DOES POPULATION DENSITY AFFECT THE SINGING BEHAVIOR OF FEMALE CANYON WRENS (CATHERPES MEXICANUS)?

Bird song has historically been considered from the perspective of temperate males despite females in many bird species being prolific singers. In this study, I investigated one species with female song, the canyon wren (Catherpes mexicanus). Canyon wrens do not duet like many other species with female song or other wrens. Instead, males and females sing sex-specific songs. The resource defense function of male canyon wren song is well-described, and males sing often during the breeding season. Females have only been observed to sing sporadically during the breeding season but sing reliably and often when exposed to playback of other females. Therefore, I hypothesized that females in higher breeding density areas would sing more and be more aggressive than those in lower breeding density areas, and females with closer distances between neighbors would sing more and be more aggressive than those with farther neighbors. I conducted this study over the course of two field seasons in two regions: southeastern Arizona (high density) and northcentral Colorado (low density). I spot-mapped breeding pairs in both areas, observed unprompted levels of song from females, and conducted playback experiments on females. I measured several behavioral parameters and song spectral parameters. I found that individuals in Arizona had significantly lower 95% frequencies in their songs, but did not find any other significant relationships between behavioral or spectral parameters and nearest neighbor distance, suggesting that other variables such as age, body size, breeding status, time of year, or genetic drift may better explain the variation in female songs between populations in Arizona vs. Colorado

Vitamin E: A Possible Preventative Measure for CTE

Introduction This experiment is aimed to aide all future athletes. •The brain injury known as CTE can only be diagnosed after death and upon autopsy. •Upon research, what causes this is non-heme Iron deposits in the brain cause radical oxygen species that damage the nerve cells. •Causes many different mental and physical problems •Research on Vitamin E showed that it can accept radical oxygen species and increase neurological health. •We will be testing these affects on yeast samples Hypothesis If yeast is treated with Vitamin E before being exposed to radical oxygen species via non-heme iron, then it will have a higher survivability than the non-treated yeast samples

Recherche qualitative examinant les liens entre un programme de bourses, le parcours scolaire des bénéficiaires et leur contexte familial au Bénin

Le contexte familial influence probablement plus le succès scolaire des élèves de pays en voie de développement que ce que certaines recherches indiquaient jusqu’à présent (Nonoyama-Tarumi, 2008). Ce mémoire explore les relations entre le contexte familial et le parcours scolaire d’élèves Béninois dans le cadre d’une évaluation d’implantation et de processus du programme de bourses de la Fondation Sophie Lavigne (FSL). Au total 18 informateurs ont participé à la recherche. Les données ont fait l’objet d’analyses qualitatives. Les résultats montrent que le programme de bourses est mis en œuvre conformément à ce qui était attendu. Ce dernier facilite le parcours scolaire de toutes les participantes et parfois celui de leur fratrie. Par contre, les critères de renouvellement des bourses, en fonction de la réussite scolaire, ont peu d’influence positive sur leur parcours scolaire. Les causes d’échecs scolaires rapportées par les participants sont de deux ordres, (a) une accumulation de difficultés qui entravent l’étude et (b) un obstacle ponctuel important qui empêche la poursuite des études. Les familles interrogées valorisent grandement l’instruction. Dans la mesure de leurs moyens, elles tentent d’offrir les meilleures conditions de réussite scolaire possibles à leurs enfants. L’accès à du soutien scolaire tel des cours de rattrapage est nécessaire pour assurer des conditions d’étude optimales. À la lumière des résultats, la FSL aurait avantage à fournir plus de soutien scolaire aux étudiantes qu’elle accompagne et à revoir les critères de renouvellement de bourses.One’s family background probably has a stronger influence on a student’s academic success in developing countries than many studies have shown up to now (Nonoyama-Tarumi, 2008). By means of an evaluation of both the implantation and processes of the Sophie Lavigne Foundation (FSL) scholarship program, this thesis deals with the relationships between Benin students’ family background and their academic trajectory. A total of 18 informants participated in the research project. The data was analyzed qualitatively. Generally speaking, the scholarship program has been established as was expected. Families that were interrogated greatly value education. To the very best of their abilities, they try to offer their children the greatest possible conditions for academic success. The scholarship program makes the academic trajectory of all participants easier and sometimes even positively affects their siblings’. However, the criteria for the renewal of the scholarships, which depend on academic success, have few positive effects on the participants’ academic trajectories. The causes for academic failures mentioned by the participants seem to be twofold: (a) an accumulation of difficulties that impair their academic trajectory (b) an important and specific obstacle that prevents a student from continuing her studies. It also appears that having access to academic support—remedial work for instance—is necessary in order to guarantee the best study conditions. The results of this research indicate that the FSL should provide students it accompanies with more academic support and reconsider the criteria for the renewal of the scholarships

Identification de variations génétiques associées à la bicuspidie valvulaire aortique chez les hommes et les femmes

