Uncertainty budget for detector-based absolute radiometric calibration with GLAMR.

The accuracy of the absolute radiometric calibration (RadCal) for remote sensing instruments is essential to their wide range of applications. The uncertainty associated with the traditional source-based RadCal method is assessed at a 2% (=1) or higher level for radiance measurement. To further improve the accuracy to meet the demands of climate studies, a detector-based approach using tunable lasers as a light source has been devised.

An Equity-Based Scoring System for Evaluating Surveillance-Related Harm in Public Health Crises.

Background: Although surveillance systems used to mitigate disasters serve essential public health functions, communities of color have experienced disproportionate harms (eg, criminalization) as a result of historic and enhanced surveillance.

Methods: To address this, we developed and piloted a novel, equity-based scoring system to evaluate surveillance systems regarding their potential and actual risk of adverse effects on communities made vulnerable through increased exposure to policing, detention/incarceration, deportation, and disruption of access to social services or public resources. To develop the scoring system, we reviewed the literature and surveyed an expert panel on surveillance to identify specific harms (eg, increased policing) that occur through surveillance approaches.

An exploratory study to characterize the HIV testing-to-care continuum to improve outcomes for Black and Latinx residents of South Los Angeles.

Background: South Los Angeles (SPA6), with mostly Black (27.4%) and Latinx (68.2%) residents, has the second highest rates of new HIV diagnoses (31 per 100,000) in Los Angeles County.

Integrated Methods for Applying Critical Race Theory to Qualitative COVID-19 Equity Research.

Background: Racism persists, underscoring the need to rapidly document the perspectives and experiences of Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) groups as well as marginalized populations (eg, formerly incarcerated people) during pandemics.

Objective: This methods paper offers a model for using Public Health Critical Race Praxis (PHCRP) and related critical methodologies (ie, feminist and decolonizing methods) to inform the conceptualization, methods, and dissemination of qualitative research undertaken in response to the evolving COVID-19 pandemic.

Sample: Using purposive snowball sampling, we identified organizations involved with health equity and social justice advocacy among BIPOC and socially marginalized populations.

Sex determination in the GIFT strain of tilapia is controlled by a locus in linkage group 23.

Background: Tilapias (Family Cichlidae) are the second most important group of aquaculture species in the world. They have been the subject of much research on sex determination due to problems caused by early maturation in culture and their complex sex-determining systems. Different sex-determining loci (linkage group 1, 20 and 23) have been detected in various tilapia stocks.

Species-Specific Marker Discovery in Tilapia.

Tilapias (family Cichlidae) are of importance in aquaculture and fisheries. Hybridisation and introgression are common within tilapia genera but are difficult to analyse due to limited numbers of species-specific genetic markers. We tested the potential of double digested restriction-site associated DNA (ddRAD) sequencing for discovering single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers to distinguish between 10 tilapia species.

Developing an ecosystem model of a floating wetland for water quality improvement on a stormwater pond.

An ecosystem model was developed to assist with designing and implementing a floating wetland (FW) for water quality management of urban stormwater ponds, focusing on nitrogen (N) removal. The model is comprised of three linked submodels: hydrology, plant growth, and nitrogen. The model was calibrated with the data that resulted from a FW constructed and implemented as part of an interdisciplinary pedagogical project on a university campus, titled "The Rain Project", which raised awareness of stormwater issues while investigating the potential application of green infrastructure for sustainable stormwater management.

'She didn't have a word of English; we didn't have a word of Vietnamese': Exploring parent experiences of communication with toddlers who were adopted internationally.

The purpose of this study was to explore in detail parents' experiences of communicating with toddlers who were adopted internationally. Often, there is a mismatch between parents and children in terms of language, particularly in the early post-adoption period. There is a gap in the literature regarding parent experiences of this phase of their lives.

Gene-centromere mapping in meiotic gynogenetic European seabass.

Background: Fully isogenic lines in fish can be developed using "mitotic" gynogenesis (suppression of first zygotic mitosis following inactivation of the sperm genome). However, genome-wide verification of the steps in this process has seldom been applied. We used ddRADseq to generate SNP markers in a meiotic gynogenetic family of European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax): (i) to verify the lack of paternal contribution in a meiotic gynogenetic family; (ii) to generate a gene-centromere map from this family; (iii) to identify telomeric markers that could distinguish mitotic gynogenetics from meiotic gynogenetics, which sometimes arise spontaneously in mitotic gynogenetic families.

Gene expression comparison of resistant and susceptible Atlantic salmon fry challenged with Infectious Pancreatic Necrosis virus reveals a marked contrast in immune response.

Background: Infectious Pancreatic Necrosis (IPN) is a highly contagious birnavirus disease of farmed salmonid fish, which often causes high levels of morbidity and mortality. A large host genetic component to resistance has been previously described for Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.), which mediates high mortality rates in some families and zero mortality in others.

A new SNP-based vision of the genetics of sex determination in European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax).

Background: European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) is one of the most important farmed species in Mediterranean aquaculture. The observed sexual growth and maturity dimorphism in favour of females adds value towards deciphering the sex determination system of this species. Current knowledge indicates the existence of a polygenic sex determining determination system that interacts with temperature.

A novel sex-determining QTL in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus).

Background: Fish species often exhibit significant sexual dimorphism for commercially important traits. Accordingly, the control of phenotypic sex, and in particular the production of monosex cultures, is of particular interest to the aquaculture industry. Sex determination in the widely farmed Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) is complex, involving genomic regions on at least three chromosomes (chromosomes 1, 3 and 23) and interacting in certain cases with elevated early rearing temperature as well.

