Bayesian salamanders: analysing the demography of an underground population of the European plethodontid <i>Speleomantes strinatii</i> with state-space modelling

&lt;b&gt;Background&lt;/b&gt;: It has been suggested that Plethodontid salamanders are excellent candidates for indicating ecosystem health. However, detailed, long-term data sets of their populations are rare, limiting our understanding of the demographic processes underlying their population fluctuations. Here we present a demographic analysis based on a 1996 - 2008 data set on an underground population of Speleomantes strinatii (Aellen) in NW Italy. We utilised a Bayesian state-space approach allowing us to parameterise a stage-structured Lefkovitch model. We used all the available population data from annual temporary removal experiments to provide us with the baseline data on the numbers of juveniles, subadults and adult males and females present at any given time. &lt;b&gt;Results&lt;/b&gt;: Sampling the posterior chains of the converged state-space model gives us the likelihood distributions of the state-specific demographic rates and the associated uncertainty of these estimates. Analysing the resulting parameterised Lefkovitch matrices shows that the population growth is very close to 1, and that at population equilibrium we expect half of the individuals present to be adults of reproductive age which is what we also observe in the data. Elasticity analysis shows that adult survival is the key determinant for population growth. &lt;b&gt;Conclusion&lt;/b&gt;: This analysis demonstrates how an understanding of population demography can be gained from structured population data even in a case where following marked individuals over their whole lifespan is not practical

Enterprising Rural Families: Making It Work

Enterprising Rural Families (ERFTM) is an international course for the rural family in business. ERFTM teaches a process of finding success, resilience and satisfaction for rural families engaged in enterprises; including agriculture. Instructors from the United States, Canada and Australia have teamed together to offer this course that focuses on the three main components of a family business: individuals, the family unit and the business enterprise. This course also allows families in business to increase their awareness of cultural differences and similarities and improve their understanding of global issues. The course consists of written presentations, online chat sessions, threaded discussions, readings, videos, case studies and individual projects. Using these mechanisms, the online interaction provides rural families with both the tools and skills to resolve immediate family business issues and build a profitable business for the future.Consumer/Household Economics, Farm Management,