Introduction. La bicuspidie valvulaire aortique (BVA) est la malformation congénitale cardiaque la plus fréquente. Les causes et les origines génétiques de la BVA sont actuellement inconnues. Objectif. Ce projet de recherche vise à identifier des variations génétiques impliquées dans le développement de la BVA chez les Canadiens français. Méthodes. Neuf gènes candidats pour la BVA ont été séquencés chez 48 patients atteints. Des variations génétiques sélectionnées ont été génotypées chez 323 patients atteints de BVA et 584 contrôles et les fréquences alléliques ont été comparées entre les deux groupes. Résultats. Une variation dans le gène EGFR (rs17290301) démontre une association avec la BVA. Différentes variations sont associées à la BVA spécifiquement chez les hommes (EGFR rs533525993 et TEX26 rs12857479) et les femmes (NOTCH1 rs61751489, TGFBR2 rs1155705 et NKX2-5 rs2277923). Conclusions. Ces résultats supportent pour la première fois l’implication de variations génétiques spécifiques au genre dans le développement de la BVA.Introduction. Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) is the most frequent congenital heart disease. Its etiology and genetic origins are still largely unknown. Objective. This study sought to identify genetic variants associated with BAV in a French Canadian population. Methods. Nine candidate genes for BAV were sequenced in 48 BAV patients. A selection of genetic variants was genotyped in 323 BAV patients and 584 controls and their allelic frequencies were compared between the two groups. Results. A EGFR variant (rs17290301) was associated with BAV in this population. Gender-specific variants were also significantly associated with BAV (EGFR rs533525993 and TEX26 rs12857479 in men and NOTCH1 rs61751489, TGFBR2 rs1155705 and NKX2-5 rs2277923 in women). Conclusions. These results suggest for the first time a possible implication of gender-specific variants in the development of BAV

ParliSearch - A system for large text corpus discourse analysis

Publisher Copyright: © 2016 The authors and IOS Press.The paper illustrates the ParliSearch - the system that enables easy discourse analysis in large text corpus, providing stem search with additional search criteria. The system contains verbatim reports from debates of plenary sittings of the European Parliament and the Saeima (the Parliament of Latvia).publishersversionPeer reviewe

Sustainable Development of Real Estate

Research, theoretical and practical tasks of sustainable real estate development process are revised in detail in this monograph; particular examples are presented as well. The concept of modern real estate development model and a developer is discussed, peculiarities of the development of built environment and real estate objects are analyzed, as well as assessment methods, models and management of real estate and investments in order to increase the object value. Theoretical and practical analyses, presented in the monograph, prove that intelligent and augmented reality technologies allow business managers to reach higher results in work quality, organize a creative team of developers, which shall present more qualitative products for the society. The edition presents knowledge on economic, legal, technological, technical, organizational, social, cultural, ethical, psychological and environmental, as well as its management aspects, which are important for the development of real estate: publicly admitted sustainable development principles, urban development and aesthetic values, territory planning, participation of society and heritage protection. It is admitted that economical crises are inevitable, and the provided methods shall help to decrease possible loss. References to the most modern world scientific literature sources are presented in the monograph. The monograph is prepared for the researchers, MSc and PhD students of construction economics and real estate development. The book may be useful for other researchers, MSc and PhD students of economics, management and other specialities, as well as business specialist of real estate business. The publication of monograph was funded by European Social Fund according to project No. VP1-2.2-ŠMM-07-K-02-060 Development and Implementation of Joint Master’s Study Programme “Sustainable Development of the Built Environment”

The Even and Odd Supersymmetric Hunter - Saxton and Liouville Equations

It is shown that two different supersymmetric extensions of the Harry Dym equation lead to two different negative hierarchies of the supersymmetric integrable equations. While the first one yields the known even supersymmetric Hunter - Saxton equation, the second one is a new odd supersymmetric Hunter - Saxton equation. It is further proved that these two supersymmetric extensions of the Hunter - Saxton equation are reciprocally transformed to two different supersymmetric extensions of the Liouville equation.Comment: typos corrected and references added. To appear in Phys.Lett

Integrable Extensions of N=2 Supersymmetric KdV Hierarchy Associated with the Nonuniqueness of the Roots of the Lax operator

We preesent a new supersymmetric integrable extensions of the a=4,N=2 KdV hierarchy. The root of the supersymmetric Lax operator of the KdV equation is generalized, by including additional fields. This generalized root generate new hierarchy of integrable equations, for which we investigate the hamiltonian structure. In special case our system describes the interaction of the KdV equation with the two MKdV equations.Comment: 9 pages Latex,e-mail [email protected]

Draft Genome Sequence of Type Strain Streptococcus gordonii ATCC 10558

Streptococcus gordonii ATCC 10558(T) was isolated from a patient with infective endocarditis in 1946 and announced as a type strain in 1989. Here, we report the 2,154,510-bp draft genome sequence of S. gordonii ATCC 10558(T). This sequence will contribute to knowledge about the pathogenesis of infective endocarditis