We used an acoustic telemetry system to test the hypothesis that the bonefish Albula vulpes exhibits site fidelity in selection of foraging areas in the northern Florida Keys. Stationary hydrophone receivers with data-logging units were deployed surrounding a discrete bonefish foraging area. Individuals were captured, fitted with acoustic transmitters, and then released within the study area. The reception ranges of receiver stations within the array were evaluated by moving a transmitter within the array. These data were used to assess spatial coverage of monitoring and decipher fine-scale movement patterns from recorded presence-absence data: 64% of tagged fish were detected by receivers for multiple days following release. Tagged fish frequented the experimental area for periods ranging from 3 to 61 d. Only 2 individuals, tracked for 48 and 61 d, demonstrated site fidelity characterized by daily movements into the study area. Our observations contradict earlier studies that concluded that bonefish range widely throughout available habitats, and suggest that bonefish utilize shallow habitats most, although deep channels may provide refuge from the rapid temperature changes that occur on the shallow flats.
Purpose To evaluate whether a change in fitness is associated with academic outcomes in New York City (NYC) middle school students using longitudinal data, and to evaluate whether this relationship is modified by student household poverty. Methods This was a longitudinal study of 83,111 NYC middle school students enrolled between 2006–07 and 2011–12. Fitness was measured as a composite percentile based on three fitness tests and categorized based on change from the previous year. The effect of the fitness change level on academic outcomes, measured as a composite percentile based on state standardized mathematics and English Language Arts test scores, was estimated using a multilevel growth model. Models were stratified by sex and additional models were tested stratified by student household poverty. Results For both girls and boys, a substantial increase in fitness from the previous year resulted in a greater improvement in academic ranking than was seen in the reference group (girls: .36 greater percentile point improvement, 95% confidence interval: .09-.63; boys: .38 greater percentile point improvement, 95% confidence interval: .09-.66). A substantial decrease in fitness was associated with a decrease in academics in both boys and girls. Effects of fitness on academics were stronger in high-poverty boys and girls than in low-poverty boys and girls. Conclusions Academic rankings improved for boys and girls who increased their fitness level by >20 percentile points relative to other students. Opportunities for increased physical fitness may be important to support academic performance.
Understanding large‐scale migratory behaviours, local movement patterns and population connectivity are critical to determining the natural processes and anthropogenic stressors that influence population dynamics and for developing effective conservation plans. Atlantic tarpon occur over a broad geographic range in the Atlantic Ocean where they support valuable subsistence, commercial and recreational fisheries. From 2001 through 2018, we deployed 292 satellite telemetry tags on Atlantic tarpon in coastal waters off three continents to document: (a) seasonal migrations and regional population connectivity; (b) freshwater and estuarine habitat utilization; (c) spawning locations; and (d) shark predation across the south‐eastern United States, Gulf of Mexico and northern Caribbean Sea. These results showed that some mature tarpon make long seasonal migrations over thousands of kilometres crossing state and national jurisdictional borders. Others showed more local movements and habitat use. The tag data also revealed potential spawning locations consistent with those inferred in other studies from observations of early life stage tarpon leptocephalus larvae. Our analyses indicated that shark predation mortality on released tarpon is higher than previously estimated, especially at ocean passes, river mouths and inlets to bays. To date, there has been no formal stock assessment of Atlantic tarpon, and regional fishery management plans do not exist. Our findings will provide critical input to these important efforts and assist the multinational community in the development of a stock‐wide management information system to support informed decision‐making for sustaining Atlantic tarpon fisheries.
Objective This study aimed to estimate population‐level prevalence of obesity and severe obesity for New York City youth and examine the most recent trends over time. Methods All public school youth in grades kindergarten through eighth (K‐8) (2011‐2012 through 2016‐2017) with valid weight and height measures were included (N = 1,137,782 unique students; 3,720,297 observations). Age‐ and sex‐specific BMI percentiles for obesity and severe obesity were estimated using Centers for Disease Control and Prevention growth charts. Repeated cross‐sectional analyses were conducted using logistic regression, weighting for missing or invalid responses and accounting for clustering by students and schools to examine trends over time and by sociodemographics. Results Among youth in K‐8 (aged 5‐15 years, 48.8% girls), the prevalence of obesity and severe obesity in 2011‐2012 was 21.5% and 6.4%, respectively, compared with 20.2% and 6.0%, respectively, in 2016‐2017. Since 2011‐2012, decreasing trends in obesity and severe obesity (relative declines: 6.0% and 6.3%, respectively, P < 0.001) have been observed. Significant decreases were observed for all subgroups (P < 0.001), although there remained disparities in relative declines over time by race/ethnicity and poverty. Conclusions Decreasing trends in obesity and severe obesity among all New York City K‐8 public school youth are promising; however, persistent disparities highlight the need to improve intervention design and implementation strategies for groups disproportionately burdened by obesity.
Background: Liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are important contributors to the mortality gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. However, there is a lack of population based high quality data assessing the differences in HCC epidemiology and outcomes according to Indigenous status. The aim of this study was therefore to perform a large epidemiological study of HCC investigating differences between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians with HCC.Methods: Study design was a retrospective cohort study. Data linkage methodology was used to link data from cancer registries with hospital separation summaries across three Australian jurisdictions during 20 0 0-2017. Cumulative survival (Kaplan-Meier) and the differences in survival (Multivariable Coxregression) by Indigenous status were assessed.Findings: A total of 229 Indigenous and 3587 non-Indigenous HCC cases were included in the analyses. Significant epidemiological differences identified for Indigenous HCC cases included younger age at onset, higher proportion of females, higher rurality, lower socioeconomic status, and higher comorbidity burden (all p < 0.001). The distribution of cofactors was also significantly different for Indigenous Australians including higher prevalence of alcohol misuse, hepatitis B, and diabetes and more frequent presence of multiple HCC cofactors (all p < 0.001). Indigenous Australians received curative HCC therapies less frequently (6.6% vs. 14.5%, p < 0.001) and had poorer 5-year survival (10.0% vs. 17.3%, p < 0.001; unadjusted hazard ratio (HR) = 1.42 96%CI 1.21-1.65) compared to non-Indigenous Australians. The strength of the association between indigenous status and survival was weaker and statistically non-significant after adjusting for rurality, comorbidity burden and lack of curative therapy (adjusted-HR = 1.20 95%CI 0.97-1.47) Interpretation: Such data provide a call to action to help design and implement health literacy, liver management and HCC surveillance programs for Indigenous people to help close the liver cancer mortality gap.
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