scholarly journals Comparison of the efficiency and ethical implications of pitfall and Tomahawk traps on Virginia opposums (Didelphis virginiana)

Author(s):  
Yury Glebskiy ◽  
Zenón Cano-Santana

The choice of methods for trapping animals can greatly affect the studies and their results, despite that there are relatively few studies on the matter. Thus, the purpose of this study is to compare two common methods of live trapping (Tomahawk traps and pitfall traps), their efficiency and ethical implications for trapping Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana). Traps were located in a paired design, the trapped animals were checked for sex, injuries caused by the trap and stress level, then marked and released in the same spot. At the same time, costs of both trap types were compared. Tomahawk traps were 60 % more efficient to trap opossums but the pitfall traps had better results in all the other categories: were more cost-effective, did not injure the animals as often and were less stressful. Neither type of trap presented bias in sex proportion or number of recaptured animals. In general, both types of traps resulted to be effective, the pitfall trap was the better option in almost all of the categories but has the disadvantage that in the infrequent event of two males being caught on in the same trap, they are likely to fight.

2000 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 81 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. E. May ◽  
B. E. Heterick

This paper reports on the apparent displacement of native and exotic ants from gardens in the Perth Metropolitan region by the coastal brown ant (Pheidole megacephala (Fabricius)). Twelve gardens were sampled, four with P. megacephala present, and eight (the controls) where the ant was judged to be absent. Eight out of the 26 ant species recorded (including the coastal brown ant) were introduced. Ninety-two per cent of pitfall trap contents comprised the four most abundant species: P. megacephala, lridomyrmex chasei (Forel), Tetramorium simillimum (F. Smith) and Paratrechina ?obscura (Mayr). Three of the four P. megacephala-dominated gardens were depauperate of almost all other ant species. The fourth P. megacephala-infested garden had a relatively small number of coastal brown ants (104), and the highest number of ant species was found in that garden. The removal of this outlier garden left an average range of one to three species for the other three P. megacephala-infested gardens. Control gardens had between five and 12 ant species. Total ant abundance ranged from an average of 1 027 per P. megacephala-infested garden (increasing to 1 171 if the outlier garden is removed) to 146 at control gardens. There was a significant difference both in ant richness and ant abundance between the controls and P. megacephala-infested gardens (P < 0.05). This remained the case when figures for coastal brown ants were excluded from calculations.


Author(s):  
Benjamin Millard-Martin ◽  
Melissa Todd ◽  
Chris J. Johnson ◽  
Alexandria L. McEwan

Coastal tailed frogs Ascaphus truei inhabit montane streams and forested habitats in the Coast and Cascade Mountains from northern California, USA, to the Skeena River watershed in northwestern British Columbia (BC), Canada. Terrestrial adults and juveniles of this cryptic biphasic species are difficult to survey as they are small, do not vocalize, and may be associated with woody ground structures or subsurface refugia at considerable distances from natal streams. We performed a comparative analysis of the detection rate of post-metamorphic coastal tailed frogs and ecological factors hypothesized to influence detection when conducting visual encounter and pitfall trap surveys. We conducted concurrent surveys in northwestern BC at six sites over similar time periods using both techniques. The average detection rate of visual encounter surveys (  = 0.249, SD = 0.702) was greater than that of pitfall sampling ( = 0.138, SD = 0.773) when cool temperatures and high humidity favor above-ground movement during the daytime. Light-touch ground searches of refuge habitats likely enhanced detection during visual surveys. Although the average detection rate was less, pitfall traps provided 24-hour sampling and were less affected by the experience of the surveyor and the occurrence of ground cover. In general, variation in seasonal behavior influenced detection regardless of method. The relatively higher cost and fixed nature of pitfall traps should be weighed against the ability to apply more cost-effective visual encounter surveys to a greater number of sites.


2020 ◽  
pp. 1192-1198
Author(s):  
M.S. Mohammad ◽  
Tibebe Tesfaye ◽  
Kim Ki-Seong

Ultrasonic thickness gauges are easy to operate and reliable, and can be used to measure a wide range of thicknesses and inspect all engineering materials. Supplementing the simple ultrasonic thickness gauges that present results in either a digital readout or as an A-scan with systems that enable correlating the measured values to their positions on the inspected surface to produce a two-dimensional (2D) thickness representation can extend their benefits and provide a cost-effective alternative to expensive advanced C-scan machines. In previous work, the authors introduced a system for the positioning and mapping of the values measured by the ultrasonic thickness gauges and flaw detectors (Tesfaye et al. 2019). The system is an alternative to the systems that use mechanical scanners, encoders, and sophisticated UT machines. It used a camera to record the probe’s movement and a projected laser grid obtained by a laser pattern generator to locate the probe on the inspected surface. In this paper, a novel system is proposed to be applied to flat surfaces, in addition to overcoming the other limitations posed due to the use of the laser projection. The proposed system uses two video cameras, one to monitor the probe’s movement on the inspected surface and the other to capture the corresponding digital readout of the thickness gauge. The acquired images of the probe’s position and thickness gauge readout are processed to plot the measured data in a 2D color-coded map. The system is meant to be simpler and more effective than the previous development.


