TRAPPING MAMMALS IN A CAUTIOUS WORLD: THE EFFECT OF DISINFECTANTS ON TRAP SUCCESS

Disinfecting traps that have captured small mammals is one recommendation for preventing occurrence of hantavirus infection; however, the potential effects of disinfection on small mammal trappability have not been investigated thoroughly. We conducted an experiment to compare the effects of 2 disinfectants (Lysol® and household bleach) on the trappability of 4 small mammal species (Peromyscus maniculatus, Neotamias spp., and Spermophilus lateralis). We established triplicate trap grids in 2 forest types (red fir and mixed conifer), each consisting of a 6 × 6 array of Sherman live-traps placed at 10-m intervals. Traps were given 1 of 3 treatments: control (water), Lysol, or bleach; the treated traps were placed in an alternating pattern. Traps were open for 4 consecutive nights with daily treatment application. We found a difference in the trappability of Peromyscus between years; however, we did not detect a statistically significant difference in trappability resulting from disinfection for any of the 3 study species. Disinfectant effects on capture probability within Peromyscus were not supported by model selection in Program MARK. Collectively, these results indicate that although populations may fluctuate temporally and spatially, trap disinfection does not have a significant effect on small mammal trappability. RESUMEN.—Una de las recomendaciones para prevenir el hantavirus es la de desinfectar las trampas en las que se ha atrapado a pequeños mamíferos. Sin embargo, no se han investigado extensamente los posibles efectos de la desinfección en la facilidad de captura de los pequeños mamíferos. Llevamos a cabo un experimento para comparar los efectos de dos desinfectantes (Lysol® y cloro) en la facilidad de captura de cuatro especies de pequeños mamíferos (Peromyscus maniculatus, Neotamias spp. y Spermophilus lateralis). Hicimos una cuadrícula triplicada de trampas en dos tipos de bosque (abeto rojo y coníferas mixtas); cada cual constaba de una distribución 6 × 6 de trampas Sherman de captura viva separadas por 10 m. Se lavaron las trampas con uno de tres líquidos: agua (el control), Lysol o cloro. Se colocaron de tal manera que alternaba de forma regular el uso de los tres líquidos. Operamos las trampas durante cuatro noches consecutivas, lavándolas a diario. Detectamos una diferencia en la facilidad de captura de Peromyscus de un año a otro; sin embargo, no detectamos ninguna diferencia estadísticamente significativa en la facilidad de captura que se pueda atribuir a la desinfección para ninguna de las tres especies estudiadas. Para Peromyscus, la selección de modelos en Program MARK no respalda la hipótesis de que la desinfección afecta la probabilidad de captura. Estos resultados indican que mientras que las poblaciones pueden fluctuar temporal y espacialmente, la desinfección de trampas no tiene ningún efecto significativo en la facilidad de captura de pequeños mamíferos

Self-assembly of magnetic biofunctional nanoparticles

Spherical, ferromagnetic FePt nanoparticles with a particle size of 3 nm were prepared by the simultaneous polyol reduction of Fe(acac)3Fe(acac)3 and Pt(acac)2Pt(acac)2 in phenyl ether in the presence of oleic acid and oleylamine. The oleic acid ligands can be replaced with 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid, giving particles that can be dispersed in water. Both x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy indicated that FePt particles were not affected by ligands replacement. Dispersions of the FePt particles with 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid ligands and ammonium counter ions gave self-assembled films consisting of highly ordered hexagonal arrays of particles.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/87511/2/10Q901_1.pd

Light noble gas composition of different solar wind regimes: results from genesis

The Genesis mission provided samples of solar wind (SW) from different regions on the Sun. These SW regime samples are important in understanding fractionation processes upon formation and acceleration of the SW to ultimately deduce solar composition from SW values. We present He and Ne isotopic and elemental compositions of the bulk SW (SW of entire collection period) and the 3 major SW regimes: slow (from the ecliptic plane, emanating from above streamers), fast (emanating from coronal holes), and coronal mass ejections (CME). At the conference we will also present Ar data

Mass-fractionation induced by the Genesis solar wind concentrator: Analysis of neon isotopes by UV laser ablation

The solar wind (SW) concentrator, a key instrument onboard the Genesis mission, was designed to provide larger fluences of implanted SW for precise isotope analyses of oxygen and nitrogen [1]. SW ions in the mass range 4–28 amu were accelerated and focused on a “concentrator target” by an electrostatic mirror. This concentration process caused some instrumental mass fractionation of the implanted SW ions as function of the radial position on the target. Correction of this fractionation will be based on a combination of the measured radial fractionation of Ne isotopes with results of simulations of the implantation process using the actual performance of the concentrator and the SW conditions during exposure. Here we present He and Ne abundance and Ne isotopic composition data along one arm of the gold cross that framed the 4 concentrator subtargets

School librarians as literacy educators within a complex role

Librarians in schools are expected to play an important role as literacy educators, and have a positive impact on young people’s literacy learning. However in the context of their diverse workload, relatively little is known about how this aspect of their role sits within its competing demands, and the exact scope of the literacy educator requirements. Using a hybrid approach to content analysis, this article analyses 40 recent job description documents to identify the nature and prevalence of different aspects of the role, and to explore the literacy educator aspect of this profession. Findings suggest that while the literacy educator aspect is one of the most common role requirements, it sits within a complex workload, and the literacy educator aspect is itself multi-faceted and demanding

