Effect of predator type, season, brood size, and West Nile Virus infection on the nest defense behavior of male and female Eastern Bluebirds

The intensity of nest defense by birds can be influenced by many factors, including a parent\u27s sex, brood size, stage of breeding season, type of predator, and physical condition. Because previous studies have produced conflicting results concerning the effects of these factors on the nest defense behavior of birds, additional studies are needed to better clarify how and why such factors influence behavior. No one to date has examined the possible effect of a viral infection on avian nest defense behavior. Thus, my objectives were to determine the effect of adult sex, brood size, stage of the breeding season, predator type, and infection with West Nile Virus (WNV) on the nest defense behavior of male and female Eastern Bluebirds (Sialia sialis). Eastern Bluebirds were studied from March to August 2003 at the Blue Grass Army Depot. Adult and nestling Bluebirds were captured, measured, banded, and blood was drawn. Nest defense was examined when nestlings were 15-18 days old. Pairs of bluebirds were presented with two predators, a human and an Eastern Screech-Owl (Megascops asio), and nest defense behaviors were recorded. Analysis revealed that nest defense intensity differed significantly with predator type, with bluebirds responding more vigorously to an Eastern Screech-Owl than to a human (P \u3c 0.0001). Nest defense intensity also differed between the sexes, with male bluebirds defending with greater intensity than females (P = 0.031). However, analysis revealed that brood size (P = 0.70) and stage of breeding season (P = 0.11) did not influence nest defense intensity of Eastern Bluebirds. There was also no difference in the intensity of nest defense between pairs where one adult was infected with West Nile Virus and pairs where neither adult was infected (P = 0.24). My results indicate that male and female Eastern Bluebirds responded more vigorously to an Eastern Screech Owl than a human, possibly because an avian (aerial) predator like an Eastern Screech-Owl, in contrast to a terrestrial predator, represents a threat not only to nestlings, but to adults as well. Intensity of nest defense may not vary with brood size because the value of a given number of young may vary with the reproductive potential of parents and, therefore, parents capable of raising fewer young might be expected to defend their smaller brood as intensively as parents with greater reproductive potential defend their larger brood. The intensity of nest defense by bluebirds may remain constant throughout the breeding season because the declining value of offspring as the season progresses may be balanced by the effect of declining re-nesting potential. Finally, my results suggest that WNV infection, at least during the viremic stage, did not affect the physical condition of Eastern Bluebirds enough to affect their nest defense behavior

To Dye For: From Seed to Storage An Examination of Three Purple Garments

Dyes, both natural and synthetic were a critical part of textile manufacture in the nineteenth century. Using an interdisciplinary and material culture approach, this thesis uses three extant purple dresses to follow the ingredients used to dye these artifacts in Canada and around the world. The first portion focuses on the global journey the dyes and silk took before becoming the fabric for these garments. The second section focuses on one of the garments, a wedding dress belonging to Clara Bell Waddell, a nineteenth century resident of Hamilton, from its construction to eventual donation to Black Creek Pioneer Village, offering understanding into Canadian social history. Taken together, these three garments provide insight into the fashion history and international and Canadian textile manufacture

Biological, linguistic and cultural change and education in one coastal community in Newfoundland and Labrador

Much attention has been focused on issues of ecological and biological loss but less so on the worldwide loss of languages. There is heightened awareness of the need for sustainability in the ecological domain but less so in terms of language and culture. Nettle and Romaine (2000), whose research showed remarkably high correlations between areas of biological diversity and linguistic diversity, coined the term biolinguistic diversity to describe “a common repository” (p.13). It is a key concept for scholars across disciplines who explore diversity through integrated and holistic approaches. An examination of the relationships and differences between the domains of biology and language might explain reasons for loss, or sustainability, in both (Maffi, 2001; Romaine, 2013). I explore how a holistic approach will demonstrate the interconnections and interrelations within different domains. I relate these issues to the ecological disaster of fisheries mismanagement in Newfoundland and Labrador, particularly with reference to the cod moratorium of 1992, and examine the impact on language and culture in one coastal community in the province. Furthermore, I examine how education can contribute to biological, linguistic and cultural sustainability

Theoretical Evaluations of the Fission Cross Section of the 77 eV Isomer of 235-U

