Digital Commons Network^™

Elk Use Of Wallows And Potential Chronic Wasting Disease Transmission, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Patrick W. Burke, Gregory W. Phillips, Justin W. Fischer, Nathan W. Seward, Bruce A. Wunder, Michael J. Lavelle

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Deposition of prions into the environment by infected animals may contribute to transmission and spread of chronic wasting disease (CWD) among free-ranging cervids, and identification of such environmental sources may provide an avenue for managing CWD. We evaluated the role that wallow use by elk (Cervus elaphus) may play in CWD transmission by monitoring wallows with animal-activated cameras throughout their period of use. We monitored 39 wallows from 5 August 2005 to 14 October 2005. Elk visited 20 sites; we recorded 22 events when only male elk wallowed and 374 additional events when male and female elk had …

Concurrent Panel Session 2: Health Challenges Facing Las Vegas, Carlos Brandenburg, Shawn Gerstenberger, Zaven Khachaturian, John Mcdonald, Dennis Pirages, Thom Reilly, Kathy Silver, Bonnie Sorenson, Carolyn B. Yucha, Maurizio Trevisan

Shaping the Future of Southern Nevada: Economic, Environmental, and Social Sustainability

Moderator: Marcia Turner, NSHE Health Science System Scribe: Candace Griffith, UNLV Department of Sociology Conference white paper & Full summary of panel session, 8 pages

Shaping The Future Of Southern Nevada Moderators & Panelists Biographies

Shaping the Future of Southern Nevada: Economic, Environmental, and Social Sustainability

Moderators & Panelists biographies

Wildlife Health Centre Newsletter – Volume 13, Fall/Winter 2007, Number 1

Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre: Newsletters and Publications

Feature Articles:
International Polar Year 2007/2008 - What’s in it for Wildlife Health?
Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia Virus (VHSV) type IV`b’in the Great Lakes— an Update

Disease Updates

Atlantic Region
“Flesh-eating Disease” in Two Raccoons due to Streptococcus group G infection
Avian Cholera in Open Ocean Seabirds of Atlantic Canada Cerebellar Abiotrophy in a Moose

Quebec Region
Besnoitiosis in Caribou Herds (Rangifer tarandus
Incursion of Raccoon Rabies in the Province of Quebec

Ontario/Nunavut Region
Canine Distemper Virus in Sled Dogs—Nunavut and NT
CCWHC Seeking Increased Submissions of Reptiles and Amphibians

Western/Northern Region
Update on Bovine Tuberculosis in the Riding Mountain …

Psodascript: Applying Advanced Language Constructs To Open-Source Phylogenetic Search, Hyrum Carroll, Mark J. Clement, Jonathan Krein, Quinn O. Snell, Adam R. Teichert

Faculty Publications

Due to the immensity of phylogenetic tree space for large data sets, researches must rely on heuristic searches to infer reasonable phylogenies. By designing meta-searches which appropriately combine a variety of heuristics and parameter settings, researchers can significantly improve the performance of heuristic searches. Advanced language constructs in the open-source PSODA project—including variables, mathematical and logical expressions, conditional statements, and user-defined commands—give researchers a better framework for the exploration and exploitation of phylogenetic meta-search algorithms. PSODA’s approach to scripting meta-search algorithms is unique among open-source packages and addresses several limitations of other phylogenetic applications.

Lsu Health Sciences Center New Orleans Update, Larry H. Hollier Md

LSUHSC Hurricane Katrina Archive: Reports & Presentations

"LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans Update" is a PowerPoint presentation of 52 slides presented by Larry H. Hollier, MD, FACS (Dean of the School of Medicine 2004-2007, Chancellor 2006-2021) to the LSUHSC Board of Supervisors in October 2007.

This presentation includes academic program updates, facilities updates, student enrollment numbers, and faculty recruitment details two years after Hurricane Katrina forced the temporary closure and relocation of LSU Health Sciences Center - New Orleans.

