Aspects of White-tailed Deer Ecology and Management: Effects of Imidacloprid and an Evaluation of Management at Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge

White-tail deer (Odocoileus virginianus) are an economically and recreationally important species throughout their range, and understanding their ecology to implement beneficial management techniques is invaluable. This thesis focused on two studies 1) the effect of Imidacloprid on adult female and fawn physiology and 2) an evaluation of techniques to monitor white-tailed deer at Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge (GSNWR). Imidacloprid, a widely-used pesticide, has been linked to lethal and sub-lethal effects in insects and small vertebrates, however, no research has been conducted on white-tailed deer. Twenty captive pregnant adult female and subsequent fawns housed at the South Dakota State University Wildlife Farm were separated into four pens and given different concentrations of aqueous Imidacloprid (Control 0 ng/L, Low 1,500 ng/L, Moderate 3,000 ng/L, and High 15,000 ng/L) in 2015 and 2016 (May-October). Data collected included water consumption rates, Free Triiodothyronine (FT3) and Free Thyroxine (FT4) hormones, behavioral observations, organ weights, jawbone lengths, and Imidacloprid concentrations in organs. Our results indicated that 1) Imidacloprid was more environmentally prevalent than anticipated, 2) fawn spleen Imidacloprid concentrations showed a negative effect on fawn survival (p = 0.00005), FT4 levels (p = 0.009), and size (p \u3c 0.05), and 3) Imidacloprid presence decreased adult female and fawn activity. The second portion of this study focused on an evaluation of GSNWR techniques for estimating deer population size to aid in future refuge management. Two separate density surveys (Distance Sampling Spotlight Survey and Baited Trail Camera Survey) were completed in 2015 and 2016 at GSNWR and adjacent Lord Stirling Park Somerset County Environmental Education Center (SCEEC). Results indicated that GSNWR population was well below its management goal of 7.7 deer/km2 due to a hemorrhagic disease outbreak that reduced the population by an estimated 57%. Density differences were great between the GSNWR and SCEEC properties most likely due to differences in harvest strategies. From these density estimates, historical refuge data, and the literature, a population model was created and predicted that the refuge would reach 7.7 deer/km2 by the 2019 fawning season. The model allows for harvest numbers to be incorporated to monitor and manage future population

RNAi Phenotypes and the Localization of a Protein::GUS Fusion Imply a Role for Medicago truncatula PIN Genes in Nodulation

The symbiosis between legumes and rhizobia results in the development of a new plant organ, the nodule. A role for polar auxin transport in nodule development in Medicago truncatula has been demonstrated using molecular genetic tools. The expression of a DR5::GUS auxin-responsive promoter in uninoculated M. truncatula roots mirrored that reported in Arabidopsis, and expression of the construct in nodulating roots confirmed results reported in white clover. The localization of a root-specific PIN protein (MtPIN2) in normal roots, developing lateral roots and nodules provided the first evidence that a PIN protein is expressed in nodules. Reduced levels of MtPIN2, MtPIN3, and MtPIN4 mRNAs via RNA interference demonstrated that plants with reduced expression of various MtPINs display a reduced number of nodules. The reported results show that in M. truncatula, PIN proteins play an important role in nodule development, and that nodules and lateral roots share some early auxin responses in common, but they rapidly differentiate with respect to auxin and MtPIN2 protein distribution

Upskilling Australian registered nurses to enhance students’ clinical placement experiences : a contemporary discussion

