Field trip guidebook on environmental impact of clays along the upper Texas coast

The field trip was prepared to provide an opportunity to see first hand some the environmental hazards associated with clays in the Houston, Texas area. Because of the very high clay content in area soils and underlying Beaumont Formation clay, Houston is a fitting location to host the Clay Mineral Society. Examinations were made of (1) expansive soils, (2) subsidence and surface faulting, and (3) a landfill located southeast of Houston at the Gulf Coast Waste Disposal Authority where clay is part of the liner material

Effect of Field Trials on Northern Bobwhite Survival and Hunt Quality on Dixie Plantation

The potential negative effects of horseback field trials on survival and post trial hunting quality of northern bobwhites (Colinus virginianus) have long been debated. Recent acquisition of Dixie Plantation (3,650 ha) by Tall Timbers Research Station provided a unique opportunity to evaluate this interaction as Dixie has been home to the Continental Field Trial since 1937. We monitored radio-tagged bobwhites annually (n = 183; ~20 coveys during fall/winter) on a core study area (640 ha) upon which a portion of the field trial was conducted during January 2015 & 2016. We estimated Kaplan-Meier survival of radio-tagged bobwhites on Dixie before, during, and after the field trial event as well as compared seasonal survival to bobwhite (N = 387) on nearby Tall Timbers Research Station (1,570 ha) during the same time period. Additionally, we recorded the number of coveys seen, coveys pointed, and shots fired during each half-day hunt (n = 133) to evaluate hunt quality before and after the field trial. Bobwhite survival on Dixie was similar (P\u3e0.05) during the two weeks prior to (0.89, SE = 0.026), during (0.93, SE = 0.023), and after (0.92, SE = 0.026) the field trial for the two years combined, as were seasonal survival curves between the two study sites for both years monitored. No differences (P\u3e0.05) were observed in the number of coveys seen per half day hunt before (X = 11.78, SE = 0.39) compared to after (X = 12.35, SE = 0.44), covey rises shot before (X = 6.89, SE = 0.28) and after (X = 7.75, SE = 0.37), or number of shots fired before (X = 23.5, SE = 1.19) versus after (X =24.11 SE = 1.26) the field trial. We were unable to detect any evidence that the type of disturbance generated by this field trial had any effect on either bobwhite survival or post trial hunting quality on our study area

A critical review of South African child and youth resilience studies, 2009-2017

Abstract: In contexts of high levels of structural disadvantage, such as South Africa, resilience among children and youth becomes increasingly important to buffer children and youth from the negative effects of adversity. This article reports on a systematic review of research conducted in South Africa over the period 2009 to 2017 on the resilience of children and youth (ages 0 to 24) from the perspectives of young people themselves. It serves as a follow-up and refinement of an earlier publication in 2010. A total of 61 journal articles are reviewed. Four categories of social-ecological resilience-enablers emerge from these study, viz. personal, relational, structural and spiritual/cultural. Most of the resilience-enablers identified in these studies are in the personal and relational domains. Various reasons for this finding are discussed, and emerging recommendations for service professionals (particularly social worker and educational psychologists) and youth resilience researchers are advanced

Use of Spring Whistle Counts to Predict Northern Bobwhite Relative Abundance

Spring whistle counts are commonly used to index northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) breeding populations and make inference about relative autumn abundance. They are relatively cheap and easy to implement and provide the advantage of surveying bobwhite populations from multiple points daily and early in the year. This could prove useful on properties available for potential lease, purchase, or as translocation sites; as well as to monitor population trends. Our objective was to determine whether spring whistle counts reliably forecast autumn covey numbers on a wide range of sites, years, and densities on 6 properties in southwestern Georgia from 2006 to 2015. We conducted spring whistle counts weekly during peak calling activity (late May–early Jun, for 4–6 consecutive years) on an average of 7 points/property (range = 5–9). We conducted autumn covey counts using these same sampling points as an index of relative abundance. Peak number of males heard in spring and number of coveys heard in autumn was strongly correlated (R2 = 0.791, n = 198) for all points combined, indicating that spring whistle counts are a reliable tool for assessing bobwhite relative abundance on sites where autumn covey counts are precluded or the information is needed prior to autumn

The impact of a nutrition programme on the dietary intake patterns of primary school children

Objective: The aim of this study was to improve the dietary intake patterns and food choices of children aged 9-13 years in a periurbancommunity.Methods: Two schools were randomly selected from within this periurban community. A nutrition education programme was implementedover one school term, with the testing of nutrition knowledge occurring pre- and post-intervention, and in the long term, with the experimentalgroup only. A validated 24-hour recall questionnaire was completed pre- and post-intervention by both the control (n = 91) and experimentalgroups (n = 81), and in the long term, by the experimental group. Food models were used to assist in the estimation of portion sizes andidentification of food items. The questionnaire was analysed using the computer software programme FoodFinder 3, with means and standarddeviations calculated for macro- and micronutrients, and comparisons made with dietary reference intakes for specific age groups. A list wasdrawn up of the 20 most commonly consumed food items, based on weights consumed. Paired t-tests were conducted to assess significancein dietary intake and food choices after the intervention. Correlations between knowledge and dietary choices were determined among theexperimental group in the long-term measurements.Results: Correlations linked protein intake to knowledge of proteins, and vitamin C intake to knowledge of fruit and vegetables. Fruit andvegetable intake remained very low. Refined sugars and fat were still consumed among the experimental group. The diet for both groups wasbased on carbohydrates.Conclusions: The objective of changing the dietary intake patterns of the children was not achieved. The intake of legumes, fruit and vegetables remained low. The lack of variety in intake results in a diet that does not meet the daily requirements of children

