Breeding Birds Of Research Natural Areas In Southeastern Alaska

The Tongass National Forest encompasses a large expanse of temperate rainforest in southeastern Alaska and contains 12 designated Research Natural Areas (RNAs). Existing in as near a natural condition as possible, RNAs receive minimal commercial and recreational use. Because few bird studies have been conducted on RNAs, we used point counts and area searches to determine the occurrence and abundance of breeding landbirds present in vegetation communities of RNAs. Of 49 species of small landbirds detected during area searches, the most widely distributed birds among RNAs were rufous hummingbird (Selasphorus rufa), chestnutbacked chickadee (Poecile rufescens), winter wren (Troglodytes troglodytes), golden-crowned kinglet (Regulus satrapa), Swainson’s thrush (Catharus ustulatus), hermit thrush (C. guttatus), varied thrush (Ixoreus naevius), and Townsend’s warbler (Dendroica townsendi). The 8 most abundant species recorded on 187 point counts (.0.5 birds/point) were Pacific-slope flycatcher (Empidonax difficilis), hermit thrush, varied thrush, winter wren, golden-crowned kinglet, Townsend’s warbler, and chestnut-backed chickadee. Several species had significant differences in abundance between low- elevation hemlock-spruce forest and their abundance in either high- elevation fir-spruce forest or mixed conifer-shore pine muskeg. Because RNAs provide forests that are not disturbed by human activities, these sites could provide a standard to evaluate changes in bird abundance and richness that may occur on developed land in southeastern Alaska

Effects of Breeding Season Length and Calving Season on Range Beef Cow Productivity

A 5-yr study was conducted beginning in 1983 with 460 cows to evaluate the effects of three breeding seasons (30,45, and 70 d in length) and two times of spring calving, March (early) and April (late), on cattle production under Nebraska Sandhills range conditions. Criteria evaluated included pregnancy and weaning percentages, calving date and distribution, cow weights and body condition at four intervals, calf birth and weaning weights, and cow productivity. The 30-d breeding season included a 10-d estrus synchronization and AI period; in the other breeding seasons only natural breeding was used. The same sires were used over the entire study period. Percentage of cows pregnant and percentage of calves weaned were lower (P \u3c .01) for cows bred for 30 d than for cows bred for 45 or 70 d. Average calving dates were similar among the breeding groups within the early and late calving herds. Pregnancy rates from AI were higher (P \u3c .01) for the cows calving in April (64%) than for the cows calving in March (41%). Cows calving in April lost less weight between precalving and prebreeding and were heavier (P \u3c .05) at prebreeding time than the cows calving in March. Calf weaning weights were not different (P \u3e .10) among any of the breeding season groups or between the two calving herds when calves were weaned at a similar age. Cow productivity (calf weaning weight per breeding female) was highest (P \u3c .05) for the cows bred for 70 d (186 kg), intermediate for the cows bred for 45 d (172 kg), and lowest for cows bred for 30 d (162 kg). No difference in cow productivity was found between the two calving herds (early, 172 kg and late, 175 kg). We concluded that cows bred for 70 d had the highest productivity and that an April calving season was as productive as a March calving season in the Nebraska Sandhills

Distributed-Pair Programming can work well and is not just Distributed Pair-Programming

Background: Distributed Pair Programming can be performed via screensharing or via a distributed IDE. The latter offers the freedom of concurrent editing (which may be helpful or damaging) and has even more awareness deficits than screen sharing. Objective: Characterize how competent distributed pair programmers may handle this additional freedom and these additional awareness deficits and characterize the impacts on the pair programming process. Method: A revelatory case study, based on direct observation of a single, highly competent distributed pair of industrial software developers during a 3-day collaboration. We use recordings of these sessions and conceptualize the phenomena seen. Results: 1. Skilled pairs may bridge the awareness deficits without visible obstruction of the overall process. 2. Skilled pairs may use the additional editing freedom in a useful limited fashion, resulting in potentially better fluency of the process than local pair programming. Conclusion: When applied skillfully in an appropriate context, distributed-pair programming can (not will!) work at least as well as local pair programming

Ray-based description of normal mode amplitudes in a range-dependent waveguide

An analogue of the geometrical optics for description of the modal structure of a wave field in a range-dependent waveguide is considered. In the scope of this approach the mode amplitude is expressed through solutions of the ray equations. This analytical description accounts for mode coupling and remains valid in a nonadiabatic environment. It has been used to investigate the applicability condition of the adiabatic approximation. An applicability criterion is formulated as a restriction on variations of the action variable of the ray.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figure

A calculus for generic, QoS-aware component composition

Software QoS properties, such as response time, availability, bandwidth requirement, memory usage, among many others, play a major role in the processes of selecting and composing software components. This paper extends a component calculus to deal, in an effective way, with them. The calculus models components as generalised Mealy machines, i.e., state-based entities interacting along their life time through well defined interfaces of observers and actions. QoS is introduced through an algebraic structure specifying the relevant QoS domain and how its values are composed under different disciplines. A major effect of introducing QoS-awareness is that a number of equivalences holding in the plain calculus become refinement laws. The paper also introduces a prototyper for the calculus developed as a ‘proof-of-concept’ implementation.FCT -Fuel Cell Technologies Program(FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-020537

