scholarly journals Age-Specific Reproduction by Female Laughing Gulls (Larus Atricilla)

The Auk ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 120 (2) ◽  
pp. 531-535
Author(s):  
Richard A. Dolbeer ◽  
Glen E. Bernhardt

Abstract The age at which female gulls first reproduce is poorly documented. We examined plumage and reproductive organs of Laughing Gulls (Larus atricilla) collected from May–August 2000–2001 at John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York, to determine age-specific reproductive effort. Each gull was classified as one year old (hatched in previous year), two years old, or ≥3 years old on the basis of color patterns of the hood and tail feathers and fifth primary flight feather. For females, each ovary was examined to determine if post-ovulatory follicles were present. In 2000 and 2001, the first gulls with postovulatory follicles were recorded on 15 and 18 May, respectively. Overall, 54% of the 211 two-year-old female Laughing Gulls collected during June–August showed evidence of egg laying compared to 88% of the 320 gulls ≥3 years old. None of the 50 one-year-old females examined showed evidence of egg laying. Although a lower proportion of two-year-old females laid eggs compared to older gulls, we found no difference (P ≥ 0.06) in mean number of postovulatory follicles or in frequency distribution of numbers of postovulatory follicles for the two age classes for those birds that did lay eggs. Within each sex, mean body mass increased (P < 0.05) with age. Mean left testis length of males increased (P < 0.05) with age. Our findings clearly established that two-year-old female Laughing Gulls can contribute significantly to the annual reproductive effort and that some adult (≥3 years old) females did not lay eggs.

1984 ◽  
Vol 62 (5) ◽  
pp. 845-850 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas R. Akesson ◽  
Dennis G. Raveling

Frequencies of social behaviors of captive Canada geese (Branta canadensis moffitti) were compared with serum levels of androgens, estrogens, and corticosterone during two nesting cycles. Behavioral and endocrine patterns were examined for relationships with the timing of nesting. Androgen levels in reproductively active males were correlated with seasonal changes in the expression of a pair-bond behavior known as Cackling and less strongly with behaviors exhibited in an aggressive context. Estrogen levels in paired females were correlated with frequencies of behavioral responses to the mate's Cackling, and, in one year, with Mating Behavior. Correlation between corticosterone levels and behaviors was weak. Few behavioral changes were correlated with hormone variations in nonbreeding geese. Dominance relations were consistently linear among ganders prior to the incubation period. Correlation between average androgen levels and rank was significant in one year only. The timing of nesting was delayed in a newly formed pair and a pair that was renewed after 15 months of separation. Endocrine levels and behavioral performances of ganders of established pairs did not appear to have an accelerating or decelerating effect on the timing of the mate's reproductive effort, suggesting that the exact timing of egg laying was determined by attributes of the females.


Ring ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Włodzimierz Meissner ◽  
Anna Włodarczak-Komosińska ◽  
Dariusz Górecki ◽  
Cezary Wójcik ◽  
Mateusz Ściborski ◽  
...  

Autumn Migration of Waders (Charadrii) at the Reda Mouth (N Poland) The migration of waders was investigated at the Reda mouth (Polish Baltic coast) between 1996 and 2001. During the study 496 counts were conducted in the period between 5 July and 5 October. The most numerous species observed were: the Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus) - 39.5% and Dunlin (Calidris alpina) - 29.8% of all waders. Because of a variety of habitats in the Reda mouth region, among the waders staging numerously in the Reda mouth there were species typical both for coastal and inland habitat. It was shown that birds from tundra zone migrated later than those from more southern breeding areas, which was caused by much later beginning of egg laying in northern latitudes. Moreover, in the species from tundra zone, e.g. the Knot (Calidris canutus), Little Stint (C. minuta), Curlew Sandpiper (C. ferruginea), the migration of both age classes were well separated, whereas in those from more southern areas, e.g. the Little Ringed Plover (Charadius dubius), Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos), such difference was less pronounced and the period of common passage of adults and juveniles was much longer. A comparison of the obtained data on migration pattern with some other sites in Poland where regular counts were conducted showed several similarities and some discrepancies, which are discussed in the paper.


