Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS): Cockpit Display of Traffic Information (CDTI) investigation. Phase 1: Feasibility study

The possibility of the Threat Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) traffic sensor and display being used for meaningful Cockpit Display of Traffic Information (CDTI) applications has resulted in the Federal Aviation Administration initiating a project to establish the technical and operational requirements to realize this potential. Phase 1 of the project is presented here. Phase 1 was organized to define specific CDTI applications for the terminal area, to determine what has already been learned about CDTI technology relevant to these applications, and to define the engineering required to supply the remaining TCAS-CDTI technology for capacity benefit realization. The CDTI applications examined have been limited to those appropriate to the final approach and departure phases of flight

Predator recognition and differential behavioural responses of adult Wood Warblers Phylloscopus sibilatrix

This is the final version of the article. Available from Springer Verlag via the DOI in this record.Birds often engage in nest defence against predators to improve breeding success, but defence efficiency requires the capability to assess the threat level posed by potential predators. For species with low breeding-site tenacity, which may encounter varying occurrence and density of predators in different areas, threat recognition could be compromised due to naivety, and so predator recognition may focus on broad key features to diminish the risk of misidentification. We experimentally tested this hypothesis by recording behavioural reactions of the nomadic wood warbler Phylloscopus sibilatrix to objects reflecting various levels of threat: least weasel and Eurasian jay taxidermy mounts, an inanimate object and an empty display mount. To assess actual nest predators, we used remote cameras to record predation events at wood warbler nests. As in other studies in Western Europe, Eurasian jay was found to be the main nest predator, with occasional predation by least weasel. The reaction of adult warblers to the models was generally to remain silent and on nests during the incubation stage presumably due to the need to maintain efficient nest camouflage and concealment. During the nestling stage, behavioural responses of adult warblers, calling and suspended feeding of young, showed the strongest effects from the jay taxidermy mount, moderate to the weasel and weakest to the inanimate object and empty mount. As the reaction of wood warblers reflected the degree of genuine threat posed by the predators depicted by the models, we conclude that predator recognition may be present in this species.We thank John Mallord, Chris Orsman and Andrew Cristinacce for monitoring nests in the wider study area as part of a project jointly funded by RSPB and Natural England within the Action for Birds in England partnership, Louise and Gary Clewey for assistance in the field and landowners Natural England, Woodland Trust, National Trust and Devon Wildlife Trust

An Assessment of Technical and Production Risks of Candidate Low-Cost Attitude/Heading Reference Systems(AHRS)

This report provides an assessment of technical and production risks of candidate low-cost attitude/heading reference systems (AHRS) for use in the Advanced General Aviation Transport Experiments (AGATE) airplanes. A low-cost AHRS is a key component of modem "glass cockpit" flight displays for General Aviation (GA) aircraft. The technical capabilities of several candidate low-cost AHRS were examined and described along with the technical issues involved with using all solid-state components for attitude measurement. An economic model was developed which describes the expected profit, rate of return, and volume requirements for the manufacture of low-cost AHRS for GA aircraft in the 2000 to 2020 time frame. The model is the result of interviews with GA airframe manufacturers, avionics manufacturers and historical analysis of avionics of similar complexity. The model shows that a manufacturer will break even after three years of AHRS production, realizing an 18 percent rate of return (23 percent profit) on an investment of $3.5M over the 20 year period. A start-up production estimate showed costs of$6-12M for a new company to build and certify an AHRS from scratch, considered to be a high-risk proposition, versus $0.25-0.75M for an experienced avionics manufacturer to manufacture a design under license, a low-risk proposition

A Spatial Perspective on the Phenological Distribution of the Spring Woodland Caterpillar Peak

A classic system for studying trophic mismatch focuses on the timing of the spring caterpillar peak in relation to the breeding time and productivity of woodland passerine birds. Most work has been conducted in single-site oak woodlands, and little is known about how insights generalize to other woodland types or across space. Here we present the results of a 3-year study on the species composition and temporal distribution of the spring caterpillar peak on different tree taxa across 40 woodland sites spanning 2° of latitude in Scotland. We used molecular barcoding to identify 62 caterpillar species, with winter moth (Operophtera brumata) being the most abundant, comprising one-third of the sample. Oak (Quercus sp.) and willow (Salix sp.) hosted significantly higher caterpillar abundances than other tree taxa, with winter moth exhibiting similar trends and invariantly proportionate across tree taxa. Caterpillar peak phenology was broadly similar between tree taxa. While latitude had little effect, increasing elevation increased the height of the caterpillar peak and retarded timing by 3.7 days per 100 m. These findings extend our understanding of how mismatch may play out spatially, with caterpillar peak date varying with elevation and tree taxa varying in the caterpillar resource that they host

