Loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) nest predation at Cape Range National Park

Most of the existing sea turtle populations worldwide are in decline. In particular, loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) are listed as endangered and loggerhead nesting populations in Eastern Australia have declined by 86% since the 1970s. However, whilst Eastern Australian loggerhead populations have been extensively studied and monitored, not much is known about the Western Australian nesting population

Multiagent Negotiation for Fair and Unbiased Resource Allocation

This paper proposes a novel solution for the n agent cake cutting (resource allocation) problem. We propose a negotiation protocol for dividing a resource among n agents and then provide an algorithm for allotting portions of the resource. We prove that this protocol can enable distribution of the resource among n agents in a fair manner. The protocol enables agents to choose portions based on their internal utility function, which they do not have to reveal. In addition to being fair, the protocol has desirable features such as being unbiased and verifiable while allocating resources. In the case where the resource is two-dimensional (a circular cake) and uniform, it is shown that each agent can get close to l/n of the whole resource

Evaluation of the performance of a lateral flow device for quantitative detection of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG

Introduction: The AbC-19™ lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) performance was evaluated on plasma samples from a SARS-CoV-2 vaccination cohort, WHO international standards for anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG (human), individuals ≥2 weeks from infection of RT-PCR confirmed SARS-CoV-2 genetic variants, as well as microorganism serology. Methods: Pre-vaccination to three weeks post-booster samples were collected from a cohort of 111 patients (including clinically extremely vulnerable patients) from Northern Ireland. All patients received Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccination for the first and second dose, and Pfizer-BioNTech for the third (first booster). WHO international standards, 15 samples from 2 variants of concern (Delta and Omicron) and cross-reactivity with plasma samples from other microorganism infections were also assessed on AbC-19™. Results: All 80 (100%) participants sampled post-booster had high positive IgG responses, compared to 38/95 (40%) participants at 6 months post-first vaccination. WHO standard results correlated with information from corresponding biological data sheets, and antibodies to all genetic variants were detected by LFIA. No cross-reactivity was found with exception of one (of five) Dengue virus samples. Conclusion: These findings suggest BNT162b2 booster vaccination enhanced humoral immunity to SARS-CoV-2 from pre-booster levels, and that this antibody response was detectable by the LFIA. In combination with cross-reactivity, standards and genetic variant results would suggest LFIA may be a cost-effective measure to assess SARS-CoV-2 antibody status

Quantity versus Quality: The Impact of Environmental Disclosures on the reputations of UK plcs

The theoretical framework of this paper integrates quality-signalling theory and the resource based view of the firm to test the differential effects of the quantity and quality of environmental disclosures on the firm’s environmental reputation. Uniquely, the study uses a quality-adjusted method of content analysis, so that sentences are not merely counted but also weighted to reflect their likely significance. Investments in research and development and diversification, as potential methods of enhancing of environmental reputation, are also considered. In doing so the paper complements and extends the work of Toms (2002). The results confirm the framework and models tested in the original paper on more recent data and also suggest that quality of environmental disclosure rather than mere quantity has a stronger effect on the creation of environmental reputation amongst executive and investor stakeholder groups. Research and development expenditure, and under certain circumstances, diversification, also add to reputation

Particle-Like Description in Quintessential Cosmology

Assuming equation of state for quintessential matter: $p=w(z)\rho$, we analyse dynamical behaviour of the scale factor in FRW cosmologies. It is shown that its dynamics is formally equivalent to that of a classical particle under the action of 1D potential $V(a)$. It is shown that Hamiltonian method can be easily implemented to obtain a classification of all cosmological solutions in the phase space as well as in the configurational space. Examples taken from modern cosmology illustrate the effectiveness of the presented approach. Advantages of representing dynamics as a 1D Hamiltonian flow, in the analysis of acceleration and horizon problems, are presented. The inverse problem of reconstructing the Hamiltonian dynamics (i.e. potential function) from the luminosity distance function $d_{L}(z)$ for supernovae is also considered.Comment: 35 pages, 26 figures, RevTeX4, some applications of our treatment to investigation of quintessence models were adde

A mixed-methods study of the health-related masculine values among young Canadian men

