21 research outputs found
Closed-areas as a conservation tool: the effect on size of American lobster (Homarus americanus) in Newfoundland
Plain Language Summary: An investigation into different sampling techniques and geographic variation in size-fecundity parameters of the American lobster, H. americanus
This
thesis
focuses
on
two
main
aspects,
the
first
of
which
looks
at
non-Ââinvasive
sampling
techniques
to
estimate
egg
number
on
female
lobsters
and
the
second
looks
at
a
model
that
can
predict
the
relationship
between
female
size
and
egg
number
from
latitude.
The
non-Ââinvasive
sampling
techniques
estimate
egg
number
for
the
female
American
lobster
(Homarus
americanus)
based
on
measurements
and
digital
image
analysis.
Non-Ââinvasive
estimates
of
egg
number
can
now
be
made
that
require
the
removal
of
only
ten
eggs
per
female
instead
of
the
entire
egg
mass.
Applications
of
this
technique
include
the
evaluation
of
the
effectiveness
of
conservation
measures,
such
as
v-Âânotching
or
the
establishment
of
closed
areas,
aimed
at
increasing
egg
production,
where
differences
in
egg
production
can
be
measured
without
the
use
of
destructive
sampling
techniques.
In
order
to
create
a
model
able
to
predict
the
number
of
eggs
on
a
female
based
on
her
carapace
length
throughout
the
speciesâ
range,
fecundity
estimates
for
American
lobster
(H.
americanus)
from
11
different
locations
in
the
Northwest
Atlantic
(from
the
Strait
of
Belle
Isle,
Newfoundland
to
Buzzards
Bay,
Massachusetts)
were
obtained.
The
data
were
then
analyzed
for
geographic
variation
and
a
distinct
change
with
latitude
was
found
in
the
model
parameter
b.
This
was
then
used
to
create
a
model
that
can
predict
size-Ââegg
number
relationships
from
latitude.
This
model
will
allow
for
future
egg
number
estimates
to
be
made,
utilizing
size
data
from
latitude
for
any
population
in
the
Northwest
Atlantic
Plain Language Summary: Latitudinal variation in growth rates of American lobster (Homarus americanus) at the scale of the commercial range
This
thesis
presents
an
examination
of
methods
for
estimating
growth
rates
in
American
lobster
and
an
analysis
of
von
Bertalanffy
growth
parameters
(growth
rate
and
maximum
size)
throughout
the
speciesâ
range.
The
goals
of
this
project
were
to
compare
lobster
growth
rates
in
different
locations
and
determine
if
latitude
could
be
used
as
a
predictor.
Growth
rates
are
desired
in
order
to
estimate
reproductive
value,
a
tool
which
can
then
be
used
to
evaluate
fisheries
management
measures.
They
are
also
required
for
estimates
of
death
rates
and
for
a
yield-Ââper-Âârecruit
model.
The
results
presented
here
show
that
existing
estimates
of
von
Bertalanffy
growth
parameters
are
not
comparable
between
studies
(Chapter
2),
and
that
new
estimates
of
growth
rates
have
a
negative
relationship
with
latitude
(Chapter
3),
meaning
growth
rates
decrease
as
you
go
north.
The
decrease
in
growth
rate
per
degree
of
latitude
is
approximately
0.3%
for
both
male
and
female.
Growth
rate
for
American
lobster
can
now
be
estimated
on
a
site-Ââspecific
basis
using
latitude,
reducing
the
need
for
resource-Ââintensive
tag-Âârecapture
field
studies.
The
results
also
show
that
latitudinal
variation
in
growth
rates
is
largely
due
to
latitudinal
gradients
in
temperature
(Chapter
4)
Lobster Sustainability Measures in Newfoundland: Are They Effective?
The American lobster (Homarus americanus) fishery is a locally reliable inshore commercial fishery in North America with an economic value of CAD 550 million/year
in Atlantic Canada. In Newfoundland, this provides 30 million/year in landed value and has considerable socio-economic value (2900 license holders) in rural communities throughout the province. The small boat lobster fishery is at once a regular source of income and part of the cultural integrity of coastal communities in Newfoundland.
In recent years concern about the sustainability of this fishery has risen because the percent of harvestable lobsters taken from populations each year is at least 75% in almost all Canadian stocks and in some areas rises to over 95%. The Fisheries Research Conservation Council concluded (FRCC 2007) that in the absence of science data on lobster stocks the fate of future stocks is uncertain if lobsters continue to be harvested at recent rates.
