Factors Affecting the Harvest Vulnerability of Trumpeter Swans

Two species of swan are regularly found in Utah, tundra swans (Cygnus columbianus) and trumpeter swans (Cygnus buccinator). Tundra swans migrate through Utah. During the fall migration period they are hunted in the state under guidelines established by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). Trumpeter swans are occasional visitors to Utah during the same migration period. Because trumpeter swans are difficult to distinguish from tundra swans in flight, they 11 are at risk of being harvested during the swan hunt. In my thesis, I examine the factors that may influence trumpeter swan vulnerability to harvest. Specifically, I evaluated height and velocity of foraging flights for both species of swans and identified characteristics of Utah swan hunters. This information could assist the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources in developing an educational program to reduce trumpeter swan vulnerability. I applied flight dynamics theory to 86 trumpeter and 178 tundra swan measurements. Both speed and height of short-range foraging flights were used to predict trumpeter and tundra swan vulnerability. The theory predicted that trumpeter swans fly slower and lower than tundra swans, and thus may be more vulnerable to harvest. The predicted flight height of tundra swans was compared to observations of tundra swans made at the USFWS Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. Average body area of the two species of swans was compared. Trumpeter swans had, on average, a 30% larger body area. Combining the lower predicted flight and larger body size, trumpeter swans may be up to 26% more vulnerable on a 3.8-km flight and 15% more vulnerable on a 10-km flight than tundra swans on the same flight path. In addition to current regulations, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources is interested in implementing a swan hunter education course to further reduce the likelihood of a trumpeter swan being harvested during the swan hunt. I surveyed a representative sample of Utah swan hunters to determine if they would participate in the course and attitudes about current regulations, and to identify specific topics that should be emphasized in the course. My survey suggested that Utah swan hunters would be receptive to a swan hunter education course. Based on the responses, any swan hunter education course should emphasize identification of trumpeter and tundra swans, distance estimation, and regulations regarding the swan hunt

Does night-time aircraft noise trigger mortality? A case-crossover study on 24 886 cardiovascular deaths

AIMS; : It is unclear whether night-time noise events, including from aeroplanes, could trigger a cardiovascular death. In this study, we investigate the potential acute effects of aircraft noise on mortality and the specific role of different night-time exposure windows by means of a case-crossover study design.; METHODS AND RESULTS; : We selected 24 886 cases of death from cardiovascular disease (CVD) from the Swiss National Cohort around Zurich Airport between 2000 and 2015. For night-time deaths, exposure levels 2 h preceding death were significantly associated with mortality for all causes of CVD [OR = 1.44 (1.03-2.04) for the highest exposure group (LAeq > 50 dB vs. <20 dB)]. Most consistent associations were observed for ischaemic heart diseases, myocardial infarction, heart failure, and arrhythmia. Association were more pronounced for females (P = 0.02) and for people living in areas with low road and railway background noise (P = 0.01) and in buildings constructed before 1970 (P = 0.36). We calculated a population attributable fraction of 3% in our study population.; CONCLUSION; : Our findings suggest that night-time aircraft noise can trigger acute cardiovascular mortality. The association was similar to that previously observed for long-term aircraft noise exposure

The association of road traffic noise with cognition in adolescents: a cohort study in Switzerland

Environmental noise exposure has been shown to affect children's cognition, but the concept of cognition is multifaceted, and studies on associations with noise are still inconclusive and fragmented. We studied cognitive change within one year in 882 adolescents aged 10-17 years in response to road traffic noise exposure. Participants filled in a comprehensive questionnaire and underwent cognitive testing twice at an interval of one year. Figural and verbal memory was measured with the Intelligenz-Struktur-Test (IST), and concentration accuracy and constancy were measured with FAKT-II and d2 test. Exposure to noise and other environmental stressors were modelled for school and home location at baseline. Missing data was addressed with multiple imputation. Cross-sectional multilevel analyses and longitudinal change score analyses were performed. In cross-sectional analyses, figural memory was significantly reduced by -0.27 (95%CI -0.49,-0.04) units per 10 dB road traffic noise increase at home (L(den)). Longitudinal analyses showed a significant reduction of concentration constancy Z-scores between baseline and follow-up by -0.13 (95%CI -0.25, 0.00) per 10 dB road traffic noise at home (L(den)). Our study indicates that road traffic noise at home reduces cognitive performance in adolescents. Larger cohorts with longer follow-up time are needed to confirm these results

The impacts of EU accession on the agriculture of the Visegrad Countries

The Visegrad Countries (VC)2 joined the European Union in 2004, which has offered several possibilities and challenges for their agriculture. The aim of the paper is to evaluate the status of the sector in the light of latest available data as well as to identify the factors lying behind different country performances. Results suggest that EU accession has had a diverse impact on the Visegrad Countries’ agriculture and member states capitalised their possibilities in a different manner, due to initial conditions and pre- and post-accession policies

