The release of a captive-raised female African Elephant <em>(Loxodonta africana</em>) in the Okavango Delta, Botswana

Wild female elephants live in close-knit matrilineal groups and housing captive elephants in artificial social groupings can cause significant welfare issues for individuals not accepted by other group members. We document the release of a captive-raised female elephant used in the safari industry because of welfare and management problems. She was fitted with a satellite collar, and spatial and behavioural data were collected over a 17-month period to quantify her interactions with the wild population. She was then monitored infrequently for a further five-and-a-half years. We observed few signs of aggression towards her from the wild elephants with which she socialized. She used an area of comparable size to wild female elephants, and this continued to increase as she explored new areas. Although she did not fully integrate into a wild herd, she had three calves of her own, and formed a social unit with another female and her calf that were later released from the same captive herd. We recommend that release to the wild be considered as a management option for other captive female elephants

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DIETARY INTAKE AND GLUTATHIONE IN OLDER ADULTS

ABSTRACT Glutathione is an important cellular antioxidant. This study evaluated the association of diet intake and brain glutathione levels in living subjects. A Block food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging were used to measure dietary intake and brain glutathione levels for two groups of elderly subjects, one group with early stage Alzheimer's disease (n=23) and a second age-matched control group (n=21). The average age was 73.4 ± 5.5 years and 63% male. There was no significant difference in brain glutathione levels between the two groups. Stepwise regression analysis of diet intake and brain glutathione levels showed a direct relationship between specific nutrients: positive relationship with potato and dairy servings, cysteine, retinol and vitamin B12; negative relationships with meat servings, riboflavin, vitamin D and calcium supplements. This study investigating diet and brain glutathione levels in living subjects support previous study results showing specific nutrients are associated with brain glutathione levels

Whales, dolphins, and porpoises of the eastern North Pacific and adjacent Arctic waters: a guide to their identification

This is an identification guide for cetaceans (whales, dolphins, and porpoises), that was designed to assist laymen in identifying cetaceans encountered in eastern North Pacific and Arctic waters. It was intended for use by ongoing cetacean observer programs. This is a revision of an earlier guide with the same title published in 1972 by the Naval Undersa Center and the National Marine Fisheries Service. It includes sections on identifying cetaceans at sea as well as stranded animals on shore. Species accounts are divided by body size and presence or lack of a dorsal fin. Appendices include illustrations of tags on whales, dolphins, and porpoises, by Larry Hobbs; how to record data from observed cetaceans at sea and for stranded cetaceans; and a list of cetacean names in Japanese and Russian. (Document contains 245 pages - file takes considerable time to open

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Interdisciplinary Team Teaching: Lessons for Engineering Instructors from a Capstone Course in Environmental Studies

The capstone course teaches students to analyze global environmental issues, resources, and human activities with a systems approach based on scientific, economic, political, social and ethical perspectives. Such an intrinsically multifaceted subject demands interdisciplinary treatment. To deliver the interdisciplinary treatment, the course uses diverse faculty teams comprised of faculty from fields in the natural and social sciences, engineering, and business. This work describes the interdisciplinary team teaching strategies adopted for the course and how they evolved with subsequent offerings of the course. We present assessment data measuring how well students achieve course objectives. Finally, experience gleaned from this course for non-majors has produced ideas for lessons engineering instructors can apply to their own courses

Endothelial hypoxic metabolism in carcinogenesis and dissemination: HIF-A isoforms are a NO metastatic phenomenon.

Tumor biology is a broad and encompassing field of research, particularly given recent demonstrations of the multicellular nature of solid tumors, which have led to studies of molecular and metabolic intercellular interactions that regulate cancer progression. Hypoxia is a broad stimulus that results in activation of hypoxia inducible factors (HIFs). Downstream HIF targets include angiogenic factors (e.g. vascular endothelial growth factor, VEGF) and highly reactive molecules (e.g. nitric oxide, NO) that act as cell-specific switches with unique spatial and temporal effects on cancer progression. The effect of cell-specific responses to hypoxia on tumour progression and spread, as well as potential therapeutic strategies to target metastatic disease, are currently under active investigation. Vascular endothelial remodelling events at tumour and metastatic sites are responsive to hypoxia, HIF activation, and NO signalling. Here, we describe the interactions between endothelial HIF and NO during tumor growth and spread, and outline the effects of endothelial HIF/NO signalling on cancer progression. In doing so, we attempt to identify areas of metastasis research that require attention, in order to ultimately facilitate the development of novel treatments that reduce or prevent tumour dissemination

Ballenas, delfines y marsopas del Pacifico nororiental y de las aguas árticas adyacentes

Esta guía de campo se ha diseñado para que los observadores puedan identificar los cetáceos (ballenas, delfines y marsopas) que vean en las aguas del Pacifico nororiental, incluyendo el Golfo de California, Hawaii y el Ártico occidental de Norteamérica. Los animales descritos no se agrupan por sus relaciones científicas sino por las similitudes de su apariencia en el campo. Las fotografías de los animales en su ambiente natural son la principal ayuda para su identificación. Los anexos describen como y a quienes se debe reportar la información sobre cetáceos vivos y muertos y proveen detalles para ayudar en la identificación de los cetáceos varados

Phenomenology of the Top Mass in Realistic Extended Technicolor Models

Extended technicolor (ETC) theories typically require ETC gauge bosons lighter than of order 1 TeV, to perturbatively generate the $t$ quark mass. We point out that explicit models of $t-b$ mass splitting also typically contain additional TeV scale ETC gauge bosons transforming in the {\it adjoint} of technicolor, leading to large weak-isospin-breaking effects observable in the $\rho$ parameter. Viable ETC models may thus require a lowest ETC scale of order 10 TeV, with relatively strong and finely tuned couplings to generate $m_t$. Such models do not generate observable corrections to the $Zb{\bar b}$ vertex.Comment: LaTex, 12 pages, including 2 EPS figures in 5 file

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