Digestibility of Common Forage Plants and Energetic Requirements of the Black-Tailed Prairie Dog

Black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) assimilated 51.5 percent of the wheatgrass (Agropyron intermedium) they consumed; thus, they would have to consume 0.148 kcal · g-1 · day-l in order to obtain the 0.076 kcal · g-1 · day-1 they would require to maintain their weight. Prairie dogs assimilated 31.5 percent of the buffalograss/blue grama mixture (Buchloe dactyloides/Bouteloua gracilis) they were fed. They would have to consume 0.229 kcal · g-1 · day-1 of this forage to assimilate 0.072 kcal · g-1 · day-1 and maintain their weight. The proximate composition of forages fed in feeding trials was similar to that found for those collected on the study area. Total digestible nutrients (TON) for wheatgrass in feeding trials and from the study site averaged 46.7 percent and 45.5 percent, respectively. The mean TON for buffalograss/blue grama feeding trial and study area forages were 26.4 percent and 23 percent, respectively. The assimilation efficiency (AE) of prairie dogs on their natural diet of 34 percent forbs and 65 percent grasses was 71.8 percent. The higher AE in the wild population than in captive animals fed grasses is due to the presence of highly digestible forbs. The estimated Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) of 0.056 kcal · g-1 day-l is relatively low; 85 percent of the Basal Metabolic Rate as predicted by a metabolic body size formula. The energy cost of activity is the primary cause for the difference in RMR estimates from oxygen consumption tests and caloric requirements found in feeding trials. The prairie dog feeding trial results were 1.32 times greater than the RMR estimates

Drug Cartels and Government in Mexico: A Replication and Extension

This paper analyzes the relationship between drug cartels and the government in Mexico. It also seeks to determine the reasons for an upsurge of violence and cartel related murders in Mexico

Fear as a predictor of firearm ownership and concealed weapons permits in Clark County, Nevada

This study is specific to Clark County, Nevada. Two relationships, the relationship between fear and gun possession [defined in terms of firearms registration] and the relationship between fear and the issuance of concealed weapons permits, were posited. Data for the number of registered firearms and issued concealed weapons permits were obtained from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Firearms Detail and CCW Detail. Criminal incidents involving firearms in public areas that appeared to be random in nature [stranger to stranger violence] were gathered through an archive search of Nevada\u27s largest newspaper servicing Clark County, the Las Vegas Review-Journal; Statistical analysis established that there is no significant relationship between fear and firearms possession, as well as no relationship between fear and the issuance of concealed weapons permits. When assessing the impact of particularly tragic incidents and controlling for seasonal trends, however, a significant relationship between fear and gun ownership does emerge. The relationship between fear and concealed weapons permits remains insignificant, even with these added controls

The N-Terminus of Apolipoprotein A-V Adopts a Helix-Bundle Molecular Architecture

Previous studies of recombinant full-length human apolipoprotein A-V (apoA-V) provided evidence of the presence of two independently folded structural domains. Computer-assisted sequence analysis and limited proteolysis studies identified an N-terminal fragment as a candidate for one of the domains. C-Terminal truncation variants in this size range, apoA-V(1-146) and apoA-V(1-169), were expressed in Escherichia coli and isolated. Unlike full-length apoA-V or apoA-V(1-169), apoA-V(1-146) was soluble in neutral-pH buffer in the absence of lipid. Sedimentation equilibrium analysis yielded a weight-average molecular weight of 18811, indicating apoA-V(1-146) exists as a monomer in solution. Guanidine HCl denaturation experiments at pH 3.0 yielded a one-step native to unfolded transition that corresponds directly with the more stable component of the two-stage denaturation profile exhibited by full-length apoA-V. On the other hand, denaturation experiments conducted at pH 7.0 revealed a less stable structure. In a manner similar to that of known helix bundle apolipoproteins, apoA-V(1-146) induced a relatively small enhancement in 8-anilino-1-naphthalenesulfonic acid fluorescence intensity. Quenching studies with single-Trp apoA-V(1-146) variants revealed that a unique site predicted to reside on the nonpolar face of an amphipathic R-helix was protected from quenching by KI. Taken together, the data suggest the 146 N-terminal residues of human apoA-V adopt a helix bundle molecular architecture in the absence of lipid and, thus, likely exist as an independently folded structural domain within the context of the intact protein

Construction of Species-Specific PCR Primers for Detection of Coccidia Parasites in Captive-Reared Northern Bobwhites

