bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Genetic and Environmental Influences on the Handedness and Footedness in Japanese Twin Children
Authors: Ooki Syuichi
Published: May 2007

The purpose of this study was to examine the genetic contribution to handedness and footedness in childhood using one of the largest available databases of Japanese twins. The participants were 1131 twin pairs, 1057 males and 1205 females, of 11 or 12 years of age (6th grade of secondary school in the Japanese education system). All data were gathered by questionnaire. The prevalence of left (nonright) handedness was 15% in males and 13% in females. The prevalence of left (nonright) footedness was 13% in males and 11% in females. The similarities between twin pairs, estimated by concordance rates and tetrachoric correlations, suggested a slight genetic effect on male handedness, no genetic effect on female handedness, and no genetic effect on footedness in either sex. Structural equation modeling showed small genetic factors (11%) in male handedness and no genetic factors in female handedness. As to footedness, no genetic factors were observed in either sex. The effects of nonshared environmental factors were large (85%) in males and moderate (44%) in females. Moreover, handedness and footedness tended to be concordant irrespective of sex, with polychoric correlations overr= .70. The results of bivariate genetic analyses were not necessarily satisfactory. For males, no model fit. For females, shared and nonshared environmental factors explained the concordance of handedness and footedness. It was concluded that the genetic effects on handedness and footedness are relatively small, as is their association; moreover, considerably large twin samples are needed to obtain stable and appropriate results.
Temporal Profiles of Walleye Angling Effort, Harvest Rate, and Harvest in Northern Wisconsin Lakes
Authors: Deroba Jonathan J. , Hansen Michael J. , Nate Nancy A. , Hennessy Joseph M.
Published: May 2007

In regions where water resources are abundant, broad-scale fisheries management requires quantifying fishery trends on a representative sample of lakes and then using these data to evaluate management actions and assess fishery status. Therefore, we quantified regional fishery profiles of the average number of complete-trip interviews, effort per acre, the number of walleyes Sander vitreus harvested per angler-hour, and the number of walleyes harvested per acre among hours, seasons, and years from 1991 to 2002 in northern Wisconsin lakes. The average number of interviews within days was similar between weekday and weekend day types but differed between open-water and ice-fishing seasons, peaking at midday and late afternoon during open water and midday during ice fishing. The average harvest rate within days was similar between day types and seasons and was highest in the morning and afternoon. The average angler effort during the angling season differed between day types and peaked in July on weekdays and in May on weekends. The average harvest rate during the angling season differed between day types and peaked in May on weekdays but also December on weekends. The average harvest per acre during the angling season was similar between day types and declined from May to February. The cumulative average angler effort was higher on weekdays than on weekends during 1991–2002, but the harvest rate and harvest per acre were similar between day types. Angler effort, harvest rate, and harvest per acre did not change significantly among years. Angler use and success changed systematically within days and among seasons but not among years, which suggests that walleye populations and the associated fishery were stable. The regional fishery profiles for each estimate were similar to the results from smaller-scale studies, suggesting that regional profiles can accurately depict patterns on a smaller scale.
A Case Study of the Approach to Teaching and to Technology of Three New Teachers in an Alternative Teacher Certification Program
Authors: O'Connor Eileen A.
Published: May 2007

The Master of Arts in Teaching program at Empire State College, a new alternative teacher certification program focused on bringing career-changing adults to high-needs schools, provides a unique opportunity to understand the challenges facing new teachers, in their content area and in their use of technology. This article describes aspects of three new science teachers' graduate course work that aligned with their first semester as alternatively-certified teachers, examining their teaching practice, their general use of instructional technology, and their self-chosen technology project (in response to a course requirement). It attempts to determine what aspects of their backgrounds, circumstances, and approaches might be influencing their instruction and their use of instructional technology including their implicit epistemological beliefs, their expectations of students, their ways of interacting socially-professionally, their prior professional experiences, their knowledge of technology, the availability of technology, and the availability and type of collegial support. An emerging conceptual framework is proposed. It also considers how this clinical model of teacher education with the direct K12-classroom involvement of graduate instructors, the building of a collegial cohort, and its hybrid course design coupled with this particular instructor's educational philosophy (that supports trust-building, self-reporting and self-reflection) has enabled a rich and honest understanding of these new teachers' beliefs, which is a starting point for any fruitful analysis. It calls tor a deeper and more expansive study to determine if findings from this preliminary investigation could be generalized to the larger population of career-changing teachers and to new teachers in general. Considering the well-documented need to close the gap between teacher education and classroom practice, the ability to closely examine new teachers in their actual practice (as naturally afforded to instructors in a clinical model of teacher education) suggests that studies directly within this type of MAT program can provide insights for teacher education practice itself.
The Use of Graphical Analysis with Microcomputer-Based Laboratories to Implement Inquiry as the Primary Mode of Learning Science
Authors: Espinoza Fernando
Published: May 2007

