Negative frequency dependent prey selection by two canid predators and its implications for the conservation of a threatened rodent in arid Australia

Unprecedented anthropogenic changes to biodiversity and biogeography demand a greater understanding of the consequences of altered faunal composition for ecosystem functioning. Selective predation has important, yet poorly understood effects on ecosystem stability, and can be strongly influenced by the relative frequencies of different prey types in the environment. Yet, how predators adjust their selection for prey according to their environmental frequency is often overlooked. Here, we assessed frequency dependent selection of prey by dingoes and foxes in the Australian desert, biannually, across a nine-year period (2007-2016). Both predators exhibited potentially destabilizing, negative frequency dependent selection for prey. Foxes persisted to preferentially consume a threatened, native rodent (Notomys fuscus) when it was environmentally scarce. Bolstered by the observation that N.fuscus occurs at low densities in areas where foxes are common, our results suggest that N.fuscus is particularly vulnerable to predation by this predator; possibly because it is naive and/or lacks adaptations to avoid or escape predation by the relatively recently introduced fox. Dingoes tended to consume reptiles when they were scarce; potentially constituting a conservation concern if selected reptilian taxa are threatened. Foxes avoided, thus were unlikely to control populations of overabundant kangaroos, while both foxes and dingoes showed a preference for, and may therefore control populations of invasive rabbits. The integration of our results into the relative suites of (de)stabilizing influences exerted by dingoes and foxes is important to provide a more dynamic insight into how each predator impacts their naturally fluctuating ecosystems

A Phenomenological Study: The Experience of Live Supervision during a Pre-practicum Counseling Techniques Course

The experiences of live supervision for three, master’s level, pre-practicum counseling students were explored using a phenomenological methodology. Using semi-structured interviews, this study resulted in a thick description of the experience of live supervision capturing participants’ thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Data revealed that live supervision during pre-practicum is a multifaceted experience comprised of numerous roles that not only contribute to counselor skill development, but counselor identity development. Participants’ stories reflected the benefit and impact that live supervision provides in the educational context

Improved Semiclassical Approximation for Bose-Einstein Condensates: Application to a BEC in an Optical Potential

We present semiclassical descriptions of Bose-Einstein condensates for configurations with spatial symmetry, e.g., cylindrical symmetry, and without any symmetry. The description of the cylindrical case is quasi-one-dimensional (Q1D), in the sense that one only needs to solve an effective 1D nonlinear Schrodinger equation, but the solution incorporates correct 3D aspects of the problem. The solution in classically allowed regions is matched onto that in classically forbidden regions by a connection formula that properly accounts for the nonlinear mean-field interaction. Special cases for vortex solutions are treated too. Comparisons of the Q1D solution with full 3D and Thomas-Fermi ones are presented.Comment: 14 pages, 5 figure

MICROTUBULE PROTEIN : Identification in and Transport to Nerve Endings

The subunit protein of microtubules, tubulin, has been demonstrated to be present in isolated nerve endings by gel electrophoresis, amino acid composition, and peptide mapping. The tubulin constitutes approximately 28% of the soluble protein of the nerve endings. The transport of tubulin to the nerve endings has been demonstrated and its relationship to slow transport is discussed

Changing Lifeways along the Guadalupe Basin in South Texas: The Results of National Register Testing of a Stratified Multicomponent Prehistoric Site, 41DW277, DeWitt County, Texas

AmaTerra Environmental (formerly Ecological Communications Corporation [EComm]) conducted archeological National Register eligibility testing at Site 41DW277 in December 2009. The site is located in the proposed right-of-way (ROW) for a new bridge along US 183 over the Guadalupe River, DeWitt County, Texas. Site 41DW277 was documented in 2009 by James Abbott and Allen Bettis of the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and at the time of survey it was thought to be potentially eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) or as a State Archeological Landmark (SAL). Due to expected impacts resulting from the proposed bridge construction, testing was recommended to determine NRHP/SAL eligibility. TxDOT hired AmaTerra to complete the work under Texas Antiquities Permit 5460. Testing consisted of excavation of five gradall trenches and 32 test units. AmaTerra found that the site consists of three stratified prehistoric components extending from 1–2 meters in depth and ranging from 2,800 years to 5,200 years BP in age. Three features were documented and artifacts recovered included lithic debris and tools, mussel shell, snail shell, a small amount of bone, and some modern household debris (from the top levels of the units). Burned rock was observed and documented but not collected. An interim report was submitted in January 2010 recommending that the upper components of the site are not eligible for NRHP/SAL listing but that lowest and oldest component is eligible. However, the report also recommended that no further work was needed since the lowest component was not within the area of potential effect (APE) for the bridge replacement. The Texas Historical Commission concurred with this recommendation in February 2010. This report documents the results of the testing and analysis for Site 41DW277. Records and artifacts generated during this project will be curated at the Center for Archaeological Studies at Texas State University