Several conservation initiatives were undertaken, with local support, to address these concerns and now form current management practice. These were closed areas [including federally designated marine protected areas (MPAs)], voluntary v-notching, a minimal landing size of 82.5 mm, and the adoption of a maximum size limit in four Lobster Fishing Areas (i.e., a slot fishery). The need for better scientific data on the effectiveness of these measures sparked the FFAW and fish harvesters in Newfoundland to collect data, contribute to the assessment of the stock, and propose a collaborative research project with Memorial University scientists in conjunction with CURRA, the Community-University Research for Recovery Alliance (www.curra.ca). With support
from NSERC (Natural Science and Engineering Research Council) a 3 year project was undertaken to address questions being asked by harvesters: are these resource
sustainability initiatives (v-notching, closed areas, and a slot fishery) effective?; and specifically, do these measures result in increased egg production and increased size/age distribution, which in turn increase egg production? To establish whether these measures have a science basis we used a central concept in population biology called "reproductive value" to evaluate the effectiveness of these measures. Reproductive value considers not only current egg production, it takes into account the expected future value of the individual to the population. Reproductive value allows us to compare the value of an individual as a commodity with its value to its population
Assessing Attitudes Towards Tobacco Advertising in Winooski, VT
Introduction. Smoking rates are 15% in Vermont and higher in low-income populations. Winooski, Vermont is vulnerable to high tobacco use rates given that 23.6% of Winooski residents live below the poverty line. Tobacco advertising, which has been shown to have a direct, dose-dependent association with youth tobacco use, is highly prevalent in stores in Winooski.https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/comphp_gallery/1091/thumbnail.jp
SYT1-associated neurodevelopmental disorder: a case series.
Synaptotagmin 1 (SYT1) is a critical mediator of fast, synchronous, calcium-dependent neurotransmitter release and also modulates synaptic vesicle endocytosis. This paper describes 11 patients with de novo heterozygous missense mutations in SYT1. All mutations alter highly conserved residues, and cluster in two regions of the SYT1 C2B domain at positions Met303 (M303K), Asp304 (D304G), Asp366 (D366E), Ile368 (I368T) and Asn371 (N371K). Phenotypic features include infantile hypotonia, congenital ophthalmic abnormalities, childhood-onset hyperkinetic movement disorders, motor stereotypies, and developmental delay varying in severity from moderate to profound. Behavioural characteristics include sleep disturbance and episodic agitation. Absence of epileptic seizures and normal orbitofrontal head circumference are important negative features. Structural MRI is unremarkable but EEG disturbance is universal, characterized by intermittent low frequency high amplitude oscillations. The functional impact of these five de novo SYT1 mutations has been assessed by expressing rat SYT1 protein containing the equivalent human variants in wild-type mouse primary hippocampal cultures. All mutant forms of SYT1 were expressed at levels approximately equal to endogenous wild-type protein, and correctly localized to nerve terminals at rest, except for SYT1M303K, which was expressed at a lower level and failed to localize at nerve terminals. Following stimulation, SYT1I368T and SYT1N371K relocalized to nerve terminals at least as efficiently as wild-type SYT1. However, SYT1D304G and SYT1D366E failed to relocalize to nerve terminals following stimulation, indicative of impairments in endocytic retrieval and trafficking of SYT1. In addition, the presence of SYT1 variants at nerve terminals induced a slowing of exocytic rate following sustained action potential stimulation. The extent of disturbance to synaptic vesicle kinetics is mirrored by the severity of the affected individuals' phenotypes, suggesting that the efficiency of SYT1-mediated neurotransmitter release is critical to cognitive development. In summary, de novo dominant SYT1 missense mutations are associated with a recognizable neurodevelopmental syndrome, and further cases can now be diagnosed based on clinical features, electrophysiological signature and mutation characteristics. Variation in phenotype severity may reflect mutation-specific impact on the diverse physiological functions of SYT1
Performance of the CMS Cathode Strip Chambers with Cosmic Rays
The Cathode Strip Chambers (CSCs) constitute the primary muon tracking device
in the CMS endcaps. Their performance has been evaluated using data taken
during a cosmic ray run in fall 2008. Measured noise levels are low, with the
number of noisy channels well below 1%. Coordinate resolution was measured for
all types of chambers, and fall in the range 47 microns to 243 microns. The
efficiencies for local charged track triggers, for hit and for segments
reconstruction were measured, and are above 99%. The timing resolution per
layer is approximately 5 ns
Aligning the CMS Muon Chambers with the Muon Alignment System during an Extended Cosmic Ray Run
Peer reviewe
Mortality from gastrointestinal congenital anomalies at 264 hospitals in 74 low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries: a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study
Summary
Background Congenital anomalies are the fifth leading cause of mortality in children younger than 5 years globally.
