Minimum patch size thresholds of reproductive success of songbirds

Preservation of large tracts of habitat is often recommended for long-term population viability of area-sensitive species. Large tracts may not always be available. Smaller patches, though not able to contain a viable population individually, may contribute to overall regional population viability if within the small patches pairs could successfully reproduce. By definition, area-sensitive species should have a minimum patch size threshold of habitat below which they will not likely reproduce. Two potential causes for positive relationships between patch size and production are inverse relationships between patch size and brood parasitism and patch size and food availability. My objectives were (1) to determine the minimum patch size thresholds of reproductive success for golden-cheeked warblers (Dendroica chrysoparia), black-and-white warblers (Mniotilta varia), and white-eyed vireos (Vireo griseus); (2) to determine whether thresholds for occupancy, territory establishment by males, or pairing success were indicative of thresholds of reproduction; (3) to determine whether the proportion of pairs fledging brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater) young was related to patch size, and (4) to determine the affects of patch size on food availability (i.e., arthropod abundance). The Vickery index of reproductive activity was used to determine reproductive activity of each male or pair and to quantify parasitism occurrences. I collected arthropods using branch clipping to assess the relationship between patch size and arthropod abundance. I found minimum patch size thresholds of reproductive success for golden-cheeked and black-and-white warblers, but not for white-eyed vireos. Minimum patch size of reproductive success was between 15 and 20.1 ha. Minimum patch size thresholds for occupancy, territory establishment by males, and pair formation were not consistent with thresholds for reproductive success. I found no relationships between patch size and cowbird parasitism or patch size and arthropod biomass. Conservation practices for target species based on thresholds of occupancy, territory establishment, or pair formation may not address issues of reproduction. The ability to identify thresholds of reproductive success for target species could be useful in conservation and management in multiple ways including setting goals for retention and restoration of a target species’ habitat patch size

Cross hole seismic experiment with DAS/DTS data. Svelvik CO2 field lab

Primary purposes of the fieldwork at Svelvik include the provision of datasets which supports task 1.2 ‘determining the DAS transfer function’ and task 1.3 ‘develop DAS data processing techniques and workflow’. The fieldwork also serves as a test of the novel SV wave seismic source developed as part of Task 1.4. ‘Active source technology development and optimising monitoring design.Cross hole seismic experiment with DAS/DTS data. Svelvik CO2 field labpublishedVersio

The physical significance of the Babak-Grishchuk gravitational energy-momentum tensor

We examine the claim of Babak and Grishchuk [1] to have solved the problem of localising the energy and momentum of the gravitational field. After summarising Grishchuk's flat-space formulation of gravity, we demonstrate its equivalence to General Relativity at the level of the action. Two important transformations are described (diffeomorphisms applied to all fields, and diffeomorphisms applied to the flat-space metric alone) and we argue that both should be considered gauge transformations: they alter the mathematical representation of a physical system, but not the system itself. By examining the transformation properties of the Babak-Grishchuk gravitational energy-momentum tensor under these gauge transformations (infinitesimal and finite) we conclude that this object has no physical significance.Comment: 10 pages. Submitted to Phys. Rev. D; acknowledgements adjuste

Three-dimensional structure of CaV3.1: comparison with the cardiac L-type voltage-gated calcium channel monomer architecture.

Calcium entry through voltage-gated calcium channels has widespread cellular effects upon a host of physiological processes including neuronal excitability, muscle excitation-contraction coupling, and secretion. Using single particle analysis methods, we have determined the first three-dimensional structure, at 23 A resolution, for a member of the low voltage-activated voltage-gated calcium channel family, CaV3.1, a T-type channel. CaV3.1 has dimensions of approximately 115x85x95 A, composed of two distinct segments. The cytoplasmic densities form a vestibule below the transmembrane domain with the C terminus, unambiguously identified by the presence of a His tag being approximately 65 A long and curling around the base of the structure. The cytoplasmic assembly has a large exposed surface area that may serve as a signaling hub with the C terminus acting as a "fishing rod" to bind regulatory proteins. We have also determined a three-dimensional structure, at a resolution of 25 A, for the monomeric form of the cardiac L-type voltage-gated calcium (high voltage-activated) channel with accessory proteins beta and alpha2delta bound to the ion channel polypeptide CaV1.2. Comparison with the skeletal muscle isoform finds a good match particularly with respect to the conformation, size, and shape of the domain identified as that formed by alpha2. Furthermore, modeling of the CaV3.1 structure (analogous to CaV1.2 at these resolutions) into the heteromeric L-type voltage-gated calcium channel complex volume reveals multiple interaction sites for beta-CaV1.2 binding and for the first time identifies the size and organization of the alpha2delta polypeptides

Tailoring Supports to Youth in Schools: One Approach to Identifying Needs and Targeting Intervention

Youth experiences intersect along their race, gender, language and socioeconomic status, schools must consider the intersectionality in order to improve outcomes. The current study sought to understand if, and to what extent, different clusters of youth in one large urban high school perceive their psychosocial behaviors as well as social and interpersonal skills. Cross-sectional survey data from 1,164 high school youth were collected using four valid scales: Internalizing Behaviors, Externalizing Behaviors, Peer Relationships, and Social Skills. The analytic strategy was twofold. Cluster analysis was used to form homogeneous clusters of the 1,147 complete responses based on a combination of race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, English language learner status, and gender. Next, a multivariate analysis of variance (MANCOVA) was used to compare cluster profiles on the aforementioned measures. The cluster analysis revealed a 5-factor solution. Findings of the MANCOVA showed that the clusters differed significantly on the set of psychosocial behaviors, social skills, and peer relationships variables (p\u3c0.05, η2= 0.08), with significant univariate differences (p \u3c 0.05) emerging on all four variables. Results point to cluster analysis as an emerging way to identify needs and tailor supports to youth in schools. Youth with identified needs could receive more specialized Tier II and III interventions aligned with their intersecting cultural and personal experiences, in addition to universal interventions to meet school wide priorities

