scholarly journals Citizen science data suggest that a novel rig improves landing rate and reduces injury and handling time in recreational angling with artificial lures in Baltic pike (Esox lucius)

PeerJ ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. e4744
Author(s):  
Jens Jakob Bursell ◽  
Robert Arlinghaus

The optimal terminal gear in hook-and-line recreational fishing maximizes landing rates and minimizes injury to the fish because some fish will be released after capture. We designed a novel rig configuration in artificial lure fishing for top predators and examined its effectiveness in angling for Baltic northern pike (Esox lucius) using a citizen science approach based on observational data collected from volunteer anglers in the field. The novel rig included two changes to traditional rig designs common to artificial lure angling. First, hooks were mounted in a way giving better hook exposure and eliminating lever-arm effects from the lure to the hooks once a fish is hooked. This construction allowed the second change, being a shift to hooks 4–5 sizes smaller than those used on traditional hook mounts. We analysed observational data collected by volunteer anglers using either the novel rig or a standard rig mount in two types of artificial lures (softbait and hardbait) of the same size (about 17 cm). UsingN = 768 pike contacts as input data, we showed the landing rates of pike targeted with artificial lures significantly and substantially increased from 45% with normal-rigs to 85% when the same lure types were fished with the novel rig configuration. Lure type and water temperature had no effects on landing rates. Moreover, hardbaits on normal-rigs produced significantly more injury, bleeding and elevated unhooking time compared to fish captured on hardbaits with release-rigs. We conclude that simple changes to traditional hook sizes and mounts in lure fishing may benefit both anglers and the fishes that are to be released and that citizen science projects with volunteer anglers are able to provide good data in proof-of-concept studies. Further experimental studies are needed to differentiate hook size from hook mount effects because both variables were confounded in the results of the observational data presented here.

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jens Jakob Bursell ◽  
Robert Arlinghaus

The optimal terminal gear in hook-and-line recreational fishing maximizes landing rates and minimizes injury to the fish because some fish will be released after capture. We designed a novel rig configuration in artificial lure fishing for top predators and examined its effectiveness in angling for Baltic northern pike (Esox lucius ) using a citizen science approach based on observational data collected from volunteer anglers in the field. The novel rig included two changes to traditional rig designs common to artificial lure angling. First, hooks were mounted in a way giving better hook exposure and eliminating lever-arm effects from the lure to the hooks once a fish is hooked. This construction allowed the second change, being a shift to hooks 4-5 sizes smaller than those used on traditional hook mounts. We analysed observational data collected by volunteer anglers using either the novel rig or a standard rig mount in two types of artificial lures (softbait and hardbait) of the same size (about 17 cm). Using N = 768 pike contacts as input data, we showed the landing rates of pike targeted with artificial lures significantly and substantially increased from 45 % with normal-rigs to 85 % when the same lure types were fished with the novel rig configuration. Lure type and Water temperature had no effects on landing rates. Moreover, hardbaits on normal-rigs produced significantly more injury, bleeding and elevated unhooking time compared to fish captured on hardbaits with release-rigs. We conclude that simple changes to traditional hook sizes and mounts in lure fishing may benefit both anglers and the fishes that are to be released and that citizen science projects with volunteer anglers are able to provide good data in proof-of-concept studies. Further experimental studies are needed to differentiate hook size from hook mount effects because both variables were confounded in the results of the observational data presented here.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jens Jakob Bursell ◽  
Robert Arlinghaus

The optimal terminal gear in hook-and-line recreational fishing maximizes landing rates and minimizes injury to the fish because some fish will be released after capture. We designed a novel rig configuration in artificial lure fishing for top predators and examined its effectiveness in angling for Baltic northern pike (Esox lucius ) using a citizen science approach based on observational data collected from volunteer anglers in the field. The novel rig included two changes to traditional rig designs common to artificial lure angling. First, hooks were mounted in a way giving better hook exposure and eliminating lever-arm effects from the lure to the hooks once a fish is hooked. This construction allowed the second change, being a shift to hooks 4-5 sizes smaller than those used on traditional hook mounts. We analysed observational data collected by volunteer anglers using either the novel rig or a standard rig mount in two types of artificial lures (softbait and hardbait) of the same size (about 17 cm). Using N = 768 pike contacts as input data, we showed the landing rates of pike targeted with artificial lures significantly and substantially increased from 45 % with normal-rigs to 85 % when the same lure types were fished with the novel rig configuration. Lure type and Water temperature had no effects on landing rates. Moreover, hardbaits on normal-rigs produced significantly more injury, bleeding and elevated unhooking time compared to fish captured on hardbaits with release-rigs. We conclude that simple changes to traditional hook sizes and mounts in lure fishing may benefit both anglers and the fishes that are to be released and that citizen science projects with volunteer anglers are able to provide good data in proof-of-concept studies. Further experimental studies are needed to differentiate hook size from hook mount effects because both variables were confounded in the results of the observational data presented here.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jens Jakob Bursell ◽  
Robert Arlinghaus

