Individual and Population Level Resource Selection Patterns of Mountain Lions Preying on Mule Deer along an Urban-Wildland Gradient

Understanding population and individual-level behavioral responses of large carnivores to human disturbance is important for conserving top predators in fragmented landscapes. However, previous research has not investigated resource selection at predation sites of mountain lions in highly urbanized areas. We quantified selection of natural and anthropogenic landscape features by mountain lions at sites where they consumed their primary prey, mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), in and adjacent to urban, suburban, and rural areas in greater Los Angeles. We documented intersexual and individual-level variation in the environmental conditions present at mule deer feeding sites relative to their availability across home ranges. Males selected riparian woodlands and areas closer to water more than females, whereas females selected developed areas marginally more than males. Females fed on mule deer closer to developed areas and farther from riparian woodlands than expected based on the availability of these features across their home ranges.We suggest that mortality risk for females and their offspring associated with encounters with males may have influenced the different resource selection patterns between sexes. Males appeared to select mule deer feeding sites mainly in response to natural landscape features, while females may have made kills closer to developed areas in part because these are alternative sites where deer are abundant. Individual mountain lions of both sexes selected developed areas more strongly within home ranges where development occurred less frequently. Thus, areas near development may represent a trade-off for mountain lions such that they may benefit from foraging near development because of abundant prey, but as the landscape becomes highly urbanized these benefits may be outweighed by human disturbance

Evolution of the Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Muscle Gene Therapy: Translation from Clinical Trial to Benchtop and Back Again

Alpha-one antitrypsin (AAT) deficiency is a genetic disease affecting the lungs due to inadequate anti-protease activity in the pulmonary interstitium. On-going human trials use intra-muscular delivery of adeno-associated virus (rAAV1), allowing expressing myofibers to secrete normal (M)AAT protein. In the Phase IIa trial, patients in the highest dose cohort (6x1012vg/kg) were given 100 intra-muscular (IM) injections of undiluted vector, with serum AAT levels still substantially below target levels. Previous work has shown that delivering rAAV vector to the musculature via limb perfusion leads to widespread gene expression in myofibers. We hypothesize that widespread delivery would result in an overall increase in serum AAT levels with the same dose of AAV gene therapy vector and allow for increased volume and thereby dose of vector. In macaques, similar serum myc-tagged rhAAT was produced using regional venous infusion when compared to direct IM delivery at the same total vg dose with either rAAV1 or rAAV8, while not being limited to a small volume as with IM injection. These data prove the concept that a 30-fold expanded volume of rAAV-AAT could be delivered to myofibers using limb perfusion without loss of potency on a per vg basis, thereby enabling potential achievement of therapeutic AAT levels in patients. This will allow us to proceed to a phase IIb clinical trial in AAT patients employing venous limb perfusion

Redetermination of bis(2-amino-3-hydroxy-1-phenylpropanolato-κ 2 N , O 1 )(ethylenediamine-κ 2 N , N ′)cobalt(III) iodide monohydrate

New data for the title complex, [Co(C9,H12NO 2)2(C2H8N2)]I-H 2O, allow the modelling of previously unresolved disorder [Wardeska et al. (1979). Inorg. Chem. 18, 1641-1648] in the ethylenediamine ligand coordinated to the octahedral cation

Extinction vortex dynamics of top predators isolated by urbanization

Extinction risk is elevated in small, isolated populations due to demographic and genetic interactions. Therefore, it is critical to model these processes realistically in population viability analyses (PVA) to inform local management and contribute to a greater understanding of mechanisms within the extinction vortex. We conducted PVA’s for two small mountain lion populations isolated by urbanization in southern California to predict population growth, extinction probability, and loss of genetic diversity with empirical data. Specifically, we (1) provide the first PVA for isolated mountain lions in the Santa Ana Mountains (SAM) that considers both demographic and genetic risk factors and (2) test the hypothesis that variation in abundance and mortality between the SAM and Santa Monica Mountains (SMM) result in differences in population growth, loss of heterozygosity, and extinction probability. Our models predicted 16–21% probability of local extinction in the SAM due purely to demographic processes over 50 yr with current low levels or no immigration. Our models also predicted that genetic diversity will further erode in the SAM such that concern regarding inbreeding depression is warranted unless gene flow is increased, and that if inbreeding depression occurs, rapid local extinction will be highly likely. Dynamics of the two populations were broadly similar, but they also exhibited differences driven by larger population size and higher mortality in the SAM. Density-independent scenarios predicted a rapidly increasing population in the SMM, whereas growth potential did not differ from a stable trend in the SAM. Demographic extinction probability and loss of heterozygosity were greater in the SMM for density-dependent scenarios without immigration. However, higher levels of immigration had stronger, positive influences on both demographic viability and retention of genetic diversity in the SMM driven by lower abundance and higher adult survival. Our results elucidate demographic and genetic threats to small populations within the extinction vortex, and how these vary relative to demographic structure. Importantly, simulating seemingly attainable increases in connectivity was sufficient to greatly reduce extinction probability. Our work highlights that conservation of large carnivores is achievable within urbanized landscapes, but requires land protection, connectivity, and strategies to promote coexistence with humans