National Wildlife Research Center: Research Update Summer 2007

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Wildlife Services: Vision and Strategic Goals
Spotlight on NWRC Rice Research
Blackbird Damage
History of Rice Research
NWRC Realigns Research Programs
WS Partners with Chinese Scientists to Study Role of Wildlife as Carriers of Avian Influenza
Rodent Control Collaboration at Army Training Area
NWRC Field Station Assists University of Hawaii Anthropology Department
Developing Methods & Providing Wildlife Services
EPA Registers Oral Contraceptive for Pigeons
New DRC-1339 “Take” Models Available for Use
Oregon and Washington Register a New Forest Pest Management Tool
Researchers Present Method for Permitted Take of Migratory Birds
New HPCL Analytical Method Developed for Warfarin
WS Begins Efforts …

Distribution And Disease Prevalence Of Feral Hogs In Missouri, R. Edwin Hartin, Mark R. Ryan, Tyler A. Campbell

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

No attempts have been made to document the distribution of feral hogs (Sus scrofa) in Missouri. Also, antibody prevalence for pseudorabies virus and swine brucellosis have not been reported from Missouri. Our objectives were to characterize the current distribution of feral hogs in Missouri and to determine prevalence and distribution of feral hogs with antibodies against selected important diseases. We collected feral hog sighting data both from the public and Missouri Wildlife Services and Missouri Department of Conservation wildlife biologists. We determined prevalence of antibodies against pseudorabies virus, swine brucellosis, tularemia, and classical swine fever. From 2000 to …

Mobile Information Communication Technology For Crisis Management : Understanding User Behavior, Response And Training, Elizabeth Avery Gomez

Dissertations

SMS text-messaging is an interoperable communication vehicle known to be dependable for mass media alert notifications in crisis management. SMS text-messaging also offers potential as one viable two-way communication alternative for field responders in crisis response. Both continuously changing mobile information communication technologies and the importance of precise information exchange constitute a need for communication protocol training and practice. This study introduces a technology-mediated training technique based on speech act and communicative action theories. These theories are used to inform the design of a baseline measure for task performance improvement and to suggest a model to predict communication readiness. Because …

Parasite Findings In Archeological Remains: Diagnosis And Interpretation, Adauto Arajuo, Karl J. Reinhard, Luiz Fernando Ferreira

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Paleoparasitology has contributed to resolving the debate about the peopling of the Americas and determining the antiquity of human parasite infection. Hookworm (Ancylostomidae) and whipworm (Trichuris trichiura) and other exclusive human intestinal parasites have been recorded in pre-Columbian America. These parasite species originated in pre-hominids and have accompanied humans across continents when people went out of Africa. However, for those human populations that crossed the Bering Land Bridge from Siberia to Alaska, cold climate conditions hampered parasite transmission. Alternative migration routes have been proposed to explain the presence of these parasites in pre-Columbian populations in the Americas. Other …

Biomarker Discovery Using Targeted Maximum Likelihood Estimation: Application To The Treatment Of Antiretroviral Resistant Hiv Infection, Oliver Bembom, Maya L. Petersen , Soo-Yon Rhee , W. Jeffrey Fessel , Sandra E. Sinisi, Robert W. Shafer, Mark J. Van Der Laan

U.C. Berkeley Division of Biostatistics Working Paper Series

Researchers in clinical science and bioinformatics frequently aim to learn which of a set of candidate biomarkers is important in determining a given outcome, and to rank the contributions of the candidates accordingly. This article introduces a new approach to research questions of this type, based on targeted maximum likelihood estimation of variable importance measures.

The methodology is illustrated using an example drawn from the treatment of HIV infection. Specifically, given a list of candidate mutations in the protease enzyme of HIV, we aim to discover mutations that reduce clinical virologic response to antiretroviral regimens containing the protease inhibitor lopinavir. …

Invasive Rats And Bubonic Plague In Northwest Uganda, Jeff N. Borchert, Jeff J. Mach, Timothy J. Linder, Asaph Ogen-Odoi [Deceased, In Memoriam], Santos Angualia

