Using a multi-dimensional approach to determine the conservation and taxonomic statuses of two rare crayfishes in northern Arkansas

Crayfish are chronically understudied, despite playing important roles in our freshwater ecosystems. The goal of this study was to deepen our understanding of Cambarus causeyi, the Boston Mountain Crayfish, and Cambarus hubbsi, Hubbs’ Crayfish, so they can be more effectively conserved and managed. Cambarus causeyi and C. hubbsi are classified as Species of Greatest Conservation Need in Arkansas, and they are both endemic to Ozarks of North America. The relatively small range and rarity of these species makes them vulnerable to extinction, and both have knowledge gaps that need to be addressed to facilitate conservation. For C. hubbsi we searched for potential cryptic diversity by analyzing both genetic and morphological characteristics. We sequenced two mitochondrial gene regions from individuals across its range and conducted Bayesian and maximum parsimony analyses on these data. Additionally, we recorded a suite of morphological measurements in order to conduct a principal coordinates analysis on the morphology of the species. We identified three unique evolutionarily significant units (ESUs) in need of separate conservation attention. However, our morphological analysis had conflicting results, and only showed one of the recovered clades to be unique. Further genetic data should be analyzed in the future to fill in knowledge gaps from our study and determine the cause of the mismatch between our molecular and morphological results. In the second component of this study, we utilized species distribution modeling (SDM) using the program MaxEnt and fine scale habitat modeling to analyze the distribution and habitat preferences of C. causeyi. Our SDM found average annual precipitation was by far the most important predictor of C. causeyi relative abundance. We collected habitat data from across C. causeyi’s known range, and we used our fine scale-data to ground-truth our SDM. We detected C. causeyi at only nine of 51 sites, potentially due to sampling outside of the peak of the reproductive season. We ran our fine-scale analysis by modeling zero-inflated Poisson generalized linear models and selecting with AICc. Our best model included proportion of sand in the soil and the presence of a competing burrower as explanatory variables. The interpolated MaxEnt output was found to be a poor predictor of finding C. causeyi in our fine-scale analysis potentially because it did not account for biotic interactions and lacked accurate soil data. Additionally, we found C. causeyi to still be vulnerable to a variety of threats such as climate change, interspecific competition, low local abundances, and relatively small range continue to pose a threat to conservation of this narrow endemic

Variation in White-tailed Deer Antler Size: The Effects of Age, Landscape Composition, and Physiographic Province

Spatial variation in landscape composition can influence phenotypic expression in wildlife species and can improve management efforts to express certain phenotypic traits. We evaluated the influence of age, landscape composition, and physiographic province on white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) antler characteristics using data from 16,622 male deer (age range: 1.5–3.5+ years old) harvested between 1997–2016 across five physiographic provinces in Georgia. Age and physiographic province influenced antler size index (ASI; P \u3c 0.001). ASI of yearling males was greatest (- x = 53.37; SE = 0.39) in the Upper Coastal Plain and least (- x = 46.23; SE = 0.51) in the Lower Coastal Plain physiographic province. Given the differences in ASI among physiographic provinces, we evaluated how landscape composition within each physiographic province influenced ASI of 7,325 yearling (1.5-year-old) males. Yearling ASI was positively related to increasing coverage of cultivated crops and suburban-urban areas (e.g., parks, small housing developments). Conversely, evergreen and deciduous forested cover consistently had a negative effect on ASI, except in the Ridge and Valley physiographic province where evergreen was positively related to ASI. Wildlife managers and hunters should recognize the effects of age, landscape composition, and physiographic province when setting antler size expectations

Variation in white-tailed deer antler size: the effects of age, landscape composition, and physiographic province.

Spatial variation in landscape composition can influence phenotypic expression in wildlife species and can improve management efforts to express certain phenotypic traits. We evaluated the influence of age, landscape composition, and physiographic province on white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) antler characteristics using data from 16,622 male deer (age range: 1.5–3.5+ years old) harvested between 1997–2016 across five physiographic provinces in Georgia. Age and physiographic province influenced antler size index (ASI; P \u3c 0.001). ASI of yearling males was greatest (- x = 53.37; SE = 0.39) in the Upper Coastal Plain and least (- x = 46.23; SE = 0.51) in the Lower Coastal Plain physiographic province. Given the differences in ASI among physiographic provinces, we evaluated how landscape composition within each physiographic province influenced ASI of 7,325 yearling (1.5-year-old) males. Yearling ASI was positively related to increasing coverage of cultivated crops and suburban-urban areas (e.g., parks, small housing developments). Conversely, evergreen and deciduous forested cover consistently had a negative effect on ASI, except in the Ridge and Valley physiographic province where evergreen was positively related to ASI. Wildlife managers and hunters should recognize the effects of age, landscape composition, and physiographic province when setting antler size expectations

Incidence of re-amputation following partial first ray amputation associated with diabetes mellitus and peripheral sensory neuropathy: a systematic review.