Aspects of the coordination chemistry of phosphorus(V) chloro-compounds

Acceptor properties of several phosphorus(v) chloro compounds have been studied by solution and solid state (^31)P n.m.r. techniques, using pyridine, 1,10-phenanthroline, 2,2'-dipyridyl and chloride ions as ligands. Six co-ordinate adduct formation has been detected in most systems. As reported previously(^1), phosphorus pentachloride forms a molecular 1:1 adduct with pyridine. Bidentate pyridines produce PC1(_4)(L-L)(^+) PC1(_6)(^-) (L-L = 2,2'-dipyridyl or 1,10-phenanthroline). Non-stoichiometric adducts PC1(_4)phen(+)(PC1(_6)(^-))(_1-x)C1(^-)(_x) (x<l) disproportionate on dissolution to the 2:1 complex. PC1(_4)(^+) SbC1(_6)(^-) reacts with pyridine in nitrobenzene to give the equilibrium PC1(_4) (pyridine)(_2)(^+) SbC1(_6)(^-) = PC1(_5).pyridine + SbC1(_5).pyridine Solid PC1(_4)(pyridine)(_2)(^+) SbC1(_6)(^-) has been successfully isolated, however. Solution-stable adducts PC1(_4)(L-L)(^+) SbC1(_6)(^-) are formed with bidentate pyridines. Phenyltetrachlorophosphorane PhPC1(_4), catechyl phosphorus trichloride (C(_6)H(_4)0(_2))PC1(_3) and bis-catechyl phosphorus monochloride (C(_6)H(_4)0(_2))(_2) PC1 yield chloride ion adducts which are partially dissociated in solution. Each has been isolated as a solid. These phosphoranes also form molecular 1:1 adducts with pyridine, of which only PhPC1(_4) pyridine dissociates in solution. In the presence of excess pyridine, (C(_6)H(_4)0(_2))PCl(_2) (pyridine)(_2)(^+)C1(^-) and (C(_6)H(_4)0(_2))(_2)P (pyridine)(_2)(^+)C1(^-) equilibrate with the 1:1 adducts. The acceptors slowly produce cationic adducts with bidentate pyridines viz. PhPC1(_3)(L_L)(^+) C1(^-), (C(_6)H(_4)0(_2))PC1(_2)(L-L)(^+) (C(_6)H(_4)0(_2))PC1(_4)(^-) and (C(_6)H(_4)0(_2))(_2)P(dipyridyl)(^+) C1(^-). Similar cationic adducts Z(_4)P(L-L)(^+) MC1(_6)(^-) are rapidly formed by addition of bidentate ligands to PhPC1(_3)(^+) SbC1(_6)(^-), PhPC1(_3)(^+) PC1(_6_(^-), (C(_6)H(_4)0(_2))PC1(_2) (^+) SbC1(_6)(^-) and (C(_6)H(_4)0(_2))(_2)P(^+) SbC1(_6)(^-). The solid hexachloroantimonate adducts possess unexpected stability to water and moist air. Pyridine adducts Z(_4)P(pyridine)(_2)(^+)SbC1(_6)(^-) are formed with (C(_6)H(_4)0(_2))PC1(_2)(^+) SbC1(_6)(^-) and (C(_6)H(_4)0(_2))(_2)P(^+) SbC1(_6)(^-) but not with PhPC1(_3)(^+) SbC1(_6)(^-). Preliminary experiments with methyltetrachlorophosphorane (MePC1(_4)) show the formation of MePC1(_5)(^-) on addition of chloride ions. The addition of substituted pyridines to PCl(_5) and PCl(_4)(^+) SbC1(_6)(^-) has been investigated. 3- and 4-substituted non- methylated pyridines yield complexes, but 2-substituted pyridines show a much lower tendency to co-ordinate. Methyl pyridines are attacked by the phosphorus species in solution. Reactions of the type R(_3)P + PC1(_5) → R(_3)PC1(-2) + PC1(_3) R(_3)PC1(_2) + PC1(_5) → R(_3)PC1(^+) PC1(_6)(^-) have also been studied. By variation of the reaction stoichiometry, either R(_3)PC1(_2) or R3PC1(^+) PC1(_6)(^-) may be prepared. With PhPC1(_2), however, only PhPC1(_3)(+)PC1(_6)(^-) has been isolated

In vitro effect of canine hyperimmune sera on TNFa activity

[Introduction]: Septic shock in dogs is caused by cardiovascular and vasomotor failure associated with an uncontrolled intrinsic release of inflammatory mediators [1–5]. The syndrome is characterized by cardiovascular dysfunction, vascular permeability alterations, pulmonary oedema and tissue hypoxia resulting from microthrombi which may culminate in disseminated intravascular coagulation and catastrophic multiple organ failure [6,7]. Systemic bacterial infection, particularly by Gram-negative enterobacteria, haemorrhagic trauma, gastric dilation/volvulus and pancreatitis are the major underlying causes leading tosepsis [8,9]. Because of haemodynamic instability and associated hypovolemia, fluid replacement therapy is generally applied to restore effective circulating volume. The use of fresh frozen plasma has been recommended in cases of coagulopathies as it has been recognized to assist restoration of haemodynamic stability [1,5,10,11]. There is increasing evidence that the drivers of the haemodynamic instability are inflammatory mediators (particularly TNFa) activated primarily by bacterial endotoxin [3,4,12,13]

Dynamics of methane ebullition from a peat monolith revealed from a dynamic flux chamber system