Mapping the sex determination locus in the Atlantic halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus) using RAD sequencing.

Background: Atlantic halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus) is a high-value, niche market species for cold-water marine aquaculture. Production of monosex female stocks is desirable in commercial production since females grow faster and mature later than males. Understanding the sex determination mechanism and developing sex-associated markers will shorten the time for the development of monosex female production, thus decreasing the costs of farming.

Mapping and validation of the major sex-determining region in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus L.) Using RAD sequencing.

Sex in Oreochromis niloticus (Nile tilapia) is principally determined by an XX/XY locus but other genetic and environmental factors also influence sex ratio. Restriction Associated DNA (RAD) sequencing was used in two families derived from crossing XY males with females from an isogenic clonal line, in order to identify Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) and map the sex-determining region(s). We constructed a linkage map with 3,802 SNPs, which corresponded to 3,280 informative markers, and identified a major sex-determining region on linkage group 1, explaining nearly 96% of the phenotypic variance.

Infrared dielectric properties of low-stress silicon nitride.

Silicon nitride thin films play an important role in the realization of sensors, filters, and high-performance circuits. Estimates of the dielectric function in the far- and mid-IR regime are derived from the observed transmittance spectra for a commonly employed low-stress silicon nitride formulation. The experimental, modeling, and numerical methods used to extract the dielectric parameters with an accuracy of approximately 4% are presented.

The impact of escaped farmed Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) on catch statistics in Scotland.

In Scotland and elsewhere, there are concerns that escaped farmed Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) may impact on wild salmon stocks. Potential detrimental effects could arise through disease spread, competition, or inter-breeding.

Aquaculture: global status and trends.

Aquaculture contributed 43 per cent of aquatic animal food for human consumption in 2007 (e.g. fish, crustaceans and molluscs, but excluding mammals, reptiles and aquatic plants) and is expected to grow further to meet the future demand.

The susceptibility of Atlantic salmon fry to freshwater infectious pancreatic necrosis is largely explained by a major QTL.

Infectious pancreatic necrosis (IPN) is a viral disease with a significant negative impact on the global aquaculture of Atlantic salmon. IPN outbreaks can occur during specific windows of both the freshwater and seawater stages of the salmon life cycle. Previous research has shown that a proportion of the variation seen in resistance to IPN is because of host genetics, and we have shown that major quantitative trait loci (QTL) affect IPN resistance at the seawater stage of production.

Detection of QTL affecting harvest traits in a commercial Atlantic salmon population.

Genetic variation in performance and quality traits measured at harvest has previously been demonstrated in Atlantic salmon aquaculture populations. To map major loci underlying this variation, we utilized data from 10 families from a commercial breeding programme. Significant QTL were detected affecting harvest weight and length traits on linkage group 1, and affecting waste weight on linkage group 5.

Detection and confirmation of a major QTL affecting resistance to infectious pancreatic necrosis (IPN) in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar).

Infectious pancreatic necrosis (IPN) is a viral disease currently presenting a major problem to the aquaculture of Atlantic salmon (Salmon salar), during both the freshwater and seawater stages of production. Genetic variation in resistance to IPN has previously been demonstrated and the purpose of this study was to determine whether this variation includes loci of major effect. The initial QTL detection methodology utilized the limited recombination seen in male salmon to detect QTL in ten large full-sib families, using a genome-wide scan of two to three markers per linkage group.

Major quantitative trait loci affect resistance to infectious pancreatic necrosis in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar).

Infectious pancreatic necrosis (IPN) is a viral disease currently presenting a major problem in the production of Atlantic salmon (Salmon salar). IPN can cause significant mortality to salmon fry within freshwater hatcheries and to smolts following transfer to seawater, although challenged populations show clear genetic variation in resistance. To determine whether this genetic variation includes loci of major effect, a genomewide quantitative trait loci (QTL) scan was performed within 10 full-sib families that had received a natural seawater IPN challenge.

Analysis of the incidence of infectious pancreatic necrosis mortality in pedigreed Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., populations.

A total of 77,124 Atlantic salmon post-smolts, representing 197 full-sib families produced by 149 males and 197 females, experienced a field challenge from infectious pancreatic necrosis virus (IPNV), following transfer to three separate seawater sites. The first IPN mortality was observed 45 days after transfer, and the duration of the epidemic varied between 37 and 92 days among sites. Mortalities were traced to their parental families by PIT (Passive Integrated Transpondes) tag records and DNA genotyping.

Isolation and physical mapping of sex-linked AFLP markers in nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus L.).

Gynogenetically produced XX and YY Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and diploid control groups were screened for amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLPs) to search for sex-linked or sex-specific markers. Family-level bulked segregant analysis (XX and YY gynogenetic family pools) and individual screening (XX and YY gynogenetics and XX and XY control individuals) identified 3 Y-linked (OniY425, OniY382, OniY227) and one X-linked (OniX420) AFLP markers. OniX420 and OniY425 were shown to be allelic.

Teleost fish spermatozoa contain a cytosolic protein factor that induces calcium release in sea urchin egg homogenates and triggers calcium oscillations when injected into mouse oocytes.

Established studies in a variety of organisms including amphibians, fish, ascidians, nemerteans, echinoderms, mammals, and even a species of flowering plant, clearly demonstrate that an increase in intracellular egg calcium is crucial to the process of egg activation at fertilization. In echinoderms, egg activation appears to involve an egg phospholipase C gamma (PLCgamma). However, numerous studies in mammalian species suggest that calcium is released from internal egg stores at fertilization by a sperm-derived cytosolic protein factor.