A randomised controlled trial and cost-effectiveness evaluation of "booster" interventions to sustain increases in physical activity in middle-aged adults in deprived urban neighbourhoods

Background: Systematic reviews have identified a range of brief interventions which increase physical activity in previously sedentary people. There is an absence of evidence about whether follow up beyond three months can maintain long term physical activity. This study assesses whether it is worth providing motivational interviews, three months after giving initial advice, to those who have become more active. Methods/Design: Study candidates (n = 1500) will initially be given an interactive DVD and receive two telephone follow ups at monthly intervals checking on receipt and use of the DVD. Only those that have increased their physical activity after three months (n = 600) will be randomised into the study. These participants will receive either a "mini booster" (n = 200), "full booster" (n = 200) or no booster (n = 200). The "mini booster" consists of two telephone calls one month apart to discuss physical activity and maintenance strategies. The "full booster" consists of a face-to-face meeting with the facilitator at the same intervals. The purpose of these booster sessions is to help the individual maintain their increase in physical activity. Differences in physical activity, quality of life and costs associated with the booster interventions, will be measured three and nine months from randomisation. The research will be conducted in 20 of the most deprived neighbourhoods in Sheffield, which have large, ethnically diverse populations, high levels of economic deprivation, low levels of physical activity, poorer health and shorter life expectancy. Participants will be recruited through general practices and community groups, as well as by postal invitation, to ensure the participation of minority ethnic groups and those with lower levels of literacy. Sheffield City Council and Primary Care Trust fund a range of facilities and activities to promote physical activity and variations in access to these between neighbourhoods will make it possible to examine whether the effectiveness of the intervention is modified by access to community facilities. A one-year integrated feasibility study will confirm that recruitment targets are achievable based on a 10% sample.Discussion: The choice of study population, study interventions, brief intervention preceding the study, and outcome measure are discussed

Lessons learned from the London Exercise and Pregnant (LEAP) Smokers randomised controlled trial process evaluation : implications for the design of physical activity for smoking cessation interventions during pregnancy

BACKGROUND: The challenges of delivering interventions for pregnant smokers have been poorly documented. Also, the process of promoting a physical activity intervention for pregnant smokers has not been previously recorded. This study describes the experiences of researchers conducting a randomised controlled trial of physical activity as an aid to smoking cessation during pregnancy and explores how the effectiveness of future interventions could be improved. METHODS: Two focus groups, with independent facilitators, were conducted with six researchers who had enrolled pregnant smokers in the LEAP trial, provided the interventions, and administered the research measures. Topics included recruitment, retention and how the physical activity intervention for pregnant smokers was delivered and how it was adapted when necessary to suit the women. The focus groups were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and subjected to thematic analysis. RESULTS: Five themes emerged related to barriers or enablers to intervention delivery: (1) nature of the intervention; (2) personal characteristics of trial participants; (3) practical issues; (4) researchers' engagement with participants; (5) training and support needs. Researchers perceived that participants may have been deterred by the intensive and generic nature of the intervention and the need to simultaneously quit smoking and increase physical activity. Women also appeared hampered by pregnancy ailments, social deprivation, and poor mental health. Researchers observed that their status as health professionals was valued by participants but it was challenging to maintain contact with participants. Training and support needs were identified for dealing with pregnant teenagers, participants' friends and family, and post-natal return to smoking. CONCLUSIONS: Future exercise interventions for smoking cessation in pregnancy may benefit by increased tailoring of the intervention to the characteristics of the women, including their psychological profile, socio-economic background, pregnancy ailments and exercise preferences. Delivering an effective physical activity intervention for smoking cessation in pregnancy may require more comprehensive training for those delivering the intervention, particularly with regard to dealing with teenage smokers and smokers' friends and family, as well as for avoiding post-natal return to smoking. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN48600346 , date of registration: 21/07/2008

EEG Biofeedback as a Treatment for Substance Use Disorders: Review, Rating of Efficacy, and Recommendations for Further Research

Electroencephalographic (EEG) biofeedback has been employed in substance use disorder (SUD) over the last three decades. The SUD is a complex series of disorders with frequent comorbidities and EEG abnormalities of several types. EEG biofeedback has been employed in conjunction with other therapies and may be useful in enhancing certain outcomes of therapy. Based on published clinical studies and employing efficacy criteria adapted by the Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback and the International Society for Neurofeedback and Research, alpha theta training—either alone for alcoholism or in combination with beta training for stimulant and mixed substance abuse and combined with residential treatment programs, is probably efficacious. Considerations of further research design taking these factors into account are discussed and descriptions of contemporary research are given