Mapping the variability of soil quality indicators in natural versus agricultural ecosystems

Traditionally, Kentucky agriculture has focused on crop production and soil fertility while overlooking soil quality and its dependence on land management type. This research attempted to reveal the importance of land management types and their individual effects on physical soil quality indicators. The second objective of this study was to show the variance of physical soil quality indicators across different land managements by using layered maps. Such visual representation of the data along with statistical analysis also showed which soil quality parameters are more sensitive to change in land management type. Land management types included three undisturbed grassland and undisturbed deciduous woodland fields to represent natural ecosystems, and three conventionally tilled and no-till agriculture fields to represent ecosystems. The study was conducted in silt loam soils in Lyons and Trigg counties of South Western Kentucky. Averaged soil data for individual soil parameters were mapped out for each field as vector polygons in ArcGIS. Elevation and watershed raster data layers were also added to show the relationship between soil parameters, topography, and watershed. The results showed that soil organic matter, aggregate percentage, and compaction were more sensitive indicators than macroporosity, bulk density or water holding capacity. The results also showed that natural land management types had healthier soils overall and more variability between individual fields

The relationship between canine nasal length and second-hand smoke cotinine levels

Second-hand smoke (SHS) has been associated with respiratory cancers in canines, with the predisposed locations determined by the cephalic ratio (head length / head width). Exposure to SHS is frequently measured by analyzing urine or blood samples for the nicotine by-product cotinine. We investigated the suitability of saliva as an alternative source for cotinine analyses in dogs because obtaining saliva is less invasive and cotinine concentrations from SHS exposure are instantaneously measurable in saliva compared to other collection methods. Specifically, we tested for a quantitative relationship between cephalic ratio and the salivary concentration of cotinine. Our null hypothesis was that there is no difference in cotinine concentration in short- and long-nosed dogs that are exposed to SHS. Owners completed a survey about smoking habits, the dog’s exposure to different types of tobacco smoke, dog’s sex, and other variables associated with SHS impacts. Each dog’s body condition and head length and width were recorded. We obtained a saliva sample from the participants’ dogs and analyzed them for cotinine using an ELISA assay. Salivary cotinine concentration was significantly higher in dogs exposed to SHS versus dogs not exposed. There was also a positive linear relationship between cotinine concentration and cephalic ratio. The results did not differ significantly between male and female dogs. Our results supported previous studies reporting that long-nosed dogs accumulate more toxic by-products from SHS compared with short-nosed dogs. Saliva samples may be a useful alternative to more invasive methods when evaluating exposure of some domesticated species to SHS

Tri-colored Bat Roost Tree Use and Movement Patterns Following White-nose Syndrome in Western Kentucky

The tri-colored bat Perimyotis subflavus is undergoing severe declines across its range due to white nose syndrome. Our objective was to determine distinguishing characteristics of roost trees used by tri-colored bats so that their roost needs can be considered in management plans. We attached a radio transmitter to adult bats. We tracked six bats to their day roosts for 1-12 days. Habitat data were collected at 19 roost trees and at randomly selected trees within the distance traveled by a bat to its roosts for comparison. Our initial data showed that tri-colored bats use roost trees within a relatively small area. The greatest distance moved between successive roosts was 207.8 m, with an average distance between roosts of 68.9 m. Bats remained within 2.5 km of their original capture site. All roosting bats were located in the foliage of live trees. Tri-colored bats appeared to not select roost trees at random. There was a correlation between tree use and increasing canopy depth. Bats were observed roosting in 10 different species of tree, with the most commonly selected species being mockernut hickory (Carya tomentosa) and sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua; 37% and 16% of roost trees, respectively). In contrast, the most abundant species among the randomly-selected trees were the white oak (Quercus alba) and the sugar maple (Acer saccharum; 20% and 13% of randomly selected trees, respectively; n=365). Management needs of tri-colored bats likely differ from those of other declining bat species (e.g., Myotis sps.) which have preference for trees in mid-decay stages

GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT RATES OF \u3ci\u3eMicrotus pinetorum\u3c/i\u3e UNDER DIFFERENT PHOTOPERIODS

Photo-period and nutrition are important variables affecting reproductive activity and growth in many rodents. Field and laboratory studies indicate that long photo-period (spring-summer) cause Increased growth while short photo-periods (fall-winter) inhibit these processes. In the montane vole (Microtus montanus) recently weaned animals gain weight at a much lower rate under short photo-periods or in total darkness than under long photo-periods (Vaughan et al., 1973; Peterborg, 1978). Adult M. montanus had more offspring and larger mean litter sizes under LD 18:6 than LD 6:18 (Pinter & Negus, 1965). Similarly, long (LD 16:8) or increasing photo-periods stimulated the onset of puberty in M. arvalis, while short (LD7:17) or decreasing photo-periods inhibited the onset of puberty (Lecyk, 1962). Short photo-periods caused reduced spennato-genesis and seminal vesicle weights in male M. arvalis, while long photo-periods induced increased ovulation in females. In contrast, photo-period had no effect on the reproductive rates of M. orchadensis (Marshall & Wilkinson, 1956). Dicrostonyx groenlandicus reared on LD 6:18 grew faster than those on LD 20:4, but the latter group had larger testes (Hasler, 1975). In M. agrestis, long photo-periods stimulated male reproduction and caused greater body weight gain than did short photo-period. Females produced fewer young, had lower ovarian and uterine weights, and fewer, smaller Graafian follicles under short photo-periods as compared to long. However, there was no effect on female body size (dark & Kennedy, 1967; Breed & Clarke, 1970; Baker and Ranson, 1932). Microtus pennsylvanicus juveniles and adults had higher body weights under LD 18:6 than LD 6:18 (Pistole, 1980). M. oregoni reproductive activity is stimulated by long photo-period, but due to fossorial habits this species appears to be less sensitive to light than more terrestrial forms (Cowan & Arsenault, 1958). There have been no reports of winter breeding in Clethrionomys gapperi possibly because of their behavioral avoidance of light during the winter (Evemden & Fuller, 1972)

A Proposed Program for Improving School-Community Relations in the Okanogan School District

It was the purpose of this study (1) to recognize the need for an effective school-community relations program; (2) to review, through professional literature, the methods by which schools in various communities have improved their public relations program; (3) propose a program that could be used in Okanogan School District, and to arrive at a summary and certain concluding statements

La contaminación sonora y sus efectos en la salud de la población de la ciudad de Arequipa

Este estudio tiene por objetivo general determinar si la contaminación sonora afecta a la población de la ciudad de Arequipa. Esta investigación es de nivel descriptivo, y que también presenta un diseño no experimental y transversal. Para la medición de los niveles sonoros se seleccionaron 6 ubicaciones dentro de las cuales se tuvieron 3 turnos para llevar a cabo la medición (turno mañana, turno mediodía, turno tarde), que duró 6 semanas. Para verificar y establecer los efectos más frecuentes se utilizó una encuesta dentro de las 6 ubicaciones. Los resultados de medición de los puntos seleccionados fueron: N°1 y N°2 clasificados como zona de protección especial registró como promedio 66.3 dB superando los límites por 16.3 dB; el N°3 y N°4 clasificados como zona residencial registró un promedio de 68.9 sobrepasando los límites de 8.9 dB; y el N°5 y N°6 clasificados como zona comercial obtuvo como promedio 72.6 dB superando los límites por 2.6 dB. Los efectos que se registraron fueron: auditivos (85% casos), distorsión del sueño (91.7% casos), cardiovasculares (78.3% casos), estrés (95% casos), interferencia en la comunicación (97.8% casos) y rendimiento (95% casos), destacando entre las más frecuentes: interferencia en la comunicación (97.8%); también estrés y rendimiento (ambos 95%) Tenemos como conclusión que la contaminación sonora afecta directamente a la población

