Mass segregation trends in SDSS galaxy groups

It has been shown that galaxy properties depend strongly on their host environment. In order to understand the relevant physical processes driving galaxy evolution it is important to study the observed properties of galaxies in different environments. Mass segregation in bound galaxy structures is an important indicator of evolutionary history and dynamical friction timescales. Using group catalogues derived from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 7 (SDSS DR7) we investigate mass segregation trends in galaxy groups at low redshift. We investigate average galaxy stellar mass as a function of group-centric radius and find evidence for weak mass segregation in SDSS groups. The magnitude of the mass segregation depends on both galaxy stellar mass limits and group halo mass. We show that the inclusion of low mass galaxies tends to strengthen mass segregation trends, and that the strength of mass segregation tends to decrease with increasing group halo mass. We find the same trends if we use the fraction of massive galaxies as a function of group-centric radius as an alternative probe of mass segregation. The magnitude of mass segregation that we measure, particularly in high-mass haloes, indicates that dynamical friction is not acting efficiently.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS Letter

Impact of a Modified Early Warning Score Tool on Nurses’ Ability to Recognize and Respond to Clinical Deterioration

Timely recognition of signs of impending clinical deterioration in acute care hospitalized patients can prevent an unexpected illness from becoming a fatal event. Failure to recognize the precursors of impending doom can have many factors, but the most influential of these is the role of the bedside nurse in detecting the subtle signs of decline. The Modified Early Warning Score (MEWS) has been used successfully to detect clinical deterioration in hospitalized patients, while simulation has been used successfully to provide an environment to test reaction to acute patient decline without harm to actual patients. A translational research project implemented the MEWS tool through an educational intervention that included simulated patient experiences. The aims of this project were to 1) increase awareness of bedside nurses to acute patient deterioration in the rural hospital setting and 2) increase action of bedside nurses to acute patient deterioration in the rural hospital setting. Results indicate that use of the MEWS increases nurses’ use of other deterioration screening tools as well as their knowledge and confidence in responding to a deterioration event. The usefulness of simulation as a method to provide education in post-licensure nurses is also discussed. Finally, the MEWS tool was shown to accurately predict patient deterioration of hospitalized clients if completed consistently. Future research should focus on how to increase usage of deterioration tools to detect acute clinical decline earlier in the deterioration process

Is penguin circovirus circulating only in the antarctic circle? Lack of viral detection in namibia

The known host range of circoviruses is continuously expanding because of more intensive diagnostic activities and advanced sequencing tools. Recently, a new circovirus (penguin circovirus (PenCV)) was identified in the guano and cloacal samples collected from Adélie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae) and chinstrap penguins (Pygoscelis antarcticus) in Antarctica. Although the virus was detected in several asymptomatic subjects, a potential association with feather disease was speculated. To investigate the occurrence and implications of PenCV in other penguin species located outside of Antarctica, a broad survey was undertaken in African penguins (Spheniscus demersus) on two islands off the southern Namibian coast. For this purpose, specific molecular biology assays were developed and validated. None of the 151 blood samples tested positive for PenCV. Several reasons could explain the lack of PenCV positive samples. African penguins and Pygoscelis species are separated by approximately 6000 km, so there is almost no opportunity for transmission. Similarly, host susceptibility to PenCV might be penguin genus-specific. Overall, the present study found no evidence of PenCV in African penguin colonies in Namibia. Further dedicated studies are required to assess the relevance of PenCV among different penguin species

Opportunities and conditions to learn (OCL): A conceptual framework

“Opportunity to learn” has evolved into an umbrella phrase for describing a large range of settings, resources, structures, and processes. The aim of this study is to develop a conceptual framework that can accommodate a wide range of opportunities to learn, not just those provided by teachers in classrooms. An inclusive framework can bring together diverse studies about opportunity to learn, increasing synergies and uncovering interconnections, and making more visible marginalized forms of learning. It can also be used as a framework for holding governments, education authorities, and policy makers accountable for providing equitable opportunities and conditions to learn. This article presents a three-dimensional conceptual framework of opportunities and conditions to learn (OCL) that captures (a) notions of what opportunities exist and where those opportunities exist and opportunities offered by whom, as well as (b) a spate of conditions that can shape those opportunities

Descriptive epidemiology of and response to the high pathogenicity avian influenza (h5n8) epidemic in South African coastal seabirds, 2018

High pathogenicity avian infuenza (HPAI) clade 2.3.4.4b H5N8 virus was detected in coastal seabirds in late 2017 in South Africa, following a devastating epidemic in the commercial poultry and ostrich industries. By May 2018, the infection had been confrmed in ffteen seabird species at 31 sites along the southern coast, with the highest mortality recorded in terns (Family Laridae, Order Charadriiformes). Over 7,500 positive or suspected cases in seabirds were reported. Among those infected were three endangered species: African penguins (Spheniscus demersus Linnaeus, 1758), Cape cormorants (Phalacrocorax capensis Wahlberg, 1855), and Cape gannets (Morus capensis Lichtenstein, 1823). Te scale and impact of this outbreak were unprecedented in southern African coastal seabirds and raised logistical challenges in resource allocation, risk mitigation, and outbreak response. It required the collaboration of multiple stakeholder groups, including a variety of government departments and nongovernmental organizations. With another HPAI outbreak in South African seabirds in 2021 and major incursions in seabird species in the northern hemisphere in 2022, it is vital to share and consolidate knowledge on the subject. We describe the epidemic, the lessons learned, and recommendations for developing contingency plans

Is Penguin Circovirus Circulating Only in the Antarctic Circle? Lack of Viral Detection in Namibia

The known host range of circoviruses is continuously expanding because of more intensive diagnostic activities and advanced sequencing tools. Recently, a new circovirus (penguin circovirus (PenCV)) was identified in the guano and cloacal samples collected from Adélie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae) and chinstrap penguins (Pygoscelis antarcticus) in Antarctica. Although the virus was detected in several asymptomatic subjects, a potential association with feather disease was speculated. To investigate the occurrence and implications of PenCV in other penguin species located outside of Antarctica, a broad survey was undertaken in African penguins (Spheniscus demersus) on two islands off the southern Namibian coast. For this purpose, specific molecular biology assays were developed and validated. None of the 151 blood samples tested positive for PenCV. Several reasons could explain the lack of PenCV positive samples. African penguins and Pygoscelis species are separated by approximately 6000 km, so there is almost no opportunity for transmission. Similarly, host susceptibility to PenCV might be penguin genus-specific. Overall, the present study found no evidence of PenCV in African penguin colonies in Namibia. Further dedicated studies are required to assess the relevance of PenCV among different penguin species