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Artificial light at night alters the settlement of acorn barnacles on a man-made habitat in Atlantic Canada
No full textHuman growth has caused an unprecedented increase in artificial light at night (ALAN). In coastal habitats, many species rely on day/night cycles to regulate various aspects of their life history and these cycles can be altered by this stressor. This study assessed the influence of ALAN on the early (cyprid) and late (spat) settlement stages of the acorn barnacle Semibalanus balanoides, a species widely distributed in natural and man-made coastal habitats of the North Atlantic. A newly designed settlement plate, originally for studies in rocky intertidal habitats in the southeast Pacific, was adapted to measure settlement rates on man-made habitats -wharf seawalls- located in Atlantic Canada. Plates equipped with a small LED diode powered by an internal battery (ALAN plates) were used to quantify settlement rates in comparison to plates lacking a light source (controls). These plates were deployed for 6 d in the mid-intertidal levels, where adult barnacles were readily visible. ALAN and control plates collected large number of settlers and showed to be suitable for this type of man-made habitats. The number of early settlers (cyprids) did not differ between plates but the number of late settlers (spat) was significantly lower in ALAN plates than in controls. These results suggest that light pollution has little influence on the early stages of the acorn barnacle settlement but is clearly detrimental to its late stages. As barnacles dominate in many natural and man-made hard substrates, it is likely that ALAN also has indirect effects on community structure
The mentor-mentee relationship, addressing challenges in veterinary medicine together
No full textThis article provides a summary of the current veterinary and medical literature concerning mentor-mentee relationships. In particular, the authors discuss how mentorship may be expanded and improved to address current challenges faced by the veterinary profession. They consider both the positive effects of mentorship on retention and recruitment, mental well-being, and competency, as well as the potential negatives or downsides of mentorship. Although rigorous, controlled studies are rare, the available evidence indicates that mentorship may be a key method to restore career satisfaction in veterinary medicine. Further studies are needed as well as monitoring programs
Understanding topographic, nutrient management, and weather controls on nitrogen and phosphorous losses from a Prince Edward Island potato crop
No full textThe influence of topography, nutrient management strategies, and weather events on nitrogen, phosphorus, and select greenhouse gas (GHG) loss pathways from a potato (Solanum tuberosum) field in Prince Edward Island, Canada were evaluated in this study. Nitrate (NO3-) movement with soil water was measured using porous suction cup lysimeters. NO3- and phosphorus (P) movement with surface water flow was sampled using constructed runoff collectors. Nitrous oxide (N2O), methane (CH4), and carbon dioxide (CO2) flux from the soil surface was measured using static chambers. The split application, biochar amended application and slow-release application treatments were effective in reducing leaching compared to the traditional application treatment. Leaching in the moderate and steep topographies was just as important as the flat topography. Surface water contamination was not significantly influenced by topography or nutrient treatment, but events were largely controlled by a hard surface crust formed from lack of precipitation. Precipitation and nutrient treatment controlled N2O, CH4, and CO2 flux throughout the growing season. Topographic redistribution of soil nutrients and water over time throughout the field influenced the pattern of cumulative losses as well as crop yield
Practice what you preach: The gender pay gap in Labor Union compensation
No full textThe existence of a gender pay gap has been well established in the literature but
has remained unexplored within unions. Using 2000–2019 LM-2 data, our study
quantifies the gender pay gap among union officers and staff in United States
national and local unions. We find evidence that women face a gender wage penalty, with female officers in local unions and female staff in both national and
local unions being paid significantly less than their male counterparts
Pharmacotherapeutics in clinical ethology: Treatment efficacy, clinical pathology and outcome
No full textThe use of psychopharmaceutical agents is a core aspect of treatment in veterinary behavioural medicine. Psychotropic medication use has shifted the focus of treatment from purely behavioural and environmental interventions to a multi-modal approach. Objective measures of efficacy are required for the licensing of medication. Pharmacotherapeutics have come to encompass supplements and diets, in addition to prescription medications. The first part of this paper examines the efficacy of medications, supplements and diets used in behavioural medicine. Foci include the role of evolution in the types of behavioural concerns reported, the importance of defining abnormal or pathological behaviour, use of terminology that supports stratified mechanistic diagnoses aid in understanding presentation and response clusters, and rational use of medication to relieve emotional, mental and behavioural suffering, given these diagnoses and clusters. The second part of this paper examines the extent to which variation in patient response to medication can enlighten us about mechanisms and outcomes of distress using a series of 3 patient populations who are the focus of studies on separation anxiety and noise reactivity. This response surface approach can be useful for understanding differences in populations in susceptibility to behavioural pathology and in medication response, and may suggest new avenues for drug development and application
Efficacy of a single dose of pregabalin on signs of anxiety in cats during transportation—A pilot study
No full textObjectives: The aim of this clinical pilot study was to evaluate the dosage, efficacy, and clinical safety of a single oral dose of pregabalin in cats that experience fear and anxiety when placed into a carrier and transported by car.
