Camera traps at northern river otter latrines enhance carnivore detectability along riparian areas in eastern North America

AbstractWe evaluated the efficacy of placing camera traps at river otter (Lontra canadensis) latrines (discrete sites in riparian areas where otters regularly deposit scats, urine, and anal secretions) to detect other carnivores occupying Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, New Jersey, USA. We postulated that scents at latrines may serve as an attractant to other carnivores and evaluated this premise by using camera traps to compare carnivore detection rates (overall and by species) and richness (overall and for each survey month) between latrine (n=5) and non-latrine riparian areas (n=5). On average carnivore richness was about 1.7 times higher than that of a non-latrine, and mean richness was higher at latrines for all survey months. Likewise, the overall carnivore detection frequency was 3.5 times greater at latrines, and the detection frequencies for red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), northern raccoons (Procyon lotor), river otters, mink (Neovison vison), long-tailed weasels (Mustela frenata), and Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana) were greater at latrines. American black bears (Ursus americanus) and eastern coyotes (Canis latrans) where detected more frequently at non-latrines. Our study provides evidence that placement of camera traps at otter latrines may serve as a new and novel approach for monitoring carnivore populations in riparian areas

The Right to Refuse Medical Treatment in Ohio after Cruzan: The Need for A Comprehensive Legislative Solution

This paper will first review the development of Ohio case law prior to the Supreme Court\u27s decision in Cruzan v. Director, Missouri Department of Health along with the Cruzan decision and Ohio\u27s Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care statute. Next, the constitutionality of the limitations in the Durable Power of Attorney Health Care statute will be discussed. The standard of evidence which must be met in Ohio in order to implement an incompetent\u27s wishes regarding medical treatment in the absence of a durable power will be analyzed. Recommendations will be presented regarding what Ohioans should do in order to increase the likelihood that their choices regarding all forms of medical treatment, including nutrition and hydration, are carried out. Ohio\u27s proposed living will legislation will be examined along with representative legislation from other jurisdictions. Finally, a legislative solution to the multifaceted issues regarding the right to refuse treatment in Ohio will be suggested

Dry Needling for Myofascial Trigger Point Pain: A Clinical Commentary

Sports and orthopaedic physical therapists have long used a multitude of techniques in order to address pain and dysfunction associated with myofascial trigger points. One technique in particular has recently received overwhelming attention: trigger point dry needling (DN). Despite its efficacy and low risk, questions remain as to its effectiveness, safety, and whether the technique is within the scope of practice of physical therapists. Therefore, the purpose of this clinical commentary is to summarize the current literature related to the associated mechanisms of action of DN, the safety of DN, as well as to discuss relevant scope of practice concerns

Supraspinal nocifensive responses of cats: Spinal cord pathways, monoamines, and modulation

These experiments were conducted to determine (1) whether dorsal and ventral ascending spinal pathways can each mediate unlearned supraspinal nocifensive responses of cats to noxious thermal stimuli and (2) whether interrupting the spinal projection of supraspinal monoaminergic neurons alters the excitability and natural modulation of these responses. In partially restrained cats, thermal pulses (≥ 47°C) delivered to the hindlimbs of intact cats or rostral to lesions of the thoracic spinal cord elicited abrupt body movements and interruption of eating (or of exploring for) liquified food. These electronically monitored responses automatically terminated the stimulus. Natural modulation of responsiveness was produced by delivering food and thermal stimuli simultaneously; this reduced response probability by an average of 41%. Complete transection of the thoracic spinal cord eliminated both thermally elicited responses, and orienting responses to noxious and tactile mechanical stimulation of the hindlimbs. Ventral bilateral thoracic spinal cord lesions that spared only the dorsal funiculus and portions of the dorsolateral funiculus (three cats) significantly reduced orienting responses to all mechanical hindlimb stimuli and reduced, but did not eliminate, movement and interrupt responses to noxious thermal hindlimb stimuli. Response latency was unaffected. Food-induced response supression persisted although lumbar spinal cord concentrations of serotonin (5HT) and norepinephrine (NE) were markedly reduced. A bilateral lesion of the dorsal funiculi and dorsal portions of the dorsolateral funiculi (one cat) also reduced nocifensive responsiveness, but only the NE concentration in lumbar spinal cord was reduced significantly relative to a matched cervical sample. In contrast, deep bilateral lesions of the dorsolateral funiculi (two cats) produced an increase in the probability of movement and interrupt responses without affecting either response latency or food-induced response supression. Lumbar spinal cord concentrations of NE and, in one cat, 5HT were reduced. We conclude that (1) the dorsal and ventral spinal funiculi are each sufficient to initiate and necessary to maintain normal supraspinally organized nocifensive behavior in the cat; (2) descending monoaminergic pathways are not necessary for the phasic modulation of these responses; and (3) the tonic excitability, but not the phasic modulation, of these responses is determined in part by fibers in the dorsolateral funiculus.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/50039/1/902700412_ftp.pd

