IM toolbox for the present and future to support data synthesis activities, An

The SGS-LTER research site was established in 1980 by researchers at Colorado State University as part of a network of long-term research sites within the US LTER Network, supported by the National Science Foundation. Scientists within the Natural Resource Ecology Lab, Department of Forest and Rangeland Stewardship, Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, and Biology Department at CSU, California State Fullerton, USDA Agricultural Research Service, University of Northern Colorado, and the University of Wyoming, among others, have contributed to our understanding of the structure and functions of the shortgrass steppe and other diverse ecosystems across the network while maintaining a common mission and sharing expertise, data and infrastructure.This poster displays four examples of topics and tools currently being implemented and developed by information management staff at the Shortgrass Steppe LTER, across the LTER Network and within USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS). These tools are necessary in order to synthesize similar data sets from different researchers, agencies, and institutions. These tools were designed provide to support to Principal Investigators, educators, students, and policy makers that need to synthesize information to make better decisions about planning their research, coursework and land management strategies. The four areas to be presented are Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing, standardization of metadata using Ecological Metadata Language (EML), integration of relational database management systems for different agencies, and the creation of useful dynamic web pages. GIS and Remote Sensing are powerful tools that allow researchers to analyze, model, and predict ecological factors and outcomes that shape the shortgrass steppe by integrating spatial and non-spatial data collected at the field site. EML consists of a number of modules that define an extensible mark-up language (XML) that creates a standard syntax for ecological metadata. This concept allows for sharing of standard metadata and data across not only the LTER Network, but throughout the broader ecological community. SGS is researching new database technologies to managing the growing amount of standard non-spatial data from the ARS and LTER as well as GIS and Remote Sensed data. This also will address the need for multi-user data access and database integration with the SGS website. An SGS Website was launched 8 years ago to provide general site information as well as detailed research information. The web site will be enhanced over the next year to improve query tools, submit metadata online, improve integration with various ecological research databases, and implement the EML standards

Characteristics and circumstances of rail suicides in England 2019–2021: A cluster analysis and autopsy study

Background: Around 4% of all suicide deaths in Great Britain occur on the railways. This exploratory study was designed to increase understanding of the individuals that take their lives in this way, and the circumstances of their death. Method: Data were obtained from fatality investigation files compiled by the British Transport Police (BTP) relating to suspected suicides on the mainline railway in England from April 2019 to March 2021. Cluster analysis was carried out to identify grouped associations of characteristics and circumstances relating to rail suicide. Results: A total of 436 files were analysed, representing 93% of all suspected railway suicides during this period. Cluster analysis identified four groups of almost equal size, distinguished principally by age, living arrangements, employment status and location of death. The study is novel in the way it integrates individual characteristics and circumstances of death. The identified clusters may provide a multidimensional way of conceptualising suicide risk that could inform more targeted interventions at rail locations. Limitations: A high proportion of missing data means that the findings need to be interpreted with caution. It also restricted the multivariate analysis to those categories of information for which sufficient information was available. Conclusion: The characteristics and circumstances of suicide deaths on the railways are complex and multifaceted. The typology identified in this study may help to target preventative strategies prior to the incident as well as at different location types

Portfolio Vol. III N 1

Metcalf, Caroline. Master of the World. Prose. 3-5. Phillips, Alison. Eulogies. Poetry. 6. Chadeayne, Robert O. Oak Street. Picture. 6. Bethune, Don. Denisonism. Prose. 7-8. Maxwell, Bob. My Star. Prose. 9-11. V_______, S_______. Poet Philosopher. Poetry. 12. Ewart, Alison. Pious Fraud. Prose. 13-15. Beckham, Adela. Reflections. Poetry. 16. Velicka, Edward. Portrait. Picture. 16. Deane, Dorothy. Review of New Books. Prose. 17. Smith, Bob. Review of New Recordings. Prose. 17. Franke, Ruth. Original Designs. Picture. 18. Black, Jim. Drama. Prose. 19-20. Nadel, Norman S. Initial Plunge. Prose. 23-24

