Introduction to the Population Ecology of North American Caribou

Bergerud has discussed how major differences in caribou density across North America appear to be related to the impact of wolf (Canis lupus) predation, and the strategies used by caribou to avoid wolves. Caribou living in areas without wolves usually occur at high densities and are regulated by competition for food. In this session, we asked the presenters to discuss the population ecology of different caribou herds in North America and to evaluate if they fit the general model

The National Feral Swine Program, National Strategy – The First Five Years

In 2014, through Congressional direction, the Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) National Feral Swine Damage Management Program was created. While feral swine damage management was certainly not new to APHIS Wildlife Services, this mandate enabled a programmatic and unified approach in combating the destructive forces of feral swine throughout the United States and its territories. Recognizing the variance in environmental conditions and regulatory processes throughout the states, APHIS’ strategy is to provide resources and expertise at a national level, while allowing flexibility to manage operational activities from a local or state perspective. Having completed the first five years of this pursuit, APHIS has compiled a report which serves to describe the program and its components, ongoing collaborative research, the operational approach, and the outreach and communication campaigns. This presentation provided an overview of this report, introducing accomplishments achieved, setbacks encountered, and future considerations. The report will be electronically available on the USDA/APHIS/Wildlife Services web page at: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/wildlifedamag

Nutrient interaction effects on yield and chemical composition of spinach and green beans

This report is based upon a thesis submitted by Mr. Blevins as partial fulfillment of a master of science degree from the College of Agriculture, University of Missouri-Columbia--P. [2].Digitized 2007 AES MoU.Includes bibliographical references (pages 22-23)

Elastic and Raman scattering of 9.0 and 11.4 MeV photons from Au, Dy and In

Monoenergetic photons between 8.8 and 11.4 MeV were scattered elastically and in elastically (Raman) from natural targets of Au, Dy and In.15 new cross sections were measured. Evidence is presented for a slight deformation in the 197Au nucleus, generally believed to be spherical. It is predicted, on the basis of these measurements, that the Giant Dipole Resonance of Dy is very similar to that of 160Gd. A narrow isolated resonance at 9.0 MeV is observed in In.Comment: 31 pages, 11 figure

The Origin of the 24-micron Excess in Red Galaxies

Observations with the Spitzer Space Telescope have revealed a population of red-sequence galaxies with a significant excess in their 24-micron emission compared to what is expected from an old stellar population. We identify 900 red galaxies with 0.15<z<0.3 from the AGN and Galaxy Evolution Survey (AGES) selected from the NOAO Deep Wide-Field Survey Bootes field. Using Spitzer/MIPS, we classify 89 (~10%) with 24-micron infrared excess (f24>0.3 mJy). We determine the prevalence of AGN and star-formation activity in all the AGES galaxies using optical line diagnostics and mid-IR color-color criteria. Using the IRAC color-color diagram from the IRAC Shallow Survey, we find that 64% of the 24-micron excess red galaxies are likely to have strong PAH emission features in the 8-micron IRAC band. This fraction is significantly larger than the 5% of red galaxies with f24<0.3 mJy that are estimated to have strong PAH emission, suggesting that the infrared emission is largely due to star-formation processes. Only 15% of the 24-micron excess red galaxies have optical line diagnostics characteristic of star-formation (64% are classified as AGN and 21% are unclassifiable). The difference between the optical and infrared results suggest that both AGN and star-formation activity is occurring simultaneously in many of the 24-micron excess red galaxies. These results should serve as a warning to studies that exclusively use optical line diagnostics to determine the dominant emission mechanism in the infrared and other bands. We find that ~40% of the 24-micron excess red galaxies are edge-on spiral galaxies with high optical extinctions. The remaining sources are likely to be red galaxies whose 24-micron emission comes from a combination of obscured AGN and star-formation activity.Comment: ApJ, accepted; 11 pages, 7 figures; corrected reference to IRAC Shallow Survey in abstrac

Football in the community schemes: Exploring the effectiveness of an intervention in promoting healthful behaviour change

This study aims to examine the effectiveness of a Premier League football club’s Football in the Community (FitC) schemes intervention in promoting positive healthful behaviour change in children. Specifically, exploring the effectiveness of this intervention from the perspectives of the participants involved (i.e. the researcher, teachers, children and coaches). A range of data collection techniques were utilized including the principles of ethnography (i.e. immersion, engagement and observations), alongside conducting focus groups with the children. The results allude to the intervention merely ‘keeping active children active’ via (mostly) fun, football sessions. Results highlight the important contribution the ‘coach’ plays in the effectiveness of the intervention. Results relating to working practice (i.e. coaching practice and coach recruitment) are discussed and highlighted as areas to be addressed. FitC schemes appear to require a process of positive organizational change to increase their effectiveness in strategically attending to the health agenda

From Serious Leisure to Serious Work, or, When Folk Music Struck a Chord: Careers, Habermasian Rationality and Agency

This paper uses the English folk music scene to consider the career arc that can develop when leisure turns to work for folk musicians. In considering this move from amateur to professional, it draws together ideas of casual leisure, serious leisure and work, highlighting the agency exercised in their career, the centrality of a familial and musical habitus, and the structured network of the scene based around various actor roles. Whilst some seek out and others stumble across professional careers, each shifts from communicative to instrumental rationality creating tensions in a tightly knit Professional, Amateur, Public (P-A-P) network. In this paper, we see how folk musicians are involved in various leisure or professional actor roles but it is in the latter that individuals are seen to benefit from the hedonic elements of casual leisure and the learning of serious leisure whilst being paid as a professional

Systematic review of communication technologies to promote access and engagement of young people with diabetes into healthcare

Background: Research has investigated whether communication technologies (e.g. mobile telephony, forums, email) can be used to transfer digital information between healthcare professionals and young people who live with diabetes. The systematic review evaluates the effectiveness and impact of these technologies on communication. Methods: Nine electronic databases were searched. Technologies were described and a narrative synthesis of all studies was undertaken. Results: Of 20,925 publications identified, 19 met the inclusion criteria, with 18 technologies assessed. Five categories of communication technologies were identified: video-and tele-conferencing (n = 2); mobile telephony (n = 3); telephone support (n = 3); novel electronic communication devices for transferring clinical information (n = 10); and web-based discussion boards (n = 1). Ten studies showed a positive improvement in HbA1c following the intervention with four studies reporting detrimental increases in HbA1c levels. In fifteen studies communication technologies increased the frequency of contact between patient and healthcare professional. Findings were inconsistent of an association between improvements in HbA1c and increased contact. Limited evidence was available concerning behavioural and care coordination outcomes, although improvement in quality of life, patientcaregiver interaction, self-care and metabolic transmission were reported for some communication technologies. Conclusions: The breadth of study design and types of technologies reported make the magnitude of benefit and their effects on health difficult to determine. While communication technologies may increase the frequency of contact between patient and health care professional, it remains unclear whether this results in improved outcomes and is often the basis of the intervention itself. Further research is needed to explore the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of increasing the use of communication technologies between young people and healthcare professionals