The laboratory-learning environment needs to become more exploratory and undergo a transformation from its traditional confirmatory role in the learning of science. This is necessary to effectively allow students to achieve scientific literacy. The availability of powerful tools for data collection and analysis provides an opportunity for students to engage in activities similar to those found in scientific work. An investigation of science teachers' use of microcomputer-based laboratories in inquiry-based activities shows the benefits inherent in the technology; in particular, an improvement in performance on content-related tasks and in using process skills necessary for inquiry-based learning was found. The ability to correctly predict the outcome of an experiment is strongly correlated with the agreement between different modalities used in the prediction. Thus, performance on science tasks using graphical analysis can be enhanced by the described methodology; recommendations are offered for successful implementation of inquiry-based instruction.
Preparing for the Real Web Generation
Authors: Pence Harry E.
Published: May 2007

Some have called the current generation of college students the Web generation. They are wrong! The pace of technology change continues to quicken. The effects of globalization and social networking have not yet had their full impact. At best, the present students represent a transitional group. The tools we use define us, and the media revolution is changing so fast that in a decade we will be dealing with college-age students as different from today's college students as current college students are different from their teachers. How can faculty prepare themselves to teach the current transitional generation and also begin to understand the true Web generation that will arrive on campus in another decade?
Women of the 1950s and the “Normative” Life Course: The Implications of Childlessness, Fertility Timing, and Marital Status for Psychological Well-Being in Late Midlife
Authors: Koropeckyj-Cox Tanya , Pienta Amy Mehraban , Brown Tyson H.
Published: May 2007

We explore women's psychological well-being in late midlife in relation to childlessness and timing of entry into motherhood. Using two U.S. surveys, Health and Retirement Study (HRS) (1992) and National Survey of Families and Households (NSFH) (Sweet, Bumpass, & Call, 1988), we assess the well-being of childless women in their 50s compared to mothers with early, delayed, or normatively timed first births. We focus on the cohorts born between 1928 and 1941, who experienced strong normative pressures during the baby boom with regard to marriage and child-bearing. We find few differences among childless women but lower well-being among early mothers, related to singlehood and poorer socioeconomic status. Unmarried mothers are significantly disadvantaged regardless of maternal timing, controlling for socioeconomic status. Current maternal demands are independently related to well-being and help to explain observed differences in family satisfaction. Overall, childlessness and off-time child-bearing are related to midlife well-being through their link with more proximate factors, particularly current marital status, health, and socioeconomic status.
Health and Life Satisfaction of Ethnic Minority Older Adults in Mainland China: Effects of Financial Strain
Authors: Li Yawen , Aranda Maria P. , Chi Iris
Published: May 2007

China has achieved indisputable economic growth in the past decades but, with it, unbalanced development across region and socio-economic groups. Little is known about how this impacts the lives of minority older adults who tend to live in remote inland areas. This study is the first attempt to examine and compare the relationships between financial strain, health conditions, and life satisfaction among ethnic minority and non-minority older adults in mainland China. Research data was obtained from respondents aged 60 and over who participated in the National Survey of the Aged Population in China ( N = 995) in 2000. Hierarchical linear regression revealed financial strain to be significantly associated with life satisfaction and health, however functional health measurements of ADL were only associated for ethnic minority groups after controlling for socio-demographic variables. The impact of underdeveloped socio-economic levels and unfavorable living environments on health and life satisfaction is stronger among minority groups and warrants further attention.
The Grey Nomad Phenomenon: Changing the Script of Aging
Authors: Onyx Jenny , Leonard Rosemary
Published: May 2007

This article explores a relatively new and little understood phenomenon, that of the Australian Grey Nomads. Every year increasing numbers of older Australians take to the road. This article explores the phenomenon both empirically and theoretically. A grounded approach is used by which the experience is explored from an ethnographic account involving interviews with some 400 travelers, including in-depth taped interviews with 26 traveling groups. The data is analyzed and discussed in terms of “Ulyssean” aging. The Ulyssean lifestyle requires the freedom to pursue personal choice and new, personally risky experience. Issues of health, personal development, and social networks are discussed in relation to the literature on aging. In particular, it is argued that the Grey Nomad phenomenon fundamentally challenges the dominant decline model of aging. It presents a picture instead of these older Australians taking active and very positive control of their lives, regardless of financial and health conditions. In doing so, they are rewriting the dominant social script for aging.
Looking for Critical Thinking in Online Threaded Discussions
Authors: Maurino Paula San Millan
Published: May 2007