Modeling Subsistence Change in the Late Prehistoric Period in the Interior Lower Coastal Plain of South Carolina

Recent research on Middle-Late Woodland and Mississippian subsistence-settlement change has modified substantially the traditional models of late fall, coastal to interior transhumance patterns along the southeastern Atlantic Coast. The archeological, ethnohistorical, and environmental data suggest that the interior Lower Coastal Plain of South Carolina was exploited on a year-round basis during the late prehistoric period. These data and those recovered from two archeological sites, which were investigated by the Institute of Archeology and Anthropology for the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers\u27 Cooper River Rediversion Project, indicate differences in the subsistence strategies between the Middle-Late Woodland and Mississippian populations, however. The Middle-Late Woodland settlement pattern appears to reflect generalized exploitation of riverine and interriverine resources, whereas the Mississippian exploitation strategy apparently focuses on the intensive exploitation of a relatively narrow range of specific, high density, riverine resources. A series of interrelated hypotheses, deduced from economic ecological theory, characterizes the expected nature of these differences. The hypotheses are tested using paleoecological data and deriving archeological measures of functional variability for the artifact assemblages recovered from sites 38BK235 and 3BBK236 located in the riverine zone. The results support intensive exploitation of the interior riverine zone in the summer and early fall by both Middle-Late Woodland and Mississippian groups, with the Mississippian occupation having more and better defined activity areas and showing a greater range of diversity and functional specificity in the artifact assemblage.https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/archanth_anthro_studies/1006/thumbnail.jp

Autoeficacia y motivación de logro en trabajadores de la empresa Michell & Cía, Arequipa 2021

La investigación titulada Autoeficacia y motivación de logro en los trabajadores de la empresa Michell & Cia, Arequipa, 2021. Es realizada en colaboradores de la empresa. El problema de la investigación consistió en averiguar el nivel de correlación de la autoeficacia y motivación de logro en la muestra estudiada, para ello se consideró como variables la autoeficacia y la motivación de logro y sus dimensiones. El instrumento utilizado fue la escala de Autoeficacia general de Baessler, J., y Schwarzer, R. y el cuestionario de motivación de logro de Vicuña J. para comprobar la hipótesis que el nivel de correlación es alta. El tipo de investigación es básica, el diseño es no experimental transversal correlacional. Utilizando como estadístico las tablas descriptivas y de correlación llegando a concluir que existe una correlación directa (Rho de Spearman = 0.177)

Limits to sustained energy intake XII : is the poor relation between resting metabolic rate and reproductive performance because resting metabolism is not a repeatable trait?

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Recommendations for a national agenda to substantially reduce cervical cancer

PURPOSE: Prophylactic human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines and new HPV screening tests, combined with traditional Pap test screening, provide an unprecedented opportunity to greatly reduce cervical cancer in the USA. Despite these advances, thousands of women continue to be diagnosed with and die of this highly preventable disease each year. This paper describes the initiatives and recommendations of national cervical cancer experts toward preventing and possibly eliminating this disease. METHODS: In May 2011, Cervical Cancer-Free America, a national initiative, convened a cervical cancer summit in Washington, DC. Over 120 experts from the public and private sector met to develop a national agenda for reducing cervical cancer morbidity and mortality in the USA. RESULTS: Summit participants evaluated four broad challenges to reducing cervical cancer: (1) low use of HPV vaccines, (2) low use of cervical cancer screening, (3) screening errors, and (4) lack of continuity of care for women diagnosed with cervical cancer. The summit offered 12 concrete recommendations to guide future national and local efforts toward this goal. CONCLUSIONS: Cervical cancer incidence and mortality can be greatly reduced by better deploying existing methods and systems. The challenge lies in ensuring that the array of available prevention options are accessible and utilized by all age-appropriate women-particularly minority and underserved women who are disproportionately affected by this disease. The consensus was that cervical cancer can be greatly reduced and that prevention efforts can lead the way towards a dramatic reduction in this preventable disease in our country