Mutual effects of fine particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, and fireworks on cause-specific acute cardiovascular mortality: a case-crossover study in communities affected by aircraft noise

Ambient air pollution is the leading cause of environmental mortality and morbidity worldwide. However, the individual contributions to acute mortality of traffic-related air pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) are still debated. We conducted a time-stratified case-crossover study for a population located around Zurich airport in Switzerland, including 24,886 adult cardiovascular deaths from the Swiss National Cohort. We estimated the risk of cause-specific cardiovascular mortality associated with daily NO2 and PM2.5 concentrations at home using distributed lag models up to 7 days preceding death, adjusted for daily temperature, precipitation, acute night-time aircraft noise, firework celebrations, and holidays. Cardiovascular mortality was associated with NO2, whereas the association with PM2.5 disappeared upon adjustment for NO2. The strongest association was observed between NO2 and ischemic stroke mortality (odds ratio = 1.55 per 10 mug/m(3), 95% confidence intervals = 1.20-2.00). Cause-specific mortality analyses showed differences in terms of delayed effect: odds ratios were highest at 1-3 days after exposure for most outcomes but at lags of 3-5 days for heart failure. Individual vulnerabilities to NO2 associated cardiovascular mortality also varied by cause of death, possibly highlighting the role of different behaviours and risk factors in the most susceptible groups. The risk of cardiovascular mortality was also increased on firework days and after public holidays, independent from NO2 and PM2.5 concentrations. This study confirms the association between ambient NO2, as a marker for primary emissions, and acute cardiovascular mortality in a specific setting around a major airport. Future research should clarify the role of additional air pollutants including ultra-fine particles on cardiovascular diseases to inform most efficient control measures

The role of extreme temperature in cause-specific acute cardiovascular mortality in Switzerland: a case-crossover study

Since the 2003 heatwave in Europe, evidence has been rapidly increasing on the association between extreme temperature and all-cause mortality. Little is known, however, about cause-specific cardiovascular mortality, effect modification by air pollution and aircraft noise, and which population groups are the most vulnerable to extreme temperature. We conducted a time-stratified case-crossover study in Zurich, Switzerland, including all adult cardiovascular deaths between 2000 and 2015 with precise individual exposure estimates at home location. We estimated the risk of 24,884 cardiovascular deaths associated with heat and cold using distributed non-linear lag models. We investigated potential effect modification of temperature-related mortality by fine particles, nitrogen dioxide, and night-time aircraft noise and performed stratified analyses across individual and social characteristics. We found increased risk of mortality for heat (odds ratio OR = 1.28 [95% confidence interval: 1.11-1.49] for 99th percentile of daily Tmean (24 degrees C) versus optimum temperature at 20 degrees C) and cold (OR = 1.15 [0.95-1.39], 5th percentile of daily Tmean (-3 degrees C) versus optimum temperature at 20 degrees C). Heat-related mortality was particularly strong for myocardial infarctions and hypertension related deaths, and among older women (>75 years). Analysis of effect modification also indicated that older women with lower socio-economic position and education are at higher risk for heat-related mortality. PM2.5 increased the risk of heat-related mortality for heart failure, but not all-cause cardiovascular mortality. This study provides useful information for preventing cause-specific cardiovascular temperature-related mortality in moderate climate zones comparable to Switzerland

Bringing Agriculture into the GATT: Negotiating a Framework for Action

International Relations/Trade,

Kindlin-3 maintains marginal zone B cells but confines follicular B cell activation and differentiation

Integrin-mediated interactions between hematopoietic cells and their microenvironment are important for the development and function of immune cells. Here, the role of the integrin adaptor Kindlin-3 in B cell homeostasis is studied. Comparing the individual steps of B cell development in B cell-specific Kindlin-3 or alpha4 integrin knockout mice, we found in both conditions a phenotype of reduced late immature, mature, and recirculating B cells in the bone marrow. In the spleen, constitutive B cell-specific Kindlin-3 knockout caused a loss of marginal zone B cells and an unexpected expansion of follicular B cells. Alpha4 integrin deficiency did not induce this phenotype. In Kindlin-3 knockout B cells VLA-4 as well as LFA-1-mediated adhesion was abrogated, and short-term homing of these cells in vivo was redirected to the spleen. Upon inducible Kindlin-3 knockout, marginal zone B cells were lost due to defective retention within 2 weeks, while follicular B cell numbers were unaltered. Kindlin-3 deficient follicular B cells displayed higher IgD, CD40, CD44, CXCR5, and EBI2 levels, and elevated PI3K signaling upon CXCR5 stimulation. They also showed transcriptional signatures of spontaneous follicular B cell activation. This activation manifested in scattered germinal centers in situ, early plasmablasts differentiation, and signs of IgG class switch