Life Sciences Commons^™

Use Of Activated Charcoal And Other Particulate Substances As Feed Additives To Suppress Bird Feeding, J. Russell Mason, Larry Clark

Larry Clark

Osmotic strength is a function of particle number. The experiments described here were designed to test whether the consumption of a large number of small particles might induce strong osmotic effects that, in turn, could induce food avoidance learning. The experiments also evaluated whether the abrasiveness of fine particulates or their ability to act as organic adsorbants could mediate or contribute to the avoidance of adulterated diets. In experiment I. captive European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) were given two-cup tests between plain chow and chow adulterated with activated charcoal or Anjan-activaid. a product containing large amounts of activated charcoal. Both adulterants …

Tests And Refinements Of A General Structure-Activity Model For Avian Repellents, Larry Clark, Pankaj Shah

Larry Clark

We tested the robustness of a structure-activity model for avian trigeminal chemoirritants. Fourteen benzoates and acetophenones were tested using European starlings Sturn us vulgaris as a bioassay. In general. the pre­ viously proposed model was a reasonable predictor of repellency (i.e., irritant potency). We found that the presence of a phenyl ring was critical to repel­ lency. Basicity of the molecule is the next most critical feature influencing repellency. The presence of an acidic function within the electron-withdrawing functionality seriously detracts from repellency. The presence or absence of an electron-withdrawing or -donating group may potentiate repellent effects, but its presence …

Using Hydrophilic Polymers To Control Nutrient Release, Robert Mikkelsen

Robert Mikkelsen

Using diverse technological approaches, many types of delivery devices have been used to supply plant nutrients at a controlled rate in the soil. One new approach is the use of hydrophilic polymers as carriers of plant nutrients. These polymers may be generally classified as 1) natural polymers derived from polysaccharides, 2) semi-synthetic polymers (primarily cellulose derivatives), and 3) synthetic polymers. By controlling the reaction conditions when forming the polymers, various degrees of cross-linking, anionic charge, and cationic charge can be added, thereby changing their effectiveness as fertilizer carriers. When fertilizer-containing solutions are mixed with hydrophilic polymers to form a "gel" …

Bacterial Symbionts Induce Host Organ Morphogenesis During Early Postembryonic Development Of The Squid Euprymna Scolopes, Mary Montgomery, M Mcfall-Ngai

Mary Montgomery

No abstract provided.

The Hazardous Waste Land, Jerry L. Anderson

Jerry L. Anderson

This article was one of the first comprehensive critiques of the Superfund remediation and liability system. The article addresses systemic problems with the CERCLA mechanism that result in inequity and slow the pace of cleanups.

A Comparison Of Staining Techniques For Somatic Chromosomes Of Strawberry, Henry R. Owen, A. Raymond Miller

Henry R. Owen

A factorial combination of pretreatments, fixatives, and stains was examined to identify the best available method for staining the chromosomes of strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch. ‘Chandler’) root-tip cells. Three pretreatments ( a -bromonaphthalene, p -dichlorobenzene, and 8-hydroxyquinoline), three fixatives (Farmer’s fluid, Carnoy’s fluid, and Newcomer’s fluid), and five stains (acetocarmine, alcoholic hydrochloric-acid carmine, altered carbol fuchsin, lacto-propionic orcein, and leucobasic fuchsin) were tested. Pretreatment with either a -bromonaphthalene (saturated aqueous) or 8-hydroxyquinoline (2 mM) for 5 hours at 14C, overnight fixation in Farmer’s fluid, hydrolysis in 1 N HCl (15 minutes at 60C), and staining with altered carbol fuchsin …

Evolution Of Mammalian Social Structure, Ronald K. Chesser, Derrick W. Sugg, O. Eugene Rhodes Jr., James M. Novak, Michael H. Smith

