Regional Differences in Wild North American River Otter (Lontra canadensis) Behavior and Communication

This study focuses on the vocalization repertoires of wild North American river otters (Lontra canadensis) in New York and California. Although they are the same species, these two established populations of river otters are separated by a significant distance and are distinct from one another. River otters are semi-aquatic social predators that can be found throughout North America. This is the first study to examine the vocalizations of wild river otters, and results are compared across field sites in the different regions. River otter vocalizations and behaviors in New York were recorded using Bushnell Aggressor trail cameras that were placed in areas of moderate to high river otter activity. The River Otter Ecology Project, a nonprofit organization studying river otter populations in Marin County, provided the otter videos from California. Recorded vocalizations were separated into categories based on their appearance on a spectrogram and parameters including frequency and duration were measured for each call. Behaviors were identified in all New York videos and during vocalizations in both New York and California videos. Four call types (chuckle, hah, chirp, and whine) were recorded in both California and New York otters. An additional call (chirpwhine) was recorded only in the California population. Otters in both populations produced chuckles while traveling, scentmarking, and investigating. Hahs were produced during disturbance, food, play, and rub behaviors. Otters were most likely to produce chirps when they were stationary and alone. Hahs were most likely to occur in pairs, and chuckles and whines were more likely to occur among groups of 3 or more otters. This study not only contributes to the limited knowledge that exists on the North American river otter vocalization repertoire, but also bridges the gap between animal acoustics and behaviors, providing behavioral context for this elusive species’ most common call types in the wild

Vocalizations of North American River Otters (\u3ci\u3eLontra canadensis\u3c/i\u3e) in Two Human Care Populations

There is a dearth of information regarding the vocal repertoire of North American river otters (Lontra canadensis). This indicator species is cosmopolitan yet elusive, making recordings methodologically difficult in the wild. Therefore, this exploratory study uses video and audio recordings of two populations of North American river otters in human care to broaden the known vocal repertoire of river otters in various social contexts. The populations consist of a male-female pair at the Stamford Museum and Nature Center and a male-male pair at The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk. This study is the first to examine the vocalizations produced in a male-male pair of river otters. Data collection took place June through August of 2015. Approximately 766 minutes and 347 minutes were recorded respectively in each location using a Tascam DR40 recorder and a Sennheisser ME67 directional microphone. Video recording took place simultaneously with a Fujifilm FinePix XP80 digital camera. Call types were acoustically distinguished based on their appearance on a spectrogram. Parameters including average duration, frequency (high, low, max, 1st quarter, center, and 3rd quarter), and power (max and average) were measured for each call type. Because vocalizations are the focal point of this study, only behaviors co-occurring with vocalizations were included in the chi square analysis that showed a significant relationship between call type and behavior. Squeaks and whines were present during agonistic behaviors while chirps were produced during non-agonistic behaviors including investigating, stationary, and grooming. Results support that behavior likely plays a role in the type of calls produced by river otters in human care

To what extent can France continue to defend the cultural exception in the digital age? : an analysis of cultural diversity in the French film industry

Since the first General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade in 1947, France has insisted that cultural products are different from other traded goods and should be exempted from ongoing liberalisation of international trade – a principle known as the ‘cultural exception’. This exclusion allows France to implement policies in favour of its cultural industries, particularly a highly complex system of quotas and subsidies for the film industry which it maintains is essential to counter US market dominance and maintain cultural diversity. Over the past decade, the launch of video-on-demand services has revolutionised how films are delivered and consumed. Policy-makers have attempted to keep pace with these developments, expanding the scope of French support schemes accordingly. Adopting a mixed methods approach, this thesis analyses cultural diversity in the French film industry in detail, incorporating for the first time both the cinema and video-on-demand sectors and combining qualitative and quantitative data to understand the impact of French policies on diversity. Quantitative analysis reveals strong evidence of diversity in both sectors but that, while digital channels offer greater variety of choice, cinema is more balanced between films of different geographic origins. Employing a consistent approach to policy development in both channels, policy-makers have failed to take into account these and other differences, or to target measures at the emerging threats to diversity in the digital environment – potentially undermining the French defence of the cultural exception on diversity grounds. There is a surprisingly superficial use of the term cultural diversity in trade circles, leading to the conclusion that a more sophisticated approach is needed. Refining French policy in line with empirical data and actively using that evidence to demonstrate policy success will be a necessary part of this more sophisticated approach if France is to successfully defend the cultural exception in future trade negotiations

Clinical evaluation of a novel topical negative pressure device in promoting healing in chronic wounds