Diabetes mellitus with peripheral sensory neuropathy frequently results in forefoot ulceration. Ulceration at the first ray level tends to be recalcitrant to local wound care modalities and off-loading techniques. If healing does occur, ulcer recurrence is common. When infection develops, partial first ray amputation in an effort to preserve maximum foot length is often performed. However, the survivorship of partial first ray amputations in this patient population and associated re-amputation rate remain unknown. Therefore, in an effort to determine the actual re-amputation rate following any form of partial first ray amputation in patients with diabetes mellitus and peripheral neuropathy, the authors conducted a systematic review. Only studies involving any form of partial first ray amputation associated with diabetes mellitus and peripheral sensory neuropathy but without critical limb ischemia were included. Our search yielded a total of 24 references with 5 (20.8%) meeting our inclusion criteria involving 435 partial first ray amputations. The weighted mean age of patients was 59 years and the weighted mean follow-up was 26 months. The initial amputation level included the proximal phalanx base 167 (38.4%) times; first metatarsal head resection 96 (22.1%) times; first metatarsal-phalangeal joint disarticulation 53 (12.2%) times; first metatarsal mid-shaft 39 (9%) times; hallux fillet flap 32 (7.4%) times; first metatarsal base 29 (6.7%) times; and partial hallux 19 (4.4%) times. The incidence of re-amputation was 19.8% (86/435). The end stage, most proximal level, following re-amputation was an additional digit 32 (37.2%) times; transmetatarsal 28 (32.6%) times; below-knee 25 (29.1%) times; and LisFranc 1 (1.2%) time. The results of our systematic review reveal that one out of every five patients undergoing any version of a partial first ray amputation will eventually require more proximal re-amputation. These results reveal that partial first ray amputation for patients with diabetes and peripheral sensory neuropathy may not represent a durable, functional, or predictable foot-sparing amputation and that a more proximal amputation, such as a balanced transmetatarsal amputation, as the index amputation may be more beneficial to the patient. However, this remains a matter for conjecture due to the limited data available and, therefore, additional prospective investigations are warranted

EFFECTS OF WATER STRESS ON THE PARTITIONING OF [^<14>C] GLUCOSE, [^<14>C] SUCROSE AND [^<14>C] SORBITOL IN APPLE SHOOTS

The objective of this study was to determine how soluble carbohydrates were partitioned and metabolized in apple mature source leaves, young sink leaves, and stems in response to water stress. A solution of [^<14>C] glucose, [^<14>C] sucrose, or [^<14>C] sorbitol was applied to apple (Malus domestica Borkh. \u27Red Jonathan\u27) shoots which had previously experienced either water stress or non-stressed conditions. Mature source leaves had higher conversions of labeled [^<14>C] glucose and [^<14>C] sucrose to sorbitol with higher sorbitol to sucrose ratios than young sink leaves and stems. Young sink leaves and stems had higher conversions of labeled [^<14>C] glucose, [^<14>C] sucrose and [^<14>C] sorbitol to fructose than mature leaves. As leaf water potential decreased from -1.5MPa to -3.0MPa, the conversions of [^<14>C] glucose to sorbitol increased from 12 to 25% of total ^<14>C-soluble carbohydrate in young sink leaves and from 20 to 30% in mature leaves. Water stress also stimulated the conversion of [^<14>C] sucrose to fructose and glucose, the necessary substrates for sorbitol synthesis. Our results suggest that sorbitol accumulation in water-stressed mature leaves was due to increased rates of glucose conversion to sorbitol

EFFECTS OF WATER STRESS ON THE PARTITIONING OF [^<14>C] GLUCOSE, [^<14>C] SUCROSE AND [^<14>C] SORBITOL IN APPLE SHOOTS

The objective of this study was to determine how soluble carbohydrates were partitioned and metabolized in apple mature source leaves, young sink leaves, and stems in response to water stress. A solution of [^C] glucose, [^C] sucrose, or [^C] sorbitol was applied to apple (Malus domestica Borkh. 'Red Jonathan') shoots which had previously experienced either water stress or non-stressed conditions. Mature source leaves had higher conversions of labeled [^C] glucose and [^C] sucrose to sorbitol with higher sorbitol to sucrose ratios than young sink leaves and stems. Young sink leaves and stems had higher conversions of labeled [^C] glucose, [^C] sucrose and [^C] sorbitol to fructose than mature leaves. As leaf water potential decreased from -1.5MPa to -3.0MPa, the conversions of [^C] glucose to sorbitol increased from 12 to 25% of total ^C-soluble carbohydrate in young sink leaves and from 20 to 30% in mature leaves. Water stress also stimulated the conversion of [^C] sucrose to fructose and glucose, the necessary substrates for sorbitol synthesis. Our results suggest that sorbitol accumulation in water-stressed mature leaves was due to increased rates of glucose conversion to sorbitol