Threaded discussion forums have been a popular topic for the past few years in distance education research and studied as a factor in student participation, satisfaction, learning outcomes, social presence, and interaction. Only recently has it been considered as a potential vehicle for the development of critical thinking skills and deep learning. Thirty-seven current studies on critical inquiry, deep learning. presence, and interaction in distance education were synthesized. The studies were compared for findings about participation quality, participation quantity, critical thinking skills and deep learning, and recommendations. The synthesis revealed that current literature touts the potential for development of deep learning and critical thinking skills through online threaded discussions. For the most part, however, research does not show this happening at a high level or to any great extent. Confounding the issue is the fact that current research is predominated by examination of education and graduate level online classes and is mainly focused on student perceptions and outcomes. This is at odds with the profile of today's “typical” distance education student. The need for more instructor involvement and effort is indicated in much of the research, but bulk of the research has focused on students and not teachers.
Effects of Rotational Grazing on Nesting Ducks in California
Authors: CARROLL L. CHANTELLE , ARNOLD TODD W. , BEAM JOHN A.
Published: May 2007

Abstract: Grazing is thought to be incompatible with nesting by dabbling ducks (Anas spp.), but this belief is based on little data. We therefore conducted a 2‐year, replicated field experiment to determine whether the habitat requirements of nesting ducks could be met on uplands managed by rotational grazing (1 Jul‐1 Nov) in the northern San Joaquin Valley, California, USA. Grazed fields had shorter vegetation than ungrazed fields throughout the winter, but vegetation height did not differ by the beginning of the nesting season in late March, and by the end of the nesting season in late May, previously grazed fields had taller vegetation than did ungrazed fields. In 1996, densities of duck nests were >3 times higher in grazed than in ungrazed fields (least‐squares means [± 1 SE]: grazed = 2.18 [0.34] nests/ha, ungrazed = 0.59 [0.34] nests/ha), but nest densities were substantially lower in 1997 and did not differ between treatment groups (grazed = 0.65 [0.32] nests/ha, ungrazed = 0.39 [0.32] nests/ha). Mayfield nest success did not differ between grazed fields (5.3%) and ungrazed fields (2.9%). We conclude that rotational grazing was successful in providing summer nesting habitat for dabbling ducks, and we recommend that it be considered for other managed habitats within the Central Valley, California, USA.
Reproductive Ecology and Cub Survival of Florida Black Bears
Authors: GARRISON ELINA P. , MCCOWN J. WALTER , OLI MADAN K.
Published: May 2007

Abstract: We investigated reproductive ecology and cub survival of Florida black bears (Ursus americanus floridanus) in Ocala National Forest and the adjacent residential area of Lynne, Florida, USA, 1999‐2003. We documented production of 81 cubs from 39 litters. Average litter size was 2.08 ± 0.11 (SE) cubs. The mean age of first reproduction was 3.25 ± 0.27 years. Excluding females that reproduced in consecutive years due to litter loss, interlitter interval was 2.11 ± 0.11 years. The mean annual fecundity rate was 0.57 ± 0.06. We used expandable radiocollars to monitor the fate of 41 bear cubs. The probability of cubs surviving to 9 months of age was 0.46 ± 0.09 and did not differ between cohorts or study locations. The most important causes of cub mortality included infanticide and mortality caused directly or indirectly by collisions with vehicles. Our results indicate that reproductive rates of female black bears in the Ocala study area are comparable to those reported for other black bear populations from eastern United States, but cub survival rates are lower than those reported for most black bear populations. Management of Florida black bears should emphasize strategies to reduce the mortality of cubs.
Modeling the Relationship Between Fecal Pellet Indices and Deer Density
Authors: FORSYTH DAVID M. , BARKER RICHARD J. , MORRISS GRANT , SCROGGIE MICHAEL P.
Published: May 2007

Abstract: Although fecal pellet counts have been widely used to index changes in deer abundance in forests, few studies have modeled the relationship between the indices and deer density. We examined the relationships between 3 fecal pellet indices (total pellets, pellet groups, and pellet frequency) and the density of deer (primarily red deer [Cervus elaphus scoticus]) in 20 enclosures in the North and South islands of New Zealand. In each enclosure we estimated the 3 indices on 30 randomly located 150‐m transects, with each transect having 30 circular plots of 3.14 m2. We developed 4 candidate models (1 linear and 3 nonlinear) to describe the relationship between the indices and deer density. We used a Bayesian analysis to account for uncertainty in the estimates of deer abundance and to facilitate fitting models that included random transect effects. The 4 models explained the relationship between the 3 indices and deer density similarly well. The slopes of the linear relationships between the 3 indices and deer density were positive. Our results suggest that fecal pellet counts may be useful indices of deer abundance.
Survival and Cause‐Specific Mortality of Male Mule Deer Under Different Hunting Regulations in the Bridger Mountains, Montana
Authors: PAC DAVID F. , WHITE GARY C.
Published: May 2007