Aim: This observational study evaluated the use of a novel, ultraportable, mechanically powered topical negative pressure device in promoting healing in chronic wounds, including venous and mixed etiology leg ulcers and neuropathic foot ulcers. Materials and Methods: Evaluable patients (n=37) received treatment with the SNaP® Wound Care System for up to 6 weeks. The primary objective was percentage change in wound size, with secondary objectives of clinical assessment of wound parameters, ease of use, and impact on quality of life. Results: A 42.64% mean percentage decrease in wound area was observed, with an overall decrease for each wound etiology subgroup. Increased granulation tissue, decreased exudate levels, and decreased wound pain were reported. Quality-of-life scores increased overall, and the device was easy to use, comfortable, portable, and inconspicuous. Conclusion: The SNaP Wound Care System has the potential to promote healing in chronic wounds of different etiologies

Role of the polarity protein, Scribble, in Hematopoiesis and Leukemia

The polarity protein, Scribble, is a member of a group of proteins responsible for the apical basal polarity in epithelia. Scribble is highly conserved from flies to humans and is deregulated in a number of human epithelial cancers including cervical, colon, breast and prostate but its role in blood cancers has not been explored. As Scribble knockout mice are embryonic lethal, dying from a severe neural tube closure defect, we have developed conditional knockout mice using the Mx1-Cre model to explore the role of Scribble in hematopoiesis in both steady state and leukemia. Expression of Scribble in hematopoietic organs and specific lineages was confirmed using multiple approaches. We established that loss of PTEN results in myeloproliferative disease with progression to T-ALL or AML/T-ALL. Pten/Scribble double knockouts have similar symptoms of disease as Pten single knockouts: splenomegaly, hepatomegaly, enlarged lymph nodes and thymus, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (Tdt)-positive cells in the thymus and/or an abundance of blasts in the spleen. Both Pten single knockouts and Pten/Scribble double knockouts have a block in the Pre-Pro B stage of B cell development in the bone marrow and in the DN1 stage of T cell differentiation in the thymus. Preliminary examination of disease burden between Pten single knockouts and Pten/Scribble double knockouts suggests a shift from T-ALL to AML in Pten/Scribble double knockouts. We are currently investigating this and other differences between double and single knockout mice and the underlying mechanisms for these differences with the ultimate aim of generating novel chemotherapeutic targets for treatment of T-ALL and AM

A cognitive behavioural intervention for overweight and obese adolescents illustrated by four case studies

This article reports four case studies illustrating the implementation of the CHOOSE HEALTH Program, a cognitive behavioural lifestyle intervention for overweight and obese adolescents. Participants were an overweight (12 years) and obese (15 years) female, and an overweight (14 years) and obese (12 years) male. The program was delivered by provisional psychologists with program specific training and supervision. All participants demonstrated improvements in body composition, and maintained or improved dietary quality and psychosocial wellbeing. The program had variable effects on physical activity and minimal effect on cardiovascular fitness for three of the four participants. While parents and adolescents required considerable assistance to develop and monitor long term program goals, these goals were a useful clinical tool to support the adolescent and parent to recognise the improvements they had made. Identification and monitoring of specific, measurable, and realistic behaviour change strategies was particularly important in assisting adolescents and their parents to translate session information into improved health behaviours. Results indicate that an adolescent overweight and obesity treatment program that promotes adolescent responsibility and autonomy, and emphasises the importance of parent support and family change is both effective and highly acceptable to both adolescents and parents

Spectroscopic evaluation of UVI–cement mineral interactions: ettringite and hydrotalcite

Portland cement based grouts used for radioactive waste immobilization contain high replacement levels of supplementary cementitious materials, including blast-furnace slag and fly ash. The minerals formed upon hydration of these cements may have capacity for binding actinide elements present in radioactive waste. In this work, the minerals ettringite (Ca(6)Al(2)(SO(4))(3)(OH)(12)·26H(2)O) and hydro­talcite (Mg(6)Al(2)(OH)(16)CO(3)·4H(2)O) were selected to investigate the importance of minor cement hydrate phases in sequestering and immobilizing U(VI) from radioactive waste streams. U L (III)-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) was used to probe the U(VI) coordination environment in contact with these minerals. For the first time, solid-state (27)Al magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (MAS-NMR) spectroscopy was applied to probe the Al coordination environment in these U(VI)-contacted minerals and make inferences on the U(VI) coordination, in conjunction with the X-ray spectroscopy analyses. The U L (III)-edge XAS analysis of the U(VI)-contacted ettringite phases found them to be similar (>∼70%) to the uranyl oxyhydroxides present in a mixed becquerelite/metaschoepite mineral. Fitting of the EXAFS region, in combination with (27)Al NMR analysis, indicated that a disordered Ca- or Al-bearing U(VI) secondary phase also formed. For the U(VI)-contacted hydro­talcite phases, the XAS and (27)Al NMR data were interpreted as being similar to uranyl carbonate, that was likely Mg-containing