Methods: Thirteen client-owned cats were enrolled in a blinded, randomized, crossover study with three treatment days approximately 1 week apart. The cats were assigned to receive pregabalin oral solution at dosages of 5 and 10 mg/kg and placebo in a randomized order, one treatment per week. Treatment was administered ~90 min before placing the cat into a carrier and starting transportation. Efficacy was assessed by the owners using a categorical scale and, based on video recordings, by an external observer, both blinded to the treatment.
Results: Owners assessed that cats given pregabalin displayed less vocalization, restlessness, and panting during transportation than did cats given placebo. Correlation between owners' and external observer's assessment of the overall treatment effect was good (0.63, p < 0.01), which confirms the owners' ability to observe reliably their own cat's behavior. Transient mild ataxia was the most common adverse event reported. The human commercial formulation used in this study was found difficult or very difficult to administer by 79% of the owners.
Conclusions and Relevance: Based on results of this pilot study, a single oral dose of pregabalin was well tolerated and decreased signs of anxiety and fear associated with car transportation in cats, as evaluated by blinded owners and external observer. The use of pregabalin prior to traveling may improve cat welfare and compliance for transportation. Further studies are needed to investigate the use of oral pregabalin in cats to alleviate signs of anxiety and fear associated with transportation and sequelae, like veterinary visits, and to develop a more user-friendly formulation.Orion Corporation (Finland
Unordinary: An evaluation of lecture-free activities using a repertory grid
No full textLecture-free activities afford students with an engaging approach to knowledge acquisition and integration. When peppered throughout a course, experiential activities inject spontaneity, break up familiar patterns, and empower students to take responsibility of their learning. For an instructor, iteration is required to develop effective lecture-free engineering activities, necessitating thoughtful evaluation. The paper adopts Kelly's personal constructs theory, using repertory grid analysis to consider the effectiveness of six unordinary, lecture-free activities. Through a structured comparison of activities, 29 constructs were elicited with inherently subjective, dichotomous poles. The grid was populated ranking each activity between the poles of each construct such as directed learning or creative expression. Using a cluster analysis and descriptive statistics, various themes emerged revealing the author's preference, and connections between seemingly unrelated constructs such as how summative actives use the entire building whereas formative activities are in the classroom. Recommendations are made to generalize the tool to aid instructors in activity evaluation and development through understanding and challenging existing patterns
Exploring the experiences and information needs of parents caring for a child with a urinary tract infection: A qualitative study
No full textUrinary tract infections (UTIs) are common in children, however, clinical practice variations can leave parents unsure how to care for their child. We aim to develop knowledge tools that provide evidence-based information about pediatric UTIs. To inform tool development, we asked parents to share their experiences and information needs in caring for a child with a UTI. Using qualitative description methods, 16 semistructured interviews were conducted with 18 parents. Parents were recruited through the emergency department (ED) of a major Canadian urban pediatric hospital. Five major themes emerged: (1) parent descriptions of their child’s symptoms and behaviors; (2) UTIs have an effect on the entire family; (3) reasons for going to the ED; (4) parent experiences with UTI treatment, management, and follow-up strategies for their child; and (5) parent information needs and preferred information sources for UTIs. Our findings highlight the diversity of UTI symptoms children experience, which causes uncertainty and confusion for parents. This diversity suggests the development of knowledge tools for parents about UTIs is needed.Knowledge Synthesis and TranslationStollery Children’s Hospital FoundationKnowledge Translation for Children’s Healt
Hilbert's irreducibility theorem
No full textIn its simplest form, the statement of Hilbert's irreducibility theorem says that for an irreducible polynomial in several variables, then there must be infinite ways to substitute integers for one of the parameters so that the resulting polynomial is irreducible in the rational field. These notes outline the statement and proof of the theorem
The Angiostrongylus vasorum excretory/secretory and surface proteome contains putative modulators of the host coagulation
No full textAngiostrongylus vasorum is a cardiopulmonary nematode of canids and is, among others, associated with bleeding disorders in dogs. The pathogenesis of such coagulopathies remains unclear. A deep proteomic characterization of sex specific A. vasorum excretory/secretory proteins (ESP) and of cuticular surface proteins was performed, and the effect of ESP on host coagulation and fibrinolysis was evaluated in vitro. Proteins were quantified by liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry and functionally characterized through gene ontology and pathway enrichment analysis. In total, 1069 ESP (944 from female and 959 from male specimens) and 1195 surface proteins (705 and 1135, respectively) were identified. Among these were putative modulators of host coagulation, e.g., von Willebrand factor type D domain protein orthologues as well as several proteases, including serine type proteases, protease inhibitors and proteasome subunits. The effect of ESP on dog coagulation and fibrinolysis was evaluated on canine endothelial cells and by rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM). After stimulation with ESP, tissue factor and serpin E1 transcript expression increased. ROTEM revealed minimal interaction of ESP with dog blood and ESP did not influence the onset of fibrinolysis, leading to the conclusion that Angiostrongylus vasorum ESP and surface proteins are not solely responsible for bleeding in dogs and that the interaction with the host’s vascular hemostasis is limited. It is likely that coagulopathies in A. vasorum infected dogs are the result of a multifactorial response of the host to this parasitic infection.University of Zurich, SwitzerlandBusiness Unit Animal Health, German