Observations on the Nesting of \u3ci\u3eCrabro Tenuis\u3c/i\u3e (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae)

Three nests of Crabro tenuis were studied during June 1971-1972 in Oswego County, New York. Females constructed shallow but lengthy, multicelled nests in sand with the cells being built in clusters, sometimes in series. Females plugged the entrances with damp sand and occupied the burrows during midday. Paralyzed prey were stored head inward at the end of the burrow. The deeper cells in a cluster were excavated and provisioned first and the shallower cells built and stored later, as determined by the developmental stages of the wasps within the cells. From four to seven paralyzed, adult male flies were placed in a fully provisioned cell with their venters toward the center. Such a cell usually held only one species of fly. Provisions consisted of the suborders Brachycera and Cyclorrhapha and comprised the families Rhagionidae, Anthomyiidae and Tachinidae. An egg was affixed about equally to the left or right side of the neck of a fly and this prey was placed against or near the wall of the cell. The nesting traits of C. tenuis were compared with those of other members of the Cribrarius group, C. advena of the Advena, group, C. venator of the Tumidus group and species in the Hilaris group

Range Extensions for Species of Sphecidae (Hymenoptera) in the Northeastern United States

The ranges of 10 Nearctic species of Sphecidae, Spilomena pusilla, Tachytes parvus, Solierella plenoculoides, Pison agile, Entomognathus lenapeorum, Rhopalum clavipes, Crabro hilaris, C. tenuis, Alysson conicus and Lestiphorus cockerelli, are extended in the northeastern U.S. based upon collections made in Pennsylvania and New York. The first prey record for a North American species of Lestiphorus, cockerelli, is included

A search for radiative neutrino decay from supernovae

This document presents the data analysis procedures proposed for use with the COMPTEL instrument aboard the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (GRO) in the search for radiative neutrino decay from supernovae. The proposed analysis methodology is an extension of a standard procedure used by the COMPTEL team in searching for a variety of source types. We have applied the procedures to a set of simulated data to demonstrate the feasibility of the method to this project

Common respiratory issues in ambulatory obstetrics.

This article reviews the diagnosis and management of the most common respiratory conditions complicating pregnancy--asthma and influenza. We also review strategies for smoking cessation in pregnancy as, in addition to exacerbating all other pulmonary conditions, smoking is the most modifiable risk factor for poor pregnancy outcome. Moreover, the obstetrician frequently encounters each of these conditions in the ambulatory setting. A thorough knowledge of the normal pregnancy-induced physiological respiratory changes combined with a comprehensive understanding of how to manage these conditions, will provide the obstetrician with the armamentarium needed to optimize health outcomes for mothers and their fetuses

Field measurements of the fluid and sediment-dynamic environment of a benthic deposit feeder

Field measurements of flow and sediment transport at an intertidal site in False Bay, San Juan Island, Washington, U.S.A., revealed an environment dominated by wind wave-generated oscillatory flows and discrete sediment suspension events. Time series data showed that within a few tenths of a second, near-bottom suspended sediment concentrations can rise to 10 g l–1. These rapid erosion events are correlated with peak wave velocities and are followed by a more gradual (tens of seconds) decline in sediment concentration due to settling and advection. Large suspension events mixed detect able quantities of sediment to a height of 20 cm above the bottom. Flow and sediment transport rates are controlled by local weather and vary on time scales ranging from that of individual waves to that of atmospheric storm systems and seasonal changes in weather patterns. Advection of sediment can exceed individual deposit feeding rates by a factor of 103–104. An empirical relationship developed from weather records, together with previously published observations of detrital transport, suggests that sediment transport is rarely small enough in magnitude to be ignored as a source of food particles for surface deposit- and suspension-feeding spionid polychaetes like Pseudopolydora kempi japonica.

Traversing community attitudes and interaction experiences with large agricultural vehicles on rural roads

Agriculture is one of Australia's largest rural industries. Oversized and slow moving industry equipment and vehicles, hereafter referred to as large agricultural vehicles (LAVs), use public roads. Restrictions exist regarding their on-road operation, but whether this is a function of the risk that their on-road use represents is unknown. A convenience sample of community members was used to explore perspectives about LAVs' presence on roads. An online survey was used to explore LAV interaction experiences, risk perceptions, and how best to promote safe interactions. Ethics approval was obtained. The participants' (N = 239) exposure to LAVs on roads in the last 12 months was variable, but there were clear seasonal points when encounters could be expected. The participants indicated that LAVs have a right to drive on the road (94.8%), and most interactions were neutral, with four LAV crashes reported. Other vehicle types were perceived as representing a higher risk to rural road safety than LAVs. The use of the driver's license test to increase knowledge about LAVs' presence, how to respond, and the use of signs were suggested in order to improve safety. The participants commonly interacted with LAVs, and rarely experienced negative events such as crashes. Continued communication about LAV presence on rural roads is an important consideration in order to help ensure safe interactions

Sulphur-isotope compositions of pig tissues from a controlled feeding study

Sulphur-isotope determinations are becoming increasingly useful for palaeodietary reconstruction, but knowledge of isotopic discrimination between diet and various tissues remains inadequate. In this study, we explore the sensitivity of δ34Stissue values to changes in δ34Sdiet values, sulphur isotopic discrimination between diet and consumer, and the potential impact of terrestrial vs. marine protein consumption on these discrimination offsets. We present new δ34S values of bone collagen, muscle, liver, hair, milk and faeces from ten mature sows, ten piglets and fifteen adolescent pigs from a controlled feeding study. The δ34Stissue values were found to co-vary with the δ34Sdiet values, the δ34Stissue – δ34Sdiet isotopic offsets (Δ34Stissue-diet) are small but consistent, and dietary protein source does not systematically alter the Δ34Stissue-diet isotopic discrimination. The outcomes of this study are of particular relevance to questions that are difficult to resolve using carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes alone, and will also be useful in regions where terrestrial, freshwater, and marine resources could have all potentially contributed to human diet