Approximate Analytic Solution for the Spatiotemporal Evolution of Wave Packets undergoing Arbitrary Dispersion

We apply expansion methods to obtain an approximate expression in terms of elementary functions for the space and time dependence of wave packets in a dispersive medium. The specific application to pulses in a cold plasma is considered in detail, and the explicit analytic formula that results is provided. When certain general initial conditions are satisfied, these expressions describe the packet evolution quite well. We conclude by employing the method to exhibit aspects of dispersive pulse propagation in a cold plasma, and suggest how predicted and experimental effects may be compared to improve the theoretical description of a medium's dispersive properties.Comment: 17 pages, 4 figures, RevTe

Given that these skills are considered the foundation of counseling

The experiences of live supervision for three, master 's level, prepracticum A primary task when obtaining a master's degree in counselor education is learning the basic skills of counseling; yet, research is lacking that could potentially inform the work of counselor educators with regard to the best educational format in which to teach these skills. Woodard and Lin (1999) described the pre-practicum class as integral to bridging the gap between course work and clinical work (practicum and internship), so it seems important to explore the various venues through which the skills are taught. They also contended that pre-practicum introduces students to counselor identity as well as aids in the successful transition between course work and clinical work given the focus on basic counseling skill

Efficacy of cilostazol on platelet reactivity and cardiovascular outcomes in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention: insights from a meta-analysis of randomised trials

Background: Cilostazol overcomes high on-treatment platelet reactivity (HTPR) and reduces adverse cardiovascular (CV) outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). However, the role for triple antiplatelet therapy (TAPT) with cilostazol in addition to aspirin and clopidogrel after PCI is not well defined. Methods: We conducted a MEDLINE/EMBASE/CENTRAL search for randomised trials, until May 2014, evaluating TAPT compared with dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) of aspirin and clopidogrel alone in patients undergoing PCI and reporting platelet reactivity and/or CV outcomes. The primary platelet reactivity outcome was differences in platelet reactivity unit (PRU) with secondary outcomes of %platelet inhibition and rate of HTPR. The primary CV outcome was major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), with secondary outcomes of death, cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, stent thrombosis (ST), target lesion revascularisation (TLR) and target vessel revascularisation (TVR) as well as safety outcomes of bleeding and drug discontinuations. Results: In 17 trials that evaluated platelet reactivity outcomes, the mean PRU value was 47.73 units lower with TAPT versus DAPT (95% CI −61.41 to −34.04, p<0.0001; mean PRU 182.90 vs 232.65). TAPT also increased platelet inhibition by 12.71% (95% CI 10.76 to 14.67, p<0.0001), and led to a 60% reduction in the risk of HTPR (relative risk=0.40; 95% CI 0.30 to 0.53) compared with DAPT. Moreover, among the 34 trials that evaluated CV outcomes, TAPT reduced the risk of MACE (incident rate ratio (IRR)=0.68; 95% CI 0.60 to 0.78), TLR (IRR=0.57; 95% CI 0.44 to 0.73), TVR (IRR=0.69; 95% CI 0.59 to 0.81) and ST (IRR=0.63; 95% CI 0.40 to 0.98) with no difference for other outcomes including bleeding, even in trials using drug-eluting stents. Drug discontinuation due to adverse effects was, however, higher with TAPT vs DAPT (IRR=1.59; 95% CI 1.32 to 1.91). Conclusions: In patients undergoing PCI, addition of cilostazol to DAPT results in decreased platelet reactivity and a significant reduction in CV outcomes including ST, even in the drug-eluting stent era

Multi-filament structures in relativistic self-focusing

A simple model is derived to prove the multi-filament structure of relativistic self-focusing with ultra-intense lasers. Exact analytical solutions describing the transverse structure of waveguide channels with electron cavitation, for which both the relativistic and ponderomotive nonlinearities are taken into account, are presented.Comment: 21 pages, 12 figures, submitted to Physical Review