Communicating astronomy with the public: perspectives of an international community of practice

Communities of practice in science communication can make important contributions to public engagement with science but are under-researched. In this article, we look at the perspectives of a community of practice in astronomy communication regarding (relations with) their public(s). Most participants in this study consider that public(s) have several deficits and vulnerabilities. Moreover, practitioners have little to no contact with (and therefore make no use of) academic research on science communication. We argue that collaboration between science communication researchers and practitioners could benefit the science-public relationship and that communities of practice may be critical to that purpose. SFRH/BD/123276/2016Science Communication and Societ

Didemnum Tetrahedrum Sp. Nov., A New Didemnum (tunicata: Ascidiacea) Species From South-eastern Brazil

A new species of Didemnum was discovered during a recent biodiversity survey of Praia da Baleia, São Sebastião, São Paulo State, Brazil. This species has a unique and peculiar type of spicule composed by four calcareous spheroids grouped together to form a tetrahedral structure. In other aspects, the new species is similar to certain other whitish tropical Atlantic American didemnids formerly assigned to Didemnum candidum.84612271228Kott, P., The Australian Ascidiacea. Part 4, Aplousobranchia (3), Didemnidae (2001) Memoirs of the Queensland Museum, 47, pp. 1-407Rocha, R.M., Replacement of the compound ascidians species in a southeastern fouling community (1991) Boletim Do Instituto Oceanográfico, 39, pp. 141-153Rocha, R.M., Monniot, F., Didemnum rodriguesi sp. nov., a new didemnid tunicate common to southern Brazil and New Caledonia (1993) Annales de l'Institut Océanographique, 69, pp. 261-265Rocha, R.M., Monniot, F., Taxonomic and ecological notes on some Didemnum species (Ascidiacea, Didemnidae) from São Sebastião Channel, South-eastern Brazil (1995) Revista Brasileira de Biologia, 55, pp. 639-649Rodrigues, S.A., Rocha, R.M., Littoral compound ascidians (Tunicata) from São Sebastião, Estado de São Paulo, Brazil (1993) Proceedings of Biological Society of Washington, 106, pp. 728-739Van Name, W.G., The north and south American ascidians (1945) Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History, 84, pp. 1-47

Communicating astronomy: knowing your audience

Science communication practitioners are always looking for better ways to engage their public. Thisis the case for astronomy communicators, a community of practice that is interested in engaging with thosewho are traditionally out of the science radar, including the less privileged ones. One of the majorchallenges astronomy communicators face when addressing the public is related to knowing what theirinterests are, whether they have and which are their misconceptions and ideas about astronomy, if any.Building strategies to know one’s audience may be decisive for the success of an astronomy communicationpractice, both in formal and informal settings. In this article, we present some of the challenges practitionersmay face when communicating astronomy to today´s audiences and suggest approaches to address them.SFRH/BD/123276/2016Science Communication and Societ

Comportamento ingestivo em caprinos alimentados com dietas contendo cana-de-açúcar tratada com óxido de cálcio Ingestive behavior in goats fed diets containing sugar cane treated with calcium oxide

Objetivou-se avaliar o efeito do tratamento da cana-de-açúcar com óxido de cálcio (CaO) sobre o comportamento ingestivo em caprinos. Foram utilizados oito caprinos da raça Saanen, machos castrados, com peso corporal médio de 22,6 kg e 4 meses de idade, distribuídos em dois quadrados latinos 4 × 4, com quatro períodos experimentais de 14 dias. Os animais foram mantidos em baias individuais de 1,2 m², com piso ripado de madeira, providas de comedouros e bebedouros individuais. As dietas foram formuladas para ser isoproteicas e conter 14% de proteína bruta (PB) e apresentaram 70% de cana-de-açúcar tratada com 0; 0,75; 1,5 ou 2,25% de óxido de cálcio (com base na matéria natural) corrigida com 1% de ureia e 30% de concentrado fornecidas a vontade. A cana-de-açúcar com a adição das doses de óxido de cálcio, foi triturada em desintegradora estacionária, pesada e acondicionada em baldes plásticos de 50 L, tratada com o óxido de cálcio e fornecida aos animais após 24 horas de armazenamento. Os tempos despendidos em alimentação, ruminação (min/dia, min/kg MS e min/kg FDN) e ócio (min/dia) não foram afetados pela adição de óxido de cálcio à cana-de-açúcar. A adição de óxido de cálcio à cana-de-açúcar não influenciou a eficiência em alimentação e ruminação, mas provocou redução do tempo médio despendido por período de alimentação. O comportamento ingestivo de caprinos em crescimento não é afetado pela utilização de dietas contendo cana-de-açúcar tratada com até 2,25% de óxido de cálcio.<br>The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of sugar cane treated with calcium oxide (CaO) on ingestive behavior in goats. It was used eight castrated male Saanen goats, with 22.6 kg average body weight and at four months of age, distributed in two 4 × 4 Latin squares, with four 14-day experimental periods. The animals were kept in individual 1.2-m² stalls, with wood battened floor, provided with individual feeders and drinkers. The diets were formulated to be isoproteic, with 14% crude protein (CP) and presented 70% sugar cane treated with 0; 0.75; 1.5 or 2.25% of calcium oxide (on natural matter basis) corrected with 1% urea and 30% of concentrate fed ad libitum. Sugar cane added with doses of calcium oxide was crushed in stationary chopper, weighed and stored in 50-L plastic buckets and treated with calcium oxide, given to the animals after 24 hours of storage. Times spent in feeding, ruminating (min/day; min/kg DM and min/kg NDF) and idle (min/day) were not affected by addition of calcium oxide to sugar cane. Addition of calcium oxide to sugar cane did not influence effciency of feeding and rumination mad it reduced average time spent per feeding period. Ingestive behavior of growing goats is not affected by utilization of diets with sugar cane treated with up to 2.25% of calcium oxide

