Evaluating the Gas Cartridge for Coyotes in Controlling Badgers

Efficacy investigations were conducted in Pampa, TX to evaluate the use of the GAS CARTRIDGE FOR COYOTES: (Canis latrans) for controlling problem badgers (Taxidea taxus) in burrows. This coyote cartridge with two active ingredients (sodium nitrate and charcoal), produces high concentrations of carbon monoxide when burned and is effective in controlling coyotes in dens. Badgers were live-trapped, immobilized, and equipped with mortality-indicating radio transmitters prior to their release. Movements were monitored for a minimum of 12 days prior to each initial efficacy test and for at least 3 days in follow up tests for survivors. Only occupied burrows, unplugged and previously utilized by the badger during the study, were selected for gassing. The coyote cartridge was used according to label directions, and survival or mortality were recorded for each test. The mortality rate was 25% (1/4 attempts) using one gas cartridge and 50% (1/2) using two. Survivors resurfaced between 5-72 hrs after the gassing and relocated a least 2 km away from the test burrow. Because the overall 33% mortality was well below the 70% minimum efficacy standard recommended by the EPA, the study was discontinued. Results suggested that amending this registration for badgers should not be pursued. Factors possibly contributing to badger survival are discussed including a tolerance for low oxygen, behavior associated with burrow entrance disturbance, soil porosity and moisture content, and badger body weight

CHLOROPHACINONE BAITING FOR BELDING’S GROUND SQUIRRELS

The efficacy of using 0.01% chlorophacinone on steam-rolled oat (SRO) groats applied in CA alfalfa by spot-baiting/hand baiting around burrow entrances (~11.5 g) to control free-ranging Belding\u27s ground squirrels (Spermophilus beldingi) were compared in 6 randomly assigned square treatment units (TUs). Four TUs were given the rodenticide and 2 treated with placebo bait. Each TU was a 0.4 ha square surrounded by a similarly treated 5.5 ha square buffer zone. Baits were applied on May 13 and re-applied, on May 20 and May 22, after 7 days of un-forecasted cool wet weather greatly reduced their above ground activity. Pesticide (EPA SLN CA-890024) efficacy was calculated as % reduction (PR) of ground squirrels on each TUs measured directly by visual counts (VCs) and indirectly by active burrow counts (ABCs). VCs and ABCs provided mean PRs that met US EPA\u27s 70% minimum standard efficacy threshold for field rodenticides (x = 73.5%, SD ± 13.3; x = 80%, SD ± 6.2, respectively). ANOVA results of the PRs were highly significant (F = 29.72, df 1/4, p = 0.0055 and F = 72.92, df 1/4, P = 0.001, respectively). All carcasses (38) located above ground were analyzed for pesticide and 80% had detectable levels in whole animals (x = 0.1131 ppm, SD ± 0.0928). Suggestions to improve the pesticide’s efficacy and lessen its potential nontarget hazards were discussed

Safe efficacy of three strychnine alkaloid bait concentrations for hand-baiting control of plains pocket gophers

In November 1990, field efficacy studies using milo baits formulated with 0.35%, 0.75%, or 1.30% strychnine alkaloid were compared to a placebo (0.0% strychnine) for controlling plains pocket gophers (Geomys bursarius) near Pleasanton, Texas. These data were required by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as partial fulfillment for the maintenance of the rodenticide registrations of the US Department of Agriculture. Each of four treatment units (TUs) within a block (2) was randomly assigned one of the four baits. Within each TU, 15 gophers were captured (balanced roughly for gender) and instrumented with radio transmitters. Following a pretreatment acclimation averaging 4.1 days, bait (4 g) was placed in active pocket gopher burrows by hand-baiting. Pocket gopher mortality was measured by monitoring the fate of radio-equipped pocket gophers (n=123) both pretreatment and post-treatment. Lack of gopher movement on two consecutive days indicated death, and the carcass was retrieved. Strychnine mortality was based on chemical analyses of carcasses, and it occurred in 0.0%, 66.7%, 96.3%, and 89.7% of gophers from the 0.0%, 0.35%, 0.75% and 1.30% TUs, respectively. Natural mortality was 7% on the placebo TUs. All three strychnine treatments provided significantly increased mortality over the placebo (P\u3c0.0001) using Fisher\u27s exact test for paired comparisons. A difference in gopher mortality occurred between the 0.32% and 0.77% strychnine treatments (P=0.003), but not between the other comparisons (0.32% vs 1.30%, P=0.18 and 0.77% vs. 1.30%, P=0.24). Gopher carcasses recovered post-treatment indicated 68 of 86 (79.1%) had strychnine alkaloid residues. The non-target strychnine hazard (using least squares means) by treatment were 4.85 ppm (0.35%), 8.04 ppm (0.75%), and 9.47 ppm (1.30%). Carcass residue differences were not detected among strychnine treatments (F=2.48, df=2,3, P=0.23). Fortunately, non-target exposure was greatly decreased because all carcasses with strychnine residues were recovered underground at a mean depth of 0.51 m (SE=0.027, range 0.15–1.17 m). Placebo-baited TUs had 27 survivors and 2 deaths from unknown causes. None had detectable strychnine levels. No non-target mortalities were documented during carcass searches and radio-tracking activities