The optimal terminal gear in hook-and-line recreational fishing maximizes landing rates and minimizes injury to the fish because some fish will be released after capture. We designed a novel rig configuration in artificial lure fishing for top predators and examined its effectiveness in angling for Baltic northern pike (Esox lucius ) using a citizen science approach based on observational data collected from volunteer anglers in the field. The novel rig included two changes to traditional rig designs common to artificial lure angling. First, the hooks were mounted in a way that eliminates lever-arm effects from the lure to the hooks once a fish is hooked. Second, the hook sizes used on the novel rig were 4-5 hook sizes smaller than on traditional lures. We analysed observational data collected by volunteer anglers using either the novel rig or a standard rig mount in two types of artificial lures (softbait and hardbait) of the same size (about 17 cm). Using N = 768 pike contacts as input data, we show the landing rates of pike targeted with artificial lures significantly and substantially increased from 45 % with normal-rigs to 85 % when the same lure types were fished with the novel rig configuration. Lure type and water temperature had no effects on landing rates. Moreover, hardbaits on normal-rigs produced significantly more injury, bleeding and elevated unhooking time compared to fish captured on hardbaits with release-rigs. We conclude that simple changes to traditional hook mounts in lure fishing may benefit both anglers and the fishes that are to be released and that citizen science projects with volunteer anglers are able to provide good data in proof-of-concept studies. Further experimental study is needed to differentiate hook size from hook mount effects because both variables were confounded in the results of the observational data presented here.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (14) ◽  
pp. 2836
Author(s):  
Matthias Kramer ◽  
Stefan Felder

Dams are important for flood mitigation, water supply, and hydroelectricity. Every dam has a water conveyance structure, such as a spillway, to safely release extreme floods when needed. The flows down spillways are often self-aerated and spillway design has typically been investigated in laboratory experiments, which is due to limitations in suitable full scale flow measurement instrumentation and safety considerations. Prototype measurements of aerated flows are urgently needed to quantify potential scale effects and to provide missing validation data for design guidelines and numerical simulations. Herein, an image-based analysis of free-surface flows on a stepped spillway was conducted from a top-view perspective at laboratory scale (fixed camera installation) and prototype scale (drone footage). The drone videos were obtained from citizen science data. Analyses allowed to remotely estimate the location of the inception point of free-surface aeration, air–water surface velocities, and their fluctuations, as well as the residual energy at the downstream end of the chute. The laboratory results were successfully validated against intrusive phase-detection probe data, while the prototype observations provided proof of concept at full scale. This study highlights the feasibility of image-based measurements at prototype spillways. It demonstrates how citizen science data can be used to advance our understanding of real world air–water flow processes and lays the foundations for the remote collection of long-missing prototype data.


Trials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Iwein Gyselinck ◽  
◽  
Laurens Liesenborghs ◽  
Ewout Landeloos ◽  
Ann Belmans ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The rapid emergence and the high disease burden of the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 have created a medical need for readily available drugs that can decrease viral replication or blunt the hyperinflammatory state leading to severe COVID-19 disease. Azithromycin is a macrolide antibiotic, known for its immunomodulatory properties. It has shown antiviral effect specifically against SARS-CoV-2 in vitro and acts on cytokine signaling pathways that have been implicated in COVID-19. Methods DAWn-AZITHRO is a randomized, open-label, phase 2 proof-of-concept, multicenter clinical trial, evaluating the safety and efficacy of azithromycin for treating hospitalized patients with COVID-19. It is part of a series of trials testing promising interventions for COVID-19, running in parallel and grouped under the name DAWn-studies. Patients hospitalized on dedicated COVID wards are eligible for study inclusion when they are symptomatic (i.e., clinical or radiological signs) and have been diagnosed with COVID-19 within the last 72 h through PCR (nasopharyngeal swab or bronchoalveolar lavage) or chest CT scan showing typical features of COVID-19 and without alternate diagnosis. Patients are block-randomized (9 patients) with a 2:1 allocation to receive azithromycin plus standard of care versus standard of care alone. Standard of care is mostly supportive, but may comprise hydroxychloroquine, up to the treating physician’s discretion and depending on local policy and national health regulations. The treatment group receives azithromycin qd 500 mg during the first 5 consecutive days after inclusion. The trial will include 284 patients and recruits from 15 centers across Belgium. The primary outcome is time from admission (day 0) to life discharge or to sustained clinical improvement, defined as an improvement of two points on the WHO 7-category ordinal scale sustained for at least 3 days. Discussion The trial investigates the urgent and still unmet global need for drugs that may impact the disease course of COVID-19. It will either provide support or else justify the discouragement of the current widespread, uncontrolled use of azithromycin in patients with COVID-19. The analogous design of other parallel trials of the DAWN consortium will amplify the chance of identifying successful treatment strategies and allow comparison of treatment effects within an identical clinical context. Trial registration EU Clinical trials register EudraCT Nb 2020-001614-38. Registered on 22 April 2020


Diversity ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 293
Author(s):  
Sara Souther ◽  
Vincent Randall ◽  
Nanebah Lyndon

