First Observations of an Eastern Screech-Owl, <em>Megascops asio</em>, Population in an Apple-Producing Region of Southern Quebec

Baseline information was collected on a local Eastern Screech-Owl population found in the apple-producing region of Saint-Hilaire and Rougemont, Quebec, as part of a larger study on pesticide exposure conducted between 2000 and 2003. Screech-Owls visited or occupied 41 of 89 nest boxes installed in 12 orchards and 2 control locations. The mean height of occupied nest boxes was 3.83 m (2.00 – 5.80 m). Squirrels, Sciurus and Tamiasciurius sp., and chipmunks, Tamias striatus, Northern Flickers, Colaptes auratus, and wasps were the owls’ primary competitors for the boxes. Intact Screech-Owl pellets retrieved from nest boxes (n = 82) had a mean length and width of 3.57 and 1.44 cm, respectively, and weighed a mean of 1.77 g. Screech-Owls in the study area consumed a variety of small mammal, avian, insect and aquatic prey. Of these, Meadow Voles, Microtus pennsylvanicus, were the predominant prey item identified in pellets, and Mourning Doves, Zenaida macroura, were the primary avian prey found in nest boxes. In Canada, the owl’s trend status remains largely unknown. The species is currently listed as “Not at Risk”, based on an assessment conducted for COSEWIC in 1986. Given that a limited amount of information exists on the natural history and ecology of the species in Quebec, we also generated a map of the owl’s distribution in the province, using data from ornithological databases and rehabilitation facilities. Potential risks to the species within the province, particularly pesticide exposure and habitat loss, are briefly addressed and follow-up studies are discussed.

Download Full-text

Inhibiting ventilatory evaporation produces an adaptive increase in cutaneous evaporation in mourning doves Zenaida macroura

Journal of Experimental Biology ◽

10.1242/jeb.202.21.3021 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 202 (21) ◽

pp. 3021-3028 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

T.C. Hoffman ◽

G.E. Walsberg

Keyword(s):

Skin Surface ◽

The Body ◽

Evaporative Heat Loss ◽

Evaporative Water ◽

Zenaida Macroura ◽

Ambient Temperatures ◽

Rapid Adjustment ◽

Mourning Doves ◽

A Minor ◽

Cutaneous Evaporation

We tested the hypothesis that birds can rapidly change the conductance of water vapor at the skin surface in response to a changing need for evaporative heat loss. Mourning doves (Zenaida macroura) were placed in a two-compartment chamber separating the head from the rest of the body. The rate of cutaneous evaporation was measured in response to dry ventilatory inflow at three ambient temperatures and in response to vapor-saturated ventilatory inflow at two ambient temperatures. At 35 degrees C, cutaneous evaporation increased by 72 % when evaporative water loss from the mouth was prevented, but no increase was observed at 45 degrees C. For both dry and vapor-saturated treatments, cutaneous evaporation increased significantly with increased ambient temperature. Changes in skin temperature made only a minor contribution to any observed increase in cutaneous evaporation. This indicates that Z. macroura can effect rapid adjustment of evaporative conductance at the skin in response to acute change in thermoregulatory demand.

Download Full-text

Naturally high plasma glucose levels in mourning doves (Zenaida macroura) do not lead to high levels of reactive oxygen species in the vasculature

Zoology ◽

10.1016/j.zool.2010.12.001 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 114 (3) ◽

pp. 171-176 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Christina L. Smith ◽

Matthew Toomey ◽

Benjimen R. Walker ◽

Eldon J. Braun ◽

Blair O. Wolf ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Reactive Oxygen Species ◽

Plasma Glucose ◽

Reactive Oxygen ◽

High Plasma ◽

Oxygen Species ◽

Zenaida Macroura ◽

Glucose Levels ◽

Mourning Doves ◽

High Plasma Glucose

Download Full-text

Seabed litter distribution in the high seas of the Flemish Pass area (NW Atlantic)

Scientia Marina ◽

10.3989/scimar.04945.27a ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 84 (1) ◽

pp. 93

Author(s):