Managing Vertebrate Invasive Species

Major introductions of roof rats (Rattus rattus) likely occurred in the ports of East Africa during the Third Plague Pandemic in the late 1800’s. Transport via trains, boats, and trucking likely introduced this species to inland areas of East Africa, ultimately including Northwest Uganda. Historic plague outbreaks occurred during the early part of the 20th century and continue to cause a human disease burden in the West Nile region of NW Uganda via the bubonic, septicemic, and pneumonic forms. Four field sites in this area were trapped to determine the rodent species composition in commensal and peridomestic areas …

The Path To Eradication Of The Gambian Giant Pouched Rat In Florida, Richard Engeman, Gary W. Witmer, Jean B. Bourassa, John W. Woolard, Bernice Constantin, Parker T. Hall, Scott Hardin, Neil D. Perry

Managing Vertebrate Invasive Species

A thriving population of Gambian giant pouched rats became established on Grassy Key, a 550-ha island in Florida, following escape(s) from an exotic pet breeder. After existence of the population was verified, computer models indicated that Gambian giant pouched rats could successfully invade a large portion of North America if they reached the mainland. This largest of rat species is highly prolific, and its dispersal to the mainland could result in substantial negative impacts to agriculture, environment, and wildlife. Additionally, Gambian giant pouched rats are known vectors of a variety of diseases transmissible to humans and livestock. The first action …

The Failed Regulatory System For Animal Imports Into The United States – And How To Fix It, Peter Jenkins

Managing Vertebrate Invasive Species

This paper provides a synopsis of the Defenders of Wildlife report entitled Broken Screens: The Regulation of Live Animal Imports in the United States, released in August 2007. That report assessed the complex federal system for regulating live wild animal imports as applied to the 2,241 non-native species that were identified in United States Fish and Wildlife Service records as being imported between 2000 and 2004, inclusive. The report describes the “coarse risk screening” conducted for those species by searching the scientific literature and United States and international databases. If one or more reliable sources indicated a species was …

European Starlings: A Review Of An Invasive Species With Far-Reaching Impacts, George M. Linz, H. Jeffrey Homan, Shannon M. Gaulker, Linda B. Penry, William J. Bleier

Managing Vertebrate Invasive Species

The introduction of European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) in New York City in 1890 and 1891 resulted in their permanent establishment in North America. The successful occupation of North America (and most other continents as well) has earned the starling a nomination in the Top 100 list of ‘Worlds Worst’ invaders. Pimentel et al. (2000) estimated that starling damage to agriculture crops in the United States was $800 million yearly, based on $5/ha damage. Starlings may spread infectious diseases that sicken humans and livestock, costing nearly $800 million in health treatment costs. Lastly, starlings perhaps have contributed to the …

Environmental And Economic Costs Of Vertebrate Species Invasions Into The United States, David Pimental

Managing Vertebrate Invasive Species

The more than 50,000 species of plants, animals, and microbes introduced into the United States (US) cause more extinction of native species than most any other threat and cause more than $120 billion in damages and control costs each year. In particular, invasive mammals and birds cause major environmental and economic losses totaling about $46 billion per year in damage and control costs per year. Feral cats, rats, and hogs are especially serious pests. Pigeons and starlings are a major concern in cities and US agriculture. Prevention and management strategies will be discussed.

Population Ecology And Some Potential Impacts Of Emerging Populations Of Exotic Parrots, Douglas E. Runde, Will C. Pitt, J. T. Foster

Managing Vertebrate Invasive Species

Parrots have been transported around the world since the 1400s and about 44 species have established populations outside of their native ranges. At least 70% of these introduced species were identified as potential agricultural pests, compared to only 15% of all parrot species. At least 74 exotic psittacines have been reported in the wild in the United States, but only nine species were considered established. Since 1990, 24 psittacine species have been sighted in the wild in Hawai`i, about 21 species regularly occur on the main islands and at least five appear established. Past history of successful introduction, recent status …

Developing A Decision Support System For Improving Possum Control Planning, Bruce Warburton, Jim Coleman, Mark Fuglestad, James Dietrich

Managing Vertebrate Invasive Species

Brushtail possums are a major invasive pest in New Zealand. A decision support system (DSS) has been developed to enable those involved in operational planning or delivery of possum control to access available relevant knowledge when making operational decisions. The DSS comprises checklists that ensure users consider relevant constraints and issues, a database of best-practice information on possum control, and an “expert” system that recommends actions based on information provided by the user.

