Measuring Multiple Demographic Rates in Two Populations of Northern Bobwhite

Demographic rates of northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus; hereafter, bobwhite) may vary spatially and temporally, and understanding the significance of these individual rates to population performance is critically important to bobwhite management. We present descriptive evidence from 2 populations that were simultaneously monitored from 2015–2020 that suggests different demographic rates can be more important to population performance than other demographic rates within the same region. Our objective was to understand the relative importance of various demographic rates to population performance in separate and seemingly stable populations. We monitored bobwhite seasonal survival and reproductive demographics on 2,475 bobwhites via radio-telemetry and estimated fall density using fall covey counts. Both sites maintained high densities (i.e., ≥3.45 birds/hectare) and remained relatively stable throughout the study period. On one site in the Red Hills region near Monticello, Florida, USA, bobwhite experienced comparatively low seasonal survival, but higher reproduction, including more frequent multiple-brood production. One hundred and twenty-nine kilometers away on a study site near Albany, Georgia, USA, bobwhite demonstrated consistently higher survival and lower reproductive output, including less multiple-brooding compared to the Red Hills population. This suggests, at a minimum, that compensatory or density-dependent reproduction may be occurring in these populations and regional population dynamics can vary locally even among stable populations

Management of incidentally detected heart murmurs in dogs and cats

A dog or a cat has an incidentally detected heart murmur if the murmur is an unexpected discovery during a veterinary consultation that was not initially focused on the cardiovascular system. This document presents approaches for managing dogs and cats that have incidentally-detected heart murmurs, with an emphasis on murmur characteristics, signalment profiling, and multifactorial decision-making to choose an optimal course for a given patient

Hunter Harvest of Pen-Reared Northern Bobwhites Released From the Surrogator

There has been increased interest in releasing pen-reared northern bobwhites (Colinus virginianus) to meet quail hunting and shooting objectives as populations have declined. The Surrogatort is a commercially available product for rearing and releasing gamebirds into the wild and is promoted as a method to enhance bobwhite survival, improve hunting, and increase recruitment from natural reproduction. We used return-to-hunter bag data from 3 properties in Alabama, Georgia, and Kentucky to evaluate the Surrogatort as a pre-hunting season release technique for pen-reared bobwhites. Across all sites, 3,859 5-week old banded bobwhite chicks were released at varying times during June through October, 2005–2010. Ninety-three quail hunts were conducted during November through January 2005–2011 comprising 431 hunt party hours which resulted in 19 banded bobwhites being harvested. The return-to-hunter bag for all sites combined was 0.005 (range 1⁄4 0.000 to 0.008). This was considered unsatisfactory at each site and across all sites combined for a quality hunting/shooting experience. The mean cost per chick released was $3.41 (range 1⁄4$2.74 to $3.88) including the costs of quail chicks, Surrogatort units, propane, and feed across all sites. The mean cost per bird returned-to-hunter bag (Alabama and Georgia) was$655.80 (range 1⁄4 $489.91 to$821.68). These costs did not include economic depreciation of Surrogatort units

Accuracy Assessment of a GPS Device for Maximum Sprint Speed

International Journal of Exercise Science 13(4): 273-280, 2020. Global positioning system (GPS) technology can capture maximum sprint speed (MSS) using fewer resources than electronic timing gates (ETG). Yet,errors with GPS technology are typically 1.01 km∙hr-1for instantaneous velocity, potentially limiting GPS accuracy. The purpose of this study was to compare MSS values obtained from GPS technology to those obtained from ETG. The MSS of 24 female athletes was determined using two tests that both began with a 20-m fly-in followed by: 1) 80-m maximal sprint with ETG placed at the start line, 30 m, 60 m, and 80 m, and 2) 30-m maximal sprint with ETG placed every 10 m. Sprint speed was calculated from each timing segment, and the fastest segment for each test was used for the calculated MSS. MSS was also obtained using a GPS unit measuring at 10 Hz. Mean bias and mean absolute percent error (MAPE) of the GPS was lower for the 80-m test (0.09 ± 1.24km∙hr-1,3.5 ±3.1%) than the 30-m test(1.58 ± 0.80 km∙hr-1, 5.5 ± 2.6%).Lin’s concordance agreement was found to be poor for both tests. The equivalence test indicated that the GPS was equivalent for both short and long distances, p\u3c .05, meaning the two results were within a 5% equivalence interval. The GPS devices were within the acceptable range of accuracy at short (10-m) and long (30-m) distances. These results can guide coaching staff regarding how to test their athlete’s metrics and the reliability of those results

Pharmacological Approaches For the Management of Patients with Moderately Elevated Triglycerides (150-499 mg/dL)

Hypertriglyceridemia, defined as serum triglyceride (TG) levels \u3e 150 mg/dL, now affects over one-quarter of the U.S. adult population and is associated with an increased risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Available guidelines for managing hypertriglyceridemia vary with respect to triglyceride thresholds and severity of disease. Lifestyle modifications and management of secondary causes (e.g., diabetes) remain the first step in managing hypertriglyceridemia, with pharmacotherapy reserved to reduce the risk of pancreatitis and/or further reduce TG levels. Several classes of lipid-lowering agents are available with variable TG-lowering efficacy. While there is no consensus regarding the choice of initial TG-lowering pharmacotherapy, there is general agreement that the decision depends on the degree of hypertriglyceridemia and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk. This review will discuss available and emerging lipid-lowering therapies for the management of moderately elevated TG, defined as TG 150-499 mg/dL