Abstract: We selected 2 adjacent populations of mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus hemionus) in the Bridger Mountains, Montana, USA, to measure effects on survival rates and causes of mortality of 2 hunting regulations designed to enhance representation of mature males. We compared male survival between the West Slope and South 16 Mile populations considering both hunting and nonhunting sources of mortality with respect to age (fawn, yearling, and mature), month (Jun‐May), and year (1990‐1995). Harvest rates of mature males were greater than for yearlings, demonstrating hunter preferences. We found no differences in yearling monthly survival rates between October and November or between areas or years. In contrast, we found survival of mature males differed between October and November and across years and study areas. During these months, survival rates of mature males averaged 0.602 on the West Slope under the 2‐point regulation and 0.762 on South 16 Mile under the outfitted hunt. Monthly survival during summer also differed by age class, but not area, with estimates of 0.963 for yearling males, and corresponding mature male survival estimates of 0.991, demonstrating greater yearling summer mortality. Winter survival rates of yearlings and matures were similar for both areas with a monthly estimate of 0.986. We found differences in spring monthly survival estimates for the 2 areas, mainly for matures. Yearling male monthly survival estimates were 0.959 and 0.958 for the 2 areas, whereas corresponding mature male estimates during spring were 0.991 and 0.936 on the West Slope and South 16 Mile, respectively. Fawn survival rates varied from 0.101 to 0.770 among years and between areas overwinter. Cumulative effects of nonhunting mortality among all age classes reduced the effectiveness of 2 hunting regulations designed to enhance survival of males to age classes ≥4 years associated with maximum antler development despite accomplishing reductions in harvest rates. Low and variable fawn survival and relatively high nonhunting‐related losses of yearling and mature males might be typical of many populations in the Northern Rocky Mountains. Deer managers should avoid populations coexisting with a diversity of large predators in environments with strong year effects when considering opportunities for implementing harvest regulations to improve representation of mature males.
Multiscale Nest‐Site Selection by Black‐Capped Vireos
Authors: BAILEY J. WESLEY , THOMPSON FRANK R.
Published: May 2007

Abstract: We used an information‐theoretic approach to investigate nest‐site selection by black‐capped vireos (Vireo atricapilla) at the landscape and habitat‐patch scales on Fort Hood Military Reservation in central Texas, USA, during 2003 and 2004. We used a use‐availability sampling design and logistic regression to compare woody cover characteristics at nests to random points in the landscape to determine habitat selection at the landscape scale. At the habitat‐patch scale, we used matched case‐control logistic regression to compare habitat measures at nests and random non‐nest points to evaluate support for hypotheses concerning the influence of woody cover, nest‐patch, and nest‐site characteristics on black‐capped vireo nest‐site selection. At the landscape scale, we found strong support (Akaike wt [wj] = 1.0) for a model with a cubic effect of percent woody cover and woody cover edge density. Sites with the greatest predicted probabilities of use had woody cover values between 30% and 60% and increasing amounts of edge. We found strong support (wi = 0.93) for the global model at the habitat‐patch scale that included characteristics of the nest site, nest patch, and woody cover within 25 m. Based on odds ratios and confidence limits, percent woody cover, cover below 2 m, cover type, and substrate height had the greatest effect on nest‐site selection. The predicted probability a site was selected for a nest site increased with foliage cover below 2 m, taller substrates, deciduous cover, and decreased at high levels of percent woody cover (especially >80%). Texas red oak (Quercus buckleyi) was the most used nest substrate (100 of 358 nests), followed by shin oak (Q. sinuata var. breviloba; 86 of 358 nests) and Ashe juniper (Juniperus ashei; 44 of 358 nests). Black‐capped vireos used Texas red oak and shin oak in greater proportion to their availability, whereas Ashe juniper was used less in proportion to its availability, suggesting vireos avoided this species. We suggest that managers promote dense deciduous cover for nesting habitat and maximize edge‐to‐area ratios to maintain spatial and structural heterogeneity.
Nutritional Value of Moss for Arctic Ruminants: a Test with Muskoxen
Authors: IHL CLAUDIA , BARBOZA PERRY S.
Published: May 2007

Abstract: Although moss is commonly found in the feces of arctic herbivores, we do not know the digestible value of this forage for ruminants. We compared grass hay (Bromus sp.) with moss (Hylocomium splendens, Tomenthypnum nitens) from 2 locations in Alaska, USA: Cape Krusenstern National Monument and Fairbanks. We evaluated forages by digestion in ruminally fistulated muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) by suspending forages in polyester bags before and after the rumen was acclimated with moss for 15 consecutive days. Ruminal degradation was not affected by acclimation to moss. Hay lost dry matter during 48 hours of ruminal incubation (‐49%), whereas moss gained dry matter (+44‐57%). Incubated moss gained nitrogen (+435‐680%), as well as fiber (+18%), and one moss gained ash (+121%). Mass gained by moss in the rumen was probably due to the combined effect of microbial colonization and adsorption of fibrous particles onto the sponge‐like matrix. We evaluated postruminal degradation of forages by incubation in acid‐pepsin. Ruminally incubated mosses lost little nitrogen in acid‐pepsin even though ruminally incubated hay lost 23% nitrogen on acid digestion. Consumption of moss during winter may be a net cost of selecting plants within moss communities when lichens and graminoids are scarce. Moss in feces may, therefore, indicate low availability of favored foods for muskoxen and other arctic ruminants that are confined to small winter ranges. Increasing concentrations of moss in the feces and, thus, the diet of muskoxen may alert wildlife managers to shifts in winter range quality or forage access due to changing snow conditions.
Multiscale Habitat Use and Selection in Cooperatively Breeding Micronesian Kingfishers
Authors: KESLER DYLAN C. , HAIG SUSAN M.
Published: May 2007

