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Trans Fatty Acids Provide Evidence Of Anthropogenic Feeding By Black Bears, Gregory W. Thiemann, Randal S. Stahl, Sharon Baruch-Mordo, Stewart W. Breck

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Bears (Ursus spp.) that become conditioned to anthropogenic food sources pose a risk to human safety and generally need to be relocated, rehabilitated, or destroyed. Identifying food-conditioned bears may be difficult if the animal is not captured or killed while immediately engaged in the nuisance behavior. Fatty acid signature analysis has been used to examine the dietary habits of bears and other carnivores and is based on the predictable incorporation of ingested fatty acids into the consumer’s fat stores. Unusual fatty acids that are available in only a few food types may be particularly useful dietary markers. In this …

Relationship Between Raccoon Abundance And Crop Damage, James C. Beasley, Olin E. Rhodes Jr.

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Wildlife damage to crops is a widespread concern among agricultural producers and wildlife professionals. In the United States, raccoon (Procyon lotor) damage to field corn (Zea maize) has become a serious concern, as raccoon depredation to corn has increased significantly in recent years. However, little information is available to suggest the underlying factors responsible for recent increases in raccoon depredation on agricultural crops because there is a limited understanding of the ecological factors influencing wildlife damage to crops at local scales. During 2004, we initiated a study to elucidate the ecological factors influencing depredation to field …

Locations Of Deer–Vehicle Collisions Are Unrelated To Traffic Volume Or Posted Speed Limit, John A. Bissonette, Christine A. Kassar

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Consensus is lacking regarding the influence of vehicle speed and traffic volume on deer–vehicle collision (DVC) rates. Yet, annual average daily traffic fl ow (AADT) and posted speed limit (PSL) typically are used to measure these variables. To resolve this conflict, we studied the effects of traffic volume and vehicle speed on DVCs in Utah. Our results showed no relationship between AADT or PSL and DVC occurrence. There are at least 3 explanations for our results: (1) no causal relationship exists; (2) AADT and PSL, as measured, actually explain little of the variation; and (3) data quality problems exist. We …

Assessment Of Costs Associated With Deer–Vehicle Collisions: Human Death And Injury, Vehicle Damage, And Deer Loss, John A. Bissonette, Christine A. Kassar, Lawrence J. Cook

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Collisions between large vertebrates and vehicles along roadways are an increasing concern, not only because of ecological consequences, but also because of associated economic and social costs. We used a large-scale, long-term data set comprising several databases from Utah to summarize and analyze these costs. The overall cost for 13,020 collisions from 1996 to 2001 in Utah was approximately $45,175,454, resulting in an estimated average per year cost of about $7,529,242 and a mean collision cost of $3,470. These figures include human fatality costs of $24 million (53% of total costs); vehicle damage costs of $18 million (39%); loss of …

Learning Never Ends, And Neither Should Teaching, Jacob Blasi

Human–Wildlife Interactions

There has been a large push to integrate more science and math into the classroom so that our children can compete in the world market, which is seeing an ever-increasing population of highly educated students from other countries. We read everyday in the newspapers the statistics of slipping academic achievement of American students compared to that of students around the world. So, the push for a more strenuous academic curriculum in American schools should be good for our students and for the nation. With a finite number of school hours, however, the advancement of 1 subject over another means a …

Use Of A Population Viability Analysis To Evaluate Human-Induced Impacts And Mitigation For The Endangered Lower Keys Marsh Rabbit, David H. Lafever, Paige M. Schmidt, Neil D. Perry, Craig A. Faulhaber, Roel R. Lopez, Nova J. Silvy, Elizabeth A. Forys

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Rapid development and urbanization of the lower Florida Keys in the last 30 years has fragmented the habitat of the Lower Keys marsh rabbit (Sylvilagus palustris hefneri), hereafter called marsh rabbit, and threatened it with extinction. On the Naval Air Station–Key West (NAS), Boca Chica Key, marsh rabbits exist as a meta-population of discrete habitat patches in a matrix of wetlands and airfield facilities. Airfield safety regulations require NAS to maintain vegetation below a minimum height on runway peripheries (clear zones). We developed a spatially-explicit, stage-structured, stochastic matrix model using the programs RAMAS-Metapop and ArcGIS. Model parameters were …

