Capture Location Research Articles

Drivers of longevity of wild-caught Aedes albopictus populations

BackgroundAge structure and longevity constitute fundamental determinants of mosquito populations’ capacity to transmit pathogens. However, investigations on mosquito-borne diseases primarily focus on aspects such as abundance or dispersal rather than survival and demography. Here, we examine the post-capture longevity of wild-caught populations of the Asian tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus to investigate the influence of environmental factors and individual frailty on longevity.MethodsWe captured females of Ae. albopictus from June to November 2021 in a vegetated and an urban area by two methods of capture (BG traps and Human Landing catch). They were kept in semi-controlled conditions in the field, and survival was monitored daily across the 859 individuals captured. We studied the differences in longevity per capture method and location and the influence on longevity of seasonal, climatic and individual factors.ResultsPhotoperiod, GDD, minimum and maximum temperature and relative humidity showed an effect on the risk of death of females in the field. Females captured in urban area with Human Landing catch methods had greater longevity than females captured in non-urban areas with BG traps. Individual variance, reflecting individual frailties, had an important effect on the risk of death: the greater the frailty, the shorter the post-capture longevity. Overall, longevity is affected not only by climate and seasonal drivers like temperature and photoperiod but also by the individual frailty of mosquitoes.ConclusionThis work unravels environmental drivers of key demographic parameters such as longevity, as modulated by individual frailty, in disease vectors with strong seasonal dynamics. Further demographic understanding of disease vectors in the wild is needed to adopt new surveillance and control strategies and improve our understanding of disease risk and spread.

Space Manipulator Collision Avoidance Using a Deep Reinforcement Learning Control

Recent efforts in on-orbit servicing, manufacturing, and debris removal have accentuated some of the challenges related to close-proximity space manipulation. Orbital debris threatens future space endeavors driving active removal missions. Additionally, refueling missions have become increasingly viable to prolong satellite life and mitigate future debris generation. The ability to capture cooperative and non-cooperative spacecraft is an essential step for refueling or removal missions. In close-proximity capture, collision avoidance remains a challenge during trajectory planning for space manipulators. In this research, a deep reinforcement learning control approach is applied to a three-degrees-of-freedom manipulator to capture space objects and avoid collisions. This approach is investigated in both free-flying and free-floating scenarios, where the target object is either cooperative or non-cooperative. A deep reinforcement learning controller is trained for each scenario to effectively reach a target capture location on a simulated spacecraft model while avoiding collisions. Collisions between the base spacecraft and the target spacecraft are avoided in the planned manipulator trajectories. The trained model is tested for each scenario and the results for the manipulator and base motion are detailed and discussed.

Resolving conflict between aversive and appetitive learning of views: how ants shift to a new route during navigation

Ants store and recall views associated with foraging success, facilitating future foraging journeys. Negative views are also learned, but instead prompt avoidance behaviors such as turning away. However, little is known about the aversive view’s role in navigation, the effect of cue conflict, or the contextual relationship between learning and recalling. In this study, we tested Myrmecia midas’ capacity for aversive learning of views either independently of or in conflict with appetitive events. We either captured and released foragers when reaching a location or let them pass unhindered. After a few journeys, captured foragers exhibited aversive learning by circumventing the capture location and increasing both meandering and scanning. Ants that experienced foraging-appetitive and homing-aversive events on their journeys exhibited lower rates of avoidance behavior and scans than those experiencing aversive events in both outbound and homebound journeys. The foraging-aversive and homing-aversive ants exhibited similar levels of avoidance and scanning as those that experienced the foraging-aversive and homing-appetitive. We found that foragers showed evidence of context specificity in their scanning behavior, but not in other measures of aversive learning. The foragers did not increase their meandering and scans while approaching the views associated with aversive events. In addition to shedding light on the role of aversive views in navigation, our finding has important implications for understanding the learning mechanisms triggered by handling animals.

Reproductive Biology and Distribution of the Blue Shark (Prionace glauca) in the Western Indian Ocean.