Carbon sequestration in the deep Atlantic enhanced by Saharan dust

sinking rates of particulate organicmatter. Here we present a two-year time series of sediment trap observations of particulate organic carbon flux to 3,000m depth, measured directly in two locations: the dust-rich central North Atlantic gyre and the dust-poor South Atlantic gyre. We find that carbon fluxes are twice as high and a higher proportion of primary production is exported to depth in the dust-rich North Atlantic gyre. Low stable nitrogen isotope ratios suggest that high fluxes result from the stimulation of nitrogen fixation and productivity following the deposition of dust-borne nutrients. Sediment traps in the northern gyre also collected intact colonies of nitrogen-fixing Trichodesmium species. Whereas ballast in Enhanced atmospheric input of dust-borne nutrients and minerals to the remote surface ocean can potentially increase carbon uptake and sequestration at depth. Nutrients can enhance primary productivity, and mineral particles act as ballast, increasing the southern gyre is predominantly biogenic, dust-derived mineral particles constitute the dominant ballast element during the enhanced carbon fluxes in the northern gyre. We conclude that dust deposition increases carbon sequestration in the North Atlantic gyre through the fertilization of the nitrogen-fixing community in surface waters and mineral ballasting of sinking particles

The waxy mutation in sorghum and other cereal grains reshapes the gut microbiome by reducing levels of multiple beneficial species

Waxy starches from cereal grains contain \u3e90% amylopectin due to naturally occurring mutations that block amylose biosynthesis. Waxy starches have unique organoleptic characteristics (e.g. sticky rice) as well as desirable physicochemical properties for food processing. Using isogenic pairs of wild type sorghum lines and their waxy derivatives, we studied the effects of waxy starches in the whole grain context on the human gut microbiome. In vitro fermentations with human stool microbiomes show that beneficial taxonomic and metabolic signatures driven by grain from wild type parental lines are lost in fermentations of grain from the waxy derivatives and the beneficial signatures can be restored by addition of resistant starch. These undesirable effects are conserved in fermentations of waxy maize, wheat, rice and millet. We also demonstrate that humanized gnotobiotic mice fed low fiber diets supplemented with 20% grain from isogenic pairs of waxy vs. wild type parental sorghum have significant differences in microbiome composition and show increased weight gain. We conclude that the benefits of waxy starches on food functionality can have unintended tradeoff effects on the gut microbiome and host physiology that could be particularly relevant in human populations consuming large amounts of waxy grains

First Images from HERO: A Hard-X-Ray Focusing Telescope

We are developing a balloon-borne hard-x-ray telescope that utilizes grazing incidence optics. Termed HERO, for High-Energy Replicated Optics, the instrument will provide unprecented sensitivity in the hard-x-ray region and will achieve milliCrab-level sensitivity in a typical 3-hour balloon-flight observation and 50 microCrab sensitivity on ultra-long-duration flights. A recent proof-of-concept flight, featuring a small number of mirror shells captured the first focused hard-x-ray images of galactic x-ray sources. Full details of the payload, its expected future performance and its recent measurements are provided

Freeform three-mirror anastigmatic large-aperture telescope and receiver optics for CMB-S4

CMB-S4, the next-generation ground-based cosmic microwave background (CMB) observatory, will provide detailed maps of the CMB at millimeter wavelengths to dramatically advance our understanding of the origin and evolution of the universe. CMB-S4 will deploy large and small aperture telescopes with hundreds of thousands of detectors to observe the CMB at arcminute and degree resolutions at millimeter wavelengths. Inflationary science benefits from a deep delensing survey at arcminute resolutions capable of observing a large field of view at millimeter wavelengths. This kind of survey acts as a complement to a degree angular resolution survey. The delensing survey requires a nearly uniform distribution of cameras per frequency band across the focal plane. We present a large-throughput, large-aperture (5-meter diameter) freeform three-mirror anastigmatic telescope and an array of 85 cameras for CMB observations at arcminute resolutions, which meets the needs of the delensing survey of CMB-S4. A detailed prescription of this three-mirror telescope and cameras is provided, with a series of numerical calculations that indicate expected optical performance and mechanical tolerance

The Lantern Vol. 68, No. 1, Fall 2000

• In Attempting to Imitate J. Agard (III) • Headstones • Calligraphy Grace • Fifty Years • Morning • The Millstone • Quick Stop-Off • Jesus Wept (SuperBuick Bodybag) • Just a God • Amy • Silver Doubloons • Ogbanje • Left Behind • Asymmetrical Smile • Sundays • Pie in the Sky • No Surprises • Bill Gooden\u27s Son • Downcast Eyes Meet Tablecloth • Wetlands • Desperate Actions • Receiving End • A Pack of Matches • Coffeehttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/lantern/1157/thumbnail.jp

The Lantern Vol. 68, No. 1, Fall 2000

• In Attempting to Imitate J. Agard (III) • Headstones • Calligraphy Grace • Fifty Years • Morning • The Millstone • Quick Stop-Off • Jesus Wept (SuperBuick Bodybag) • Just a God • Amy • Silver Doubloons • Ogbanje • Left Behind • Asymmetrical Smile • Sundays • Pie in the Sky • No Surprises • Bill Gooden\u27s Son • Downcast Eyes Meet Tablecloth • Wetlands • Desperate Actions • Receiving End • A Pack of Matches • Coffeehttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/lantern/1157/thumbnail.jp