Recent advances in telemetry for estimating the energy metabolism of wild fishes

Metabolic rate is a critical factor in animal biology and ecology, providing an objective measure that can be used in attributing a cost to different activities and to assessing what animals do against some optimal behaviour. Ideally, metabolic rate would be estimated directly by measuring heat output but, until recently, this has not been easily tractable with shes so instead metabolic rate is usually esti- mated using indirect methods. In the laboratory, oxygen consumption rate is the indirect method most frequently used for estimating metabolic rate, but technical requirements preclude the measurement of either heat output or oxygen consumption rate in free-ranging shes. There are other eld methods for estimating metabolic rate that can be used with mammals and birds but, again, these cannot be used with shes. Here, the use of electronic devices that record body acceleration in three dimensions (accelerometry) is considered. Accelerometry is a comparatively new telemetric method for assessing energy metabolism in animals. Correlations between dynamic body acceleration (DBA) and oxygen consumption rate demonstrate that this will be a useful proxy for estimating activity-speci c energy expenditure from shes in mesocosm or eld studies over extended periods where other methods (e.g. oxygen consumption rate) are not feasible. DBA therefore has potential as a valuable tool for attribut- ing cost to different activities. This could help in gaining a full picture of how shes make energy-based trade-offs between different levels of activity when faced with con icting or competing demands aris- ing from increased and combined environmental stressors

Truancy in the United States: Examining temporal trends and correlates by race, age, and gender

Pathways through Adolescenc

Investigation of the 240Pu(n, f ) reaction at the n_TOF/EAR2 facility in the 9 meV–6 MeV range

Background: Nuclear waste management is considered amongst the major challenges in the field of nuclear energy. A possible means of addressing this issue is waste transmutation in advanced nuclear systems, whose operation requires a fast neutron spectrum. In this regard, the accurate knowledge of neutron-induced reaction cross sections of several (minor) actinide isotopes is essential for design optimization and improvement of safety margins of such systems. One such case is 240 Pu , due to its accumulation in spent nuclear fuel of thermal reactors and its usage in fast reactor fuel. The measurement of the 240 Pu ( n , f ) cross section was previously attempted at the CERN n_TOF facility EAR1 measuring station using the time-of-flight technique. Due to the low amount of available material and the given flux at EAR1, the measurement had to last several months to achieve a sufficient statistical accuracy. This long duration led to detector deterioration due to the prolonged exposure to the high α activity of the fission foils, therefore the measurement could not be successfully completed. Purpose: It is aimed to determine whether it is feasible to study neutron-induced fission at n_TOF/EAR2 and provide data on the 240 Pu ( n , f ) reaction in energy regions requested for applications. Methods: The study of the 240 Pu ( n , f ) reaction was made at a new experimental area (EAR2) with a shorter flight path which delivered on average 30 times higher flux at fast neutron energies. This enabled the measurement to be performed much faster, thus limiting the exposure of the detectors to the intrinsic activity of the fission foils. The experimental setup was based on microbulk Micromegas detectors and the time-of-flight data were analyzed with an optimized pulse-shape analysis algorithm. Special attention was dedicated to the estimation of the non-negligible counting loss corrections with the development of a new methodology, and other corrections were estimated via Monte Carlo simulations of the experimental setup. Results: This new measurement of the 240 Pu ( n , f ) cross section yielded data from 9 meV up to 6 MeV incident neutron energy and fission resonance kernels were extracted up to 10 keV . Conclusions: Neutron-induced fission of high activity samples can be successfully studied at the n_TOF/EAR2 facility at CERN covering a wide range of neutron energies, from thermal to a few MeV.Croatian Science Foundation 857

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Microsatellite based genetic diversity and population structure of the endangered Spanish Guadarrama goat breed

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Assessing genetic biodiversity and population structure of minor breeds through the information provided by neutral molecular markers, allows determination of their extinction risk and to design strategies for their management and conservation. Analysis of microsatellite loci is known to be highly informative in the reconstruction of the historical processes underlying the evolution and differentiation of animal populations. Guadarrama goat is a threatened Spanish breed which actual census (2008) consists of 3057 females and 203 males distributed in 22 populations more or less isolated. The aim of this work is to study the genetic status of this breed through the analysis of molecular data from 10 microsatellites typed in historic and actual live animals.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The mean expected heterozygosity across loci within populations ranged from 0.62 to 0.77. Genetic differentiation measures were moderate, with a mean F_STof 0.074, G_STof 0.081 and R_STof 0.085. Percentages of variation among and within populations were 7.5 and 92.5, respectively. Bayesian clustering analyses pointed out a population subdivision in 16 clusters, however, no correlation between geographical distances and genetic differences was found. Management factors such as the limited exchange of animals between farmers (estimated gene flow Nm = 3.08) mostly due to sanitary and social constraints could be the major causes affecting Guadarrama goat population subdivision.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Genetic diversity measures revealed a good status of biodiversity in the Guadarrama goat breed. Since diseases are the first cause affecting the census in this breed, population subdivision would be an advantage for its conservation. However, to maintain private alleles present at low frequencies in such small populations minimizing the inbreeding rate, it would necessitate some mating designs of animals carrying such alleles among populations. The systematic use of molecular markers will facilitate the comprehensive management of these populations, which in combination with the actual breeding program to increase milk yield, will constitute a good strategy to preserve the breed.</p

The impact of surgical delay on resectability of colorectal cancer: An international prospective cohort study