Due to the limited biological research on the blue shark in the Indian Ocean, such as the lack of a clear understanding of its reproductive biology and distribution, our study analyzed and evaluated the fork length distribution, sexual maturity length, reproductive capacity, and spatiotemporal distribution of blue sharks based on biological data and capture location information collected in the western Indian Ocean from 2010 to 2020. The objective of this study is to provide reliable biological information important in performing future stock assessments vital for species conservation in this region. A total of 791 male (33-249.5 cm FL) and 803 female (12-349.6 cm FL) blue sharks were collected in the West Indian Ocean. We used the morphology of the sexual organs to ascertain their sexual maturity. Results show that the observed size at 50% sexual maturity of male blue sharks in the West Indian Ocean was 161.4cm FL (192.4 cm TL) for males and 179.3 cm FL (213.9 cm TL) for females based on logistic curve analysis. The average litter size of pregnant blue sharks was 33.7 pups. There were significant differences in the distribution of blue shark individuals with different sexual maturity levels in different quarters (p < 0.05). This study suggests that the area near the equator in the Indian Ocean from October to March of the following year may be the mating ground for blue sharks, while the temperate waters in the Indian Ocean are the nursery ground and parturition ground for pregnant and juvenile throughout the whole year. Therefore, it is recommended to adopt a more scientific and reasonable operational method in these areas.

A preliminary checklist of commercial marine shrimps (Decapoda: Penaeidae) along Peninsular Malaysia coastal waters

This study contributes a preliminary checklist of commercial marine shrimps collected along Peninsular Malaysia coastal waters. Samples collection were carried out between November 2021 to August 2022 either by using bag-net or purchasing from local landing sites if their capture locations could be confirmed. In total, 375 individuals from 18 species and 7 genera, belonging to the Family Penaeidae were recorded. Among this, the genus Penaeus exhibits the highest diversity with 8 species, followed by Metapenaeus (4 species), Mierspenaeopsis (2 species) and one species each from the genera Alcockpenaeopsis, Ganjampenaeopsis, Parapenaeopsis and Trachysalambria. This study was conducted to provide a taxonomically verified checklist of the commercial shrimps distributed along the Peninsular Malaysian coast, which would serve as a foundation for further research.

Movement behavior of swordfish provisions connectivity between the temperate and tropical southwest Pacific Ocean

Swordfish (Xiphias gladius) are a widely distributed (45°N–45°S) large pelagic fish targeted by fisheries worldwide. Swordfish that occur at high latitudes tend to disproportionately be large adults, so their movements have implications for population dynamics and fisheries management. In the southwest Pacific, little is known about this subset of the stock and existing evidence suggests limited movement from the subtropics into cooler high latitude waters. Here, we capitalize on the recent emergence of a recreational swordfish fishery off temperate southeast Australia to characterize movements of swordfish caught in the fishery with pop-up satellite archival transmitting tags. Data were recovered from tags deployed for 56–250 days on 11 swordfish (50–350 kg) tagged between 38 and 43°S in the western Tasman Sea. Five swordfish entered the Coral Sea (< 30°S), with four reaching north to 11–24°S, up to 3275 km away from location of capture. Behavior modelling suggests these four individuals rapidly transited north until encountering 23–27 °C water, at which point they lingered in the area for several months, consistent with spawning-related partial migration. One migrating swordfish still carrying a tag after the spawning season returned to ~ 120 km of its release location, suggesting site fidelity. Movements toward the central south Pacific were confined to two individuals crossing 165°E. Swordfish predominantly underwent normal diel vertical migration, descending into the mesopelagic zone at dawn (median daytime depth 494.9 m, 95% CI 460.4–529.5 m). Light attenuation predicted daytime depth, with swordfish rising by up to 195 m in turbid water. At night, swordfish were deeper during the full moon, median night-time depth 45.8 m (37.8–55.5) m versus 18.0 m (14.9–21.8) m at new moon. Modelling fine-scale (10 min−1) swordfish depth revealed dynamic effects of moon phase varying predictably across time of night with implications for fisheries interactions. Studying highly migratory fishes near distribution limits allows characterization of the full range of movement phenotypes within a population, a key consideration for important fish stocks in changing oceans.