Heart ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 104 (4) ◽  
pp. 306-312 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mauro Chiarito ◽  
Matteo Pagnesi ◽  
Enrico Antonio Martino ◽  
Michele Pighi ◽  
Andrea Scotti ◽  
...  

ObjectivesDifferences in terms of safety and efficacy of percutaneous edge-to-edge mitral repair between patients with functional and degenerative mitral regurgitation (MR) are not well established. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to clarify these differences.MethodsPubMed, EMBASE, Google scholar database and international meeting abstracts were searched for all studies about MitraClip. Studies with <25 patients or where 1-year results were not delineated between MR aetiology were excluded. This study is registered with PROSPERO.ResultsA total of nine studies investigating the mid-term outcome of percutaneous edge-to-edge repair in patients with functional versus degenerative MR were included in the meta-analysis (n=2615). At 1 year, there were not significant differences among groups in terms of patients with MR grade≤2 (719/1304 vs 295/504; 58% vs 54%; risk ratio (RR) 1.12; 95% CI: 0.86 to 1.47; p=0.40), while there was a significantly lower rate of mitral valve re-intervention in patients with functional MR compared with those with degenerative MR (77/1770 vs 80/818; 4% vs 10%; RR 0.60; 95% CI: 0.38 to 0.97; p=0.04). One-year mortality rate was 16% (408/2498) and similar among groups (RR 1.26; 95% CI: 0.90 to 1.77; p=0.18). Functional MR group showed significantly higher percentage of patients in New York Heart Association class III/IV (234/1480 vs 49/583; 16% vs 8%; p<0.01) and re-hospitalisation for heart failure (137/605 vs 31/220; 23% vs 14%; p=0.03). No differences were found in terms of single leaflet device attachment (25/969 vs 20/464; 3% vs 4%; p=0.81) and device embolisation (no events reported in both groups) at 1 year.ConclusionsThis meta-analysis suggests that percutaneous edge-to-edge repair is likely to be an efficacious and safe option in patients with both functional and degenerative MR. Large, randomised studies are ongoing and awaited to fully assess the clinical impact of the procedure in these two different MR aetiologies.


2017 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 606-619 ◽  
Author(s):  
CAROLINE BLANVILLAIN ◽  
THOMAS GHESTEMME ◽  
TEHANI WITHERS ◽  
MARK O’BRIEN

SummaryWe studied the breeding biology of Tahiti MonarchPomarea nigra, a ‘Critically Endangered’ forest bird endemic to Tahiti (French Polynesia). Nest activity was monitored from 1998 to 2002, and again from 2008 to 2015. During these 12 years, only 2–13 breeding pairs per year produced hatchlings. Egg-laying occurred all year, but usually increased between August and January, peaking around November. Of the 200 nests monitored, 33 (16%) were abandoned shortly after construction, 71 had an egg laid immediately after the nest were completed (34 %) and 96 nests (46 %) had a pre-incubation phase of 18.9 ± 1.9 days (3–62 days;n= 47 nests), during which the birds visited the nest on an irregular basis. Half (49 of 96) of these nests were abandoned before an egg was laid, with incubation subsequently commencing at the remaining nests (n= 47). Although both sexes incubated for an average of 13.6 ± 0.3 days (range 13–15), the female usually spent more time incubating than the male. Only one young per nest was ever observed. The average nestling phase was 15.5 ± 0.7 days (range 13 to 20 days). Parents continue to feed the young after fledging for 74 ± 4.7 days (range 42–174). As with many tropical island endemics, the Tahiti Monarch has low reproductive productivity as indicated by the fact that: 1) only 56% of pairs attempt to lay an egg in any one year, 2) most pairs attempt only one brood per year and 3) the considerable length of the nesting and fledging phases. Because of its low productivity, maximising the reproductive success of the Tahiti Monarch is essential to secure its recovery.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vinicius V. L. Albani ◽  
Roberto M. Velho ◽  
Jorge P. Zubelli

