A Roadside Technique Using Scent Lures for Measuring Relative White-Tailed Deer Abundance

The response of captive white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) to selected commercial scent lures and the feasibility of measuring the relative abundance of wild deer with roadside scent stations were studied. Penned deer first smelled scented capsules 5.7 times more frequently than unscented controls. There was no significant difference among 5 scents tested as to whether they were smelled or not, in the amount of time deer spend smelling them, nor any preference for sex- or food-derived scents. In a high deer density area the visitation rate to scented stations was 149 and unscented was 95. In a low deer density area it averaged only 6. Though construction of roadside stations was somewhat time-consuming, the technique proved potentially valuable for providing an index of relative deer abundance because it was simple, required a minimum of equipment, tracks were easily identified, and were comparable to aerial surveys in costs and results

Art Therapy in the Treatment of Emotionally Distrubed Children with Learning Problems

In my work, in a residential treatment center for emotionally disturbed children, I have observed that many, if not a majority, of the residents experience difficulty in learning . Emotionally disturbed children exhibit inappropriate emotional reactions which hinder their ability to make appropriate responses to their environment. Uhlin (1979), described their predicament as being unable to structure and maintain their experiences of reality. As a result, such children function in a distorted manner (Uhlin, 1979). Emotional disturbances can range from children who seemingly become detached from reality; for example, the autistic children to the less observable or detectable disturbances related to unsuccessful resolution of developmental tasks of childhood. The art therapist needs to understand where the child is functioning emotionally and cognitively from a developmental perspective. Observation of behavior, art work, social interaction skills, and procurement of social and family histories, provides the art therapist with information as to the child\u27s level of development. The assessment of how the child functions developmentally provides the art therapist necessary information to provide appropriate art experiences and interventions. The premise of my culminating project is that emotionally disturbed children, due to failure to accomplish their developmental tasks, have not been able to develop the necessary skills for effective learning . The hypothesis of this paper is -- when an emotionally disturbed child ls provided art therapy experiences emphasizing developmental growth, the child\u27 s ability to learn will then increase

Socioecology of the Vicuna

The social organization of the vicuna (Vicugna vicugna) and its relationship to the environment were studied at the Pampa Galeras National Vicuna Reserve in southern Peru from May 1968 to April 1971. 2 Behavioral data were collected on groups within a grid of 12.4 km during 3,800 hours of observation. The vicuna\u27s alpine grassland environment was characterized by greatly fluctuating and freezing temperatures, light precipitation, high evaporation, wind, short growing seasons, shallow and infertile soils and low plant production. Vicuna habitat quality was dependent upon high producing, preferred vegetation types and close access to permanent water and a sleeping area. Only one-third of the Reserve was good habitat and less than 20 percent of the Cupitay Valley study area was preferred by feeding vicuna. Territorial behavior has evolved in this environment where food resources are generally in short supply, annually renewed on locally abundant patchy sites, but predictable in time and space and xvi defendable. Nearly 90 percent of females 2 years and older were pregnant at the beginning of the birth season and 90 percent of all births occurred between 22 February and 7 April. Ten to 30 percent of the crias (juveniles) died during their first 4 months. Five social units were distinguished, with the population primarily composed of Male Groups (MGs) and family groups: Permanent Territorial Family Groups (PTFGs) occupied good habitat and Marginal Territorial Family Groups (MrFGs) secondary habitat. Most PTFGs and MrFGs each occupied a year-round feeding territory in the day and a separate sleeping territory at night. Average group size for PTFGs was six (one male, three females and two crias) and they composed about 55 percent of the population. MrFGs were smaller (five), composed 40 percent of the population, had lower reproductive success and spent less time in their feeding territories than PTFGs. Non-territorial MGs averaged 20 animals and were chased out of zones occupied by PTFGs and MrFGs. As the number of groups increased, the frequency and intensity of territorial defense by males also increased. Territories provided a place free from intraspecific interference where females could feed, sleep, mate, give birth and raise their young. Feeding territories averaged 18 ha and sleeping territories 3 ha in size. A small cluster of sleeping territories on the flattened ridge formed a cummunal sleeping area for groups using the adjacent valleys. MGs and MTFGs made greater use of ridges and the non-preferred b1.tt1.ch grass communities, because they were excluded from preferred areas occupied by PTFGs. Group size was significantly (

Unlocking biomarker discovery: Large scale application of aptamer proteomic technology for early detection of lung cancer

