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Compositions Comprising Celtos Immunogens And Antibodies And Method Of Use Thereof, Niraj Tolia, John Jimah, Nichole Salinas, Darya Urusova, John Adams, Shulin Xu, Allison Roth, Hirdesh Kumar

USF Patents

The present disclosure provides immunogenic compositions and methods for vaccination with a CelTOS immunogen. The immunogenic composition comprises Babesia, Theileria or Cytauxzoon CelTOS. The immunogenic composition may also comprise CelTOS with structural changes that affect immune recognition.

Essay, The Mighty Mangrove, Carol A. Mickett

Creekshed: Ekphrastic Writing with the Archives

An ekphrastic reflection on mangroves in Tampa Bay.

Crisis On The Frontlines: Recruitment And Retention Challenges In Ems, Bruce J. Moeller, Michael Lozano

Florida Center for Emergency Medical Services Research Reports

Florida’s emergency medical services (EMS) and fire service agencies face an unprecedented workforce crisis. Compounded by demographic shifts, rising call volumes, and mounting mental health challenges, many EMS agencies are struggling to recruit and retain qualified personnel. Existing models of recruitment—centered on short-term bonuses or messaging emphasizing sacrifice—are failing to resonate with new generations of workers, who prioritize mental wellness, career progression, and work-life balance. Additionally, outdated training pipelines and a decline in volunteerism, especially in rural areas, have weakened the traditional workforce structure, creating gaps that threaten the stability of emergency response systems statewide.

To address these challenges, the …

Biojardineras In Monteverde: A Mixed Method Approach To Examine Greywater Treatment, Elyssa Allen, Jackson Anderson, Brayden Dostal, Alan Hernandez, Kacy Moe, Facundo Pereya-Kluser

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

Rural and semi-rural regions around the globe often struggle with inadequate wastewater treatment infrastructure, thereby negatively impacting the public and environmental health of the region. Due to its rural nature and current infrastructure, the Monteverde Zone (MVZ) in Costa Rica lacks a centralized wastewater system, with many homes relying on septic tanks for wastewater treatment. To prevent overloaded flows to septic tanks, greywater from kitchens, laundry, showers, and sinks is often discharged separately to the environment with no treatment. This pollutes the surrounding water bodies and streets with pathogens, soap, excess nutrients, as well as fats, oils, and grease (FOG). …

Considering What Counts: The Limits Of Proxy Measures, Keith R. Johnson, Joel Best

Numeracy

People working with data adopt proxy measures when they find it difficult to measure something directly. In the U.S., infanticide (fairly easy to count) is used as a proxy for physical child abuse. However, infanticide is harder to count cross-nationally, leading researchers to use sex ratios as a proxy for infanticides

Some Corrections To The Record On Lemkin’S Early Years: The Evidence From Poland, Zachary Mazur

Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal

This piece addresses some misunderstandings regarding Raphael Lemkin's early years in Poland, his influences and the development of his ideas. While discussing some of the extent published information, I point out what other archival documents from Poland and the League of Nations have to say about Lemkin's past. One of the main points is that Lemkin was an unreliable narrator on his own life, and this has caused confusion.

Full Issue 19.1

Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal

No abstract provided.

Where Are The Criminologists?: The Persistent Absence Of The Field In Genocide Research, Grace Allbaugh, Susan A. Woollen, Jacqueline L. Schneider, Joanne Savage

Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal

The rallying cry of “Never Again” was heard worldwide after the Nazis’ annihilation of Jews and other victims were discovered after WWII. The global community promised that the crime of genocide would be prevented and signatory parties of the United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide (December 9, 1948) would do everything in their power to prevent another Holocaust from occurring. Unfortunately the “crime of all crimes” remains an almost permanent fixture in international news while signatory parties remain reluctant to call the ongoing conditions genocide. The field of genocide studies is built upon an interdisciplinary field …

Navigating Environmental Changes: Placencia Peninsula Voices & Local Expertise (Report No. 10), Kris-An Hinds, Rebecca Zarger, Rory Mckenna, Linden Cheek, Natasha Gibson, Delcia Mcdougall, Monique Vernon, Maya Trotz

Strong Coasts Collection

The “Navigating Environmental Changes: Placencia Peninsula Voices & Local Expertise” event, hosted on July 24, 2024, at the Placencia Village Basketball Court, was a significant step in strengthening community-centered environmental research and action in Belize. Organized as part of the NSF-funded Strong Coasts Coastlines and People (CoPe) project, this two-part event was designed as a way to share research findings with the communities and partners who have been central to the project’s success.