Ana García-Alegre ◽

Esther Román-Marcote ◽

Jesús Gago ◽

Gonzalo González-Nuevo ◽

Mar Sacau ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Atlantic Ocean ◽

Bottom Trawl ◽

Northwest Atlantic ◽

Marine Litter ◽

Fishing Gears ◽

National Jurisdiction ◽

Baseline Information ◽

Northeastern Flank ◽

Using Data ◽

The Eu

Seabed litter of the Flemish Pass area (NW Atlantic Ocean) was analysed and described using data from the EU-Spain groundfish survey (2006-2017 period). This study presents baseline information on seabed litter in this area. The Flemish Pass is located in areas beyond national jurisdiction within the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization Regulatory Area Division 3L. A total of 1169 valid bottom trawl hauls were analysed (104-1478 m depth). Litter was found in 8.3% of the hauls, with mean densities of 1.4±0.2 items km–2 and 10.6±5.2 kg km–2. An increasing pattern with depth was found, the highest densities of seabed litter being identified in the deepest areas located in the Flemish Pass channel and down the northeastern flank of the Grand Bank. Fishing was found to be the main source of marine litter, and 61.9% of the hauls with litter presence showed litter included in the fisheries-related litter category. Whereas in most cases the litter was composed of small fragments of rope, in other cases it was composed of entire fishing gears such as traps. Plastics, metal and other anthropogenic litter were the next most abundant categories, accounting for 18.6%, 16.5% and 12.4% of the total, respectively.

Download Full-text

What Started Your Labor? Responses From Mothers in the Third Pregnancy, Infection, and Nutrition Study

The Journal of Perinatal Education ◽

10.1891/1058-1243.23.3.155 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 23 (3) ◽

pp. 155-164 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Marit L. Bovbjerg ◽

Kelly R. Evenson ◽

Chyrise Bradley ◽

John M. Thorp

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Sexual Activity ◽

Natural Phenomenon ◽

The Third ◽

Maternal Illness ◽

Nutrition Study ◽

Potential Risks ◽

Emotional Trigger ◽

Using Data ◽

Specific Trigger

Many behaviors and substances have been purported to induce labor. Using data from the Third Pregnancy, Infection, and Nutrition cohort, we focus on 663 women who experienced spontaneous labor. Of the women who reported a specific labor trigger, 32% reported physical activity (usually walking), 24% a clinician-mediated trigger, 19% a natural phenomenon, 14% some other physical trigger (including sexual activity), 12% reported ingesting something, 12% an emotional trigger, and 7% maternal illness. With the exceptions of walking and sexual intercourse, few women reported any one specific trigger, although various foods/substances were listed in the “ingesting something” category. Discussion of potential risks associated with “old wives’ tale” ways to induce labor may be warranted as women approach term.

Download Full-text

Using a Commercially Available Enzyme Immunoassay to Quantify Testosterone in Avian Plasma

The Condor ◽

10.1093/condor/109.1.181 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 109 (1) ◽

pp. 181-186 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Brian E. Washburn ◽

Joshua J. Millspaugh ◽

Dana L. Morris ◽

John H. Schulz ◽

John Faaborg

Keyword(s):

Enzyme Immunoassay ◽

Small Volume ◽

Plasma Testosterone ◽

Plasma Samples ◽

Zenaida Macroura ◽

Vireo Olivaceus ◽

Testosterone Levels ◽

Passerina Cyanea ◽

Assay Procedure ◽

Mourning Doves

Abstract Abstract Using a commercially available testosterone enzyme immunoassay (EIA), we developed and validated an assay procedure for determining testosterone levels in small-volume (20 µL) avian plasma samples. We evaluated this EIA's utility by measuring plasma testosterone levels in Mourning Doves (Zenaida macroura), White-eyed Vireos (Vireo griseus), Red-eyed Vireos (Vireo olivaceus), and Indigo Buntings (Passerina cyanea). Standard biochemical validations (e.g., parallelism, recovery of exogenous testosterone) demonstrated that the assay accurately and precisely measured testosterone in avian plasma. We compared plasma testosterone levels in males and females of all four species and Indigo Buntings in various reproductive stages to physiologically validate the assay's ability to determine biologically important changes in testosterone levels. Plasma testosterone levels were higher in males compared to females in three of four species. Prebreeding and breeding male Indigo Buntings had higher circulating testosterone levels than postbreeding males. Testosterone levels in our study were similar to reported values for other passerine species using radioimmunoassay procedures. Our results suggest that this EIA procedure is very effective for determining testosterone levels in small-volume avian plasma samples and is sensitive enough to detect biologically important changes in the gonadal activity of birds. Thus, this assay has considerable utility for measuring testosterone in small birds (<15 g), from which only small volumes of plasma (20 µL) can be collected.