Species-Specific Visitation And Removal Of Baits For Delivery Of Pharmaceuticals To Feral Swine, Tyler A. Campbell, David B. Long

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Within the domestic swine industry there is growing trepidation about the role feral swine (Sus scrofa) play in the maintenance and transmission of important swine diseases. Innovative disease management tools for feral swine are needed. We used field trials conducted in southern Texas from February to March 2006 to compare species-specific visitation and removal rates of fish-flavored and vegetable-flavored baits with and without commercially available raccoon (Procyon lotor/) repellent (trial 1) and removal rates of baits deployed in a systematic and cluster arrangement (trial 2). During trial 1, 1) cumulative bait removal rates after four nights …

The Effect Of Chloramphenicol On Bb88 Murine Erythroleukemia Cells, Peter K. W. Harris

Dissertations

DNA microarrays can be used to measure genome-wide transcript levels. These measurements may be useful in understanding cellular changes induced by a chemical agent. In this study, Affymetrix microarray technology has been used to study the effects of chloramphenicol, an antibiotic that inhibits bacterial and mitochondrial protein synthesis, on the transcription profile in mammalian cells. Transcript levels in BB88 murine erythroleukemia cells treated with 50 micromolar ( mu M) chloramphenicol, a concentration shown to inhibit BB88 proliferation, are measured. Using total RNA from treated cells, biotin-labeled cRNA was prepared and hybridized to Affymetrix U74Av2 microarrays. From these hybridizations, expression levels …

Centre Canadien Cooperatif De La Sante De La Faune: Rapport Annuel 2006-2007

Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre: Newsletters and Publications

À propos du CCCSF
Nos activités
Surveillance des maladies de la faune
Services d’information
Formation
Points saillants de la réponse aux maladies de la faune et de leur gestion
Publications et rapports: Exemples de publications du personnel du CCCSF
Rapport financier 2006-2007– État des revenus et dépenses
Personnel et associés du CCCSF - 2006-2007
Conseil d’administration du CCCSF - 2006-2007

A Censored Multinomial Regression Model For Perinatal Mother To Child Transmission Of Hiv, Charlotte C. Gard, Elizabeth R. Brown

UW Biostatistics Working Paper Series

In studies designed to estimate rates of perinatal mother to child transmission of HIV, HIV assays are scheduled at multiple points in time. Still infection status for some infants at some time points is often unknown, particularly when interim analyses are conducted. Logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards regression are commonly used to estimate covariate-adjusted transmission rates, but their methods for handling missing data may be inadequate. Here, we propose using censored multinomial regression models to estimate cumulative and conditional rates of HIV transmission. Through simulation, we show that the proposed methods perform better than standard logistic models in terms …

Sheep Updates 2007 - Part 3, Andrew Ritchie, Edward Riggall, James Hall, Gus Rose, Johan Greeff, John Young, M. Alchin, M. Young, T. Johnson, John Lucy, Martin Staines, Tim Wiley, Rob Grima, Sandra Prosser, Matt Ryan, Geoff Moore, Tony Albertsen, Phil Barrett-Lennard, George Woolston, John Titerington, Sarah Knight, Brianna Peake

Sheep Updates

This session covers seven papers from different authors:

PROFITABILITY

1. Benchmarking demonstrates both the potential and realised productivity gains in the sheep and wool industry, Andrew Ritchie, Edward Riggall and James Hall, ICON Agriculture, Darkan

2. Improving sheep genetics will increase farm profitability, Gus Rose, Johan Greeff Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia, John Young Farming Systems Analysis Service, WA

3. Meat, Merinos and making money in WA Pastoral Zone, M. Alchin, M. Young and T. Johnson, Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia,