AIM: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has provided a unique opportunity to explore the impact of surgical delays on cancer resectability. This study aimed to compare resectability for colorectal cancer patients undergoing delayed versus non-delayed surgery. METHODS: This was an international prospective cohort study of consecutive colorectal cancer patients with a decision for curative surgery (January-April 2020). Surgical delay was defined as an operation taking place more than 4 weeks after treatment decision, in a patient who did not receive neoadjuvant therapy. A subgroup analysis explored the effects of delay in elective patients only. The impact of longer delays was explored in a sensitivity analysis. The primary outcome was complete resection, defined as curative resection with an R0 margin. RESULTS: Overall, 5453 patients from 304 hospitals in 47 countries were included, of whom 6.6% (358/5453) did not receive their planned operation. Of the 4304 operated patients without neoadjuvant therapy, 40.5% (1744/4304) were delayed beyond 4 weeks. Delayed patients were more likely to be older, men, more comorbid, have higher body mass index and have rectal cancer and early stage disease. Delayed patients had higher unadjusted rates of complete resection (93.7% vs. 91.9%, P = 0.032) and lower rates of emergency surgery (4.5% vs. 22.5%, P < 0.001). After adjustment, delay was not associated with a lower rate of complete resection (OR 1.18, 95% CI 0.90-1.55, P = 0.224), which was consistent in elective patients only (OR 0.94, 95% CI 0.69-1.27, P = 0.672). Longer delays were not associated with poorer outcomes. CONCLUSION: One in 15 colorectal cancer patients did not receive their planned operation during the first wave of COVID-19. Surgical delay did not appear to compromise resectability, raising the hypothesis that any reduction in long-term survival attributable to delays is likely to be due to micro-metastatic disease

The relationship between on-the-job stress and illness among county extension agents of the Texas Agricultural Extension Service

Typescript (photocopy).County Extension Agents in the Texas Agricultural Extension Service work in a large complex organization performing many roles which the relevant literature indicated could produce stress. Research has not been completed which confirmed the relationship between health, illness and stress for County Extension staff in Texas. This study was conducted to determine what sources of stress existed within the Extension Service and if those sources of stress held the same relationship to health and illness as described in the relevant research and literature. A mailed survey was used to collect the data from 405 randomly selected agents employed by the Texas Agricultural Extension Service. To describe the data, one-way frequency distributions were used. To examine the relationship existing between the dependent and independent variables, the Chi Square Statistic was used. The .05 level of significance was used as the level for acceptance or rejection. Gamma was used to arrive at a coefficient of predictability. It was found that sources of stress confronting the Texas Agricultural Extension Service are not unlike those sources of stress described in the literature. There was found to be a significant relationship between an agent's stress, health and the frequency of illness they experienced. Persons who perceived themselves as experiencing more stress also perceived themselves to be in poorer health and to experience symptoms of illness more frequently than those agents who perceived themselves to be under less stress. Employees who perceive themselves to be under more stress could benefit from programs designed to improve their coping skills. Such programs would also be a benefit to the organization in that they could reduce sick leave time and other costly side-effects of high stress among employees

Diálogos laterales qom: antropología y filosofía en la perspectiva postcolonial

En este trabajo se revisan algunas ideas generales compartidas por la antropología y lafilosofía acerca de la actitud básica de curiosidad frente al mundo, y al modo en que sedescubren los múltiples modos de ser y estar en él a través de la experiencia intercultural. Setoma como caso el del grupo indígena qom o toba del Chaco argentino, indagando, en undiálogo con la fenomenología y el existencialismo occidentales, en el modo en que losprimeros construyen su noción de mundo, conocimiento, pensamiento, y persona. Esta posibilidad de conversación intercultural está mediada por la llamada crítica postcolonial,corriente contemporánea de pensamiento crítico que intenta descentrar la hegemonía del discurso filosófico eurocéntrico en beneficio de un diálogo epistemológico y políticohorizontal entre universos dispares de saberes. Aquí se propone un ejemplo de tal ejercicio,identificando los aportes que el pensamiento qom podría realizar a una filosofía interculturalarticulada desde la exploración etnográfic

The relationship between on-the-job stress and illness among county extension agents of the Texas Agricultural Extension Service

Typescript (photocopy).County Extension Agents in the Texas Agricultural Extension Service work in a large complex organization performing many roles which the relevant literature indicated could produce stress. Research has not been completed which confirmed the relationship between health, illness and stress for County Extension staff in Texas. This study was conducted to determine what sources of stress existed within the Extension Service and if those sources of stress held the same relationship to health and illness as described in the relevant research and literature. A mailed survey was used to collect the data from 405 randomly selected agents employed by the Texas Agricultural Extension Service. To describe the data, one-way frequency distributions were used. To examine the relationship existing between the dependent and independent variables, the Chi Square Statistic was used. The .05 level of significance was used as the level for acceptance or rejection. Gamma was used to arrive at a coefficient of predictability. It was found that sources of stress confronting the Texas Agricultural Extension Service are not unlike those sources of stress described in the literature. There was found to be a significant relationship between an agent's stress, health and the frequency of illness they experienced. Persons who perceived themselves as experiencing more stress also perceived themselves to be in poorer health and to experience symptoms of illness more frequently than those agents who perceived themselves to be under less stress. Employees who perceive themselves to be under more stress could benefit from programs designed to improve their coping skills. Such programs would also be a benefit to the organization in that they could reduce sick leave time and other costly side-effects of high stress among employees