James M. Novak

Social groups may be viewed as collections of individuals exhibiting nonindependent behavior and organized in a cooperative manner. The evolutionary advantage of social behavior to individuals must be measured in its relativity to other potential behaviors, the scale of competitive interactions, and under a variety of environmental and genetic constraints. A primary tenet of social evolution is that coancestry will promote the genes of related individuals. High values of coancestry, however, do not necessarily translate into evolutionary advantage unless the primary competitive interactions occur among the groups. Coancestry is affected by the breeding tactics within and rates of genetic exchange …

Morphological Asymmetry In Mammals: Genetics And Homeostasis Reconsidered, James M. Novak, Olin E. Rhodes Jr., Michael H. Smith, Ronald K. Chesser

James M. Novak

It has been hypothesized that developmental stability is increased at higher levels of genetic variability (heterozygosity) in animals. However, the existence of this relationship is questionable for homeotherms in general and mammals in particular. The difference between the sides of a bilateral character in an individual is a measure of fluctuating asymmetry that can be used as a measure of the developmental stability of mammals. Increased developmental stability should result in a greater degree of similarity between the right and left side of the body even though environmental variability would tend to increase the differences between right and left sides …

A Khaldunian Perspective On The Dynamics Of Asiatic Societies, Syed Farid Alatas

farid alatas

During the last twenty years or so, scholars in the Third World began to become critical of what came to be known as the captive mind. The captive mind is uncritical and imitative in its approach to ideas and concepts from the West.' Discussions on the problem of mental captivity coincided with efforts to indigenous the social sciences in the post-war period when most of the Third World gained formal independence.

Functional Explanation And Metaphysical Individualism, Justin Schwartz

Justin Schwartz

A number of (present or former) analytical Marxists, such as Jon Elster, have argued that functional explanation has almost no place in the social sciences. (Although the discussion is framed in terms of a debate among analytical Marxists, the point is quite general, and Marxism is used for illustrative purposes.) Functional explanation accounts for what is to be explained by reference to its function; thus, sighted organism have eyes because eyes enable them to see. Elster and other critics of functional explanation argue that this pattern of explanation is inconsistent with "methodological individualism," the idea, as they understand it, that …

Chemical Bird Repellents: Possible Use In Cyanide Ponds, Larry Clark, Pankaj Shah

Larry Clark

No abstract provided.

Acute Toxicity Of The Bird Repellent, Methyl Anthranilate, To Fry Of Salmo Salar, Oncorhynus Mykiss, Ictalurus Punctatus And Lepomis Macrochirus, Larry Clark, John Cummings, Steven Bird, Eugeny Aronov

Larry Clark

Several laboratory and field studies have shown methyl anthranilate to be an effective, non-toxic and non-lethal bird repellent, with application potential for protecting crops, seeds, turf and fish stocks from bird damage. Furthermore, methyl anthranilate can be added to liquids for the purposes of protecting nigratory birds, e.g. addition to waste water associated with mining and to standing water pools at airports. Mammalian toxicity data are favorable. Methyl anthranilate is used as a fragrance and food flavoring and is GRAS listed by the US Food and Drug Administration. Despite the favorable outlook for methyl anthranilate's use as a safe repellent, …

Avoidance Of Bird Repellents By Mice, Dale Nolte, J. Russell Mason, Larry Clark

Larry Clark

It is believed that mammalian chemosensory initants are not aver­ sive to birds and vice versa. Nevertheless, few avian repellents have been tested against mammals. For that reason, we evaluated the efficacy of 1.0% w/v methyl anthranilate, orthoaminoacetophenone, 2-amino-4' ,5 '-methoxy­ acetophenone, 2-methoxyacetophenone, and veratryl amine as mouse repel­ lents in 3-hr no-choice drinking tests. Relative to ingestion of plain water, all test substances significantly reduced (P < 0.05) intake. Orthoaminoaceto­phenone was the most effective repellent, with intake reduced to levels sta­tistically indistinguishable from zero.