Evolving Role of Non-Statin Therapy for the Management of Dyslipidemia and Cardiovascular Risk Reduction: Past, Present, and Future

A plethora of evidence supports the use of statin therapy for primary and secondary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), yet residual risk among high-risk patients receiving statin therapy remains high. Moreover, statin-associated muscle symptoms and other statin-associated adverse effects (e.g., increased risk of diabetes mellitus) limit the use of statins in high-risk patient populations. Of particular concern are individuals with established ASCVD, familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), or diabetes mellitus plus multiple ASCVD risk factors, all of whom require high-intensity statins, which are more commonly associated with an increased risk of adverse effects

Habitat Selection by Northern Bobwhite Broods in Pine Savanna Ecosystems

Habitat for northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) broods is a critical component of bobwhite management. Research within pine (Pinus spp.) savannas has provided contradictory results regarding the value of macro-habitats with studies demonstrating selection for annually-disked fallow fields and others showing avoidance of fields and selection for burned pine savannas. Field establishment (up to 30% of a property) is a published management recommendation for bobwhites in pine savannas but there are significant annual costs with fallow-field management; information on factors that influence habitat selection by broods can improve management recommendations and facilitate weighing costs/benefits. We examined 2nd and 3rd order habitat selection by 466 broods on 3 sites during 1999–2009. All sites had similar macro-habitats (e.g., pine savanna, fallow fields, hardwood drains) but differed in soil characteristics and species composition of ground vegetation. Annually-disked fields were preferred by broods in most years on sites with predominantly grass and hardwood scrub ground vegetation. Rainfall mediated use of hardwood drains and burned upland pine savannas; hardwood drains were used more during droughts whereas burned pine savannas were used more with increased rainfall. Burned upland pine savanna was preferred on higher fertility sites in 9 of 10 years at the 3rd order level, fields were avoided or used according to availability in 8 of 10 years, and drains were avoided. Managers should consider how soil, weather, and vegetation community in pine savannas influences habitat use by bobwhite broods when identifying the value of different macro-habitats. Field establishment may or may not provide brood habitat depending on site

Effect of Meso-Mammal Nest Predator Activity on Northern Bobwhite Nest Success

Perceived changes in predator-prey dynamics along with documented declines of northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) have created a renewed interest from biologists and managers about the role meso-mammals play in shaping bobwhite population trajectories. As part of a larger effort to understand this predator-prey relationship, we evaluated meso-mammal activity on sites where bobwhite demographic data was simultaneously being collected via radio- telemetry. During 1999–2006 we conducted 66 meso-mammal activity surveys using scent stations on 16 sites in 3 southeastern states (Florida, Georgia, and Alabama). We calculated an index of meso-mammal activity (PI), for each site, as the average number of station visits per night by raccoons (Procyon lotor), Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana), nine-banded armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus), bobcats (Lynx rufus) and foxes (Vulpes vulpes, Urocyon cinereoargenteus). We collected bobwhite reproductive information on 2,940 nests (x̄ = 45/site, SE = 2.98) from a total of 4,379 radiotagged bobwhites (x̄ = 67/site, SE = 3.81). The average PI for all sites combined was 0.13 (range = 0.03-0.38, SE = 0.01). Nesting success on the sites ranged from 0.29 to 0.72 and averaged 0.52 (SE = 0.01). We used a mixed effects logistic regression model including site as a random effect and observed a negative relationship between the PI and nesting success (β = -1.53 ± 0.72 SE). Our results suggest that meso-mammal activity affects bobwhite nest success, thus, predator management may be warranted at times on some sites to maximize productivity. Future research and modeling efforts should explore the impacts of meso-mammal activity on population growth rates and stability, especially in varying spatial contexts

The accuracy of chromosomal microarray testing for identification of embryonic mosaicism in human blastocysts

A dança é uma forma ancestral de magia, invenção dos deuses que a ensinaram aos homens, diz-nos a mitologia hindu. Envolvido no mistério e movimento da dança, o dançarino pode encantar; porém, antes de tudo é preciso que encante a si mesmo. Não seria este também o caminho do professor? Fazer para si para poder fazer ou propor aos educandos, encantar-se para poder encantar; criar para poder seguir com as crianças a aventura da criação; ousar para poder encorajar? Nesta direção, a pergunta que percorre o presente artigo é assim formulada: como contribuir com o processo de encantamento dos professores, como alimentar a sensibilidade, nos percursos da formação universitária? Buscando respostas no processo de pesquisa, identifica-se na experiência com as danças circulares, tradição de diferentes povos, um profícuo caminho pelo qual aquele espaço de encantamento, de inteireza, de educação estética, igualmente, pode ser provocado