Feeding–Danger Trade-Offs Underlie Stopover Site Selection by Migrants

To migrate successfully, birds need to store adequate fat reserves to fuel each leg of the journey. Migrants acquire their fuel reserves at stopover sites; this often entails exposure to predators. Therefore, the safety attributes of sites may be as important as the feeding opportunities. Furthermore, site choice might depend on fuel load, with lean birds more willing to accept danger to obtain good feeding. Here, we evaluate the factors underlying stopover-site usage by migrant Western Sandpipers (Calidris mauri) on a landscape scale. We measured the food and danger attributes of 17 potential stopover sites in the Strait of Georgia and Puget Sound region. We used logistic regression models to test whether food, safety, or both were best able to predict usage of these sites by Western Sandpipers. Eight of the 17 sites were used by sandpipers on migration. Generally, sites that were high in food and safety were used, whereas sites that were low in food and safety were not. However, dangerous sites were used if there was ample food abundance, and sites with low food abundance were used if they were safe. The model including both food and safety best-predicted site usage by sandpipers. Furthermore, lean sandpipers used the most dangerous sites, whereas heavier birds (which do not need to risk feeding in dangerous locations) used safer sites. This study demonstrates that both food and danger attributes are considered by migrant birds when selecting stopover sites, thus both these attributes should be considered to prioritize and manage stopover sites for conservation.

Density dependence and phenological mismatch: consequences for growth and survival of sub-arctic nesting Canada Geese

The extent to which species are plastic in the timing of their reproductive events relative to phenology suggests how climate change might affect their demography. An ecological mismatch between the timing of hatch for avian species and the peak availability in quality and quantity of forage for rapidly growing offspring might ultimately affect recruitment to the breeding population unless individuals can adjust the timing of breeding to adapt to changing phenology. We evaluated effects of goose density, hatch timing relative to forage plant phenology, and weather indices on annual growth of pre-fledging Canada geese (Branta canadensis) from 1993-2010 at Akimiski Island, Nunavut. We found effects of both density and hatch timing relative to forage plant phenology; the earlier that eggs hatched relative to forage plant phenology, the larger the mean gosling size near fledging. Goslings were smallest in years when hatch was latest relative to forage plant phenology, and when local abundance of breeding adults was highest. We found no evidence for a trend in relative hatch timing, but it was apparent that in early springs, Canada geese tended to hatch later relative to vegetation phenology, suggesting that geese were not always able to adjust the timing of nesting as rapidly as vegetation phenology was advanced. Analyses using forage biomass information revealed a positive relationship between gosling size and per capita biomass availability, suggesting a causal mechanism for the density effect. The effects of weather parameters explained additional variation in mean annual gosling size, although total June and July rainfall had a small additive effect on gosling size. Modelling of annual first-year survival probability using mean annual gosling size as an annual covariate revealed a positive relationship, suggesting that reduced gosling growth negatively impacts recruitment.

A new route to furanoeremophilane sesquiterpenoids. Synthesis of Senecio metabolites (+/-)-6-hydroxyeuryopsin, (+/-)-1,10-epoxy-6-hydroxyeuryopsin, (+/-)-toluccanolide A and (+/-)-toluccanolide C

A new strategy for the synthesis of sesquiterpenoids of the furanoeremophilane family was developed in which the tricyclic nucleus was assembled in an A + C -> A - C -> A - B - C sequence. The A - C connection was made via coupling of a cyclohexenylmethyl bromide with a stannylfuran under "ligandless" Stille conditions, and the key cyclization which closed ring B was accomplished with complete stereocontrol by intramolecular formylation of a 2-silylfuran in the presence of trimethylsilyl triflate. This route was used to complete the first total syntheses of the furanoeremophilane 6-hydroxyeuryopsin and the eremophilenolides toluccanolide A and toluccanolide C, as well as a formal synthesis of 1,10-epoxy-6-hydroxyeuryopsin.