Abstract: Information about the interaction between behavior and landscape resources is key to directing conservation management for endangered species. We studied multi‐scale occurrence, habitat use, and selection in a cooperatively breeding population of Micronesian kingfishers (Todiramphus cinnamominus) on the island of Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia. At the landscape level, point‐transect surveys resulted in kingfisher detection frequencies that were higher than those reported in 1994, although they remained 15‐40% lower than 1983 indices. Integration of spatially explicit vegetation information with survey results indicated that kingfisher detections were positively associated with the amount of wet forest and grass‐urban vegetative cover, and they were negatively associated with agricultural forest, secondary vegetation, and upland forest cover types. We used radiotelemetry and remote sensing to evaluate habitat use by individual kingfishers at the home‐range scale. A comparison of habitats in Micronesian kingfisher home ranges with those in randomly placed polygons illustrated that birds used more forested areas than were randomly available in the immediate surrounding area. Further, members of cooperatively breeding groups included more forest in their home ranges than birds in pair‐breeding territories, and forested portions of study areas appeared to be saturated with territories. Together, these results suggested that forest habitats were limited for Micronesian kingfishers. Thus, protecting and managing forests is important for the restoration of Micronesian kingfishers to the island of Guam (United States Territory), where they are currently extirpated, as well as to maintaining kingfisher populations on the islands of Pohnpei and Palau. Results further indicated that limited forest resources may restrict dispersal opportunities and, therefore, play a role in delayed dispersal and cooperative behaviors in Micronesian kingfishers.
Winter Forage Selection in White‐Tailed Deer at High Density: Balsam Fir is the Best of a Bad Choice
Authors: SAUVÉ DANIEL G. , CǑTÉ STEEVE D.
Published: May 2007

Abstract: We assessed winter forage selection by white‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) on Anticosti Island, Quebec, Canada, using cafeteria‐feeding trials. Winter habitat on Anticosti is degraded and free‐ranging deer at high densities consume 70% balsam fir (Abies balsamea) and 20% white spruce (Picea glauca), even though spruce is much more available than fir. Deer ate 89.9% balsam fir and 10.1% white spruce when the availability of both trees was equal. Deer did not eat shredded twigs more than intact twigs. Fiber content and condensed tannins were greater in white spruce than in balsam fir. Deer preference for fir was not based on texture but, more likely, on plant constituents, so we concluded that deer will nearly eliminate fir before they use any significant amount of white spruce. Management actions, therefore, need to be undertaken to enhance balsam fir regeneration.
Constant Proportionality in the Female Segment of a Roosevelt Elk Population
Authors: WECKERLY FLOYD W.
Published: May 2007

Abstract: Incomplete population counts indicate change in population sizes when constant proportionality holds, a condition that is rarely met. However, researchers have not explored whether constant proportionality holds for a segment of a population. I examined whether the female segment (juv, subadult M, subadult and ad F) of a Roosevelt elk (Cervus elaphus roosevelti) population displayed constant proportionality. When most food is in particular habitats, females of polygynous species should use that habitat frequently, even when food is limited, because they are more familiar with food distribution and abundance than males. I obtained counts of elk and tallies of naturally marked animals from vehicle surveys of a population inhabiting a landscape where forage was in meadows that were interspersed in closed‐canopied forest. I conducted population surveys in January or February and estimated population size with Bowden's mark‐resight estimator. Population size estimates declined from 130 in 1997 to 37 in 2006. The proportion of the population counted during surveys was inversely related to population size estimates. Estimated population sizes were inversely related to male (r2 = 0.56) but not female sighting probabilities (r2 = 0.004), which were ≥0.9. Constant proportionality in counts held for only the female segment of the population. Counts of the female segment of the population can inform managers about changes in this segment of the population over time.
Survival of Neonatal White‐Tailed Deer in an Exurban Population
Authors: SAALFELD SARAH T. , DITCHKOFF STEPHEN S.
Published: May 2007

