Effects of Human Recreational Activity on The Tameness of Common Loons (Gavia immer) in Northern Wisconsin

The Common Loon (Gavia immer) is an aquatic diving bird that lives in freshwater habitats in Canada and the northern U.S.. Human activity on a loon’s resident lake may affect its fitness and behavior, yet few studies identify or quantify these effects. We modified existing techniques that measure escape distances in other species to measure tameness as the distance at which individual loons dove in response to human approach by canoe. Tameness was similar between pair members, suggesting that common lake conditions or the behavior of a mate might influence the behavior. Sex, size within sex, and human activity did not influence tameness. However, our data for human activity characterized a lake for an entire breeding season rather than measure the amount of human activity present at the time tameness data was collected. Further studies using our technique for measuring tameness are needed to determine whether tameness is a result of the momentary influence of lake activity, a learned response, or if loons are unable to adjust their behavior in response to human activity. If loons do not have the ability to adjust their behavior to human activity, greater or more rigid set-back distances could be implemented to protect them from potential harm

Aggression in Children with 7q11.23 Duplication Syndrome

7q11.23 duplication syndrome (Dup7) is a recently identified genetic disorder that is caused by a duplication of the same set of genes deleted in Williams syndrome (WS). Dup7 is highly variable and associated with several cognitive, behavioral, and medical characteristics, a wide range of cognitive abilities, language delay, childhood apraxia of speech, autism spectrum disorders (ASD), anxiety disorders, developmental coordination disorder, and epilepsy. A recent examination of individuals with Dup7 indicated high levels of social anxiety and elevated aggression and oppositional behavior compared to same-aged peers; however, detailed characterization of behavioral outcomes and factors that may contribute to variability in functioning have not been explored. The aim of this study was to characterize the presence and severity of aggression in children with Dup7 and identify potential contributions to levels of aggression utilizing a multi-method, multi-informant approach. Participants included 63 children with Dup7 between the ages of 4 and 18. Results indicate elevated levels of aggression and oppositional behavior. Children who were young and had language delays were more likely to demonstrate aggression as rated by an examiner. Intellectual functioning, expressive language functioning, and ASD severity were not related to aggression; however, children who were rated by their parents as demonstrating behaviors associated with Social Anxiety Disorder were more likely to be rated as demonstrating behaviors consistent with Oppositional Defiant Disorder. This finding suggests that the presence of social anxiety may contribute to the presence of aggression in children with Dup7. Overall, this study’s findings suggest that the genes in the 7q11.23 region duplicated in Dup7, in transaction with the environment, may contribute to aggressive behavior

Collaborative Research: Determinants of male reproductive success in natural spawns

This proposal is an extension of previous work aimed at understanding the effects of reproductive biology on patterns of life history evolution in a colonial marine tunicate, Botryllus schlosseri. The project will test five hypotheses about factors that may determine male reproductive success in natural spawns of this colonial invertebrate. The five hypotheses specifically aim to explore the effects of timing of sperm release, relatedness of mates, population density, and allocation to male function on fertilization success in field and experimental populations of Botryllus. Previous work has shown that there is a narrow temporal window in which fertilization can result in a viable embryo, and there may be a gametic incompatibility system. Furthermore, fertilizing sperm are generally the product of nearby colonies; colonies exhibit variation in sperm production, and high levels of sperm production only increase local reproductive success when sperm competition occurs.This preliminary information suggests that male reproductive success in natural populations is a complex function of timing relative to the reproductive cycles of other colonies, gametic compatibility, sperm production, and population density.The proposed research will consist of field and laboratory studies, with preliminary work focused to maximize the information yield of a suite of nine polymorphic microsatellite loci. These genetic markers will then be used to assay paternity in natural spawns and test the series of five hypotheses about the determinants of male reproductive success

Two Stage Procurement Processes With Competitive Suppliers and Uncertain Supplier Quality

This paper considers a sourcing problem faced by a manufacturer who outsources the manufacturing of a product to one of several competing suppliers, whose cost and quality capabilities are unknown. We consider a two-stage sourcing process in which the first stage is the qualification stage, while the second stage is the supplier selection stage. In the first stage, the manufacturer exerts effort to learn about the quality level of each of the suppliers and then must determine the set of qualified suppliers, subject to some tolerance for error. In the second stage, the manufacturer runs a price-only procurement auction, in which the qualified suppliers compete for the manufacturer’s business.We model this two-stage sourcing process with the goal of obtaining insights into manufacturer’s optimal decisions. We seek to determine the optimal qualification standard, the optimal amount of effort to be exerted in the qualification process and the appropriate tolerance for error in the qualification process, and to understand the interactions between these decision variables. We are particularly interested in understanding how the manufacturer can design the process to 1) ensure the firm only sources from qualified suppliers and 2) encourage competition among the suppliers during supplier selection

