History, Status, and Taxonomic Identity of Caribou (Rangifer tarandus) in Northwest Greenland

Historical references indicate that caribou (Rangifer tarandus L.) numbers drastically declined throughout the Thule District during the early part of this century, and that the primary causes were: (1) the influx of polar explorers and their distribution of firearms to the Thule Eskimos which initiated extensive hunting pressure on caribou; and (2) a series of relatively mild, wet winters resulting in snow conditions which restricted access to forage and caused several catastrophic die-offs. No live caribou were seen during six hours of aerial surveys over Inglefield Land, Thule District, Northwest Greenland, during July 1978. No fresh caribou sign was found during five days of searching in the Rensselaer Bay area of Inglefield Land. Unless some individuals were not detected or subsequent emigration from Ellesmere Island has occurred, the Inglefield Land caribou population has been extirpated. The Thule District caribou population apparently originated from barren-ground caribou (R. t. groenlandicus Gmlin) which emigrated from Southwest Greenland, rather than from Peary caribou (R. t. pearyi Allen) from Ellesmere Island.Key words: caribou, Rangifer, Greenland, Thule District, Inglefield Land, High ArcticMots clés: caribou, Rangifer, Groenland, district de Thule, terre d'Inglefield, nord de l'Arctiqu

Measurements, Chick Meals and Breeding Distribution of Dovekies (Alle alle) in Northwest Greenland

This paper reports the results of an investigation of Dovekies (Alle alle L.) breeding near Cape Atholl and Siorapaluk in the Thule District, Northwest Greenland during July and August 1978. Mean values for body measurements of breeding birds were: total length = 218.2 mm (n = 265), wing length = 122.9 mm (n - 266), tail length - 40.8 mm (n = 266) and body weight = 150.5 g (n = 209). Most measurements between the sexes were not significantly different, but mean body weight of males (153.8 g) was significantly greater than that of females (147.2 g). Body weight was highly correlated with wing length and total length in males, but not in females. Food delivered to nestlings consisted primarily of copepods (Calanus hyperboreas and C. glacialis) and amphipods (Parathemisto libellula and Apherusa glacialis). Size of chick meals delivered by male and female parents did not differ significantly and average meal weight was 3.48 g (sd = 1.24, n = 204) with mean weight of meals increasing through the chick-rearing period. General information is presented on measurements of subadults, timing of breeding, feeding areas, population size and colony attendance, and predation and disturbance. The distribution of Dovekie colonies in the Thule District is reviewed and compared with earlier information.Key words: Dovekie, morphometrics, chick diet, seabirds, NW GreenlandMots clés: Dovekie, morphométrie, régime des oisillons, oiseaux marins, nord-ouest du Groenlan

Vitamin D deficiency and course of frailty in a depressed older population

Objective: To study the association between vitamin D levels and frailty, its components and course in a depressed sample. Methods: Baseline and two-year follow-up data from the depressed sample of the Netherlands Study of Depression in Older persons (NESDO), a prospective observational cohort study, were analyzed. The 378 participants (aged 60–93) had a diagnosis of depression according to DSM-IV criteria. Frailty was defined according to Fried’s physical phenotype. 25-OH vitamin D measurement was performed by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. Linear and logistic regression analyses were performed, adjusted for covariates. Results: Higher vitamin D levels were cross-sectionally associated with lower prevalence of frailty (OR 0.64 [95%-CI 0.45–0.90], p =.010), predicted a lower incidence of frailty among non-frail depressed patients (OR 0.51 [95%-CI 0.26–1.00], p=.050), and, surprisingly, the persistence of frailty among frail depressed patients (OR 2.82 [95%-CI 1.23–6.49], p=.015). Conclusions: In a depressed population, higher vitamin D levels were associated with lower prevalence and incidence of frailty. Future studies should examine whether the favorable effect of low vitamin D levels on the course of frailty can be explained by confounding or whether unknown pathophysiological mechanisms may exert protective effects

DISPERSAL OF SUBADULT MOSOE FROM A LOW DENSITY POPULATION IN INTERIOR ALASKA

Dispersal of 1- to 3-year-old moose from a low density, but rapidly growing, moose population was investigated. Radio-collars were placed on 17 offspring of previously radio-collared adult cows. Comparison of home ranges of independent offspring and their respective dams indicates a close spatial relationship between home ranges. No long distance dispersal resulting in the formation of a home range separate from that of the dam’s was observed. Winter home ranges of offspring tended to deviate more from that of their dams’ than did summer home ranges. Thus, this moose population demonstrated a very slow rate of dispersal. For managers this conclusion has important consequences: 1) newly created habitat will not be rapidly located and occupied by dispersing moose; 2) locally overhunted areas will be repopulated primarily by offspring of the areas surviving moose; 3) since declining moose populations adjacent to low density populations derive few new members by immigration, each population must be managed with respect to its individual potential growth rates

“Dit is sterk doepa daai” maar is dit al wat ons het?

This article was written by Prof. Willie Burger before he joined the University of PretoriaThe realisation of the effects of the so-called “linguistic turn” and different thought associated with deconstruction and postmodernism has been an important presence in Brink’s oeuvre since On the Contrary (1993). In Praying Mantis (2005) there is an important shift away from the kind of awareness that the world is constituted in language (as in Devil’s Valley (1998)). An uneasiness with the postmodern celebration of the idea that “the universe is made of stories, not of atoms” and that retelling and reinvention open up new possibilities of being lead to the problematisation of the idea that all narratives are equal and of the total rejection of the notion of truth. In Praying Mantis there are attempts to reach past language and to escape from the malaise caused by a certain reaction to the linguistic turn.http://explore.up.ac.za/record=b102650

Le cancer en Suisse, rapport 2015: état des lieux et évolution

En Suisse, 38'000 nouveaux cas de cancer sont diagnostiqués annuellement. Chaque année, 16'000 personnes meurent du cancer. Ce second rapport sur le cancer en Suisse présente la situation actuelle du cancer et son évolution au cours des 30 dernières années. Après un aperçu général de l'ensemble des cancers, les cancers principaux chez les adultes et les enfants sont détaillés. Le rapport présente les taux de morbidité et de mortalité due au cancer ainsi que le nombre de patients touchés. Il montre également l'évolution des taux de morbidité, de mortalité et de survie au cours des dernières années et les différences géographiques. Ces chiffres sont complétés par la description des facteurs de risque recensés dans la littérature scientifique. Les méthodes utilisées pour établir ce rapport font l'objet d'une publication séparée. Celle-ci contient également des indications sur les classifications, les sources de données, la qualité des données ainsi que sur la littérature scientifique