Opportunities For Growth: A Metacognitive Self-Talk Strategy That Improves Classroom Unity And Academic Attitudes, Sera Anello, Michael J. Haslip

Journal of Practitioner Research

This teacher action research study describes the development and application of the opportunities for growth teaching method to increase learner motivation, persistence, cooperation and positive self-talk among primary school students. The approach was implemented with 30 fourth graders in a Philadelphia public school classroom to foster unity, support attitudes toward academics and participation, redefine failure, and reframe challenges. Before this intervention, most of the students lacked self-regulation, self-awareness, and relationship skills needed to thrive. This study investigates how and to what effect the opportunities for growth approach shifts students’ language and mindset about academic and social challenges. Qualitative data was …

First Ground Visit To The Emperor Penguin Aptenodytes Forsteri Colony At Jason Peninsula, Larsen C Ice Shelf, Weddell Sea, Antarctica, Jonathan Zaccaria

Marine Ornithology

The growth of ecotourism leads tour operators to develop means of exploration that facilitate access to remote and difficult-to-reach areas. For instance, new ice-class expedition ships can now bring visitors to isolated places in Antarctica that have never before been visited. In November 2021, a first ground visit was made to the Emperor Penguin Aptenodytes forsteri colony at the Jason Peninsula. The result is the first census of the population that has been conducted in situ. This example illustrates that reaching extremely isolated places through ecotourism is an opportunity to develop citizen science and collect useful data.

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Resulted In Unprecedented Reproductive Failure And Movement Nehaviour By Northern Gannets, Noah G. Careen, Sydney M. Collins, Kyle J. N. D’Entremont, Jordan Wight, Ishraq Rahman, Kathryn E. Hargan, Andrew S. Lang, William A. Montevecchi

Marine Ornithology

In 2022, highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus resulted in mass mortality throughout seabird colonies in the North Atlantic Ocean. While mortalities and transmission of the virus are being documented, other effects are less understood. We documented nest abandonment and unprecedented reproductive failure by Northern Gannets Morus bassanus at Cape St. Mary’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, the species’ southernmost colony. Reproductive success in 2022 was the lowest on record at 17%, which was likely a result of adults abandoning the nest and succumbing to avian influenza virus (AIV) infection. Following the AIV outbreak at Cape St. Mary’s, we also documented …

Finding Colonies Of Black-Headed Gulls Chroicocephalus Ridibundus Using Google Earth, Roberto G. Valle, Alejandro Corregidor-Castro, Francesco Scarton

Marine Ornithology

We explore the possibility of identifying Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus colonies in the saltmarshes of the Lagoon of Venice, Italy, using Google Earth satellite images. One reproductive season was considered (June 2017), based on the images available on Google Earth. This species builds nests clustered around tidal pools and tidal creeks, providing a dark background to reveal the white gulls. Images of the southern part of the lagoon (excluding fish farms) were analyzed by dividing it into sectors (n = 403) using the Google Earth grid at an elevation of 100 m above ground level. The results of the satellite …

Diet Assessment And Vulnerability Of White-Faced Storm Petrel Pelagodroma Marina Within A Warming Hotspot, Madhuli Karmalkar, Lauren Roman, Farzana Kastury, Fernando Arce, Kerrie M. Swadling

Marine Ornithology

Shifts in zooplankton communities due to changing ocean climate can affect foraging patterns among planktivorous seabirds. To better understand seabird response to environmental change in Bass Strait, southeast Australia, we investigated the prey species and 16 elements in prey and feathers of the planktivorous White-faced Storm Petrel Pelagodroma marina. The krill Nyctiphanes australis was the most abundant prey species, followed by several species of post-larval fish; otherwise, the species appeared to be a generalist feeder. Element concentrations of feathers were not significantly influenced by dietary composition. Likewise, element concentrations did not significantly differ between major prey species, confirming that the …