Abstract: As humans continue to move further from the urban epicenter and expand into suburban and exurban areas, problems involving coexistence of wildlife and human populations will become increasingly common. Wildlife biologists will be tasked with reducing wildlife‐human conflicts, and their effectiveness will be a function of their understanding of the biology and life‐history characteristics of wildlife populations residing in areas with high human density. In this study, we examined causes and timing of deaths of neonatal white‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in an exurban area of Alabama in 2004 and 2005, estimated survival rates, and determined factors that influenced survival for the initial 8 weeks of life. We found 67% mortality, with the leading causes being predation by coyotes (Canis latrans; 41.7%)and starvation due to abandonment (25%). These results suggest that coyote predation may be a significant source of natural mortality in exurban areas. Contrary to our original expectations, vehicle collisions were not an important cause of mortality.
Using Vaginal Implant Transmitters to Aid in Capture of Mule Deer Neonates
Authors: BISHOP CHAD J. , FREDDY DAVID J. , WHITE GARY C. , STEPHENSON THOMAS R. , WOLFE LISA L. , WATKINS BRUCE E.
Published: May 2007

Abstract:Estimating survival of the offspring of marked female ungulates has proven difficult in free‐ranging populations yet could improve our understanding of factors that limit populations. We evaluated the feasibility and efficiency of capturing large samples (i.e., >80/yr) of neonate mule deer(Odocoileus hemionus)exclusively from free‐ranging, marked adult females using vaginal implant transmitters (VITs,n= 154) and repeated locations of radiocollared females without VITs. We also evaluated the effectiveness of VITs, when used in conjunction with in utero fetal counts, for obtaining direct estimates of fetal survival. During 2003 and 2004, after we placed VIT batteries on a 12‐hour duty cycle to lower electronic failure rates, the proportion that shed ≤ 3 days prepartum or during parturition was 0.623 (SE = 0.0456), and the proportion of VITs shed only during parturition was 0.447 (SE = 0.0468). Our neonate capture success rate was 0.880 (SE = 0.0359) from females with VITs shed ≤ 3 days prepartum or during parturition and 0.307 (SE = 0.0235) from radiocollared females without VITs or whose implant failed to function properly. Using a combination of techniques, we captured 275 neonates and found 21 stillborns during 2002‐2004. We accounted for all fetuses at birth (i.e., live or stillborn) from 78 of the 147 females (0.531, SE = 0.0413) having winter fetal counts, and this rate was heavily dependent on VIT retention success. Deer that shed VITs prepartum were larger than deer that retained VITs to parturition, indicating a need to develop variable‐sized VITs that may be fitted individually to deer in the field. We demonstrated that direct estimates of fetal and neonatal survival may be obtained from previously marked female mule deer in free‐ranging populations, thus expanding opportunities for conducting field experiments. Survival estimates using VITs lacked bias that is typically associated with other neonate capture techniques. However, current vaginal implant failure rates and overall expense limit broad applicability of the technique.
Habitat Selection of Rocky Mountain Elk in a Nonforested Environment
Authors: SAWYER HALL , NIELSON RYAN M. , LINDZEY FRED G. , KEITH LORRAINE , POWELL JAKE H. , ABRAHAM ANU A.
Published: May 2007

Abstract:Recent expansions by Rocky Mountain elk(Cervus elaphus)into nonforested habitats across the Intermountain West have required managers to reconsider the traditional paradigms of forage and cover as they relate to managing elk and their habitats. We examined seasonal habitat selection patterns of a hunted elk population in a nonforested high‐desert region of southwestern Wyoming, USA. We used 35,246 global positioning system locations collected from 33 adult female elk to model probability of use as a function of 6 habitat variables: slope, aspect, elevation, habitat diversity, distance to shrub cover, and distance to road. We developed resource selection probability functions for individual elk, and then we averaged the coefficients to estimate population‐level models for summer and winter periods. We used the population‐level models to generate predictive maps by assigning pixels across the study area to 1 of 4 use categories (i.e., high, medium‐high, medium‐low, or low), based on quartiles of the predictions. Model coefficients and predictive maps indicated that elk selected for summer habitats characterized by higher elevations in areas of high vegetative diversity, close to shrub cover, northerly aspects, moderate slopes, and away from roads. Winter habitat selection patterns were similar, except elk shifted to areas with lower elevations and southerly aspects. We validated predictive maps by using 528 locations collected from an independent sample of radiomarked elk (n= 55) and calculating the proportion of locations that occurred in each of the 4 use categories. Together, the high‐ and medium‐high use categories of the summer and winter predictive maps contained 92% and 74% of summer and winter elk locations, respectively. Our population‐level models and associated predictive maps were successful in predicting winter and summer habitat use by elk in a nonforested environment. In the absence of forest cover, elk seemed to rely on a combination of shrubs, topography, and low human disturbance to meet their thermal and hiding cover requirements.
Femur‐Marrow Fat of White‐Tailed Deer Fawns Killed by Wolves
Authors: MECH L. D.
Published: May 2007