Evaluation Of A Pelleted Bait Containing Methyl Anthranilate As A Bird Repellent, J. Russell Mason, Larry Clark, Timothy Miller

Larry Clark

No-till agriculture involves the use of granular pesticide formulations, chemically treated seeds, and pelleted baits. Some of these may accidentally kill birds. We have tested whether methyl anthranilate (MA), a known bird repellent, would eliminate consumption of a pelleted bait. In two laboratory experiments and an outdoor aviary trial, cowbirds (Molothrus ater Bodd.) were presented with pellets containing pesticide and MA, pellets containing pesticide but no MA, and carrier pellets without pesticide or MA. Consumption of any formulation was low, but the addition of MA significantly decreased bait loss in the laboratory, and prevented the disappearance of bait in the …

White Plastic Flags Repel Snow Geese, J. Russell Mason, Larry Clark, N. Jay Bean

Larry Clark

The effectiveness of white flags as visual repellents to snow geese (Chen caerulescens) was evaluated. Twelve fields, each 10.12 ha (25 acres) in area, with snow goose damage, were located and proximity was used to create six pairs. Within each pair, one field was selected randomly for treatment (one white plastic flag per acre) and the other served as a control. At 7-day intervals for SV2 weeks, mean vegetation length and mean percentage vegetative cover were estimated for all fields. The results showed that grazing damage was significantly reduced in fields with flags. It is concluded that white plastic flags …

Development Of Chemosensory Attractants For White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus), J. Russell Mason, N. Jay Bean, Larry Clark

Larry Clark

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus spp.) overpopulate many areas of the United States. Browse damage to agricultural crops, forest regeneration and landscaping can be severe. Human and animal health also arc threatened by Lyme disease, which is spread by the deer tick (Ixodes dammini). Although sterilants to reduce and/or slow the growth of deer populations and vaccines against Lyme disease may soon become available, efficient and economical techniques to inoculate large numbers of deer have not been developed. Oral baits represent one promising possibility. In experiment 1, salt blocks and several olfactory lures were evaluated as potential lures for use in deer …

Nonlethal Rodent Repellents: Differences In Chemical Structure And Efficacy From Nonlethal Bird Repellent, Dale Nolte, J. Russell Mason, Larry Clark

Larry Clark

At least some anthranilates (e.g., methyl anthranilate), and ace­ tophenones (e.g., orthoaminoacetophenone) are aversive to mice as well as to birds. Here we systematically examined nine acetophenone isomers (ortho, meta, para) and moieties (amino, hydroxy, methoxy) previously tested as drinking and feeding repellents for European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris). All nine substances reduced intake by mice in single-bottle tests. When molecular characteristics were examined, amino group reactivity and, to a lesser extent, isomeric position (i.e., resonance), were related to the strength of the avoid­ ance response. Unlike effective avian repellents, the presence of intramo lecular hydrogen bonds did not appear to …

Interaction Between Sensory And Postingestional Repellents In Starlings: Methyl Anthranilate And Sucrose, Larry Clark, J. Russell Mason

Larry Clark

Ingestion of concentrated sucrose solutions causes sickness in sucrase-defi­ cie_nt birds. As a result, some suggest that sucrose may represent an environmentally safe avian repellent. In the present experiments, we compared the repellency of sucrose to that of methyl anthranilate (MA), a known avian repellent. We also tested mixtures of sucrose and MA to investigate whether repellency could be enhanced, relative to sucrose or MA presentealo'!e. The results showed that the MA was strongly avoided in both drinking anf edmtnals. Conversely, only high sucrose concentrations were avoided, and only in dnnkmg tnals. No combination of MA and sucrose was as …

Odor Thresholds In Passerines, Larry Clark, K.V. Avilova, N.J. Bean

Larry Clark

Eight species of passerines were evaluated for their ability to form conditioned responses to odor stimuli. Only 5 species met training criteria and were tested for odor detection thresholds.

2. Detection thresholds were comparable to other passerines tested. Detection values were also similar to mammalian macrosmatic species, such as rats and rabbits. Thus, despite the poorly elaborated olfactory anatomy of passerines, these birds possess an adequate sense of smell.