Captive rearing and subsequent release of game birds, including northern bobwhites (Colinus virginianus), has become common in certain areas. In this practice, bobwhites are often raised in confinement to ‘flight ready’ and subsequently released for hunting. It is estimated that 30–40 million bobwhites are raised in captivity annually and some farms in the USA produce upwards of 1 million birds annually for this market. Raising game birds in these densities greatly facilitates the transmission of pathogenic organisms. Coccidiosis has been previously identified as an important disease in captive bobwhites and infection can lead to weight loss, diarrhea, poor feather growth, dehydration and, in severe cases, death. Eimeria lettyae, E. colini, and E. dispersa are the three described coccidia species from bobwhites. We investigated the prevalence and distribution of species of coccidia in captive bobwhite facilities throughout the United States. We collected litter or intestinal samples from 31captive bobwhite facilities originating from 13 states. Species-specific PCR primers were constructed against the internal transcribed spacer region 1 (ITS-1) of the ribosomal RNA gene of the various Eimeria spp. to aid in parasite detection and distinction. Primers were used to detect the specific Eimeria spp. in the collected samples. All 31 samples were positive for coccidia. Results of the primer survey disclosed E. lettyae, E. dispersa, and an unidentified Eimeria sp. in 20 (64.5%), 22 (72%), and 29 (93.5%) of the samples, respectively. Thirteen (41.9%) samples had 3 Eimeria spp. detected, 14 (45.2%) samples had 2 spp. detected, and 4 (12.9%) samples had 1 sp. detected. Flock age or geographical location was not associated with the presence of any particular Eimeria spp. To our knowledge, this is the first study of coccidia in captive bobwhites. Previous studies of Eimeria spp. in wild northern bobwhite are rare and disclosed variable prevalence rates ranging from 0 to 36%; no efforts were made to distinguish the coccidia species in these studies It would be helpful to use the species-specific primers constructed in this study to examine the prevalence and distribution of the Eimeria spp. in wild bobwhites from throughout their range to investigate the potential for captive-raised bobwhites to be a source of coccidiosis for wild bobwhites

Uso de nanodiscos de anfotericina B (AMB-NDs) para el tratamiento de enfermedades fúngicas en plantas

III Encuentro sobre Nanociencia y Nanotecnología de Investigadores y Tecnólogos Andaluce

The Social Acceptance of School-based Solar Photovoltaic Projects: An Ontario, Canada Case Study

The installation of solar photovoltaic (solar PV) technology on elementary and secondary schools has been undertaken around the world in an attempt to tie together positive environmental action, innovative environmental education, and potential economic gains. In Ontario, the advent of the Renewable Energy Standard Offer Program and the increased focus on environmental education by the Ontario Ministry of Education has resulted in preliminary interest from some Ontario school boards in installing solar PV technology on schools. However, simply installing the technology on school roof-tops does not guarantee that the potential benefits of a school-based solar PV project will be realized. Drawing from the literatures describing the social acceptance of innovation and technology, the social acceptance of renewable energy innovation and technology, and the social acceptance of educational innovation and technology in schools, this thesis attempts to identify non-technical factors that may impede school-based solar PV project development, and ultimately, attempts to identify factors that help maximize potential benefits. The research was conducted in two distinct phases, with the results from Phase 1 informing the focus and design of Phase 2. Phase 1 consisted of nine key-informant interviews with individuals directly involved in school-based solar PV projects in Canada and the United States, and Phase 2 consisted of a case study in the Halton District School Board (HDSB) and the Halton Catholic District School Board (HCDSB) (Ontario, Canada). Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected in Phase 2 through 30 stakeholder interviews and 50 stakeholder surveys. Respondents in the HDSB and HCDSB generally have a positive perception of solar PV technology, but are concerned to some extent about the cost and economic viability of implementing this kind of project. Five funding models for school-based solar PV projects were evaluated by respondents to determine the effect of project funding models on overall project social acceptance. The results show that the project funding model does affect social acceptance, with 78.1% of respondents reporting that at least one of the five models would cause their support for the project to either increase or decrease. Respondents indicated a strong preference for the government/utility model, while the corporate funding model was shown to be the most controversial. This thesis recommends that a broad-based, inclusive, stakeholder-oriented approach to project development could improve trust and communication between project stakeholders, and thus improve the social acceptance for any of the five funding models. Additionally, with any funding model, teacher and administrative support and social acceptance is particularly important to help maximize the educational component of the project