Dental caries and oral hygiene patterns in Afrikaans- and English-speaking white high school pupils from upper and lower socio-economic areas of Johannesburg and environs

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Field trip guidebook on environmental impact of clays along the upper Texas coast

During this one-day field trip, stops will include the examination of (i)expansive soils (Vertisols and Alfisols) in the southern part of Houston, (ii) subsidence and surface faulting east of Downtown Houston (San Jacinto Monument, Goose Creek Oil Field, and Baytown), and (iii) a landfill located southeast of Houston at the Gulf Coast Waste Disposal Authority Campbell Bayou Facility where clay is used as part of the liner material. In addition, a stop will be made at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Lyndon B. Space Center where field trip participants will be given the opportunity to observe the heritage of the Nation's space program.prepared by Theron D. Garcia, Douglas W. Ming, Lisa Kay Tuck

Bosonization in d=2 from finite chiral determinants with a Gauss decomposition

We show how to bosonize two-dimensional non-abelian models using finite chiral determinants calculated from a Gauss decomposition. The calculation is quite straightforward and hardly more involved than for the abelian case. In particular, the counterterm $A\bar A$, which is normally motivated from gauge invariance and then added by hand, appears naturally in this approach.Comment: 4 pages, Revte

Die ontwikkeling van 'n koaksiale resoneerderfilter vir implementering in L-band dipleksers

Thesis (M.Ing.) -- University of Stellenbosch 1999.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The development of a low loss coaxial resonator and the integration of it into a coupled - resonator filter is discussed in the thesis. The filter is of a bandpass type and is used in an L-band diplexer. The filter has a 2% bandwidth at a center frequency of 1.542 GHz. The resonator is developed from fundamental principles and practical considerations to a capacitively-coupled transmission line structure. Various coaxial topologies are investigated in the process and compared. An accurate network and transmissionline model is postulated and compared with practical measurements. Finally an inductively - coupled resonator filter is developed utilising the realised coaxial resonator.AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die ontwikkeling van 'n laeverlies koaksiale resoneerder en integrasie in 'n gekoppelde resoneerderfilter word in hierdie verhandeling bespreek. Die filter is 'n banddeurlaatprototipe en vind toepassing in 'n L-band diplekser. Die filter het 'n senterfrekwensie by 1.54 GHz met 'n bandwydte van 2%. Die resoneerder word vanaf grondbeginsels en praktiese oorwegings ontwikkel tot 'n kapasitief gekoppelde transmissielynstruktuur. Verskillende koaksiale topologiee word in die proses ondersoek en met mekaar vergelyk. 'n Akkurate netwerk- en transmissielynmodel word gepostuleer en word met praktiese metings vergelyk. Ten slotte word 'n induktief gekoppelde resoneerderfilter ontwikkel deur hierdie gerealiseerde koaksiale resoneerder te gebruik.Maste

Additional Evidence Against Radio-handicapping of Northern Bobwhites

The validity of radio-telemetry to produce reliable information (e.g., survival estimates) has recently been challenged. Radio-telemetry is a widely used technique in studies of numerous species, therefore, concerns regarding potential bias in these estimates warrant further investigation. As such, and as part of a larger study, we investigated 3 aspects of potential radio-bias: 1) variation in survival distributions among treatment (newly radio-tagged) and control (previously radio-tagged) groups; 2) proportion of trapped animals censored during the traditional 7-day censor period; and 3) ramifications to cause-specific mortality through estimation of harvest rate. Kaplan-Meier survival, based on 30-day post trapping, was similar between treatment (n = 901) and control (n = 293) bobwhites for all but 1 of 8 trapping sessions during 2000-2004. In this case, treatment bobwhites (0.970, SE = 0.015) had higher survival than control birds (0.878, SE = 0.042). We determined the effect of censoring relative to sample size was inconsequential for our analysis because the proportion of bobwhites (18 out of 1,350; 0.013) meeting the criteria for censoring, i.e., dying during the first 7 days, was minimal. Censoring of these data influenced survival estimates by an average of only 0.016 (SE = 0.004; range: 0.00 - 0.04). We evaluated harvest rate by comparing first year recovery rates of banded verses radio-tagged birds during thirteen hunting seasons occurring between 1992 and 2005. Annual recovery rate was not different (P \u3c 0.05) for banded birds and radio-tagged birds where harvest averaged 6.68% (range 3.3 - 11.7) and 6.65% (range 3.4 - 11.1), respectively. These findings are consistent with previous research demonstrating that radio-telemetry can provide reliable demographic information. However, we recommend that future researchers test for these potential effects among their data before making biological inferences