Many gastrointestinal congenital anomalies are fatal without timely access to neonatal surgical care, but few studies
have been done on these conditions in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We compared outcomes of
the seven most common gastrointestinal congenital anomalies in low-income, middle-income, and high-income
countries globally, and identified factors associated with mortality.
Methods We did a multicentre, international prospective cohort study of patients younger than 16 years, presenting to
hospital for the first time with oesophageal atresia, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, intestinal atresia, gastroschisis,
exomphalos, anorectal malformation, and Hirschsprungâs disease. Recruitment was of consecutive patients for a
minimum of 1 month between October, 2018, and April, 2019. We collected data on patient demographics, clinical
status, interventions, and outcomes using the REDCap platform. Patients were followed up for 30 days after primary
intervention, or 30 days after admission if they did not receive an intervention. The primary outcome was all-cause,
in-hospital mortality for all conditions combined and each condition individually, stratified by country income status.
We did a complete case analysis.
Findings We included 3849 patients with 3975 study conditions (560 with oesophageal atresia, 448 with congenital
diaphragmatic hernia, 681 with intestinal atresia, 453 with gastroschisis, 325 with exomphalos, 991 with anorectal
malformation, and 517 with Hirschsprungâs disease) from 264 hospitals (89 in high-income countries, 166 in middleincome
countries, and nine in low-income countries) in 74 countries. Of the 3849 patients, 2231 (58·0%) were male.
Median gestational age at birth was 38 weeks (IQR 36â39) and median bodyweight at presentation was 2·8 kg (2·3â3·3).
Mortality among all patients was 37 (39·8%) of 93 in low-income countries, 583 (20·4%) of 2860 in middle-income
countries, and 50 (5·6%) of 896 in high-income countries (p<0·0001 between all country income groups).
Gastroschisis had the greatest difference in mortality between country income strata (nine [90·0%] of ten in lowincome
countries, 97 [31·9%] of 304 in middle-income countries, and two [1·4%] of 139 in high-income countries;
pâ€0·0001 between all country income groups). Factors significantly associated with higher mortality for all patients
combined included country income status (low-income vs high-income countries, risk ratio 2·78 [95% CI 1·88â4·11],
p<0·0001; middle-income vs high-income countries, 2·11 [1·59â2·79], p<0·0001), sepsis at presentation (1·20
[1·04â1·40], p=0·016), higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score at primary intervention
(ASA 4â5 vs ASA 1â2, 1·82 [1·40â2·35], p<0·0001; ASA 3 vs ASA 1â2, 1·58, [1·30â1·92], p<0·0001]), surgical safety
checklist not used (1·39 [1·02â1·90], p=0·035), and ventilation or parenteral nutrition unavailable when needed
(ventilation 1·96, [1·41â2·71], p=0·0001; parenteral nutrition 1·35, [1·05â1·74], p=0·018). Administration of
parenteral nutrition (0·61, [0·47â0·79], p=0·0002) and use of a peripherally inserted central catheter (0·65
[0·50â0·86], p=0·0024) or percutaneous central line (0·69 [0·48â1·00], p=0·049) were associated with lower mortality.
Interpretation Unacceptable differences in mortality exist for gastrointestinal congenital anomalies between lowincome,
middle-income, and high-income countries. Improving access to quality neonatal surgical care in LMICs will
be vital to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3.2 of ending preventable deaths in neonates and children younger
than 5 years by 2030
Fair and equitable sharing of benefits from the utilization of marine genetic resources in areas beyond national jurisdiction: Bridging the gaps between science and policy
Marine genetic resources are a subject of a growing body of research and development activities, as demonstrated by the abundance of marine patented genes reported in GenBank. Given the lack of a comprehensive legal regime for the management of marine genetic resources in areas beyond national jurisdiction, the General Assembly of the United Nations met in 2006 to discuss whether there are regulatory or governance gaps and how to address them. Besides the crystallization of the different political positions, the process is now advancing towards making a decision about whether to develop an international instrument under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) for the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity, within which the regulation of access to genetic resources and the sharing of benefits from their utilization has emerged as an in-dissociable issue. In order to propose concrete options to be considered for the establishment of a legal framework addressing these issues, policy-makers need to better understand the feasibility, the costs and the modalities of scientific activities undertaken, together with the actual level of commercialization of new products. They also need to be aware of the already advanced practices in place within the scientific community, especially regarding sharing of non-monetary benefits. This paper particularly highlights and discusses practical scenarios to advance in the international process, based on the approaches adopted in other regional and international regimes for the management of genetic resources and on the best practices developed within the scientific community. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd