The QUEST RR Lyrae Survey: III. The Low Galactic Latitude Catalogue

We present results for the QUEST RR Lyrae Survey at low galactic latitude, conducted entirely with observations obtained with the QUEST mosaic camera and the 1.0/1.5m J\"urgen Stock Schmidt telescope at the National Observatory of Venezuela. The survey spans an area of 476 sq. deg on the sky, with multi-epoch observations in the V, R and I photometric bands for 6.5x10^6 stars in the galactic latitude range 30<= b(deg) <=+25, in a direction close to the Galactic Anticenter 190<= l(deg)<= 230. The variability survey has a typical number of 30 observations per object in V and I and ~25 in R, with up to ~120-150 epochs in V and I and up to ~100 in R in the best sampled regions. The completeness magnitudes of the survey are V=R=18.5 mag, and I=18.0 mag. We identified 211 RR Lyrae stars, 160 bona fide stars of type ab and 51 candidates of type c, ours being the first deep RR Lyrae survey conducted at low galactic latitude.The completeness of the RR Lyrae survey was estimated in >95 per cent and ~85 per cent for RRab and RRc stars respectively. Photometric metallicities were computed based on the light curves and individual extinctions calculated from minimum light colours for each RRab star. Distances were obtained with typical errors ~7 per cent. The RR Lyrae survey simultaneously spans a large range of heliocentric distances 0.5<= R_hel(kpc)<=40 and heights above the plane -15<=z(kpc)<=+20, with well known completeness across the survey area, making it an ideal set for studying the struc ture of the Galactic thick disk.Comment: 24 pages, 17 figures, 8 tables. Accepted for publication in MNRA

Baltimore Harbor and channels aquatic benthos investigations : final technical report

This report describes work performed by the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, School of Marine Science of the College of William and Mary, Gloucester Point, VA, to document the existing preoperational conditions at four locations in the Chesapeake Bay selected as possible dredged material disposal areas for the deepening of the Baltimore Channel. The work was sponsored by the Baltimore District Corps of Engineers. The objectives of this work were at each of the four potential disposal sites: 1 -document the surface (0-15 em) sediment conditions spatially and temporally 2 - document macrobenthic communities spatially and temporally. 3 - empty the REMOTS sediment profile camera to document visible vertical sediment structure

BB-CLIPS: Blackboard extensions to CLIPS

This paper describes a set of extensions made to CLIPS version 4.3 that provide capabilities similar to the blackboard control architecture described by Hayes-Roth. There are three types of additions made to the CLIPS shell. The first extends the syntax to allow the specification of blackboard locations for CLIPS facts. The second implements changes in CLIPS rules and the agenda manager that provide some of the powerful features of the blackboard control architecture. These additions provide dynamic prioritization of rules on the agenda allowing control strategies to be implemented that respond to the changing goals of the system. The final category of changes support the needs of continuous systems, including the ability for CLIPS to continue execution with an empty agenda

Settlement and survival of the oyster Crassostrea virginica on created oyster reef habitats in Chesapeake Bay

Efforts to restore Crassostrea virginica oyster reef habitats in Chesapeake Bay typically begin with the placement of hard substrata, such as oyster shell, in the form ofthreedimensional mounds on the seabed to serve as a base for oyster recruitment and growth. A shortage of sufficient volumes of oyster shell for creating large-scale reefs has led to widespread use of other materials, such as surf clam (Spisula solidissima) shell, as a substitute for oyster shell. We monitored oyster recruitment, survival, and growth on intertidal and subtidal reefs constructed shucked oyster and surf clam shell. Results indicate that oyster settlement occurred on both substrate types throughout the monitoring period but high levels of postsettlement mortality occurred on clam shell mounds. On the subtidal clam shell mound, the quality of the substrate material varied with reef elevation with large shell fragments and intact valves scattered around the reef base and small, tightly packed shell fragments paving the crest and flank of the reef mound. The abundance of oysters on this reef reflected this distribution where oysters were more abundant and larger at the reef base and less abundant and smaller on the crest of the reef. Oyster shell reefs supported greater oyster growth and survival and offered the highest degree of structural complexity. We suggest that the availability of interstitial space and appropriate settlement surfaces account for the observed differences in oyster abundance across the reef systems. The patterns observed give context to the importance of substrate selection in similar restoration activities

Benthic study of the continental slope off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina

Concern was raised by the NCESRP (1992) that since not much is known about the bottom communities around the Manteo 467 lease block, exploration activities could result in significant environmental disturbance. Therefore, the principal task of this study was to survey the sea floor of the Cape Hatteras continental slope in the vicinity of the Manteo 467 site prior tn any decision on permitting of exploratory drilling. The study objectives as listed in the scope of work are as follows: 1. Define the \u27unusual benthic community\u27 that exists offshore North Carolina which is at its peak in the vicinity of the proposed Manteo drill site and \u27the Point.\u27 The working definition shall be based on species composition and relative abundance. However, the definition must also consider the impact of physical oceanographic processes, oxygen levels, and sediment types and flux. 2. Using the Offshore Operators\u27 Committee (OOC) model (MOEPSO, estimate the area between the 300- and 1,500-m isobaths which could be covered by the deposition of muds and cunings at the proposed drill site. 3. Survey the area of the Manteo site for the \u27unusual benthic community\u27 as defined in objective No. 1. The survey must include benthic mcgafauna as well as the infauna.

Immunization with surface immunogenic protein induces a decrease of vaginal colonization by group B Streptococcus in an experimental mouse model

The Group B streptococcus (GBS) is the leading cause of neonatal sepsis and meningitis in developed countries and an emerging pathogen in adults. A neonatal infection occurs predominantly during the delivery by either inhalation or ingestion of contaminated secretions of the mother’s vagina. Maternal screening by rectovaginal GBS colonization at 35–37 weeks of gestation, with subsequent intra-partum antibiotic prophylaxis (IAP) at the onset of labor, is implemented in some countries to prevent newborn invasive by GBS. Currently, there are not vaccines to prevent the devastating consequences of GBS and a glycoconjugate vaccine is under clinical experimentation (Clinical Trials Phase III). The Surface Immunological Protein (SIP) of GBS is highly immunogenic and conserved between different serotypes of this bacterium. The SIP had been described to induce antibodies type IgG that induces protective immunity in animal model challenged intraperitoneally with GBS. Here we describe the immunization with SIP mixed with an AbISCO-100 adjuvant in mice model challenged to GBS vaginal infection. The vaccine has demonstrated to decrease the GBS colonization in infected mouse. The SIP immunization has also increased the circulating IgA, IgG and IgG2a levels against SIP and antigen-specific circulating levels of IFN- ƴ and IL–2. Moreover, transfer of serum and T cells from a vaccinated animal into a non-immunized animal induced immune protection to the animals from challenged GBS colonization of the vaginal tract. In conclusion, we have demonstrated that a simple and effective vaccine is able to prevent GBS colonization, where cellular immunity plays an important role. To our knowledge, is the first report the SIP-based vaccine reduces the vaginal GBS colonization in an animal model

\u3ci\u3eBOA CONSTRICTOR\u3c/i\u3e (Boa Constrictor)

USA: PUERTO RICO: MUNICIPALITY OF CABO ROJO: Cabo Rojo National Wildlife Refuge (17.978958°N, 67.170910oW; NAD 83). 10 November 2014. O. A. Diaz-Marrero. Verified by S. M. Boback. National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution (USNM Herp Image 2838a, b; photo vouchers). First municipality record for this exotic species; all previous reports were restricted to the Municipality of Mayaguez, located ca. 25 km north of Cabo Rojo National Wildlife Refuge. Reynolds et al. (2013. BioI. Invasions 15:953-959) concluded that Boa Constrictor introductions into Puerto Rico were likely related to the pet trade and that they genetically matched snakes belonging to the South American clade (B. constrictor), instead of B. imperator, the Mesoamerican species (Hynkova et al. 2009. Zool. Sci. 26:623-631). It also represents the first report of this species from a protected area in Puerto Rico

\u3ci\u3eBOA CONSTRICTOR\u3c/i\u3e (Boa Constrictor)

USA: PUERTO RICO: MUNICIPALITY OF CABO ROJO: Cabo Rojo National Wildlife Refuge (17.978958°N, 67.170910oW; NAD 83). 10 November 2014. O. A. Diaz-Marrero. Verified by S. M. Boback. National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution (USNM Herp Image 2838a, b; photo vouchers). First municipality record for this exotic species; all previous reports were restricted to the Municipality of Mayaguez, located ca. 25 km north of Cabo Rojo National Wildlife Refuge. Reynolds et al. (2013. BioI. Invasions 15:953-959) concluded that Boa Constrictor introductions into Puerto Rico were likely related to the pet trade and that they genetically matched snakes belonging to the South American clade (B. constrictor), instead of B. imperator, the Mesoamerican species (Hynkova et al. 2009. Zool. Sci. 26:623-631). It also represents the first report of this species from a protected area in Puerto Rico