Spatial ecology of translocated raccoons

Raccoons (Procyon lotor) are routinely translocated both legally and illegally to mitigate conflicts with humans, which has contributed to the spread of rabies virus across eastern North America. The movement behavior of translocated raccoons has important ramifications for disease transmission yet remains understudied and poorly quantified. To examine the spatial ecology of raccoons following experimental translocation, we performed reciprocal 16 km-distance translocations of 30 raccoons between habitats of high and low raccoon density (bottomland hardwood and upland pine, respectively) across the Savannah River Site (SRS) in Aiken, South Carolina, USA (2018–2019). Translocation influenced patterns of raccoon space use, with translocated animals exhibiting a 13-fold increase in 95% utilization distributions (UDs) post- compared to pre-translocation (mean 95% UD 35.8 ± 36.1 km2 vs 1.96 ± 1.17 km2). Raccoons originating from upland pine habitats consistently had greater space use and larger nightly movement distances post-translocation compared to raccoons moved from bottomland hardwood habitats, whereas these differences were generally not observed prior to translocation. Estimated home ranges of male raccoons were twice the area as estimated for female raccoons, on average, and this pattern was not affected by translocation. After a transient period lasting on average 36.5 days (SD = 30.0, range = 3.25–92.8), raccoons often resumed pre-experiment movement behavior, with 95% UD sizes not different from those prior to translocation (mean = 2.27 ± 1.63km2). Most animals established new home ranges after translocation, whereas three raccoons moved > 16 km from their release point back to the original capture location. Four animals crossed a 100-m wide river within the SRS post-translocation, but this behavior was not documented among collared raccoons prior to translocation. Large increases in space use combined with the crossing of geographic barriers such as rivers may lead to elevated contact rates with conspecifics, which can heighten disease transmission risks following translocation. These results provide additional insights regarding the potential impacts of raccoon translocation towards population level risks of rabies outbreaks and underscore the need to discourage mesocarnivore translocations to prevent further spread of wildlife rabies.

Testing the MODIS Thermal Modes for Dust Storms Monitoring

Climate change is one of the global issues that is receiving wide attention due to its clear impact on all living organisms. This is essential for Iraq since it was classified as the fifth most vulnerable country to climate change. One of the manifestations of these changes in Iraq is the increasing frequency and severity of dust storms. In this study, the Normalized Difference Dust Index (NDDI) spectral index for Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensor bands was used to measure and track the dust storm that occurred on May 16, 2022, as well as to test the validity of one of the daily products of this sensor, MOD11A1, to measure surface temperature and emissivity before and after the storm. It was found that the MOD09GA product is effective in monitoring and detecting dust storms. The areas close to the Syrian borders were identified as the origin of this storm. On the other hand, the MOD11A1 product is not suitable for daily monitoring due to the large number of missing pixels that cannot be compensated by conventional statistical methods or spatial interpolation techniques, as the percentage of missing data sometimes equals half or more of the scene, despite the fact that both products are from the same location and time of capture and under the same weather conditions. Therefore, it’s not suitable for daily monitoring of dust storm phenomena. The average of these data for eight days after image processing can be relied upon to monitor other phenomena or applications.

Image Metadata Viewer or Editor

Abstract: Our project aims to provide a solution for viewing and editing metadata, which is the concealed data embedded within image files. Metadata typically includes crucial information such as the date and location where the photo was taken, the author's details, camera specifications, and other relevant data. By leveraging our project, users can easily access and modify this information. This enhances the confidentiality of the image and allows for safe sharing of images on social media platforms without any concerns. Many users are unaware of the importance of metadata in image files, which can contain critical information such as the location, date, and time of the photo's capture, as well as camera settings and other relevant data. This information can be essential for organizing and categorizing images, as well as for legal and security purposes. However, most users lack the tools and knowledge required to view and edit this metadata, which can lead to privacy and security concerns when sharing images online. Therefore, is the need for a user-friendly and efficient solution that allows users to access and edit image metadata easily, enhancing the confidentiality and security of their images while enabling safer sharing on social media platforms

Spatiotemporal variability in otolith elemental fingerprint and the potential to determine deepwater redfish (Sebastes mentella) origins and migrations in the Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence, Canada