Methane (CH4) ebullition in northern peatlands is poorly quantified in part due to its high spatiotemporal variability. In this study, a dynamic flux chamber (DFC) system was used to continuously measure CH4 fluxes from a monolith of near‐surface Sphagnum peat at the laboratory scale to understand the complex behavior of CH4 ebullition. Coincident transmission ground penetrating radar measurements of gas content were also acquired at three depths within the monolith. A graphical method was developed to separate diffusion, steady ebullition, and episodic ebullition fluxes from the total CH4 flux recorded and to identify the timing and CH4 content of individual ebullition events. The results show that the application of the DFC had minimal disturbance on air‐peat CH4 exchange and estimated ebullition fluxes were not sensitive to the uncertainties associated with the graphical model. Steady and episodic ebullition fluxes were estimated to be averagely 36 ± 24% and 38 ± 24% of the total fluxes over the study period, respectively. The coupling between episodic CH4 ebullition and gas content within the three layers supports the existence of a threshold gas content regulating CH4 ebullition. However, the threshold at which active ebullition commenced varied between peat layers with a larger threshold (0.14 m3 m−3) observed in the deeper layers, suggesting that the peat physical structure controls gas bubble dynamics in peat. Temperature variation (23°C to 27°C) was likely only responsible for small episodic ebullition events from the upper peat layer, while large ebullition events from the deeper layers were most likely triggered by drops in atmospheric pressure

A search for double beta decays of tin isotopes with enhanced sensitivity

A search for the various double beta decay modes of 124Sn and 112Sn has been performed on 75 kg.days of data. New half-life limits for excited states in 124Sn have been obtained including a lower limit for the decay into the first excited 2+ state of 124Te of T_half > 0.87e20 yrs (90% CL) and into the first excited 0+ state of T_half > 1.08e20 yrs (90% CL). Ground state and excited state transitions of 112Sn have also been experimentally explored. A limit for the 2 neutrino double electron capture of T_half > 1.8e19 yrs (90% CL) is obtained. The non-observation of de-excitation gammas from the 0+ at 1888.5keV results in a lower half-life limit on the 0 neutrino double electron capture decay of 112Sn of T_half > 0.8e19 yrs (90% CL), despite a possible resonant enhancement of the decay rate due to degenerated states.Comment: 6 pages, 7 figures, updated analysis and tex

The impact of host species and vector control measures on the fitness of African malaria vectors

Many malaria vector mosquitoes in Africa have an extreme preference for feeding on humans. This specialization allows them to sustain much higher levels of transmission than elsewhere, but there is little understanding of the evolutionary forces that drive this behaviour. In Tanzania, we used a semi-field system to test whether the well-documented preferences of the vectors An. arabiensis and An. gambiae s.s. for cattle and humans respectively are predicted by the fitness they obtain from host-seeking on these species relative to other available hosts. Mosquito fitness was contrasted when humans were fully exposed, and when they were protected by a typical bednet. The fitness of both vectors varied between host species. The predicted relationship between host preference and fitness was confirmed in An. arabiensis, but not in An. gambiae s.s. whose fitness was similar on humans and other mammals. Use of typical, imperfect bednets generated only minor reductions in An. gambiae s.s. feeding success and fitness on humans, but was predicted to generate a significant reduction in the lifetime reproductive success of An. arabiensis on human relative to cows. This supports the hypothesis that such human-protective measures could additionally benefit malaria control by increasing selection for zoophily in vectors

The effects of an experimental programme to support students’ autonomy on the overt behaviours of physical education teachers

Although the benefits of autonomy supportive behaviours are now well established in the literature, very few studies have attempted to train teachers to offer a greater autonomy support to their students. In fact, none of these studies has been carried out in physical education (PE). The purpose of this study is to test the effects of an autonomy-supportive training on overt behaviours of teaching among PE teachers. The experimental group included two PE teachers who were first educated on the benefits of an autonomy supportive style and then followed an individualised guidance programme during the 8 lessons of a teaching cycle. Their behaviours were observed and rated along 3 categories (i.e., autonomy supportive, neutral and controlling) and were subsequently compared to those of three teachers who formed the control condition. The results showed that teachers in the experimental group used more autonomy supportive and neutral behaviours than those in the control group, but no difference emerged in relation to controlling behaviours. We discuss the implications for schools of our findings