Seasonal Movements of Prairie Grouse in South Dakota

From 1962 through 1966, 1,401 plains sharp-tailed grouse (Pedicecetes phasianellus jamesi) and greater prairie chickens (Tympanuchus cupide pinnatus) were trapped in Gregory and Lyman Counties in south-central South Dakota. Cannon-projected nets and funnel traps were used to capture prairie grouse on breeding grounds and winter baitsites. Some birds were marked with backtags and leg-markers. Movement information was obtained from field observations, hunter reports, sharp-tailed grouse collections, and by recapturing banded birds. Male birds moved less than two miles from winter baitsites to breeding areas; most movements over five miles were made by immature female birds. Seventy-seven percent of the hunter reported birds were taken within three miles of winter baitsites. Prairie grouse used winter baitsites more than one year although some birds exchanged sites during the season and from one year to the next. The limited movement by most sharp-tailed grouse indicates that habitat requirements are adequate throughout the area studied. Improvement of existing habitat for food and cover will probably be the most productive management too

Economic insecurity during the Great Recession and metabolic, inflammatory and liver function biomarkers: analysis of the UK Household Longitudinal Study

Background: Economic insecurity correlates with adverse health outcomes, but the biological pathways involved are not well understood. We examine how changes in economic insecurity relate to metabolic, inflammatory and liver function biomarkers. Methods: Blood analyte data were taken from 6520 individuals (aged 25–59 years) participating in Understanding Society. Economic insecurity was measured using an indicator of subjective financial strain and by asking participants whether they had missed any bill, council tax, rent or mortgage payments in the past year. We investigated longitudinal changes in economic insecurity (remained secure, increase in economic insecurity, decrease in economic insecurity, remained insecure) and the accumulation of economic insecurity. Linear regression models were calculated for nine (logged) biomarker outcomes related to metabolic, inflammatory, liver and kidney function (as falsification tests), adjusting for potential confounders. Results: Compared with those who remained economically stable, people who experienced consistent economic insecurity (using both measures) had worsened levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol, triglycerides, C reactive protein (CRP), fibrinogen and glycated haemoglobin. Increased economic insecurity was associated with adverse levels of HDL-cholesterol (0.955, 95% CI 0.929 to 0.982), triglycerides (1.077, 95% CI 1.018 to 1.139) and CRP (1.114, 95% CI 1.012 to 1.227), using the measure of financial strain. Results for the other measure were generally consistent, apart from the higher levels of gamma-glutamyl transferase observed among those experiencing persistent insecurity (1.200, 95% CI 1.110 to 1.297). Conclusion: Economic insecurity is associated with adverse metabolic and inflammatory biomarkers (particularly HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides and CRP), heightening risk for a range of health conditions

Cloud chamber identification of photodeuterons from copper

Evidence has been reported (1,2) for the production of deuterons in the disintegration of copper and sulfur by bromsstrahlung before 24 Mev. energy. In the more direct of these investigations (1), the presence of a deuteron group was inferred on the basis of range and grain-density measurement in nuclear emulsions, and led to a ratio of photodeuterons to photoprotons cited as 0.31 for copper. Due to the bearing which such a large deuteron group must have on the theory of photonuclear processes, an independent investigation of the photodeuteron yield from copper was undertaken

Method and apparatus for detection of underivatized amines and amino acids utilizing end column addition of Ru(bpy).sub.3.sup.2+

A method and an apparatus for detecting amines or amino acids is disclosed. The apparatus generally includes a capillary electrophoresis separation tube with a post-capillary reactor positioned at the end of the tube to immediately receive separated samples from the tube. The post-capillary reactor includes a solution of Ru(bpy)3 2+ buffered with a base. The post capillary reactor further includes an electrode assembly for providing current to the solution to convert nonluminescing Ru(bpy)3 2+ to luminescing Ru(bpy)3 3+. The method generally includes separating the desired analyte from the sample, contacting the analyte with the solution to produce luminescence, and then photometrically measuring the amount of analyte present as a function of the luminescence

Discovery and partial genomic characterisation of a novel nidovirus associated with respiratory disease in wild shingleback lizards (Tiliqua rugosa)

A respiratory disease syndrome has been observed in large numbers of wild shingleback lizards (Tiliqua rugosa) admitted to wildlife care facilities in the Perth metropolitan region of Western Australia. Mortality rates are reportedly high without supportive treatment and care. Here we used next generation sequencing techniques to screen affected and unaffected individuals admitted to Kanyana Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre in Perth between April and December 2015, with the resultant discovery of a novel nidovirus significantly associated with cases of respiratory disease according to a case definition based on clinical signs. Interestingly this virus was also found in 12% of apparently healthy individuals, which may reflect testing during the incubation period or a carrier status, or it may be that this agent is not causative in the disease process. This is the first report of a nidovirus in lizards globally. In addition to detection of this virus, characterisation of a 23,832 nt segment of the viral genome revealed the presence of characteristic nidoviral genomic elements providing phylogenetic support for the inclusion of this virus in a novel genus alongside Ball Python nidovirus, within the Torovirinae sub-family of the Coronaviridae. This study highlights the importance of next generation sequencing technologies to detect and describe emerging infectious diseases in wildlife species, as well as the importance of rehabilitation centres to enhance early detection mechanisms through passive and targeted health surveillance. Further development of diagnostic tools from these findings will aid in detection and control of this agent across Australia, and potentially in wild lizard populations globally

