The active space of sperm whale codas: inter-click information for intra-unit communication.

Sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) are social mega-predators who form stable matrilineal units that often associate within a larger vocal clan. Clan membership is defined by sharing a repertoire of coda types consisting of specific temporal spacings of multi-pulsed clicks. It has been hypothesized that codas communicate membership across socially segregated sympatric clans, but others propose that codas are primarily used for behavioral coordination and social cohesion within a closely spaced social unit. Here, we test these hypotheses by combining measures of ambient noise levels and coda click source levels with models of sound propagation to estimate the active space of coda communication. Coda clicks were localized off the island of Dominica with a four- or five-element 80 m vertical hydrophone array, allowing us to calculate the median RMS source levels of 1598 clicks from 444 codas to be 161 dB re. 1 µPa (IQR 153-167), placing codas among the most powerful communication sounds in toothed whales. However, together with measured ambient noise levels, these source levels lead to a median active space of coda communication of ∼4 km, reflecting the maximum footprint of a single foraging sperm whale unit. We conclude that while sperm whale codas may contain information about clan affiliation, their moderate active space shows that codas are not used for long range acoustic communication between units and clans, but likely serve to mediate social cohesion and behavioral transitions in intra-unit communication.

Recruitment: making our efforts count.

Over the last decade, enrollments in health information technology and health information administration programs have spiraled downward resulting in the closure of programs. Reversing this trend is imperative for the survival of the health information management profession. This research study looked at: 1. how students learned about the HIM profession; 2. what attracted students to the career; 3. the most effective recruitment methods. Using data gathered from 754 students enrolled in either a coding, health information technology, or health information administration program revealed: a) students learned about the profession through their employer, college counselors, a health information professional, health information management student, or family friend b) a variety of career options attracted students to the career c) the most effective recruitment method is posting flyers in healthcare organizations, colleges, and high schools. Research results support using a multifaceted approach to attract students into the program.