2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-14
Author(s):  
Carlos Alvaréz Teijeiro

Emmanuel Lévinas, the philosopher of ethics par excellence in the twentieth century, and by own merit one of the most important ethical philosophers in the history of western philosophy, is also the philosopher of the Other. Thereby, it can be said that no thought has deepened like his in the ups and downs of the ethical relationship between subject and otherness. The general objective of this work is to expose in a simple and understandable way some ideas that tend to be quite dark in the philosophical work of the author, since his profuse religious production will not be analyzed here. It is expected to show that his ideas about the being and the Other are relevant to better understand interpersonal relationships in times of 4.0 (re)evolution. As specific objectives, this work aims to expose in chronological order the main works of the thinker, with special emphasis on his ethical implications: Of the evasion (1935), The time and the Other (1947), From the existence to the existent (1947), Totality and infinity: An essay on exteriority (1961) and, last, Otherwise than being, or beyond essence (1974). In the judgment of Lévinas, history of western philosophy starting with Greece, has shown an unusual concern for the Being, this is, it has basically been an ontology and, accordingly, it has relegated ethics to a second or third plane. On the other hand and in a clear going against the tide movement, our author supports that ethics should be considered the first philosophy and more, even previous to the proper philosophize. This novel approach implies, as it is supposed, that the essential question of the philosophy slows down its origin around the Being in order to inquire about the Other: it is a philosophy in first person. Such a radical change of perspective generates an underlying change in how we conceive interpersonal relationships, the complex framework of meanings around the relationship Me and You, which also philosopher Martin Buber had already spoken of. As Lévinas postulates that ethics is the first philosophy, this involves that the Other claims all our attention, intellectual and emotional, to the point of considering that the relationship with the Other is one of the measures of our identity. Thus, “natural” attitude –husserlian word not used by Lévinas- would be to be in permanent disposition regarding to the meeting with the Other, to be in permanent opening state to let ourselves be questioned by him. Ontology, as the author says, being worried about the Being, has been likewise concerned about the Existence, when the matter is to concern about the particular Existent that every otherness supposes for us. In conclusion it can be affirmed that levinasian ethics of the meeting with the Other, particular Face, irreducible to the assumption, can contribute with an innovative looking to (re)evolving the interpersonal relationships in a 4.0 context.


Vox Patrum ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 56 ◽  
pp. 339-348
Author(s):  
Bogdan Czyżewski

Although St. Basil did not live 50 years, the topic of the old age appears in his works quite often. On the other hand, it is clear that Basil does not discuss this issue in one par­ticular work or in the longer argumentation. The fragmentary statements about old age can be found in almost all his works, but most of them can be found in the correspondence of Basil. In this paper we present the most important ad the most interesting aspect of teach­ing of Basil the Great. As these certificates show that the bishop of Caesarea looked at the old age maturely, rationally estimated passage of time, which very often makes a man different. He experienced it, for example as a spiritual and physical suffering, which often were connected with his person. He saw a lot of aspect of the old age, especially its advan­tages – spiritual maturity and wisdom. What is more, he pointed also to passage of time, which leads a man to eternity, which should be prepared to, regardless how old he is. In his opinion fear is not seen opinions of St. Basil present really Christian way of thinking, well-balanced and calm.


2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 180-191
Author(s):  
Kavitha Chandrasekaran

Background:: In the long run, synthetic tints were found to be harmful to the chemicals. As a result natural tints have come to be used for their many intrinsic values. The main reason being, then availability of local plants as the main source of natural colorants. Their easy availability in the country being zero cost – effective and planted for other purposes are the main reasons for utilizing them as natural tints. Almost all the parts of the plants, namely stem, leaves, fruits, seeds, barks etc. are used for extracting natural colour. In addition, they are antimicrobial antifungal, insect – repellant deodorant, disinfectant having medicinal values. Methods:: Sweet Indrajao leaves were cleaned by washing with water and dried under direct sunlight and ground as fine powder. A fine strainer was used to remove the wastages. After all these processes, 1-kilogram leaves weighed 318 grams. Then, it is put in 75% ethanol 25% water and heated in a breaker which in kept over a water bath for 2 hours. After this, the contents were filtered and kept in a separate beaker. Bleached fleece draperies stained with stain extract were made to become wet and put into different stain baths which contain the required amount of stain extract and water. Acetic acid was added to it after 20 minutes. The fleece drapery was stained for about one hour at 60oC. The draperies thus stained were removed, squeezed, and put to treatment with metal salts without washing. Different metal salts were used for the treatment using 3% of any one of the chemical mordants like alum, stannous chloride, potassium dichromate, ferrous sulphate, nickel sulphate, copper sulphate and natural mordants such as myrobolan, turmeric, cow dung, Banana sap juice at 60oC for 30 minutes with MLR of 1:30. The stained draperies were washed repeatedly in all the three methods in water and dried in air. At last, the stained draperies were put to soap with soap solution at 60oC for 10 minutes. The draperies were repeatedly washed in water and dried under the sun. Results:: Sweet Indrajao leaves discharged colour easily in alcoholic water. The fleece draperies were stained with chemical and natural mordants. It was observed that the stain uptake was found to be good in post-mordanting method. Ultrasonication has clearly improved the stainability of the draperies at pH 3 and 3.5 values. The pH decreases the stain ability under both Conventional and Ultrasonic conditions. The colour strength increases with an increase in staining temperature in both cases of US and CH methods. Conclusion:: Sweet Indrajao.L has been found to have good ultrasonic potential as a stain plant. The stain uptake as well as the fastness properties of the fleece drapery were found to enhance when metal mordant was used in conjugation with ultra-sonication for the extract of Sweet Indrajao. It was also found that the enhancement of staining ability was better without mordant draperies. The dye extract showed good antibacterial activity against the three bacterial pathogens. Among the three bacterial pathogens, dye extract showed more effective against Escherichia coli pathogens and dye extract showed more effective against Aspergillus pathogens. Hence, the ultrasonic method of drapery staining may be appropriate and beneficial for society at large in future.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 67
Author(s):  
Seung-Min Yang ◽  
Jiwon Baek ◽  
Eiseul Kim ◽  
Hyeon-Be Kim ◽  
Seyoung Ko ◽  
...  