Masculinity frameworks in men’s health research have focused on masculine ideals and norms to describe men’s health practices. However, little attention has been paid to inductively deriving insights about what constitutes health-related masculine values among young men. A sequential exploratory mixed-methods design, comprising a qualitative lead to derive health-related masculine values with a follow-up quantitative arm to test the items, was used. Drawing on a sample of 15–29-year-old Canadian male interview participants (n = 30) and survey respondents (n = 600), 5 health-related masculine values were highlighted: (a) selflessness, (b) openness, (c) well-being, (d) strength, and (e) autonomy. Selflessness was characterized by caring for and helping others. Openness included the willingness to gain exposure from new experiences, ideas, and people. Well-being was linked to fitness and masculine body ideals and aesthetics. In terms of strength, men endorsed intellectual, emotional, and physical strength. Regarding autonomy, there was consensus men should be self-sufficient and decisive, whereas being independent drew less endorsement. Highlighting the interdependency of these domains, exploratory factor analysis yielded 2 overarching reliable quantitative dimensions characterized by domains of being inclusive (openness and selflessness; α = .88) and empowered (well-being and autonomy; α = .85). Some inductively derived and pilot-tested values ran counter to long-standing claims that young men are typically hedonistic, hypercompetitive, and estranged from self-health. Study findings are discussed detailing how the evaluation of specific health-related masculine values in subgroups of men might advance masculinities-focused men’s health research and inform the next generation of targeted gender-sensitized services. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved

Northern European trees show a progressively diminishing response to increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations

In order to predict accurately how elevated atmospheric CO2 concentrations will affect the global carbon cycle, it is necessary to know how trees respond to increasing CO2 concentrations. In this paper we examine the response over the period AD 1895 – 1994 of three tree species growing across northern Europe to increases in atmospheric CO2 concentrations using parameters derived from stable carbon isotope ratios of trunk cellulose. Using the isotope data we calculate values of intrinsic water-use efficiency (IWUE) and intercellular CO2 concentrations in the leaf (ci). Our results show that trees have responded to higher levels of atmospheric CO2 by increasing IWUE whilst generally maintaining constant ci values. However, the IWUE of most of the trees in this study has not continued to rise in line with increasing atmospheric CO2. This behaviour has implications for estimations of future terrestrial carbon storage

On the purification of α-cellulose from resinous wood for stable isotope (H, C and O) analysis

α-Cellulose was isolated from four samples of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.). Each sample was divided into two portions. One portion had the resins removed by solvent extraction prior to removal of lignins by treatment with acidic sodium chlorite solution and treatment with sodium hydroxide solution to remove hemicelluloses. The other portion was processed in the same way apart from the solvent extraction step. The isolated wood constituents were characterised by attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR/FT-IR) spectroscopy. The infrared spectra of the resulting α-cellulose samples were identical indicating that treatment with acidic sodium chlorite and sodium hydroxide was sufficient to remove resins. The values of the stable isotope ratios (carbon, oxygen and hydrogen) for each pair of α-cellulose sub-samples also showed no significant differences within the reproducibility of the methods. The implication of these studies demonstrate that the customary step of resin extraction from pine is unnecessary if sodium chlorite and sodium hydroxide are used for the isolation of α-cellulose following the technique described in this paper. In addition, the study demonstrates that the oxygen isotope ratio of the water used for cellulose extraction does not influence the stable isotope values in the α-cellulose obtained. The importance of isotopic homogeneity within the cellulose sample is also highlighted

Predicted decrease in global climate suitability masks regional complexity of invasive fruit fly species response to climate change

Climate change affects the rate of insect invasions as well as the abundance, distribution and impacts of such invasions on a global scale. Among the principal analytical approaches to predicting and understanding future impacts of biological invasions are Species Distribution Models (SDMs), typically in the form of correlative Ecological Niche Models (ENMs). An underlying assumption of ENMs is that speciesenvironment relationships remain preserved during extrapolations in space and time, although this is widely criticised. The semi-mechanistic modelling platform, CLIMEX, employs a top-down approach using species ecophysiological traits and is able to avoid some of the issues of extrapolation, making it highly applicable to investigating biological invasions in the context of climate change. The tephritid fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) comprise some of the most successful invasive species and serious economic pests around the world. Here we project 12 tephritid species CLIMEX models into future climate scenarios to examine overall patterns of climate suitability and forecast potential distributional changes for this group. We further compare the aggregate response of the group against species-specific responses. We then consider additional drivers of biological invasions to examine how invasion potential is influenced by climate, fruit production and trade indices. Considering the group of tephritid species examined here, climate change is predicted to decrease global climate suitability and to shift the cumulative distribution poleward. However, when examining species-level patterns, the predominant directionality of range shifts for 11 of the 12 species is eastward. Most notably, management will need to consider regional changes in fruit fly species invasion potential where high fruit production, trade indices and predicted distributions of these flies overlap.http://link.springer.com/journal/105302017-04-30hb2016Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI)Zoology and Entomolog

Renormalization of Hamiltonian Field Theory; a non-perturbative and non-unitarity approach

Renormalization of Hamiltonian field theory is usually a rather painful algebraic or numerical exercise. By combining a method based on the coupled cluster method, analysed in detail by Suzuki and Okamoto, with a Wilsonian approach to renormalization, we show that a powerful and elegant method exist to solve such problems. The method is in principle non-perturbative, and is not necessarily unitary.Comment: 16 pages, version shortened and improved, references added. To appear in JHE