Federal land management agencies in the US are tasked with maintaining the ecological integrity of over 2 million km2 of land for myriad public uses. Citizen science, operating at the nexus of science, education, and outreach, offers unique benefits to address socio-ecological questions and problems, and thus may offer novel opportunities to support the complex mission of public land managers. Here, we use a case study of an iNaturalist program, the Tribal Nations Botanical Research Collaborative (TNBRC), to examine the use of citizen science programs in public land management. The TNBRC collected 2030 observations of 34 plant species across the project area, while offering learning opportunities for participants. Using occurrence data, we examined observational trends through time and identified five species with 50 or fewer digital observations to investigate as species of possible conservation concern. We compared predictive outcomes of habitat suitability models built using citizen science data and Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) data. Models exhibited high agreement, identifying the same underlying predictors of species occurrence and, 95% of the time, identifying the same pixels as suitable habitat. Actions such as staff training on data use and interpretation could enhance integration of citizen science in Federal land management.


Insects ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 683
Author(s):  
Marc Herremans ◽  
Karin Gielen ◽  
Jos Van Kerckhoven ◽  
Pieter Vanormelingen ◽  
Wim Veraghtert ◽  
...  

The peacock butterfly is abundant and widespread in Europe. It is generally believed to be univoltine (one generation per year): adults born in summer overwinter and reappear again in spring to reproduce. However, recent flight patterns in western Europe mostly show three peaks during the year: a first one in spring (overwintering butterflies), a second one in early summer (offspring of the spring generation), and a third one in autumn. It was thus far unclear whether this autumn flight peak was a second new generation or consisted of butterflies flying again in autumn after a summer rest (aestivation). The life cycle of one of Europe’s most common butterflies is therefore still surprisingly inadequately understood. We used hundreds of thousands of observations and thousands of pictures submitted by naturalists from the public to the online portal observation.orgin Belgium and analyzed relations between flight patterns, condition (wear), reproductive cycles, peak abundances, and phenology to clarify the current life history. We demonstrate that peacocks have shifted towards two new generations per year in recent decades. Mass citizen science data in online portals has become increasingly important in tracking the response of biodiversity to rapid environmental changes such as climate change.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Torphong Bunmaprasert ◽  
Sittichai Luangkittikong ◽  
Menghong Tosinthiti ◽  
Supachoke Nivescharoenpisan ◽  
Raphi Raphitphan ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Restoration of cervical lordosis after anterior discectomy and fusion is a desirable goal. Proper insertion of the vertebral distraction or Caspar pin can assist lordotic restoration by either putting the tips divergently or parallel to the index vertebral endplates. With inexperienced surgeons, the traditional free-hand technique for Caspar pin insertion may require multiple insertion attempts that may compromise the vertebral body and increase radiation exposure during pin localization. Our purpose is to perform a proof-of-concept, feasibility study to evaluate the effectiveness of a pin insertion aiming device for vertebral distraction pin insertion. Methods A Smith-Robinson approach and anterior cervical discectomy were performed from C3 to C7 in 10 human cadaveric specimens. Caspar pins were inserted using a novel pin insertion aiming device at C3-4, C4-5, C5-6, and C6-7. The angles between the cervical endplate slope and Caspar pin alignment were measured with lateral cervical imaging. Results The average Superior Endplate-to-Caspar Pin angle (SE-CP) and the average Inferior Endplate-to-Caspar Pin angle (IE-CP) were 6.2 ± 2.0° and 6.3 ± 2.2° respectively. For the proximal pins, the SE-CP and the IE-CP were 4.0 ± 1.1°and 5.2 ± 2.4° respectively. For the distal pins, the SE-CP and the IE-CP were 7.7 ± 1.4° and 6.2 ± 2.0° respectively. No cervical endplate violations occurred. Conclusion The novel Caspar pin insertion aiming device can control the pin entry points and pin direction with the average SE-CP and average IE-CP of 6.2 ± 2.0° and 6.3 ± 2.2°, respectively. The study shows that the average different angles between the Caspar pin and cervical endplate are less than 7°.


Mathematics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 875
Author(s):  
Jesus Cerquides ◽  
Mehmet Oğuz Mülâyim ◽  
Jerónimo Hernández-González ◽  
Amudha Ravi Shankar ◽  
Jose Luis Fernandez-Marquez

Over the last decade, hundreds of thousands of volunteers have contributed to science by collecting or analyzing data. This public participation in science, also known as citizen science, has contributed to significant discoveries and led to publications in major scientific journals. However, little attention has been paid to data quality issues. In this work we argue that being able to determine the accuracy of data obtained by crowdsourcing is a fundamental question and we point out that, for many real-life scenarios, mathematical tools and processes for the evaluation of data quality are missing. We propose a probabilistic methodology for the evaluation of the accuracy of labeling data obtained by crowdsourcing in citizen science. The methodology builds on an abstract probabilistic graphical model formalism, which is shown to generalize some already existing label aggregation models. We show how to make practical use of the methodology through a comparison of data obtained from different citizen science communities analyzing the earthquake that took place in Albania in 2019.


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