Abstract: I present marrow fat (MF) data from a large sample of white‐tailed deer fawns killed by wolves and a sample of fawns that died by accident in a single area, and I use these data to explore the extent that poor nutritional condition may have predisposed fawns to wolf predation. Percent MF of 110 5‐10‐month‐old white‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) fawns killed by wolves (Canis lupus) from November through April 1984‐2002 in northeastern Minnesota, USA, was lower than MF for 23 fawns killed by accidents in the same area and period. The MF of both male and female wolf‐killed fawns decreased over winter. The MF of male fawns decreased as a snow‐depth index increased, but MF of females showed little relationship to the snow‐depth index and was higher than that of males. Poor nutritional condition is one factor that predisposes deer fawns to wolf predation during winter and spring. This information expands our knowledge of wolf‐prey relations by documenting that, even with younger prey animals that might be thought vulnerable because of youth alone, poor nutritional condition also is an important factor predisposing them to wolf predation.
A Primer on Interpreting Regression Models
Authors: GUTHERY FRED S. , BINGHAM RALPH L.
Published: May 2007

Abstract:We perceive a need for more complete interpretation of regression models published in the wildlife literature to minimize the appearance of poor models and to maximize the extraction of information from good models. Accordingly, we offer this primer on interpretation of parameters in single‐ and multi‐variable regression models. Using examples from the wildlife literature, we illustrate how to interpret linear zero‐intercept, simple linear, semi‐log, log‐log, and polynomial models based on intercepts, coefficients, and shapes of relationships. We show how intercepts and coefficients have biological and management interpretations. We examine multiple linear regression models and show how to use the signs (+, ‐) of coefficients to assess the merit and meaning of a derived model. We discuss 3 methods of viewing the output of 3‐dimensional models (y,x1,x2) in 2‐dimensional space (sheet of paper) and illustrate graphical model interpretation with a 4‐dimensional logistic regression model. Statistical significance or Akaike best‐ness does not prevent the appearance of implausible regression models. We recommend that members of the peer review process be sensitive to full interpretation of regression models to forestall bad models and maximize information retrieval from good models
Herbivory by Resident Geese: The Loss and Recovery of Wild Rice Along the Tidal Patuxent River
Authors: HARAMIS G. MICHAEL , KEARNS GREGORY D.
Published: May 2007

Abstract: Well known for a fall spectacle of maturing wild rice (Zizania aquatica) and migrant waterbirds, the tidal freshwater marshes of the Patuxent River, Maryland, USA, experienced a major decline in wild rice during the 1990s. We conducted experiments in 1999 and 2000 with fenced exclosures and discovered herbivory by resident Canada geese (Branta canadensis). Grazing by geese eliminated rice outside exclosures, whereas protected plants achieved greater size, density, and produced more panicles than rice occurring in natural stands. The observed loss of rice on the Patuxent River reflects both the sensitivity of this annual plant to herbivory and the destructive nature of an overabundance of resident geese on natural marsh vegetation. Recovery of rice followed 2 management actions: hunting removal of approximately 1,700 geese during a 4‐year period and reestablishment of rice through a large‐scale fencing and planting program.
Applying Landscape‐Scale Habitat‐Potential Models to Understand Deer Spatial Structure and Movement Patterns
Authors: FELIX ALEXANDRA B. , WALSH DANIEL P. , HUGHEY BRANDI D. , CAMPA HENRY , WINTERSTEIN SCOTT R.
Published: May 2007

Abstract: Ecologically based management must incorporate components that consider how individuals associate temporally and spatially to environments that provide specific habitat requirements. Recent research has assessed how environments could be classified based on potential to provide deer (Odocoileus virginianus) habitat components. If habitat potential (HP; i.e., capability of habitat types to provide annual life requisites) classifications can be correlated to deer spatial structure and seasonal movement patterns, managers could better understand how spatial distribution of habitat components influences deer distribution. We analyzed home‐range distribution and seasonal movement patterns from 45 adult (≥2 yr old) female deer radiocollared between 1999‐2002, and deer habitat characteristics in northeastern Lower Peninsula, Michigan, USA, to investigate whether we can predict deer seasonal movement patterns based on the distribution of HP. We constructed logistic regression models that calculated the probability of deer migration given specific HP within seasonal home ranges of migratory and nonmigratory deer. Our results suggested that the probability of seasonal deer migrations relates to the juxtaposition (arrangement) of different habitat types that collectively provide all annual life requisites. We demonstrated that use of habitat‐type classifications and HP models can track and predict deer movement patterns, which can facilitate establishment of management units and ecologically based deer management practices.
Abundance of Diurnal Raptors in Relation to Prairie Dog Colonies: Implications for Bird‐Aircraft Strike Hazard
Authors: MERRIMAN JOEL W. , BOAL CLINT W. , BASHORE TERRY L. , ZWANK PHILLIP J. , WESTER DAVID B.
Published: May 2007