Connectivity processes have major implications in defining the resiliency of fish populations to overexploitation. A preliminary estimate of population exchange rates can be done by identifying the natal origin of adult fish. In this study, otolith elemental fingerprints were used as natural marker of origins and movements of Deepwater redfish (Sebastes mentella) in the Gulf of St. Lawrence (GSL). We specifically targeted the strong 2011–2013 cohorts that supported the rapid recovery of the GSL stock after its collapse in the 1990s. Elemental fingerprints were extracted from the core (proxy for larval origin) and edge (proxy for capture location) of otoliths using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). We observed an East to West gradient in the multi-elemental fingerprint of the otolith edge in the GSL, as well as evidence of temporal variation between 2016 and 2018. Cluster analysis of the core fingerprint revealed the existence of two chemically distinct natal sources of variable contribution between the Saguenay Fjord, the western GSL and the eastern GSL. This new insight on the population structure of redfish in the GSL at an ecologically relevant scale constitutes important knowledge for the assessment and sustainable management of a key recovering resource.

Movement and Genomic Methods Reveal Mechanisms Promoting Connectivity in a Declining Shorebird: The Lesser Yellowlegs

Integrating tracking technology and molecular approaches provides a comprehensive picture of contemporary and evolutionary mechanisms promoting connectivity. We used mitochondrial DNA and double digest restriction-site associated DNA (ddRAD) sequencing combined with satellite telemetry to investigate the connectivity of geographically disparate breeding populations of a declining boreal shorebird, the lesser yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes). We were able to track 33 individuals on their round-trip migrations to Central and South America and back to the boreal wetlands of North America. Nearly all (93%) adults captured on the breeding grounds returned to within 5 km of the original capture site, with a median dispersal distance of 629 m. While our telemetry data revealed limited breeding dispersal in adults, genetic data uncovered significant interconnectedness across the species’ range. Very little genetic structure was estimated at ddRAD autosomal (ΦST = 0.001), Z-linked (ΦST = 0.001), and mtDNA loci (ΦST = 0.020), and maximum likelihood-based clustering methods placed all individuals in a single cluster regardless of capture location, indicating the species is panmictic. Our data indicate that large-scale juvenile dispersal is the main mechanism maintaining connectivity in this species, resulting in the absence of genomic structure.

Phase-based design of CO2 capture, transport, and storage infrastructure via SimCCS3.0

The design of optimal infrastructure is essential for the deployment of commercial and large-scale carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology. During the design process, it is important to consider CO2 capture and storage locations and CO2 transportation pipelines to minimize the total project cost. SimCCS, first introduced in 2009, is an integrated open-source tool to optimize CCS infrastructure. The core CCS infrastructure design problem in SimCCS is structured as a mixed-integer linear programming problem by selecting the optimal pipeline routes, searching CO2 source capture and storage locations, and determining the corresponding CO2 amounts to meet desired capture targets. Multiple important and practical features have been developed to the latest version of SimCCS, SimCCS3.0. One of these features is phase-based modeling which enables users to dynamically design the CCS infrastructure. We demonstrate the phased-based modeling capability using two CCS infrastructure optimization case studies. The results from these case studies reveal that the phase-based modeling capability in SimCCS is particularly useful to optimize the dynamic deployment of CCS projects.

Assessing translocation success and long‐distance homing in riverine turtles 10 years after a freshwater oil spill

AbstractWildlife translocation is often used as a mitigation strategy for construction projects and other disturbances to habitat. In 2010, one of the largest freshwater oil spills in the United States occurred in the Kalamazoo River in Michigan, when over 3.2 million L of diluted bitumen crude oil impacted nearly 56 km of riverine habitat. During 2010 and 2011 cleanup efforts, 686 northern map turtles (Graptemys geographica) were captured from oil‐impacted stretches of the river, cleaned, rehabilitated, and translocated 2.5–84.3 km from their original capture location. The goal of this translocation effort was to release turtles within the same watershed, but away from ongoing cleanup operations, so individuals could potentially return to their original home range after it had been cleaned of oil and restored. In this study, we evaluated the success of translocation as an emergency mitigation strategy for freshwater turtles by quantifying recapture probability and homing by northern map turtles translocated varying distances from their home ranges. During subsequent years of survey up to 10 years post‐spill, 230 of the translocated turtles were recaptured, of which 104 exhibited homing by returning to their original home ranges. Turtles translocated to sites nearest their original capture location had a higher probability of recapture and homing than those translocated further away. Females had a higher probability of returning to original home ranges than males when translocated greater distances. In addition, four females and one male are known to have traveled &gt;50 km between capture and release locations, which to our knowledge is the greatest travel distance recorded for any freshwater turtle species in the United States. Our results demonstrate that riverine turtles have considerable homing ability when displaced long distances, which has important implications for design and success of translocation projects.