Objective: To present and discuss options for upskilling registered nurse supervisors to ultimately improve the quality and consistency of nursing student placements. Background: Many studies have examined clinical learning in nursing, with evidence that student learning and registered nurse clinical supervision experiences can be improved. An independent review of nursing education in Australia confirmed gaps in the preparation and support of supervising registered nurses that may negatively impact students’ learning. Study design and methods: This paper discusses contemporary insights around 1) the current situation in Australian nursing student clinical placements regarding learning, 2) registered nurse clinical supervisor experiences and 3) professional options for recognising role excellence, offered by Australian and international nursing and healthcare specialities. Discussion: Nursing students’ placement experiences are at times sub-optimal. One way to improve learning experiences could be to offer clinical supervisors professional development programs. Now is the time to consider a certification process to recognise excellence in registered nurses’ education capabilities and to better support students’ clinical learning. Conclusion: Upskilling registered nurses for clinical supervision may be assisted through formal and informal education programs specific to the professional nursing context in Australia. Implications for research policy and practice: Upskilling registered nurse clinical supervisors should be a priority on the national agenda of improving students’ clinical learning experiences. This commentary provides contemporary insights to the current situation regarding Australian students’ clinical placement and supervisor experiences. The ways that some nursing specialities recognise excellence in practice are discussed as options for improving clinical supervision. What is already known about the topic • Nursing students’ clinical placements need improvement; students continue to report less than optimal experiences. • There are no requirements in Australia for registered nurse clinical supervisors to undertake assessment of capability for the role. • National and international processes exist to recognise supervisor capabilities and role excellence. What this paper adds • Options for recognising capability and practice excellence in nursing clinical supervision. • A discussion around clinical supervisors engaging with formal and informal education and processes that recognise excellence in role capabilities. © 2022, Australian Nursing Federation. All rights reserved

Childhood intellectual disability and parents' mental health: integrating social, psychological and genetic influences.

BACKGROUND: Intellectual disability has a complex effect on the well-being of affected individuals and their families. Previous research has identified multiple risk and protective factors for parental mental health, including socioeconomic circumstances and child behaviour. AIMS: This study explored whether genetic cause of childhood intellectual disability contributes to parental well-being. METHOD: Children from across the UK with intellectual disability due to diverse genetic causes were recruited to the IMAGINE-ID study. Primary carers completed the Development and Well-being Assessment, including a measure of parental distress (Everyday Feeling Questionnaire). Genetic diagnoses were broadly categorised into aneuploidy, chromosomal rearrangements, copy number variants (CNVs) and single nucleotide variants. RESULTS: Compared with the UK general population, IMAGINE-ID parents (n = 888) reported significantly elevated emotional distress (Cohen's d = 0.546). Within-sample variation was related to recent life events and the perceived impact of children's difficulties. Impact was predicted by child age, physical disability, autistic characteristics and other behavioural difficulties. Genetic diagnosis also predicted impact, indirectly influencing parental well-being. Specifically, CNVs were associated with higher impact, not explained by CNV inheritance, neighbourhood deprivation or family structure. CONCLUSIONS: The mental health of parents caring for a child with intellectual disability is influenced by child and family factors, converging on parental appraisal of impact. We found that genetic aetiologies, broadly categorised, also influence impact and thereby family risks. Recognition of these risk factors could improve access to support for parents, reduce their long-term mental health needs and improve well-being of individuals with intellectual disability.This work was supported by the UK Medical Research Council (grant number G101400 to K.B.), UK Medical Research Council and Medical Research Foundation (grant number MR-N022572-1 to the IMAGINE-ID study; Principle Investigators: David H. Skuse, F Lucy Raymond, Jeremy Hall, Marianne Van den Bree, Michael J. Hall) and the Baily Thomas Charitable Trust (to K.B.)

The role of violent thinking in violent behaviour; it’s more about thinking than drinking

This article aims to explore and report on violent thinking and alcohol misuse; how these factors may predict self-reported violence. The role of violent thinking in violent behavior is both well established in theoretical models, yet there are few measures that explain this role. One measure that has been identified is the Maudsley Violence Questionnaire (MVQ). This is the first study to explore the use of the MVQ with a general (nonoffender) adult sample, having already been shown to be valid with young people (under 18 years old), adult male offenders, and mentally disordered offenders. This study involved 808 adult participants—569 female and 239 male participants. As figures demonstrate that around half of all violent crime in the United Kingdom is alcohol related, we also explored the role of alcohol misuse. Regression was used to explore how these factors predicted violence. The results demonstrate the important role of violent thinking in violent behavior. The MVQ factor of “Machismo” was the primary factor in regression models for both male and female self-reported violence. The role of alcohol in the regression models differed slightly between the male and female participants, with alcohol misuse involved in male violence. The study supports theoretical models including the role of violent thinking and encourages those hoping to address violence, to consider “Machismo” as a treatment target. The study also provides further validation of the MVQ as a helpful tool for clinicians or researchers who may be interested in “measuring” violent thinking