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths, because ~84% of cases are diagnosed at an advanced stage. Worldwide in 2008, ~1.5 million people were diagnosed and ~1.3 million died – a survival rate unchanged since 1960. However, patients diagnosed at an early stage and have surgery experience an 86% overall 5-year survival. New diagnostics are therefore needed to identify lung cancer at this stage. Here we present the first large scale clinical use of aptamers to discover blood protein biomarkers in disease with our breakthrough proteomic technology. This multi-center case-control study was conducted in archived samples from 1,326 subjects from four independent studies of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in long-term tobacco-exposed populations. We measured >800 proteins in 15uL of serum, identified 44 candidate biomarkers, and developed a 12-protein panel that distinguished NSCLC from controls with 91% sensitivity and 84% specificity in a training set and 89% sensitivity and 83% specificity in a blinded, independent verification set. Performance was similar for early and late stage NSCLC. This is a significant advance in proteomics in an area of high clinical need

Managing fire-prone forests in the western United States

The management of fire-prone forests is one of the most controversial natural resource issues in the US today, particularly in the west of the country. Although vegetation and wildlife in these forests are adapted to fire, the historical range of fire frequency and severity was huge. When fire regimes are altered by human activity, major effects on biodiversity and ecosystem function are unavoidable. We review the ecological science relevant to developing and implementing fire and fuel management policies for forests before, during, and after wildfires. Fire exclusion led to major deviations from historical variability in many dry, low-elevation forests, but not in other forests, such as those characterized by high severity fires recurring at intervals longer than the period of active fire exclusion. Restoration and management of fire-prone forests should be precautionary, allow or mimic natural fire regimes as much as possible, and generally avoid intensive practices such as post-fire logging and planting

Involvement of Purinergic P2X4 Receptors in Alcohol Intake of High-Alcohol-Drinking (HAD) Rats

Background: The P2X4 receptor is thought to be involved in regulating alcohol-consuming behaviors and ethanol (EtOH) has been reported to inhibit P2X4 receptors. Ivermectin is an anti-parasitic agent that acts as a positive allosteric modulator of the P2X4 receptor. The current study examined the effects of systemically- and centrally-administered ivermectin on alcohol drinking of replicate lines of high-alcohol-drinking (HAD-1/HAD-2) rats, and the effects of lentiviral-delivered short-hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) targeting P2rx4 on EtOH intake of female HAD2 rats. Method: For the 1st experiment, adult male HAD-1 & HAD-2 rats were given 24-hr free-choice access to 15% EtOH vs. water. Dose-response effects of ivermectin (1.5 to 7.5 mg/kg i.p.) on EtOH intake were determined; the effects of ivermectin were then examined for 2% w/v sucrose intake over 5 consecutive days. In the 2nd experiment, female HAD-2 rats were trained to consume 15% EtOH under 2-hr limited access conditions, and dose-response effects of intracerebroventricular (ICV) administration of ivermectin (0.5 to 2.0 μg) were determined over 5 consecutive days. The 3rd experiment determined the effects of microinfusion of a lentivirus expressing P2rx4 shRNAs into the posterior ventral tegmental area (VTA) on 24-hr EtOH free-choice drinking of female HAD-2 rats. Results: The highest i.p. dose of ivermectin reduced alcohol drinking (30-45%) in both rat lines, but did not alter sucrose intake. HAD-2 rats appeared to be more sensitive than HAD1 rats to the effects of ivermectin. ICV administration of ivermectin reduced 2-hr limited access intake (∼35%) of femal

Behavioral Considerations in the Live Capture of Guanacos with Spring-activated Foot Snares

Due to the potential repugnancy and laws preventing the use of kill-snares for large mammals, live-snaring is rarely used by field biologists for capturing ungulates. In a study of the socioecology of the South American guanaco (Lama guanicoe), spring-activated snares were tested and proved to be a successful technique for safely capturing juvenile animals because of a knowledge of individual and social behavior, especially the predictable daily use of such social attractants as preferred foraging sites and dust baths. Live capture with foot snares has potential application to other ungulates if behavioral considerations are taken into account

Factors Controlling Porosity and Permeability in the Curdsville Member of the Lexington Limestone

