Death from anthropogenic causes is partially compensatory in recovering wolf populations

There is substantial interest in how mortality rates affect animal populations, but mechanisms explaining when and under what circumstances particular causes of death incur demographic responses are far from clear. In theory, small or expanding populations should experience additive mortality from anthropogenic causes of death, but whether such effects are homogenous across a population or expressed only in certain high-risk individuals is open for debate. We used competing risks models to analyze mortality patterns among radio-collared wolves (Canis lupus, n = 711) from three populations in northwestern United States (1982-2004), and evaluated the degree to which anthropogenic mortality was additive vs. compensatory to natural demographic processes. Almost 80% (n = 320) of wolves dying of known fates were killed by anthropogenic causes (legal control, illegal killing, harvest in Canada, vehicle collision), and additive effects of anthropogenic mortality were most pronounced in northwestern Montana where wolf exposure to humans and livestock was high compared to either the Greater Yellowstone Area or central Idaho, where anthropogenic risk was lower. In contrast, risk from natural hazards was lower in northwestern Montana than in the other areas, implying some degree of compensatory mortality from anthropogenic risk. Animals recruited to the study following human-wolf conflict had markedly higher anthropogenic risk than those recruited for standard monitoring purposes, and juvenile wolves as well as dispersers, succumbed to higher anthropogenic risk. Multivariate models revealed that increasing wolf population density promoted higher anthropogenic risk and reduced natural risk, indicating that partially-compensatory effects of anthropogenic mortality actually became increasingly additive with population density. The observed compensatory mortality and hazard heterogeneity in our study implies that demographic responses to mortality risk may be complex and more subtle than previously thought; the density-dependent effect of anthropogenic mortality portends a stabilizing influence of humans on recovering wolf populations. We conclude that future assessment of the role of anthropogenic mortality should include individual-based hazard estimation as a complement to traditional population-level approaches.     

Effects of aerosolized albuterol on physiologic responses to exercise in standardbreds.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effects of an aerosolized beta2-adrenoreceptor agonist, albuterol, on performance during a standardized incremental exercise test in clinically normal horses. ANIMALS: 8 Standardbred pacing mares. PROCEDURE: Clinically normal horses, as judged by use of physical examination, hematologic findings, serum biochemical analysis, and airway endoscopy, were randomly assigned to 2 groups and were given 900 microg of albuterol via a metered-dose inhaler 30 minutes before beginning a standardized incremental exercise test in a crossover design with a 7-day minimum washout. Further examination included measurement of baseline lung mechanics, response to histamine bronchoprovocation, and bronchoalveolar lavage. RESULTS: No significant differences (albuterol vs placebo) were seen for any incremental exercise test variables (ie, maximum oxygen consumption, maximum carbon dioxide consumption, respiratory quotient, treadmill speed at heart rate of 200 beats/min, or number of steps completed during an incremental exercise protocol). Mast cell percentage was significantly (r = -0.84) associated with the concentration of aerosolized histamine that evoked a 100% increase in total respiratory system resistance. No other direct correlations between bronchoalveolar lavage fluid cell types and any indices of exercise capacity or airway reactivity were found. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Although no horse had exercise intolerance, 4 horses had airway hyperreactivity with bronchoalveolar lavage fluid mastocytosis; these horses may have been subclinically affected with inflammatory airway disease. In our study, albuterol did not enhance performance in 8 clinically normal racing-fit Standardbreds.     

Neospora-like protozoan infection as a major cause of abortion in California dairy cattle

Ninety-five aborted bovine fetuses received from California dairies over a 4.5-year period had histologic lesions of focal encephalitis. Protozoa that reacted with Neospora caninum antiserum were detected in the brain of 88 of these fetuses and in the heart of 1 fetus. Sarcocystis spp schizonts were seen in the vascular endothelium of 1 fetus. It was concluded that a Neospora-like cyst-forming coccidian may be a major cause of abortion in California dairy cattle.     

Leaching requirement for salinity control III. Barley,cowpea, and celery

Leaching requirement, the smallest steady-state leaching fraction which prevents any loss in crop yield, was determined for barley, cowpea, and celery in field plots at the U.S. Salinity Laboratory. Six replicated leaching-fraction treatments were irrigated many times each day with small quantities of water having an electrical conductivity of 2.3 dS/m. The crops were grown in succession between January 1979 and September 1981.The leaching requirement (L_r) was 0.10 for barley grain and 0.13 for barley forage. For cowpea seed, L_r was 0.16; 0.17 for cowpea forage. L_r for celery was 0.14. These experimentally determined values for barley and cowpea seed are higher by about 0.05 than those predicted by a leaching-requirement model based on an exponential crop water-uptake pattern. The experimental values for celery and cowpea forage are lower than predicted values by 0.06. These differences are not considered significant, however, when considered in terms of the small differences in water applications (about 25 mm) to cause these changes in L_r. Evapotranspiration during each crop's growing season coincident with L_r was 410, 630, and 460 mm for barley, cowpea, and celery, respectively.     

