically inactivity were three of the four most prevalent risk factors in all regions. INTERPRETATION: Our results suggest a high prevalence of four or more NCD risk factors in adolescents globally, although variation was found between countries. Results from our study indicate that efforts to reduce adolescent NCD risk factors and the associated health burden need to be improved. These findings can assist policy makers to target the rollout of country- specific interventions. FUNDING: None
Shrinking a large dataset to identify variables associated with increased risk of Plasmodium falciparum infection in Western Kenya
Large datasets are often not amenable to analysis using traditional single-step approaches. Here, our general objective was to apply imputation techniques, principal component analysis (PCA), elastic net and generalized linear models to a large dataset in a systematic approach to extract the most meaningful predictors for a health outcome. We extracted predictors for Plasmodium falciparum infection, from a large covariate dataset while facing limited numbers of observations, using data from the People, Animals, and their Zoonoses (PAZ) project to demonstrate these techniques: data collected from 415 homesteads in western Kenya, contained over 1500 variables that describe the health, environment, and social factors of the humans, livestock, and the homesteads in which they reside. The wide, sparse dataset was simplified to 42 predictors of P. falciparum malaria infection and wealth rankings were produced for all homesteads. The 42 predictors make biological sense and are supported by previous studies. This systematic data-mining approach we used would make many large datasets more manageable and informative for decision-making processes and health policy prioritization
Measurement of the Bottom-Strange Meson Mixing Phase in the Full CDF Data Set
We report a measurement of the bottom-strange meson mixing phase \beta_s
using the time evolution of B0_s -> J/\psi (->\mu+\mu-) \phi (-> K+ K-) decays
in which the quark-flavor content of the bottom-strange meson is identified at
production. This measurement uses the full data set of proton-antiproton
collisions at sqrt(s)= 1.96 TeV collected by the Collider Detector experiment
at the Fermilab Tevatron, corresponding to 9.6 fb-1 of integrated luminosity.
We report confidence regions in the two-dimensional space of \beta_s and the
B0_s decay-width difference \Delta\Gamma_s, and measure \beta_s in [-\pi/2,
-1.51] U [-0.06, 0.30] U [1.26, \pi/2] at the 68% confidence level, in
agreement with the standard model expectation. Assuming the standard model
value of \beta_s, we also determine \Delta\Gamma_s = 0.068 +- 0.026 (stat) +-
0.009 (syst) ps-1 and the mean B0_s lifetime, \tau_s = 1.528 +- 0.019 (stat) +-
0.009 (syst) ps, which are consistent and competitive with determinations by
other experiments.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figures, Phys. Rev. Lett 109, 171802 (2012
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The INtegrated CAtchment model of phosphorus dynamics (INCA-P): description and demonstration of new model structure and equations
INCA-P is a dynamic, catchment-scale phosphorus model which has been widely applied during the last decade. Since its original release in 2002, the model structure and equations have been significantly altered during several development phases. Here, we provide the first full model description since 2002 and then test the latest version of the model (v1.4.4) in a small rural catchment in northeast Scotland. The particulate phosphorus simulation was much improved compared to previous model versions, whilst the latest sorption equations allowed us to explore the potential time lags between reductions in terrestrial inputs and improvements in surface water quality, an issue of key policy relevance. The model is particularly suitable for use as a research tool, but should only be used to inform policy and land management in data-rich areas, where parameters and processes can be well-constrained. More long-term data is needed to parameterise dynamic models and test their predictions
Collisions Between Eagles and Aircraft: an Increasing Problem in the Airport Environment
Measurement of the Bs Lifetime in Fully and Partially Reconstructed Bs -> Ds- (phi pi-)X Decays in pbar-p Collisions at sqrt(s) = 1.96 TeV
We present a measurement of the Bs lifetime in fully and partially
reconstructed Bs -> Ds(phi pi)X decays in 1.3 fb-1 of pbar-p collisions at
sqrt(s) = 1.96 TeV collected by the CDF II detector at the Fermilab Tevatron.
We measure tau(Bs) = 1.518 +/- 0.041 (stat.) +/- 0.027 (syst.) ps. The ratio of
this result and the world average B0 lifetime yields tau(Bs)/tau(B0) = 0.99
+/-0.03, which is in agreement with recent theoretical predictions.Comment: submitted to Phys. Rev. Let
W boson polarization measurement in the ttbar dilepton channel using the CDF II Detector
We present a measurement of boson polarization in top-quark decays in
events with decays to dilepton final states using of integrated luminosity in collisions collected by the
CDF II detector at the Tevatron. A simultaneous measurement of the fractions of
longitudinal () and right-handed () bosons yields the results
and . Combining this measurement
with our previous result based on single lepton final states, we obtain and . The results are consistent with standard
model expectation.Comment: Published in Phys. Lett.
Observation of the structure in the Mass Spectrum in cays
The observation of the structure in decays produced in collisions at \sqrt{s}=1.96~\TeV is
reported with a statistical significance greater than 5 standard deviations. A
fit to the mass spectrum is performed assuming the presence of a
Breit-Wigner resonance. The fit yields a signal of resonance
events, and resonance mass and width of
4143.4^{+2.9}_{-3.0}(\mathrm{stat})\pm0.6(\mathrm{syst})~\MeVcc and
15.3^{+10.4}_{-6.1}(\mathrm{stat})\pm2.5(\mathrm{syst})~\MeVcc respectively.
The parameters of this resonance-like structure are consistent with values
reported from an earlier CDF analysis.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figures, submited to Phys. Rev. Let
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