Impacts Of The Black Bear Supplemental Feeding Program On Ecology In Western Washington, Georg J. Ziegltrum

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Black bears (Ursus americanus) are opportunistic omnivores (Simpson 1945) that feed on grasses, grubs, insects, berries, human garbage, and they scavenge from animal carcasses (Cotton 2008, Thiemann et al. 2008). During the spring, they also girdle trees to feed on the newly forming phloem (Poelker and Hartwell 1973, Noble and Meslow 1998, Partridge et al. 2001). Extensive black bear damage to conifers coincided with the beginning of intensive forest management on industrial and smaller private lands in western Washington during the early 1940s; high-yield tree plantations (i.e., tree farms) required protection to reduce tree girdling by black bears. …

Physiological Effects Of Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Immunocontraception On White-Tailed Deer, Paul D. Curtis, Milo E. Richmond, Lowell A. Miller, Fred W. Quimby

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Before immunocontraceptives can be considered safe to use on wildlife species, potential health risks should be assessed. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) immunocontraceptive has successfully reduced fertility of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus); however, associated deer physiology has rarely been examined. We conducted gross necropsy examinations, histology, and blood chemistry comparisons on euthanized deer previously vaccinated with immunogenic GnRH (n = 18 females and n = 4 males), or left as untreated controls (n = 7 females and n = 6 males).

Demographics Of Non-Hunted White-Tailed Deer Populations In Suburban Areas, Anthony J. Denicola, Dwayne R. Etter, Thomas Almendinger

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Burgeoning deer populations in urban and suburban areas, along with the inherent problems stemming from this increase, are becoming increasingly widespread. To address these problems, wildlife biologists need quality baseline data of herd composition for harvest and treatment forecasts for management and fertility control research programs. In this study, we provide white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) population data from 4 areas where localized suburban white-tailed deer populations were substantially reduced utilizing sharpshooting as a management tool. In each area, legal hunting was nonexistent for >10 years preceding the sharpshooting program. The areas ranged in size from 300 ha to …

Deer–Vehicle Collision Prevention Techniques, Lauren L. Mastro, Michael R. Conover, S. Nicole Frey

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Every year in the United States approximately 1.5 million deer–vehicle collisions (DVCs) occur resulting in >29,000 human injuries, >200 human fatalities, 1.3 million deer fatalities, and >1 billion dollars worth of property damage. Despite the magnitude of this problem, there are relatively few well-designed studies that have evaluated techniques that can be used to reduce DVCs. Techniques to reduce DVCs fall into 4 categories: reducing the number of deer (Odocoileus spp.), reducing the number of vehicles, modifying deer behavior, and changing motorist behavior. Techniques to reduce the number of deer include decreasing the deer population or excluding deer from …

Impacts Of The Cancellation Of The Spring Bear Hunt In Ontario, Canada, Raynald Harvey Lemelin

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Approximately 10 million people and 100,000 black bears (Ursus americanus) live in Ontario, Canada. The highest concentration of black bears (0.4–0.6 bears/100 km²) is in northern Ontario (Bear Wise 2004). While this area is sparsely populated by humans, it is the site where human–bear conflicts are common for several reasons. These include people spending time in formerly inaccessible areas via forestry roads and off-road vehicle trails, changing recreational patterns, and a growing black bear population (Conover 2008, Madison 2008). Among residents of northern Ontario (hereafter referred to as northerners), no other wildlife management issue has dominated …

Gnrh Immunocontraception Of Male And Female White-Tailed Deer Fawns, Lowell A. Miller, James P. Gionfriddo, Jack C. Rhyan, Kathleen A. Fagerstone, Donald C. Wagner, Gary J. Killian

