Reproductive Success and Broad Survival of Bobwhite Quail as Affected by Grazing Practices

A radio telemetry study of 76 nesting and brood rearing bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus texanus) hens was conducted during 1980 and 1981. Four study sites with different habitats and cattle grazing intensities were used. The 1980 breeding season was hot and draughty. Nine nests were found and three clutches of eggs hatched. There was a 1:3 adult to juvenile ratio in fall shot birds, and 66 percent hatched after 1 September following the rains of Hurricane Allen on 9 August. The 1981 breeding season was wet with average temperatures. One nest was found and seven broods were known to have hatched . Examination of quail wings showed a 1:5 adult to juvenile ratio, with 69 percent of the juvenile birds hatched prior to July 16, 9 percent in the latter half of July, 10 percent in August, 9 percent in September, and 2 percent in October. Seven unsuccessful nests were found. Five were destroyed by predators and two were abandoned. Chick mortality was 49 percent within the first two weeks of life in nine broods. Thirty-eight of 76 radio tagged hens were killed during the reproductive seasons. Reproductive success was highest during the wetter breeding season and highest in pastures that were moderately grazed and in good range condition

Teaching introductory undergraduate physics using commercial video games

Commercial video games are increasingly using sophisticated physics simulations to create a more immersive experience for players. This also makes them a powerful tool for engaging students in learning physics. We provide some examples to show how commercial off-the-shelf games can be used to teach specific topics in introductory undergraduate physics. The examples are selected from a course taught predominantly through the medium of commercial video games

Effects of noise on hysteresis and resonance width in graphene and nanotubes resonators

We investigate the role that noise plays in the hysteretic dynamics of a suspended nanotube or a graphene sheet subject to an oscillating force. We find that not only the size but also the position of the hysteresis region in these systems can be controlled by noise. We also find that nano-resonators act as noise rectifiers: by increasing the noise in the setup, the resonance width of the characteristic peak in these systems is reduced and, as a result, the quality factor is increased.Comment: 15 pages, 6 figures. Sent to PRB (in revision

ThYme: a database for thioester-active enzymes

The ThYme (Thioester-active enzYme; http://www.enzyme.cbirc.iastate.edu) database has been constructed to bring together amino acid sequences and 3D (tertiary) structures of all the enzymes constituting the fatty acid synthesis and polyketide synthesis cycles. These enzymes are active on thioester-containing substrates, specifically those that are parts of the acyl-CoA synthase, acyl-CoA carboxylase, acyl transferase, ketoacyl synthase, ketoacyl reductase, hydroxyacyl dehydratase, enoyl reductase and thioesterase enzyme groups. These groups have been classified into families, members of which are similar in sequences, tertiary structures and catalytic mechanisms, implying common protein ancestry. ThYme is continually updated as sequences and tertiary structures become available

Dual-pump CARS of Air in a Heated Pressure Vessel up to 55 Bar and 1300 K

Dual-pump Coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) measurements have been performed in a heated pressure vessel at NASA Langley Research Center. Each measurement, consisting of 500 single shot spectra, was recorded at a fixed location in dry air at various pressures and temperatures, in a range of 0.03-5510(exp 5) Pa and 300-1373 K, where the temperature was varied using an electric heater. The maximum output power of the electric heater limited the combinations of pressures and temperatures that could be obtained. Charts of CARS signal versus temperature (at constant pressure) and signal versus pressure (at constant temperature) are presented and fit with an empirical model to validate the range of capability of the dual-pump CARS technique; averaged spectra at different conditions of pressure and temperature are also shown

Kajian Keprihatinan Ahli Akademik Terhadap Tatacara Berpakaian, Sahsiah dan Rupa Diri Pelajar Universiti Malaysia Pahang

Tamadun adalah perkataan Arab “Maddana” yang bermaksud adab, akhlaq, moral dan mempunyai agama yang baik. Manakala hidup bertamadun bermaksud kehidupan yang penuh dengan adab sopan, moral dan berakhlak. Dalam konteks dunia pendidikan hari ini isu tatacara berpakaian, rupa diri, sahsiah dan akhlak pelajar pernah dibincangkan dan diketengahkan di peringkat institusi pengajian tinggi amnya, namun masih tidak menampakkan hasil positif. Kelihatan seolah-olah tiada keseriusan daripada pelbagai pihak untuk mengendalikan dan menjayakan isu ini sebaik mungkin sehingga ke akar umbinya dan secara tidak langsung untuk berusaha menyelesaikannya. Justeru, satu kajian berfokus telah dijalankan terhadap pelajar di Universiti Malaysia Pahang dari pelbagai fakulti. Kajian ini bertujuan meninjau sejauh mana komitmen pensyarah selaku aset penting yang berintegriti tinggi, bernilai dan berakhlak mulia dalam menjalankan amanah mereka mendidik anak bangsa khususnya dalam membangunkan akhlak dan sahsiah diri terpuji dalam kalangan mahasiswa. Kajian ini dilakukan secara tinjauan melalui aplikasi internet iaitu SurveyMonkey kepada lebih dari 100 orang pelajar. Melalui kajian ini terdapat enam perkara yang diperhatikan dan dikaji secara terperinci. Kajian ini berkisar komitmen pelajar dan pensyarah di kampus antaranya ialah komitmen pelajar terhadap pemakaian kad pelajar universiti (kad matrik), komitmen pensyarah memperuntukkan masa dalam kelas bagi menyatakan kepentingan tatacara berpakaian dan rupa diri di kampus, komitmen mengambil tindakan terhadap pelajar yang gagal mematuhi peraturan tatacara berpakaian dan rupa diri, komitmen mengambil tindakan terhadap pelajar yang lewat atau gagal hadir dalam kelas, dan amanah dalam mengisi ruang di slip kehadiran rakan sekuliah dalam kelas. Hasil kajian mendapati bahawa komitmen di kalangan pelajar dan pensyarah kurang memberangsangkan. Perkara ini harus dipandang serius dan sangat membimbangkan kerana penekanan terhadap isu-isu tersebut sangat penting dalam melahirkan pelajar bertamadun iaitu berpengetahuan luas, berkemahiran tinggi dan bersikap, berakhlak serta bersahsiah terpuji

Teaching introductory undergraduate Physics using commercial video games

Commercial video games are increasingly using sophisticated physics simulations to create a more immersive experience for players. This also makes them a powerful tool for engaging students in learning physics. We provide some examples to show how commercial off-the-shelf games can be used to teach specific topics in introductory undergraduate physics. The examples are selected from a course taught predominantly through the medium of commercial video games.Comment: Accepted to Physics Education, Fig1 does not render properly in this versio