Through the looking glass: what do we see, what have we learned, what can we share? Information management at the Shortgrass Steppe Long Term Ecological Research site

The SGS-LTER research site was established in 1980 by researchers at Colorado State University as part of a network of long-term research sites within the US LTER Network, supported by the National Science Foundation. Scientists within the Natural Resource Ecology Lab, Department of Forest and Rangeland Stewardship, Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, and Biology Department at CSU, California State Fullerton, USDA Agricultural Research Service, University of Northern Colorado, and the University of Wyoming, among others, have contributed to our understanding of the structure and functions of the shortgrass steppe and other diverse ecosystems across the network while maintaining a common mission and sharing expertise, data and infrastructure.This poster displays the development of a successful information management system at a Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) site that has a rich history of data collection and management. Over sixty years of data from three separate projects are incorporated into the Shortgrass Steppe (SGS) LTER information management system and databases. People with different strengths and expertise ranging from clerical administrator, programmer, to ecologist, have filled the role of Information Manager (IM) at the SGS-LTER. Today the information management needs of the SGS are provided by a team of IMs with various levels of expertise in a wide variety of domains from information technology administration to education and outreach. It is critical for IMs at any long-term research site to understand how information and data were managed in the past and what recent changes have been added to the system, in order to effectively implement a management plan for the future. We are able to evaluate the effectiveness of different approaches to information management and have a commitment to share our successes with the information management community

Last male sperm precedence in a polygamous squid

Differential sperm usage from consecutive matings, or sperm precedence, is vital in determining male reproductive success and the outcome of sperm competition for many organisms. Sperm precedence also has significant consequences for mating system dynamics, including both male and female adaptations for increasing reproductive success and avoiding the costs of mating. Despite sexual selection being a strong driver of reproductive behaviour and morphology in cephalopods, surprisingly few studies have investigated sperm dynamics in this group. To redress this gap, we experimentally quantified sperm precedence patterns in the dumpling squid, Euprymna tasmanica, controlling for recent male mating history (first vs. second mating), mating position, and mating frequency. We found that the last male to mate gains an advantage in this system, with the second mating male siring up to 75% of offspring at the beginning of the laying period. The proportion of offspring attributable to the second mating male decreases to 54% by the end of the laying period, potentially as a result of changes in the velocity or number of sperm released from spermatangia over time. There is also significant variation among females in patterns of sperm precedence. This variation was not associated with whether it was the male's first or second mating, male mass, the duration of copulation or the number of pumps (sperm removal behaviour) by the second male. If widespread in cephalopods, last male sperm precedence could help to explain the evolution of mate guarding (or long copulation duration) and sperm removal behaviour in this group

Le FORUM, Vol. 34 No. 2

https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/francoamericain_forum/1026/thumbnail.jp

HST STIS Observations of PG 0946+301: the Highest Quality UV Spectrum of a BALQSO

We describe deep (40 orbits) HST/STIS observations of the BALQSO PG 0946+301 and make them available to the community. These observations are the major part of a multi-wavelength campaign on this object aimed at determining the ionization equilibrium and abundances (IEA) in broad absorption line (BAL) QSOs. We present simple template fits to the entire data set, which yield firm identifications for more than two dozen BALs from 18 ions and give lower limits for the ionic column densities. We find that the outflow's metalicity is consistent with being solar, while the abundance ratio of phosphorus to other metals is at least ten times solar. These findings are based on diagnostics that are not sensitive to saturation and partial covering effects in the BALs, which considerably weakened previous claims for enhanced metalicity. Ample evidence for these effects is seen in the spectrum. We also discuss several options for extracting tighter IEA constraints in future analyses, and present the significant temporal changes which are detected between these spectra and those taken by the HST/FOS in 1992.Comment: 32 pages, 7 figures, to appear in ApJ. See also companion paper by Arav, Korista and De Koo