AbstractWe propose a susceptible-exposed-infective-recovered-type (SEIR-type) meta-population model to simulate and monitor the (COVID-19) epidemic evolution. The basic model consists of seven categories, namely, susceptible (S), exposed (E), three infective classes, recovered (R), and deceased (D). We define these categories for n age and sex groups in m different spatial locations. Therefore, the resulting model contains all epidemiological classes for each age group, sex, and location. The mixing between them is accomplished by means of time-dependent infection rate matrices. The model is calibrated with the curve of daily new infections in New York City and its boroughs, including census data, and the proportions of infections, hospitalizations, and deaths for each age range. We finally obtain a model that matches the reported curves and predicts accurate infection information for different locations and age classes.


2011 ◽  
pp. 19-28
Author(s):  
Milan Drekic ◽  
Ljubodrag Mihajlovic

One of the insects that feeds on pedunculate oak acorns and reduces its seed yield is Curculio elephas Gyll. The study of Curculio elephas Gyll is necessary because of the severe damages caused by this insect and also owing to its insufficiently investigated biology. The research was conducted in the common oak seed orchard at Banov Brod, forest estate ?Sremska Mitrovica?, and in the entomological laboratory. The adults emerge from the soil chambers from mid July till the beginning of September. The presence of adults, as determined by crown fogging, ranged from the end of July till the beginning of September with the highest number in mid August. After emerging from the soil, females are already fertile with the developed eggs in the ovaries. They start egg laying after 1 to 8 days and they lay from one to seven eggs per day. Egg laying period lasts from 7 to 20 days. Fertility of C. elephas females ranges from 5 to 40 eggs, while their fecundity ranges from 19 to 45 eggs. At the end of the larval stage, larvae bore into the soil and stay there from one to three years. The species hibernates only in the larval stage. C. elephas has a one-year life cycle, while a minor part of the population has a two or three-year life cycle.


Author(s):  
Richard A. Rosen ◽  
Joseph Mosnier

This chapter recounts Julius Chambers's achievements during college, graduate school, and law school. After graduating summa cum laude from North Carolina College for Negroes and obtaining his masters degree in history at the University of Michigan, Chambers was admitted to the University of North Carolina School of Law, desegregated the prior decade by federal court order over the forceful objections of University and North Carolina officials. Chambers, despite being ranked 112th among the 114 students admitted to the Class of 1962 and notwithstanding a generally unwelcoming, often hostile atmosphere at the Law School and on campus, became editor-in-chief of the Law Review and graduated first in his class. This chapter also details Chambers's marriage to Vivian Giles and the couple's decision to move to New York City when, after no North Carolina law firm would grant Chambers a job interview, Columbia Law School quickly stepped forward with the offer of a one-year fellowship.


2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 65
Author(s):  
Monica M. Martin ◽  
Ryan Wilson ◽  
Michele Caggana ◽  
Joseph J. Orsini

New York uses a two-tier assay to screen newborns for Krabbe disease and Pompe disease. Individual enzyme activities are measured in the first-tier, and specimens from newborns with low activity are reflexed to second tier Sanger sequencing of the associated gene. Using only this two-tiered approach, the screen positive and false positive rates were high. In this study, we added an additional step that examines the activity of four additional lysosomal enzymes. Results for all enzymes are integrated using the multivariate pattern recognition software called Collaborative Laboratory Integrated Reports (CLIR) to assess the risk for disease. Results after one year of screening using the new algorithm are compared to the prior year of screening without consideration of the additional enzymes and use of CLIR. With CLIR the number of babies referred for Krabbe disease was reduced by almost 80% (from 48 to 10) and the number of babies referred for Pompe disease was reduced by almost 32% (22 to 15).


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