Ecological Separation of Mallards (Anas Platyrhynchos) and American Black Ducks (Anas Rubripes) In the Adirondack Park of New York State

The American black duck is a large–bodied native dabbling duck in the northeast United States and Canada which has declined \u3e 50% to ~ 500,000 breeding pairs since the 1950s. Concurrently mallards have replaced black ducks in Atlantic flyway breeding habitats. I used Bayesian statistical modeling to test for differences in mallard and black duck occupancy and productivity between and within beaver–modified wetlands and lakes in the Adirondack Park of New York. Mallard occupancy was ≥ 6.7% greater than black duck in all habitats surveyed. I further propose that mallards may outproduce black ducks in years where wetlands experience negative environmental effects such as drought or absence of beaver. I also compared the utility of drones to ground observers to survey black ducks, and discovered drones detect black ducks and other secretive waterfowl more reliably. However, when considering all ducks present, overall detection probability was similar between methods

Occupency, Detection, and Co-Occurence Rates of American Black and Mallard Ducks in the Saranac Lakes Wild Forest Area

American black duck populations have steadily decreased across the northeastern United States prompting researchers to examine causes of decline including habitat loss, hybridization with mallards, and competitive exclusion by mallards. We designed a survey of lakes and wetlands of the Saranac Lakes Wild Forest and estimated occupancy and detection rates for each species. Given the predominantly forested landscape and the low density of humans, we predicted American black ducks would have greater occupancy rates than Mallards. Our results show each species was approximately equally likely to occur and to be detected, and there was no evidence that mallards excluded American black ducks from habitats. Mallards did show greater affinity for habitats with more humans present compared to American black ducks. Less than half of the lakes and wetlands we surveyed were occupied by either species indicating there is an abundance of unoccupied habitats that could have population-level ramifications for both species

The Impact Of Lecture Capture On Student Performance In Business Courses

This paper examines the effect of the e-learning technology of lecture capture on the performance of undergraduate business students in business law, economics, finance, and management courses. The sample consists of 890 student observations at a midsized regional institution located in the Southwestern region of the United States. The dependent variable is percentage score on a comprehensive final exam in advanced business courses. The empirical model controls for effort, grade point average, standardized test scores (SAT/ACT), and instruction mode. Demographic variables are gender, ethnic background, age, major, and transfer students. Effort measured via homework score, grade point average, ability measured via standardized test scores, academic major, and access to lecture capture are the five model variables that are positive and statistically significant. Age, classification as a transfer student, and online courses without lecture capture are the three statistically significant variables with a negative coefficient. The demographic variables associated with African-American, Hispanic, and gender are not statistically significant determinants of performance on the final exams. The results indicate that students completing business courses with access to lecture capture score approximately three percent higher on the final exam, holding other factors constant

Intimate Partner Violence and Women with Severe Mental Illnesses: Needs and Challenges from the Perspectives of Behavioral Health and Domestic Violence Service Providers

Women with severe mental illnesses face high rates of violence victimization, yet little is understood about the unique needs and challenges these women present to the domestic violence and behavioral health agencies that serve them. To help address this knowledge gap, focus groups were conducted with 28 staff members from local behavioral health and domestic violence service agencies. Results from this exploratory study suggest that women with severe mental illnesses who experience intimate partner violence face additional challenges that exacerbate behavioral health and domestic violence issues and put these women at greater risk for continued victimization. DV and behavioral health agency staff experience individual-, provider-, and system-level barriers to serving this high-risk, high-need population. Recommendations and implications for domestic violence and behavioral health providers are discussed

Integrating Assertive Community Treatment and Illness Management and Recovery for Consumers with Severe Mental Illness

This study examined the integration of two evidence-based practices for adults with severe mental illness: Assertive community treatment (ACT) and illness management and recovery (IMR) with peer specialists as IMR practitioners. Two of four ACT teams were randomly assigned to implement IMR. Over 2 years, the ACT–IMR teams achieved moderate fidelity to the IMR model, but low penetration rates: 47 (25.7%) consumers participated in any IMR sessions and 7 (3.8%) completed the program during the study period. Overall, there were no differences in consumer outcomes at the ACT team level; however, consumers exposed to IMR showed reduced hospital use over time

Positron emission tomography with f18-fluorodeoxyglucose in the staging and preoperative evaluation of malignant pleural mesothelioma

AbstractObjectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the utility of positron emission tomography with F18-fluorodeoxyglucose in the preoperative evaluation and staging of malignant mesothelioma in patients who were candidates for aggressive combined modality therapy. Methods: Eighteen consecutive patients with biopsy-proven malignant mesothelioma underwent positron emission tomographic scanning. The results of positron emission tomographic imaging were compared with results obtained by computed tomography, mediastinoscopy, thoracoscopy, and pathologic examination of surgical specimens. All patients fasted and received an average of 14.5 ± 2.7 mCi of F18-fluorodeoxyglucose for positron emission tomographic scanning. Attenuation-corrected whole-body and regional emission images of the chest and upper abdomen were acquired and formatted into transaxial, coronal, and sagittal images. Results: All primary malignant mesotheliomas accumulated F18-fluorodeoxyglucose, and the mean standardized uptake value was 7.6 (range, 3.33-14.85; n = 9). There were no false-negative results of positron emission tomography. Identification of occult extrathoracic metastases by positron emission tomography was the basis for excluding two patients from surgical therapy. There were two false-positive results of positron emission tomography: increased F18-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake in the contralateral chest that was negative by thoracoscopic biopsy (n = 1) and increased abdominal F18-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake after partial colectomy for diverticular disease (n = 1). Conclusions: Positron emission tomography can identify malignant pleural mesothelioma and appears to be a useful noninvasive staging modality for patients being considered for aggressive combined modality therapy. (J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2000;120:128-33

Intimate partner violence and sexual assault among women with serious mental illness: A review of prevalence and risk factors

As compared with the general population, women with serious mental illness experience higher rates of intimate partner violence, sexual assault, and are at a greater risk of future victimization, post-traumatic stress disorder, exacerbated symptoms of mental illness, and other negative health outcomes. Despite substantial research, the field lacks clear, consistent guidance for intervention development. To this end, this review aims to move the field beyond its focus on prevalence by providing a comprehensive and concise summary that compares and assesses the findings, quality, and scope of 10 systematic reviews (reviewing 168 studies) pertaining to prevalence and risk factors of intimate partner violence and/or sexual assault among women with serious mental illness

Computational Social Science

A field is emerging that leverages the capacity to collect and analyze data at a scale that may reveal patterns of individual and group behaviors.Governmen

Dynamic Responsiveness in the U.S. Senate

I develop a theory of dynamic responsiveness that suggests that parties that win elections choose candidates who are more extreme and parties that lose elections choose candidates who are more moderate. Moreover, the size of past victories matters. Close elections yield little change, but landslides yield larger changes in the candidates offered by both parties. I test this theory by analyzing the relationship between Republican vote share in U.S. Senate elections and the ideology of candidates offered in the subsequent election. The results show that Republican (Democratic) victories in past elections yield candidates who are more (less) conservative in subsequent elections, and the effect is proportional to the margin of victory. This suggests that parties or candidates pay attention to past election returns. One major implication is that parties may remain polarized in spite of their responsiveness to the median voter