Active and passive processes associated with initial settlement and post-settlement dispersal of suspended meiobenthic copepods

Settlement by suspended meiofaunal copepods into shallow depressions was investigated in a large, recirculating laboratory flume. Initial settlement was examined under various near-bottom flow regimes, and the interaction of flow with post-settlement behavior was investigated. Cylindrical depressions of constant depth were constructed with a range of aspect ratios (diameter and depth combinations) to mimic natural microtopographic features. Copepods were released into the flume (at nominal flows of 2, 5 and 7 cm sec−1), and settlement/ distribution in the mimic pits was observed. Four experiments were conducted using a total of five species. The first tested for copepod substrate preferences in still water. The second tested for passive settlement into azoic sediment using predictions, based on hydrodynamics, of the ability of depressions of different aspect ratios to act as passive collectors. The patterns of initial settlement of living, freeze-killed and bead-mimic meiofauna were compared. Algal-enriched sediment (to test for active habitat selection) was used in two experiments; one to test for active choice upon initial settlement and the other to test for active habitat selection via post-settlement dispersal into closely-paired pits. Although copepods were capable of active habitat selection in still water, no species tested was able to initially select the preferred habitat in moving water. Moreover, the same copepod species tested in moving water were generally deposited among depressions in the same manner as passive particles. Post-settlement behavior influenced copepod distribution at a low nominal current velocity (2 cm sec−1) as more individuals of both species located (and remained in) algal-enriched depressions after four hrs. Under high flow (8 cm sec−1), copepods were unable to select enriched over non-enriched depressions, either because they did not re-emerge from non-enriched pits or because shear velocity was too high to permit active habitat selection

Changes in Depressive Symptoms Among Adolescents with ASD Completing the PEERS® Social Skills Intervention

Depression is a common concern among people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and is often associated with social skills and relationship challenges. The present data, from a randomized controlled trial, examined the effect of PEERS® on self-reported depressive symptoms via the Children’s Depression Inventory (CDI) among 49 adolescents with ASD. Findings revealed that many CDI subscale scores declined (p’s \u3c 0.05) and were related to direct social contact on the Quality of Socialization Questionnaire at posttest (p’s \u3c 0.05). Exploratory analyses uncovered that suicidality was less evident following PEERS®. Findings support the notion that social functioning and depression may be intimately intertwined in ASD; therefore, bolstering social skills in ASD may positively influence other domains of functioning, including mental health

Social Difficulties in Youth with Autism With and Without Anxiety and ADHD Symptoms

Social difficulties inherent to autism spectrum disorder are often linked with co‐occurring symptoms of anxiety and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The present study sought to examine the relation between such co‐occurring symptoms and social challenges. Parents of adolescents with autism (N = 113) reported upon social challenges via the social responsiveness scale (SRS) and anxiety and ADHD symptomatology via the Child Behavior Checklist. Results revealed differences in SRS scores across co‐occurring symptom subgroups (Anxiety, ADHD, Both, Neither)—namely, adolescents with autism and anxiety as well as those with autism, anxiety, and ADHD showed greater scores on the SRS than the other groups. Implications for research and clinical practice are discussed and recommendations are offered. Lay Summary Anxiety and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms are related to greater social challenges for adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. The present study found that autism with anxiety and autism with anxiety and ADHD, was related to greater social difficulties than autism alone. Findings provide further support for the intertwined nature of anxiety and ADHD symptoms in autism. What this may mean for research and clinical practice is considered and recommendations are suggested

Social Difficulties in Youth with Autism With and Without Anxiety and ADHD Symptoms

Social difficulties inherent to autism spectrum disorder are often linked with co‐occurring symptoms of anxiety and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The present study sought to examine the relation between such co‐occurring symptoms and social challenges. Parents of adolescents with autism (N = 113) reported upon social challenges via the social responsiveness scale (SRS) and anxiety and ADHD symptomatology via the Child Behavior Checklist. Results revealed differences in SRS scores across co‐occurring symptom subgroups (Anxiety, ADHD, Both, Neither)—namely, adolescents with autism and anxiety as well as those with autism, anxiety, and ADHD showed greater scores on the SRS than the other groups. Implications for research and clinical practice are discussed and recommendations are offered. Lay Summary Anxiety and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms are related to greater social challenges for adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. The present study found that autism with anxiety and autism with anxiety and ADHD, was related to greater social difficulties than autism alone. Findings provide further support for the intertwined nature of anxiety and ADHD symptoms in autism. What this may mean for research and clinical practice is considered and recommendations are suggested