Best Practices For Using Drones In Seabird Monitoring And Research, Alice J. Edney, Tom Hart, Mark J. Jessopp, Alex Banks, Lucy E. Clarke, Laure Cugnière, Kyle H. Elliot, Ignacio Juarez Martinez, Alexandra Kilcoyne, Matthew Murphy, Ruedi G. Nager, Norman Ratcliffe, Danielle L. Thompson, Robin M. Ward, Matt J. Wood

Marine Ornithology

Over the past decade, drones have become increasingly popular in environmental biology and have been used to study wildlife on all continents. Drones have become of global importance for surveying breeding seabirds by providing opportunities to transform monitoring techniques and allow new research on some of the most threatened birds. However, such fast-changing and increasingly available technology presents challenges to regulators responding to requests to carry out surveys and to researchers ensuring their work follows best practices and meets legal and ethical standards. Following a workshop convened at the 14th International Seabird Group Conference and a subsequent literature search, we …

Ingestion Of Man-Made Debris By Markham's Storm Petrel Hydrobates Markhami, Fernando Medrano, Macarena Vargas, Daniel Terán, Marlene Flores, Giannira Álvarez, Ronny Peredo

Marine Ornithology

Man-made debris is a global problem for seabirds because it is ingested by many species. Markham’s Storm Petrel Hydrobates markhami, which breeds in the Atacama Desert and is endemic to the Humboldt Current in the eastern South Pacific, has been poorly studied in this regard. Earlier studies found low levels of man-made debris in the species’ diet. We quantified the present-day frequency-occurrence of man-made debris in fledglings and adults of Markham’s Storm Petrel in Chile. We found that 16 of 25 fledglings and all adults contained man-made debris in their digestive tract, indicating the prevalence of man-made debris in this …

Lesser Noddy Anous Tenuirostris Migration From A Non-Breeding Area In The Northern Maldives To A Breeding Site In The Seychelles, A. Farhath Ali, Richard A. Phillips, R. Charles Anderson

Marine Ornithology

The Lesser Noddy Anous tenuirostris occurs in large numbers in the northern Maldives during the northeast monsoon season (December to April). These birds do not breed in the Maldives, but their breeding site(s) are unknown. We attached GPS Argos satellite transmitters to seven Lesser Noddies roosting on Gallandhoo Island (Haa Alifu Atoll, northern Maldives) on 25 March 2022. Only one transmitter provided data, but it tracked the migration of one Lesser Noddy to the Seychelles, where the bird first roosted on the island of Poivre before moving to the large nesting colony on Cousine. The tracked bird departed the Maldives …

Demographics And Gross Pathology Of Scoters And Scaups Killed By The Cosco Busan Oil Spill In California, Jessie Beck, Ryan D. Carle, Hannahrose Nevins, Susan E.W. De La Cruz, Erica Donnelly-Greenan

Marine Ornithology

Unusual wildlife mortality events provide a unique opportunity to collect information on demographics, disease, and body condition in affected wildlife, which may be useful for informing oil spill damage assessments and future spill responses. In November 2007, the Cosco Busan Oil Spill occurred in San Francisco Bay, California, a globally important wintering area for waterfowl. The spill resulted in the mortality of scoters Melanitta spp. and scaups Aythya spp., species that have declined significantly over recent decades. We examined the demography (sex and age ratios) and prevalence of grossly apparent disease (acanthocephalan parasite infection and mycotic disease) in 288 Surf …

Extra-Marine Occurrence Of The Magnificent Frigatebird Fregata Magnificens In The Metropolitan Region Of São Paulo, Southeast Brazil, Fabio Schunck, Fábio Toledo Das Dores, Natália Dantas Paes, Marcos Antônio Melo, Bianca Matinata, Marcelo Bokermann, Ingo Grantsau