Tuning a Simulated Annealing metaheuristic for cross-domain search

Simulated Annealing is a well known local search metaheuristic used for solving computationally hard optimization problems. Cross-domain search poses a higher level issue where a single solution method is used with minor, preferably no modification for solving characteristically different optimisation problems. The performance of a metaheuristic is often dependant on its initial parameter settings, hence detecting the best configuration, i.e. parameter tuning is crucial, which becomes a further challenge for cross-domain search. In this paper, we investigate the cross-domain search performance of Simulated Annealing via tuning for solving six problems, ranging from personnel scheduling to vehicle routing under a stochastic local search framework. The empirical results show that Simulated Annealing is extremely sensitive to the initial parameter settings leading to sub-standard performance when used as a single solution method for cross-domain search. Moreover, we demonstrate that cross-domain parameter tuning is inferior to domain-level tuning highlighting the requirements for adaptive parameter configurations when dealing with cross-domain search

The effect of Cichorium intybus and Lotus corniculatus on nematode burdens and production in grazed lambs

This report was presented at the UK Organic Research 2002 Conference. The study was designed to examine the hypothesis that chicory (Cichorium intybus) and Lotus sp. (Lotus corniculatus) have the potential to affect the naturally acquired nematode burden in grazed lambs. Organic male castrate lambs (48) with a naturally acquired parasite burden grazed replicate combination plots (0.6 ha) of chicory, Lotus corniculatus, perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) and white clover (Trifolium repens). Lamb performance was determined by weekly weight gain and condition score assessments. Nematode burden was assessed by individual lamb faecal egg count (FEC) before and after drenching (levamisole). The range of parasitic helminths present was assessed by faecal culture and by total worm counts performed on a proportion of the lambs at slaughter. Weekly pasture larval counts (PLCs) were conducted on the trial plots. A concurrent small plot study (6 x 1m2 replicates) of each of the forages used in the grazing trial was run to assess the potential effect of forage type on the development and survival of Teladorsagia circumcincta assessed by weekly PLCs. Preliminary data suggest that lambs grazing chicory or a combination of lotus and chicory had lower FECs than those grazing PRG/WC, however there was no significant difference in the total worm counts

A comparative study of fuzzy parameter control in a general purpose local search metaheuristic

There is a growing number of studies on general purpose metaheuristics that are directly applicable to multiple domains. Parameter setting is a particular issue considering that many of such search methods come with a set of parameters to be configured. Fuzzy logic has been used extensively in control applications and is known for its ability to handle uncertainty. In this study, we investigate the potential of using fuzzy systems to control the parameter settings of a threshold accepting (TA) metaheuristic for improving the overall effectiveness of a cross-domain approach. We have evaluated the performance of various general purpose local search metaheuristics which mix multiple heuristics at random and apply the TA metaheuristic with fixed threshold, crisp (non-fuzzy) rule-based control of the threshold and various fuzzy systems controlling the threshold. The empirical results show that the approach using the TA with crisp rule-based control performs the best across six problem domains from a benchmark

Fuzzy adaptive parameter control of a late acceptance hyper-heuristic

A traditional iterative selection hyper-heuristic which manages a set of low level heuristics relies on two core components, a method for selecting a heuristic to apply at a given point, and a method to decide whether or not to accept the result of the heuristic application. In this paper, we present an initial study of a fuzzy system to control the list-size parameter of late- acceptance move acceptance method as a selection hyper-heuristic component. The performance of the fuzzy controlled selection hyper-heuristic is compared to its fixed parameter version and the best hyper-heuristic from a competition on the MAX-SAT problem domain. The results illustrate that a fuzzy control system can potentially be effective within a hyper-heuristic improving its performance

Tissue Glycogen and Extracellular Buffering Limit the Survival of Red-Eared Slider Turtles during Anoxic Submergence at 3°C

The goal of this study was to identify the factors that limit the survival of the red-eared slider turtle Trachemys scripta during long-term anoxic submergence at 3°C. We measured blood acid-base status and tissue lactate and glycogen contents after 13, 29, and 44 d of submergence from ventricle, liver, carapace (lactate only), and four skeletal muscles. We also measured plasma Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+, Cl-, inorganic phosphate (Pi), lactate, and glucose. After 44 d, one of the six remaining turtles died, while the other turtles were in poor condition and suffered from a severe acidemia (blood pH = 7.09 from 7.77) caused by lactic acidosis (plasma lactate 91.5 mmol L-1). An initial respiratory acidosis attenuated after 28 d. Lactate rose to similar concentrations in ventricle and skeletal muscle (39.3–46.1 μmol g-1). Liver accumulated the least lactate (21.8 μmol g-1), and carapace accumulated the most lactate (68.9 μmol g-1). Plasma Ca2+ and Mg2+ increased significantly throughout submergence to levels comparable to painted turtles at a similar estimated lactate load. Glycogen depletion was extensive in all tissues tested: by 83% in liver, by 90% in ventricle, and by 62%–88% in muscle. We estimate that the shell buffered 69.1% of the total lactate load, which is comparable to painted turtles. Compared with painted turtles, predive tissue glycogen contents and plasma HCO3- concentrations were low.We believe these differences contribute to the poorer tolerance to long-term anoxic submergence in red-eared slider turtles compared with painted turtles