On the recursive sequence Xn = axn-1+bxn-2/c+dxn-1xn-2

In this Paper, we study the invariant intervals, the global attractivity of the equilibrium points, and the asymptotic behavior of the solutions of the difference equation x(n) = ax(n-1) + bx(n-2) / c + dx(n-1)x(n-2), n =1, 2, ..., where a greater than or equal to 0, b, c, d > 0. (C) 2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Elastomeric Composites Based on Ethylene-Propylene-Diene Monomer Rubber and Conducting Polymer-Modified Carbon Black

Thermally stable elastomeric composites based on ethylene-propylene-diene monomer (EPDM) and conducting polymer-modified carbon black (CPMCB) additives were produced by casting and crosslinked by compression molding. CPMCB represent a novel thermally stable conductive compound made via ""in situ"" deposition of intrinsically conducting polymers (ICP) such as polyaniline or polypyrrole on carbon black particles. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that the composites are thermally stable with no appreciable degradation at ca. 300 degrees C. Incorporating CPMCB has been found to be advantageous to the processing of composites, as the presence of ICP lead to a better distribution of the filler within the rubber matrix, as confirmed by morphological analysis. These materials have a percolation threshold range of 5-10 phr depending on the formulation and electrical dc conductivity values in the range of 1 x 10(-3) to 1 x 10(-2) S cm(-1) above the percolation threshold. A less pronounced reinforcing effect was observed in composites produced with ICP-modified additives in relation to those produced only with carbon black. The results obtained in this study show the feasibility of this method for producing stable, electrically conducting composites with elastomeric characteristics. POLYM. COMPOS., 30:897-906, 2009. (C) 2008 Society of Plastics Engineers

U-Pb zircon and (40)Ar-(39)Ar K-feldspar dating of syn-sedimentary volcanism of the Neoproterozoic Marica Formation: constraining the age of foreland basin inception and inversion in the Camaqua Basin of southern Brazil

New U-Pb zircon and (40)Ar-(39)Ar K-feldspar data are presented for syn-sedimentary volcanogenic rocks from the Neoproterozoic Marica Formation, located in the southern Brazilian shield. Seven (of nine) U-Pb sensitive high-resolution ion microprobe analyses of zircons from pyroclastic cobbles yield an age of 630.2 +/- 3.4 Ma (2 sigma), interpreted as the age of syn-sedimentary volcanism, and thus of the deposition itself. This result indicates that the Marica Formation was deposited during the main collisional phase (640-620 Ma) of the Brasiliano II orogenic system, probably as a forebulge or back-bulge, craton-derived foreland succession. Thus, this unit is possibly correlative of younger portions of the Porongos, Brusque, Passo Feio, Abapa (Itaiacoca) and Lavalleja (Fuente del Puma) metamorphic complexes. Well-defined, step-heating (40)Ar-(39)Ar K-feldspar plateau ages obtained from volcanogenic beds and pyroclastic cobbles of the lower and upper successions of the Marica Formation yielded 507.3 +/- 1.8 Ma and 506.7 +/- 1.4 Ma (2 sigma), respectively. These data are interpreted to reflect total isotopic resetting during deep burial and thermal effects related to magmatic events. Late Middle Cambrian cooling below ca. 200 degrees C, probably related to uplift, is tentatively associated with intraplate effects of the Rio Doce and/or Pampean orogenies (Brasiliano III system). In the southern Brazilian shield, these intraplate stresses are possibly related to the dominantly extensional opening of a rift or a pull-apart basin, where sedimentary rocks of the Camaqua Group (Santa Barbara and Guaritas Formations) accumulated.

Household survey of hepatitis B vaccine coverage among Brazilian children

We conducted a multi-stage household cluster survey to calculate hepatitis B vaccine coverage among children 18-30 months of age in 27 Brazilian cities. Hepatitis B vaccine is administered at birth, 1 month and 6 months of age by Brazil`s national immunization program. Among 17,749 children surveyed, 40.2% received a birth dose within one day of birth, 94.8% received at least one dose of hepatitis B vaccine, and 86.7% completed the three-dose series by 12 months of age. Increased coverage with the birth dose and administration of hepatitis B in combination with diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis-Haemophilus influenzae type b antigens could improve protection against hepatitis B. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The C(K, X) spaces for compact metric spaces K and X with a uniformly convex maximal factor