Outcomes associated with translocation of mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus): Influence of age, release timing, and year on survival

Translocation of large mammals has become common practice for wildlife managers charged with conservation of animals and their genetic integrity on increasingly modified landscapes. Translocations of ungulates have occurred around the world with varying outcomes. Although translocations have been used to manage mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) in western North America, only recently have the outcomes associated with this management practice been documented. Our objective was to evaluate survival of translocated mule deer in comparison to resident mule deer over multiple years following release and provide information useful in judging the relative value of translocation as a conservation strategy for this species. In January and March 2013, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR) captured and translocated 102 mule deer from winter range near Parowan, Utah to winter range near Holden, Utah (approximately 145 kilometers north of capture location). We fitted each deer with a radio transmitter (n = 102 total: 21 GPS collars, 81 VHF collars) prior to release. We also captured and marked a total of 70 resident deer (9 GPS collars, 61 VHF collars) to serve as a reference group. Survival of translocated deer in the first year was similar among release dates in January (0.51; 95% CI = 0.40–0.63) and March (0.53; 95% CI = 0.40–0.66). Annual survival of translocated deer, however, was lower than survival of resident deer (0.83; 95% CI = 0.72–0.90) in the first year after release. During the second year following release, however, survival of translocated animals (0.85; 95% CI = 0.71–0.93) was not different from that of resident deer (0.80; 95% CI = 0.69–0.88). Additionally, age strongly influenced the survival of translocated deer; young deer (e.g., 1.5 year olds) were more than twice as likely as old deer (e.g., 7.5 year olds) to survive the initial year following translocation. These data highlight the need to monitor translocated animals for multiple years following release and suggest that wildlife managers should expect to see higher survival rates during the second year following translocation and higher survival rates in younger deer compared to older deer.

No Evidence of Long-Term Effects on Physiological Stress or Innate Immune Functioning in Northern Map Turtles a Decade After a Freshwater Oil Spill

Environmental perturbations such as chemical spills often have immediate and obvious effects on the health of ecosystems and individual organisms. However, the long-term effects of such perturbations are less evident and often less well-understood. In July 2010, a ruptured pipeline spilled diluted bitumen into the Kalamazoo River in Michigan, USA, ultimately oiling 56 km of the river channel. During spill cleanup operations, the most common vertebrate species rescued from the oiled river channel was the Northern Map Turtle (Graptemys geographica), of which over 2000 individuals were captured, cleaned of oil, and released. We returned to areas along the 2010 spill gradient to determine whether turtles from locations that had experienced different magnitudes of oiling in 2010 differed in baseline stress levels or immune functioning in 2020, which was 10 yr after the oil spill. In 2020, we collected blood samples from 100 individual Northern Map Turtles along the 2010 spill gradient and subsequently quantified the heterophil:lymphocyte ratio, bactericidal capacity, and natural antibody agglutination. We found no correlation between turtles' 2020 capture locations relative to the origin of the 2010 oil spill and either mean stress level (heterophil:lymphocyte ratio) or immune functioning (bactericidal capacity and natural antibody agglutination ability). Thus, we found no evidence that Northern Map Turtles sampled along a gradient of oil exposure resulting from the 2010 Kalamazoo River oil spill experienced long-term effects on physiological stress levels or immune functioning. Importantly, our sampling did not include any individuals that may have died during 2010–2020 from poor health after the oil spill and therefore is biased toward healthy turtles remaining in the population. Interestingly, we found that a subset of turtles known to have been oiled in 2010 actually had higher natural antibody titers than turtles sampled from a control site that presumably had never been exposed to oil. We cannot exclude the possibility of other long-term effects of the oil spill on the Map Turtle population, such as decreased reproductive output. We recommend that long-term monitoring of populations and ecosystems be included in spill mitigation plans to track the recovery of populations and ecosystems over time and to document any effects that may become evident only years after the spill event.