Características de carcaça e composição da carne de cordeiros terminados em confinamento com dietas com diferentes níveis de energia Carcass characteristics and meat composition of lambs finished in feedlot with diets containing different levels of energy

Avaliaram-se as características da carcaça, a composição tecidual da secção entre a 9ª e a 11ª costela, a composição centesimal do músculo longissimus dorsi e a proporção dos componentes não-carcaça de cordeiros terminados em confinamento com dietas contendo 1,49; 1,55; 1,62; ou 1,68 Mcal de energia líquida/kg de matéria seca. As dietas foram compostas de silagem de milho como volumoso e concentrado composto de um produto comercial e do suplemento energético Lacto Plus®. Foram utilizados 16 cordeiros machos não-castrados desmamados aos 74 ± 18 dias de idade e abatidos aos 84 dias de confinamento. O delineamento experimental foi o inteiramente casualizado, com quatro níveis de energia, cada um com quatro repetições. A porcentagem de perna diminuiu linearmente, enquanto a porcentagem de costilhar aumentou, também de forma linear, com o aumento do nível de energia na dieta dos cordeiros. A proporção de músculo diminuiu e a de gordura aumentou de acordo com o nível de energia na dieta. A composição centesimal do longissimus dorsi não foi influenciada pelo nível de energia da dieta. As porcentagens de sangue e gordura interna e renal aumentaram linearmente, enquanto as de vísceras cheias e de conteúdo gastrintestinal diminuíram linearmente com o aumento do nível energético das dietas. O aumento do nível de energia líquida na dieta de cordeiros em confinamento reduz a proporção de perna e aumenta a de costilhar, além de aumentar a proporção de gordura e diminuir a de músculo na secção entre a 9ª e a 11ª costela.<br>The objective of this study was to evaluate the characteristics of the carcass, tissue composition in the section between 9th and 11th ribs, centesimal composition of Longissimus dorsi muscle and the proportion of the non-carcass components of non-castrated male lambs, fed in feedlot with diets containing 1.49, 1.55, 1.62 and 1.68 Mcal of net energy/kg of dry matter. Diets were composed by corn silage as the roughage and the concentrate was composed by a commercial ration and the energetic supplement Lacto Plus®. It was used sixteen non-castrated male lambs, weaned at 74 ± 18 days of age and slaughtered when they completed 84 days of feedlot. A completely ramdomized design was used, with four levels of energy, each one with four replicates. The percentage of leg linearly decreased while the percentage of rib linearly increased as the level of energy in the diet of the lambs improved. There was a linear decrease in the proportion of muscle and linear increase in the proportion of fat according to the level of energy in the diet. The centesimal composition of Longissimus dorsi muscle was not influenced by the level of energy of the diet. The percentages of blood and internal and kidney fat increased linearly while the percentages of full viscera and gastrointestinal content decreased linearly with the increase in energy level in the diets. Increasing levels of net energy in the diet of lambs in feedlot promotes reduction in the proportion of leg and increase the proportion of rib. Additionaly, it promotes an increase in proportion of fat and it reduces the proportion of muscle in the section between the 9th and 11th ribs