THE TAXONOMIC STATUS OF THE WYOMING TOAD, BUFO BAXTERI PORTER

The population of toads in southeastern Wyoming named Bufo hemiophrys baxteri by Porter in 1968 is presumed to be extinct in nature, except perhaps for released, captive-bred specimens. It is sufficiently distinct in several respects, and sufficiently isolated geographically from its nearest rela- tive, B. h. hemiophrys, that it should be regarded as a distinct species, forming a superspecies group with B. hemiophrys

THE LECTOTYPE AND TYPE LOCALITY OF CANDOIA CARINATA (REPTILIA, SERPENTES)

The lectotype of Boa carinata Schneider, 1801, has been rediscovered and is now ZMFK35503, having been transferred in 1977 from the Göttingen Museum, its original location. Its typelocality has not been reported previously, but is indicated as “Amboina” on a label with the lectotype.The specimen is redescribed and fi gured, and conforms with expectations for material from the vicinityof the type locality. A brief history of Schneider and of the syntypes of Boa carinata, now Candoiacarinata, is reviewed

Using synthetic aperture radar (SAR) to estimate bathymetry and volume of shallow North Slope lakes

Thesis (M.S.) University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2010"An efficient and cost effective method of monitoring North Slope lakes is essential for balancing the needs of industrial and environmental consumers. Arctic lakes are necessary for supporting facility and drilling operations. They are also integral parts of the Arctic ecosystem. Lakes are advantageous sites for long term monitoring of climate change. Remote sensing is a cost effective tool for sustained monitoring of this large and inaccessible environment. Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) was used in conjunction with the Modified Stefan's ice thickness equation to estimate bathymetry and volume of three North Slope lakes. A series C-band SAR images taken over the 2000-2001 winter were processed to differentiate between grounded and floating ice. The ice thickness of each pixel was estimated by recording the date it became grounded and the corresponding ice thickness of that date. Ice thickness was used to determine water depth, which was used to create bathymetric maps and estimate volume. The bathymetric estimates using the SAR methodology for lakes S0901, S0902 and S0903 produced an 18.08% underestimate, 19.06% underestimate and a 6.53% overestimate, when compared to ground truthed bathymetry. These results demonstrate that this method can be used for reliable, low cost evaluation of these important resources"--Leaf iiiAlaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities North Slope Foothills Hydrologic Analysis gran

Evidence of a link between the evolution of clusters and their AGN fraction

‘The definitive version is available at www3.interscience.wiley.com .' Copyright Blackwell Publishing / Royal Astronomical Society. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2009.14513.xPeer reviewe

Job characteristics and experience as predictors of occupational turnover intention and occupational turnover in the European nursing sector

The present study aims to unravel the relationships between job demands and resources, occupational turnover intention, and occupational turnover. To do so, we tested a model wherein associations between nurses' age, tenure in profession and tenure with present employer (experience in the profession), job demands (emotional demands, work-home interference), and job resources (influence at work and opportunities for development) predicted occupational turnover intention, and, subsequently, occupational turnover. A longitudinal survey was conducted among a sample of 753 nurses working in European health care institutions (hospitals, nursing homes, and community/home care). The results supported the hypotheses that job demands are positively related with occupational turnover intention while job resources and experience in the nursing profession are negatively related with occupational turnover intention. We did not find evidence supporting the hypothesis that occupational turnover intention mediates the relationship between job demands and job resources on the one hand, and occupational turnover on the other hand. Experience in the nursing profession had a direct effect on occupational turnover, in addition to the direct effect of occupational turnover intention. The implications of our findings for understanding the process through which health care organizations can affect occupational turnover intention and actual exit behavior, are discussed

Distant galaxy clusters in the COSMOS field found by HIROCS

We present the first high-redshift galaxy cluster candidate sample from the HIROCS survey found in the COSMOS field. It results from a combination of public COSMOS with proprietary H-band data on a 0.66 square degree part of the COSMOS field and comprises 12 candidates in the redshift range 1.23 < z < 1.55. We find an increasing fraction of blue cluster members with increasing redshift. Many of the blue and even some of the reddest member galaxies exhibit disturbed morphologies as well as signs of interaction.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures, in print format, accepted for publication by A&A Letter

Paclitaxel for malignant pleural mesothelioma: a phase II study of the EORTC Lung Cancer Cooperative Group.

The EORTC Lung Cancer Cooperative Group undertook a phase II study of paclitaxel in 25 chemotherapy-naive patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma. Paclitaxel was given intravenously at a dose of 200 mg m-2 as a 3 h infusion every 3 weeks, after standard premedication with corticosteroids and antihistamines. This regimen was well tolerated, with < 4% of cycles resulting in severe toxicity. No major objective responses were observed and ten patients had stable disease. Median survival time was 39 weeks and the 1 year survival rate was 30%. In conclusion, paclitaxel at the dose and schedule investigated in this trial had no major activity in the treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma

Vitalum study design: RCT evaluating the efficacy of tailored print communication and telephone motivational interviewing on multiple health behaviors

Abstract Background A large proportion of adults fail to meet public health guidelines for physical activity as well as fruit, vegetable and fat intake. Interventions are needed to improve these health behaviors. Both computer tailoring and motivational interviewing have shown themselves to be promising techniques for health behavior change. The Vitalum project aims to compare the efficacy of these techniques in improving the health behaviors of adults aged 45–70. This paper describes the design of the Vitalum study. Methods/Design Dutch general medical practices (N = 23) were recruited via a registration network or by personal invitation. The participants were then enrolled through these general practices using an invitational letter. They (n = 2,881) received a written baseline questionnaire to assess health behaviors, and potential psychosocial and socio-demographic behavioral determinants. A power analysis indicated that 1,600 participants who were failing to meet the guidelines for physical activity and either fruit or vegetable consumption were needed. Eligible participants were stratified based on hypertension status and randomized into one of four intervention groups: tailored print communication, telephone motivational interviewing, combined, and control. The first two groups either received four letters or took part in four interviews, whereas the combined group received two letters and took part in two interviews in turns at 5, 13, 30 and 43 weeks after returning the baseline questionnaire. Each letter and interview focused on physical activity or nutrition behavior. The participants also took part in a telephone survey 25 weeks after baseline to gather new information for tailoring. There were two follow-up questionnaires, at 47 and 73 weeks after baseline, to measure short- and long-term effects. The control group received a tailored letter after the last posttest. The process, efficacy and cost-effectiveness of the interventions will be examined by means of multilevel mixed regression, cost-effectiveness analyses and process evaluation. Discussion The Vitalum study simultaneously evaluates the efficacy of tailored print communication and telephone motivational interviewing, and their combined use for multiple behaviors and people with different motivational stages and education levels. The results can be used by policymakers to contribute to evidence-based prevention of chronic diseases. Trial Registration Dutch Trial Register NTR1068http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/112919/1/12889_2008_Article_1186.pd