Organochloride Pesticides Present in Animal Fur, Soil, and Streambed in an Agricultural Region of Southeastern Arkansas

Animals in agricultural settings may be subject to bioaccumulation of toxins. For the last several years, we collected hair samples from bats and rodents in an agricultural area near Bayou Bartholomew in Drew County, Arkansas. Samples were submitted to the Center of Environmental Sciences and Engineering at the University of Connecticut for wide-screen toxin analysis. Several of these samples contained measurable amounts of organochloride pesticides or their metabolites, including some that have been banned for decades, such as dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and chlordane. In addition, we collected several samples of soil from within an agricultural field, from adjacent edge habitat, from alongside the bank of the Bayou, and from the bed of the Bayou itself. Although none of these samples tested positive for DDT or chlordane, all of the samples except one contained measurable amounts of metabolites from these pesticides. This study raises questions about environmental persistence of DDT/DDE and other organochlorides. There may be risk to wildlife populations, warranting further investigation into effects of long-term exposure to these toxins

Effects of freezing pork chops on warner-bratzler shear force and cookery traits

Eighty-one boneless pork loins were used to determine the influence of freezing and pH on Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBS) values and cookery traits. Chops with lower pH (<5.5 to 5.5) had higher cooking losses than chops with intermediate pH (5.7 to 5.9) and higher pH (6.0 to >6.2). Similar to cooking losses, total moisture losses decreased with increased pH. Frozen chops had lower WBS values (more tender) than fresh chops. However, fresh chops had a higher total yield (lower moisture loss) than frozen chops

Effects of pH and location within a loin on pork quality

Eighty-one boneless pork loins were used to determine the influence of pH on quality characteristics. With increasing loin pH, instrumental values for L* (lightness) and b* (yellowness) of loins and chops decreased, and cooking losses of chops before 0 d and after 1 d of retail display also decreased. The pH had no effects on package losses or Warner-Bratzler shear force values of chops. Center loin chops (0 d and 1 d) had higher ratios of reflectance than blade and sirloin chops. Sirloin chops had higher ratio of reflectance than blade chops. Center loin chops had lower package losses than blade and sirloin chops. Blade chops had lower (more tender) WBS values than center loin and sirloin chops. Measuring loin pH can predict instrumental color (L*and b*) values as well as cooking losses

Early-season insect defoliation influences the critical time for weed removal in soybean

To develop more effective pest-management strategies, it is essential to understand how different pests interact with each other and the crop. Field studies were conducted in 2003 and 2004 at two Nebraska locations to determine the effects of early-season crop defoliation on the critical time for weed removal (CTWR) in narrow-row soybean. Three soybean defoliation levels were selected to simulate 0, 30, and 60% leaf tissue removal by the bean leaf beetle. Weeds were allowed to compete with the crop until V2, V4, V6, R3, and R5 growth stages. There were also season-long weedy and weed-free treatments. Results indicated that the CTWR in soybean occurred earlier as defoliation levels increased from 0 to 60%. The CTWR occurred at V3, V2, and V1 growth stage for 0, 30, and 60% defoliation levels, respectively. Overall, 60% defoliation resulted in earlier CTWR by at least 14 d. Yield losses from defoliation and weed interference were primarily associated with a reduction in number of pods per plant-1

The Indirect Benefits of Mating with Attractive Males Outweigh the Direct Costs

The fitness consequences of mate choice are a source of ongoing debate in evolutionary biology. Recent theory predicts that indirect benefits of female choice due to offspring inheriting superior genes are likely to be negated when there are direct costs associated with choice, including any costs of mating with attractive males. To estimate the fitness consequences of mating with males of varying attractiveness, we housed female house crickets, Acheta domesticus, with either attractive or unattractive males and measured a variety of direct and indirect fitness components. These fitness components were combined to give relative estimates of the number of grandchildren produced and the intrinsic rate of increase (relative net fitness). We found that females mated to attractive males incur a substantial survival cost. However, these costs are cancelled out and may be outweighed by the benefits of having offspring with elevated fitness. This benefit is due predominantly, but not exclusively, to the effect of an increase in sons' attractiveness. Our results suggest that the direct costs that females experience when mating with attractive males can be outweighed by indirect benefits. They also reveal the value of estimating the net fitness consequences of a mating strategy by including measures of offspring quality in estimates of fitness

One small step for man, one giant leap for men's health: A meta-analysis of behaviour change interventions to increase men's physical activity

Objective To determine the effects of behaviour change interventions on men’s physical activity (postintervention), sustained change in physical activity behaviour (≥12 months postintervention) and to identify variations in effects due to potential moderating variables (eg, theoretical underpinning, gender-tailored, contact frequency). Design Systematic review with meta-analysis. Pooled effect size (Cohen’s d) was calculated assuming a random-effects model. Homogeneity and subsequent exploratory moderator analyses were assessed using Q, T2 and I2. Data sources Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, SportDiscus and Web of Science to April 2019. Eligibility criteria for selected studies Randomised control trials of behaviour change interventions in men (≥18 years) where physical activity was an outcome and data were from men-only studies or disaggregated by sex. Results Twenty-six articles described 24 eligible studies. The overall mean intervention effect on men’s physical activity was 0.35 (SE=0.05; 95% CI 0.26 to 0.45;

Energy Content of Seeds of Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) in the Diet of Mourning Doves (Zenaida macroura) in Southeastern New Mexico

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) is a common forage plant that grows over much of the United States. It has drawn interest as a possible feedstock for biofuels, is used as forage for livestock, is planted for soil conservation, and is a component of the diet of some species of wildlife. We analyzed the energy content of seeds of switchgrass obtained from the crops of mourning doves (Zenaida macroura) collected from plains-mesa sand-scrub in Lea and Eddy counties, New Mexico. Seeds were removed from crops and dried for 48 hours at 60°C to remove moisture and standardize masses. Seeds were then analyzed for gross caloric value (i.e., energy content) in an oxygen bomb calorimeter. Energy content of seeds of switchgrass from New Mexico averaged 18.4 J/kg (4.4 kcal/g—standard deviation, 0.7 J/kg [0.2 kcal/g]) and was lower than that of most other food items previously reported from the diet of mourning doves