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Immunocontraceptive vaccines based on gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) have been tested in adult white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), but their effects on fawns are unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine if early immunization against GnRH would induce a long-lasting immune response in fawns, and if it would delay or prevent sexual development. We gave primary and subsequent booster injections of a KLH-GnRH/Freund’s vaccine to 6 male and 6 female fawns. This vaccine contained the same active ingredients as GonaCon™ vaccine, but it contained Freund’s adjuvant instead of AdjuVac™ adjuvant. Two 450-μg injections were given 1 month apart …

Book Review: The Double-Crested Cormorant: Issues And Management, Valerie M. Burton

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Fish-eating birds and their interactions with fisheries cause mixed feelings for many people. Avian and human fisheries are perceived to be in conflict throughout the world, particularly in areas where piscivorous bird populations are increasing numerically and expanding geographically. These interactions have long been the subject of research, with papers dating back to at least the 1930s. Not only are the conflicts of fish-eating birds of scientific concern, the birds also cause political, biological, ecological, and socioeconomic issues throughout the country.

Sharpshooting Suburban White-Tailed Deer Reduces Deer–Vehicle Collisions, Anthony J. Denicola, Scott C. Williams

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Too many deer–vehicle collisions (DVCs) are one of the primary reasons local governments implement lethal deer management programs. However, there are limited data to demonstrate that a reduction in deer (Odocoileus spp.) densities will result in a decline in DVCs. We conducted sharpshooting programs in 3 suburban communities to reduce deer numbers and to address rising DVCs. Annual or periodic population estimates were conducted using both helicopter snow counts and aerial infrared counts to assess population trends. Management efforts were conducted from 3 to 7 years. Local deer herds were reduced by 54%, 72%, and 76%, with resulting reductions …

Landscape And Traffic Factors Influencing Deer–Vehicle Collisions In An Urban Enviroment, Janet W. Ng, Charlene Nielson, Colleen Cassady St. Clair

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Deer–vehicle collisions (DVCs) are steadily increasing across North America. The increase is particularly pronounced in urban green spaces where deer (Odocoileus spp.) populations and road densities are high. In the greater city of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, 333 DVCs occurred from 2002 to 2004. To identify landscape and traffic correlates of these collisions, we built 3 statistical models. The first model assessed the importance of local variables and was based on a spatial precision of the nearest intersection to which collisions were referenced. The second model was based on landscape characteristics and used the nearest township intersection to aggregate collisions. …

Factors Affecting Road Mortality Of Whitetailed Deer In Eastern South Dakota, Troy W. Grovenburg, Jonathan A. Jenks, Robert W. Klaver, Kevin L. Monteith, Dwight H. Galster, Ron J. Shauer, Wilbert W. Morlock, Joshua A. Delger

Human–Wildlife Interactions

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) mortalities (n = 4,433) caused by collisions with automobiles during 2003 were modeled in 35 counties in eastern South Dakota. Seventeen independent variables and 5 independent variable interactions were evaluated to explain deer mortalities.

Factors Affecting Autumn Deer–Vehicle Collisions In A Rural Virginia County, William J. Mcshea, Chad M. Stewart, Laura J. Kearns, Stefano Liccioli, David Kocka

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Vehicular collisions with white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) are a safety and economic hazard to motorists. Many efforts to reduce deer–vehicle collisions (DVCs) have proven unsuccessful, but deer reduction has been a primary management tool in several states. The Virginia Department of Transportation geo-located all known DVCs in Clarke County, Virginia, from August through December 2005 (n = 246) and 2006 (n = 259). We estimated harvest intensity, deer population density, amount of forest and housing development, presence of row crops, and traffic volume and speed for 228 road segments (each 500 m in length) within the county to …

Book Review: Urban Wildlife Management, Jennifer Lynch

Human–Wildlife Interactions

The ever-growing field of human–wildlife conflicts has lacked a comprehensive textbook that addresses wildlife management in the urban landscape. Professors teaching urban wildlife classes have drawn on peer-reviewed and popular articles to support the subject matter. Enter wildlife professors Clark Adams, Sara Ash, and Kieran Lindsey. Together, they have brought to us the first comprehensive book on urban wildlife management, titled (you guessed it) Urban Wildlife Management.