Factors controlling the porosity and permeability of the Curdsville Limestone Member of the Lexington Limestone of Middle Ordovician Age in the Blue Grass Region of Kentucky are geological. Microstratigraphic analysis had led to the division of the lower Lexington Limestone, consisting principally of the Curdsville Member into three beds which may be subdivided into zones made up of several lithologic types and sub-types. Lower, middle, and upper bed characteristics are helpful in determining the regional depositional history in the progressively transgressing Curdsville sea. Paleogeography of Curdsville time has been determined by delineation of two local facies: (1) a carbonate bank--shoal area facies, and (2) a shelf--channel area facies. Permeable carbonate bank--shoal facies are best developed on the structurally high Jessamine Dome Shoal Area where the Curdsville Limestone is found at shallow depth. Ground waters of meteoric origin have created sink holes, solution valleys, and caverns through solution enlargement of fractures comprising an extensive intersecting joint system. Detailed examination of the Bryantsville Quadrangle on the Jessamine Dome Shoal Area indicates that fracture traces such as sink hole, solution valley, and stream channel alignments are controlled mainly by nearly vertical joints in the Curdsville and underlying Tyrone Limestones. High frequency and intersection of joint fractures may indicate the presence of permeable limestone aquifers at shallow depth, The hypothesis can be tested by drilling several wells in prospective areas

Reduction of alcohol drinking of alcohol-preferring (P) and high-alcohol drinking (HAD1) rats by targeting phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE4)

RATIONALE: Phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE4) and neuroimmune signaling have been posited to regulate alcohol drinking. OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated the involvement of PDE4 and Il22ra2 on ethanol (EtOH) intake by alcohol-preferring (P) and high-alcohol-drinking (HAD1) rats. METHODS: Exp 1 determined the dose-response effects of PDE4 inhibitors, rolipram, and Ro 20-1724, on 2 h/day free-choice EtOH intake by adult P and HAD1 rats. Exps 2-3 examined the effects of repeated administration with the PDE4 inhibitors on EtOH or sucrose intake and locomotor behavior. Exp 4 determined Pde4-associated gene expression differences in subregions of the extended amygdala, between high- and low-alcohol-consuming rat lines. Exp 5 evaluated the effects of infusing short hairpin RNA to knock down Il22ra2 in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) shell on a 24-h free-choice EtOH drinking by P rats. RESULTS: Administration of rolipram or Ro 20-1724 reduced EtOH intake by P rats; Ro 20-1724 reduced EtOH intake by HAD1 rats. Repeated rolipram or Ro 20-1724 exposure reduced EtOH intake by P and HAD1 rats. PDE4 inhibition induced motor impairment during the first hour of EtOH intake by P rats. Higher gene expression levels for PDE4A were found in the NAc shell of P vs NP rats. ShRNAs targeting Il22ra2 in the NAc shell significantly reduced chronic EtOH intake. CONCLUSIONS: PDE4 and neuroinflammatory/immune signaling pathways could represent molecular targets for the treatment of alcohol use disorders in genetically predisposed subjects. This study underscores the importance of testing compounds over multiple days and rat lines when determining efficacy to disrupt excessive alcohol intake

Evaluation of a Small, In-field Runoff Collector

Proceedings of the 1999 Georgia Water Resources Conference, March 30 and 31, Athens, Georgia.Increased environmental concern about surface water pollution has heightened the need for small, in-field runoff collectors to assess the impact of land management practices without altering the landscape. We modified a surface flow sampler designed for sheet flow in Coastal Plain soils. Modifications were made to accommodate steep slopes (3 to 15% ), large flow rates, and channelized flow which are common in the Southern Piedmont. The runoff collector consists of two sample splitters (10x and 100x) and two sample collectors. Runoff collector performance was evaluated in the laboratory to determine percent flow captured by 10x and 100x splitters relative to flow rate and slope. Average flow captured on a 5% slope was 10.3% for 10x and 1.8% for the l00x. When the slope was increased to 12% the percent flow capture also increased slightly, 10.4% for l0x and 2.3% for l00x. It was determined that the small, in-field runoff collector captures runoff volumes at specific rates at fairly consistent ratios.Sponsored and Organized by: U.S. Geological Survey, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, The University of Georgia, Georgia State University, Georgia Institute of TechnologyThis book was published by the Institute of Ecology, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602-2202 with partial funding provided by the U.S. Department of Interior, geological Survey, through the Georgia Water Research Insttitute as authorized by the Water Research Institutes Authorization Act of 1990 (P.L. 101-397). The views and statements advanced in this publication are solely those of the authors and do not represent official views or policies of the University of Georgia or the U.S. Geological Survey or the conference sponsors