Chitinozoan nomenclature and databases

In 1930, Alfred Eisenack suggested the term âchitinozoanâ for a microfossil group that he discovered from erratic boulders on the Baltic Sea coast. They are known from the Early Ordovician until the end of the Devonian and have a broad paleogeographic distribution in marine deposits. Even though they are useful biostratigraphy markers, their biological affinity is unknown. Several theories have been proposed through the years, with the most widely accepted to date being that they are the eggs of soft-bodied metazoans. Nevertheless, some studies suggest that chitinozoans are fossils of individual microorganisms (protists) rather than of metazoan origin. The aim of this contribution is to summarize the advantages of the current chitinozoan classification and analyze the status quo of the current chitinozoan databases in order to make the classification less subjective and data more accessible. Since the beginning of their study, chitinozoan workers have used a binominal taxonomy describing genera and species based on morphological features. In 1999, Florentin Paris and co-authors introduced a revised suprageneric classification regulated by the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN), which proved very efficient and has since been followed by all workers on this group. According to the ICZN, the concept of âspeciesâ is the only one that refers to an actual population or entity and all higher categories are abstract entities. This means that any feature can be selected to separate the genera and families. In chitinozoans, scanning electron microscope (SEM) images are used to distinguish morphologic features such as the vesicle, aperture, neck, and ornamentation. These main characteristics were used as the basis of classification. The category of âOrderâ is not regulated by the ICZN; however, in 1972, Eisenack proposed the useful subdivisions of âOperculatiferaâ and âProsomatiferaâ that have been maintained until today. This classification gives stability to the nomenclature, prevents overlap of generic descriptions, and provides a framework for phylogenetic analysis. It was highlighted by the authors of this classification that a computer-assisted system of identification could be developed if a digital taxonomic database were available. There are several databases with the potential to be useful for chitinozoan taxonomic classification. ZooBank is the official registry of the ICZN. It records nomenclatural acts and includes the original descriptions of new scientific names and their publications. For occurrence-based paleontological records, the Paleobiology Database and the Geobiodiversity Database are extremely useful. Both have an intuitive and simple interface for the user to see the taxa distribution and taxonomic information. These three databases complement each other, but they either have few chitinozoan records or lack complete taxonomic information. There is a desktop taxonomic database CHITINOVOSP for chitinozoans, designed by Florentin Paris, which has proven to be useful but needs to be purchased. Achab et al. developed in Canada another chitinozoan database CHITINOS that is not currently used. The most complete and useful chitinozoan database at present seems to be CHITDB, where browsing and searching for chitinozoan taxa, samples, sections, references, and SEM images is simple. However, it is focused only on material from the Baltic region. Databases such as the Encyclopedia of Life, the Catalogue of Life and the World Register of Marine Species lack chitinozoan records but they are collaborative and provide free global access to knowledge. This collaborative formula seems to be efficient enough to have a trusted digital source of information. Since at present the taxonomic classification of chitinozoans is no longer under discussion and it has proven to be workable, the following step for chitinozoan researchers would be to have a complete database. We believe that a collaborative effort should be made as there are only a few specialists in the area nowadays. It is not crucial which database should be completed, but it should be useful, as complete as possible, and freely accessible. In particular, we believe that the Baltic CHITDB database is an excellent starting platform to achieve that goal in the near future

The Stargazin-Related Protein {gamma}7 Interacts with the mRNA-Binding Protein Heterogeneous Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein A2 and Regulates the Stability of Specific mRNAs, Including CaV2.2

The role(s) of the novel stargazin-like {gamma}-subunit proteins remain controversial. We have shown previously that the neuron-specific {gamma}7 suppresses the expression of certain calcium channels, particularly CaV2.2, and is therefore unlikely to operate as a calcium channel subunit. We now show that the effect of {gamma}7 on CaV2.2 expression is via an increase in the degradation rate of CaV2.2 mRNA and hence a reduction of CaV2.2 protein level. Furthermore, exogenous expression of {gamma}7 in PC12 cells also decreased the endogenous CaV2.2 mRNA level. Conversely, knockdown of endogenous {gamma}7 with short-hairpin RNAs produced a reciprocal enhancement of CaV2.2 mRNA stability and an increase in endogenous calcium currents in PC12 cells. Moreover, both endogenous and expressed {gamma}7 are present on intracellular membranes, rather than the plasma membrane. The cytoplasmic C terminus of {gamma}7 is essential for all its effects, and we show that {gamma}7 binds directly via its C terminus to a heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP A2), which also binds to a motif in CaV2.2 mRNA, and is associated with native CaV2.2 mRNA in PC12 cells. The expression of hnRNP A2 enhances CaV2.2 IBa, and this enhancement is prevented by a concentration of {gamma}7 that alone has no effect on IBa. The effect of {gamma}7 is selective for certain mRNAs because it had no effect on {alpha}2{delta}-2 mRNA stability, but it decreased the mRNA stability for the potassium-chloride cotransporter, KCC1, which contains a similar hnRNP A2 binding motif to that in CaV2.2 mRNA. Our results indicate that {gamma}7 plays a role in stabilizing CaV2.2 mRNA