Formulation of Fuel Oil Consumption Estimation on The Fishing Vessels Through The Gill Net and Bubu Fishing Gears for Evaluating Fuel Subsidies in Bintan Regency - Indonesia

The largest percentage of expenditure in fishing operations using motor boats is Fuel Oil (BBM) which amounts to 40-50% of total operating costs. Inorder to ensure the smoothness and accuracy of the distribution of subsidized fuel for fisheries businesses, the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries issued Ministerial Regulation KP No.13 of 2015 concerning guidelines for the implementation of the issuance of recommendation letters for the purchase of certain types of fuel oil for capture fisheries businesses. In this study, an evaluation of the formulation was carried out to determine the estimated consumption of fuel subsidies on fishing vessels measuring 10-30 GT with Gill Net and Bubu fishing gear in Bintan Regency. In the calculation process, the estimated fuel consumption for fishing vessels must consider several aspects, namely the type of fishing gear, the distance to the fishing location, the power on the main and auxiliary engines, as well as the fuel coefficient and specific gravity used. Therefore, it is necessary to estimate fuel consumption by calculating the operating mode on each type of fishing gear. This is intended as an effort to provide a more precise estimate of fuel consumption.The method used in determining fuel estimates is with two different scenarios. In scenario I, the calculation of fuel consumption uses the formulation of Permen-KP No. 13 of 2015, with the formula used in the main engine is the power of the main engine, namely the Cfo and the duration of the capture operation per trip, while for the estimated measurement of the consumption of auxiliary machines, it is calculated 20% of the estimated fuel of the main engine. On the other hand, based on scenario II, the formulation of fuel consumption estimates still uses the formulation of Permen-KP No. 13 of 2015, but the evaluation is carried out by adding calculations of the catch operation time according to the type of Gill Net or Bubu fishing gear, the distance to the capture location, and the power of the auxiliary machine used. The results of this study found that there were differences in fuel consumption in the two types of fishing gear in each scenario. In scenario II, a ship using Gill Net fishing gear requires a greater fuel consumption of 44% thana ship with Bubu fishing gear. In addition, scenario II recommends adding 43% fuel for Gill Net ships and adding 39% fuel for Bubu ships. With this scenario II modeling, theproduction contribution obtained during the application of scenario II increased by 15% on the Gill net fishing gear and 17% on the Bubu fishing gear.

Salamander Movement Propensity Resists Effects of Supraseasonal Drought

Movement can act as an effective strategy used by amphibians to avoid detrimental environmental conditions, particularly drought. However, due to the unpredictable nature of droughts, evaluating the patterns and consequences of movement has rarely been investigated. In 2007–2008, the southeastern United States experienced a supraseasonal drought that resulted in 110 yr low flow levels among the first-order streams. In this study, 61 months of mark–recapture data collected from one first-order stream were used to examine the effects of drought on the movement frequency distribution, survival, and growth rates of adult Desmognathus fuscus (Northern Dusky Salamander). We hypothesized that salamanders would demonstrate a higher propensity to move during supraseasonal drought conditions and that moving salamanders would experience higher survival and growth rates. We found that salamanders were more likely to move immediately after the drought compared to the pre-drought and drought conditions. Although movement frequency was low during the drought, survival was higher for individuals who moved during drought conditions in comparison to individuals who remained in their original capture location. Although our model did not detect a trend, salamanders experienced slightly higher growth in the post-drought conditions compared to drought and pre-drought conditions. In addition, during the post-drought, salamanders that moved had slightly higher growth rates compared to salamanders who remained in their original capture location. Our results suggest that adult salamanders were potentially displaying an adaptive movement strategy to resist drought conditions by moving away from affected (i.e., dry) areas within the study stream. In addition, movement was likely utilized to access replenished resources in other areas after the severe effects of the drought ended. Therefore, both in-stream and riparian barriers that impede movement may inhibit resilience of stream amphibians during severe droughts.