Marine Ornithology

The Magnificent Frigatebird Fregata magnificens (MAFR) has the largest area of occurrence of any species in the Fregatidae family, with a large nesting colony in Southeast Brazil. However, studies with birds that occur on the coastal plain and in other areas of the continent are lacking. We organized information obtained in the field, from the literature, and from online ornithological platforms, and we evaluated the occurrence of MAFR on the plateau of the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo (MRSP), the largest urban area in South America. A total of 31 records were obtained dating back to 1960. Twelve of the …

The Potential Of Ecologists To Enhance Our Understanding Of Seabird Health, Melanie R. Wells, Annie Philips, Mary-Anne Lea, Scott Carver

Marine Ornithology

Ecologists play a pivotal role in the detection and investigation of population changes in seabirds and by doing so have significant potential to contribute to enhancing knowledge of seabird health. This review highlights key examples in the literature where ecologists have employed diligent passive health surveillance and/or undertaken targeted investigations of seabirds, strategies that have augmented our knowledge of seabird health at individual and population levels. Within the context of One Health, an integrated approach to perceiving and managing health, this review amalgamates veterinarian and ecology disciplines by summarising auxiliary metrics of clinical health that may be considered for incorporation …

Contents, Pacific Seabird Group

Marine Ornithology

No abstract provided.

Nesting Distribution Of Masked Booby Sula Dactylatra At Trindade Island, Western South Atlantic Ocean, Victória R.F. Benemann, Leonardo D. Araújo, Arthur Z. Fabbris, Rosalinda C. Montone, Maria V. Petry

Marine Ornithology

The Masked Booby Sula dactylatra is a surface-nesting seabird that breeds on offshore islands across the tropical and subtropical oceans. On inaccessible rocky areas on Trindade Island, located about 1200 km from Espírito Santo, Brazil, the nesting of this species has been poorly studied. To model the species’ nesting habitat suitability at Trindade Island, we mapped active nests during the breeding seasons of 2017 and 2019, from October to November, using a hand-held Global Positioning System receiver and an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle. In order to identify key areas, we created nesting habitat suitability maps using seven different algorithms (Random Forest, …

Diagnosis Of Hypothermia In Seabirds From Coastal California, Nancy L. Anderson

Marine Ornithology

This study established cloacal temperature (TCl) cut-off values to diagnose hypothermia in near shore seabirds rescued along the coast of California. All birds died when TCl was < 38.2 °C. When Aechmophorus grebes were excluded, 100% died when TCl was < 38.4 °C. Mortality increased 2–3× when TCl was lower than receiver operating curve-determined criteria for diagnosing hypothermia based on attitude: < 38.8 °C for mixed species, < 39.1 °C for Common Murres Uria aalge, and < 38.2 °C for Aechmophorus grebes. Reductions in TCl as small as 1.0 °C had significant physiologic effects.

Mercury Contamination In The Endocrine Glands Of Black-Tailed Gulls Larus Crassirostris On Kabushima (Kabu Island), Japan, Yasuaki Niizuma, Hinako Tani, Yuki Yamashita, Mitsuki Ito, Miho Maeda

Marine Ornithology

A colony of about 30 000 pairs of Black-tailed Gull Larus crassirostris nest on Kabushima (Kabu Island), which is located on the northeast mainland coast of Japan (Sanriku Coast, Honshu Island). There, the surface-water Hg concentration is higher than in the North Pacific Ocean. We collected carcasses from the breeding colony to assess the level of mercury (Hg) contamination. We measured Hg concentrations in 10 body tissues, including the endocrine glands. The relative mercury concentrations in the tissue samples (µg/g dry weight) were as follows: adrenal glands > livers > kidneys > blood > pituitaries > gonads > breast muscles > thyroid glands > pancreases > brain stems. Correlations …

Using Remote Video Technology To Study Environmental Factors Influencing Productivity Of Black-Legged Kittiwakes Rissa Tridactyla, Sarah A. Tanedo, Tuula E. Hollmén, John M. Maniscalco, Sadie E.G. Ulman