TETRA mobile radios interfere with electroencephalography recording equipment

We observed an anomaly in the human electroencephalogram (EEG) associated with exposure to terrestrial trunked radio (TETRA) Radiofrequency Fields (RF). Here, we characterize the time and frequency components of the anomaly and demonstrate that it is an artefact caused by TETRA RF interfering with the EEG recording equipment and not by any direct or indirect effect on the brain

Pronounced genetic structure and low genetic diversity in European red-billed chough (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax) populations

Conservation Genetics August 2015, Volume 16, Issue 4, pp 1011–1012 Erratum to: Pronounced genetic structure and low genetic diversity in European red-billed chough (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax) populations Erratum to: Conserv Genet (2012) 13:1213–1230 DOI 10.1007/s10592-012-0366-6 In the original publication, Tables 3 and 6 were published with incorrect estimates of population heterozygosities. All other diversity statistics were correct as originally presented. Updated versions of Tables 3 and 6 with corrected heterozygosity estimates confirmed using Arlequin 3.5 (Excoffier and Lischer 2010) as in Dávila et al. (2014) are provided in this erratum. Discrepancies were minor for populations on the British Isles. The correct estimates for Spain are slightly larger than those reported for La Palma by Dávila et al. (2014), but this does not necessarily affect their interpretation that choughs on La Palma may have originated from multiple migration events. The original conclusion that chough populations on the British Isles have low genetic diversity compared to continental European populations remains and is now, in fact, strengthened.Peer reviewedPostprin

Zonal allocation for thoracic organs in the united kingdom: Has it been successful? A single-center view

AbstractObjectives: The purpose of this study was to analyze the impact of the zonal allocation system for thoracic organs on the outcome of our transplant activity. Methods: We analyzed the results of thoracic transplants performed between 1987 and 1998. The transplants were divided into 3 groups: local donors retrieved by our team (171 hearts and 61 lungs; DL group); distant donors retrieved by our team (58 hearts and 35 lungs; DD group); and distant donors retrieved by other teams (51 hearts and 41 lungs; DX group). Results: No significant differences were observed among the groups in early postoperative events for either heart or lung transplantation. Heart transplants: Cardiac index was 2.6 ± 0.4 L/m2 for the DL group, 2.7 ± 0.6 L/m2 for the DD group, and 2.5 ± 0.7 L/m2 for the DX group (P = .4). The 30-day mortalities were 9.1%, 9.1%, and 8.3% ( P = .5) and the 1-year survivals 83%, 80%, and 82% ( P = .4) for the DL, DD, and DX groups, respectively. Lung transplants: Alveolar-arterial oxygen gradient was 358 ± 19 mm Hg for the DL group, 345 ± 17 mm Hg for the DD group, and 329 ± 21 mm Hg for the DX group (P = .07). The 30-day mortalities were 9.9%, 10.5%, and 12.8% (P = .2) and the 1-year survivals 79%, 75%, and 77% (P = .3) for the DL, DD, and DX groups, respectively. Conclusion: Zonal allocation for thoracic organs has been successfully applied to our program. Using donor organs retrieved by other teams, we have achieved equivalent outcomes for both heart and lung transplantation. (J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 1999;118: 733-9

An experimental evaluation of the effects of geolocator design and attachment method on between-year survival on Whinchats Saxicola rubetra

Data from location logging tags have revolutionised our understanding of migration ecology, but methods of tagging that do not compromise survival need to be identified. We compared resighting rates for 156 geolocator-tagged and 316 colour ringed-only whinchats on their African wintering grounds after migration to and from eastern Europe in two separate years. We experimentally varied both light stalk length (0, 5 and 10 mm) and harness material (elastic or non-elastic nylon braid tied on, leg-loop ‘Rappole’ harnesses) in the second year using a reasonably balanced design (all tags in the first year used an elastic harness and 10 mm light stalk). Tags weighed 0.63 g (0.01 SE), representing 4.1% of average body mass. There was no overall significant reduction in between-year resighting rate (our proxy for survival) comparing tagged and untagged birds in either year. When comparing within tagged birds, however, using a tied harness significantly reduced resighting rate by 53% on average compared to using an elastic harness (in all models), but stalk length effects were not statistically significant in any model considered. There was no strong evidence that the fit (relative tightness) or added tag mass affected survival, although tied tags were fitted more tightly later in the study, and birds fitted with tied tags later may have had lower survival. Overall, on a precautionary principle, deploying tags with non-elastic tied harnesses should be avoided because the necessary fit, so as not to reduce survival, is time-consuming to achieve and does not necessarily improve with experience. Geolocator tags of the recommended percentage of body mass fitted with elastic leg-loop harnesses and with short light stalks can be used without survival effects in small long-distance migrant birds.PostprintPeer reviewe