Elemental and spectral chemometric analyses of Octopus vulgaris beaks as reliable markers of capture location.

The high demand and economic relevance of cephalopods make them prone to food fraud, including related to harvest location. Therefore, there is a growing need to develop tools to unequivocally confirm their capture location. Cephalopod beaks are nonedible, making this material ideal for traceability studies as it can also be removed without a loss of commodity economic value. Within this context, common octopus (Octopus vulgaris) specimens were captured in five fishing areas along the Portuguese coast. Untargeted multi-elemental total X-ray fluorescence analysis of the octopus beaks revealed a high abundance of Ca, Cl, K, Na, S, and P, concomitant with the keratin and calcium phosphate nature of the material. We tested a suite of discrimination models on both elemental and spectral data, where the elements contributing most to discriminate capture location were typically associated with diet (As), human-related pressures (Zn, Se, and Mn), or geological features (P, S, Mn, and Zn). Among the six different chemometrics approaches used to classify individuals to their capture location according to their beaks' element concentration, classification trees attained a classification accuracy of 76.7%, whilst reducing the number of explanatory variables for sample classification and highlighting variable importance for group discrimination. However, using X-ray spectral features of the octopus beaks further improved classification accuracy, with the highest classification of 87.3% found with partial least-squares discriminant analysis. Ultimately, element and spectral analyses of nonedible structures such as octopus beaks can provide an important, complementary, and easily accessible means to support seafood provenance and traceability, whilst integrating anthropogenic and/or geological gradients.

Lead exposure in brown bears is linked to environmental levels and the distribution of moose kills

Lead (Pb) is heterogeneously distributed in the environment and multiple sources like Pb ammunition and fossil fuel combustion can increase the risk of exposure in wildlife. Brown bears (Ursus arctos) in Sweden have higher blood Pb levels compared to bears from other populations, but the sources and routes of exposure are unknown. The objective of this study was to quantify the contribution of two potential sources of Pb exposure in female brown bears (n = 34 individuals; n = 61 samples). We used multiple linear regressions to determine the contribution of both environmental Pb levels estimated from plant roots and moose (Alces alces) kills to blood Pb concentrations in female brown bears. We found positive relationships between blood Pb concentrations in bears and both the distribution of moose kills by hunters and environmental Pb levels around capture locations. Our results suggest that the consumption of slaughter remains discarded by moose hunters is a likely significant pathway of Pb exposure and this exposure is additive to environmental Pb exposure in female brown bears in Sweden. We suggest that spatially explicit models, incorporating habitat selection analyses of harvest data, may prove useful in predicting Pb exposure in scavengers.

Magnetic drug targeting during Casson blood flow in a microvessel: A Caputo fractional model

A mathematical model on fractionalized axisymmetric Casson blood flow through a cylindrical shaped blood vessel is introduced to present the capture location of drug carrier particles at diseased regions during magnetic drug targeting (MDT). The Caputo fractional order time-derivative is introduced in the momentum equation to impose the time memory effect. The governing momentum equation is solved analytically in terms of Lorenzo – Hartley and Robotonov – Hartley special functions using Laplace transform (LT) and finite Hankel transform (FHT). The outcome solution for coupled force balance equations is solved using fourth order Runge – Kutta (RK) method, whereas the total volume fraction (TVF) of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) is obtained analytically. The present model introduced the effects of magnetic parameter, Darcy number, Reynolds number and pulsatile frequency with the impact of the memory effect in the form of the fractional parameters on the axial and radial trajectories of drug carrier particles (CPs) and on the volume fraction of MNPs. The impacts of tumor-magnet distance, Casson parameter, and Hematocrit parameter on the volume fraction of MNPs is also investigated. A comparison is made with the existing literature, and it shows a good agreement. Short time memory effect leads to a speedy move of the drug particles towards the disease region and the phenomenon is more significant with increase in the volume fraction of the MNPs, magnetization and permeable nature of the microvessel. The outcome of the present study will be helpful to the field of medical science to carry out further research to treat disease in specific locations by using MDT.