BUDGET ANALYSIS OF PENAEID SHRIMP HATCHERY FACILITIES

One of the critical factors in commercial penaeid shrimp culture production is the availability of postlarvae to stock grow-out ponds. This study investigates the economic feasibility of rearing penaeid shrimp from nauplii to postlarvae (hatchery phase). The facility design used is based on the hatchery operated by Texas A&M university at Galveston, Texas. The Generalized Budget Simulation Model for Aquaculture developed at Texas A&M University was used for the analysis. A ten-year planning horizon was used for the analysis. Six different systems ranging in size from 5 ten-metric ton tanks to 60 ten-metric ton tanks were examined. Annual cost and return budgets were developed for the six systems assuming they operated 6 and 12 months per year. Investment costs, break-even prices and quantities, and net present value were estimated for each system. Results show that commercial hatcheries, using 10-metric ton tanks, could be profitable above and including 20 tanks for those operating only six months annually and above and including 10 tanks for those operating 12 months annually.     

Daytime management of the mare: 1: Pre-foaling mammary secretions testing

Fifty-six mares of lighthorse breeding were utilized in a controlled management scheme for induced daytime foaling. All mares had pre-foaling mammary secretions sampled for evaluation of water hardness (ppm) or calcium carbonate content (ppm). Sampling began 10 days prior to expected foaling date for each mare and was performed once daily for 3 days followed by twice daily until foaling occurred. Samples were diluted 1:6 in distilled water and tested by each of 3 methods: Sofchek™ Test Strips⁴, Predict-A-Foal™ Test Kit⁵ and Titrets™ Calcium Hardness Test Kit⁶. Mares were then either induced (i) to foal (no.= 33) according to a decision point of readiness for birth as indicated by pre-foaling mammary secretion testing (≥250 ppm water hardness by Sofchek™ test, ≥ 250 ppm calcium carbonate content by Titrets test, ≥ 4 color bar changes by Predict-A-Foal test), or allowed to foal spontaneously (s) (no.=23). There were no differences (p>0.05) in the mean pre-foaling mammary secretion test values (μ_i=293ppm, μ_s=329ppm; μ_i=4.1, μ_s=4.2; and μ_i=281ppm, μ_s=298ppm; for Sofchek, Predict-A-Foal and Titrets, respectively) between mare groups at the time of foaling (time=0) for any of the 3 testing methods employed. Mean intervals to foaling after reaching decision points of readiness for birth were different (p<0.05) between Sofchek and Titrets test for both mare groups, but only in the induced-to-foal group between Sofchek and Predict-A-Foal tests. Probabilities of 79%, 53% and 59% were calculated for mares foaling spontaneously within 24 hours of reaching the decision points used in this trial of readiness for birth on the initial occasion for Sofchek, Predict-A-Foal and Titrets™ tests, respectively. Each test was determined to have the ability to predict readiness of approaching parturition and found to be easily applicable to field use. The Titrets test was found to be least variable in its response to measurement of pre-foaling mammary secretion hardness changes both within and between mares.     

NONHUMAN PRIMATE EXCRETORY UROGRAPHY*

Survey radiographs have not accurately identified renal contour or location in nonhuman primates. Excretory urography using 786 to 1193 mg iodinelkg body weight resulted in dense opacification of the renal parenchyma and pelvis. Abdominal compression improved visu- alization of the renal pelvis. Interpretation of the nonhuman primate excretory urogram was compromised by several anatomic characteristics of this animal group. Superimposition of the kidneys on the lateral radiograph limited evaluation of the renal contour. Since the renal pelvis in most species of nonhuman primates does not possess diverticula (as in the dog and cat) or a caliceal system (as in the pig and man), the diagnosis of pyelonephritis or renal mass lesions was difficult. Severe irregularities in the renal contour, size of the renal pelvis, or areas of deficient concentrating ability were identifiable in nonhuman primate excretory urograms, but the diagnosis of small cysts was not possible in smaller nonhuman primates. The presence of a caliceal collecting system in the spider monkey (Ateles sp.) suggests this animal as a potential model for the evaluation of human renal disease.