Urban containment and neighborhood quality in Florida

Book ChapterRapid suburbanization since World War II in America has created many of the challenges we face today. Roads intended to relieve congestion have become congested. Cookie-cutter subdivisions have replaced scenic landscapes. Once-vital downtown stores have been abandoned as shoppers transferred their allegiance to convenient suburban malls. The spread of low-density residential development made public transit impractical, making the automobile virtually the only choice for transportation. Automobile dependence has degraded the air in some places to alarming levels. Once-tranquil communities with their own unique character have been overwhelmed by more people, automobiles, and shopping centers. But the problem is not growth per se; the problem is how to manage growth in ways that minimize costs and maximize benefits to both individuals and the public at large. Urban containment is an attempt to confront the reasonable development needs of the community, region, or state, and accommodate them in a manner that preserves public goods, minimizes fiscal burdens, minimizes adverse interactions between land uses while maximizing positive ones, improves the equitable distribution of the benefits of growth, and enhances quality of life. At its heart, urban containment aims to achieve these goals by choreographing public infrastructure investment, land use and development regulation, and deployment of incentives and disincentives to influence the rate, timing, intensity, mix, and location of growth. Broadly speaking, urban containment programs can be distinguished from traditional approaches to land use regulation by policies that are explicitly designed to limit the development of land outside a defined urban area, while encouraging infill development and redevelopment inside it

The Effects of Energy Drink Consumption on Cognitive and Physical Performance in Elite League of Legends Players.

To examine the cognitive and physical changes associated with consuming an energy drink concurrent to video gaming, we examined a convenience sample of nine elite League of Legends (LoL) e-sport players (21 ± 2 y, BMI 25.6 ± 3.4 kg/m2) consuming an energy drink (ReloadTM) or placebo (Placebo) in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over trial. Participants completed the same test battery prior to treatment consumption and after playing each of three competitive LoL games. Primary outcomes included measures of attention (Erikson Flanker Test), reaction time (Go/No-Go test) and working memory (n-back test). Secondary outcomes examined fatigue (hand grip strength and finger tap speed). Statistical analysis was performed by repeated-measures analysis of variance (RM-ANOVA) and reported as the mean (standard deviation [SD]) or mean change (95% confidence interval [CI]). Participants reported sleeping 8.1 (1.2) h/night, playing LoL 10.3 (2.1) h/d, playing other video games 1.8 (2.8) h/d, and exercising 4.2 (1.7) times per week. Overall, we observed no significant time, group, or group-by-time interactions for any measured performance index with the exception of a significant improvement for the n-back test, where the Reload group demonstrated a significant within-group improvement: Reload [-171 ms (95% CI, -327.91, -14.09), p < 0.004], Placebo [-92 ms (95% CI, -213.63, 29.63)]. However, no between-group differences were noted (38.50 ms, 95% CI, -141.89, 64.89, p = 0.803). Our findings suggest that elite eSport athletes do not demonstrate a mental or physical improvement in performance relative to the treatment supplement or indices measured in this study

Measurement of the Noise Resulting from the Interaction of Turbulence with a Lifting Surface

An experimental study of the noise resulting from the interaction of an airfoil with incident turbulence is presented. The test models include NACA0015 airfoils of different chord lengths, a flat plate with a sharp leading edge, and an airfoil of same section as a reference Fowler flap. The airfoils are immersed in nearly isotropic turbulence. Two approaches for performing the noise measurements are used and compared. The effects that turbulence intensity and scales, airfoil geometry, velocity and angle of attack have on the incident turbulence interaction noise are examined. Detailed directivity measurements are presented. It is found that noise spectral levels beyond the peak frequency decrease more with decreasing airfoil leading edge sharpness, and that spectral peak level (at 0 deg. angle of attack) appears to be mostly controlled by the airfoil fs thickness and chord. Increase in turbulence scale and intensity are observed to lead to a uniform increase of the noise spectral levels with an LI(sup 2) dependence (where L is the turbulence longitudinal integral scale and I is the turbulence intensity). Noise levels are found to scale with the 6th power of velocity and the 2nd power of the airfoil chord. Sensitivity to changes in angle of attack appears to have a turbulence longitudinal integral scale to chord (C) ratio dependence, with large effects on noise for L/C greater than or equal to 1 and decreased effects as L/C becomes smaller than 1. For all L/C values, the directivity pattern of the noise resulting from the incident turbulence is seen to remain symmetric with respect to the direction of the mean flow until stall, at which point, the directivity becomes symmetric with respect to the airfoil chord. It is also observed that sensitivity to angle of attack changes is more pronounced on the model suction side than on the model pressure side, and in the higher frequency range of the spectra for the largest airfoils tested (L/C less than 0.24)