Mammals of Southwestern Arkansas Part II. Rodents

This study investigated the composition and habitat affinities of the mammalian fauna of southwestern Arkansas. The study area was comprised of the 21 counties located south and/or west of and including Pulaski County. The previously existing data set pertaining to the mammals of Arkansas was notably incomplete and this study area in particular, was poorly known mammalogically. Specimens were collected by standard trapping and salvage methods throughout the study area. The mammals considered during this study were limited to those species meeting a set of criteria designed to eliminate species that had been introduced or artificially maintained. This study has accumulated records of 25 species of rodents; over 1500 specimens have been recorded; and a total of 95 new county records have been documented

Distribution and Status of the Brazilian Free-tailed Bat (Tadarida brasiliensis cynocephala) in Arkansas

Investigations of building infestations, mist netting activities, and specimens submitted to the Arkansas Department of Health document the Brazilian free-tailed bat to be found in 14 Arkansas counties. Both overwintering and maternity colonies were examined. Numbers of individuals ranged from one to several thousand

Mammals of Southwestern Arkansas Part III. Carnivores

This study investigates the composition of the carnivore fauna of southwestern Arkansas and presents data on habitat affinities. The study area is comprised of the 21 counties located south and/or west of and including Pulaski County. The previously existing data set pertaining to the mammals of Arkansas was notably incomplete and the study area, in particular, was poorly known mammalogically. Specimens were collected by standard trapping and salvage methods throughout the study area. Species considered during this study were limited to those meeting a set of criteria designed to eliminate species that had been introduced or artificially maintained. This study has accumulated records of11 species of carnivores present in the study area and proposes the presence of one other; over 2100 specimens have been recorded; and a total of 81 new county records has been documented

Bat Fauna of Southeast Arkansas

A systematic survey of the mammalian fauna of Southwest Arkansas has resulted in the accumulation of more than 200 records of bats from the 21 counties comprising the study area. The records reveal distributional patterns for 12 species of bats and represent a total of 68 new county records for this area of Arkansas

A distributed data component for the Open Modeling Interface

As the volume of collected data continues to increase in the environmental sciences, so too does the need for effective means for accessing those data. We have developed an Open Modeling Interface (OpenMI) data component that retrieves input data for model components from environmental information systems and delivers output data to those systems. The adoption of standards for both model component input–output interfaces and web services make it possible for the component to be reconfigured for use with different linked models and various online systems. The data component employs three techniques tailored to the unique design of the OpenMI that enable efficient operation: caching, prefetching, and buffering, making it capable of scaling to large numbers of simultaneous simulations executing on a computational grid. We present the design of the component, an evaluation of its performance, and a case study demonstrating how it can be incorporated into modeling studies

The impact of obstructive sleep apnea variability measured in-lab versus in-home on sample size calculations

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>When conducting a treatment intervention, it is assumed that variability associated with measurement of the disease can be controlled sufficiently to reasonably assess the outcome. In this study we investigate the variability of Apnea-Hypopnea Index obtained by polysomnography and by in-home portable recording in untreated mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients at a four- to six-month interval.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Thirty-seven adult patients serving as placebo controls underwent a baseline polysomnography and in-home sleep study followed by a second set of studies under the same conditions. The polysomnography studies were acquired and scored at three independent American Academy of Sleep Medicine accredited sleep laboratories. The in-home studies were acquired by the patient and scored using validated auto-scoring algorithms. The initial in-home study was conducted on average two months prior to the first polysomnography, the follow-up polysomnography and in-home studies were conducted approximately five to six months after the initial polysomnography.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>When comparing the test-retest Apnea-hypopnea Index (AHI) and apnea index (AI), the in-home results were more highly correlated (r = 0.65 and 0.68) than the comparable PSG results (r = 0.56 and 0.58). The in-home results provided approximately 50% less test-retest variability than the comparable polysomnography AHI and AI values. Both the overall polysomnography AHI and AI showed a substantial bias toward increased severity upon retest (8 and 6 events/hr respectively) while the in-home bias was essentially zero. The in-home percentage of time supine showed a better correlation compared to polysomnography (r = 0.72 vs. 0.43). Patients biased toward more time supine during the initial polysomnography; no trends in time supine for in-home studies were noted.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Night-to-night variability in sleep-disordered breathing can be a confounding factor in assessing treatment outcomes. The sample size of this study was small given the night-to-night variability in OSA and limited understanding of polysomnography reliability. We found that in-home studies provided a repeated measure of sleep disordered breathing less variable then polysomnography. Investigators using polysomnography to assess treatment outcomes should factor in the increased variability and bias toward increased AHI values upon retest to ensure the study is adequately powered.</p

When the river runs dry: human and ecological values of dry riverbeds

Temporary rivers and streams that naturally cease to flow and dry up can be found on every continent. Many other water courses that were once perennial now also have temporary flow regimes due to the effects of water extraction for human use or as a result of changes in land use and climate. The dry beds of these temporary rivers are an integral part of river landscapes. We discuss their importance in human culture and their unique diversity of aquatic, amphibious, and terrestrial biota. We also describe their role as seed and egg banks for aquatic biota, as dispersal corridors and temporal ecotones linking wet and dry phases, and as sites for the storage and processing of organic matter and nutrients. In light of these valuable functions, dry riverbeds need to be fully integrated into river management policies and monitoring programs. We also identify key knowledge gaps and suggest research questions concerning the values of dry riverbeds