Download Full-text

Increased risk of rheumatoid arthritis among patients with endometriosis: a nationwide population-based cohort study

Rheumatology ◽

10.1093/rheumatology/keaa784 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Yu-Hao Xue ◽

Liang-Tian You ◽

Hsin-Fu Ting ◽

Yu-Wen Chen ◽

Zi-Yun Sheng ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cohort Study ◽

Retrospective Cohort Study ◽

Retrospective Cohort ◽

Propensity Scores ◽

Population Based ◽

Cox Proportional Hazard ◽

Kaplan Meier ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Potential Risks ◽

Using Data

Abstract Objectives Autoimmunity may play a role in endometriosis. The association between endometriosis and RA remains unknown. This study was conducted to identify any evidence for this relationship. Methods This 13-year, nationwide, population-based, retrospective cohort study analysed the risk of RA in a cohort of individuals with endometriosis. We investigated the incidence of RA among patients with endometriosis using data from the Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2000, which is maintained by the Taiwan National Health Research Institutes. We used propensity scores to match comorbidities in the two cohorts. Kaplan–Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazard model were employed to analyse the association between endometriosis and RA among patients with different potential risks. Results Patients with endometriosis [adjusted hazard ratio (HR) 1.75, 95% CI 1.27, 2.41], aged ≥45 years (adjusted HR 1.50, 95% CI 1.06–2.13) and with autoimmune disease (adjusted HR 6.99, 95% CI 2.84–17.21) had a significantly higher risk of RA. The analyses also showed that when stratified by age, comorbidities and medication use, the risk of RA in patients with endometriosis was also higher than in those without endometriosis. Conclusions This 14-year, nationwide, population-based retrospective cohort study revealed that patients with endometriosis have a higher risk of RA. In the clinical management of patients with RA, rheumatologists should be especially mindful of the possibility of underlying endometriosis.

Download Full-text

Using Fecal Glucocorticoids for Stress Assessment in Mourning Doves

The Condor ◽

10.1093/condor/105.4.696 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 105 (4) ◽

pp. 696-706 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Brian E. Washburn ◽

Joshua J. Millspaugh ◽

John H. Schulz ◽

Susan B. Jones ◽

Tony Mong

Keyword(s):

Body Mass ◽

Mourning Dove ◽

Zenaida Macroura ◽

Acth Challenge ◽

Fecal Glucocorticoid Metabolites ◽

In Captivity ◽

Mourning Doves ◽

Para Determinar ◽

Fecal Glucocorticoids ◽

Fecal Glucocorticoid

Abstract Fecal glucocorticoid assays provide a potentially useful, noninvasive means to study physiological responses of wildlife to various stressors. The objective of our study was to validate a method for measuring glucocorticoid metabolites in Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) feces. We validated the assay using standard procedures (e.g., parallelism, recovery of exogenous corticosterone) to demonstrate that the assay accurately and precisely measured glucocorticoid metabolites in Mourning Dove fecal extracts. We conducted adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) challenge experiments to validate the assay's ability to determine biologically important changes in fecal glucocorticoids. Fecal glucocorticoid levels increased significantly approximately 2–3 hr after administration of ACTH at 50 IU per kg body mass to wild Mourning Doves held in captivity. In contrast, fecal glucocorticoid metabolites did not increase in control birds, birds that received saline injections, or a lower dose of ACTH (1 IU per kg body mass). Variation in overall fecal glucocorticoid metabolite levels may have been influenced by season and the length of time birds were held in captivity. Noninvasive fecal glucocorticoid metabolite analyses, in combination with demographic information, may have considerable utility for monitoring the effects of natural and anthropogenic disturbances on Mourning Dove populations. Uso de Glucocorticoides Fecales Para Evaluar el Estrés en Zenaida macroura Resumen. Las evaluaciones de glucocorticoides fecales representan un medio no invasor potencialmente útil para estudiar las respuestas fisiológicas de los animales silvestres ante agentes causantes de estrés. El objetivo de nuestro estudio fue validar un método para medir metabolitos glucocorticoides en heces de palomas Zenaida macroura. Validamos el método mediante procedimientos estándar (e.g., paralelismo, recuperación de corticosterona exógena) para demostrar que éste mide con exactitud y precisión los metabolitos glucocorticoides en extractos fecales de Z. macroura. Realizamos experimentos de desafío con adrenocorticotropina (ACTH) para validar la habilidad que tenía el método para determinar cambios biológicamente importantes en los glucocorticoides fecales. Los niveles de glucocorticoides fecales aumentaron de forma significativa aproximadamente 2–3 hr después de la administración de ACTH a 50 IU por kg de peso corporal a palomas silvestres mantenidas en cautiverio. En contraste, los metabolitos glucocorticoides fecales no aumentaron en aves control, ni en aves que recibieron inyecciones salinas o una menor dosis de ACTH (1 IU por kg de peso corporal). La variación en los niveles generales de metabolitos glucocorticoides fecales podría haber sido influenciada por la estación y la longitud del período de tiempo en que las aves fueron mantenidas en cautiverio. Los análisis no invasores de metabolitos glucocorticoides, en combinación con información demográfica, podrían ser de considerable utilidad para monitorear los efectos de los disturbios naturales y antropogénicos sobre las poblaciones de Z. macroura.

Download Full-text