We have developed models of the fission barrier (barrier heights and transition state spectra) that reproduce reasonably well the measured fission cross section of $^{235}$U from neutron energy of 1 keV to 2 MeV. From these models we have calculated the fission cross section of the 77 eV isomer of $^{235}$U over the same energy range. We find that the ratio of the isomer cross section to that of the ground state lies between about 0.45 and 0.55 at low neutron energies. The cross sections become approximately equal above 1 MeV. The ratio of the neutron capture cross section to the fission cross section for the isomer is predicted to be about a factor of 3 larger for the isomer than for the ground state of $^{235}$U at keV neutron energies. We have also calculated the cross section for the population of the isomer by inelastic neutron scattering form the $^{235}$U ground state. We find that the isomer is strongly populated, and for $E_n = 1 MeV$ the $(n,n'\gamma)$ cross section leading to the population of the isomer is of the order of 0.5 barn. Thus, neutron reaction network calculations involving the uranium isotopes in a high neutron fluence are likely to be affected by the 77 eV isomer of $^{235}$U. With these same models the fission cross sections of $^{233}$U and $^{237}$U can be reproduced approximately using only minor adjustments to the barrier heights. With the significant lowering of the outer barrier that is expected for the outer barrier the general behavior of the fission cross section of $^{239}$Pu can also be reproduced.Comment: 17 pages including 8 figure

Local Wellness Policy 5 Years Later: Is It Making a Difference for Students in Low-Income, Rural Colorado Elementary Schools?

IntroductionThe federally mandated Local Wellness Policy (LWP) was intended to promote student health in schools. This study assesses the 5-year effects of the LWP on the health practices of rural elementary schools in Colorado. MethodsOne year before and 5 years after the LWP mandate, a survey was administered to a random sample of principals, physical education (PE) teachers, and food-service managers in 45 rural, low-income elementary schools in Colorado. Response rates were 71% in 2005 and 89% in 2011. ResultsMinutes for PE and recess did not increase, nor did offerings of fresh fruits and vegetables. More schools adopted policies prohibiting teachers from taking recess away as punishment (9.7% in 2005 vs 38.5% in 2011, P = .02) or for making up missed instructional time, class work, or tests in other subjects (3.2% in 2005 vs 28.2% in 2011, P = .03). More schools scheduled recess before lunch (22.6% in 2005 vs 46.2% in 2011, P = .04) and developed policies for vending machines (42.9% in 2005 vs 85.7% in 2011, P = .01) and parties (21.4% in 2005 vs 57.9% in 2011, P = .004). ConclusionChanges in school practices are modest, and arguably the important school practices such as increased PE and recess time and increased offerings of fruits and vegetables in the lunch line have not changed in the 5 years since the mandate went into effect. Further investigation is needed to identify the knowledge, skills, and attitudes as well as financial and physical resources required for school administrators to make changes in school practices

Wound Infection Rates After Invasive Procedures in HIV-1 Seropositive Versus HIV-1 Seronegative Hemophiliacs

One-hundred and two patients with hemophilia A, hemophilia B, or acquired antibody to factor VIII who had undergone invasive procedures were cross referenced with patients participating in an ongoing prospective natural history study of HIV-1 infection in hemophiliacs. Matching revealed that HIV-1 status was known for 83 patients (83%) who had undergone 169 procedures between July 1979 and April 1988. Invasive procedures were classified as clean in 108 patients (63.9%), clean-contaminated in 45 (26.6%), contaminated in 2 (1.2%), and infected in 14 (8.3%). Wound infection rates by HIV-1 status were as follows (95% confidence intervals): HIV+ 1.4% (0% to 5%), HIV- 0% (0% to 9%), and procedure before testing HIV+ 1.5% (0% to 6%). There were no significant differences between the wound infection rates of HIV-positive and HIV-negative hemophiliacs nor in the wound infection rate among all three subgroups of patients (p greater than 0.5, Fisher's Exact Test). We conclude that surgery in HIV-1-infected patients who have not progressed to AIDS does not entail an increased risk of postoperative wound infections

Progressing the care, husbandry and management of ageing mice used in scientific studies

Driven by the longer lifespans of humans, particularly in Westernised societies, and the need to know more about ‘healthy ageing’, ageing mice are being used increasingly in scientific research. Many departments and institutes involved with ageing research have developed their own systems to determine intervention points for potential refinements and to identify humane end points. Several good systems are in use, but variations between them could contribute to poor reproducibility of the science achieved. Working with scientific and regulatory communities in the UK, we have reviewed the clinical signs observed in ageing mice and developed recommendations for enhanced monitoring, behaviour assessment, husbandry and veterinary interventions. We advocate that the default time point for enhanced monitoring should be 15 months of age, unless prior information is available. Importantly, the enhanced monitoring should cause no additional harms to the animals. Where a mouse strain is well characterised, the onset of age-related enhanced monitoring may be modified based on knowledge of the onset of an expected age-related clinical sign. In progeroid models where ageing is accelerated, enhanced monitoring may need to be brought forward. Information on the background strain must be considered, as it influences the onset of age-related clinical signs. The range of ageing models currently used means that there will be no ‘one-size fits all’ solution. Increased awareness of the issues will lead to more refined and consistent husbandry of ageing mice, and application of humane end points will help to reduce the numbers of animals maintained for longer than is scientifically justified