3. Within the Passeriformes there is no correlation between olfactory acuity and relative size of the olfactory bulb. However, there is a correlation between acuity and olfactory bulb size across orders …

Addition Of Gel-Forming Hydrophilic Polymers To Nitrogen Fertilizer Solutions, Robert Mikkelsen, A David Behel

Robert Mikkelsen

Environmental and economic concerns are causing a search for more effective fe rtilizer products and improved methods for managing existing fertilizers. This laboratory and greenhouse study was conducted to determine if the addition of gel-forming hydrophilic polymers to N fertilizer solutions could reduce N leaching loss and increase plant uptake of N. In the first experiment, a solution of urea ammonium nitrate (UAN, 32% N) was mixed with a variety of polymers at three concentrations, band applied to a sandy soil, and leached weekly for six weeks. Nitrogen leaching losses were reduced from 0 to 45% during the first four …

Controlled-Release Fertilizers To Increase Efficiency Of Nutrient Use And Minimize Environmental Degradation - A Review, Avi Shaviv, Robert Mikkelsen

Robert Mikkelsen

Total world consumption of fertilizer N, P2 O5, and K2O in 1990 / 1991 was 78. 37. and 26 million tons per annum respectively, with a projected yearly increase of demand of about 2 to 3% . Trends in crop production (maize and wh eat) in the last four decades s how that N application rates increased about 15 times whereas its accumulation in grain increased only 3 to 4 times. At the same time nutrient recovery by crops remained relatively low (e .g. a bout 50% for N). This represents a potentially alarming situation from environmental, economic and resource …

An Examination And Correction Of Plant Tissue Culture Basal Medium Formulations, Henry R. Owen, A. Raymond Miller

Henry R. Owen

The inorganic formulations of fourteen common plant tissue culture basal media were examined from the primary literature. Inaccuracies and errors were found for molecular formulae, chemical hydrations, and molar equivalences for iron/EDTA complexation. A comparison with published basal medium formulations from six commercial suppliers uncovered additional inaccuracies, modifications, and errors, thereby emphasizing the need for investigators to examine and describe medium formulations precisely in future publications.

Biochemical Systematics Of Notothenioid Fishes From Antarctica, Mara A. Mcdonald, Michael H. Smith, Michael W. Smith, James M. Novak, Paul E. Johns, Arthur L. Devries

James M. Novak

Genetic variation at 30 protein-coding loci was examined in seven forms of notothenioid fishes from Antarctica. Multilocus heterozygosity varied from 0.018 to 0.078 across taxa. An analysis of the allozyme data revealed the probable existence of an unrecognized cryptic species within Trematomu5 bemacchii. Pagothenia borchgrevinki is as closely related to some species of Trematomus as are some species of Trematomus to each other. Speciation among the species of Trematomus and Pagothenia appears to have taken place primarily after the separation of Antarctica from Australia.

Non-Oral Etiologies Of Oral Malodor And Altered Chemosensation, Larry Clark

Larry Clark

A number of non-oral causes for oral malodor have been discussed. Several well documented etiologies for non-oral malodor include renal failure, cirrhosis of the liver, and diabetes mellitus. Each of these conditions has been examined using analytical instrumentation. In addition there appear to be several other metabolic conditions involving enzymatic and transport anomalies (such as trimethylaminuria) which lead to the systemic production of volatile malodors that manifest themselves as halitosis and/or altered chemoreception. Our studies include patients who have been referred to us after being examined by numerous clinical specialists with no identification or relief from their problem. This is …

Information Content Of Prey Odor Plumes: What Do Foraging Leach's Storm Petrels Know?, Larry Clark, Pankaj Shah

Larry Clark

Electrophysiological responses to odor have been recorded for concen­ trations as low as 0.01 ppm for Manx shearwaters Puffinus puffinus and Black-footed Albatrosses Diomedea nigripes, indicating that relative to most birds, procellariiforms have a keen sense of smell (Wenzel and Sieck 1972, cf.clark 1991; Clark and Smeraski 1990; Clark and Mason 1989). Such acuity is not unexpected, given the extensive development of the olfactory anatomy of these species (Bang and Wenzel 1986). Field observations indi­ cate that Procellariiformes use their sense of smell to locate food (Grubb 1972; Hutchison and Wenzel 1980; Lequette, Verheyden and Jouventin 1989). -_ However, it …