In this paper, we prove that if a Banach space X contains some uniformly convex subspace in certain geometric position, then the C(K, X) spaces of all X-valued continuous functions defined on the compact metric spaces K have exactly the same isomorphism classes that the C(K) spaces. This provides a vector-valued extension of classical results of Bessaga and Pelczynski (1960) [2] and Milutin (1966) [13] on the isomorphic classification of the separable C(K) spaces. As a consequence, we show that if 1 < p < q < infinity then for every infinite countable compact metric spaces K(1), K(2), K(3) and K(4) are equivalent: (a) C(K(1), l(p)) circle plus C(K(2), l(q)) is isomorphic to C(K(3), l(p)) circle plus (K(4), l(q)). (b) C(K(1)) is isomorphic to C(K(3)) and C(K(2)) is isomorphic to C(K(4)). (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Simultaneous mode A and mode B echobiometry of senile cataractous eyes in dogs

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Padrões nutricionais para lavouras arrozeiras irrigadas por inundação pelos métodos da CDN chance matemática

Para o arroz irrigado, poucos trabalhos utilizam métodos de diagnose foliar desenvolvidos para as condições locais de clima, solo ou cultivares. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar os métodos da Diagnose da Composição Nutricional e da Chance Matemática na definição dos padrões nutricionais de lavouras arrozeiras do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul. Resultados de produtividade de grãos e teores foliares de N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, B, Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn e Mo de 356 lavouras arrozeiras cultivadas sob sistema de irrigação por inundação foram utilizados para a determinação das faixas de suficiência calculadas pelo método da Chance Matemática. As faixas de suficiência foram comparadas com valores críticos propostos pela literatura e com o intervalo de confiança do teor médio dos nutrientes em lavouras consideradas nutricionalmente equilibradas, identificadas pelo método Diagnose da Composição Nutricional. Observou-se pouca concordância entre os valores das faixas de suficiência indicados pelos métodos da Chance Matemática e da Diagnose da Composição Nutricional e os respectivos valores indicados na literatura. A faixa de teores foliares adequados, consistentes com maior produtividade média das lavouras arrozeiras, foi indicada ser de 23 a 28 g kg-1 para N; 11 a 14 g kg-1 para K; 1,4 a 2,0 g kg-1 para S; 6 a 12 mg kg-1 para B; e 70 a 200 mg kg-1 para Fe. Para os teores foliares de P, Ca, Mg, B, Cu, Mn e Zn e Mo nenhuma das faixas adequadas testadas indicou capacidade para distinguir as lavouras arrozeiras quanto à produtividade média.

Efeito de doses e tipos de compostos orgânicos na produção de alface em dois solos sob ambiente protegido

Avaliou-se o efeito de três doses de composto orgânico de três composições distintas, aplicados em dois solos [Latossolo Vermelho Escuro, textura arenosa (LE) e Areia Quartzoza (AQ)], na produção e absorção de nutrientes pela planta de alface. Conduziu-se de 02/07 a 27/08/1997 um experimento dentro de túnel plástico, pertencente à UNESP, em Botucatu, em vaso plástico, contendo quatro quilos de solo. Os solos foram corrigidos para atingirem saturação por base de 80% e todos os vasos receberam adubação fosfatada (150 mg de P kg-1 de solo), potássica (100 mg de K kg-1 de solo) e micronutrientes. Os compostos foram misturados aos solos nas quantidades de 60; 120 e 240 g de composto por vaso. Os três compostos foram originados a partir de casca de eucalipto, serragem de madeira e palhada de feijão, misturados com esterco de aves. O experimento foi realizado em delineamento inteiramente casualizado, em três repetições, com vinte tratamentos em esquema fatorial (3 doses x 3 compostos x 2 solos) mais um tratamento testemunha para cada solo (ausência de composto orgânico). O composto de palhada de feijão aumentou a biomassa fresca da parte aérea e a quantidade de N, K, Ca, Mg, B, Cu, Fe e Zn nas plantas de alface. Para o P e Mn o composto de palhada de feijão diferiu significativamente apenas em relação ao composto de casca de eucalipto. em todas as características avaliadas no LE houve melhores respostas da cultura em relação ao AQ. Quanto às dosagens utilizadas, as diferenças foram observadas somente nos tratamentos com palhada de feijão, onde as maiores dosagens propiciaram o aumento de biomassa fresca e seca da parte aérea, e nas quantidades de macro e micronutrientes.