Partnering for Quail in South Carolina: A Cooperative Approach Making a Difference

The National Bobwhite Conservation Initiative (NBCI) identified 15 national quail focal areas throughout the distribution of the northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) in June 2016. The first NBCI Focal Area on U.S. Forest Service System land emerged from the existing 16,200-hectare Indian Creek Woodland and Savanna Restoration Initiative (ICWSRI). The ICWSRI is an ongoing collaborative project involving partners from 10 agencies and organizations in the Piedmont of South Carolina. Cooperation among federal and state agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGO), and private landowners, combined with assistance programs such as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) have currently resulted in 2,547 hectares (1,600 hectares on private land and 947 hectares on public land) of improved habitat for wildlife species associated with pine woodlands and savannas. Data obtained through the Breeding Bird Survey, spring whistle counts, and fall covey counts suggest a correlation between woodland and savanna restoration and avian response across the ICWSRI area. Fall covey count minimum population estimates (birds/ha) ranged from 1/38 in 2008 to 1/7 in 2016. Spring whistle count population density estimates (birds/ha) ranged from 1/37 in 2009 to 1/6 in 2012. Although monitoring suggests an initial increase in bobwhite densities across the project area, it is imperative to continue involving existing and additional partners to increase habitat availability, connectivity, and quality for bobwhite and associated species. Collaborative efforts and partnerships across ownership boundaries are necessary to increase bobwhite populations on a landscape scale. The Indian Creek project has effectively involved efforts from federal, state, NGO, and private partners to restore and improve bobwhite habitat and may serve as an example for other areas where incorporating a cooperative approach could positively influence bobwhite populations

Psychosocial impact of undergoing prostate cancer screening for men with BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations.

OBJECTIVES: To report the baseline results of a longitudinal psychosocial study that forms part of the IMPACT study, a multi-national investigation of targeted prostate cancer (PCa) screening among men with a known pathogenic germline mutation in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes. PARTICPANTS AND METHODS: Men enrolled in the IMPACT study were invited to complete a questionnaire at collaborating sites prior to each annual screening visit. The questionnaire included sociodemographic characteristics and the following measures: the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Impact of Event Scale (IES), 36-item short-form health survey (SF-36), Memorial Anxiety Scale for Prostate Cancer, Cancer Worry Scale-Revised, risk perception and knowledge. The results of the baseline questionnaire are presented. RESULTS: A total of 432 men completed questionnaires: 98 and 160 had mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, respectively, and 174 were controls (familial mutation negative). Participants' perception of PCa risk was influenced by genetic status. Knowledge levels were high and unrelated to genetic status. Mean scores for the HADS and SF-36 were within reported general population norms and mean IES scores were within normal range. IES mean intrusion and avoidance scores were significantly higher in BRCA1/BRCA2 carriers than in controls and were higher in men with increased PCa risk perception. At the multivariate level, risk perception contributed more significantly to variance in IES scores than genetic status. CONCLUSION: This is the first study to report the psychosocial profile of men with BRCA1/BRCA2 mutations undergoing PCa screening. No clinically concerning levels of general or cancer-specific distress or poor quality of life were detected in the cohort as a whole. A small subset of participants reported higher levels of distress, suggesting the need for healthcare professionals offering PCa screening to identify these risk factors and offer additional information and support to men seeking PCa screening

Environmental Determinants of Stigonematales In A Southeastern Reservoir.

A cyanobacterial epiphyte in the order of Stigonematales has affected waterfowl and their avian predators on Lake J. Strom Thurmond since 1998. Avian mortalities caused by Stigonematales occur on Lake Thurmond from October through March. The purpose of this study was to examine the factors that may influence Stigonematales abundance at 20 sites on Lake Thurmond. The factors examined in this study were: dissolved oxygen, temperature, turbidity, copper, zinc, fluoride, chloride, nitrate, sulfate, phosphate, hydrilla abundance and previous Stigonematales abundance. Measurements (dissolved oxygen, water temperature) or water samples (turbidity, nutrient content) were taken at three different depths: one surface reading (epilimnion), one reading at 1 meter (metalimnion), and one reading near the bottom (hypolimnion). Relationships between the abundance of Stigonematales and the independent environmental factors were analyzed using generalized linear modeling (GLM) with a cumulative logit link function. The significance of main variable effects associated with the abundance of Stigonematales was tested using both forward and backward stepwise variable entry. The statistical significance of individual ecological factors was tested with a Wald chi-square test and Bonferroni corrected follow-up test. Non-significant variables were then removed and the data were re-analyzed using the significant variable and two-way interaction terms effects among the variables. The results of this study would be useful in the development of a predictive model to help identify areas prone to high abundance of Stigonematales and enable managers to reduce the submersed aquatic vegetation hosting the Stigonematales, thereby reducing the Stigonematales availability to waterfowl