Lidar, Gis, And Multivariate Statistical Analysis To Assess Landslide Risk, Horseshoe Run Watershed, West Virginia, Kory M. Konsoer

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Current stream restoration practices focus on stabilizing banks, transporting sediment, and creating aquatic habitats. However, only channel morphology data are collected prior to typical restoration project designs. A more thorough approach to assessing restoration projects incorporates the geomorphology of the contributing hillslopes within the watershed. For this project, a landslide risk assessment was conducted for Horseshoe Run watershed in West Virginia using LiDAR data, GIS, and multivariate statistical analysis to provide the restoration projects with information concerning the geomorphology of the hillslopes and identify areas of greater risk for slope failure. A landslide inventory map was created using field observations …

Cellular Mechanisms Of Effects Of Sphingosine 1 -Phosphate On Vascular Endothelial Barrier, Mei Xu

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P), a biologically active lipid, induces a myriad of cellular events including enhancement of the endothelial barrier and assembly of adherens junction proteins, VE-cadherin and catenins. The over all goal in this set of studies was to investigate what cellular mechanisms contribute to S1P-induced enhancement of the vascular endothelial barrier.;Since VE-cadherin contributes to the stabilization of the endothelial barrier, I determined in the first study if the rapid, barrier-enhancing activity of S1P requires VE-cadherin. Ca2+-dependent, homophilic VE-cadherin binding of endothelial cells, derived from human umbilical veins and grown as monolayers, was disrupted with EGTA, an antibody to the …

A Non-Pastor Dependent Model For Churches In The Greater New York Conference, Richard A. Marker

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Pastors tend to hover over the churches and many of the functions of ministry within the local church. Church members demonstrate little personal spiritual growth or activity in witnessing to their communities. A specific church in New York City will be selected as a laboratory for experimentation with the premise that a non-pastor dependent church can achieve better than average growth.

Method

A systematic study of the Bible, Spirit of Prophecy, commentaries, books, and articles concerning the development of church leadership and growth was reviewed. Once theological and historical data on non-pastor dependent churches and church growth was identified, …

Estudio Descriptivo Y Retrospectivo De La Depresión En Una Muestra De Esposas De Pastores Hispanos, Roberto Juan Rothermel

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

This exploratory and descriptive study addresses depression as experienced by a sample of Hispanic pastors' wives Studies on Seventh-day Adventist ministers have shown they are vulnerable to depression and Hispanic ministers’ wives are not exempt from this reality. Women tend to be more prone than men to depression, because of biological, social, and cultural factors. In addition, ministers’ wives experience other church-related pressures that increase depression.

Method

The method known as handpicked sampling was used for this investigation. It consisted of the selection of a sample of Hispanic pastors’ wives that had experience in pastoral work, with the purpose …

Adolescent Risk-Taking And Social Meaning: A Commentary, Cass R. Sunstein

Public Law and Legal Theory Working Papers

Why do adolescents take risks? What is the appropriate response to adolescent risk-taking? This Commentary for a special issue of Developmental Review, discussing a set of papers in that issue, explores these questions with attention to changes in the adolescent brain, to dual-processing theory, to social influences, and to fuzzy-trace theory. It contends that adolescent risk-taking is often driven by the social meaning of risk and caution, and that social meaning operates as a tax on or a subsidy to behavior. Changes in social meaning present a serious collective action problem, but also a valuable opportunity for both law and …

Analysis Of The Effects Of Patient Position And Bladder Volume On Urinary Bladder Pressure, Chad C. Brown

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Urinary bladder pressure (UBP) is an important indicator for a variety of medical conditions. Eighty hospital subjects each had their UBP measured four times at various bladder volumes and lying positions. Positions included 0 degrees supine, 30 degrees supine, 30 degrees right lateral and 30 degrees left lateral, and the volumes included 0mL, 25mL, 50mL and 200mL. For each volume, mean UBP was found to be somewhat lower for subjects measured in non-elevated position (0 degrees supine) than any of the elevated positions (30 degrees), although the sizes of the effect only sometimes reached significance. Additionally, for each position, mean …