Early Educational Intervention, Early Cumulative Risk, and the Early Home Environment as Predictors of Young Adult Outcomes Within a High-Risk Sample

The extent to which early educational intervention, early cumulative risk, and the early home environment were associated with young adult outcomes was investigated in a sample of 139 young adults (age 21) from high-risk families enrolled in randomized trials of early intervention. Positive effects of treatment were found for education attainment, attending college, and skilled employment; negative effects of risk were found for education attainment, graduating high school, being employed and avoiding teen parenthood. The home mediated the effects of risk for graduating high school, but not being employed or teen parenthood. Evidence for moderated mediation was found for educational attainment; the home mediated the association between risk and educational attainment for the control group, but not the treated group

Adult outcomes as a function of an early childhood educational program: An Abecedarian Project follow-up.

Adult (age 30) educational, economic, and social-emotional adjustment outcomes were investigated for participants in the Abecedarian Project, a randomized controlled trial of early childhood education for children from low-income families. Of the original 111 infants enrolled (98% African American), 101 took part in the age-30 follow-up. Primary indicators of educational level, economic status, and social-adjustment were examined as a function of early childhood treatment. Treated individuals attained significantly more years of education, but income-to-needs ratios and criminal involvement did not vary significantly as a function of early treatment. A number of other indicators were described for each domain. Overall, the findings provide strong evidence for educational benefits, mixed evidence for economic benefits and little evidence for social-adjustment outcomes. Implications for public policy are discussed

Injury rates and injury risk factors among federal bureau of investigation new agent trainees

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>A one-year prospective examination of injury rates and injury risk factors was conducted in Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) new agent training.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Injury incidents were obtained from medical records and injury compensation forms. Potential injury risk factors were acquired from a lifestyle questionnaire and existing data at the FBI Academy.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 426 men and 105 women participated in the project. Thirty-five percent of men and 42% of women experienced one or more injuries during training. The injury incidence rate was 2.5 and 3.2 injuries/1,000 person-days for men and women, respectively (risk ratio (women/men) = 1.3, 95% confidence interval = 0.9-1.7). The activities most commonly associated with injuries (% of total) were defensive tactics training (58%), physical fitness training (20%), physical fitness testing (5%), and firearms training (3%). Among the men, higher injury risk was associated with older age, slower 300-meter sprint time, slower 1.5-mile run time, lower total points on the physical fitness test (PFT), lower self-rated physical activity, lower frequency of aerobic exercise, a prior upper or lower limb injury, and prior foot or knee pain that limited activity. Among the women higher injury risk was associated with slower 300-meter sprint time, slower 1.5-mile run time, lower total points on the PFT, and prior back pain that limited activity.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The results of this investigation supported those of a previous retrospective investigation emphasizing that lower fitness and self-reported pain limiting activity were associated with higher injury risk among FBI new agents.</p

Reflections on the 'History and Historians' of the black woman's role in the community of slaves: enslaved women and intimate partner sexual violence

Taking as points of inspiration Peter Parish’s 1989 book, Slavery: History and Historians, and Angela Davis’s seminal 1971 article, “Reflections on the black woman’s role in the community of slaves,” this probes both historiographically and methodologically some of the challenges faced by historians writing about the lives of enslaved women through a case study of intimate partner violence among enslaved people in the antebellum South. Because rape and sexual assault have been defined in the past as non-consensual sexual acts supported by surviving legal evidence (generally testimony from court trials), it is hard for historians to research rape and sexual violence under slavery (especially marital rape) as there was no legal standing for the rape of enslaved women or the rape of any woman within marriage. This article suggests enslaved women recognized that black men could both be perpetrators of sexual violence and simultaneously be victims of the system of slavery. It also argues women stoically tolerated being forced into intimate relationships, sometimes even staying with “husbands” imposed upon them after emancipation

The James Webb Space Telescope Mission

Twenty-six years ago a small committee report, building on earlier studies, expounded a compelling and poetic vision for the future of astronomy, calling for an infrared-optimized space telescope with an aperture of at least $4m$. With the support of their governments in the US, Europe, and Canada, 20,000 people realized that vision as the $6.5m$ James Webb Space Telescope. A generation of astronomers will celebrate their accomplishments for the life of the mission, potentially as long as 20 years, and beyond. This report and the scientific discoveries that follow are extended thank-you notes to the 20,000 team members. The telescope is working perfectly, with much better image quality than expected. In this and accompanying papers, we give a brief history, describe the observatory, outline its objectives and current observing program, and discuss the inventions and people who made it possible. We cite detailed reports on the design and the measured performance on orbit.Comment: Accepted by PASP for the special issue on The James Webb Space Telescope Overview, 29 pages, 4 figure