Avian Chemical Repellency: A Structure-Activity Approach And Implications, Pankaj Shah, Russell Mason, Larry Clark

Larry Clark

Until recently, the discovery of avian sensory repellents has been empirical (MaRnn, AnAmR 'Inn l;qr\r FlR'l), Hm> !ilv!ilr, recent liltudilillil in our laboratory have shown that many avian repellents have similar perceptual and structural properties (Mason et al. 1989; Mason Clark and Shah 1991; Clark and Shah 1991; Clark, Shah and Mason 1991; Shah, Clark and Mason 1991). For example, methyl anthranilate, which has a grapy odor, is repel­ lent to birds (Kare and Pick, 1960). Ortho-aminoacetophenone has an odor and structure similar to that of methyl anthranilate, differing only in the substitution of a ketone for an ester group …

Nonlethal Repellents: The Development Of Cost-Effective, Practical Solutions To Agricultural And Industrial Problems, Russell Mason, Larry Clark

Larry Clark

Repellents substances and devices cause pest species to avoid otherwise attractive or palatable materials. For birds, repellents can be visual, auditory, pyrotechnic, tactile, chemosensory, physiologic, or physical. Here, we consider chemical agents only. Few substances arc registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and thus legally available for use. This lack of available bird repellent technology reflects the small demonstrable economic impact of many agricultural bird damage problems. Accurate information about damage and market size is virtually nonexistent, and private companies are reluctant to invest resources in the unknown. To successfully commercialize new repellents, clearly lucrative markets must be …

Capsaicin Effects On Consumption Of Food By Cedar Waxwings And House Finches.­, Donald Norman, Russell Mason, Larry Clark

Larry Clark

Capsaicin effects on consumption of food by Cedar Waxwings and House Finches.­ Capsaicinoids (e.g., N-vanillyl-n-nonamide. norcapsaicin, nordihydrocapsaicin, capsaicin, dihydrocapsaicin, homocapsaicin, homodihydrocapsaicin; Hoffman 1983) are aromatic am­ ides and the pungent principles in Capsicum peppers. Although these substances are strong chemical irritants for most mammals (e.g.. Rozin et a!. 1979), the available data suggest that they are inoffensive to some birds. For example. European Starlings (Sturn us vulgaris) and Rock Doves (Columba Iivia) are unresponsive to these compounds, even when con­ centrations greatly exceed those which mammals avoid (Szolcsanyi et al. 1986; Mason et a!.. in press).

Taxonomic Differences Between Birds And Mammals In Their Responses To Chemical Irritants, Russell Mason, Larry Clark, Pankaj Shah

Larry Clark

Ninety-five products are registered with the u.s. Environmental Pro­ tection Agency as bird damage control chemicals, but 38 (40%) are non­ lethal chemical repellents (Eschen and Schafer, 1986). Of these products, the active ingredients in 27 (71%) are methiocarb (a physiologic repellent that acts through food avoidance learning) or polybutene (a tactile repel­ lent). In general, chemical repellents are effective either because of aversive sensory effects (irritation), or because of post-ingestional ma­ laise (sickness). If the former, then chemicals are usually stimulants of trigeminal pain receptors (i.e., undifferentiated free nerve endings) in the nose, mouth, and eyes (Mason and Otis, …

The Saurian Psyche Revisted: Lizards In Research, Neil Greenberg

Neil Greenberg

This essay is intended to guide researchers interested in lizards as prospective experimental models to identify an appropriate species for their research needs and to care for lizards in a manner that will not compromise their utility. Coupled with these is a concern for critical thinking about the ethical dimension of lizard research, one guide for which is to consider the intersection of human needs and lizard needs. Before proceeding further, several arbitrary premises must be made clear: 1. While wholly deserving of study because of their intrinsic interest, I will assume that the lizard research to be undertaken is …