In recent years, Salmonella Infantis has become a predominant serovariant in clinical and poultry isolates, thereby imposing a substantial economic burden on both public health and the livestock industry. With the aim of coping with the steep increase in serovar Infantis prevalence, a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based rapid and accurate diagnostic assay was developed in this study through pangenome profiling of 60 Salmonella serovars. A gene marker, SIN_02055, was identified, which is present in the S. Infantis genome but not in the pangenome of the other serovars. Primers specific to SIN_02055 were used to accurately detect serovar Infantis, and to successfully differentiate Infantis from the other 59 serovars in real-time PCR with a R2 of 0.999 and an efficiency of 95.76%. The developed method was applied to 54 Salmonella strains belonging to eight dominant serovars, and distinguished Infantis from the other seven serovars with an accuracy of 100%. The diagnostic primer set also did not show false positive amplification with 32 strains from eight non-Salmonella bacterial species. This cost-effective and rapid method can be considered an alternative to the classic serotyping using antisera.


Check List ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Lúcia Costa Prudente ◽  
Fernanda Magalhães ◽  
Alessandro Menks ◽  
João Fabrício De Melo Sarmento

We present the first lizard species list for the municipality of Juruti, state of Pará, Brazil. The list was drawn up as a result of data obtained from specimens deposited in the Herpetological Collection of the Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi and from inventories conducted in 2008-2011. Sampling methods included pitfall traps with drift fences and time constrained searches. We considered the data collected by other researchers, incidental encounters and records of dead individuals on the road. We recorded 33 species, 26 genera and ten families. Norops tandai was the most abundant species. Compared with the other regions of Amazonia, the region of Juruti presented a large number of lizards. However, further studies with an increase in the sampling effort, could prove this area to be richer in lizards than that observed so far.


1978 ◽  
Vol 56 (9) ◽  
pp. 2055-2057 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. W. Moore ◽  
I. A. Moore

Descriptions of larvae of Procladius denticulatus, Procladius culiciformis, Procladius freemani, and Procladius bellus collected from Yellowknife Bay (lat., 62°25′; long., 114°20′) are given. Procladius denticulatus was separated from the other species by its large size, a character which always proved distinctive. Procladius culiciformis and P. freemani were separated from one another through several measurements including those of the basal antennal segment and the basal palpal segment. Almost all characters of the head were useful in distinguishing the much smaller P. bellus from the other species.


2009 ◽  
Vol 78 (3) ◽  
pp. 1383-1389 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriella M. Scandurra ◽  
Geoffrey W. de Lisle ◽  
Sonia M. Cavaignac ◽  
May Young ◽  
R. Pamela Kawakami ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (basonym M. paratuberculosis) is the causative agent of paratuberculosis, a chronic enteritis of ruminants. To control the considerable economic effect that paratuberculosis has on the livestock industry, a vaccine that induces protection with minimal side effects is required. We employed transposon mutagenesis and allelic exchange to develop three potential vaccine candidates, which were then tested for virulence with macrophages, mice, and goats. All three models identified the WAg906 mutant as being the most attenuated, but some differences in the levels of attenuation were evident among the models when testing the other strains. In a preliminary mouse vaccine experiment, limited protection was induced by WAg915, as evidenced by a reduced bacterial load in spleens and livers 12 weeks following intraperitoneal challenge with M. paratuberculosis K10. While we found macrophages and murine models to be rapid and cost-effective alternatives for the initial screening of M. paratuberculosis mutants for attenuation, it appears necessary to do the definitive assessment of attenuation with a ruminant model.


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