W.E.B. Du Bois And The Rhetoric Of Social Change, 1897-1907: Attitude As Incipient Action, Fendrich Clark

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the social change rhetoric of scholar and civic activist W.E.B. Du Bois to understand the role, motivations, influences, and shortcomings of his message upon a shifting current of black thought during the late ninetieth and early twentieth-century. In this study, I focus upon Du Bois' rhetorical aptitude in the building of his character, the emotional appeals made to his immediate audience, and the logical arguments and counter arguments that he publicly advanced in developing his program of parallel development.
I contend that in providing an alternate narrative to the competing opinions of accommodation as a solution to …

An Examination Of Pharmacy Faculty Quality Of Work Life: Work Satisfaction, Turnover Intentions, And Self-Efficacy, Mark H. Conklin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Previous research on pharmacy faculty quality of work life lacks a thorough, well-conceived theoretical foundation, especially in critical areas such as work satisfaction and turnover intentions. The objectives of this study are to develop a comprehensive measure of pharmacy academician work satisfaction and determine the contribution of work life variables toward pharmacy academician work satisfaction, job turnover intentions, and self-efficacies. An e-mail survey sent to pharmacy faculty elicited responses on various single and multi-item measures of quality of work life variables. Factor analytic procedures were used to evaluate the validity and reliability of the work satisfaction scale. Multiple regression procedures …

African American Males And Issues Of Fatherhood: An Examination Of The Sweat Lodge As A Psychosocial And Spiritual Intervention, Jay E. Darr

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The emasculation of African American men is illustrated by disparities in the criminal justice system, education, employment, income, and health care, which has an impact on an African American man's ability to be a father. Researchers, policy-makers, and practitioners have struggled with establishing sustainable programs that address the complex issues that face African American men, especially when they have children (Martinson & Nightingale 2008). The emergence of the Sweat Lodge as an intervention for Native Americans has had some promising results (Cohen, 2003; Edwards, 2003, Noe, Fleming & Manson 2003; Smith, 2005). However, there is limited research on the Sweat …

Towards A Hermeneutical Understanding Of The Listening Process, Molly Mae Stoltz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation offers an alternative to the behaviorist understanding of the listening process inherent in the models developed by scholars such as Brownell, Wolvin and Coakley. Using mostly close-text analysis to examine the trends of the literature to date, this dissertation introduces the ideas of Gadamer on philosophical hermeneutics and Fuimara on the connections between listening and hermeneutics to the current discussion. This dissertation argues that the process actually starts when one makes the choice to listen. It distinguishes the choice to listen from the behaviorist concepts of willingness and attention and connects it to Gadamer's understanding of tradition and …

A Contemporary Consideration Of The Role Of Metaphysics In Systematic Theology: The Contributions Of Pope John Paul Ii And Claude Tresmontant, Daniel M. Strudwick

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

It has been traditionally held that Catholic theology has notable metaphysical threads deeply connected with the fabric of its faith and its systematic presentation. This dissertation focuses upon those "metaphysical threads" in order to explore their past, present and possible future status within theology. In each section the goal is to investigate the contributions of John Paul II and Claude Tresmontant and the role they believe metaphysics has within Catholic Systematic theology. This work attempts to present and assess whether, which, and why components of metaphysics, according to John Paul II and Tresmontant, should be retained even in light of …

The Synthesis And Physicochemical Characterization Of New Monothiophosphate Materials, Nathan Takas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The following dissertation focuses on the chemistry of materials incorporating the monothiophosphate anion. The monothiophosphate anion is a member of the oxythiophosphates, a family of compounds in which phosphorus is bound to both oxygen and sulfur. This chemical characteristic places the metal oxythiophosphates between the well known families of the metal phosphates and thiophosphates. While both the metal phosphates and thiophosphates have been reported numerous times in the literature, the oxythiophosphates are rare, with only 29 compounds reported prior to this dissertation. Three new monothiophosphate materials are presented in this work, as well a new polymorph of a previously known …