GRAZING

4. Nitrogen - farmers' friend or foe? John Lucy and Martin Staines, Department …

Sheep Updates 2007 - Part 4, Dean Thomas, Dominique Blache, Dean Revell, Hayley Norman, Phil Vercoe, Zoey Durmic, Serina Digby, Di Mayberry, Megan Chadwick, Martin Sillence, David Masters, R. Silberstein, F. Byrne, P. G. H. Nichols, J. Young, L. Aitkins, M. G. Wilmot, A. J. Rintoul, T. Lambert, D. R. Mcclements, P. Raper, P. Ward, C. Walton, T. York, David Pethick, David Hopkins, Malcolm Mcphee, D. B. Savage, J. V. Nolan, I. R. Godwin, A. Aoetpah, T. Nguyen, N. Baillie, C. Lawler, Ken Geenty, John Smith, Darryl Smith, Tim Dyall, Grant Uphill, John Young, Michael Paton, John Dorrian

Sheep Updates

This session covers eight papers from different authors:

GRAZING

1. The impact of high dietary salt and its implications for the management of livestock grazing saline land, Dean Thomas, Dominique Blache, Dean Revell, Hayley Norman, Phil Vercoe, Zoey Durmic, Serina Digby, Di Mayberry, Megan Chadwick, Martin Sillence and David Masters, CRC for Plant-based Management of Dryland Salinity, Faculty of Natural & Agricultural Sciences, The University of Western Australia, WA.

2. Sustainable Grazing on Saline Lands - outcomes from the WA1 research project, H.C. Norman^1,2, D.G. Masters^1,2, R. Silberstein^1,2, F. Byrne^2,3, P.G.H. Nichols …

Wildlife Disease Management: An Insurmountable Challenge?, Scott E. Henke, Alan M. Fedynich, Tyler A. Campbell

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Wildlife biologists are increasingly being thrust onto the frontlines of wildlife disease management and surveillance in the United States. For example, biologists now routinely engage in oral vaccination of wildlife [e-g., Oral Rabies Vaccination Programs (QRVPs)] and collect specimens for both diagnostic purposes and disease surveillance or monitoring (e.g., avian influenza in migratory bids). For many, these responsibilities are novel compared to the more traditional roles of population estimation. habitat manipulation, and formulation of harvest recommendations. Wildlife disease investigation and management, in reality, we in their infancy compared with disciplines of human and domestic animal disease management. The recent focus …

Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre Annual Report 2006-2007

Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre: Newsletters and Publications

Message from the Chair, Board of Directors by Charles Rhodes
About the CCWHC
Wildlife Disease Surveillance
Information Services
Education
Wildlife Disease Response and Management
Publications and Reports: A Sample of Publications by CCWHC Staff
Financial Report for 2006-2007-Statement of Revenues and Expenses
CCWHC Staff and Associates - 2006-2007
CCWHC Board of Directors - 2006-2007

Fall 2007 Nova Southeastern University Undergraduate Student Catalog, Nova Southeastern University

Undergraduate Programs Course Catalogs

No abstract provided.

Scwds Briefs: Volume 23, Number 2 (July 2007), Gary L. Doster , Editor, Scwds Briefs, Michael J. Yabsley

Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study: Publications

Table of Contents:

SCWDS History Continued: The CapChur Gun

SCWDS Honored

More Interesting HD Events from 2006

Fever Ticks

Ehrlichia in White-tailed Deer

Meningeal Worms in Sika Deer

The Devils’ Disease

Recent SCWDS Publications Available

Virginia Junior Academy Of Science Awards, 2007

Virginia Journal of Science

Virginia Junior Academy of Science Awards Presented During the 66th Annual Meeting at James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Virginia, May 23-25, 2007.

Climate. Stern Review: The Economics Of Climate Change, Nicholas Stern

New England Journal of Public Policy

This chapter examines the increasingly serious impacts on people as the world warms. Climate change is a serious and urgent issue. The Earth has already warmed by 0.7°C since around 1900 and is committed to further warming over coming decades simply due to past emissions. On current trends, average global temperatures could rise by 2–3°C within the next fifty years or so, with several degrees more in the pipeline by the end of the century if emissions continue to grow. This chapter examines how the physical changes in climate . . . affect the essential components of lives and livelihoods …