Carbon stable isotope analysis of cereal remains as a way to reconstruct water availability: preliminary results

Reconstructing past water availability, both as rainfall and irrigation, is important to answer questions about the way society reacts to climate and its changes and the role of irrigation in the development of social complexity. Carbon stable isotope analysis of archaeobotanical remains is a potentially valuable method for reconstructing water availability. To further define the relationship between water availability and plant carbon isotope composition and to set up baseline values for the Southern Levant, grains of experimentally grown barley and sorghum were studied. The cereal crops were grown at three stations under five different irrigation regimes in Jordan. Results indicate that a positive but weak relationship exists between irrigation regime and total water input of barley grains, but no relationship was found for sorghum. The relationship for barley is site-specific and inter-annual variation was present at Deir ‘Alla, but not at Ramtha and Khirbet as-Samra

Solar neon released from Genesis aluminum collector duriung stepped uv-laser extraction and step-wise pyrolysis

Earlier this year we reported results of UV-laser stepped raster extractions of Ne and He from Genesis' Al-collector [l]. Since then, using pyrolysis of a 0.005 cm^2 fragment of this material left from the earlier study, we have estimated the efficiency of the UV-laser extraction to be at least 95%. We also analyzed Ne released from the Al-collector by means of stepped pyrolysis. Here we compare these new data with stepped UV-laser extraction and the CSSE results [2]. Figure 1 shows the ^(20)Ne/^(22)Ne ratio extracted from Genesis collectors using these three techniques

Preliminary studies of Xe and Kr from the Genesis polished aluminium collector

Low solar wind (SW) abundances of Xe and Kr require a large collector area to provide measurable quantities of these rare gases. Originally we planned to use large areas of Al on Sapphire (AloS) collectors, but the hard landing of Genesis fractured these collectors, changing our initial plans. The only large, relatively intact, surface exposed to SW was the kidney-shaped polished aluminum T6-6061 alloy (AlK) designed to serve as a thermal shield rather than a SW collector. Here we describe what has been done and the problems remaining to be solved for optimized Xe and Kr abundances and isotopic compositions from the AlK

Independent evolution of ancestral and novel defenses in a genus of toxic plants (Erysimum, Brassicaceae)

Phytochemical diversity is thought to result from coevolutionary cycles as specialization in herbivores imposes diversifying selection on plant chemical defenses. Plants in the speciose genus Erysimum (Brassicaceae) produce both ancestral glucosinolates and evolutionarily novel cardenolides as defenses. Here we test macroevolutionary hypotheses on co-expression, co-regulation, and diversification of these potentially redundant defenses across this genus. We sequenced and assembled the genome of E. cheiranthoides and foliar transcriptomes of 47 additional Erysimum species to construct a phylogeny from 9868 orthologous genes, revealing several geographic clades but also high levels of gene discordance. Concentrations, inducibility, and diversity of the two defenses varied independently among species, with no evidence for trade-offs. Closely related, geographically co-occurring species shared similar cardenolide traits, but not glucosinolate traits, likely as a result of specific selective pressures acting on each defense. Ancestral and novel chemical defenses in Erysimum thus appear to provide complementary rather than redundant functions.Austrian Science Fund (FWF) PZ00P3-161472National Science Foundation (NSF) 1811965 1645256Triad FoundationGerman Research Foundation (DFG) DFG-PE 2059/3-1Agencia Estatal de Investigacion CGL2017-86626-C2-2-PLOEWE Program Insect Biotechnology and BioresourcesJunta de Andalucía A-RNM505-UGR1

A systematic review of correlates of sedentary behaviour in adults aged 18–65 years: a socio-ecological approach

Background: Recent research shows that sedentary behaviour is associated with adverse cardio-metabolic consequences even among those considered sufficiently physically active. In order to successfully develop interventions to address this unhealthy behaviour, factors that influence sedentariness need to be identified and fully understood. The aim of this review is to identify individual, social, environmental, and policy-related determinants or correlates of sedentary behaviours among adults aged 18-65 years. Methods: PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO and Web of Science were searched for articles published between January 2000 and September 2015. The search strategy was based on four key elements and their synonyms: (a) sedentary behaviour (b) correlates (c) types of sedentary behaviours (d) types of correlates. Articles were included if information relating to sedentary behaviour in adults (18-65 years) was reported. Studies on samples selected by disease were excluded. The full protocol is available from PROSPERO (PROSPERO 2014:CRD42014009823). Results: 74 original studies were identified out of 4041: 71 observational, two qualitative and one experimental study. Sedentary behaviour was primarily measured as self-reported screen leisure time and total sitting time. In 15 studies, objectively measured total sedentary time was reported: accelerometry (n = 14) and heart rate (n = 1). Individual level factors such as age, physical activity levels, body mass index, socio-economic status and mood were all significantly correlated with sedentariness. A trend towards increased amounts of leisure screen time was identified in those married or cohabiting while having children resulted in less total sitting time. Several environmental correlates were identified including proximity of green space, neighbourhood walkability and safety and weather. Conclusions: Results provide further evidence relating to several already recognised individual level factors and preliminary evidence relating to social and environmental factors that should be further investigated. Most studies relied upon cross-sectional design limiting causal inference and the heterogeneity of the sedentary measures prevented direct comparison of findings. Future research necessitates longitudinal study designs, exploration of policy-related factors, further exploration of environmental factors, analysis of inter-relationships between identified factors and better classification of sedentary behaviour domains