Ecological Aspects of a Wood Turtle, Glyptemys insculpta, Population at the Northern Limit of its Range in Québec

As part of a conservation research initiative, a population of Wood Turtles (Glyptemys insculpta) at the northern limit of its range was studied to ascertain characteristics of its demographics, morphometrics, density, mortality, feeding, and mating activities. Turtles were captured and marked during the activity period in 1996 and 1997. In addition, 20 individuals were radio-tracked weekly. A total of 188 turtles was captured and the size of the population in the study area was estimated at 238 turtles. The estimated population density based on this calculation is 0.44 turtles/ha. This is less than other studies indicating that population densities are greater in southern populations. Turtles from this population were large (carapace length of males=214.5 ± 4.21 mm, females=201.1 ± 10.88 mm) which supports the hypothesis that turtle size is negatively correlated with number of frost free days. The sex ratio was not significantly different from 1:1. Juvenile turtles accounted for 31.4% of the population. Observations of feeding habits support the claim that Wood Turtles are opportunistic omnivores. Of the 35 mating or courtship events observed, 77 % occurred in the fall and half of them between 11:00 and 13:00. Although limb and tail injuries and parasites were observed on many turtles, no dead turtles were observed. This last result, combined with the high rate of recruitment and even sex ratio suggests that this population is stable, making it an ideal population with which to make comparisons with other studies in areas where the species could be in decline

Multi Agents Model for carbone dynamic simulation at village area scale

Un système multi-agents (SMA) a été conçu et mis en œuvre en vue d’étudier la dynamique des ressources organiques et azotée d’un terroir africain. Les simulations réalisées ont permis de mesurer l’impact des modes de gestion sur les ressources dans le long terme. Trois types d’enquêtes ont été nécessaires pour collecter les données nécessaires. Un premier modèle à l’échelle de la parcelle a permis de simuler le stockage du carbone et de l’azote dans les sols et dans la biomasse végétale. Ensuite la définition des règles individuelles et collectives de décision et de gestion des exploitations agricoles et du terroir ont nécessité des enquêtes approfondies avec les principaux groupes utilisant le terroir. . Pour la conception informatique du modèle, le formalisme UML a été utilisé. La représentation statique et dynamique du modèle a été formalisée sur la plate forme de modélisation CORMAS. . La méthode développée est appelée MIROT Modélisation Intégrée de la dynamique des Ressources Organiques et analyse de viabilité de Terroirs agro-sylvo-pastoraux des savanes ouest africaines). Le modèle MIROT utilise un fond de carte du terroir avec des contraintes spatiales pour simuler le fonctionnement de celui-ci

Wage losses in the year after breast cancer: Extent and determinants among Canadian women

This article is available open access through the publisher’s website at the link below. © The Author 2008.Background - Wage losses after breast cancer may result in considerable financial burden. Their assessment is made more urgent because more women now participate in the workforce and because breast cancer is managed using multiple treatment modalities that could lead to long work absences. We evaluated wage losses, their determinants, and the associations between wage losses and changes for the worse in the family's financial situation among Canadian women over the first 12 months after diagnosis of early breast cancer. Methods - We conducted a prospective cohort study among women with breast cancer from eight hospitals throughout the province of Quebec. Information that permitted the calculation of wage losses and information on potential determinants of wage losses were collected by three pretested telephone interviews conducted over the year following the start of treatment. Information on medical characteristics was obtained from medical records. The main outcome was the proportion of annual wages lost because of breast cancer. Multivariable analysis of variance using the general linear model was used to identify personal, medical, and employment characteristics associated with the proportion of wages lost. All statistical tests were two-sided. Results - Among 962 eligible breast cancer patients, 800 completed all three interviews. Of these, 459 had a paying job during the month before diagnosis. On average, these working women lost 27% of their projected usual annual wages (median = 19%) after compensation received had been taken into account. Multivariable analysis showed that a higher percentage of lost wages was statistically significantly associated with a lower level of education (Ptrend = .0018), living 50 km or more from the hospital where surgery was performed (P = .070), lower social support (P = .012), having invasive disease (P = .086), receipt of chemotherapy (P < .001), self-employment (P < .001), shorter tenure in the job (Ptrend < .001), and part-time work (P < .001). Conclusion - Wage losses and their effects on financial situation constitute an important adverse consequence of breast cancer in Canada.The Canadian Breast Cancer Research Alliance, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, and Fondation de l’Université Laval

Potential for the psychrophilic anaerobic treatment of swine manure using a sequencing batch reactor

. 1997. Potential for the psychrophilic anaerobic treatment of swine manure using a sequencing batch reactor. Can. Agric. Eng. 39:025-034. The feasibility of psychrophilic anaerobic digestion (PAD) in intermittently fed sequencing batch reactors (SBR) was investigated during the start-up run of an ongoing laboratory study. The start-up run results indicated that PAD in SBRs was efficient in stabilizing and deodorizing swine manure slurry. The digester effluents had little odour when compared to the raw manure. Total chemical oxygen demand (COD) was reduced by 58 to 73% and soluble COD (SCOD) by 85 to 96%. Methane production varied from 0.30 to 0.66 L CH4/g volatile solids added and methane concentration in the biogas ranged from 50 to 80%. The biog&lt;ls production rate continued to increase even when concentrations of acetic acid and ammonia nitrogen were as high as 5500 mg/L and 3700 mg/L, respectively. Keywords: anaerobic digestion, swine manure, biogas, manure treatment, psychrophilic process, anaerobic treatment. Cet article presente les resultats preliminaires du projet d&apos;etude sur la digestion anaerobie en condition psychrophile dans un bioreacteur it operation sequentielle. Les resultats experimentaux ont demontre que cette nouvelle technologie desodorise et stabilise Ie lisier de porco Le lisier traite est presque inodore comparativement au lisier de porc brut: La demande chimique en oxygene totale a ele reduite de 58 it 73%. La demande en oxygene chimique soluble a subit une forte diminution variant de 85 it 96%. La production de methane etait de 0.30 it 0.66 litre de CH4 par gramme de solides volatiles alimentes aux bio-reacteurs. La concentration du methane dans Ie biogaz variait entre 50 et 80%. Ce procede est tres stable, il n&apos;est pas affecte par des concentrations elevees d&apos;acide acetique (5500 mg/l) et ammoniac (3700 mg/l)