Trematode Infections inLittorina littoreaon the New Hampshire Coast

The prevalence of parasite infections in Littorina littorea (Common Periwinkle) was examined at 16 rocky intertidal sites along the New Hampshire coastline over three summers (2006 to 2008). We sampled over a relatively small spatial scale (21 km) and expected that the prevalence of infections in L. littorea would be similar between sites over this sampling area. In total, 1983 snails were collected from areas at mean low water during spring tides. Snail size (mm), gender, and type of parasitic infection were noted for all snails. Eleven percent of snails collected were infected with rediae and cercariae of the trematodes Cryptocotyle lingua or Cercaria parvicaudata; one snail had a double infection of both trematodes. The prevalence of infection at sites ranged from 1.9% to 30.1%. At all sites, female snails outnumbered male snails, and a greater proportion of females were infected than males. Large snails were more likely to be infected with trematodes at 3 sites, while a higher level of infection was found in small snails at 1 site. Snails at wave-protected sites were more likely to be infected than snails at wave-exposed sites. No relationship was found between the number of gulls at a site and the prevalence of infection. Although temporal variation in levels of prevalence in parasitic infections may explain some of our site-to-site differences, our data show large spatial variation of parasite prevalence in L. littorea over a minimum distance of 0.5 km and provide a foundation to test hypotheses concerning the susceptibility of female and immature (small) snails to infection

On the X-ray properties of submm-selected galaxies

We present an analysis of the X-ray properties of 35 submm galaxies(SMGs) in the CDF-N. Using a sample of robust 850micron-selected galaxies, with accurate positions from Spitzer and/or radio counterparts, we find 16 objects (45+/-8%) with significant X-ray detections in the 2Ms Chandra data. 6 of these SMGs (~17+/-6%) have measured X-ray luminosities or upper limits consistent with those expected based on the far-infrared (FIR) or radio-derived star formation rate (SFR), and hence with the X-rays coming solely from star formation. In another 7 sources (20+/-7%) a dominant AGN contribution to the X-ray emission is required, while in 3 more it is unclear whether stellar process or accretion are responsible. Stacking of the X-ray undetected SMGs reveals a highly significant detection. If due to star formation, this corresponds to an average X-ray derived SFR of ~150 Msun/yr. We deduce that the AGN fraction in SMGs based on X-ray observations is 20-29 (+/-7) %, which is towards the lower limit of previous estimates. Spectral analysis shows that in general the SMGs are not heavily obscured in the X-ray but most of the SMGs classfied as AGN show absorption with N_H in excess of 10^22 cm^-2. Of the secure AGN, the bolometric luminosity appears to be dominated by the AGN in only 3 cases. In ~85% of the SMGs, the X-ray spectrum effectively rules out an AGN contribution that dominates the bolometric emission, even if the AGN is Compton thick. The evidence therefore suggests that intense star formation accounts for both the FIR and X-ray emission in most SMGs. We argue that, rather than having an especially high AGN fraction or duty cycle, SMGs have a high X-ray detection rate at very faint fluxes partly because of their high star formation rates and, in rarer cases, because the submm emission is from an AGN.(abridged)Comment: 12 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA

Low-Energy Brane-World Effective Actions and Partial Supersymmetry Breaking

As part of a programme for the general study of the low-energy implications of supersymmetry breaking in brane-world scenarios, we study the nonlinear realization of supersymmetry which occurs when breaking N=2 to N=1 supergravity. We consider three explicit realizations of this supersymmetry breaking pattern, which correspond to breaking by one brane, by one antibrane or by two (or more) parallel branes. We derive the minimal field content, the effective action and supersymmetry transformation rules for the resulting N=1 theory perturbatively in powers of kappa = 1/M_{Planck}. We show that the way the massive gravitino and spin-1 fields assemble into N=1 multiplets implies the existence of direct brane-brane contact interactions at order O(kappa). This result is contrary to the O(kappa^2) predicted by the sequestering scenario but in agreement with recent work of Anisimov et al. Our low-energy approach is model independent and is a first step towards determining the low-energy implications of more realistic brane models which completely break all supersymmetries.Comment: Latex, 29 Page