THIRSTY - A new thermal infrared mission concept for Earth science

International audienceThe Thermal InfraRed SpaTial System (THIRSTY) is a joint mission concept being developed by CNES and NASA that is nearing the end of its Phase 0 activities. THIRSTY is science-driven and during the Phase 0 activities, the team has utilized the key science objectives to develop the measurement needs and mission concept. The science of the THIRSTY mission is focused on addressing questions related to evaporation stress and water use. However, the measurements will be useful for a broad range of other studies related to urban environments, coastal and inland waters, and solid earth and natural disasters. The THIRSTY mission is driven by the need to address two main science questions related to ecosystem stress and water use. These are 1) how is the terrestrial biosphere responding to changes in water availability and 2) can agricultural vulnerability be reduced through advanced monitoring of consumptive use and improved drought detection. These questions are being further refined by the mission concept team together with input from the science community. THIRSTY represents a confluence of two earlier concepts being developed by CNES and NASA. On the CNES side, the mission draws from the MISTIGRI (Micro Satellite for Thermal Infrared Ground surface Imaging) concept. This 200 kg satellite was composed of a 4 band thermal infrared (TIR) instrument and a 4 band visible-near infrared (VNIR) instrument, mounted on a Myriade spacecraft (CNES low cost product line). MISTIGRI was a sampling mission that would acquire tens of 25km x25 km scenes from parts of the globe with 50 m spatial resolution and a revisit of 1 day. On the NASA side, THIRSTY provides the measurements needed for part of the Hyperspectral Infrared Imager (HyspIRI) mission. The HyspIRI payload includes a visible shortwave infrared imaging spectrometer and a mid and thermal infrared multispectral scanner. THIRSTY would provide the data needed to satisfy the measurement requirements of the mid and thermal infrared multispectral scanner. The HyspIRI mid and thermal infrared instrument has 60 m spatial resolution, 8 spectral channels, global coverage and a revisit time of 5 days both day and night. The THIRSTY concept will provide high spatial resolution data (<100 m) in the VNIR-TIR parts of the electromagnetic spectrum of Earth land surface and coastal regions in multiple spectral channels every 3 days. The mid and thermal infrared measurements will be made both day and night. This presentation will discuss the science questions and how the measurements required to answer those questions were used to define the THIRSTY mission concept

Characteristics of mycoplasma genitalium urogenital infections in a diverse patient sample from the United States: Results from the aptima mycoplasma genitalium evaluation study (AMES)

Data from a large prospective multicenter clinical validation study of a nucleic acid amplification in vitro diagnostic test for Mycoplasma genitalium were analyzed to describe the prevalence of M. genitalium infection, risk factors, and disease associations in female and male patients seeking care in diverse geographic regions of the United States. Among 1,737 female and 1,563 male participants, the overall prevalence of M. genitalium infection was 10.3% and was significantly higher in persons ages 15 to 24 years than in persons ages 35 to 39 years (for females, 19.8% versus 4.7% [odds ratio {OR} = 5.05; 95% confidence interval {CI} = 3.01 to 8.46]; for males, 16.5% versus 9.4% [OR = 1.91; 95% CI = 1.20 to 3.02]). The risk for M. genitalium infection was higher in black than in white participants (for females, 12.0% versus 6.8% [OR = 1.88; 95% CI = 1.30 to 2.72]; for males, 12.9% versus 6.9% [OR = 2.02; 95% CI = 1.38 to 2.96]) and higher in non-Hispanic than in Hispanic participants (for females, 11.2% versus 6.0% [OR = 1.97; 95% CI = 1.25 to 3.10]; for males, 11.6% versus 6.8% [OR = 1.80; 95% CI = 1.14 to 2.85]). Participants reporting urogenital symptoms had a significantly elevated risk of M. genitalium infection compared to that for asymptomatic individuals (for females, OR = 1.53 [95% CI = 1.09 to 2.14]; for males, OR = 1.42 [95% CI = 1.02 to 1.99]). Women diagnosed with vaginitis and cervicitis had a higher prevalence of M. genitalium infection than women without those diagnoses, although this was statistically significant only for vaginitis (for vaginitis, OR = 1.88 [95% CI = 1.37 to 2.58]; for cervicitis, OR = 1.42 [95% CI = 0.61 to 2.96]). A diagnosis of urethritis in men was also significantly associated with M. genitalium infection (OR = 2.97; 95% CI = 2.14 to 4.13). Few characteristics distinguished asymptomatic from symptomatic M. genitalium infections. These results from persons seeking care in the United States suggest that M. genitalium infection should be considered in young persons presenting with urogenital symptoms