Abstract: Some diurnal raptors are frequently observed at prairie dog (Cynomys sp.) colonies. As a result, some military installations have conducted prairie dog control activities to reduce the bird‐aircraft strike hazard (BASH) potential of low‐flying aircraft. To evaluate the validity of this management strategy, we assessed raptor associations with prairie dog colonies at 2 short‐grass prairie study areas: southern Lubbock County, Texas, USA, and Melrose Bombing and Gunnery Range in east‐central New Mexico, USA. We quantified diurnal raptors (i.e., Falconiformes) at plots occupied (colony plots) and unoccupied (noncolony plots) by black‐tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) at both sites throughout 2002. We compared the number of individual birds of a given species at colony and noncolony plots within each study area by season. Ferruginous hawks (Buteo regalis) and northern harriers (Circus cyaneus) were more abundant at colony plots, whereas Swainson's hawks (B. swainsoni) and American kestrels (Falco sparverius) were more abundant at noncolony plots. Red‐tailed hawk (B. jamaicensis) abundance did not differ between the 2 plot types. Our results suggest prairie dog control as a method of reducing BASH potential may be effective at some sites but may be ineffective or even increase the BASH potential at others. Thus, bird‐avoidance models assessing the BASH potential should be conducted on a site‐specific basis using information on relative and seasonal abundances of individual raptor species and the relative strike risks they pose to aircraft.
Motor Imagery in Physical Therapist Practice
Authors: Dickstein Ruth , Deutsch Judith E
Published: May 2007

Motor imagery is the mental representation of movement without any body movement. Abundant evidence on the positive effects of motor imagery practice on motor performance and learning in athletes, people who are healthy, and people with neurological conditions (eg, stroke, spinal cord injury, Parkinson disease) has been published. The purpose of this update is to synthesize the relevant literature about motor imagery in order to facilitate its integration into physical therapist practice. This update also will discuss visual and kinesthetic motor imagery, factors that modify motor imagery practice, the design of motor imagery protocols, and potential applications of motor imagery.
Sexuality, Masculinity, and Infertility in Egypt: Potent Troubles in the Marital and Medical Encounters
Authors: Inhorn Marcia C.
Published: May 2007

In Africa, high rates of infertility are due to infection and many other factors. This article explores male sexual dysfunction as both a cause and consequence of infertility in Egypt. Because sexual dysfunction is profoundly emasculating in a country where hegemonic masculinities are competitive, sexually troubled men in childless marriages do not routinely seek treatment from male physicians, leaving their wives to seek treatment for purported “infertility.” However, the medical encounter between elite male physicians and poor women patients is characterized by a “don't ask, don't tell” policy, rendering sexual problems invisible. Furthermore, women are culturally prohibited from initiating sex, but infertility therapies often require them to do so. Marital difficulties in both the performance of sex and gender are the result. The article concludes with speculations on the future of male sexual dysfunction in the era of expanding sex education, sex therapy, Viagra, and new reproductive technologies.
Men Talk: An Exploratory Study of Communication Patterns and Communication Apprehension of Black and White Males
Authors: Jordan-Jackson Felecia F. , Davis Kimberly A.
Published: May 2007

This article is the culmination of a two-part study that addresses (1) the nonverbal communication patterns of Black and White men in groups and (2) communication apprehension of Black and White men when communicating with each other. In part one, groups of acquainted same-race (racially homogeneous) males and mixed-race (racially heterogeneous) males were videotaped while communicating about issues of interest to most college-age men (i.e., dating, sexuality, AIDS). Nonverbal communication patterns were coded and compared between the same-race and mixed-race groups. Results indicated that Black and White males were significantly different in their display of adaptors in the same-race groups. In part two, 40 Black and 35 White males completed the Personal Report of Communication Apprehension (PRCA). Results showed that Black and White men were significantly different only in the dyadic (interpersonal) context. General patterns of communication between the two races are discussed.
Hegemonic Masculinity and Pornography: Young People's Attitudes toward and Relations to Pornography
Authors: Johansson Thomas , Hammarén Nils
Published: May 2007

This article explores young people's attitudes toward pornographic material. How do young people in general relate to and view pornography? Are there any clear gender differences? On the basis of empirical results from an extensive Swedish survey study, we discuss and analyze how gender differences are articulated. We are specifically interested in what kinds of attitudes young men and young women develop. A common conception of gender and the consumption of pornography is that men and boys are generally the consumers, whereas women dislike pornography. Results from the present study partly support these claims. However, we argue that it is important to analyze differences within the categories “men” and “women.” Here, we find that many young men are actually hold negative attitudes toward pornography, whereas some young women are positively disposed toward and enjoy pornography. These findings are discussed within the framework of gender theory and theories of masculinity.
Characterization of pulp refiners by a C-factor
Authors: Kerekes Richard J.
Published: May 2007

Keywords

Disk refiners, Conical refiners, Cellulose fibers, Refining, Process variables, Energy, Fineness, Fiber length, Grooves, Bars, Impact, Equations