Marine Ornithology

Monitoring seabirds and their responses to ecosystem change provides essential information for understanding the reasons behind any changes in productivity or populations. However, many species nest in remote locations, which poses logistical challenges for long-term studies. Remote cameras offer an opportunity to confront this issue. The Black-legged Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla (kittiwake) has been used as an indicator of changes in its environment and is a prime candidate for monitoring via remote cameras. To investigate the potential for camera application, we used a remote camera system to collect six years (2010–2015) of reproductive data from a sub-colony of kittiwakes in Resurrection …

A Test Of Mechanisms Of Population Differentiation In Gannets (Morus Spp.) Using Comparative Phylogeography And Morphometrics, Victoria L. Friesen, Rebecca Brunt, James A. Morris-Pocock, Drew Sauve, Allan J. Baker, Timothy P. Birt, William S. Davidson, Kyle H. Elliott, William A. Montevecchi

Marine Ornithology

The relative importance of gene flow, genetic drift, and natural selection in driving genetic divergence of local populations, as well as the factors that disrupt gene flow in natural populations, are uncertain. Comparative analyses enable us to test explicit hypotheses regarding the roles of these factors. Gannets (Morus spp.) include three morphologically and ecologically similar seabird species: the Cape Gannet M. capensis, which breeds in southern Africa; the Australasian Gannet M. serrator, which breeds in southeastern Australia and New Zealand; and the Northern Gannet M. bassanus, which breeds in the North Atlantic. We assessed the extent of differentiation in mitochondrial …

Normal Physical Parameters Characterizing Galapagos Marine Birds, Gustavo Jiménez-Uzcátegui, Patricio D. Carrera-Játiva, Soledad Sarzosa, Edison Encalada, Richar Rodríguez-Hidalgo, Erika (Travis) Crook, Christian Sevilla

Marine Ornithology

The Galapagos Penguin Spheniscus mendiculus (GAPE), Flightless Cormorant Phalacrocorax harrisi (FLCO), and Waved Albatross Phoebastria irrorata (WAAL) are marine birds that are endemic to the Galapagos Islands. To provide health information for these three species, baseline data on several physiological parameters were collected non-invasively—from individuals and populations appearing to be healthy—during the course of physical examinations that were conducted from 2011–2019. Heart rate, respiratory rate, body temperature, and body condition (weight vs. morphometric measurements) were analyzed as a function of age and sex. Mean heart rate differed significantly between juveniles and adults in all three species. Respiratory rate and body …

Contents, Pacific Seabird Group

Marine Ornithology

No abstract provided.

Non-Breeding Movements And Foraging Ecology Of The Black Guillemot Cepphus Grylle In Atlantic Canada, Julia E. Baak, Marty L. Leonard, Carina Gjerdrum, Mark D. Dodds, Robert A. Ronconi

Marine Ornithology

Understanding the movements of seabirds, which are important ecological indicators, can provide new insights into physical and biological aspects of the marine environment. This information can also be used in planning marine conservation and oil spill response strategies. Though Black Guillemots Cepphus grylle are widely distributed in the coastal waters of eastern and arctic Canada, little is known about their movements during the non-breeding season. We used a combination of global location sensors and stable-isotope analyses on Black Guillemots breeding on Country Island, Nova Scotia, Canada and on Kent Island, New Brunswick, Canada to examine their non-breeding movements and trophic …

Population Decline And Breeding Distribution Changes Of Magnificent Frigatebirds Fregata Magnificens In Baja California Sur, Gerardo Marrón, Adriana Hernández-Alvarez, Roberto Carmona, Sergio Águila

Marine Ornithology

The Magnificent Frigatebird Fregata magnificens (MaFr) is a tropical seabird species that is widely distributed along the mid-latitude coasts of the Americas. Historically, its most important breeding location has been Estero Las Tijeras in the Magdalena Lagoon complex (MLC), Baja California Sur, Mexico. Our recent data indicate a severe (~96%) population decline at this location. In 2002–2003, 33535 MaFr were counted in all of the MLC, and historical data (1985–1986) support the maintenance of consistently high numbers of MaFr in this region over time. Yet, MaFr abundance dropped severely—to ~1 200 individuals—in 2015. This low abundance persisted into 2017, when …